09-03-2004, 03:58
Goblinology
This is an informative thread for those wishing to know more about the country, culture, phsyology and history of the Half-Moon Goblins.
The country:
(Note: Names are translated from Goblinese)
Geography
Location:
Southern hemisphere, near the equator
Area:
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km
Area - comparative:
About 1.5 times the size of the United States
Land boundaries:
None
Coastline:
5,612 km
Maritime claims:
Three small islands (Squee, Krark, Azog) off the coast about 250mi, a corridor parallel to the outside edges of the islands and the area 100mi around the islands
Climate:
Rain, lots of it. Most of the territory is swamp, so its quite hot and muggy.
Terrain:
About 80% swamp, 15% mountain and 5% plain. The moutains are typicaly riddled with tunnels, and the swamps are qutie hazerdos.
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: 'Bottomless pit' 43,000ft below sea level
highest point: 'Coppertop' 14,897
Natural resources:
Gold, gunpowder ingredients, precious stones, gases, medicinal plants, meat (its best just to think of it as meat), natural explosives.
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 94% (Swamp, occasionaly these numbers switch with seasons, but typicaly they are stable)
Irrigated land:
0%
Natural hazards:
Explosive plants, gases, nasty predators/parasites, terrain hazards, Goblins
Environment - current issues:
Debate as to whether or not to attempt to drain portions of the swamp to gain more arable land.
Geography - note:
Heights vary hugely between the mountains and swamp. Usualy the plains are arranged around the mountains.
People
Population:
6 million Goblins, not much else to say.
Government
Country name: The Kingdom Half-Moon Goblins
conventional long form: The Grand Kingdom of the Half-Moon Tribe
conventional short form: Half-Moon, Goblin Town
Government type: Anarchic Monarchy. The king tells people what to do, the people do it however and whenever they want.
Currency: The Squee (1 USD), but gold is popular.
Economy
Economy - overview:
Exports of unique plants, minerals, gases, etc. etc.
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:
0
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA; Iridium system in use
Telephone system:
general assessment: local systems at some towns
domestic: NA
international: Via special lines
Radio broadcast stations:
None
Television broadcast stations:
None
Internet country code:
.HG
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Transportation
Ports and harbors: 5
Airports: 30
Airports - with unpaved runways: 10
Heliports: 2
Military
250,000 Total
---
Goblin Physiology
Goblins are mostly small humans, they have a few variations that come from their lifestyle (Living in swamps and mountains), these are noted below.
The most unique feature of the Goblins is their 'third lung', this is basicaly a special sac containing bacteria that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, enabling Goblins to survive for long periods without an air supply, provided there is carbon dioxide.
Goblins also have very sensitive noses and great night vision. While they do not see as well during daylight they are perfectly capable of most operations, but tend to be a bit nearsighted. They have excelent hearing.
They are quite strong for their size, about as strong as a typical adult male human. Their arms and legs are relativly longer, and their bodies are quite small, tapering from the stomach. They have barrel chests, not due to muscle, but for space for the extra lung.
They have talons on their toes, but nails on their fingers, the reason for this is unknown, but it is believed that it helps them to get a grip when running in tunnels.
They have sharp teeth, with long canines, very large noses, eyes and ears.
Tough leathery skin protects them from rockfalls, swamp beings and other hazards of goblin life.
Psychology:
Goblins are cheerful, optimistic and slightly suicidal. However, they are not 'evil' as such. You can trust a Goblin who is your friend with your life, but you are an idiot if you trust one with a dollar. Of course, part of the challenge lies in telling whether or not the Goblin is really your friend.
Goblin 'stats'
Life expectancy: 40-45 years
Age record: 103 years
Average height: 3.4 feet
Height record: 5 feet
Core body temperature: 105 Farenheit
---
Culture
Goblin culture is quite complicated, far from the typical 'Give it to me or I beat your head in'...well...maybe not that far.
Gender: There is no gender descrimination amoung Goblins, since the only way to tell a female who isnt pregnant from a male is to check for the presence of certain organs. Pregnant females are generaly treated with great respect for a Goblin, that is, nobody really pays much attention to them except for meals and when they give birth.
When pregnant female Goblins breasts swell (they are mammles) and they develope a 'pot belly'. Gestation time is roughly five months. Goblins bear live young.
Social Structre:
A Goblin family is organized around the oldest living couple, with 'rank' ranging from oldest to youngest after that. Within couples things are usualy decided by a row, that is a loud arguement.
Government is differnt of course, the King is usualy chosen by popularity. At any point a King may be challenged by any member of the tribe, clan, or whatever.
The challenge is carried out in the following maner:
The arena is set up with a boiling cauldron of oil, fat or water (as a last resort) is set in the middle. The challenger is givin a cup, and the current King is allowed his scepter (usualy a bone clublike object). Both contenders must wear stilts. The challenger and king then attempt to kill each other by any means possible. Its a very effective way of putting unpopular kings out of office.
Religion:
This varies hugely depending on family, all have thier own legends, tales and myths passed around. Most have a fire god and a life god couple as the 'creators', but very little after that is similar.
Sports:
The favorite sport of Goblins in the Half-Moon is Boomball, it is very similar to (American) football, but played with a notoriously unstrable Goblin Bomb. Goblin Bombs are basicaly metal, wood or containers made of other materials filled with high explosive. After that the rules are the same, except that if you explode your team loses a point and is charged 25 Squees for a new ball.
Military:
http://www.goblincommander.com/screens/slide_8.jpg
Goblins are a naturaly militaristic. Almost every Goblin over a year old has his or her own weapon. Not all Goblins are a part of the Half-Moon Army, but usualy maintain their own unnoficial militia, guerilla fighters who make occupiers lifes utterly miserable. Most such weapons are primitive, axes, bows, or muskets. Although Goblins are by no means traditionalists, if an M-16 is avalible it will be immidiatly purchased, borrowed or stolen. The current HMG Military is outdated, using mostly WWII tanks and weapons. However, most of these are heavily modified (Goblins are natural tinkerers), and MUCH more effective than they used to be.
History:
HIstory:
The first Goblin tribes lived in the swamp. This was regarded as unwise, since most things in the swamp would eat anything smaller than themselves, sometimes even that didnt apply.
This is widely thought of as an uninteresting point in Goblinology, since the tribes were too busy surviving to do much else.
The social structre was much the same, though there were many, many more clans. The usual size was twenty or so, and that was large.
Eventualy though a Goblin tribe (now extinct, though thought to be the Nightstalker clan) discovered the explosive principals of certain plants within the swamp.
This, along with forging techniques, lead to the development of firearms, grenades and rockets, as well as new mining techniques which allowed the building of huge underground cities that most Goblins now live in.
This is roughly the time when Goblins came into contact with a primitive Human culture, the name is not known, but they were at a mideival stage of development, and had quite large forces.
The first Goblin War was a total disaster for the Goblins, who attempted conventional tactics against the vastly overwhelming human armies, over a period of seven years the humans drove them back into their caves. Then the first of the great Heros of Goblindom came to power.
Squee is said to be six feet tall, breath fire, and many, many other strange traits not usualy associated with Goblins. However, he was the greatest guirilla warrior of the day, invinting most of the tactics that Goblins today use.
The Second Goblin War lasted much longer, and resulted in the destruction of the human society to the last man. At first they humans did not understand what was happening, but their horses were dying or running away at night, their scouts did not return, and their leaders were killed.
Few realized that in the middle of the night Goblins had opened tunnles under their camps, and were coming up at night to wreak havoc. Occasionaly huge amounts of Goblin powder would be placed under a camp and detonated, the resulting explosion terrorized horses, men and pack animals, often human commanders found that they had lost half of their camp in the middle of the night to desertion.
However, desertion did not save many, the Goblins now owned the swamps again. Horses hit trip wires, Goblins in trees slit throats, and ingenious traps destroyed siege engines.
After many years the last humans were dead and the GOblin lords consolidated their holds.
At first they fought each other, but this caused huge casualties. Goblins didnt stand in lines like humans, they didnt wear heavy armour that made them slow, they didnt taste very good either.
After a short period of war the clans united under the Half-Moon, the largest and most powerful, supposedly the clan of the great Squee.
Now the Clan sent out scouts to find other inhabitants of the world, possibly more humans to fight, or make peace and trade. This was the thought of the Old Kings.
However they were, as has been noted, old, and a young Goblin named Krark did not agree with this policy of 'kill it'. He wanted to make the Goblins truely great. A few argued that they were already great, but nobody cared.
They liked the idea of a box that lets you talk to people a long way away without shouting, and rifling was a nice concept indeed.
And now is now, this has been the history of the Goblin tribe of the Half-Moon.
This is an informative thread for those wishing to know more about the country, culture, phsyology and history of the Half-Moon Goblins.
The country:
(Note: Names are translated from Goblinese)
Geography
Location:
Southern hemisphere, near the equator
Area:
total: 14 million sq km
land: 14 million sq km
Area - comparative:
About 1.5 times the size of the United States
Land boundaries:
None
Coastline:
5,612 km
Maritime claims:
Three small islands (Squee, Krark, Azog) off the coast about 250mi, a corridor parallel to the outside edges of the islands and the area 100mi around the islands
Climate:
Rain, lots of it. Most of the territory is swamp, so its quite hot and muggy.
Terrain:
About 80% swamp, 15% mountain and 5% plain. The moutains are typicaly riddled with tunnels, and the swamps are qutie hazerdos.
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: 'Bottomless pit' 43,000ft below sea level
highest point: 'Coppertop' 14,897
Natural resources:
Gold, gunpowder ingredients, precious stones, gases, medicinal plants, meat (its best just to think of it as meat), natural explosives.
Land use:
arable land: 6%
permanent crops: 3%
other: 94% (Swamp, occasionaly these numbers switch with seasons, but typicaly they are stable)
Irrigated land:
0%
Natural hazards:
Explosive plants, gases, nasty predators/parasites, terrain hazards, Goblins
Environment - current issues:
Debate as to whether or not to attempt to drain portions of the swamp to gain more arable land.
Geography - note:
Heights vary hugely between the mountains and swamp. Usualy the plains are arranged around the mountains.
People
Population:
6 million Goblins, not much else to say.
Government
Country name: The Kingdom Half-Moon Goblins
conventional long form: The Grand Kingdom of the Half-Moon Tribe
conventional short form: Half-Moon, Goblin Town
Government type: Anarchic Monarchy. The king tells people what to do, the people do it however and whenever they want.
Currency: The Squee (1 USD), but gold is popular.
Economy
Economy - overview:
Exports of unique plants, minerals, gases, etc. etc.
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use:
0
Telephones - mobile cellular:
NA; Iridium system in use
Telephone system:
general assessment: local systems at some towns
domestic: NA
international: Via special lines
Radio broadcast stations:
None
Television broadcast stations:
None
Internet country code:
.HG
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
Transportation
Ports and harbors: 5
Airports: 30
Airports - with unpaved runways: 10
Heliports: 2
Military
250,000 Total
---
Goblin Physiology
Goblins are mostly small humans, they have a few variations that come from their lifestyle (Living in swamps and mountains), these are noted below.
The most unique feature of the Goblins is their 'third lung', this is basicaly a special sac containing bacteria that convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, enabling Goblins to survive for long periods without an air supply, provided there is carbon dioxide.
Goblins also have very sensitive noses and great night vision. While they do not see as well during daylight they are perfectly capable of most operations, but tend to be a bit nearsighted. They have excelent hearing.
They are quite strong for their size, about as strong as a typical adult male human. Their arms and legs are relativly longer, and their bodies are quite small, tapering from the stomach. They have barrel chests, not due to muscle, but for space for the extra lung.
They have talons on their toes, but nails on their fingers, the reason for this is unknown, but it is believed that it helps them to get a grip when running in tunnels.
They have sharp teeth, with long canines, very large noses, eyes and ears.
Tough leathery skin protects them from rockfalls, swamp beings and other hazards of goblin life.
Psychology:
Goblins are cheerful, optimistic and slightly suicidal. However, they are not 'evil' as such. You can trust a Goblin who is your friend with your life, but you are an idiot if you trust one with a dollar. Of course, part of the challenge lies in telling whether or not the Goblin is really your friend.
Goblin 'stats'
Life expectancy: 40-45 years
Age record: 103 years
Average height: 3.4 feet
Height record: 5 feet
Core body temperature: 105 Farenheit
---
Culture
Goblin culture is quite complicated, far from the typical 'Give it to me or I beat your head in'...well...maybe not that far.
Gender: There is no gender descrimination amoung Goblins, since the only way to tell a female who isnt pregnant from a male is to check for the presence of certain organs. Pregnant females are generaly treated with great respect for a Goblin, that is, nobody really pays much attention to them except for meals and when they give birth.
When pregnant female Goblins breasts swell (they are mammles) and they develope a 'pot belly'. Gestation time is roughly five months. Goblins bear live young.
Social Structre:
A Goblin family is organized around the oldest living couple, with 'rank' ranging from oldest to youngest after that. Within couples things are usualy decided by a row, that is a loud arguement.
Government is differnt of course, the King is usualy chosen by popularity. At any point a King may be challenged by any member of the tribe, clan, or whatever.
The challenge is carried out in the following maner:
The arena is set up with a boiling cauldron of oil, fat or water (as a last resort) is set in the middle. The challenger is givin a cup, and the current King is allowed his scepter (usualy a bone clublike object). Both contenders must wear stilts. The challenger and king then attempt to kill each other by any means possible. Its a very effective way of putting unpopular kings out of office.
Religion:
This varies hugely depending on family, all have thier own legends, tales and myths passed around. Most have a fire god and a life god couple as the 'creators', but very little after that is similar.
Sports:
The favorite sport of Goblins in the Half-Moon is Boomball, it is very similar to (American) football, but played with a notoriously unstrable Goblin Bomb. Goblin Bombs are basicaly metal, wood or containers made of other materials filled with high explosive. After that the rules are the same, except that if you explode your team loses a point and is charged 25 Squees for a new ball.
Military:
http://www.goblincommander.com/screens/slide_8.jpg
Goblins are a naturaly militaristic. Almost every Goblin over a year old has his or her own weapon. Not all Goblins are a part of the Half-Moon Army, but usualy maintain their own unnoficial militia, guerilla fighters who make occupiers lifes utterly miserable. Most such weapons are primitive, axes, bows, or muskets. Although Goblins are by no means traditionalists, if an M-16 is avalible it will be immidiatly purchased, borrowed or stolen. The current HMG Military is outdated, using mostly WWII tanks and weapons. However, most of these are heavily modified (Goblins are natural tinkerers), and MUCH more effective than they used to be.
History:
HIstory:
The first Goblin tribes lived in the swamp. This was regarded as unwise, since most things in the swamp would eat anything smaller than themselves, sometimes even that didnt apply.
This is widely thought of as an uninteresting point in Goblinology, since the tribes were too busy surviving to do much else.
The social structre was much the same, though there were many, many more clans. The usual size was twenty or so, and that was large.
Eventualy though a Goblin tribe (now extinct, though thought to be the Nightstalker clan) discovered the explosive principals of certain plants within the swamp.
This, along with forging techniques, lead to the development of firearms, grenades and rockets, as well as new mining techniques which allowed the building of huge underground cities that most Goblins now live in.
This is roughly the time when Goblins came into contact with a primitive Human culture, the name is not known, but they were at a mideival stage of development, and had quite large forces.
The first Goblin War was a total disaster for the Goblins, who attempted conventional tactics against the vastly overwhelming human armies, over a period of seven years the humans drove them back into their caves. Then the first of the great Heros of Goblindom came to power.
Squee is said to be six feet tall, breath fire, and many, many other strange traits not usualy associated with Goblins. However, he was the greatest guirilla warrior of the day, invinting most of the tactics that Goblins today use.
The Second Goblin War lasted much longer, and resulted in the destruction of the human society to the last man. At first they humans did not understand what was happening, but their horses were dying or running away at night, their scouts did not return, and their leaders were killed.
Few realized that in the middle of the night Goblins had opened tunnles under their camps, and were coming up at night to wreak havoc. Occasionaly huge amounts of Goblin powder would be placed under a camp and detonated, the resulting explosion terrorized horses, men and pack animals, often human commanders found that they had lost half of their camp in the middle of the night to desertion.
However, desertion did not save many, the Goblins now owned the swamps again. Horses hit trip wires, Goblins in trees slit throats, and ingenious traps destroyed siege engines.
After many years the last humans were dead and the GOblin lords consolidated their holds.
At first they fought each other, but this caused huge casualties. Goblins didnt stand in lines like humans, they didnt wear heavy armour that made them slow, they didnt taste very good either.
After a short period of war the clans united under the Half-Moon, the largest and most powerful, supposedly the clan of the great Squee.
Now the Clan sent out scouts to find other inhabitants of the world, possibly more humans to fight, or make peace and trade. This was the thought of the Old Kings.
However they were, as has been noted, old, and a young Goblin named Krark did not agree with this policy of 'kill it'. He wanted to make the Goblins truely great. A few argued that they were already great, but nobody cared.
They liked the idea of a box that lets you talk to people a long way away without shouting, and rifling was a nice concept indeed.
And now is now, this has been the history of the Goblin tribe of the Half-Moon.