Goblins
Goblins first appeared on Arrasia during the War of Chaos, after Babbarax created them in her image and brought them to make war on the peoples there. They are now numerous in number and can be found throughout the world, in all its climes. They are not intelligent creatures and are cowardly by nature, preferring ambush, treachery and assassination rather than all out confrontation. Under the banner of a powerful, charismatic leader, however, and in great numbers, they are still to be greatly feared. There are many varieties of goblin, which both Babbarax and her brother Gygafrak have improved over the centuries, and the stronger, more courageous varieties are a match for even the strongest and fiercest of the orcs. Fortunately, the larger brothers of the goblins are much fewer in number and tend to prefer leading weaker tribes of goblins than living together.
The most common variety of goblin stands around 3-1/2 feet tall and weigh around 40 pounds. They are ugly creatures with small eyes and rough, green skin. They usually wear low grade armor which they have taken from those killed in war. All goblins, whatever their variety, speak their own language, which is ugly and fairly simple. Very few goblins speak anything else.
Goblin Homelands
Goblins are scattered throughout Arrasia, from the frozen wastes of the north through to the tropical jungles of the south, living in large tribes numbering anywhere from a couple of hundred through to a few thousand - though the larger tribes tend to be rare. Normally when a tribe gets too large and too unwieldy, they make war on an unsuspecting victim until their numbers are killed and scattered. Goblins live in anything from mountain caves to poorly constructed huts, which form ramshackle towns. Such towns are rarely allowed to survive for long, as local denizens - humans, dwarves and elves most commonly - will band together and drive the goblins away. Nonetheless, it is rumored that in some of the more remote regions of Arrasia, goblin towns have long established themselves.
Most goblins follow either Babbarax or Gygafrak and very rarely both. Goblin tribes will often fight over religion, though on occasions put their rivalry aside to untie under a common banner or cause. This is normally when Babbarax and Gygafrak themselves unify, though like their beloved deities, such alliances normally fall into acrimony and civil war and treachery is not only common, but fully expected.
Cowards at heart, goblins prefer stealth and trickery to outright confrontation, unless their numbers are large and their confidence emboldened. However, goblins are known to be expert worg-rearers and handlers. What their relationship with this wild beast is - and why it has allied itself to goblins - no one knows, but worgs allow goblins to ride them and together they form a potent and fearsome cavalry that has caused the ranks of many an army to break on their mere presence on a battlefield. Worgs are fierce creatures who usually hunt in packs and allow themselves no master, but goblins they seem to tolerate and together they bring chaos and death wherever they pass. Goblins also utilize other animals against their enemies, rearing them for war and unleashing them on the battlefield.
Goblin Politics and Society
Goblin society is chaotic and violent, where the strongest rule over the weak and where life is generally harsh and short. Although charismatic goblins are rare, some do emerge to lead their tribe. Usually, however, they are led by their stronger and larger cousins, who operate in small bands that enforce the will of the leader. Goblin leaders refer to themselves as Kings and Queens and are treated as such, taking the majority of the tribe's wealth for themselves and operating with impunity. Internal strife and violence are common, however, and most reigns are short lived as bickering and outright warfare break out between competing individuals or factions.
Despite the chaos and hardships of goblin lives, they have tight family units and are ferociously protective of their mate and offspring. Once a goblin has met their partner, they will normally stay with them until they die, usually violently, and can be surprisingly aggressive when defending their family unit when cornered and unable to escape. Despite this unusual loyalty, goblin families, like their tribes, are violent and chaotic affairs and murder is all too common. Parenticide is particularly prevalent, especially amongst young males who will often take their mother as their own mate. Relationships between family members can often be very complicated and confusing.
Although goblins will work when forced, they make for miserable laborers and have very poor skills in this regard. Goblins prefer to steal what they need or force others into slavery to do their work for them. It is common for a defeated goblin tribe to be enslaved and forced into manual labor. Being such poor and reluctant workers, however, makes goblin slaves utterly contemptible and thoroughly despised, even above the norm for their race!