Goblins & Orcs
There are many goblinoid creatures throughout the Realm, most of which can trace their ancestry back to the Somnium Draconis Age and the foul machinations of the Dark Titans. Goblins and Orcs specifically were spawned from the blood of those Cthonic Fiends as they fought against the First Gods, and as such share a spiritual link that has caused them to evolve side by side into parallel subraces.
Devlekir
The goblins and orcs of the Devlekir bloodline are the oldest and most abundant. They typically have greenish skin tones. The Devlekir are a dim witted, superstitious, malicious lot, taking great pleasure in the suffering and slaughter of others and fearing anything they do not understand (which is quite a lot). Their culture is brutish in the extreme: leadership is held by the strongest, and weakness is met swiftly with death and cannibalism. They are for the most part a stupid race, but there are instances when a Devlekir orc or goblin is born with superior strategic cunning, spiritual awareness, or magical talent. Usually, but not always, it is their females that are more intelligent, willful, and possessing more force of personality, but as orcs are patriarchal, the smarter females prefer to work behind a stronger, dumber, easily manipulated male figurehead meat shield. On rare occasions, a particularly sly or magically adept Devlekir goblin may rise to command a small tribe of weaker Devlekir orcs. Devlekir populate the forest and mountain regions, and despise all dwarves, elves, and humans. Despite their hatred of most sentient creatures, Devlekir orcs & goblins tend to get along fine with each other (the goblins usually filling a role just above captured slave in their compound cultures). Devlekir have an affinity for hyenas, wolves, rats, spiders, and bats, and their goblins have a fondness for evil fey (especially gremlins). The Devlekir of Solidar Minor worship Bonesaw the Breaker, Greenblood Gorush, Helmuth the Foul, Melkora the Wicked, and Xeboulba Voiddrinker.
Nifret
Perhaps more savage than the Devlekir, the Nifret are orcs and goblins that aligned with demonic powers almost 500 years ago during The Culling, creating the Bloodstorm and henceforth forever changed. Nifret have skin tones of red and brown, and an innate racial fury that boils forth with frightening regularity. Horns and massive tusks are not uncommon, and their leaders often have half-fiend traits. Whereas the Devlekir enjoy torture and pain as a pastime, the Nifret seem to gain spiritual nourishment from it. In fact, if a tribe of Nifret goes too long without engaging in all-out war against their neighbors, they begin to wither and die; thus raiding is a necessity. Their few spellcasters are devout diabolists and skilled pyromancers. This bloodline worships Gaaz and his many servitors, as well as a variety of other demon lords. Nifret music is exclusively percussion; when played at tribal moots, it begins as the rhythm of a heartbeat, then progresses to a frenzied staccato that urges listeners into a violent orgy of rape and self-mutilation, or a raging attack on a nearby settlement.
Sihr’Qelp
During the Somnium Draconis and the battles of the Dark Titans, there would occasionally be a blue orc or goblin born amongst the green that would be remarkably intelligent and magically capable. Occording the myth, a blue orc wizard named Qelpogrund orchestrated the fall of the Dark Titan Anzu and stole her crystalline eyes, grinding them into powder and feeding them to his brethren. Hence were born the blue race of the Sihr’Qelp, orcs and goblins with higher degrees of insight and magical prowess. With this power they spread and even had an entire empire at one point in the Realm’s ancient history, but long ago it collapsed (literally sinking to the bottom of the Munda Aqua). The remainder constantly warred with demihuman foes and their other goblinoid brethren alike, falling into the disorganized motley lot they now are, little better off than their cousins. They prefer to lair deeper underground than their peers, and can be found in hidden places along the Western Kismet Coast, Mt. Steadfast, and Starlight Mountains.
Xayin
During the battles of the Dark Titans, the Xayin aligned with Far Realm powers instead of the demon lords of their cousins. Cursed for their cowardice and betrayal, the Xayin now possesses mutable, almost rubbery bodies, and are typically insane. In their natural forms, they have beige to yellow skin. However, most Xayin have learned to warp their flesh to varying degrees, for disguise, gruesome intimidation, or battle. The Xayin now live in the caverns of the Shameless Desert, Sapphire Mountains, and Ilsamur’s Hilt.
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