Allurian Goblins
Three things are fairly immutable facts when it comes to goblins in Alluria; they have no concept of ownership, they live in the moment, and they are pyromaniacs.
This former fact comes heavily into play in the perception from other races of goblins being thieves and raiders, when the truth is they simply take an object they are in need of when they need it, be it tools or food. The grabbing of coins and gems is often two-fold; goblins love shiny things, which seems to be related to their love of fire, and also because some are wise enough to know that other races use them to exchange for goods they need. Most goblins understand that if someone is holding onto something then it is theirs, but should an item be put down or left unattended then it is free game, which works the same in their society and can lead hoarders amongst their number to end up carrying excessive amount of random trinkets.
This attitude extends to tribes, clans and families too, where goblins may join or leave simply by wandering in or out of a situation. Tribes and clans will have someone generally appointed leader, though that lasts only as long as they can keep people fed and happy, or strong-arm their position. Children, including non-goblins when they're found, are picked up by whichever goblin comes across them to take care of them for the time being, leading most goblins to have no idea who their actual parents are. Relationships between goblins are much the same, a lack of the concept of commitment means they partner up with whomever is convenient that night.
Raids on settlements by goblin tribes are events that happen from time to time, but the goblin reasoning behind it can be quite confusing to outsiders. Often it will start with something simple as a goblin needing a tool they don't have, but knowing that a nearby settlement has one in a locked shed. They'll talk to other goblins and they too will list items or foods and supplies they are after, until enough are on the same page that they decide to go grab what they need themselves, oblivious to the fact that any of these things are owned. When they do get into sheds, houses and storage, they'll often realise there's a lot of unattended items they want, and merrily go their way grabbing what they can. Others will find their pyromaniac ways stimulated by all the fireplaces and lanterns around the place, fooling around with such items before inevitably igniting fires across the settlement the local folk will have to worry about, conveniently distracting them from chasing the fleeing goblins.
Naming Traditions
Unisex names
Most goblin names are only one or two syllables long, generally made of sounds that particular goblin enjoys. This means that most names have no meaning beyond that particular goblin's identifier, and much like with everything else, they have little sense of ownership, so if a goblin hears a noise it likes more, it may change it's name accordingly.
Sometimes, especially when dealing with the legal elements of other races, a goblin will inherit the name of another goblin that has fallen, often due to being their replacement. This can lead to a tribe forever having a leader by the same name no matter how many are killed, or the name of a clan's blacksmith passing to each apprentice. In cases like this those names can become synonymous with the position itself within that community.
Nikkit, Gree, Nott, Hamm, Tik, Po, Wik, Nakka, Badu, Waka, Tom, Mull, Week, Noze.
Family names
Due to the wandering nature and lack of ownership of goblins, they don't have anything resembling a family name. When a family name is needed, often for goblins travelling into other settlements, most will often go by the name of the tribe or clan they enjoyed being a part of the most, and those names in turn are often based off characteristics of the surrounding land, identifying traits or styles of the leadership or clan, or sometimes an amalgamation of two other tribe names mashed together. The general pattern is of two identifying words bound together, often something physical and something conceptual or action orientated.
Mawridge, Blackclaw, Redaxe, Stonefall, Hollowshot, Cavemark, Rimehunt.
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
Common Goblin and common Allurian are the main languages spoken, though with goblin lacking it's own writing system dialect variances occur frequently. The constant wandering, merging and breaking of tribes and clans of the goblins also means that they inter-polinate each other with new or varying words. Orcish is a common third language known, and often their alphabet is used in favour of the Allurian.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Grandfire - All goblin tribes and clans have what they call the Grandfire, considered to be the heart of their community. Both the young and the elders are tasked with keeping this flame nourished at all times. If, for whatever reason, the Grandfire is snuffed, the leader steps down without question - or is killed if they refuse. A Fireclaim is initiated as soon as possible thereafter, often with a new leader being chosen from those who undertook the rite, which also means the new leader is a youth.
Coming of Age Rites
Fireclaim - Goblins reach adolescence by the age of 3 and adulthood 4 or 5 years later, at which point they often partake in a Fireclaim. This varies from tribe to tribe on the specifics, but the general custom is for a group of adolescent goblins to go off together and claim a fire from somewhere else; the further away and more perilous the flame, the more renown gained. The specifics of the claim do not matter; it could be stolen from a fireplace or adventurer's camp, or buying a lit lantern from a city. Once claimed, the fire must not go out until it is returned to the tribe and place in the Grandfire. It doesn't matter if it is in the form it was found in, as long as the flame is still alive; lighting other flammables to move to a new fuel source is perfectly fine.
Once the flame is added to the Grandfire those goblins are considered adults. If any fail to keep their flame alive they must continue on their hunt until successful. This has also lead to many cases of lost goblins ending up starting their own tribe with their Fireclaim becoming a new Grandfire.
Funerary and Memorial customs
Most of the time goblins are killed as opposed to reaching old age, and for the most part they are left where they fell, now claimed by the cycle of nature. Some may revisit the body but mostly to claim items that the goblin may have fallen with, but there is very little grieving in goblin culture. Should a goblin die of age or within their homes, the other goblins will carry the body out to a place where predators roam, so that they may be sated and leave their home alone for a while longer. Very infrequently they will light a pyre for a goblin of renown, but this is a celebration.
Often, once the flesh is gone from the bones, goblins will return to the remains and take the bones for use as materials, making use of the last valuable items the fallen goblin has left behind.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Gender is of no concern to Allurian goblins, the only time it ever really comes into play is when a goblin is pregnant; such goblins seldom go on raids and receive gifts of food from those who do. The Goblin language has no gendered words at all, with only pregnant being used as a distinguisher, and only ever used in the present term. This leads to goblins often using whatever pronouns for others they want until corrected when speaking other languages, and constantly varying their own pronouns at a whim. On rare occasions a goblin may identify strongly with a gender or gender role and may dress or name accordingly, not that it bothers the other goblins at all.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships are akin to conceptual ownership which is beyond the care of most goblins when they already have a tribe or clan to worry about. Goblins within tribes often end up with a particular small group of kin, generally between two and six but normally three or four, whom they prefer to spend time with, and that for many is as good as calling it a polyamorous relationship. Sexual relations generally occur to pass the time without any stigma or expectations of commitment, which is how most procreation occurs for goblinkind.
Encompassed species
Related Locations
