Goblinkin

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Feared and loathed the world over for their cruelty, barbarism, fervent devil-worship, and their taste for human flesh, the savage bands of goblinkin are among the best-known, and most-feared scourge upon the innocent folk living at the furthest marches of civilisation. Goblinkin is a collective term for goblins, hobgoblins, and orcs, all of whom are but different subraces of a single evil race.

All goblinkin share the following traits; bowlegs, long arms, hunched backs, heavy brows, and large, fanged mouths. Of the three subraces, goblins are the smallest in both height and weight. Hobgoblins and orcs are of roughly equal height, though orcs tend to be stockier. Their skin has a leathery texture and a sallow complexion. The hair ranges from jet-black to a rufous hue, and is quite thick and course. While goblinkin tend to be very hairy, they never grow beards. Their eyes are red and glow in darkness.

While all goblinkin can easily interbreed, the three subraces remain distinct even when living in mixed-tribes. This is due to the caste-like society fostered in such tribes, with fraternisation between subraces largely discouraged.

The concept of a single goblin language, or even of a unified goblin Sprachbund is wholly inaccurate. There are as many dialects as their are tribes of goblinkin, most of which are not mutually intelligible, even between neighbouring tribes.

Combat

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Habitat/Society

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Ecology

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Gobins hate the sun, for it hurts their sensitive eyes. As such, they fight with a -1 penalty to their attack rolls when out in the sunlight. Conversely, goblins can see very well in almost total darkness, which is of great benefit in their subterrenean dens. Thus, they have darkvision up to 60 feet.

Being crafty and violent by nature, goblins use a great variety of weapons, but like falchions, daggers and hand-axes best of all, for they can be used even in the tightest of tunnels. Goblins fight dirty, and are wont to dip their dirks and darts in poison, and to set elaborate traps at the entrances of their dens.

Goblinkin are omnivorous with carnivorous tendencies. The primary vegetable of their diet are mushrooms, and they eat few other vegetables save in times of great need. Small game is trapped or stalked daily, consisting mostly of various kinds of fowl and of rodents; squirrels in woodlands, water voles in wetlands, and rats in caverns. In certain wetland regions, goblinkin have adopted piscivorous diets. It is the preference of goblinkin to dine on large beasts, whether game or domestic, but their favourite meat is that of men. Human flesh is considered a delicacy amongst goblinkind and often the promise of human provender is enough to rally goblinkin to war. Dwarf meat is also eaten, though it is considered too chewy for anything besides pies and stew. Though goblinkind have no inhibitions about eating elf-flesh, it is generally considered too lean and is consumed more for the ritual than the culinary pleasure.

Goblins are the least breed of goblinkind, being smaller and more cowardly than the larger hobgoblins and orcs, but no less cruel, and often far craftier. Large all of their ilk, goblins are bowlegged, hunchbacked, long-armed, heavy-browed, befanged, and possess smouldering eyes which can see well in the dark. Due to their bowlegs, they are poor sprinters but have remarkable endurance over distance, and can run even when bent almost quadrupedally; of great use when navigating tight tunnels. Their long arms afford them great climbing ability.