D&D 5E Volo's Guide to Monsters Hobgoblins: You would think there are many cities.

[MonsterEnvy]

In Ebberon they had one of the greatest empires the world ever saw.

Appearntly they do have some towns and such in the realms. But they are generally not in the areas focused on.

 

[SkidAce]

I have an entire coastline on the far edge of the civilized area of my world where the Hobgoblins have a Romulan style culture. They are in the middle of recreating their former lost empire, which has greco-roman ruins throughout the area.

 

[Werebat]

This is where Eberron really shone. Goblinoids had a whole nation, and at one time, most of a continent. If you found ruins on the main continent, they were probably goblin ruins. Great stuff.

 

[Parmandur]

This is where Eberron really shone. Goblinoids had a whole nation, and at one time, most of a continent. If you found ruins on the main continent, they were probably goblin ruins. Great stuff.

Yeah, the 5E generic lore works great for Eberron on Goblinoids.

 

[Hriston]

The MM lore paints them as the type that would likely populate your evil Empire (being the type to aggressive conquer territory and even subjugate other races), but also as not having any real nation to them, instead being mere tribes scattered across the land.

It's weird, and seems fairly contradictory.

In classic D&D lore, Hobgoblins are fairly similar to Tolkien's Uruk-hai. They are fiercely nationalistic and even racist, believing in some sort of Hobgoblin supremacy. But at the tribal level they are fiercely competitive and have great difficulty resisting the urge to prove that their tribe is superior by defeating their rivals. Only a very powerful and charismatic BBEG can unite two or more tribes for a single purpose and keep intertribal violence from erupting.

 

[Corpsetaker]

In classic D&D lore, Hobgoblins are fairly similar to Tolkien's Uruk-hai. They are fiercely nationalistic and even racist, believing in some sort of Hobgoblin supremacy. But at the tribal level they are fiercely competitive and have great difficulty resisting the urge to prove that their tribe is superior by defeating their rivals. Only a very powerful and charismatic BBEG can unite two or more tribes for a single purpose and keep intertribal violence from erupting.

That sounds a lot like good old Orcs.

 

[hawkeyefan]

It's odd that a chaotic and brutal race such as the orcs have cities and yet the lawful and military style of the Hobgoblins do not.

Perhaps the more civilized nations of the world would consider the idea of hobgoblins establishing a nation as a much scarier idea, and far more likely than more chaotic races like orcs, and therefore expend more effort to prevent it from happening.

 

[Hriston]

That sounds a lot like good old Orcs.

Yes, Orcs are even more likely to attack members of a rival tribe on-sight. Hobgoblins are more likely to express their hatred for other tribes through cat-calls and insults.

 

[sydbar]

Hobgoblins have their own nations on Krynn!

 

[neogod22]

If you read the monster manual and volo's guide, there probably should be a goblin nation ran by Hobgoblins, but the Host also war with orcs, which keeps this from happening. I don't see Hobgoblin tribes warring with each other because they have too many enemies as it is (the good races). But they definitely will have fortified outposts and controlled areas in the wilderness. Those won't appear on maps, because they don't trade with the good races(or probably anyone), so it will be up to the DM to create these areas.

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