Page 166 - Monster Manual [11th Print]

G O B L I N S
Goblins are small, black-hearted, selfish humanoids that
lair in caves, abandoned mines, despoiled dungeons,
and other dismal settings. Individually weak, goblins
gather in large-sometimes overwhelming-numbers.
They crave power and regularly abuse whatever
authority they obtain.
Goblinoids. Goblins belong to a family of creatures
called goblinoids. Their larger cousins, hobgoblins and
bugbears, like to bully goblins into submission. Goblins
are lazy and undisciplined, making them poor servants,
laborers, and guards.
M a licious Glee. Motivated by greed and malice,
goblins can't help but celebrate the few times they have
the upper hand. They dance, caper with sheer joy when
victory is theirs. Once their revels have ended, goblins
delight in the torment of other creatures and embrace
all manner of wickedness.
Leaders and Followers. Goblins are ruled by the
strongest or smartest among them. A goblin boss might
command a single lair, while a goblin king or queen
(who is nothing more than a glorified goblin boss)
rules hundreds of goblins, spread out among multiple
lairs to ensure the tribe's survival. Goblin bosses are
easily ousted, and many goblin tribes are taken over by
hobgoblin warlords or bugbear chiefs.
Challenging Lairs. Goblins festoon their lairs with
alarms designed to signal the arrival of intruders. Those
lairs are also riddled with narrow tunnels and bolt-holes
that human-sized creatures can't navigate, but which
goblins can crawl through with ease, allowing them to
flee or to circle around and surprise their enemies.
Rat Keepers and Wolf Riders. Goblins have an
affinity for rats and wolves, raising them to serve as
companions and mounts, respectively. Like rats, goblins
shun sunlight and sleep underground during the day.
Like wolves, they are pack hunters, made bolder by their
numbers. When they hunt from the backs of wolves,
goblins use hit-and-run attacks.
W o rshipers ofMaglubiyet. Maglubiyet the Mighty
One, the Lord of Depths and Darkness, is the greater
god of goblinoids. Envisioned by most goblins as an
eleven-foot-tall battle-scarred goblin with black skin and
fire erupting from his eyes, he is worshiped not out of
adoration but fear. Goblins believe that when they die in
battle, their spirits join the ranks of Maglubiyet's army
on the plane of Acheron. This is a "privilege" that most
goblins dread, fearing the Mighty One's eternal tyranny
even more than death.