Hobgoblin

Hobgoblins inhabit a harsh, rigorously ordered society where every citizen must serve the collective, and those who fail their assigned role face exile into the frozen wilds.

Culture & Society

Hobgoblins are an extremely militant people believing in order in discipline above all.  They live in a strict communist society where every individual has a role and contributes to the community.  Those that fail in their roles or exhibit deviant behavior are cast out into the cold winter wilds beyond the city walls.  Their harsh society also relies heavily upon imported slave labor to function.  Fodder for their slave markets is obtained by raiders, both hobgoblin and foreigners, that bring their captives to the flesh markets of Goth-azir for trade.  Every tree in the forest that surrounds the hobgoblin’s lands is draped with numerous steel chains.  Each one of these chains represents a slave that has died under the yoke of the hobgoblin empire. 

The hobgoblins of Kol-Drak Keep are renowned for their military knowledge and training.  Many people pay them generously to apprentice their officers in the art of warfare.  Those that survive their training are forged into cunning tacticians and returned to their homelands as conquerors. 

The hobgoblin people are a strong and hardy folk, typically well-muscled from the training and hard labor demanded of them by their warlords.  Their skin has a crimson hue that darkens whenever they are angry or performing strenuous activity.  Their hair is exclusively long, black, and braided into intricate designs, though it fades to grey as they transition to elder status.

Racial Traits

• Darkvision – Your darkvision has a radius of 60 feet.
• Martial Training – You are proficient with two martial weapons of your choice and light armor.
• Saving Face – Hobgoblins are careful not to show weakness in front of their allies, for fear of losing status.  If you miss with an attack roll or fail an ability check or a saving throw, you can gain a bonus to the roll equal to the number of allies you can see within 30 feet of you (maximum bonus of +5).  Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Military Rank – You have a military rank from your life as a member of Hobgoblin society. Soldiers loyal to your former military organization still recognize your authority and influence, and they defer to you if they are of a lower rank. You can invoke your rank to exert influence over other soldiers and requisition simple equipment or horses for temporary use. You can also usually gain access to friendly military encampments and fortresses where your rank is recognized.