HOBGOBLIN

The hairy hides of hobgoblins range from dark reddish-brown to gray black. Their faces are bright red-orange to red. Large males will have blue-red noses. Eyes are either yellowish or dark brown. Teeth are yellowed white to dirty yellow. Hobgoblins favor bright, bloody colors and black leather. They keep weapons well polished.

Tribal bands of hobgoblins are likely to be encountered nearly anywhere as these creatures are equally at home in sunlight or subterranean setting. Each tribe is jealous of its status, and if two tribal bands of hobgoblins meet there will be at least catcalls and derision (85%) and open fighting might break out (15%) unless a strong leader such as a powerful monster or fighter or Evil high priest, etc. is on hand to control them. Similarly, the hobgoblins will bully nearby orcs or goblins given the opportunity, and hobgoblin leaders are sometimes used in bodies of goblins or orcish troops to keep them in order and drive them into battle. If elves are nearby, hobgoblins will attack them in preference to any other troops because of the great hatred they bear. Hobgoblins live for 60 years.

They fight well in full daylight and have infravision (60-ft) so as to be able to fight in total darkness as well.

Hobgoblins are highly adept at mining, and they can detect new construction, sloping passages, and even shifting walls 40% of the time.

The tribal standard will be with a sub-chief 20% of the time. It is always present with the chief. The tribal standard causes hobgoblin warriors within 6" to fight harder, thus giving them +1 on their attack dice rolls and +1 on morale (reaction) dice rolls.

Hobgoblins have the following typical weapon distribution.

Leaders will always bear two weapons.

For every 20 hobgoblins in a group there is a leader (sergeant) and 2 assistants. These hobgoblins will have 9 hit points each. If 100 or more hobgoblins are encountered there will be the following additional figures with the group: a sub-chief (armor class 3, 16 hit points, and 1d8+2 damage [3-10 hit points]). These additional hobgoblins fight as 3 hit dice monsters.

If hobgoblins are encountered in their lair there will also be, in addition, a chief and 5-20 bodyguards. Hobgoblin chiefs are armor class 2, 22 hit points, do 2-11 hit points of damage, and fight as 4 hit dice monsters. Their bodyguards are the same as those of sub-chiefs. There are females and young in the lair equal to 150% and 300% respectively of the number of males.

Hobgoblin lairs are underground 80% of the time and above ground 20% of the time. In the latter case the lair will be a village with a ditch, rampart, and palisade of stones, earth and logs. There will be two gates and 3-6 guard towers. The dwellings inside are usually a mixture of wood and stone. As they seek to build on the ruins of human or other more sophisticated creatures, a hobgoblin village may be of better construction than indicated, possibly having solid stone works, buildings or a keep. In any event, hobgoblins will have 2 heavy catapults, 2 light catapults, and 1 ballista per 50 warriors. If the lair is underground, there is a 60% chance that there will be from 2-12 carnivorous apes (qv) as guards.

The better known (more infamous) hobgoblin tribes include: rippers, leg breakers, skull smashers, flesh renders, marrow suckers, flayers, and slow killers.

Most hobgoblins speak goblin, orcish, and the rudimentary tongue of carnivorous apes in addition to their racial and alignment languages. 20% of hobgoblins can speak the Common tongue as well.

Environment. Temperate/sub-tropical, uninhabited/wilderness areas (Hobgoblin. plain, scrub, forest, rough, hills, mountains, marsh), Temperate/sub-tropical, inhabited and/or patrolled areas (Hobgoblin. plain, scrub, forest, rough, hills, mountains, marsh); Tropical and near-tropical, inhabited and/or patrolled areas (Underwater, fresh water (Koalinth. shallow, deep), salt water (Koalinth. shallow, deep); Waterborne, fresh water (Koalinth. large), salt water (Koalinth. shallow, coastal);

Koalinth are of lighter coloration, having green faces, and have webbed hands and feet.

A marine species of hobgoblin with gills. They are similar to their land-dwelling cousins in most respects. They dwell in shallow water in caverns and sea caves. They prey on any available creatures.

They use spears and pole arms adapted to their marine environment. 

Koalinth speak only their racial language (hobgoblin) and Lawful Evil.