Alternative Goblins.

[frigidmagi]

Quick bit, the goblins here were inspired by the monseters from the movie descent. While there will be no plot spoilers, those who want to remain ignorent of certain details of the monsters phyiscal make up should want until after seeing this movie to read futher. That said, I changed a number of things and added in others to make the basic idea fit better. Hobgolbins were done to show how this change would effect other goblinoid specis.

**Goblins**

Some believe they are orginal stock from which all other goblinoids arose, others dispute this pointing to adaptations of their enviroment that are to them clearly recent changes on a older model. Some thoerize that they are a degeneration of the orginal goblin. Other goblinoids just prefer to kill the debaters and try not to think of it.

Goblins are blind cave dwelling carnivores who hunt via echo location. They use stone and bone tools for a varity of task, however they do not use fire and as such do not possess metal working skills. Some tribes however are known to loot the bodies of their victums or trade with more advance goblinoid specis. Goblins communicate verbally but at a higher pitch than human ears can hear, this makes inter-specis communication near impossible. The fact that goblins see humans and other non-goblinoid specis as a food source only adds to the problem.

Goblins live in tribes that range from 24 members to near a 100. They prefer to dwell in deep cave complexes or other lightless areas, where their blindness is not a disadvantage. Some tribes who live near the surface have taken to venturing out to hunt at night. The more aggressive tribes will attack small humanoid settlements for food and tools.

Goblins stand from 3 to 41/2 feet tall with pale white skin and triangular, bat like ears that stand out from the skull to better catch noise. They have small blind eyes, some sub-specis of goblins have eyes that can differate light from darkness but those are rare. Thier hands are clawed and they have powerful jaws for biting through muscle and bone. Goblins are bald mammals.

**Hobgoblins**

Hobgoblins are larger, smarter, stronger, daylight adapted versions of their cave dwelling kin. They consider themselves the best of the goblinoid species and tend to subject and organize their kin. Ironically goblinoids living under Hob rule tend to do slightly better than their feral kin.

The Hobgoblins lived in organized groups that range from 100 to several thousands in a single grouping. Different groups can and do form alliances and complex relationships comparable to human interactions. They use and create metal tools for a varity of reasons. Carnivious like their goblin cousin, hobgoblins herd a number of farm animals and for the most part do not eat sapient creatures (there are instances in very barren areas where other meat animals are scare), prefering to use them for labor or demand tribute from those they can dominate while trading with those they cannot.

Hobgoblins can see and can not echo locate, however they retain enough of a higher hearing ability to commicate with goblins in an understandable fashion. Goblins do not seem to view Hobs as prey. It should be noted all folk tales aside, Hobgoblins do not see in the dark any better than humans, but can nagivate better due to better hearing.

Hobgoblins stand from 41/2 feet to 51/2 feet and tend to be heavily built, their skin ranges from a pale brown to a dark burnt color. Their ears are small and lie along the skull with sparse dark hair on the head and body.

[Cynical Cat]

Nice.