HOBGOBLIN LANDS: EASTERN LANDS OF SESAMAR
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| ©Eugene Jaworski, Posted with Permission |
The Hobgoblin Lands are dotted only by the occasional hobgoblin outpost amidst the rocky terrain. Unlike the orcs, hobgoblins are a disciplined people, their inherently brutal nature channeled into building structures where orcs would simply raze. Here, amidst the desolation, rise fortified towns, a growing number of cultivated fields wrenched from the unforgiving soil, and forges that spew forth implements of war.
Hobgoblins are a constant threat to the human settlements of Joria. Raiding parties, led by ruthless hobgoblin warlords, sweep across the plains, seeking livestock to replenish their herds and unfortunate souls to swell the ranks of their slaves. The young and the old are shown no mercy, their fates sealed by the hobgoblins' cold pragmatism.
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The wind howls a mournful dirge across the desolate plains, whipping across the unforgiving landscape that defines hobgoblin territory.
Once a verdant land, the orcs, with their insatiable hunger, stripped it bare, leaving behind a harsh canvas of dust and bone. Now, only the occasional hobgoblin outpost stands as a confirmation of their resilience.
Here, amidst the desolation, stalk the hobgoblins -- a race sculpted by a life of war and hardship. Think of the most muscled human one has ever seen, then cloak them in a coarse fur that ranges from reddish-brown to a steely gray. Their skin, perpetually weathered by the harsh sun and biting winds, reflects the hues of the land: red or orange faces etched with a permanent scowl. Large males, a symbol of power within hobgoblin society, sport a distinctive mark -- a bulbous nose, tinged a startling blue or crimson. These warriors often boast thick beards, though age may bring a touch of male-pattern baldness, a mark of experience as much as time's passage.
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Yet, hobgoblins are more than mere thugs. Their regimented society fosters skilled warriors and cunning leaders. Often seen at the head of goblinoid armies, hobgoblins provide the tactical acumen that the orcs often lack. Theirs is a relationship of wary cooperation, fueled by a shared animosity towards humans, elves, and dwarves. This common enemy keeps a fragile peace between hobgoblins and orcs, a rivalry that could easily erupt into open warfare.
The Hobgoblin Lands rests within a caldron of ruthlessness. It sits south of Gnilderoth, west of the Howling Chasm, north of Ogre Hills, and northeast of Hob'goroth -- an ancient fortress, once known as Soltarcus and a beacon of human civilization. Conquered ages ago by the forces of darkness, Soltarcus has been twisted into Hob'goroth, a place where the hobgoblins venerate malevolent gods through brutal sacrifices, a stark contrast to the benevolent deities worshipped during Soltarcus's human reign.
