Goblin

Description:Goblins are small humanoids, crafty and shrewd, bearing an overwhelming interest in commerce and a strong curiosity about mechanical things. Goblin society is fragmented, defined chiefly by commerce and trade. The ultimate schemers and con artists, goblins are always in search of a better deal. Other races universally view goblins as inventors, merchants and, without exception, maniacs. Goblins value technology as a useful aspect of commerce. Some say that their advantage — and their curse — is to be the primary users of technology in a world governed by magic. While dwarves and gnomes share a similar gift, goblin technology is more far-reaching and sinister and makes a larger impact on the natural world. They employ vast teams of engineers who expand on current technology and produce gadgets to suit a wide array of applications. They constantly build and repair machines and work on new ideas. Unfortunately, goblins alternate passionate genius with wandering focus. Their lack of discipline means that many creations end up half finished as something else catches their attention. Goblin workmanship has a partially deserved reputation for unreliability, and a goblin device may explode simply because its creator forgot to add a vital release valve. Goblins are envious of the Ironforge dwarves’ invention of firearms, both from a commercial and a technological standpoint. Goblins recognize that firearms represent a new source of power, and he who controls the source controls the gold — which is, to goblins, the ultimate power. Fortunately for the rest of the world, goblin firearm experimentation suffers from the race’s normal laxity — and improperly tended gunpowder experiments continue to end the careers of many aspiring goblin tinkers. However, goblin ingenuity has paid off a few times; goblin gunpowder weapons tend to be inelegant and violently explosive (land mines, rockets and the like). A number of trade princes rule over Azeroth’s various goblin holdings. Though the trade princes all live in the goblin island city of Undermine far from Kalimdor and the eastern continents, each controls his own private army and trade fleet. Each trade prince has his own specialty, monopolizing trade in a certain area, such as mining, deforestation, slavery or poaching. The trade princes are the most cunning of their race and stop atnothing to amass their fortunes and power, whether through legitimate means or via black markets and treachery. Goblins encountered on Kalimdor and the eastern continents are freelancers, privateers or agents of Undermine’s trade princes. Goblins are tenacious fighters. They attack from range with crossbows or firearms (making individual modifications to dwarf-made weapons) and use maces, short swords or bizarre, home-brewed steam weaponry in melee. When attacked in their warrens, they fi ght with tools as well. Goblins have a good grasp of tactics and strategy, and are masters of siege warfare. Their love of large machines makes them ideal mercenaries for attacking fortifications. Goblins are shrewd in business, and clients who believe they walked away with the upper hand are almost always sorely mistaken. “To cheat a goblin” is a dwarven idiom meaning “to do what is practically impossible.” (“Gamgi cheated a goblin when he escaped that cave-in!”) Goblins are also consummate tricksters and con artists. Their mission in the world is to create incredible new inventions, accrue the resulting wealth, and cause as much subtle mischief as possible along the way. Appearance:Goblins are slight and wiry, averaging 3 feet in height and weighing between 30 and 50 pounds. They have long, sharp noses, chins and ear

s, and green skin. Their arms are long and slender and their fingers deft. They tend to wear leather clothing, often cut into aprons to protect against caustic fluids. Goggles usually cover their eyes, and various technological devices are strapped across their bodies.

Region:Goblins are a wily, cunning race of traders and tinkers whom adventurers typically encounter as parts of trading envoys… or on pirate raids. Goblin ships frequent the seas, ferrying or seeking riches, slaves or exotic wares. Kalimdor’s main goblin port is the party town of Ratchet, a harbor city located on the eastern shore of the Barrens directly between Durotar and Theramore. Goblin trade outposts are found everywhere, including all major cities and such inhospitable realms as Northrend and Stranglethorn Vale. Their zeppelins run a wealthy business ferrying passengers across kingdoms and continents. Goblins are neutral and take pains to make sure their nearby customers play nice with each other. Goblin guards patrol Ratchet’s streets, keeping tabs on the various Horde and Alliance visitors. Traveling goblin merchants employ bodyguards to protect them and their wares.

Affiliation: Independent. Goblins hired themselves out to the Horde in the Second War, but now they belong only to themselves and whoever pays them. Constantly building and inventing requires massive resources, both for creating the machines themselves and maintaining those that actually work. Cannibalizing old machines only partially sustains this fervent activity of creation, so goblins rely on trade with as many races and cultures as possible. They are the quintessential merchants, peddling all manner of exotic goods for the highest possible prices. Goblin mechanical and mercantile pursuits are not always (or even often) performed within the bounds of polite society. Though not evil, goblins are willing to embark on shady business ventures — slavery, deforestation, poaching, smuggling and oil drilling, for example — to accomplish their goals. They are opportunists to the core and revel in bartering the better deal at every turn. Goblins try to get along with all other races. Doing so is part of their business. Nevertheless, everyone views goblins with justified suspicion. Night elves in particular dislike the goblins because the little creatures have no respect for nature or natural resources.

Faith: Goblins place their faith in themselves and in gold. They raise eyebrows at insubstantial concepts such as shamanism and the Holy Light, preferring gods they can see, weigh and spend.

Names:Every goblin has a given name and a family name. The family names portray some ancestor’s achievement, though a goblin may take a new family name if he feels he has made an accomplishment that outstrips that of his eponymous forebear.

• Male Names: Zautso, Beedle, Chizbolt, Nuzak.

• Female Names:Lystis, Mefeero, Sazai, Rossa.

• Family Names:Steamgear, Boltnose, Manclamp, Leafgrinder.

Goblin Racial Traits
• +2 Agility, –2 Strength. Goblins are deft and nimble, but not terribly strong.

• Small: As a Small creature, a goblin gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks; a goblin also suffers a –4 penalty on grapple                 checks. A goblin hero must use smaller weapons than humans use, however, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.

• Goblin base land speed is 20 feet.

• Low-Light Vision: Goblins can see twice as far as humans in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. They retain the ability to distinguish color and detail under                                   these conditions.

• Weapon Familiarity: Goblins treat flintlock pistols and long rifles as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.

• A goblin gains one bonus technology feat at 1st level (see Chapter 6: Feats). All goblins pick up some mechanical skills.

• +2 racial bonus on Appraise, Craft (alchemy), Diplomacy and Listen checks. These skills are class skills for all goblin characters.

• +3 racial bonus on Craft (technological device) checks. Craft (technological device) is a class skill for all goblin characters. Goblins are master craftsmen.

• +2 racial bonus on all Craft checks involving adamantine items. Goblins have a long history of forging adamantine arms and armor (due to their marketability) and are skilled in working it.

• Automatic Languages: Common and Goblin.

• Bonus Languages: Any unrestricted. Goblins know myriad languages in order to trade with as many races as possible.

• Favored Class: Tinker. A multiclass goblin’s tinker class does not count when determining whether he suffers an experience point penalty for multiclassing                                                                                         (see Chapter 3: Classes, “Multiclass Characters,” XP for Multiclass Characters).