Race, species and God
Edit
"Goblin" is both a race name and a species name.
One goblin ascended to godhood: The (purple) Dark One, now serving as the God of the goblinoids.
The original gods created goblins as XP for their clerics.
Needless to say, this does not sit well with the species in question. After countless years, Goblins fight back in two ways: First, the Dark one's plan to use the Snarl (a god-killing abomination) as methods of negotiation to convince the other gods to demand that their followers give goblinoids equal treatment. Secondly, the founding of Gobbotopia, the goblin city-state
The race "Goblin": Contrasting to the small, imp-like creatures of the Monster Manual, in the comic this race is Medium sized and Green. They are plentiful in the first book (up to comic 120).
The species: includes the orange Hobgoblins race; these are introduced in Comic 148. After Redcloak becomes the leader of a massive settlement (comic 190), Hobgoblins form the bulk of Team Evil's army.
Goblin relations; GobbotopiaEdit
Redcloak claims, upon the first encounter with the Hobgoblin settlement, that Hobgoblins had bullied their less war-like Green cousins for years. Regardless of this claim, he is granted permission to partake in the Hobgoblin manhood ritual to be accepted into the expanded tribe, and when he rises to leadership he and his position are respected and accepted without upstart, despite his being quite obviously not a hobgoblin.
It can be observed that relations between goblins and Hobgoblins are going well when they all call themselves goblins, as a single species; this happens in Gobbotopia.
In Comic 190, when Redcloak becomes leader, he is distrustful of and biased against his troops, calling them Hobgoblins and therefore (consciously or no) establishing the barrier of sub-race. Starting with Comic 451, Redcloak repents of his mistreating them and respects the Hobgoblins, and begins calling them Goblins, under the umbrella title relating them all.
Both Redcloak and Jirix use the word "goblin" in their speeches (Comic 702, Comic 703, Comic 704) and include Hobgoblins (and maybe Bugbears, too) in the species name, again showing unity.
While 93% of the inhabitants of Gobbotopia are (orange) Hobgoblins, Redcloak considers Gobbotopia the golden age of "goblin civilization". Jirix says "our god has given me a task. No, he's given us ALL a task. ... Goblins WILL take their rightful place in this world." By using the name of the species, not specifying sub-groups, the unity is again established.
Claimed accomplishmentsEdit
After Redcloak's speech a book is given to a Hobgoblin parent, with the words "We've printed textbooks to teach any children you have now about ... the long struggle of the goblin people".
In this book it is claimed that goblins invented guacamole, alternate-side-of-the-street parking, and the oboe.
Known Goblins (race)Edit
- Redcloak
- Right-Eye
- Goblin Dan: Goblin entrepreneur who became wealthy by selling barbecued hydra heads, cut from a hydra the Order of the Stick incapacitated while visiting the Oracle.
- Team Evil Goblins (first book)
- Goblin Ninjas
- Many of Xykon's minions in his dungeon in The Redmountain Hills were goblins. Many of these were apparently Goblin Ninjas.
Trivia Edit
- It is debated whether in comic #10 (Like Enthrall, Only Boring), the goblin guards are speaking Goblin or Warcraft Orcish. Regardless, throughout the rest of the comics, they are shown speaking Common.
- Despite the fact that Goblins are Small Creatures in the Monster Manual, they are clearly taller than Belkar Bitterleaf, and about the same height as Elan, making them Medium creatures in the comic. Apparently, this is because medium sized creatures are easier to draw, and this also makes them more intimidating.
- Most characters give the accurate race name, some characters use the species name: O-Chul in Comic 550, Thanh in Comic 705, Elf Commander in Comic 707).
- In comic 475 (Crashing the Party), it is shown that Goblins, like Hobgoblins, have blue tongues.
