Goblin, Millerite AKA:  True Goblins, annoying little green know-it-alls HACKFACTOR:  1+ EP VALUE:  15 (100 per level for adventurer classes) CLIMATE/TERRAIN:  Any, though predominately encountered in urban settings FREQUENCY:  Rare to Very Rare, depending on power level and class ORGANIZATION:  Solitary or Band ACTIVITY CYCLE:  Generally noctural, though fully functional in the day DIET:  Omnivore INTELLIGENCE:  Average to Gawdlike (9 to 21) ALIGNMENT:  Neutral NO.APPEARING:  1 (10%), 2-8 (50%), 5-50 (40%) SIZE:  S (4' tall) MOVEMENT:  9" PSIONIC ABILITY:  Normal Chances Attack/Defense Modes:  Nil/Nil MORALE:  Half-hearted (9) ARMOR CLASS:  8 or by armor type NO. OF ATTACKS:  1 DAMAGE/ATTACK:  1-2 or by weapon SPECIAL ATTACKS:  Nil SPECIAL DEFENSES:  Nil MAGIC RESISTANCE:  Standard HIT DICE:  14-19 hp SUBMITTED BY:  Andrew Franklin

Goblin, Millerite
DESCRIPTION:  Millerite Goblins or True Goblins are the ancestors of all goblins in the known universe. They are one of the oldest sentient species. They tend to keep their true nature hidden from non-goblins and even from their common goblin kin. Standing at 4 foot tall or under, Millerite goblins have sharp, pointy teeth that resemble the pronounced fangs of common goblins. Indeed, dentition pattern is not a diagnostic feature for separating the two. True goblins have skins in hues from corpse gray to olive green and eye colors range from dark red to dim yellow. True Goblins possess 60'infravision but are equally good at functioning during the day or night. Millerite goblins have large ears covered in white hair. If they have any body or facial hair at all, Millerite goblins have whitish hair. They weigh between seventy and ninety pounds with little pronounced difference in sizes between the sexes. True goblins tend to be better groomed than common goblins, and have a natural lifespan of 100 years.

COMBAT/TACTICS: True Goblins are intelligent foes and not to be taken lightly. However, given their minimal physical strength and their generally cultured genetic heritage, much of the fighting instinct seen in their common cousins is not present. If forced to fight True Goblins will employ misdirection, dirty tricks, and anything else then can do within the constraints of their alignment to win. Generally they just run away if able. Adventurer class True Goblins on the other hand, sometimes have the confidence to fight against an equal or superior opponent. They will still use trickery but will fight using their class abilities.

True Goblins that are adventurers, some 10% of the population, can be fighters (5%), thieves (40%), clerics (15%), druids (10%), mages (20%) and illusionists (10%). Fighters are limited to 10th level and clerics and druids cannot exceed 16th level. Adventurers are from 1st to fifth level some 60.4995% of the time, from sixth to ninth level some 35% of the time, from tenth through sixteenth level 4.5% of the time, and above 16th level 0.0005% of the time. This means one in 20000 True goblins is of sixteenth level or greater. Even those high level true Goblins who could eliminate entire parties prefer to avoid combat, though the high level true Goblins will eliminate parties if deemed neccessary.

HABITAT/SOCIETY:  True Goblins speak Ancient Goblin, Modern Goblin, Common, and the languages of dominant races in the area. Most True Goblins are literate in the local languages. Most True Goblins live in above-ground urban areas by preference, though they can live in any subterranean or terran climate. True Goblins in cities tend to form enclaves, not entirely ghettos but areas where several families live. Urban true goblins set themselves up as artisans, merchants, and bureaucrats, and are generally quite capable of being prosperous if the neighboring races permit.

Millerite Goblins value three things above all else: cunning, education, and magic. They have complex pranking rituals, such as stealing from each other in ways that should be undetectable (how many thieves start picking on other races), showing that a particular goblin is ignorant on an important subject, or various magical pranks. Unlike the pranks of common goblins, most Millerite Goblin pranks are intellectual and multilayed in nature and are thus not easily noticed.

Millerite Goblins are generally good members of society, but their legal system was based more on custom and avoiding serious injuries than on any codified intellectual system despite their highly evolved culture. They believe that the fewer the laws a country has the better, and always bend those laws they find stupid, like laws against theft (though most non-goblins will receive their property back if they ask for it, as they are showing they are smart enough to be honored for catching the thief).

Millerite Goblins speak Ancient Goblin, the ancestral tongue of their homeworld, Millierus, where they evolved. After a few thousand years they developed agriculture and cities and then developed powerful magics including Teleport Intercampaigna and Teleport Intergenre which they used to explore the universe. Possessed with a burning curiousity and the respect for uniqueness, they colonized many alternate Prime Material planes to learn about them. Some True Goblins, unable to return home due to failure of their magical devices, ended up breeding with local humanoids, leading to the debased goblins which most individuals consider goblins. To interact with these offspring and to counter cultural differences resulting from contact with many humanoid cultures, Modern Goblin, essentially a trader's tongue emerged. Modern Goblin is spoken even by regular goblins and has little in the way of artistry. Ancient Goblin on the other hand has many subtle meanings despite its harsh sounding words.

Millerite Goblins have no particular foes, but tend to keep clear of elves, dwarves, and dragons, who have slaughtered many of their species over time. The Millerite Goblins have slowly declined as other races developed the ability to travel across the planes and of the great goblin learned societies, only the Goblin Archaeological Society remains.

YIELD: Medicinal:  True Goblin meat is edible, if not particularly tasty. Spell Components:  True Goblin eyes can be used in Wizard Eye spells. Hide/Trophy Items:  A True Goblin hide is valuable if bounties on goblins are given. Treasure:  Nx2, with a 10% chance of a weak magical item Other:  Nil

Mikeeze Wurld is © 2001 by Michael S. Hensley. HackMaster is a trademark of Kenzer and Company. Any use of trademarks is in no way to be considered a challenge to such trademark or copyright by its rightful owner.