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DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries.

This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild.

Disclaimer: Jack Peachey is not responsible for the mischievous antics goblins as played by the DM and/or the players. Nor is Jack Peachey responsible for the inevitable excited shrieks of ‘BOOYAHG’ whenever magic is used withing 300 ft. of a goblin as portrayed by the DM and/or the players. DM and/or player discretion is advised.

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2 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION How to use this book…………………………………4

CHAPTER 1: LORE Summer in the Feywild……………………………….5 Maglubiyet’s Conquest………………………………..5 The Return of Hope…………………………………...6

CHAPTER 2: MONSTER STAT BLOCKS Bugbear of Hruggek…………………………………....8 Booyahg Initiate…………………………………...... 9 Booyahg Master…………………………………...... 9 Cleric of Benefilaw………………………………….....10 Goblin Alchemist…………………………………...... 11 Goblin Archwhip…………………………………...... 11 Goblin Skirmisher…………………………………...... 12 Gremlin…………………………………...... 12 High Nilbog of Benefilaw……………………………..13 Hob…………………………………...... 14 Hobgoblin Artificer…………………………………....14 Twisted Goblin…………………………………...... 15 Warpriest of Maglubiyet………………………………15

CHAPTER 3: GOBLIN SUBRACES Gremlin…………………………………...... 17 Hob…………………………………...... 17

CREDITS Credits…………………………………...... 18

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3 INTRODUCTION

How to Use This Book

An Explorer’s Guide to Goblins is a supplement for both Dungeon Masters and Players-offering new lore and monster options for goblins and goblinoids to enrich the world and gameplay of your D&D 5e campaign for Dungeon Masters and providing two new Goblin subraces as well as options tailored to make good-aligned goblinoid characters for players. This book is divided into three chapters that encompass everything mentioned above.

Chapters 1&2 are primarily for the Dungeon Master-with Chapter 1 containing lore for goblins and goblinoids about their origins, the rise of Maglubiyet and the reprise of Benefilaw (A new goddess that offers a good-aligned god option for goblinoids)-and Chapter 2 contains 13 new monster stat blocks that are variations on existing goblinoids to help enrich your rogue’s gallery.

Chapter 3 contains character options for players in the form of 2 new subraces for goblins-the Gremlin and the Hob. Contained within the chapter is extra lore for Gremlins and Hobs, names for Gremlin and Hob characters as well as traits for these subraces which replace the Ability Score Increase and Nimble Escape features of the base goblin. These subraces are allowed at your DM’s discretion and always ask your DM if they’re allowed before taking them.

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4 CHAPTER 1: LORE

Summer in the Feywild

Long before the Conquering of Maglubiyet-in a bygone era that most scholars and sages have little knowledge of-those we now know as goblinoids (Bugbears, Goblins and Hobgoblins) were distinct creatures that lived separate from each other in the Feywild. Their cultures, habits and social systems were so incredibly different from how they are centuries later. Whilst the to-be goblinoids would interact with each other, it would be as with any other fey creature without them having a particularly familiar connection. For hundreds of years these different peoples would live out long lives in the wondrous majesty of the fairytale realm that was encapsulated by the Feywild and mingle with both the Seelie and Unseelie courts. It was a blissful existence, that sweet summer in the Feywild.

Bugbears got their names for a multitude of reasons. They were known to live peaceful lives-though seemingly ferocious and certainly a fearsome opponent in any fight, most of them were content to lie in the sun and feast on the quarry from their hunt. This and their furred visages gave the ‘bear’ part of their name-the ‘bug’ part came with how bugbears would sometimes make themselves a nuisance. Like most fey creatures they had a knack for mischief and could often be found guarding bridges or crossroads and not let people pass unless they solve their puzzles-though the acclimation to taking things easy that their ancestors instilled would mean a physical altercation would be unlikely in these scenarios. They’d only be a minor hindrance, only ‘bugging’ whomever crossed their domain with their inquiries. This gave them their full name ‘Bugbear’ and it’s a name that came to stick for the Bugbears and their gods. Hruggek and Grankhul were still quite important to the Bugbears-but they were just hunting gods. Cruel and perhaps unusual gods, but essential parts of Bugbear life whose gifts derived from Oberron and were not as reviled by other gods as they would come to be. For now, they were the centre of Bugbear life for the short time of day a Bugbear would hunt-but were of little significance outside of that.

Whilst Bugbears and Goblins were known to live by themselves-doing their daily routines out in forests and fields that were of fey connection-Hobgoblins (Or ‘Pucks’ as they were called, as their connection to goblins wouldn’t come for a long time) often mingled in fey politics in both Seelie and Unseelie courts. Hobgoblins grew up in large families-not all of whom were related by blood-and in these groups would often enter higher fey courts for work and lodgings due to their diverse array of artisanal talents like smithing, crafting, baking, scholarship, tannery, alchemy and other such things that could be made use of. Hobgoblin families also had brilliant tacticians that would be key in major conflicts within the Feywild and against outsiders to the Feywild. Though the gained a reputation for being especially intelligent, this wasn’t a universal trait-as with all peoples, many went against the Hobgoblin grain. A famed family of Hobgoblins became mercenaries that were known to be some of the first to take up that job-and were feared throughout the Planes for their tactical prowess and ruthless efficiency. The cultural norm, however, remained a reliance on craft and arcane innovation.

The most varied culture of those who would come to be known as ‘goblinoids’ were the goblins themselves. Many a tale of merriment and mischief could be said about the time of goblins in the Feywild-when goblins were akin to fairies who caused minor nuisances and pranks as they frolicked about. Goblins were divided into three subraces-The quintessential Goblin as well as the lesser known Gremlin and Hob. Even though these kin are rarer today, they’ve remained largely unchanged from this period; Gremlins were known to be miscreants who messed with machinery and arcane components whilst Hobs followed an archaic array of laws and traditions as they went about their daily lives. The common Goblin was most known to spend their days experimenting with knick-knacks and pieces of haberdashery-finding an odd affection amongst themselves with buttons and found a naming convention in these clothier tools; they had names such as Threadbare, Needlin, Ribbon etc. Whilst all of these three goblin races were acclimated to some trouble-making, they were mostly benevolent and were often helpful to those lost in Fey forests and consorted more often than not with Seelie courts. Their gods told that pranks should be found funny by both parties-and that goblins should express charity and find joy in the little things in life. Not all goblin gods were so loving, however-the baleful Khurgorbaeyag was a god maligned in a similar way most humans malign Bane or Myrkul. It was a small sect who worshipped Khurgorbaeyag-and this group was despised by their fellow goblins.

This was what life was like for these who would be known to be goblinoids-lives of bliss, mischief, experimentation and ultimately peace. Long did this time last-but it would all come to an end on that fateful day the Conqueror came.

Maglubiyet’s Conquest

Little was known about the Conquering God before his rise-originating from the endless battlefield of Acheron with the countenanceSample of a grey-skinned, battle-scarred goblin in full plate armour. He stands at about 10ft.file with eyes that blaze for all time with cruel purpose. In a bid for more power, he decided to build an army-scouring the planes for people to conquer. Many gods were slain in his attempts to commandeer the pantheon of a race he found interesting, but he always was beaten back. As a last resort, he inspected the place where one would least expect to find organised military-the Feywild. To his surprise, he found out great strategy, physical prowess and skirmishing ability in three separate peoples-Goblins, Hobgoblins and Bugbears. With their gods unprepared for battle, he ambushed them with his mighty greataxe in hand. This time, however, his onslaught was made easier as-rather than killing all the gods of each race-he would keep some alive to help him rule. From the Bugbears he spared the brothers Hruggek and Grankhul, from the Hobgoblins he aligned with

5 Nomog-Geaya and Bargrivyek-and from the goblins he made Khurgorbaeyag his prophet. Over the years, resistance would dwindle and the three races would evolve into the designs of Maglubiyet-forgetting their dead gods. Of course, many escaped this brutal reign and continue to do so; but the majority of these races (known now as ‘goblinoids’) were taught in the ways of the Conqueror-and their society became shaped around him.

Bugbear society took on the hunting wiles of Hruggek and Grankhul into the mainstream, rather than their knowledge only being the focus of a small period in the day. The rituals of the hunt became a morning routine-and rather than telling riddles to those passing through a domain, this grew into a more perverse need to control as they exercised dominion over goblin minions. Killing with brutal precision and leading with cruel appointment, they became the fairytale monsters that their visages implied. Despite this, their sloth remained-and was worsened to where they would delegate anything that didn’t interest them to their underlings, enhancing their aforementioned acclimation to dictating. With a newfound lust for power came a wave of tribalistic paranoia-where Bugbears would be suspicious of their own kin in their bid for rule over others. This is why it became rare to see great packs of Bugbears-in fact, it was scarce to see more than 5 at a time. Too many Bugbears seemingly caused infighting and sometimes an all-out civil war within tribes-so they tended to separate and find some Goblins to reign over with cruelty. However, there was a fringe number of Bugbears who were happy to serve and were the muscle under Goblins or Hobgoblins-an even fewer number rebelled against the norm and actively against Maglubiyet, refusing to be controlled. This would not stop Maglubiyet’s hold on the race though-and these furred goblinoids would certainly prove to be a ‘Bugbear’ to adventurers and commoners who found themselves to be the victims of their hunts.

All the invention of Hobgoblin society was now made to go towards a sole end-war. It didn’t matter why, it didn’t matter who-war consumed every waking moment of a Hobgoblin’s life. They were the secondary infantry and strategists of Maglubiyet’s forces-trained in cruel condition to be machines of unthinking obedience and destruction. The Academy of Devastation was opened for those Hobgoblins still with mind to arcana-but teaching outside the school of Evocation was limited and many texts on magical theory were left to gather dust as focus was spent purely on battlefield application. When one of these students graduated, they immediately became a Devastator and served as mid-line artillery in military efforts (Though students may sometimes be called up in times of need due to any magic shaping the outcome conflict. All Hobgoblins born within a Banner were trained in the ways of martial strategy and weapon expertise-but their reliance on endless conquest and bloodthirst made them susceptible to subtler magics-to the whims of Illusionists and Enchanters. Some of these mages with the knowledge to charm and suggest managed to allure some Hobgoblin sects away from the front and from their Banner-who, separated from their Banner, entered civilian life with some returning to their old ways of artisanal invention and experimentation. To prevent this, Hobgoblin leadership re-invested in the knowledge of other magical schools and trained a gifted number of Hobgoblins were trained in the ways of the Iron Shadow-a secret police forced that had both magical and martial craftiness. Dissidents aside, most of these former Pucks were now subject to this endless cycle of roaring fire, greyed skies and bloodied grit that came with war.

The humble goblin was and is perhaps the greatest victim of Maglubiyet. The delightful tricksters who brought joy, life and good fortune to those who encountered them were now slaves as far as the Conquering God was concerned-reducing them to cannon fodder for the other two goblinoid races to lord over. Khurgorbaeyag was empowered to whip the goblins into shape-into organisation. This inspired rebellion at first but eventually resistance fell thanks to the efforts of the Bugbears, Hobgoblins and other goblins put in charge-though some goblins, including most Hobs and Gremlins, did manage to escape into independence. Over centuries goblin culture, like that of the Bugbears and Hobgoblins, was scrubbed away as cruelty replaced charity and malice replaced mischief. Goblins became vengeful towards other beings and their culture began to revolve around bullying anyone they could as a response to their uneasy position-dividing themselves into a hierarchical caste system and enslaving their captives. The magic that once naturally came to them began to dwindle as records were lost due to their resources being directed towards conquering (And as a direct decision of Maglubiyet to quash independent thought within the goblin ranks). ‘Booyahg’, as Goblins called it, became a symbol of status-elevating whoever wielded it in any form regardless of if or how they actually utilised their Booyahg. However, Goblins never came to quite revere Maglubiyet more than they feared him-for when they died under his reign they would be condemned to join his army on the Plane of Acheron and serve in battle forevermore. Dying under him was an embrace many Goblins, especially those of a lower caste, dreaded to a wild extent that is not oft shared by most who would hope their god would be benevolent upon their meeting. Gone were the days of wiles and heartfelt fun-now was the time of Maglubiyet; now was the time Goblins were condemned.

As these goblinoids became more and alien to their Fey origins, their very ties to the Fey became more distant. They had already advanced into the Material Plane on command of Maglubiyet but as time went on their lives became shorter and their magic became weaker. Maglubiyet’s grim organisation made these peoples machines of fierce conquest-and they were known as a scourge to the citizens of the Material Plane-from the most minute hamlet to the greatest cities. However, let it never beSample said that Maglubiyet is a careful god-for eventually there would come resistance to his filereign.

The Return of Hope

Many goblinoids still lived outside of Maglubiyet’s grasp or had escaped from it-though these numbers were few and any of these dissidents were to be destroyed. Some warpriests of Maglubiyet were given the ability to instil vile curses on rebels to twist their mind and form beyond recognition. Indeed, it was a difficult task for anyone to undertake-and even those who could get away might face discrimination in populated areas for the acts of their brethren. Regardless, many goblinoids

6 established their own societies and abandoned Maglubiyet in favour of other gods. Some pursued neutrality, some looked for good and others kept to evil ways but not under Maglubiyet. These numbers are few-but they are growing.

Bugbears who managed to work together in large groups would often fall into civil war over their squabbles but some pulled through and ended up forming settlements that were more reminiscent of their ancestors. Many gravitated away from Hruggek and Grankhul and towards Archfey like Oberron, who stimulated their hunting instincts, and Hyrsam, who reinvigorated their roots of lighthearted mischief. These societies were very successful and many live on-with Bugbears unlocking druidic and clerical magic that they had previously not been privy to. Other Bugbears integrated into the urban world-with some finding peace in it whilst others preferred the surroundings of gloomy caves and imposing river islands. Most Bugbears independent of Maglubiyet were neutral but a few actively sought the path of good and conspired with other factions to bring down the great armies of Maglubiyet. Another sect were those who entered the study of arcane magic but little is recorded of any Bugbear sorcerers or wizards with most arcane Bugbears being bards (though even these numbers are small), singing songs of old times and of the tragedy wrought upon their kind.

War can change a person in cruel and drastic ways-and this was no different for the Hobgoblins, despite the amount of war they partook in. Many of them shunned their own Banner after being put through the truly awful horrors of war. Some families uprooted altogether and sought independence. Due to the amicability and civility they had been taught to exude, integration came surprisingly quick to many of them-though resistance was still apparent. Many Hobgoblins simply desired to live out simple, neutral lives working a craft after being exposed to battle. Some, particularly those in the Academy of Devastation, blew the dust off the old tomes to look back at arcane theory and expand their knowledge beyond Evocation. This led to a resurgence of Hobgoblin wizards-many of which became known scholars and mages throughout the realms. However, not all who objected the Hobgoblin mainstream were those who despised war-indeed, many of those who left their Banners and started anew were those who decided to apply their battleground talents for good. Gods of war such as Torm and Bahamut found themselves with an influx of Hobgoblins worshipping them-wishing to seek good-aligned causes to champion. Other gods that saw zealotry from defecting Hobgoblins were those of knowledge-like Ohgma and Deneir. These once-Pucks may never shirk off their new moniker, but these rebellious Hobgoblins were content to start anew.

Many Goblins were made to submit to the whims of Maglubiyet and Khurgorbaeyag-but even those most distant from the carefree Fey they once were had their reservations. This was made evident when it was revealed that some of the original Goblin pantheon had survived the slaughter wrought by Maglubiyet; the first example of this was that of a god whose name is lost to time. A Goblin god of Trickery who narrowly escaped Maglubiyet’s culling and took to inspiring mischief within the goblinoid ranks. He would possess any Goblin that he thought was particularly abused and give them strange powers to let them sow mayhem and cause a headache to those above them. Worship of this trickster deity began to rise as cults formed within Goblin tribes to this deity whilst others managed to use the god’s boons to overthrow the hierarchy above them. Some of these cults are aligned to good, others to ill-all to sheer, unadulterated chaos. Many Hobs and Gremlins were independent of Maglubiyet’s control, living in caves outside settlements or seeking out habitats in the desert-and some Goblins sought to join them. Sizeable societies of the reunited Goblin races began to appear-trading in alchemical and baked goods. Furthermore, in light of the unnamed trickster deity coming back into fruition, another Goblin god resurfaced. Benefilaw-a minor Goblin goddess of mischief and charity-survived in a diminished state after escaping the fight with Maglubiyet. After many years spent recuperating her power and observing the state her people were put in by Maglubiyet. As she regained her strength, she began forging warlock pacts with Goblins-teaching them the old ways of light-hearted fun and doing right by others. These warlocks became her prophets and her worshippers soon rose again to the point she was finally able to attain clerics (With her domains being Life and Trickery). She lured goblins in with the promise of freedom and japes-before then teaching them the importance of charity and spreading good cheer. Her clerics, nicknamed Nilbogs after those who first inspired rebellion in Goblin ranks, would construct small statues of her in the settlements where she held sway upon stone plinths. Goblins would place bowls there with pastries, sweets and other baked goods as offerings to Benefilaw-though anyone hungry was allowed to eat from them. Occasionally, the food in one of these bowls would be replaced by a letter writ in golden ink by Benefilaw herself-thanking and complimenting whoever made the treat and then giving a riddle. Whoever solved the riddle would be led to a trove of treasure which they were advised to share around. These communities began to flourish-with even Hobgoblins and Bugbears joining their ranks, brought together by their shared toils. They came to rival the Nilbog factions and combined the two could easily rival Maglubiyet. The two factions are hard to unite due to the sheer unpredictability of the Nilbog worshippers and their dedication to chaos over war-but sure enough even their sinister aspects revile Maglubiyet’s hold. All the Goblin races had come a long way since the fateful coming of the Conquering God-for better or for worse.

Maglubiyet swore to destroy the newfound insurrection-introducing the idea of ‘Hosts’ to his followers-having the Bugbears, Hobgoblins and Goblins form greater forces when combined. All-out war between the three factions has yet to break out, but tensions could not be higher and skirmishes are frequent. Nilbog worshippers, the followers of Benefilaw and completelySample independent clans and individuals are content to live in peace-but the Conquering Gofiled conspires-and these who find their origins in Feywild and in war are certainly now no strangers to the absence of peace.