Goblin
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- For other uses, see Goblin (disambiguation).
A goblin is an evil or merely mischievous creature of folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or elf-like phantom.
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Description
Goblins are grotesque faeries of about dwarf height. Various (sometimes conflicting) abilities and attributes have been given to them.
- They can appear as animals.
- They are sometimes said to be mostly invisible to human eye.
- They are said to count the dead among their companions.
- They can weave nightmares out of gossamer and insert them into the ear of a sleeping human.
- They steal human women and children and hide them away underground.
- Goblin women steal human babies, replacing them with ugly goblin babies (changelings).
- They have a somewhat bestial appearance: their brow is fully covered with thick hair and their mouth is filled with yellowed, crooked teeth.
- They have some traits of old men, which can include shortsightedness, but they are described as wiser than humans.
- They sometimes eat humans.
- They are sometimes described as being an entirely male race.
- Goblins can grow to anywhere from 30 cm to 2 m tall.
- Goblins are of the Unseelie Court, and war with faries.
- It is said that they mimic human actions in their sardonic way, twisting human rituals and culture to show the worst aspects.
- A favorite sport among Goblins is playing deadly pranks on humans, gnomes, elfs, and dwarfs.
- An infant goblin is referred to as a Snotling.
- A group of goblins is referred to as a horde.
- Much like their "good" counterparts, the Hobbits, Goblins love mushrooms, and utilize them for housing, recreation, and as food.
- Goblins despise Hobbits, and consider them a delicacy.
- In some circles, Goblins are considered to be the cousins of gnomes.
- Goblins suffer from discrimination in almost all fantasy settings.
- Goblins are often assosciated with fire, or have the ability to create said element
Etymology
According to some traditions, goblin comes from Gob or Ghob, the king of the gnomes, whose inferiors were called Ghob-lings. However, according to "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Current English" the name is probably derived from the Anglo-French gobelin (medieval Latin gobelinus), which is probably a diminutive of Gobel, a name related to the word kobold. Goblin is also related to the French lutin.
Goblins in art and literature
"The Benevolent Goblin" by Gesta Romanorum and The Goblin of Adachigahara (Japanese) are just a few fairy tales depicting goblins. Also see Brothers Grimm.
Christina Rossetti in her poem Goblin Market, used goblins as symbols of earthly desires who tantalize and nearly destroy a girl who falls under their spell.
Poet Craig MacKenzie, known for his works in portraying mythical creatures, described these creatures as being a paean to early explorers tales, documenting what they seen, It is now known that these creatures were probably small apes. In one of his greater works, MacKenzie uses the comparison of a goblin to the liking of one of his townspeople, Michael Nimbley, using 'goblin' as an insulting phrase.
Author George MacDonald, in The Princess and the Goblin, portrayed goblins as malevolent, subterranean creatures.
The book is said to have been a childhood favorite of J. R. R. Tolkien, who populated his Middle-earth with goblins, but later preferred to call them Orcs in order to distance them from fairy tale characters, explaining such a change in name was due to "goblin" being another name for Orcs usually used by Hobbits, and occasionally by other peoples (even his Uruk-hai are called goblins at some points).
In the Jim Henson film Labyrinth, Goblins figure prominently. Jareth the Goblin King, a powerful sorcerer (portrayed by David Bowie), commands a legion of foul, diminutive, largely incompetent creatures. The goblins initially do the bidding of a young girl (played by Jennifer Connelly), who must ultimately overcome her fear of them and resist seduction by their king.
Goblins also feature in the novel The Black Cauldron, adapted into a film in 1985 by Walt Disney Pictures, and in the 1986 film Legend, starring Tom Cruise. In 2005, a new perspective of goblins was depicted in the novel Dance of the Goblins by Jaq D. Hawkins. A film based on the novel and directed by Si Fantauzzo http://fantauzzo.bravehost.com/ is currently in pre-production at Goblin Films Ltd.
See also Goblins (Harry Potter).
Goblins play a prominent and frightening role in the middle-grade novel The Revenge of the Shadow King, by Derek Benz and J.S. Lewis.
See also information about the U.S. fighter plane XF-85, nicknamed the Goblin. The Goblin is one of America's earliest jets, first flying in 1948. Only 14 feet (4.3 meters) long, it was intended to have a top speed of 650 mph and flying time of 80 minutes. The concept didn't get too far, though, with only two aircraft built and very few flights made. After only a year and with just a few drops and recoveries from B-29 Superfortresses, the program was cancelled.
The Green Goblin is a villianous character in the Marvel Comics Spider-Man comic book series .
Goblins in modern games
Template:Splitsection Two major branches of goblins exist in popular game properties. Alongside with J. R. R. Tolkien's descriptions of Orcs, the older branch is inherently evil and malicious, with varying coloring and generally matted and filthy hair. This type of goblin appears in Dungeons & Dragons. The distinctive green-skinned, hairless, capricious, and generally immoral (rather than absolutely evil) goblins created for Warhammer are direct progenitors of goblins in more modern games, such as those in the Warcraft Universe or Magic: The Gathering.
Goblins in Dungeons & Dragons
See main article Goblin (Dungeons & Dragons).
Goblins in Warhammer
Like Dungeons & Dragons, Warhammer's goblins tend to associate with Orcs. Also known by the name Gobbos, Goblins are among the smallest greenskins and survive through cunning and intelligence rather that brute force. Many different subcultures of goblins exist, with varying degrees of autonomy from their Orcish cousins, including the bizarre night goblins and primitive forest goblins. All varieties of goblins are violent and malicious, but consider warfare to be a pastime or hobby, genuinely not understanding that killing a foe and eating it might not be appreciated by the victim.
Goblins in Palladium
In the Palladium Fantasy Role-Playing Game, goblins are a race of faeries who have lost much of their native magic. Only a few, known as Cobblers, retain any magic. The vast majority of goblins are stupid, cruel, and lazy thieves.
Goblins in Warcraft
In Warcraft Universe, goblins are a green-skinned, diminutive, crafty race, known for their occasionally explosive, but usually effective engineering. Template:Main
Goblins in Final Fantasy
In the Final Fantasy series of RPGs, goblins are synonymous with imps. In the earlier episodes of the series they traditionally appeared as the weakest enemy in the game. They are depicted as being small and skinny with browinish skin and pointy ears and nearly always wearing a stocking cap, owing more in appearance to the scottish redcap than the traditional Tolkien goblin. They also occasionally appear as a low level summoned creature.
Goblins in Everquest
In the MMORPG Everquest 2, goblins are portrayed as largely mischievous, primitive, fairly foolish creatures. Small and green, with large pointy ears and yellow eyes, they tend to look and sound as silly as they act. Gigglegibber Goblins run a series of gambling games throughout Norrath. Upon visiting their hideout during the 'Frostfell' season (Christmas 2005 special quest) it is revealed that in addition to this gambling game they are also attempting to - unsuccessfully - forge gold coins, and yet they have no intention spending any of this money, they simply wish to 'have' it. Most of their schemes are harmless, though often illegal. Not all goblins of Norrath are so benign, however, with some being evil, and even falling under the control of external dark magics.
Goblins in Dark and Shattered Lands
Goblins have had a major role in Dark and Shattered Lands (a MUD), for quite some time. Notable goblins of the past (one still alive though) include, but are not limited to, General (and later king) Gew Marj'hir, (former) King Ghyt Stickeyfingers, and the late King Krintak Frunle (actually a hobgoblin, in the world of Algoron the race of goblin consists of goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears). The former kingdom of Dolun'dir was a goblin kingdom, and the current Kingdom of Darkonin consists of both goblin and ogrekind. Current goblins of note in that kingdom include (but again, are not limited to) Supreme General Dialook (a bugbear barbarian) , Loremaster Karcino'Ma (a goblin bard), Scourge Troft of the Dreadnought (a goblin sailor and mage), and Queen Zamera Dreadmuck (a hobgoblin). Zamera is the current ruler of Darkonin, but her rule has been fraught with emigration and dissent, partially due to her "service" to the desposed tyrant Bwertz Ghuti (another hobgoblin).
For more information see dsl-mud.org
Goblins in other computer games
Other computer games featuring goblins include Goblin Commandos, Dungeon Keeper 2, and the Gobliiins! series, in addition to games based on other works featuring goblins.
Goblins in Magic: the Gathering
In the collectible trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, goblins are a very popular creature type. They tend to be red aligned creatures that come in large numbers, love rocks and have little to no sense of self presevation. They are often a source of humour within the game (for example, the flavour text of one spell reads "I love lightning! It’s my best invention since the rock"). their popularity is such that they have received more attention at the cost of other red flavoured creatures, such as dwarves and orcs.
Goblins in Yu-Gi-Oh
In the Yu-Gi-Oh trading card game there are a small number of Monsters identified as goblins which are depicted as green or light grey anthropoids and are classed either as warriors or fiends. Also there several Spell and Trap cards with goblin in their names which normally have effects linked to card drawing or life point alteration. However it should be noted that as of 2005 there are few of these and they don't fit a particular deck type or theme. The most famous of these monsters, with the word goblin in its name, is Goblin Attack Force and it's Toon counterpart.
See also
de:Kobold es:Duende fr:Gobelin (monstre) he:גובלין it:Goblin ja:ゴブリン pt:Duende zh:高扁