Goblins

Goblins are cave-dwelling peoples found deep within Omniluxia. They are infamous as bloodthirsty savages, but that reputation comes from a long history of magical deformity, feral collapse, and survival under Melodias's influence rather than simple nature.

Origin¶

Goblins began as Wishtheon's first attempt to create humanity. Mother Earth, fearing for her own creations, disfigured the attempt and cast the resulting beings into the caves of Omniluxia as demonic creatures.

Abandoned and almost animalistic, the Goblins were later pitied by Melodias. She gave them a terrible gift: the ability to absorb mana from sentient creatures by consuming their hearts. This bargain cost them lifespan and gave them their brutal legacy, but over millennia it also allowed Goblins to become more sentient and civilized.

Biology¶

Goblins are short, green-skinned, and have much shorter lifespans than humans because of their pact with Melodias. Their mana stores were badly damaged at creation. Pure-blood Goblins cannot restore mana by eating, making ordinary spellcasting physically impossible.

When Goblins become too low in mana, they risk becoming feral. This is one reason Goblin societies place great importance on mana, status, and controlled access to life-force. Feral Goblins are now less common in settled communities but may persist in deeper caverns, especially in the Inner Dragon's Pass.

Recent interbreeding with Dolin Silver Dwarves has produced mixed-blood Goblins who are still born Goblinic but inherit mana reserves and the ability to regain mana through food. This has created new hope for a people long treated as forsaken.

Society¶

Goblin society is mostly tribal, organized around huts, villages, and small settlements rather than large cities. Chariots are symbols of power. Treaties are treated as sacred, a pattern believed to reflect their old pact with Melodias and the seriousness of oath-making among demonic or Melodian-touched peoples.

Goblins with greater mana reserves often hold more prestige. Nobles may boast large reserves in the same way other peoples boast ancestry, land, or martial glory.

History¶

22 million BLC - Wishtheon's failed humanity is disfigured by Mother Earth; Goblins are cast into the caves.
65,000 BLC - Hobgoblins exterminate Goblins from the Dragon's Pass except in the Inner Dragon's Pass.
10,000 BLC - the first civilized Goblins build settlements.
598 LC - Kanai Hui'ui is formed by High Chief Mahinaua.
605 LC - Dolin Silver Dwarves migrate into the Inner Dragon's Pass; conflict with Kanai tribes nearly escalates to war.
606 LC - the Treaty of the Two Friends is signed.
616 LC - Kanai Hui'ui dissolves into smaller tribes after Mahinaua's death.
698 LC - feral Kanai hordes under the O'ohune tribe invade and destabilize eastern Morrigon; Dolin are spared because of the Treaty of the Two Friends.
707 LC - the Kanai are pushed back to the Inner Dragon's Pass, and a Victory Stele is erected at Barramukto by the Nazani.

Magical Affinity¶

Current development notes rate Goblins at Level 1 in Development Rankings, with a 6 total and a 1/1/1/2 profile.

Pure-blood Goblins have no ordinary magical community because they cannot restore mana by eating and therefore cannot safely practice spellcasting. Their unique mana absorption through hearts is not a school of magic so much as a Melodian curse-gift.

Cultures and Figures¶

Known Goblin cultures include Ta'ata, Klumik, and Kanai. The best-known figure in current sources is Mahinaua, founder of the Kanai Hui'ui.