Goblins

## Overview

Goblins are small humanoids, crafty and shrewd, bearing an overwhelming interest in commerce and a strong curiosity about mechanical things. Goblin society is fragmented, defined chiefly by commerce and trade. The ultimate schemers and con artists, goblins are always in search of a better deal. Despite their seemingly chaotic natures, they exist in a fairly strict and straightforward hierarchy. Other races universally view goblins as inventors, merchants and, without exception, maniacs. Goblins value technology as a useful aspect of commerce. Some say that their advantage — and their curse — is to be the primary users of technology in a world governed by magic. While gnomes share a similar gift, goblin technology is simpler, more sinister, makes a larger impact on the natural world, and explodes more often.

They employ vast teams of engineers who expand on current technology and produce gadgets to suit a wide array of applications. They constantly build and repair machines and work on new ideas. Unfortunately, goblins alternate passionate genius with wandering focus. Their lack of discipline means that many creations end up half finished as something else catches their attention. Goblin workmanship has a partially deserved reputation for unreliability, and a goblin device may explode simply because its creator forgot (or couldn't be bothered) to add a vital release valve.

Goblins are shrewd in business, and clients who believe they walked away with the upper hand are almost always sorely mistaken. "To cheat a goblin" is a gnome idiom, meaning "to do what is practically impossible." ("Gamgi cheated a goblin when he escaped that cave-in!") Goblins are also consummate tricksters and con artists. Their mission in the world is to create incredible new inventions, accrue the resulting wealth, and cause as much subtle mischief as possible along the way.

## Biology

Goblins are slight and wiry, averaging 3'6", only slightly taller than Gnomes. They have long, sharp noses, chins and ears, wide mouths, and green skin. Their arms are long and slender and their fingers deft; however they have only three fingers and a thumb to each hand. They tend to wear leather clothing, often cut into aprons to protect against caustic fluids.

Hair is not a feature coveted in goblins, and they usually style it to keep it out of their eyes or keep it short while working, although it is sometimes seen in mohawks and spiky styles among younger goblins.

The female goblin is slightly shorter than the male, with particularly wide hips in comparison to humans. However goblins seem to have the least bias against either gender - a female goblin can run her own shop, become any kind of warrior, thief or mage, or rise all the way to rule her own business empire.

## Culture

### Cooking

Several goblins are also renown for their skills as chefs. Cooking recipes such as Goblin Deviled Clams and Undermine Clam Chowder are a staple of the trade pioneered by the spindly green race. Goblin skill in cuisine is almost exclusive to seafood, however.

### Faith

Goblins place their faith in themselves, gold, and Waukeen. Temples for the goddess of wealth litter Bilgewater and towns within goblin society.

### Languages

Goblins are known to speak Goblin, Gnomish, and Common. Goblins often know a myriad of languages in order to trade with as many races as possible.

### Goblin Technology and Engineering

Though once nothing but fodder for more tavern banter, goblin inventions have shown their worth in recent years. They're particularly fond of tinkering with mechanical things, alchemy, and explosives. Their love of mechanics often places them into direct competition with gnomes who enjoy similar devices. The "competition" between goblins and gnomes seems to be friendly, an example of this is in the shimmering flats where the two races are constantly competing (by racing) with one another. Whether clockwork "shredders" that allow a single goblin to do as much harvesting as 10 lumberjacks or zeppelin-like "airships" that can ferry troops over otherwise impassable terrain, the goblins' inventions have become legendary. Such technological ingenuity is as central to the goblins' rise among the races as any trading prowess.

Even with the malfunctions and explosions that occur (not as frequent as tavern chatter suggests, but far from rare), goblin technology is proving to be of a quality that rivals gnomish ingenuity. If they possessed physical strength and mystic power to match the other races of Resanith, they would be a force of some significance. Of course, goblins claim that if not for their frail physical forms, they would rule the world. Then they laugh and say they prefer a challenge and offer to buy the tavern guests the next round.

### Military Tactics and Forces

Goblin forces are terrifying to behold. An average person might wonder why the trade princes require such powerful armies, if they are holding to their neutrality stance. It certainly seems excessive.

The simple truth is, the forces are not excessive. The life of those living within Bilgewater is harsh, due to both the largest population density in the realm, and the many criminal groups that call the city home. Although the Gnomes and Goblins have reached a somewhat stable agreement to share the city, a trade prince is always in peril of death. Every day, a trade prince must test his food on three different people. There is only one way to become a trade prince, and that's to take out the competition. Thus, to prevent rivals from taking their thrones and to ensure that business may be conducted as normal, each trade prince enlists a hefty force of warriors. It's absolutely necessary to keep order in the goblin world.

The Trade Fleets also require extreme guards. Bilgewater goods sail everywhere, especially into hostile or desolate territories to make a coin. Simply put, goblins go to dangerous places. Without strong guards, there would be no trade, because there would be only dead traders.

Despite appearances, goblins maintain rigid procedures and formations for battle. They only look disorganized. Goblins are intelligent, and they use their brains in battle. Confuse the enemy, and the enemy leaves blind spots. Slip in between the cracks and break the forces open from the inside. Many battles during the Bilgewater War were lost when Gnomish forces underestimated goblin tactics.

## Trade

At some point during the Bilgewater War, the goblins grew tired of launching explosives into Gnomish ships and decided that they needed to take control of their own destinies. Surprisingly, they proved smart enough to know that war was bad for business. So they chose a different path.

The goblins have taken to the role of merchant with a vengeance, and now it's hard to travel for more than a day or two without stumbling across a goblin shop of some size. Goblin zeppelins fly across the continent, delivering goods, supplies, messages and passengers from one shop to another, it's been said by more than one goblin that if a product isn't in his shop, he can have it on the shelves within a week. One joker challenged that claim and ordered a dozen shredders, only to find them waiting outside his cottage two days later.

Goblin shops can be found nearly anywhere in The Northerlands, seemingly regardless of whether or not there are towns nearby and mostly heedless of dangers. Goblins will sell anything to anyone, at only slightly inflated prices.

Apparently, the proprietor of each goblin shop determines how to protect his business from theft. Some of the solutions employed include the hiring of mercenary fighters as security guards; complicated, tinker-built security systems; and, most notoriously, enormous bombs on a dead man's switch that can be detonated on a moment's notice if a goblin merchant feels threatened. After news spread of thieves and bullies entering shops that were replaced moments later by smoking craters, few have found the nerve to probe how a given shop might be protected.

Though many shops remain Independent, a growing number of them have signs declaring that they are owned and operated by the Venture Company, which the proprietors claim is headquartered in a faraway city ruled by goblins where the streets are paved with gold.

The trade princes are the most cunning of their race and will stop at nothing to amass their fortunes and power, whether through legitimate means or via black markets and treachery. Goblins encountered outside of Bilgewater are either privateers or agents of the various city's trade princes. Trade Princes can be either male or female; the goblin does not show prejudice over who they buy from or sell to, as long as they can get the right product at the right price.

Goblins are not purely mercenary. They are known to form strong bonds with individuals of other races. Their small forms and odd behavior make other races — elves in particular — ill at ease, but goblins do not seem to care much for the impression they make. They judge by deeds, befriending those who treat them as friends and standing apart from those who would offer them abuse.