History Main / OurGoblinsAreDifferent

In folklore, goblins and especially hobgoblins were diminutive household pests, or at best wild creatures, and were typically conflated with whatever trolls and/or faeries fit the trope. If they were viewed at all as a mythical race, instead of just [[RandomEncounter monsters]] or diminutive [[TheFairFolk faeries]] of the nasty sort, they would be generally viewed as the "[[DarkIsEvil dark]]" [[EvilCounterpart version]] of [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] or [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]] in that culture.

Still, goblins tend to serve as the lowest rung of the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil, and are usually the first [[{{Mook}} threat]] a budding [[AnAdventurerIsYou adventurer]] must overcome. A stronger form of goblin (which may or may not be conflated with the orc) may be known as a hobgoblin, though the term originally denoted the ''friendlier'' variety of goblin (the word 'hob' being derived either from the shelf at the back of a fireplace and thus indicating 'hearth and home' or from a Middle English nickname for "Robert"). This version was probably created, and certainly propagated, by ''{{Dungeons and Dragons}}''. Generally if you have both hobgoblins ''and'' orcs, hobgoblins will be a more 'civilised' regimented evil while orcs will be dim, marauding barbarians -- though, aesthetically, goblins will be the ones who grab their stuff from the scrap yard while the orcs will buy their equipment. While annoying, goblins are also more likely to be comedic, bumbling, or simply harder to take seriously than their bigger relatives.

** So, not short or ugly, but still [[AmbiguousGender creepy]].
** [[FetishFuel Sez you.]]

* [[GoblinMarket]] is a long, long, long NarrativePoem by ChristinaRossetti where the goblins offer fruit to humans. Laura eats some and starts to waste away. It's all very NightmareFuel.

* [[http://plexipages.com/reflections/goblin.html The Goblin Market]] is a long, long, long NarrativePoem by ChristinaRossetti where the goblins offer fruit to humans. Laura eats some and starts to waste away. It's all very NightmareFuel.

* ''{{Troll 2}}'', which [[InNameOnly has nothing to do]] with ''Troll'' and [[NonIndicativeName has no trolls in it]], is about goblins in a town known as Nilbog. They are evil vegetarians who can disguise themselves as humans, which they like doing to trick people into consuming some kind of creepy green stuff that turns them into piles of spinach, so that the vegetarian goblins can eat them. The goblins are portrayed by [[SpecialEffectsFailure little people wearing potato sacks and masks]], which come in a total of three different designs, one of which is [[{{Narm}} hilariously]] bug-eyed. They also fight with fishing spears, even when they're trying to hunt people.

Still, goblins tend to serve as the lowest rung of the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil, and are usually the first [[{{Mook}} threat]] a budding [[AnAdventurerIsYou adventurer]] must overcome. A stronger form of goblin (which may or may not be conflated with the orc) may be known as a hobgoblin, though the term originally denoted the ''friendlier'' variety of goblin (the word 'hob' being derived either from the shelf at the back of a fireplace and thus indicating 'hearth and home' or from a Middle English nickname for "Robert"). This version was probably created, and certainly propagated, by ''{{Dungeons and Dragons}}''. Generally if you have both hobgoblins ''and'' orcs, hobgoblins will be a more 'civilised' regimented evil while orcs will be dim, marauding barbarians- though, aesthetically, goblins will be the ones who grab their stuff from the scrap yard while the orcs will buy their equipment. While annoying, goblins are also more likely to be comedic, bumbling, or simply harder to take seriously than their bigger relatives.

* You first encounter goblins in ''{{Vindictus}}'' on the quests from Boat 3, which take you to the destroyed town of Ainle, which you usually only reach at around the 20s in level. They're pale monsters roughly the size of humans that used to be part of the Fomors that make up your general enemies, but are now under the control of vampires. They are very slow, but their clubs which have nails through them pack quite a punch. The bosses among them are larger than humans and have such names as Servant of Twilight and Servant of Hell, with the only named one of the bunch being their leader, Information Chief Kalis, a big red goblin warrior who wields a scimitar, and who quickly earns the players' hatred when he [[spoiler:murders poor Ellis just before the boss fight in the fourth quest]].

* ''{{Goblins}}: Life Through Their Eyes'' webcomic started out with goblins as being a VillainsOutShopping look at The DungeonsAndDragons world from their point of view. It has since mutated into a full blown {{Deconstruction}} of the normal D&D world and CharacterAlignment system.

**** Given that he's never shown ''any'' paladin class powers at all, one can assume he Fell a long time ago and just hasn't noticed, which people usually assume a fallen paladin would. Or maybe he's in denial, and never tries to use paladin powers in order to avoid being reminded of his fall. Or maybe he never was one to begin with. Whatever the case, he's not retaining any powers, but that doesn't stop him from butchering.
***** This has since been Jossed. Said murderous Paladin has been shown using a Paladin class ability not available to the Fallen.

* Dominaria, of ''[=~Magic: The Gathering~=]'', has rather orc-like goblins (usually associated with the Red color), as do about half the game's other settings; they're not evil, though, just rowdy and destructive, and serve as the game's comic relief race. The other half are more varied as to their depictions of goblins.

* Dominaria, of ''[=~Magic: The Gathering~=]'', has rather orc-like goblins (usually associated with the Red color), as do about half the game's other settings; they're not evil, though, just rowdy and destructive. The other half are more varied as to their depictions of goblins.

Still, goblins tend to serve as the lowest rung of the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil, and are usually the first [[{{Mook}} threat]] a budding [[AnAdventurerIsYou adventurer]] must overcome. A stronger form of goblin (which may or may not be conflated with the orc) may be known as a hobgoblin, though the term originally denoted the ''friendlier'' variety of goblin (the word 'hob' being derived either from the shelf at the back of a fireplace and thus indicating 'hearth and home' or from a Middle English nickname for "Robert"). This version was probably created, and certainly propagated, by ''{{Dungeons and Dragons}}''. Generally if you have both hobgoblins ''and'' orcs, hobgoblins will be a more 'civilised' regimented evil while orcs will be dim, marauding barbarians- though, aesthetically, goblins will be the ones who grab their stuff fromthe scrap yard while the orcs will buy their equipment. While annoying, goblins are also more likely to be comedic, bumbling, or simply harder to take seriously than their bigger relatives.

Still, goblins tend to serve as the lowest rung of the SortingAlgorithmOfEvil, and are usually the first [[{{Mook}} threat]] a budding [[AnAdventurerIsYou adventurer]] must overcome. A stronger form of goblin (which may or may not be conflated with the orc) may be known as a hobgoblin, though the term originally denoted the ''friendlier'' variety of goblin (the word 'hob' being derived either from the shelf at the back of a fireplace and thus indicating 'hearth and home' or from a Middle English nickname for "Robert"). This version was probably created, and certainly propagated, by ''{{Dungeons and Dragons}}''. Generally if you have both hobgoblins ''and'' orcs, hobgoblins will be a more 'civilised' regimented evil while orcs will be dim, marauding barbarians. While annoying, goblins are also more likely to be comedic, bumbling, or simply harder to take seriously than their bigger relatives.

* In ''{{Drowtales}}'', humans and orcs are considered by many elves to be types of goblins.

* ''{{WarCraft}}'' goblins are smaller than orcs, but also have some knowledge of technology, particularly [[StuffBlowingUp that which explodes]]. They first showed up in ''[=WarCraft=] II'' as the inventors of the Horde. They were characterized by their suicidal insanity and seem to be fighting for [[ForTheEvulz kicks]]. In ''[=WarCraft=] III'' goblins left the Horde, becoming a neutral force. They also gained a greedy side and more self preservation tendencies, though some still were [[MadBomber completely insane]]. By ''WorldOfWarcraft'' they had suffered some {{Flanderization}}, only caring about cash and the suicidal tendencies almost gone entirely, although they're still obsessed with explosives. Despite originating from Azeroth and therefore not being related to orcs and ogres, they seem to have a preference for them. Unlike most other HighFantasy goblins, ''[=WarCraft=] goblins are a civilized people and one of the most technologically advanced races. In the latest ExpansionPack ''Cataclysm'', some of the goblin factions rejoin the Horde as playable characters.

** Hobgoblins also exist in Whitewolf's ''[=WarCraft=] rpg. They're huge, stupid, purple-skinned mutant goblins that were created by goblin alchemists as guards. They have acidic sweat. Blizzard [[CanonImmigrant has introduced]] their own interpretation of the species as part of the Alchemist Hero in ''[=WarCraft=]'' III, with more to come in the next expansion.

* ''TheGoblinMarket'' is a long, long, long NarrativePoem by ChristinaRossetti where the goblins offer fruit to humans. Laura eats some and starts to waste away. It's all very NightmareFuel.

In folklore, goblins and especially hobgoblins were diminutive household pests, or at best wild creatures, and were typically conflated with whatever trolls and/or faeries fit the trope. If they were viewed at all as a mythical race, instead of just [[RandomEncounter monsters]] or diminutive [[TheFairFolk faeries]] of the nasty sort, they would be generally viewed as the "[[DarkIsEvil dark]]" [[EvilCounterpart]] version of [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] or [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]] in that culture.

In folklore, goblins and especially hobgoblins were diminutive household pests, or at best wild creatures, and were typically conflated with whatever trolls and/or faeries fit the trope. If they were viewed at all as a mythical race, instead of just [[RandomEncounter monsters]] or diminutive [[TheFairFolk faeries]] of the nasty sort, they would be generally viewed as the "dark" version of [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] or [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]] in that culture.