Ciaran
First Post
This is how I'm handling the goblin races in my campaign...
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Svartalfar, also known as “dark elves”, are ghastly humanoids from the gloomy realm of Svartalfheim. Their hordes invade Midgard on a regular basis in search of meat and slaughter. Those knowledgeable in such matters divide them up as follows:
* Goblins are the svartalfar young. Any dark elf old enough to walk and hold a pointy object is a goblin. They serve as the front line in svartalfar assaults, pouring forth in slavering waves to overwhelm defenders.
* Those goblins who survive long enough for their first growth spurt become hobgoblins. Spindly and vicious, hobgoblins are strong and clever enough to lead gangs of goblins in battle, though they prefer to gather in packs of their own kind. They torment anything weaker than themselves.
* Upon reaching puberty, hobgoblins bulk up into orcs. Massive and brutal, orcs form the shock troops of any svartalfar force. They are slower than their younger brethren, but far more powerful; each is a match for a veteran human warrior. They fight aggressively and methodically, and unlike their juniors, they can save the pillaging – and, in their case, the rape – for after.
* The eldest svartalfar are known as bugbears, and they are a source of dread. Strong and cunning, adept with sword and spell, bugbears are the lords and heroes of the dark elves. Individually, few can stand against them. As the war leaders of their folk, they lead armies out of Svartalfheim and into the middle world, leaving kingdoms burning in their wake.
Most humans in the setting are 2nd or 3rd level commoners. Goblins are 1 HD creatures straight out of the Monster Manual. Hobgoblins have 2 HD, with a level of warrior on top of their racial hit die. Orcs are 3 or 4 HD creatures, again with warrior levels on top of their racial hit die. Bugbears start at 5 HD and go up from there, supplementing their three racial hit dice with a mix of fighter and magician levels.
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Svartalfar, also known as “dark elves”, are ghastly humanoids from the gloomy realm of Svartalfheim. Their hordes invade Midgard on a regular basis in search of meat and slaughter. Those knowledgeable in such matters divide them up as follows:
* Goblins are the svartalfar young. Any dark elf old enough to walk and hold a pointy object is a goblin. They serve as the front line in svartalfar assaults, pouring forth in slavering waves to overwhelm defenders.
* Those goblins who survive long enough for their first growth spurt become hobgoblins. Spindly and vicious, hobgoblins are strong and clever enough to lead gangs of goblins in battle, though they prefer to gather in packs of their own kind. They torment anything weaker than themselves.
* Upon reaching puberty, hobgoblins bulk up into orcs. Massive and brutal, orcs form the shock troops of any svartalfar force. They are slower than their younger brethren, but far more powerful; each is a match for a veteran human warrior. They fight aggressively and methodically, and unlike their juniors, they can save the pillaging – and, in their case, the rape – for after.
* The eldest svartalfar are known as bugbears, and they are a source of dread. Strong and cunning, adept with sword and spell, bugbears are the lords and heroes of the dark elves. Individually, few can stand against them. As the war leaders of their folk, they lead armies out of Svartalfheim and into the middle world, leaving kingdoms burning in their wake.
Most humans in the setting are 2nd or 3rd level commoners. Goblins are 1 HD creatures straight out of the Monster Manual. Hobgoblins have 2 HD, with a level of warrior on top of their racial hit die. Orcs are 3 or 4 HD creatures, again with warrior levels on top of their racial hit die. Bugbears start at 5 HD and go up from there, supplementing their three racial hit dice with a mix of fighter and magician levels.
