Goblins, Part III

Goblin Divinities & Cults
Nearly as multitudinous as the evil creatures themselves are the beings that they make obeisance to.

What Goblins Worship (d4)

   1. Tezschnaz (see Volume I)
   2. a random arch-devil or evil god (e.g. Geedeepee- link)
   3. a random demon lord (e.g. Tiamat- see Volume III)
   4. a specifically goblin divinity (see below)

   
Random Goblin Divinity Generator
Roll 1d2 times on the following table. Each result indicates part of the goblinoid deity, arch-devil, or demon lord's name translated into the human tongue, along with which special abilities its followers typically have (defined in Part I).

1d12

1. Boom (Certain Colored Goblin)

2. Many (Goblin Horde)

3. Great (Goblin King*)

4. Spirit (Goblin Shaman*)

5. Sneak (Goblin Thief)

6. Might (Goblin Warrior)

7. Slay (Hobgoblin Guard)
8. Stern (Hobgoblin Militant)
9. Master (Hobgoblin Monk)

10. Blood (Hobgoblin Priest*)
11. Dirty (Mischievous Hobgoblin)
12. Scary (Scary Hobgoblin)

Then roll to see what the name ends with (1d3).

1. 'God': obeyed by goblins in a way reflecting some religious zeal, but is ultimately underhanded.
2. 'Demon': goblins follow it with open depravity.
3. 'Goblin': seen as a great ancestor that has achieved godhood, arch-devilry, or demonhood.

For example, Scary Slay Demon (rolling a 12 & 7 on the first table, 2 on the second) would have many scary hobgoblins and hobgoblin guard followers, replete with much terrorizing and chanting.

On the hand, Dancer Goblin (13, and then 3) or Sneak Many God (rolling 5, 2, and then 1) would have goblins who dance, and goblin thieves and goblin hordes instead.

*Note: 3% of goblins encountered will have one of the leader-type abilities of Goblin King, Goblin Shaman, Hobgoblin Priest, or the like in addition to the typical ones for which their goblin divinity is known. If one or more of those abilities is the goblin divinity's actual focus though, then only 10% of its followers will have them- any remaining goblins are just more terrified of their power (and thus have less goblinoid urgings to be underhanded to them). 

For example, a group of 30 hobgoblin followers of  Stern Devil will usually have either a king or spellcaster as a leader, in addition to the rest being hobgoblin militants. A group of 60 might have two with the leader-type abilities. On the other hand, goblins who follow a 'Great', 'Spirit', 'Blood', or 'Spooky' goblin divinity might have 3 goblins or hobgoblins with such abilities for every 30 of their number. The rest likely won't have any special abilities except for being useful fodder.

Read the full article with additional options here.

Next week: we begin a new series on Welsh divinities!