Hobgoblin

Fierce and militaristic, hobgoblins survive by conquest. The raw materials to fuel their war machines come from raids, their armaments and buildings from the toil of slaves worked to death. Naturally ambitious and envious, hobgoblins seek to better themselves at the expense of others of their kind, yet in battle they put aside petty differences and fight with discipline rivaling that of the finest soldiers. Hobgoblins have little love or trust for one another, and even less for outsiders. Life for these brutes consists of duty to those of higher station, domination of those below, and the rare opportunities to seize personal glory and elevate their status.

## Physical Description

Burly and muscled, hobgoblins stand a few inches shorter than the average human, and their long arms, thick torsos, and relatively short legs give them an almost apelike stature. Hobgoblins’ skin is a sickly gray-green that darkens to mossy green after long exposure to the sun. Their eyes burn fiery orange or red. Their broady faces, sharp teeth and large ears resembles a goblin's head upon a larger body. Hobgoblins lack facial hair, and even hobgoblin women are bald. Except for their size, hobgoblins bear a strong physical resemblance to their goblin cousins.

## History

The modern hobgoblin society began 700 years ago when Vuldrad Wormlord conquered several communities and led the largest command of slaves that Reth'car has ever seen. He broke the mold by tempering the aggression of hobgoblins through discipline. This act would further divide hobgoblin society from the more chaotic structure of orcs. Vuldrad's lands were lost when he died from old age, and no one could fill his place. His legacy is the hobgoblin desire for military structure and finding power through conquering weaker opponents.

## Society

Hobgoblins lives in strict hierarchies. Their militaristic society promotes aggression against those that are weaker, but demands loyalty from those who are considered stronger. Those who live outside of their hierarchy are considered lesser and prime targets to let out their fury against.

Their societal goal is to defeat and enslave other beings to fulfill needs outside of combat. As such, hobgoblin society develops slowly as there are few to none who seeks to expand on the knowledge they have. Their crafting is abysmal compared to most cultures and their spiritual needs are ignored. Despite their constant attacks against other beings, they are rarely able to hold on fortifications they overtake. They lack the strategic foresight to defend as they always focus on the next target.

Hobgoblins strive to contain and redirect the chaos of goblins to their advantage. The goblins are used as cannon fodder and distraction during battles. Outside of battle they are rarely given work duties as they are not trusted to do it right, and instead the hobgoblins tries to keep them from going out of control through petty bribes and intimidation. Bugbears are also a common ally to the hobgoblins, but in much smaller numbers than goblins. The individualistic nature of bugbears tend to make them leave hobgoblin warbands unless there are a steady supply of battles and rewards.

Hobgoblins lean toward martial classes, particularly fighters, monks, and rogues. Practitioners of arcane arts are rare due to the long learning period before giving battlefield result, but once achieved are highly praised. Clerics and paladins are close to unheard of. Those who go against the mold and devote themselves to the divine arts tend to worship gods of war such as Hextor.

## Adventurers

Hobgoblin adventurers tend to be iconoclasts, loners who chafe under the strict hierarchy of military life. Others have fled or been exiled in disgrace for showing weakness or cowardice. Some harbor dreams of one day returning to the hobgoblin flock flush with wealth and tales of great deeds. A few serve farsighted hobgoblin generals, who send the most promising youths out into the world that they might someday return as mighty heroes for the hobgoblin cause.

## Notable hobgoblins

Captain Carver is a dorth artificer who leads the Sea shears pirates on adventures from Guardian's cove.