So, let's talk about goblins...
Goblins have been around in the Greenworld almost as long as humans, if not as long. Out of the three mortal forms of life here, they and humans share the closest bond. Whilst being somewhere between mammals and reptiles, they are at least still animals - whilst the trolls are far closer to being plants than anything more recognisable.
Biology
Goblins grow, at most, to about five feet tall, and their size is constricted naturally by habitat. They rely far more on scent and taste than they do sight, but can distinguish colour and see reasonably well (although their eyesight is not on par with that of humans). They have flattish, almost triangle-shaped heads reminiscent of those of komodo dragons, whilst being recogisably close to human features, and their nose is on a level with their eyes. They are, dubiously speaking, capable of being bipedal - although they prefer to walk on all fours, and are awkward and clumsy when moving at any more than an idle, sedate pace in this manner. They are cold-blooded, which often presents problems to them - however, technology, and in some cases, magic, helps them out of this predicament when more traditional sunbathing cannot. They have prehensile hands and feet both, and stunted claws which are no longer of any more value than the fingernails of humans. They are carnivorous, and find it hard to stomach plant products. Their teeth are, therefore, primarily incisors and canines. Their tongues are more human-shaped than reptilian. Most possess stunted tails, though there are breeds who do not. Both genders have fertile seasons and infertile seasons, during which the colour of males' scales change - however, this no longer has much effect on goblin courting. Goblins lay eggs, however, the fertilisation is internal. Their gestation period is normally about three months.
Sociology
Goblins have one fundamental distinction from humans in their sociology - rather than being naturally herd animals, as humans seem to be, they were traditionally solitary predators. Goblins did not gather together into groups in the infancy of their species, and still now prefer to spend a lot of their time alone, rather than craving social contact. This is not to say that there are not social goblins - as there are loner humans - but it is not the norm. Whilst many ethnic slurs and stereotypes of goblins show them as being sluggish, stupid, or cold and calculating due to their cold blood, this is certainly not the case - indeed, goblin body language forms a large chunk of their communication, and goblins, like humans, run the gamut from calculating to brash and violent. Generally speaking, younger males tend to have a lot more of the goblin equivalent of testosterone/adrenaline, which at the dawn of the species led them to seek out and fight other males for females, territory, and so on. This often makes them far more aggressive. Aging males also gain sudden bursts of this chemical to attempt to sustain themselves, and females - particularly those who are in mating season - also gain it. Just as males fought over the best females, females have often fought over the best males - another difference from humans.
Whilst goblins have always been, by and large, territorial, this does not really lead them to form nations - quite the opposite, generally. They tend to come together only in mating season, whilst the rest of the year, the traditional goblin lifestyle amongst many peoples is to live alone, hunting your own food, or if a mother, with your children. Possibly you might have some kind of leader who brings the people together in times of crisis, but who normally takes a more distant role. However, in impersonation of the human society many goblins wish to fit into, family groups have recently sprung up amongst more goblins than was once usual - particularly in human cities. Similarly, newly-declared goblin nations have far more human methods of governance than goblins have historically tended towards. Some goblin groups are nomadic, others are not.
Relations with other species
Whilst trolls may be considered stupid, they have generally been left alone because of their strength and size. Not so with the goblins. Historically, humans have persecuted them constantly, ever since (or so it would seem to a student of goblin-told history) the first human claimed a spot of land that happened to have a goblin living on it. It is certainly true that for a long time, goblins were massacred, their homes were burned, and they were shifted off 'ancestral' land. It must be noted, however, that this has happened equally to certain human ethnic groups who have suffered the persecution of others. Nevertheless, goblins have only recently begun to gain civil rights. For many years, lynching goblins, vandalising the property of goblins and other abuse of goblin rights (although not including slavery) was completely legal in many of the states of Greenworld, particularly out in rural areas. As masses of goblins emigrated to cities, a virtually completely goblin-peopled underclass began to take over many places - Uilazura being just one example. Recently, six of the states of the Outward Rim passed laws granting goblins equal rights to humans. Three goblin nations have also declared independence from the states of Bashba and Raqba, claiming several territories as their own, and have so far met with little resistance.
Linguistics
A large amount of goblin communication is performed through, interestingly, mostly mutually-comprehensible tribal body language. Of course, goblins also have spoken languages, which only gain context and extra meaning through this body language. The most widely-spoken of these by far (and the easiest to learn for non-goblins) is ''KSaHa'', the language of all three newly-founded goblin states. It serves as a lingua franca for most of the goblins of the up-outward rim. Many goblin languages make use of pitch, stress, hisses and click consonants.
Nicely done. I can't think of anything that stands out that you're missing or needs work.
I have to agree with Ninja D, Nicely done :D
However, I did have a question, you said most goblins are territorial, and then some are nomadic, wouldn't this cause the nomadic goblins boatloads of grief nomading across "acestral" golbin territory so to speak?
Yes they could avoid it by avoiding goblins in general, but still seems problematic.
Quote from: LlumI have to agree with Ninja D, Nicely done :D
However, I did have a question, you said most goblins are territorial, and then some are nomadic, wouldn't this cause the nomadic goblins boatloads of grief nomading across "acestral" golbin territory so to speak?
Yes they could avoid it by avoiding goblins in general, but still seems problematic.
It depends on the definition of territorial. Nomads in Karros are highly territorial. But that only applies to the land they are currently residing within. You don't encroach on their territory without permission (or another equally good reason).
I think that could easily mean that they protect that one route that they always travel year after year or maybe just the place where they are. Either way, it does work.
Quote from: LlumI have to agree with Ninja D, Nicely done :D
However, I did have a question, you said most goblins are territorial, and then some are nomadic, wouldn't this cause the nomadic goblins boatloads of grief nomading across "acestral" golbin territory so to speak?
Yes they could avoid it by avoiding goblins in general, but still seems problematic.
It tends to be that separate goblin peoples have separate customs in different lands. Goblin groups bordering on one another, like human cultures, tend to be more similar. Goblin cultures in distant territories are often nomadic.
QuoteI think that could easily mean that they protect that one route that they always travel year after year
That was the way I was planning on working it :)
Anyway, thanks to all of you. I've tried not to fall into the trap of stereotyping one species, or making them unemotional because of cold blood etc etc. How've I done? Anything you can see that goes against that?
Alright thanks, I guess I didn't put enough thought into it >_<
Makes sense protecting their travel route.
I think you have done very well crafting a dynamic and realistic species. I like the racial tension.
So they walk on all fours? Now i'm picturing them as green mammal/reptile chimpanzees....
Quote from: DrizztrocksSo they walk on all fours? Now i'm picturing them as green mammal/reptile chimpanzees....
Basically.
Thanks for the comments, guys. Now I need to get some more of my ideas on paper...