D&D 5E Role of Evil Humanoids in Your Game

[Shiroiken]

I keep things to AD&D tropes. Kobolds aren't draconic. Orcs are more porcine than WoW. Etc.

In the world, they're mostly barbaric raiders. Very large groups sometimes come together under a strong leader, such as the demi-god Iuz, or band together for necessity, such as the land of Pomarj.

 

[iserith]

The goblins in my town-to-megadungeon campaign ("The Delve") are scrofulous beasts born of evil and disease, multiplying through tumors that are plucked off the backs of other goblins and gestated in pulsing carbuncles connected by a slimy green membrane. The goblin gestation chambers in the Delve are places of horror and sickness. If a goblin sac is attacked, an underdeveloped goblin may emerge and try to feed. A victim of its bite must make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or become infected with gobborrhea. It takes 1 day for the symptoms of fatigue, abdominal discomfort, painful elimination and unsettling discharge to manifest. The infected creature suffers one level of exhaustion, and it regains only half the normal number of hit points from spending Hit Dice and no hit points from finishing a long rest.

Leave even a single goblin alive and, within a few weeks, many more goblins will pop up again. Other goblinoids are created by goblin shamans at the Bloody Censer of Transmogrification where they slough off their skin and become hobgoblins and bugbears in a horrific offering to the Lord of Depths and Darkness.

In the Delve, the Festering Wound tribe of goblins was founded by Boss Bung, a nasty, clever goblin who was touched by The Shade. However, an ambitious hobogblin, Captain Argh, staged a coup and exiled Boss Bung to the fourth level of the Delve - grimlock territory - where he began a new gestation chamber hidden from the denizens of that lair under the protection of a handful of loyal bugbears. The PCs found it and slew the bugbears, but were run off by the grimlocks who heard the battle through the walls and broke through. Under the direction of Baron Leaf, an elf noble short one brain thanks to an intellect devourer, the grimlocks captured Bung and burned out the gestation chamber.

Later, when the PCs savaged the grimlocks and killed Baron Leaf, they found Boss Bung and released him in exchange for him leading them to Baron Leaf's hidden ioun stone. Naturally, Bung double-crossed them and stole some treasure they left behind, a chest in Baron Leaf's treasury that the PCs didn't have time to open, plus the treasure in the hook horrors' nesting grounds (the hook horrors having been slain by the PCs when they were away from their lair). Last session, the PCs found Boss Bung and two more gestation chambers on the first level of the Delve. Only now, the goblins being birthed out of the tumor-sacs were nilbogs which were not under Bung's control. A tense scene led to combat. Boss Bung and the nilbogs were slain. The PCs captured the stolen treasure plus the ioun stone and finally destroyed the last of the goblin gestation chambers. The Delve is free of the goblin menace for good!

 

[Ath'kethin]

Evil humanoids in my campaign are reskinned as various sorts of humans, by and large. I run a human-centric Sword & Sorcery campaign, so the perennial "too many sentient races" issue had to go.

So ogres are giant champion humans (like Andre the Giant), orcs are tough savage warrior tribes, and I don't really use goblins at all. Kobolds are the crafters and trapmakers of the city.

Hags are unchanged, as are lizardfolk, though both are far rarer than the D&D default. Gnomes are sort of a gnome-derro crossover, whose minds have been broken and who appear in swarms and hordes underground, driving observers insane with their incessant mad chittering.

I just don't use many other intelligent non-human races.


EDIT: also, everybody worships or acknowledges the same damn gods, of whom there is little firm evidence of existence.

 

[steeldragons]

My world's pantheon includes, among its initial/founding "elder" gods, Karos the Chaosbringer. Lord of Demons and Fire (specifically its destructive properties). His chiefest of minions is Djarthoon, Mother of Monsters. Goddess of corruption, temptation, and directly responsible for the spawning of a variety of monstrous and chimeric creatures.

For the traditional "evil humanoids" of D&D, most of the Orean species are broken into the categories of: Goblinoids, Reptileans, and those broadly lumped together as the "Beastmen." Then, nearly unheard of by common folk and beyond the basic knowledge of the Orean adventurer (other than certain sages, ancient elves/creatures, or occult historians) are the Shi'Daeiri (Drow) and the Duusa (a long dead empire of snakemen/yuan-ti-esque guys). Ogres and Trolls are not considered among "evil humanoids," but categorized as "giantkin" and most often encountered solitarily or in smaller groups than these other swarming raiders or organized tribes.

Goblinoids: the D&D standards. Goblins, Bugbears, Hobgoblins (also AD&D's Boggles, Norkers, and the Redcap are also considered offshoots of "goblins" but far more rarely encountered)

Goblins began as the corruptions of both light and dark elves (as the only sentient species in the dawn of the world) tempted by/fallen to evil (which the dark ones already were). They have become, of course, a self-perpetuating species, breed like rabbits, and are found trying to eke out an existence in almost any terrain. If approached carefully, those in close proximity to larger civilized lands might actually be open to trade or paid services. Though most are the raiding pillaging savages, endless minions of evil we know and slay, er, I mean, "love" of traditional D&D (with a smattering of PF) lore.

Bugbears were created from the tainted corruption and ill-fated wish or deal made with Djrathoon or Karos (depends on the legend being told) by a band of halflings that were looking for the size and power to overcome (or destroy) the massive goblin armies they were combating. The resulting transmutation -combining the two- became the first bugbears, further corrupted and tainted by eons of further mixing with goblin blood. The two species (goblins and bugbears) are intrinsically linked. As with their smaller cousins, certain bugbears living in close proximity to (usually human) settlements, or of heightened intelligence (it happens!) may have tentative trade arrangements or mutually beneficial treaties (though not necessarily "alliances") with their neighbors. The bulk of most tribes found/encountered, however, are going to be the tradition "brutes", interested in bullying those weaker than themselves, sowing violence, kipnapping, enslaving, and/or dining on demihumans (especially smallfolk).

The third commonly recognized "true" goblinoid race, Hobgoblins, are the species that resulted from the breeding of goblins with enslaved men to create the storm-trooper/shock troops/military class of the ancient Selurian Empire (so their precious Selurian blood need not be spilt in their endless conquests and wars). The Empire now all-but gone (there are a few small remnant islands where "Seluria" still exist but they are far removed from the commonly traversed world), and hobgoblins breeding-true for the centuries since its collapse, they tend to exist as self-perpetuating war-bands gathering together now and then into truly threatening armies under a particularly powerful warlord or flocking to evil overlords of all kinds -from some genetically implanted need- to serve and fight for. They are, by far, the most organized, militant, and intelligent and thus, widely viewed as the most dangerous of the goblin races.

Honorable mention goes to the Redcap, a species of goblin (whether by chance or design) hailing from and infused with the magic of the land of Faerie. These creatures are rarely found in the material "mortal" realms and hardly ever more than one at a time (they are so miserable in their wickedness and cruelty they do not even like to associate with others of their own kind).

More later.

 

[steeldragons]

Reptileans: the D&D classics: Lizardmen, Troglodytes, and Froglins ([tm] Orea's Bullywugs).

Lizardmen are the remains of a reptilean empire (evil men who worshiped and were corrupted/transformed by ancient reptilean demonic "gods" -believed thoroughly destroyed in the Godswar), whispered of in the corners of myth as the Land of Duus. Over the centuries, they have lost the great bulk of their enlightenment, knowledge, and nearly all of their worldly power, for a more primitive tribal existence. They are mostly Neutral aligned, more interested in being left alone in their swamps than violent confrontation. Naturally, those that find themselves in realms ruled by evil will tend toward more evil and active violence. They are effective warriors, amphibious shock troops, can be remarkably stealthy if they want to, and a few have some rudimentary knowledge and skill in shamanic practice. It is not completely unheard of to see/find the odd lizardman wandering among the larger ports, metropolitan areas, or other trade-centers, acting as mercenaries or a mate on some merchant ship, though communication is sometimes difficult as their ability with the Common tongue is limited (often accompanied with severe speech impediments, long "s"es , problems forming their reptilean snout/mouths around "th" "b" "v", that sort of thing).

Troglodytes are former citizens of Duus who fled (escaped? or were banished? again, depending on the storyteller) the fall of the Duusan Empire to the powers of good/light by going deep into Orea's underworld. Their subterranean existence over the centuries have granted them some additional abilities the surface lizardfolk do not possess, i.e. their chameleon-like blending and noxious scent glands. They have grown in size and strength, though fallen into savagery and a primitive stone-aged existence, similar if not more savage than their surface "cousins." They recall nothing about nor desire any return to a life above ground, rarely venturing beyond their cavernous lairs.

Froglins are generally considered the "least" of the reptilean races, but are often more feared than the larger species. Some say they are the results of an old wizard's curse upon a wicked prince. Others assert they are the results of Duusan or Selurian magical experiment on normal goblins for an aquatic/amphibious version. Still others claim them to be a direct creation of Djarthoon, herself, corrupting water elves or some such. Whatever their origin, they are wicked, cruel, somewhat simple and sometimes craven, but vicious carnivorous frog-men happily looking to capture and enslave (until they get hungry) any creature they can overpower. Fortunately for us, they are randomly found anywhere except in swamps, marshes, or the immediate vicinity of muddy lakes of riverbanks where they can easily create lairs (either or both above and below the swamp's/water's surface).

 

[MechaPilot]

There are no racially evil humanoids in my campaign settings, there are only humanoids, who can individually be good or evil.

 

[steeldragons]

The "Beastmen" races are more savage, wild, and, if possible, evil and cruel than either Goblinoids or Reptileans and evoke a true fear from those who find themselves at the ends of their weapons, fangs, tusks, and/or claws. The most commonly found/encountered are: Orcs, Kobolds, and Grorn ([tm] Orean gnoll replacement).

Orcs are not the grey-skinned noble savage that later editions have morphed them into, or "moral" primitive of WoW, but rather the green/grey/black porcine faced originals. Orean Orcs are the direct creations of the coupling of Djarthoon with the bestial god of bloodlust, cruelty, and war, Goran. They live in clan-ruled "kingdoms" of their own design, often clashing with one another and any/all races they find within their desired territory. They are primarily found among and within Orea's mountain ranges as well as the decimated lands of Thole, the barren Aeiri Kros, and have been known to annex abandoned fortresses or ruined strongholds of other races. When organized and brought together under strong leaders (the only kind they will serve), they form terrifying hordes that raid surrounding foothills, fertile valleys, and even assault neighboring castles or other fortifications for wealth, resources, or military significance. Orcs are larger than both goblins and hobgoblins, though not as much so as bugbears, with males topping around 6.5' tall, and both males and females are broad shouldered and/or thickly girth, often heavily muscled and generally stronger than humans of a similar size. They are fierce warriors and delight in conquest, enslavement, and torture of other races. They enjoy little as much as dwarf or elf flesh.

Kobolds are the tainted corruption of gnomes by Djarthoon (or some gnomish aspect or demonic minion thereof), tempted with wealth, cunning, ability and power beyond their dreams only to be brought to the horrifying bitter tirelessly greedy low of becoming blue-scaled, dog-faced, rat-tailed creatures almost worthy of pity if not for their vicious cruelty against anything their seemingly endless swarming numbers can overwhelm. Many a mining operation (of gnomes, dwarves, and even men) have been brought to a grinding -bloody- halt from an infestation of kobolds burrowing their way into mineral or ore rich corridors.

The Grorn are the monstrous creations/servants of a forgotten demon-progeny of elder beast gods. With the loss of their creator deity, they quickly fell into line under the direction of Djarthoon and, it is said, she enhanced their already impressive viciousness and bloodlust. They are canine-like humanoids (vs. D&D gnolls traditional "hyena men" which I've never liked) more akin to wild dogs or coyotes. They resemble and are sometimes mistaken for werewolves, though their visage is noticeably closer to a jackal than a wolf to those familiar with such things. They hunt, incredibly effectively, in packs with a remarkable speed, strength, and senses/tracking ability that strikes fear in any who find themselves in the role of prey. Grorn are tireless and will run down a chosen prey for days, without rest. Thankfully, they are primarily limited to the outskirt borderlands of the Thelitian dessert and its surrounding grasslands, the dark lands of Thole, the Aeiri Kros, and occasionally (for hunting dwarves) raiding in and around in the southern Daegun mountains. Devoted to evil, thoroughly corrupt, maintaining a superstitious shamanic religion to their long dead deity -now a guised aspect of Djarthoon- with blood sacrifices and orgiastic feasts (serving living victims, of course), the Grorn are the truest example of savage, ferocious, and monstrous humanoid that give this category the apt umbrella term of "Beast-men."

 

[doctorbadwolf]

There are no racially evil humanoids in my campaign settings, there are only humanoids, who can individually be good or evil.

Mostly same. I mean there are people shaped demons, and like "feral" were-folk and illithids are mostly just evil, but there are complications. Demons/devils(which in my games are just a thing, bc none of us find he separation interesting at all) and abberations are pretty much the only intelligent creatures that don't really have free will, and thus can be unambiguously evil.

 

[MechaPilot]

Mostly same. I mean there are people shaped demons, and like "feral" were-folk and illithids are mostly just evil, but there are complications. Demons/devils(which in my games are just a thing, bc none of us find he separation interesting at all) and aberrations are pretty much the only intelligent creatures that don't really have free will, and thus can be unambiguously evil.

In one of my campaign settings there is no division between fiends and celestials. The Monster Manual's Angels, Demons, Devils, Yugoloths, etc are all servants of the deities. You can find a Solar and a Marilith fighting side-by-side for the same deity. There are succubi who good deities task with distracting evil men from pursuing wicked works.

In the world of that campaign, the word "angels" describes all extraplanar beings with a divine master, without regard to whether that deity is good or evil (because both good and evil deities can have both good and evil religions/cults worshiping them). "Devils" are all extraplanar beings without a divine master. And "demons" are incorporeal evil beings capable of possessing mortals.

 

[doctorbadwolf]

In one of my campaign settings there is no division between fiends and celestials. The Monster Manual's Angels, Demons, Devils, Yugoloths, etc are all servants of the deities. You can find a Solar and a Marilith fighting side-by-side for the same deity. There are succubi who good deities task with distracting evil men from pursuing wicked works.

In the world of that campaign, the word "angels" describes all extraplanar beings with a divine master, without regard to whether that deity is good or evil (because both good and evil deities can have both good and evil religions/cults worshiping them). "Devils" are all extraplanar beings without a divine master. And "demons" are incorporeal evil beings capable of possessing mortals.

interesting. especially the demons defined by possession part. I like that. ANd the having good and evil cults/churches that worship good and evil gods.

My settings vary a bit. My modern world campaign focuses a good bit on things not being what they seem. Trolls are more often good than evil, for instance. most things are completely capable of being good or evil or neither, though. It's just the stuff that isn't actually a thinking being that is stuck in one mode. Beholders in my "world of islands" campaign aren't actually even sentient, they're just cognitively advanced alien automotons programed to corrupt and replicate.

Illithids, OTOH, are like a combination of the volo's writeup and doctor who Ood. Nearly all hive minds are corrupted and insane, and thus most Illithids are, but that is a thing that happened to the race at some point, and Illithids that are outside that influence can be whatever they want. Also, only insane Illithids turn into MIndflayers. In ancient times, they were like Dax from Babylon 9 Atlantis. I mean, Star Trek: Deep Space 5. I mean, wait, oh no I've gone cross eyed.