Zoola  Hominoid  Goblinoid

Bugbears are the largest and rarest of the common goblinoids. Though their temperament is no less cruel than that of goblins, their numbers remain comparatively low due to an unusually slow rate of reproduction. They live by the same brutal principle as their smaller cousins —  might makes right —  but possess little talent for building lasting societies of their own. Large gatherings are uncommon, and even the most stable bugbear bands rarely exceed four to six individuals before rivalries fracture the group.

Standing between six and seven feet tall and weighing as much as four hundred pounds, bugbears possess broad, muscular frames concealed beneath long curtains of coarse, matted fur. Beneath the shaggy coat, patches of dark, chitinous plates protect their shoulders, back, and forearms, lending them the unsettling appearance of some unnatural cross between a bear and a monstrous insect. Their elongated forelimbs nearly reach the ground when they walk, and they habitually move with a pronounced stoop that disguises both their height and intelligence, making them appear more bestial than they truly are.

Despite their imposing size, bugbears are astonishingly silent hunters. They stalk prey with deliberate patience, placing each step with surprising grace before erupting into sudden, overwhelming violence. Most prefer to hunt beneath the cover of darkness, as their large compound eyes are highly sensitive to sunlight. During the day they remain hidden in caves, dense forests, ruined structures, or other shadowed places where they can avoid bright light.

Unable to maintain cohesive societies, bugbears often seek authority elsewhere. Many leave their own kind to dominate bands of goblins or serve as enforcers among hobgoblin warbands, where their strength quickly earns obedience. Goblins fear bugbears almost as much as they fear dragons, and few challenge one unless they vastly outnumber it. This is likely due to the mild fear radiance that a bugbear emits. Those within 10 feet of one must make a Will save (TM:7) upon initial contact but never again in the same encounter. Failing the save places one under the Shaken condition, which is a less severe form of being frightened. The victim suffers -2 to all to-hit attacks, whether melee, range, of magic, as well as a -2 for all saves and checks — except awareness checks, which lower the required TM by one point because the victim has become paranoid. 

 Zoola  Hominoid  Goblinoid

Goblins are a childlike species driven by destructive curiosity and insatiable hunger. Individually they are weak, cowardly, and opportunistic, making them easy prey for stronger races that exploit or enslave them as expendable foot soldiers. The rare goblin that survives through cunning rather than brute force often becomes a wandering scavenger, living on the fringes of civilization and preying upon society's weakest members.

Nearly omnivorous, goblins can consume almost anything, though they strongly prefer fresh meat. Human and gnome flesh is regarded as a rare delicacy, and history records numerous instances of children disappearing after falling victim to goblin tricks or false kindness. Although they instinctively fear larger races, their short memories and bottomless appetites ensure that caution rarely lasts. Before long, hunger and greed overcome self-preservation, driving them to raid nearby settlements once more.

Standing between three and four feet tall and seldom weighing more than forty pounds, goblins are wiry scavengers with disproportionately long arms that hang below their knees. Their broad noses, sharp fangs, and yellow or crimson eyes lend them a perpetually feral appearance. They favor caves, ruins, refuse heaps, and other bleak places that lie just beyond the borders of more prosperous communities, allowing them to strike quickly before retreating with whatever food or loot they can carry.

Goblin society is brutally simple: strength commands obedience. The strongest individual—or the one capable of inspiring the greatest fear—rules until challenged by another. Bands may consist of only a handful of goblins or swell into tribes numbering several hundred. Though individually unimpressive, goblins instinctively understand the power of overwhelming numbers, relying on swarming tactics to bring down foes far stronger than themselves. Despite this, they retain an almost reverential fear of exceptional individual power and readily submit to dominant leaders.

One unusual talent shared by many goblin tribes is their affinity for training dire wolves. Roughly one in every twenty goblins serves as a handler, raising these savage beasts from pups and using them as mounts, hunters, and guardians. Goblin settlements are almost always established near vulnerable trade routes, isolated farms, or poorly defended villages where raids can be conducted with minimal risk.

Many of the largest goblin hordes are not ruled by goblins at all. Hobgoblins, ogres, trolls, necromancers, warlords, and even ambitious dragons have learned that goblins make ideal expendable troops. Easily intimidated and readily replaced, they are often manipulated into fighting wars they neither understand nor survive.

Note: the base Defense listed here assumes no armor or shield. Goblins can wear any light armor that has been fashioned for their size, but rarely will they have anything better than studded leather.

 Zoola  Hominoid  Goblinoid

Despite its common term of hobgoblin, this species calls itself ghabludar. Goblinoid societal structures are cruel and harsh. As such, the ghabludar have built a militant ideology to survive its own culture, and as such, they often rise to leadership roles and oversee the lesser cousin species of goblinoids.

This orange-brown cousin to the goblin is larger, standing over 4-foot tall up to 5-foot for the largest among the ghabludar. Despite their taller stature, they are still wiry and spindly like their goblin relatives, weighing only around 90 to 100 pounds. However, hobgoblins are more industrious as a group. While they still scavenge, this species does manage resources the best of all its ilk, often building its own weapons and armor. The base Defense listed here is assumes the hobgoblin wears leather armor but carries no shield. In some tribes, hobgoblins have organized into obstreperous military organizations and will employ boar, gorgonops and dire wolves as a cavalry. Hobgoblins do not have a natural swarming skill as do their smaller cousins.