Goblin

A group of Goblins

## Overview

Goblins are a race of small and numerous goblinoids common throughout Faerun, often living in underground caverns near the surface known as lairs. The race is often, though not always, dominated by other goblinoids, most commonly hobgoblins.

## Physical Description

Goblins are small goblinoids that many consider little more than a nuisance. They have flat faces, broad noses, pointed ears, and small, sharp fangs. Their foreheads slope back, and their eyes vary in color from red to yellow. Their skin color ranges from yellow through any shade of orange to a deep red; usually all members of the same tribe share the same colored skin, though they also come in shades of green. Goblins usually stand between 3'4" and 3'8" and weigh about 40 to 55 pounds on average.

Goblins breed extremely rapidly compared with many other races, accounting for their large population.

## Psychology

Goblins, like other goblinoids, have a commonly short temper. Leaders among the race often come to power through betrayal or aggression, rather than by more peaceful means, or as clerics of the goblin gods. As such members of the race are more easily provoked than individuals of most races and often take sadistic pleasure in exacting revenge once crossed. Goblins who turn away from evil often find it difficult to overcome this short fuse and have a sense of greed that makes it difficult for them to act altruistic. Those that do often make use of their ill-gained talents as rogues or fighters.

Being bullied by bigger, stronger creatures has taught goblins to exploit what few advantages they have: sheer numbers and malicious ingenuity. The concept of a fair fight is meaningless in their society. They favor ambushes, overwhelming odds, dirty tricks, and any other edge they can devise. Goblins prefer to fight battles where the odds are in their favor and often flee or surrender when outmatched.

## Culture

Goblin society is tribal by nature. Goblin leaders are generally the strongest and sometimes the smartest around. Goblins have little concept of privacy, living and sleeping in large common areas; only the leaders live separately in their own private chambers. As such, goblin lairs are often stinking or soiled, though easily defended when under assault. Many such lairs are layered with simple traps for such purposes.

Young goblins are taught from an early age to rely only on themselves and that to survive, they must be aggressive and ruthless. Because of the violent nature of goblin culture it is not uncommon for goblins to come under the domination of individuals from a larger, more physically powerful culture, most typically larger goblinoids such as hobgoblins or bugbears. Male goblins, who are dominant in goblin society, sustain the community by raiding and stealing, sneaking into lairs, villages, and even towns by night to take what they can. If supplies get short enough, goblins will even resort to eating members of other races, including other goblinoids.

Goblins do not get along well with most other races and are particularly suspicious of other goblinoids. Goblins have a somewhat ambivalent relationship with orcs and half-orcs, who they've worked with on occasion.Goblins have a particularly adverse relationship with Dwarves.

## Notable Goblins

### Notable Goblin Individuals

Droop, a cowardly Goblin who followed the party after the they killed his Bugbear tormentors during the Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign.

### Notable Goblin Tribes

The Cragmaw Tribe, controlling the territory around Neverwinter Wood, clashed with the party a number of times during the Lost Mines of Phandelver campaign.