ELO GOBLANDS 1018

Location: Continent of Skothar, Swanamutu region, northeast of Akuba, northwest of Tangor.

Area: Precise area unknown, but the goblinoid tribes control an area that is not much smaller than the Empire of Tangor; supposedly more than 300,000 sq. mi.(777,000 sq. km.).

Population: More than 200,000 humanoids.

Languages: Goblin, Hobgoblin, other humanoid tongues.

Coinage: Most tribes use barter only; otherwise Tangor or any other coin.

Taxes: None.

Government Type: Tribes.

Industries: Varies by tribe: agriculture (fungi), mining (iron), smithing, hunting, goat herding, raiding and war.

Important Figures: Dilynne (King of Scovery (Red Fox city)).

Climate and Terrain: The Elo Goblands are sub-tropical. The region sits at the threshold from temperate forest to the first hints of jungle. Winter is short (about a couple of months) and rather rainy, the temperature ranging from 10 to 15°C; autumn and spring are long, warm (20 to 30°C) and vary much from year to year. Summers are hot and generally are made up of a rainy month with a couple of dry months immediately before autumn. During the summer, temperatures may reach 35°C, and the humidity is incredible.

Flora and Fauna: The animals encountered here may be jaguars, baboons, apes, crocodiles and alligators, and many, many species of insects and snakes of different degrees of poison strength. Flora includes the typical jungle trees, but near the mountains and westward toward Tangor pine trees may be easily encountered.

Further Reading: The Southern Skothar Gazetteer by Giulio Caroletti.

Description by Erakliton.

The Elo Goblands are the mountainous regions of the western Tangor Chain where several tribes of Dark Goblins live.

"Goblands" is a term used by the Tangors; the Dark Goblins call the mountains simply Elo ("home") and refer to themselves as "Elo Goblins." There is a number of independent tribes, and rumours say that there are more than 200,000 individuals in total.

Black Axe: These goblins have settled the northern mountains, where they have risen to power thanks to the presence of iron mines. They are excellent smiths and are mostly peaceful, because they are able to trade their iron with the Tangors and thus are quite rich, and are better organized than the other goblinoid tribes.

Fire Dogs: The Fire Dogs live on the western part of the Tangor Chain, and often raid the eastern Minaean cities. They are expert wolf-riders, and wear wolf-furs. Their typical weapons are short swords and bows, and they are very savage and brutal. However, they often have internal frictions and wars, and thus they are dangerous only when united by a strong leader-which is not the present case.

Hammerers: The Hammerers have settled the central plateau of the Goblands, from which they plan their hunting expeditions in the surrounding pine forests, and their raids against other goblinoid tribes. They control the trade route to the Black Axe villages, and never attack humans if they pay a small tribute (the Ant's caravans have free access).

Nightwatch: These goblins have mastered necromantic arts and are feared by all other Dark Goblin tribes. The Tangors consider their land taboo-a small part of the central Goblands east of Mogg. The Nightwatch tribe is dangerous: usually they conduct raids in northern Mawuru villages and goblinoid ones to get slaves for their unholy experiments, then they remain secluded and peaceful until they run out of bodies...

Stone House: Another western tribe, the Stone House take their name from their habit of building villages in mountain caverns. They farm goats and grow fungi in the caverns for sustenance. They are not particularly savage, but they don't like strangers and attack all intruders, other goblins included.

Throatslitters: A southwestern tribe, the Throatslitters are hunters with the bad habit of cutting the throats of their enemies, who are then impaled outside the wooden walls of their villages, leaving them there for weeks. The foul stench of a Throatslitter camp can be smelled miles away; it is a religious ritual in the name of Vaprak, and the smell is particularly awful after a battle against another tribe. They never impale one of their brethren.

Lifestealers: The most cowardly Dark Goblin tribe, the Lifestealers carve out a dull existence in the eastern parts of the Goblands; they have few contacts with the Tangor area, and their occasional raids are most often directed at the kingdoms of the Westbay region. Their main activity is, however, goat herding.

Red Fox: The hobgoblins of the Red Fox occupy the eastern Goblands. They are powerful and organized, and they are ruled by King Dilynne, ruler of the city of Scovery (pop. about 7,000 hobgoblins).

Ants Marching: This is a tribe composed just of hobgoblins, living in the central-eastern part of the Goblands. All the warriors of the tribe wear ant-masks, and it is possible that they have some contact with the hivebroods.

Blue Hounds: The Blue Hounds live in the central plateaus of the Goblands. They are among the fiercest warriors of the Goblands, and don't allow passage to anyone.

Pathfinders: This tribe lives in the northern part of the plateaus. Beyond them are tall mountains, where no one treads, except them. They are great mountaineers, and know a lot about their mountains; given the difficulty for others to enter the mountains from the north, they are mostly left in peace by everybody in the region.