Bug bears probably have tons of smaller goblinoids as slaves and cannon fodder.
Gnolls will try to eat you. And make fun noises to scare you. And would probably only send 5-6 out the front entrance, while the rest of the pack circle behind you for the kill.
Wow, I could write pages about my interpretations of the various savage races. (With some more developed than others)
Hobgoblins are militaristic. They rove the countryside like an army of soldiers, with their only real mission being the acquisition of plunder and finding a good place to build a fort. When they find that place, they begin their work, and continue to drive away the locals (or enslave them). They may be run out by the king's army or a questing group of paladins and knights, but if not, then they establish a citadel of hobgoblins. Where there are hobgoblins, there is war (or the high potential for it).
They always travel in groups. Typically, random encounters with hobgoblins would either indicate a pending invasion or that a division is moving through nearby, or that you're near one of their fortress cities (which should typically be a known fact, it's kind of hard to conceal that) and have encountered a raiding party. Hobgoblins are probably the most advanced and least "savage" of the savage races. Their settlements would provide a relatively stable and safe place for other evil humanoids to conduct trade and such. Hobgoblins are also perfectly fine with selling themselves as mercenaries for the right price.
I like hobgoblins as the standard evil soldier, kind of like D&D's stormtroopers. More often than not, the backbone of an evil army will be made of these guys.
I have two views for normal goblins. One is a race of clever, if cowardly, sneak thieves. They would often live (perhaps as second class citizens) in the aforementioned hobgoblins fortresses. Sometimes small bands come out of these fortresses to raid and steal all across the hinterlands and countryside; other times, these bandits live on their own with no home "base." In this view, they are more an extension of the hobgoblin race; perhaps they have their own leaders and such, but in truth they are dependent on and secondary to the hobgoblins (which is why some choose to live on their own).
The other view that I like is Pathfinder's new take on goblins, which makes them out in a much more Grimm Brothers way. If you haven't looked into that already, check it out here on Paizo in the Pathfinder Blog.
In either case, I don't see goblins or hobgoblins dwelling in caves, except as temporary stay overs in hostile lands.
But then we come to the largest goblinoids: bugbears. They seem to be like the red-headed stepchild of the goblinoids. Not much about them has been developed, other than they are large, lazy brutes. So, I more or less give them over to the classic role of cave dwelling primitive savages, typically in hills and mountains. They simply bully and steal for what they need, enslaving who and what they can due to their sloth. Likewise, larger creatures (orcs, trolls) often bully and steal from them.
I look at orcs as possessing clannish cities high in the mountain peaks (again, not cave dwellings). Gruumsh likes spears, and the "pointy" motiff is carried to their architecture (with buildings ringed in and decorated with large, sharp, wooden spines) and their arms and armor (which are decorated with excessive spines and spikes). They like to coat anything sharp with blood.
While dwarves live beneath the stone, the orcs live right over their heads. They rule the mountains, and have a viking-like culture of warring and raiding, but like vikings, also have their own culture and society. They are talented smiths and weaponcrafters. They are perhaps the proudest of all the evil humanoids, not cowardly at all. Typcially, they just fight with each other and the dwarves when they can. However, raiding parties into the foothills are also common.
Although more savage and brutal (in a Chaotic way, vice the hobgoblin's Lawfulness) than hobgoblins, orcs are still not nearly as primitive as some other savage humanoids (such as bugbears, whom orcs typically dominate when possible).
Lizardfolk are swamp dwelling primitives, living a tribal life lead by shamans and frought with war between tribes. They are known for eating other humanoids (whether one considers a lizardfolk eating, say, a human to be cannibalism is subjective), but this isn't done from evil so much as simple survival. They don't typically strays from their native marshes and fens, and since most other races rarely stray into those places, conflict with the outside world is rare.
Kobolds are miners with a strong arcane tradition amongst their leaders (in the form of sorcery, of course). They venerate dragons with a nearly religious fervor. They aren't much of a problem for surface dwellers; that is, until humans and dwarves and gnomes start digging in the ground and stumble into kobold warrens. Though technically "cave dwellers," kobolds do work their surroundings quite a bit and are more advanced than bugbears, lizardfolk, and troglodytes. Kobolds are also known to trade the ores they mine with other evil races, such as duergar or in the markets of hobgoblin cities.
Again, Pathfinder has a very interesting take on kobolds that I recommend looking into.
Finally, there are troglodytes. These cave dwellers live deeper underground than bugbears and kobolds, and tend not to work their surroundings much. They rarely interact with other races, save kobolds, so not much is known. They do appear to be amongst the fiercest and most primitive of races, however. They also seem the most alien of the savage peoples, but that might just be the lack of information.
EDIT- Looks like I went ahead and wrote too much anyway (and this was the short version!). Ah, well, I love detailing cultures. Hope all that rambling helps. :) Oh, and you probably noticed the lack of gnolls. I'm still working on them, haven't really come up with a cultural idea yet.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Thanks, Saern. I find that a lot of what I've done in my campaigns, mirrors your take on them. (For me, though, Bugbears are the goblinoids' shock troops.)
My current take on typical gnoll encounters is based on the critters' worship of demons. They're the spooky, creepy encounters. They have this hyena-like mad cackle about them, they use exotic weapons, they're more likely to have a favored soul, hexblade, or warlock in their midst, their sorcerers summon abberations, and they eat rotting things.
Not even orcs want to sit next to a gnoll on a long bus trip.
Oooo, nice. Consider your take on gnolls officially swiped! (Which is convenient, since I have a plan involving them for my current campaign)
Oooo, nice. Consider your take on gnolls officially swiped! (Which is convenient, since I have a plan involving them for my current campaign)
Consider your idea's on hobgoblins swiped! You wouldn't have a full text on it would you Saern?
No, not a full text. It's something that's developed in my heads and that I've made enough notes about in my adventures, world building, etc. that I've know it well, but I've never written a full text. I suppose I could write one up and stick it in my world-building file for my own good, and share it with you as well if you're interested. But it will take me a few days, I'm still running behind on prepping an adventure for my group.
Nice job, Saern.
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The bugbears come plowing into your host in this horridly nonchalant way, like they are used to an aforegone conclusion of everything being knocked down like bowling balls.
Their whole demeanor tends to make you feel like you've just woken them up hungover; you're rude, you will be throttled now.
Gnolls like to fan out in a yammering mad mob, to surround or flank. Their gibbering laughter can be disorienting, and their attacks feel like random havoc, but they are just probing and toying with you.
It's a frenetic speedball mob of howls and hoots.
Thanks, F2K. And Heathy, that's a great description of bugbears. I think I'll use it the next time the party stumbles on some. :) Ditto with the gnoll tactics.
No, not a full text. It's something that's developed in my heads...
Dare I ask? Exactly how many heads do you have? ;)
Seriously though, thanks for the write-up, Saern. I too have a compulsive need to flesh out all the various humanoids to their detailed logical conclusion. I always enjoy reading about your visions of fantasy culture.
No, not a full text. It's something that's developed in my heads...Dare I ask? Exactly how many heads do you have? ;)
Seriously though, thanks for the write-up, Saern. I too have a compulsive need to flesh out all the various humanoids to their detailed logical conclusion. I always enjoy reading about your visions of fantasy culture.
It depends. My base is 6, but after the last adventuring group severed a few but without source of fire, I got up to 10 for a day. But then they withered, and now I'm back to 6. :)
Thanks for the complement!
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In my campaign world the humanoid races war upon each other almost as much as they do with the humans and demi-humans; while humanoids may barter/trade and form “alliances” with one another for a time these are for the most part short lived. An orc tribe will just as often pillage a human community as it would go into and raid a goblin tribe’s land or another orc tribe’s territory for that matter.
That being said here are a few distinctions I have made with the humanoids in my home campaign, since these are rather "lengthy" short guidelines i’ll break them down by race/per day and these are just general guidelines and there are always exceptions “to the rule”:
Orcs: by far the most numerous and most widespread of the humanoid races, there are nearly as much orcs as there are goblins, hobgoblins and bugbears combined! Orcs can be found in the mountain ranges, deep in the caverns of the Underdark, and even in the extremes of the arctic circle. They breed faster then any major race. This is a key factor because when the orc population starts getting unmanageable some warchief or great shaman declares the formation of a Horde which then spills out of the "lands that One Eye gave us" and heads out to the "fodder lands" (the more civilized lands of humans and demi-humans). The largest Hordes (some 10,000+ or even more strong) are the amassing of numerous tribes (8 or more) and are thankfully rare – roughly once every 80 years or so will these great War Hordes appear, but there are smaller Hordes under lesser orc chiefs which are formed more frequently.
When these Hordes come out of the mountains they storm other humanoids and monsters' territories indiscriminately, they push small bands of trolls, giants and even the occasional lone dragon out of their own lairs and into the more civilized lands – (thus wandering monsters :) ) – many a time has the rampage of wild animals or brutish trolls through a human settlement been the herald of an orc Horde a few days march away.
There have been more dwarven holds, elven enclaves and human settlements that have fallen to an orcish Horde than any other humanoid invasion or dragon flight over the centuries. In fact, only the wars between the elves and drow as well as the wars among humanity against itself rivals the scope of the destruction of the orcs have wrought over the 4 millennia of recorded history.
Orcs form tribes and are very territorial. Small tribes may sometimes pay tribute to a larger tribe in the area, may relocate, or often decimated and/or absorbed into the larger tribe. Small tribe will be some 400 in number while larger tribes can reach up to 10 times that number in some very rare instances.
An orc tribe normally worships each of the orcish gods in turn but will single out 1 of orc pantheon to be their divine patron and the tribe will take on the distict characteristics of the god they hold as their benefactor.
For example, a tribe that holds Bahgtru (the god of strength) as their patron will hold wrestling matches almost daily, will have a number of berserkers among the tribe and will prize brutal savagery over skill or arms or battlefield tactics. The males will be larger and stronger than most other males in other orc tribes but will have somewhat of a lesser intelligence as well. A large portion of these orcs use spiked gauntlets in combat and normally charge headlong into battle with disregard for any group strategy save for “kill anything that is not with us”. The tribe may have ogre slaves amongst their number, on rare occasion possibly even a subjugated or renegade hill giant. Very little of the tribes food source comes from farming – hunting and more often than not pillaging is the tribes' main source of food.
By contrast an orc tribe that held Ilneval (the god of warfare) as its patron will prize combat strategy and tactics above sheer strength. Morale of the tribe would be highest during times of outright war. The tribe will have a ready supply of weapons and armor of the quality found in most human kingdoms. The tribe will be more willing to make alliances with other orc tribes and other humanoid races. They hold militaristic hobgoblins to be NEAR their equal and would prefer an alliance with them as opposed to gnolls or lesser goblin kind. While the orcs’ swords are long and their shields broad their armor would only cover their front arc, the rear part of their armor would be intentionally left bare because no opponent should ever see the back of an Ilneval orc running from the field of battle!! Of the orc race Ilneval tribes are the most likely to develop siege engines and heavy warmachines.
(important note: while each tribe has a different patron nearly all orc chiefs hold Gruumsh One Eye as their races’ patron and placate him as well)
(really important note: there are No orc paladins in my campaign world!!)
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Wow, I could write pages about my interpretations of the various savage races. (With some more developed than others)
Hobgoblins are militaristic. They rove the countryside like an army of soldiers, with their only real mission being the acquisition of plunder and finding a good place to build a fort. When they find that place, they begin their work, and continue to drive away the locals (or enslave them). They may be run out by the king's army or a questing group of paladins and knights, but if not, then they establish a citadel of hobgoblins. Where there are hobgoblins, there is war (or the high potential for it).
They always travel in groups. Typically, random encounters with hobgoblins would either indicate a pending invasion or that a division is moving through nearby, or that you're near one of their fortress cities (which should typically be a known fact, it's kind of hard to conceal that) and have encountered a raiding party. Hobgoblins are probably the most advanced and least "savage" of the savage races. Their settlements would provide a relatively stable and safe place for other evil humanoids to conduct trade and such. Hobgoblins are also perfectly fine with selling themselves as mercenaries for the right price.
I like hobgoblins as the standard evil soldier, kind of like D&D's stormtroopers. More often than not, the backbone of an evil army will be made of these guys.
I have two views for normal goblins. One is a race of clever, if cowardly, sneak thieves. They would often live (perhaps as second class citizens) in the aforementioned hobgoblins fortresses. Sometimes small bands come out of these fortresses to raid and steal all across the hinterlands and countryside; other times, these bandits live on their own with no home "base." In this view, they are more an extension of the hobgoblin race; perhaps they have their own leaders and such, but in truth they are dependent on and secondary to the hobgoblins (which is why some choose to live on their own).
The other view that I like is...
"EDIT- Looks like I went ahead and wrote too much anyway (and this was the short version!). Ah, well, I love detailing cultures. Hope all that rambling helps. :) Oh, and you probably noticed the lack of gnolls. I'm still working on them, haven't really come up with a cultural idea yet."
Dont let us hold you back, Saern. I love what you got. If you would find the time, please give us the long version. I'm serious.
Thoth-Amon
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I'm looking to give each of the humanoid races: orcs / goblinoids / gnolls / ogres / etc. a distinctive feel or flavor.
How does a gang of 20 bugbears differ from a gang of 20 gnolls?
Any insights or suggestions?
In my campaign world the humanoid races war upon each other almost as much as they do with the humans and demi-humans; while humanoids may barter/trade and form “alliances” with one another for a time these are for the most part short lived. An orc tribe will just as often pillage a human community as it would go into and raid a goblin tribe’s land or another orc tribe’s territory for that matter.
That being said here are a few distinctions I have made with the humanoids in my home campaign, since these are rather "lengthy" short guidelines i’ll break them down by race/per day and these are just general guidelines and there are always exceptions “to the rule”:
Ok on to the sons of Yeenoghu: gnolls
Gnolls are tall, hyena-faced humanoids who wander in loose, ever nomadic clans. They are chaotic scavengers and cowards at heart. The word “gnoll” is a bastardization of “ghnoh llall” which is the rough equivalent in High Elven for “eaters of filth and carrion.”
In centuries past gnoll clans are often dominated by their females; a clan can comprise of up to 200 individuals. Each clan has their territorial hunting grounds, spending their days in caves or temporary make shift shelters. Females traditionally form the core of the clan, and they have a loose hierarchy where the stronger females get a larger share of food than the weaker ones. Males tend to be smaller and even more violent, screaming and whooping, and biting when the females won't let them have their way; occasionally a number of them will gang up on a female and beat her if no other females are around to stop it. Males are usually transients, and unlike any other humanoid race, wander from their birth clans and often move from one clan to another clan in their harsh lifespan.
Females have genitals that look identical (!) to those of the males and they don't develop breasts until they're pregnant or nursing, so often the only way to tell the sexes apart is by their size (again bigger than males), or by the female's jewelry, ceremonial body paint, scars, and elaborate tattoos. In combat the females fight alongside of the males, if not actually in fact leading the charge.
But gnolls will never attack a stronger force; they as a race are nowhere near as militant as the hobgoblin tribes or even the common orcs. There is no gnoll word for “coward” – only “bravely prudent,” “wisely cautious” and “the great warrior who chooses to fight another day.”
Also unlike most other humanoids, gnolls normally eat the sick and frail members of their clan. Young gnolls try to kill and eat one another from the moment they can walk, which is usually in a few months from their birth.
However less than a thousand years ago the dominance of the females were challenged by the shaman and witch doctor caste brought about by a great number of race’s males turning to the worship of the demon Yeenoghu.
The gnoll race is tied to Yeenoghu just as the demon prince is tied to them in return. In the earliest days of their race, gnolls worshipped the phases of the moon, screaming and singing their yipping howls at the “white eye in the hunter's sky” - the great hyaenadon spirit, Gorellik.
From his ever moving stronghold that rolled ceaselessly between the endless wastes of two stark abyssal layers, (the 421st and 422nd - the Salted Wound and the Seeping Woods) Yeenoghu marveled often at these carrion eaters, and the demon lord determined that the entire race would be his.
By appearing in visions to the more craven and malicious of the disenfranchised males he slowly brought about his worship in the span of a century. He succeeded largely by offering more power than the “white eye in the hunter’s sky” could. With the power of Yeenoghu bestowed upon them, many shamans and witch doctors have grown to dominate their tribes.
For the followers of Yeenoghu, the pursuit of more and more worthy carrion is the most holy act they can pursue. The grisly body parts Yeenoghuans use as trophies are scored with patterns of knife or tooth marks to indicate the corpse's previous status. Important and strong, intelligent, or charismatic beings are be targeted so that they can be slain, buried, and eaten in ceremony, all in Yeenoghu's name. Yeenoghu desires to spread his dominion to all those who consume corpses, thereby cementing a continuous symbiotic loop between himself and his favored race. Yeenoghu's following is strongest wherever food is scarce and corpses are common. Makeshift shrines to Yeenoghu always contain a trophy room, as well as a filthy cellar in which corpses can be allowed to “age.”
The remaining worshippers of Gorellik treat their hyaenadons and dire lions better and eat carrion as a matter of mere neccessity instead of being a sacred imperative as Yeenoghu's followers do, and they tend to be still matriarchal. In instances where both powers are revered, Yeenoghu is always more important, since his fading rival lacks the personality to inspire as much as he once did, while for the gnolls the demon prince's moon is waxing or full, still active and interested in mortal affairs.
In rare occasion, in some Yeenoghu-lead societies, the favored shamans and witch doctors will be “rewarded” in death by being transformed into the undead form of ghouls to lead the community in blind hunger long after their reign should have ended (similar to the lichdom embraced by some human leaders).
In my campaign world there are two other distinct races of gnolls, both rarer and somewhat stronger than the “common” gnoll:
The forest dwelling Gnoles (or at times called Skaven by sages) have emaciated wolf like heads, longer hair, stronger physical builds and count tribal wizards and sorcerers among their number. Most of the race still worships Gorellik as their patron.
Rarer still is the lion headed Flind – while but one eighth in number as the common gnoll this race all but dominates the other breeds when they are encountered together. Among the most successful gnoll tribes are those led by flind masters.
The gnoll language consists of high and low pitch barking and whining, their grutal howls at times sound like laughter. They are not – many rangers and forest hunters know to hear the sadistic “laughter” of the gnolls is often the harbinger of death … or worse.