Goblin Prehistory
Once, there were no goblins.
Most goblins agree that this was an unacceptable state of affairs.
The first goblins came from the blood spilled by four barghests Lamashtu stole from Asmodeus’s kennel, beasts she initially released eons ago to prey upon the land’s still-primitive natives. The barghests found that, when they spilled human blood, it grew into strange creatures that were like smaller versions of themselves—goblins. As the barghests grew in power, they whelped litter after litter of young. With their children in tow, the four barghests set about building kingdoms for themselves—these tales are told in what goblins call the First Songs.
Countless verses of the First Songs exist, each detailing different events, such as the time when Hadregash’s blood spilled onto a worm and turned it into a goblin snake, or how Zarongel tamed the king of the goblin dogs by overwhelming it with his own dander and parasites. But the time of these first goblins eventually drew to an end, for Lamashtu saw how humanity was growing more and more powerful. And so she called the barghests back to serve her and rewarded them for bringing goblins into the world. She created a place for them near her realm in the Abyss, calling it Basalfeyst. Goblin heroes believe that it is to this realm that they go to serve their masters when they die. Or, if they’re failures, to feed them.
Goblin Gods
Lamashtu
Mother of Monsters
CE Goddess of madness, monsters, and nightmares
Domains Chaos, Evil, Madness, Strength, Trickery
Subdomains Deception, Demon, Ferocity, Insanity, Nightmare, Thievery
Holy Symbol
Favored Weapon Falchion
Lamashtu is one of countless demon lords—quite possibly the most powerful of demon lords. A monstrous and terrifying deity born from the depths of madness, she is both fiendish queen and revered mother to the horrors that stalk the night. From her womb sprang many of Golarion’s monstrous races. Her dominion over beasts makes the wilderness a fearsome place, while her nightmares invade the peace of sleep. Her goal is to create evil and chaos by twisting the flesh and spirit of all creatures into misshapen things until the entire world is her altered brood, an enormous, monstrous family devoted to her. Lamashtu's crude depictions usually paint her as a jackal-headed woman, with long feathered wings, taloned feet, and a great swollen belly. Such images frequently include a multitude of monsters gathering to her call, with the favored rising above the rest. Those who worship the Mother of Monsters seek out deformity both in themselves and others. Scarring rituals and mutilation are common among the faithful. Lamashtu’s favor appears as violent dreams, the appearance of sudden deformities, or unexplained pregnancies resulting in the painful (often fatal) birth of a deformed child.
Hadregash
Greatest Supreme Chieftain Boss
LE god of goblin supremacy, slavery, and territory
Domains Evil, Law, Strength, War
Subdomains Blood, Devil, Ferocity, Slavery
Holy Symbol A length of chain or a manacle
Favored Weapon flail
Hadregash, the leader of the four goblin deities, acts as the patron and mentor of goblin chiefs, especially when they make war. Chiefs who do particularly well in battle sometimes believe he stands at their side, whispering advice and encouragement from the shadows. His followers preach the goblin virtues of ambush, sneak attacks, and fighting dirty. Hadregash commands goblins to capture slaves and then work them until they break in mind and body. This creed has a certain amount of self-interest since he demands the sacrifice of any slave no longer able to work.
Venkelvore
Most Glorious Neverfull
NE goddess of famine, graves, and torture
Domains Death, Destruction, Earth, Evil
Subdomains Daemon, Catastrophe, Torture, Undead
Holy Symbol A half-eaten piece of food (traditionally a piece of cheese, meat, or a pickle)
Favored Weapon spear
Reckoned the most beautiful of the four barghest deities, this immense and grotesquely obese deity suffers from an insatiable hunger. Goblins credit her for their ability to eat just about anything. Her most ardent worshipers claim that goblins can also feed on pain itself and encourage them to regard torture as a sort of meal. Goblins seeking to honor her must make gifts of food. By custom, deceased priests of Venkelvore are often cut open and stuffed with tasty morsels before burial so they won’t be hungry while they’re dead.
Zarongel
Bark Breaker
NE god of dog killing, fire, and mounted combat
Domains Animal, Evil, Fire, Travel
Subdomains Arson, Daemon, Fur, Smoke
Holy Symbol Severed dog’s paw
Favored Weapon dogslicer
Flame-haired Zarongel, the most independent of the barghests, taught goblins how to ride. He spends his days hunting dogs and setting fires. Goblins seeking his favor must kill a dog and then burn its corpse at least once in their lives. Those who pray to him before they have performed this ritual sometimes experience misfortune, especially when dealing with flames or engaged in mounted combat. Zarongel encourages risk taking among his followers, especially where riding and arson are concerned. He tells them that their lives are brief, brutal, and hard; but those who trust in luck can win a place in his worg cavalry.
Zogmugot
Lady Lastbreath
CE goddess of drowning, flotsam, and scavenging
Domains Chaos, Evil, Trickery, Water
Subdomains Demon, Flotsam, Thievery, Oceans
Holy Symbol A seaweed-draped, dripping treasure chest
Favored Weapon sickle
The most clever and observant of the four goblin hero-gods, but also the easiest to distract, Zogmugot encourages her followers to make the most out of their surroundings. Any goblin who discovers a way to make broken or discarded objects useful (or, even better, deadly) earns her favor. She rewards those who need her the least, showering luck and inspiration on goblins who find their own solutions to problems. Though she answers prayers as often as any of the four, her blessings frequently fade once her attention wanes. Goblins wishing to do her honor typically swim out of sight of land, hold their breath underwater until they nearly fall unconscious, or do something similar that risks drowning. As the closest thing goblins have to a patron of invention, craft, and creativity, most tribes have at least one member who pays her homage by creating weapons or clever deathtraps.
Last edited by Ange; Oct 10th, 2011 at 03:14 PM .