Goblins

Clever and Conniving

Goblins are often associated with very negative things like: incivility, thievery, greed and deception. This prejudice is held by many, and has much evidence to back it up. Many goblins live outside of cities in bandit tribes, or live in squalor within cities. However a dive into their history paints a tragic picture of a people forced into hardship.

Writing from the early days after The Awakening tell of goblins who would eat food considered by most to be ‘raw’ or ‘spoiled’. They would reside in small spaces and drink ‘unpotable’ water. They were assumed to be unintelligent and dirty because of this. Many would treat them poorly; putting them down both verbally and physically. It was not understood at the time that goblins instinctually organize in a hierarchy. The abuse unknowingly took advantage of this predisposition. It made them timid and subservient. When pushed too far they would lash out in a way that is described in these old texts as ‘feral’.

This mistreatment drove them into the dark corners of society, or from civilization entirely. In modern day, we see Goblins that thrive when treated equally. Modern science and medicine shows goblins are much more resistant to disease and poison (allowing them to consume things that are raw, spoiled, or unpotable). They are also known to be more comfortable living in small spaces.

Despite the modern understanding, prejudice is a hard thing to be rid of. Goblins face some of the greatest injustice in Zol.

For more lore read Weaving - Godian Bestiary - Goblins