This is the NPC nation inspired by a nation I made for a different roleplay. Feel free to use this, Demo. (Special thanks to Age of Wonders 3 for inspiring the nation in the first place.) [hider=The Goblin Territories (NPC Nation)] [IMG]http://coolvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/misty-swamps.jpg[/IMG] [i]"They [the goblins] crawl out of their dens like ants from their nest, but possess neither of the insect virtues of industry nor loyalty." ~Farim al-Shara, Qalimeqi Scholar[/i] [b]Name of Nation:[/b] The Goblin Territories [b]Flag:[/b] There is no one flag for the Goblin Territories. Different goblin clans carry different banners, and new warlords frequently change their banners to show the changing times or to display their latest victory. [b]Demonym of Nation:[/b] Swamp Goblins [b]Race Description:[/b] Small but terribly numerous, swamp goblins are considered a blight by the civilized races of the world. They usually stand somewhere between three and four-and-a-half feet tall, though certain individuals may be born much taller than the rest. Their skin ranges from greens to gray-greens to sickly yellows, and they are considered twisted, malformed, and ugly in appearance. Their prehensile feet have a web-like quality, and their fingers are long and slender; their ears are pointed, generally sticking out to the sides a few inches, and are usually sharp and upright, as if on constant alert. [b]List of Race Perks and Nerfs:[/b] Swamp goblins are naturally resilient creatures, capable of surviving off food that would be poisonous or toxic to others, including deadly fungi, snakes, and insects. Their senses are keener than a human's, and they have naturally fast reflexes. Of course, they're also physically weak compared to the other races... [b]Nation Location:[/b] ?? [b]Description of Nation:[/b] Goblins are an isolationist and territorial lot whose memories extend far beyond their short lifespans, and are more loyal to each other than outsiders would suspect. Goblin clans often wage war on each other, true; but within a given clan, there is a strong sense of community, perhaps because everyone within the clan must contribute for the goblins to survive in the harsh environments they are forced to live in. A common saying goes like this: "If there's one goblin, there's a hundred of them," and that's not far from the truth. Threatening the life or livelihood of a goblin will bring most of its extended family to the scene ready to attack. Swamplands make up the majority of the Territories, though there are also forests and hilly regions. There are also several caves that lead into expansive underground caverns, some of which are rife with fungal life and underground streams. All the things civilized people hate can be found in the Territories. Mosquito swarms, giant wasps, hungry wolves, crocodiles, poisonous toads, acid-spitting lizards, giant turtles, termites... Life for goblins has never been easy. They have always been forced into the places nobody wishes to live: the swamps, the wastelands, and the bowels of the earth. Their society has adapted to reflect this; their buildings tend to be very crude and minimalist, built to be taken apart and moved at any time or used as deathtraps for invaders. If they're built to last, they're built to be hidden or located somewhere civilized people would never wish to tread. The goblin palette ranges from bland to heartbreaking; some clans are able to live off of rice and leaves, but others are forced to eat little more than worms, insects, and tree bark. For those clans in the Goblin Territories, an individual's role in society is a strange and uncertain thing. Goblins are a community-minded people, so anyone who makes a bid for power is often either cut from a different vein than the majority of their kin or believes they will help their clan the best by leading them. Usually, leadership is taken on a simple basis of "might makes right," but sometimes there is a religious context that brings an individual to the forefront of goblin politics. While the rest of the world embraces steamworks and metallurgy, the Confederation of Clans focuses its efforts on subjects within the natural world: Poisons, medicines, diseases, and beasts. Goblins are always hunting through the swamps in search of new, more powerful herbs that may be used to harm their enemies of heal their kin, and through selective breeding have created species of poisonous wasps, giant spiders, and more. Besides such strange and terrible things, goblins also are always eager to experiment with swamp gases... Goblins do not have the same educational opportunities the rest of the world does given their difficult situation. Most young goblins are taught collectively by a group of adults in the basics of the world: How to forage, fight, and flee. Once they reach the age of three years old, goblins are usually apprenticed in more specific trades, finding individuals willing to sponsor and teach them. Each goblin has an equal opportunity to become anything the tribe may need (fungal farmer, hunter, bug breeder, apothecary, God-Talker, etc.), and those who cannot find a sponsor typically become laborers or warriors. Goblin religion is a superstitious beast filled with omens good and bad that are read by oracles and prophets. Goblins do not worship gods so much as they revere heroes of the past and make bargains with spirits to bring favor or avoid catastrophe. Indeed, goblin priests are most often referred to as "God-Talkers" because they are believed to actually speak and haggle with the gods. This often means offering a sacrifice in return for a better fungal harvest or avoiding some territory for a few years in return for favors on the battlefield. Given the rather unorthodox nature of their religion, it should not be surprising that goblins include other peoples' deities in their religion. Many a traveler has been surprised to see a clan of goblins worshiping the statue of a human hero, striking bargains with the hero's spirit and trying to gain his unique human insight into the ways of their enemies. [b]Government of Nation:[/b] Confederation - There are a large number of goblin clans, and each clan considers itself independent; however, the clans have formed a confederation to assist each other in times of war. The leader of all he clans is known simply as the 'High Warlord' and has absolute authority in matters of war. This is not to say their rule is unquestioned. Indeed, the head of this confederation is often forced to demonstrate their power either in a show of personal strength or by attacking any clan that dissents against the High Warlord's rule. Tradition and group cohesion take precedence in goblin law. The ruler of a given clan (known as a warlord) has the right to give any ruling he or she desires over any incident, but tyrannical or arbitrary behavior will quickly see them deposed and killed by other warriors. Instead, they often delegate this power to any goblin over the age of ten who demonstrates a keen understanding of goblin history and traditional law. Known simply as Elders, these individuals have the same absolute power and are subject to the same violent whims of their people, and make decisions in the name of the clan boss. Usually, the ruler of the clan will conduct executions personally to show the clan that they can bear the responsibility of their position, even if that means executing their own close relatives. [b]Capital of Nation:[/b] The capital is believed to be a city deep in the swampy morass of the Territories known simply as "Bogtown." Those who have seen it (or believe to have seen it) claim that the goblins crawled out from holes carved in giant trees hundreds of feet tall. [b]Population of Nation:[/b] Undocumented. It is hard to measure precisely how many goblins are in the goblin territories. They breed quickly. However, a good guess would be "there's a lot of them." [b]Economy of Nation:[/b] Simply put, the goblins of the Territories do not have an economy in the conventional sense. Instead, whole clans band together and pool resources, sharing what they need with each other. [b]Nation's Major Exports:[/b] Trading with the swamp goblins is a risky business. Those who succeed, however, have access to deadly poisons, powerful herbal medicines, tree sap that can be used as, honey, edible fungi and mushrooms, insect carapaces, and bones. [b]Nation's Major Imports:[/b] Foodstuffs, explosives, steel tools (especially knives and axes), shiny trinkets. Goblin clans are just as likely to take what they want by force as to trade for it. [b]Nation's Military Description:[/b] [IMG]http://cfile10.uf.tistory.com/image/183833464F1153D1415F73[/IMG] [i]"We surrounded their camp, but it was empty. It appears they have all fled into their tunnels. My knights are ready and eager to engage these feral beasts. It should be an easy battle - how many goblins can hide inside a cave?" ~The last excerpt in the blood-marred journal of a nameless Captain[/i] The goblins of the Territories have some terrible tools to wield against their enemies, even if they are not especially advanced technologically. They wield the deadly toxins of their native land with terrible skill. Poisoned arrows and darts are their favorite weapons, though they use spears, axes, and stolen steel swords in melee. Compounded by their sheer numbers, they can be quite deadly. Goblins prefer to use guerrilla tactics to whittle down the numbers of their enemies before charging at them [i]en-masse.[/i] Of course, they're outright awful in any pitched battle due to their technological inferiority, and large numbers of them will die if they cannot quickly secure a victory. However, by using poisoned weapons and leaving diseased traps for their foes, they can quickly neutralize large portions of enemy armies as they try to slog through the cursed swamps. One last danger to be faced when fighting goblins is their unusual "cavalry." Elite goblin warriors can be found riding large wasps, giant spiders, wolves, and even frogs and lizards. This makes them an extremely flexible force, able to zip through the air, hide in the trees, burst out of the rivers and bogs, or charge through the woods on the backs of bloodthirsty canines. While these cavalry would be nigh useless on the open field against machine guns and rifles, they make for a terrible foe in the woods and swamps of the Territories. [/hider]