ToV Tales of the Valiant - Goblin Lineage

[Henadic Theologian]

Kobold also combined Halflings and Gnomes into small folk

So the Lineages are Humans (I assume this this might include Half Elves and Half Orcs?), Elves, Dwarves, Beastfolk, Smallfolk, Outersiders, Kobolds. What aboyt Orcs?

 

[bedir than]

So the Lineages are Humans (I assume this this might include Half Elves and Half Orcs?), Elves, Dwarves, Beastfolk, Smallfolk, Outersiders, Kobolds. What aboyt Orcs?

I'll find out when they deliver the product

 

[Henadic Theologian]

I'll find out when they deliver the product

Thanks

 

[Marc Radle]

So the Lineages are Humans (I assume this this might include Half Elves and Half Orcs?), Elves, Dwarves, Beastfolk, Smallfolk, Outersiders, Kobolds. What aboyt Orcs?

You can absolutely play an orc!

 

[Henadic Theologian]

You can absolutely play an orc!

Thanks

 

[Clint_L]

I'm not sure what initially sparked the modern take on goblins in gaming, but I love it.

World of Warcraft? Or maybe Warhammer via World of Warcraft? Plus Star Trek (Orcs are Klingons, goblins are Ferengi)?

 

[Marc Radle]

Thanks

Of course!

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

World of Warcraft? Or maybe Warhammer via World of Warcraft? Plus Star Trek (Orcs are Klingons, goblins are Ferengi)?

World of Warcraft's goblins are somewhat urban, but not in the same gritty way they are in many TTRPGs now. (For one thing, World of Warcraft has a very bright palette, which tonally is different than what I'm seeing in tabletop, IMO.)

I've never owned or played Warhammer beyond a mobile game fighting skaven, but the Warhammer tone seems right, so that seems plausible, if they have urban goblins.

In any case, I love them and want to see more of them. I also really enjoy that Baldur's Gate 3 makes goblins people, even if many of the people in question are bandits, raiders and cultists. The idea that you would obviously talk your way through goblin lands (potentially getting yourself in very deep by the time the trouble comes), rather than going full genocide on them when you see them, is also nice, and a great example of how the "they're people"/"they're inherently evil scum to be mowed down" arguments about goblins, orcs and drow are way too simplistic. People can be perfectly crappy as individuals and, frankly, it's more interesting to treat them that way.

 

[Aldarc]

I'm not sure what initially sparked the modern take on goblins in gaming, but I love it.

It's a playable short-race that has something going for them other than being short humans. And goblins are often the first "enemy" you face in D&D. There are so many adventures, such as Rise of the Runelords and Lost Mines of Phandelver that start with goblins. So players see them and think, "how can I play these peeps?" Playable goblins were a pretty big thing with Iron Kingdoms. Eberron also move goblins closer to being playable by giving their peoples a vital backstory to Eberron civilization. Owen K. C. Stevens was an advocate for goblins at Paizo and at Green Ronin. He very likely had a hand in playable goblins for both Pathfinder 2 and Fantasy Age 2e.

In video games, there are playable goblins in WoW and Styx: Master of Shadows. There are many other games as well, but those are probably the two most noteworthy.

 

[Marc Radle]

There will be quite a few such lineages in Tales of the Valiant!