This application is incomplete yet. I'll come back and finish it later. [b]Nation[/b] Name: The Goblin Territories; the Confederation of Clans Flag: There is no national flag, though there are numerous flags for individual goblin clans. Most of these depict weapons, trophies, an object from a major battle, or religious symbols. The flag of the most powerful clan depicts a black tower being toppled on an orange background. Capitol: Daggerpoint (Formerly known as Veristal, a human merchant metropolis) Capitol Population: 2,000,000 Population: 7,500,000 (approximate) Major cities: Deepwatch (an underground city), Fort Longtooth (home to the Longtooth Clan, a group of famous raiders), Boggerdown (a swampy morass where explosive gases can be found) Racial demographics: 7,500,000 goblins Society: [img=http://coolvibe.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/misty-swamps.jpg] [i]"They [the goblins] crawl out of their dens like ants from their nest, but possess neither of the insect virtues of diligence nor loyalty." ~Theo Hawken, scholar[/i] 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. 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. 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 [i]human[/i] hero, striking bargains with the hero's spirit and trying to gain his unique human insight into the ways of their enemies. Law: Tradition and group cohesion take precedence in goblin law. The ruler of a given clan (known as a 'king' or 'queen') 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. 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. Education: 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. Technology: 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 (and a little magic) have created species of poisonous wasps, weaponized termites, giant spiders, and more. Besides such strange and terrible things, goblins also are always eager to experiment with swamp gases... Tax: Goblins do not have a form of currency and thus do not have taxes; instead, they simply pool their resources together and take what is needed for themselves. Imports: Goblins are not known for trade. If they do trade, however, they import metal objects (especially tools and weapons), alcohol, salt, and meat. Exports: If anyone will accept goblin goods, they typically are after their deadly poisons or their powerful herbal medicines. Some will trade for the sap and wood from goblins' swamp trees. The wood is held in high regard for its strong but flexible nature, and the sap can be used as a sort of glue. Nobody trades for goblin food, though. Industries: Wood works; alchemy; herbs; fungus farming; insects. Renown Associations: The Bog Government: Confederation - There are a large number of goblin clans, and each clan considers itself independent; however, the clans have joined together to form a confederation to assist each other in times of war. The head of the confederation is known simply as the 'Big King' or 'Big Queen' depending on their gender 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 the offending clan. Relations: The Confederation of Clans has no real allies, and yet it has many enemies. It does not help matters that they are considered lower than animals by most of the world. Anyone who wishes to invade or enslave the goblins would find no political opposition from the rest of the world. The Goblins are in severe need of allies, but anyone who would align themselves with them risks losing their other allies, and those nations who lack allies would likely betray the Goblins the moment the alliance proved unfavorable. Needless to say, this puts the goblins in a unique and disastrous political position. Important officials: [i]* Big Queen Brigga -[/i] More commonly known as "Big Brigga," this goblin woman has reached twelve years of age (well into adulthood) and is known for being rather tall for a goblin, standing at a full five feet. Big Brigga, head of the Dagger Clan, is a warlord through and through, having been essential in the recent reunification of the clans and the conquest of the territories the Confederation now calls its own. The prophets all agree that she is destined to lead the goblins to an age of glory. Until her rise to power, there had been no Big Queen or Big King for fifty years. Currency: Goblins do not have a currency. They measure wealth by the quantity and quality of one's goods. Military: While the exact numbers of soldiers in the goblin armies change frequently, and no real count is ever made, it can be agreed that almost every goblin is capable of fighting, though only 5-10 percent of the species serves as an active military force. Anyone attacking a goblin city will likely face opposition from even their noncombatants. Goblin forces wield unconventional weaponry. While they lack the powerful steam-powered weaponry of other nations, they wield terrifying toxins and ride unusual beasts into battle. Many a knight has gaped in horror as acid bombs dissolved his fine steel armor, and many more soldiers have had to leave the battlefield suffering maladies ranging from mild irritations to fatal poisons, dysentery, boils, thin blood and paralyzed limbs after being struck by a tainted goblin arrow. Their weapons tend to be barbed or hooked, and many goblins purposely rust their arrowheads and spears to better spread disease and illness among their enemies. Other goblin weapons include weaponized termites (used especially in naval battles) flung in jars, catapults that launch rotting corpses, flasks of acid, sticky bombs, explosive balloons (made from swamp gases), slings designed to launch unusual projectiles (such as flasks and bombs), and more. Goblins tactics typically involve weakening their opponents as much as possible before attacking [i]en-masse.[/i] To this end, they depend largely on speed, mobility, and ambushes. Goblins often strike at night rather than the day, and will use the terrain against their enemies. Their mounts range from giant spiders (which are used to prepare ambushes in forests and in the swamps) to wolves and giant wasps (which serve the function of more traditional cavalry). Landscape: Swamplands make up the majority of the Confederacy's lands, though there are also forests and hilly regions. The eastern peninsula within the goblin territories is rather mountainous. There are also several caves that lead into expansive underground caverns, some of which are rife with fungal life and underground streams. Wild life: Simply put, all the things humans hate can be found in the Territories. Mosquito swarms, giant wasps, hungry wolves, crocodiles, poisonous toads, acid-spitting lizards, giant turtles, termites... Goblins were allowed to keep these lands simply because they were considered inhospitable and undesirable. Important locations: Most of the eastern lands in the Confederacy were once part of a small but powerful merchant city-state known as Veristal. The people of this region would reward anyone who returns this land to them with substantial wealth. However, the land is also considered sacred by ancient goblin tradition, as it was originally stolen from them by Veristal in an old war. Any military action made to take this land back from the goblins will be met with extreme resistance. History: The Confederation was formed by Brigga, a relatively young warlord of the Dagger Clan, when the nearby nation of Veristal started hiring mercenaries and adventurers to clear out the goblins from their territories. Under her leadership, the goblins not only crushed the Veristal mercenaries, but continued their march onto their cities and razed them to the ground. The surviving humans fled and became refugees in other nations; the goblins, meanwhile, rallied under their new leader and claimed the ruins of the once majestic realm as their own, renaming the capitol "Daggerpoint." Summary: A swampy expanse filled with independent goblin clans united under a powerful ruler, Big Queen Brigga. Strengths: Unconventional weaponry; highly defensive; good performance in rough, wet, and wooded terrain. Weaknesses: Decentralized rule; technological inferiority; poor performance in open terrain. Fashion/style: Goblins wear whatever they can find, practically. Some goblins wear almost nothing at all save for leggings or loincloths. Goblins do not wear shoes, as their webbed, prehensile feet function better without them. There really isn't any predominant fashion among the species besides the act of displaying trophies; namely, articles of clothing taken from the enemies of goblinkind will be worn proudly, the better to show that the goblin race has triumphed over its rivals. Some goblin clans try to emulate the culture of nearby non-goblin nations, but this is not a universal constant. Art: By other nations' standards, goblin art is rough and crude. It most often takes the form of painted scenes or religious symbols and woodworks. In some places, using one's own blood as paint is considered the norm. Important dates: ... Weird laws/rules: ... Fun facts: ... [b]Species[/b] Name: Goblin Race/species: Species Description: Small but terribly numerous, 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. Natural abilities: 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... Lifespan: Goblins reach adulthood in five years and can live for thirty years of age, sometimes lasting up to thirty five or even forty years. Most don't make it past the age of ten due to constant warfare and starvation. Important members: Big Brigga (see above) Relations to other species: Very few civilizations tolerate the presence of goblins. Most consider them a blight that ought to be removed, and it is not uncommon to find bounties for goblin heads at a city watch, or to hear of some rugged mercenary boasting of having slain a dozen of them. Of late, they're earning a more fearsome reputation... History: Since the dawn of time, Goblins have been used as instruments of war by more powerful creatures. They have served various warlords and would-be conquerors, and powerful wizards of past eras coerced them into service with powerful magics. Their overlords have always betrayed them in the end, casting them aside once no longer needed or leaving them to their fate once a pivotal battle is lost. The Goblin species has been subjugated, enslaved, and forced out of their lands, and genocide against them has long been justified by their crude lifestyle and their inherent tendencies toward evil, so say the civilized nations of the world. Every so often, a goblin leader rises with the capacity to unite their people and use them toward their own aims. Big Brigga is one such leader. Under her leadership, the goblins believe they can conquer sufficient lands to allow their people to grow, and perhaps even become a respected and feared world power. Primary Language: Goblin Secondary Language: Guttertongue (a common thief language used by criminal organizations across the world; a variation of the common tongue that includes sign language) Religion: Hero Worship; Spirit Worship Strengths: Keen senses; practically immune to disease and poison; adaptable; fast-breeding; good reflexes. Weaknesses: Physically weak; fragile frame; small size; short lifespan.