Rethinking the roles of Goblins, Orcs, Kobolds and so on

[Jürgen Hubert]

In the campaign world I am currently developing, most of the goblinoid races will take the same role as in most other worlds - as brutish savages.

Not so the hobgoblins, though - they are as smart as humans, highly organized, and have built civilisations of their own. Their societies have a strong warrior culture - in fact, they are pretty close to being fascist - but they are recognized as a "civilized race" by most other PC races, and they won't be attacked on sight (though they aren't neccessarily terribly popular, either...).

Oh, and in my world, it's the halflings who are taking the role of the Swiss...

 

[Xarlen]

Oh, and in my world, it's the halflings who are taking the role of the Swiss...

Doesn't surprise me. All that chocolate...

 

[Bragg Battleaxe]

This is all cool stuff, but I have another sort of issue. I like to run pretty standard settings and I would like to spice up these races a bit too, without leaving the idea that each is based on or delving into real world histories or steampunk settings. Any suggestions?

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

This is all cool stuff, but I have another sort of issue. I like to run pretty standard settings and I would like to spice up these races a bit too, without leaving the idea that each is based on or delving into real world histories or steampunk settings. Any suggestions?

Don't ignore real-world history - you can get some great ideas from it. And with a few changes, it will be unrecognizeable to your players...

First of all, introduce some cultural splits within your standard races. Don't make them "sub-races" or anything radical like that. Just make clear that not all elves agree on, say, the right form of government, and that the two main groups have sometimes clashed over it. Neither group is evil - they don't even have to have different alignments - but the different societies are noticeable even for outsiders.

Humans are split into countless different cultures, so why not non-humans? Centralism is so outdated, you know...

Another idea would be to take a look at the non-humans who live in predominantly human communities. Total integration is boring (and probably unrealistic as well, if that matters), so make most of them live in their own neighborhoods - basically ghettos. Humans in these areas are viewed with suspicion. All wealth is hidden, lest the humans covet it. The humans, in turn, distrust these minorities, and rumors of Ritual Satanic Child Abuse(TM) make their rounds...

Don't adapt real-world cultures in one piece for your fantasy races - just take the aspects that you like...

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Doesn't surprise me. All that chocolate...

I try to keep the choclate factor down, actually. But I rather like the image of halflings who live peaceful, quiet, pastoral lifes in some remote mountain valleys... and who keep a crossbow in every home and practice with it regularily to prepare for invasions.

Plus every campaign world needs some wealthy, peaceful and neutral nation where the scum of the world can meet and plot to overthrow other nations.

 

[Xarlen]

Heh. No one messes with the Swiss.

Yeah, the Halflings will allow anybody to come in, and TALK. We'll cator your party, but any evil, and the whole dang City is on top of you.

Not to mention, the halflings sure likely overhear a lot...

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Heh. No one messes with the Swiss.

Yeah, the Halflings will allow anybody to come in, and TALK. We'll cator your party, but any evil, and the whole dang City is on top of you.

That's the spirit. Feel free to spend your money, put your savings in our bank vaults, or retire here when a Life Of Evil becomes to stenous in your old age... but disturb the peace and live to regret it.

Not to mention, the halflings sure likely overhear a lot...

Well, the Siebenbund (my equivalent of Switzerland) sees a lot of intrigue in its cities... it's just that there is an agreement of sorts not to let things degenerate into violence.

Which makes it more difficult for your average adventurer, of course...

 

[Xarlen]

It would be even MORE amusing if a villain set up shop there, and the PCs can't do anything combatish to stop him.

For instance, a Dragon settling down somewhere in the city, and working through a field of agents, and so forth, but never 'bringing the dirty work home'. Said dragon could even be on good terms with the city, to offer even further Defense.

 

[Khorod]

I like that kobold too.
Mine are deep forest/cave dwellers who worship a lost race of super dragons. The gods created the Giants specifically to stop the Dragons from destabilizing everything.

So the Kobolds are ungodly and antigodly. But they are not rampaging evil-doers.

On another world... the orcs, gnolls, goblins, hobgoblins, etc, were all descended from a humanoid/animal demonic breeding program to create a powerful mortal army the gods couldn't destroy. Those original boys did not pass things genetically as much as a magical disease. So they mated with humans to beget orcs, dwarves to beget goblins, and, well, animals for some of the other things.

My goblins of today have become overwhelmed by an anti-demonic religious faction allied to a psion caste that preaches self and racial growth and 'enlightenment'. They are not good, but they still control the vestiges of a mighty empire, and the priests keep the warriors (more conventional goblins) in check. The power of the priesthood can do a lot to rehabilite monstrous humanoids.

 

[DM_Matt]

All this talk about European countries has got me thinking...

I am inclined towards the dragon angle, being that I, like most enboarders, am relatively pro-kobold, but I could also imagine the kobolds to be like the French.

They would sit around acting superior because they believe themselves to be the descendants of dragons, but when a fight comes, they run like heck and try to make a deal.