Lore:Goblin

Goblins
A goblin in light armor armed with a sword and shield (Oblivion)
Type		Race (Goblin-ken)
Range		Akavir, Tamriel
Appears in		Arena, Redguard, Tribunal, Shadowkey, Oblivion, Skyrim(CC), ESO, Legends, Blades, Castles

"Goblins are a bundle of contradictions. Quarrelsome, but dangerous in packs. Dim-witted, but deviously cunning. Prone to fits of screeching, but remarkably quiet when stalking their prey. I must confess a grudging admiration!"
—Scholar Morven Palielle (shortly before being killed by Goblins)

Goblins (also derogatorily called Gobs) are primitive humanoids found throughout Tamriel and Akavir, often living in sewers, caves, and ruins in small clan-based societies. They can range in height from three feet to over eight feet. Appearance-wise, goblins have green or yellow skin (sometimes white or black), yellow eyes with slitted pupils, pronounced canine teeth, pointed elven-like ears, and sometimes horns and hunchbacks. While typically violent towards more societally developed races, Goblins are intelligent, and are capable of living in peace with others.

History

Origins

The exact origins of Goblins are unclear. Some sources have suggested that Goblins may be extra-planar in origin, originating from some other dimension or planet. Tiber Septim believed that Goblins, along with Orcs and trolls, were among "the miscreated", malicious and brutish creatures who, as the One teaches, must be united against by all sentient folk of good will, instead of striving against each other. Some fanciful historical parchments speak of Goblins as "Fetid Corruptions of Orcs".

Regardless of their origins, Goblins are recorded to be among the earliest inhabitants of Tamriel.

Early Contact

Goblins are native to the Summerset Isles, and were there when the Aldmer first arrived.

There is a unique history between the Altmer and the Goblins, some of which revolved around King's Haven Pass. Scouts of the King of Alinor discovered the passage, claiming that it would make a perfect outpost, citing its natural defenses, the network of caverns, and the fertile land, but it was inhabited by the Coral-Splitter Tribe of Goblins, who lived off the wealth of the land as an agrarian society. Because of their hospitality, the High Elves were able to establish trade with the Coral-Splitters, bargaining for the ore in the caves. The Altmer had secured trade agreements with nearly every tribe in the region, trading fish, textiles, and tools for the fruits of the goblins hunting and trapping skills, as these goblins were adept at capturing and taming welwas and gryphons. As trade increased, the King of Alinor became wary about the dealings since these goblins did not swear their undying loyalty to him, so he orchestrated an agreement with the Coral-Splitter's chieftain for the crags in the east, but it did not go through. What followed was a great battle between the elves and the goblins that ended their relationship. Altmer traditionally use goblins to reinforce their armies.

First Era

The ghost of a giant goblin warchief (ESO)

"Filthy Ra Gada! I'll pick my teeth with your bones!"
—A Flint-Tooth Warchief

Following the enforcement of the Alessian Doctrines and the start of the Ayleid Pogrom, King Dynar was given an ultimatum by the Alessian Emperor. He and his people were eventually forced to abandon Nenalata and flee to High Rock between 1E 372-374 in order to escape the Pogrom, being "nibbled to death by Goblins" on their journey there.

At some point between 1E 420 and 1E 700, when the Dwemer inhabited Hammerfell, a new breed of giant goblins invaded via a rent in space and time known as the Goblin Gate. They possessed a huge army of fighters, and appeared in the middle of the province, where they would pillage and raze towns to the ground, driving the Dwarves out of the province.

In 1E 780, the first recorded warrior wave of the Ra Gada occurred, where Frandar Hunding arrived in Hammerfell and discovered vast numbers of giant goblin (sometimes conflated with Orcish) strongholds littering the entirety of Hammerfell. Frandar refused to allow these goblins to exist, and so went to war with the giant goblins of the Flint-Tooth tribe. The giant goblins were led by their god Malooc, and were sometimes known as Malooc's Horde, but Malooc fled east when the army of the HoonDing overtook his goblin hordes. Despite his initial success, Frandar would be killed during one of the bloodiest battles of the campaign. Frandar's son Divad Hunding, would go on to repel a giant goblin invasion. He forged five mighty magical swords, a mix of Shehai and smithing, and used them to close the Goblin Gate. By some accounts, he also cursed the goblins who were left behind, diminishing them into their modern-size. Despite some modern scholars considering the war with the giant goblins a myth, the victory of the Redguards is still celebrated during the annual Festival of Blades.

Giant Goblins

In 1E 808, another warrior wave of the Ra Gada would arrive on mainland Tamriel. The Redguards would continue to fight against and drive goblins and their Orcish bretheren from Hammerfell. Many years after their battle with Divad Hunding, the giant goblins would return with a new invasion, having managed to open the path from their world to Nirn again. The Redguards struggled greatly against their horde, as the giant goblins received a constant supply of arms and reinforcements from the re-opened Goblin Gate. The powerful Ansei, Derik Hallin, reassembled the five magic swords which allowed Divad before him to close the Goblin Gate. He and his companions would use them to to seal forever the giant goblins in the void between their world and Nirn.

At some point during the Camoran Dynasty of the First Era, hundreds of goblins, Orcs, ogres, gremlins, and other beastfolk were set free by the rulers of the Summerset Isles, and allowed to settle lands north of Valenwood. They chose to settle in an uninhabited mountain region close to Old Hroldan in High Rock, as the Orcish tribes were dependent on rare, shaggy, giant centipede herd-beasts that can only survive at high altitudes. Here, they would found the first city of Orsinium. The exact dating of this event is unclear, but various pieces of evidence place the founding of Orsinium in the ninth or tenth century of the First Era. Some Second Era historians believed the goblin tribes never actually lived in the city itself, instead maintaining a truce with the Orc clans in the Dragontail Mountains, but never mingling.

In 1E 874, when the Orcish Warlord Thulgeg's army of Orcs and goblins was driven from Hammerfell by the Redguards, the Bretons of Bangkorai Garrison denied them passage through the Pass and forced them to flee northeast, trudging all the way through the Dragontail Mountains before they finally reached Orsinium. Not a single goblin made its way through the pickets into High Rock.

In an event theorized by scholars to take place sometime between 1E 874 and 1E 950, and sometime after the foundation of the Redguard city of Ojwambu, a surviving giant goblin warlord by the name of Mahgzoor Rockhand, who had escaped the Curse of Divad through a cunning trick, became warlord of all the goblin-ken tribes in the Dragontail Mountains. Mahgzoor rose his great blade 'Bone-Hewer' and roared in a mighty voice like an earthquake, and declared that the day of vengeance, at last, was at hand. In what was believed to be retaliation for his people being driven from Hammerfell, he led his "Endwise army" down the Dragontail Mountains and into Hammerfell, and the people of the Fallen Wastes fled from this goblin army to Ojwambu, where the city became full of refugees. As the people started to leave the city to travel to the Alik'r, goblin scouts saw that the Redguards had a considerable number of Ansei warriors, and the smallest goblin scout was forced to return to Mahgzoor by the other goblin scouts. Once this scout returned, Mahgzoor struck his head off and then told the goblins to destroy the crop fields and block up the rivers so that nobody in the city could eat or drink, unaware that only the elderly Derik Hallin and his few students were in the city. After a long time of waiting, Mahgzoor became suspicious as the city should have starved at that point, so he called forth his goblin shamans, asking them if the Redguard warriors were just "shadows". To see if this was the case, the shamans sacrificed twin infants and sent a scullion to the East Gate, and this scullion was killed by a spear from Hallin. The shamans returned to Mahgzoor and told him that they were real warriors, and in response to this, Mahgzoor was enraged and killed the shamans. He then ordered his army to get ready to assault the city. This assault lasted for 17 days, where no Ansei survived except for Hallin and at the end of this assault, Hallin and Mahgzoor clashed swords for a whole day. Eventually, both were mortally wounded, with Hallin striking off the head of the Warlord Mahzgoor. They both died, but Hallin was smiling knowing he had won. The Redguards who had been using this time to train with the Book of Circles then marched to retake the lands captured by the goblins, renaming Ojwambu to Hallin's Stand.

Second Era

Goblins were not exempt from catching the Knahaten Flu between 2E 560 and 2E 603. The Flu caused the green skin of goblins to become yellow and have buboes blister around their mouths. It would also cause them to go into coughing fits, which meant that the shamans could not cast magic properly.

Circa 2E 864, goblins were known to once again inhabit Orsinium, as well as the Goblin Caverns of Stros M'Kai. Many people who lived on the island believed that the goblins of Stros M'Kai were banished beneath the earth thanks to Frandar Hunding. Some Redguards who lived there would warn goblin-ken, such as gremlins, to return to their caves, lest Hunding turn them into stone.

Third Era

Warchief Kurog

Sometime during the Imperial Simulacrum, a band of goblins led by a necromancer called Golthog the Dark attacked and looted the palace of Rihad. These goblins also stole a parchment that held clues on the location of Fang Lair. The goblins were known to be hiding in the citadel of Stonekeep, so Queen Blubamka informed the Eternal Champion of this. The Champion would go on to dispatch the goblins and retrieve the parchment.

In 3E 427, goblins were imported by Helseth from the Summerset Isles to the sewers of Mournhold, where they were trained and kept as soldiers by two Altmer trainers. They had two war chiefs, Durgoc and Kurog. These goblins and their Altmer trainers were killed by the Nerevarine.

In 3E 433, the Rock Biter Goblins and the Bloody Hand Goblins were engaged in a goblin war because the Rock Biter Goblins stole the tribal Totem Staff from the Bloody Hand Goblins. This was preventing the town of Cropsford from being built, so the farmers who were building Cropsford asked the Hero of Kvatch to help them. It's not fully known how the hero dealt with the goblins, but the war was ended and Cropsford was fully finished. In this same year, the Sharp Tooth and White Skin tribes were engaged in a war due to the White Skin totem being stolen by the Sharp Tooth tribe. The White Skins' chief was a Breton named Goblin Jim.

Fourth Era

Gogh wielding the Spear of Bitter Mercy (Skyrim)

Circa 4E 180, the town of Rivercrest was at threat by three goblin tribes who were working together and with a bandit group known as the Greencaps, these tribes were the White Ghosts, the Red Fangs and the Iron Skulls. An Imperial envoy known as Gaius Platorius was in charge of dealing with this goblin threat on behalf of the Empire, and worked alongside the Warrior to destroy these alliances. The Warrior destroyed these alliances by performing false flag attacks on each tribe, planting each tribe's banners at the site of goblin massacres, and stealing a statue of the Blue God. This caused the alliance to collapse, but the female goblin shaman, known as Arruluk Snakemother, who had caused the alliance to occur was still alive, so Gaius ordered the Warrior to kill her, thus ending the threat of the goblins in the area and the potential of another goblin alliance from forming.

Circa 4E 201, a tribe of goblins migrated out of Cyrodiil using subterranean tunnels beneath the Jerall Mountains. They emerged into the Rift and took up occupation of a cave known as Gromm's Pass. The hunter of this group, a goblin named Gogh, was seemingly blessed by Hircine as he was in possession of the Spear of Bitter Mercy. Gogh was fiercely protective of the weapon, which rejected anyone else that tried to claim it. The tribe subsequently encountered a helpless Orc from the nearby stronghold of Largashbur, who happened to be stained blue by the Steel Blue Entoloma mushrooms which grow in abundance within Gromm's Pass. Believing him to be the Blue God, an aspect of Malacath worshipped by goblins, the tribe quickly made him their shaman and began to obey him as their god. However, the tunnel to Cyrodiil collapsed soon after, cutting the tribe off from any reinforcements. Gogh then spotted the Orcish shaman applying blue dye to maintain his appearance and was thus sentenced by the Orc to death, however, the rest of the tribe defended the Orc not knowing this. The Last Dragonborn saved Gogh by killing the Orc and his remaining goblin followers. Gogh thereafter entered into the Dragonborn's service and continued to wield the Spear and its powers in battle.

Slavery

A House Dres goblin slave (ESO)

Goblins have been slaves in many societies, with the Altmer having goblin slaves to do menial tasks such as mucking out dung pits and cleaning floors, often being beaten by their elven owners, this has been known to give the goblins forms of mental trauma, with escaped goblins still sweeping and being frightened of others. The Altmer also use heavy leg-irons for restraining Goblin slaves who are flight risks. Goblins have also been used traditionally by the Altmer to supplement their armies.

House Dres also keeps goblin slaves. Some Argonians sympathize with goblins due to this fact and wish to free these goblins, as they have experienced slavery often at the hands of House Dres. Goblins were also used by Dunmer as slaves for mines when the Pact was formed in 2E 572, due to Argonian slaves being freed. These goblins were controlled by the Dunmer by them owning the goblin tribe's totem, one example of this was the Gnaw-Root Tribe, who rose up against their Dunmer master in 2E 582 by taking back their totem, making the goblins think they were unstoppable.

The Tsaesci of Akavir are known to enslave the goblins of the surrounding isles, who they use for labor and fresh blood.

Goblins require a lot of education before they are slave worthy. However, they are worth a lot, and they were a highly valued commodity in the second era, one slave trader having sold an entire tribe to a high ranking political minister in High Rock.

Religion and Culture

The Blue God, sacred to Goblin-kind (Blades)

Stonechewer Tribe totem

Goblin-kind worship a god called Muluk, who is thought to be related to the Orc god Mauloch, an aspect of Malacath. Some also know Malacath as the Blue God, represented through idols representing Malacath that have been painted blue. As goblins are a type of Goblin-ken, they are protected and guided by Malacath. Hunters of a tribe may lean towards worshiping Hircine, and one was even granted the honor of wielding the Spear of Bitter Mercy.

Current goblin society is known to be primitive, and often poses a threat to the more advanced societies that surround them. While their societies are often led by the strongest and largest goblins (called warlords) or their religious leaders (called shamans), some tribes are ruled by other races. Goblin shamans are usually the most intelligent members of a tribe and the ones that lead in religious practices. The death of a shaman is known to turn a tribe docile. The symbol of a shaman's position is often a totem or a headdress; if taken or lost, the tribe will do anything to get it back as these are seen as holy items. These headdresses are often magical in nature and gives the shaman power and intelligence. This symbol can also be a bone rod, one known one had an infant's skull on the top of it and was ornamented with an assortment of feathers, spines, and animal claws, and filled with something like nut-hulls. Certain Cyrodilic tribes have banners as their symbol and will fight other tribes over these banners. Destroying an item that is deemed holy by a goblin tribe will cause the tribe to go on a rampage for weeks, destroying and killing anything in their way. Goblins also use territory markers.

Goblins can communicate with their own language that can be learned by others, though it largely comes off as gibberish. Vice versa, some goblins are capable of speaking Tamrielic to a coherent level.

Goblins take a rather traditional view to their outfits, with some pieces even dating back to the First Era. This is called the "Primal" culture set by ethnographers, however, it is unknown if they inherited it from previous generations, looted it from ancient ruins, scavenged it from other civilizations, or forged it themselves. They are also known to carve femurs into flutes.

The diet of goblins varies, with some tribes raising and grilling rats for meat, goblins are believed to have over a dozen ways to prepare rat meat. Sugar leaf is also a favorite for goblins. Goblins will also eat rotting vegetables, bread, and meat of any type. Goblin tribes also commonly farm different types of mushrooms with different properties in caves, with the goblins in Stros M'Kai and the Western Reach goblins being particular examples. The Goblins of the Valus Mountains go back and forth between Cyrodiil and Morrowind using tunnels and secret passes. Some tribes have imported subterranean agricultural practices from their cousins to the east, namely the farming of kwama and spiders.

There are a couple of artifacts relating to goblins, such as Shadowsilk gems, which grant the user the appearance of a goblin. Another is the Emerald Chalice, which when drunk from, turns the drinker into a goblin, the only way to reverse this is by using blood from a human.

Overlooked Intelligence

An underground goblin house (Redguard)

A magical obelisk created by Western Reach goblins, inscribed with unique runes

Scholarly pursuits into the intelligence of goblins are often met with rejection, as the premise that goblins can be domesticated is viewed as "ridiculous" by academia. One such avenue of research was a scholar who had pointed out the fact that goblins are not as primitive as they are perceived, saying that goblins are capable of taming creatures such as spiders and kwama.

Goblins of the First Era were also known to be taller and less "cowardly" than goblins of the later Eras. Freed goblin slaves were among those responsible for the original founding of Orsinium. The Western Reach clans were known to be particularly advanced, having the ability to create and inscribe magical runes onto handcrafted obelisks, with some saying that the workmanship speaks to a better time in goblin history.

Goblins are also more than capable of not being hostile to humans who observe them, with the Stonechewer Tribe shamans stopping the warriors from killing a scholar known as Nellic Sterone, with there being no further incidents of hostility and them tolerating his presence as long as he kept a distance from the female goblins and their offspring.

Goblins have also been known to want to be recognized as equals, and have worked with groups like the Veiled Heritance to attempt to achieve this, where they formed a contract that the goblins thought would make the Elf kings and lords stop harming them. The goblin chief Koth was told that the Veiled Heritance had lied to them, and instead of going mad, just said that the goblins wanted to be left alone. Koth had previously been a slave and attempted to ask for better living conditions from his Altmer master for him and his fellow goblins.

Goblin-ken such as those in the Coldsnap Tribe, have been observed progressing into a basic metal age by using scrap metal from Dwarven ruins, with them creating daggers by fusing scrap together in open fires and beating it into a rough blade form. Prior to the Dwarven influence, their helmets were either hide or bone, with a troll crest being most prized. After recognizing the superiority of metal, however, the Goblins then widely employed a horned skullcap reminiscent of a troll. The tribe also began to embed animunculus scrap into layers of baser metals to create shields, which greatly improved the strength of these shields. As the goblins became more confident with metalworking, they created swords of fused metal, which although heavy, are very sharp.

Goblins were likely the only inhabitants of Stros M'Kai between the Dwemer's disappearance and the Redguard colonization, perhaps allowing them to develop more than goblins typically do. They developed tiny waterwheels made from iron and the flexible bark of tropical trees, which were then attached to Dwemer steam pipes to power tools.

Relationship with Durzogs

A goblin and his Durzog pet (ESO)

Durzogs are reptilian dog-like creatures that goblins raise for war and to hunt down their victims. Goblins also heavily use durzogs for a multitude of other uses, mostly relating to the crafting of items requiring hides, goblin belts for example are made of the hides. Goblin durzog handlers often have thick hide gauntlets. The Coldsnap Tribe uses the guts of durzogs to string their bows. Some goblin Chiefs have also been known to make makeshift saddles to ride durzogs into battle.

Goblins have been known to tame other creatures as well; they often raise rats for food. The goblins of Craglorn are one of the many pastoral societies there to have domesticated Welwa.

Known Goblin Words and Phrases

Goblins can communicate with their own language that can be learned by others, though it largely comes off as gibberish. Vice versa, some goblins are capable of speaking Tamrielic to a coherent level.

• Aaarrrlll - Unknown translation
• irgola - Means 'master'
• mluku - Means 'fecal matter'
• muulk - Used when chastising durzogs or children
• ubula - Possibly means "open"
• uliiifff - Unknown translation
• uulllf - Unknown translation

• dead crawler - Used by goblins when speaking in Tamrielic to refer to zombies.

→ See also: Goblin Names

Subraces

While goblins are often grouped as Goblin-ken, some of the other races of that group are addressed as also being subspecies of goblins.

• Rieklings — Blue skinned ice goblins. Tiny variants are found on Solstheim, but they tend to be bigger on mainland Tamriel.
• Riekr — White skinned ice goblins that have an innate connection to magic. They can be found in Wrothgar. They are sometimes described as crossbreeds between standard Goblins and Rieklings, or as just a larger variety of Riekling.

• 

  Riekling, blue-skinned Ice Goblins

• 

  Riekr, pale-skinned Ice Goblins

Tribes by Province

Tribes of Cyrodiil uniting circa 4E 180

Goblins usually live in a tribal society, although they are not always part of a named tribe. Those tribes that do have names are notable for their use of symbols, strong leadership, and distinctive traditions.

Black Marsh

---

Gnaw-Root Tribe

The Gnaw-Root Tribe are found in the Shadowfen region of Black Marsh. They were enslaved by the Ebonheart Pact circa 2E 582 to work the iron mines at Mud Tree Village. However, the tribe revolted and briefly took control of the mine. The Pact managed to subdue them by taking their tribal totem and planned to continue using the goblins as slaves, but the local Argonians protested and wanted to release them into the swamp. The ultimate fate of the tribe is unknown.

Cyrodiil

---

Bitterfish Tribe

Bitterfish Witch

The Bitterfish Tribe are a loosely organized tribe found in the West Weald of Cyrodiil. They use slaughterfish as a food source, and ritually carry their scales. They attempted to take over the Ayleid ruins of Miscarcand in 3E 433, but were driven back by its undead guardians.

Blood Skull Tribe

The Blood Skull Tribe were a goblin tribe found in the Gold Coast. When the Sharp Rock Tribe tricked the Shatter Bone Tribe into attacking the Blood Skulls, they quickly found themselves on a three-sided war with both the Shatter Bone and the Gut Blade Tribe. The Sharp Rock Tribe then allied with the Eye Stick Tribe to conquer those three tribes, but the allies turned on each other at the eve of their victory. Survivors of all the five tribes banded together and formed the Rock Stick and Sharp Stick Tribes.

Bloody Hand Tribe

Bloody Hand chef

The Bloody Hand Tribe inhabit Cracked Wood Cave in the Nibenay Basin. Circa 2E 582, the tribe had invaded and occupied Harlun's Watch and was aggressively encroaching on the settlement of Cropsford, where the villagers feared an attack was imminent. The hostility was evidently too much, as Cropsford was later abandoned. In 3E 433, their totem was stolen by the Rock Biter Tribe, inciting a goblin war. The war ended after a group of settlers got external help to stop the constant raiding parties preventing them from building a farm at Cropsford.

Eye Stick Tribe

The Eye Stick Tribe were found on the Gold Coast. They battled with the Sharp Rock tribe, but allied with them to conquer the other resident tribes, the Shatter Bones, the Blood Skulls, and the Gut Blades, when these found themselves in a three-sided war. On the eve of their victory, Eye Sticks and Sharp Rocks turned on one another. Survivors of all the five tribes banded together and formed the Rock Stick and Sharp Stick Tribes.

Gut Blade Tribe

The Gut Blade Tribe were a goblin tribe found in the Gold Coast. Ambushing both the Shatter Bone and the Blood Skulls Tribes, they quickly found themselves in a three-sided war. The Sharp Rock Tribe then allied with the Eye Stick Tribe to conquer those three tribes, but the allies turned on each other at the eve of their victory. Survivors of all the five tribes banded together and formed the Rock Stick and Sharp Stick Tribes.

Ironeye Tribe

Ironeye Tribe inhabited dilapidated grounds of Black Drake Villa in northern Gold Coast. They were known to also have minotaurs within their ranks.

Iron Skull Tribe

Iron Skull banner

^(?)

Long Claw Tribe

The Long Claw Tribe originally from the south of Chorrol. They often battled with the Tooth Rock Tribe for territory, until they were eventually displaced by the local Fighters Guild. Both tribes migrated south into the Gold Coast region, where they banded together slaughtering the resident Rock Stick Tribe. The survivors of the three tribes emerged as the Long Tooth Tribe.

Long Tooth Tribe

The Long Tooth Tribe were found in the southern part of the Gold Coast region during the Second Era. It consisted of the former Long Claw, Tooth Rock, and Rock Stick Tribes.

Red Fang Tribe

Red Fang banner

^(?)

Rock Bone Tribe

The Rock Bone Tribe were found in the Gold Coast and West Weald regions of Cyrodiil. They were known to have Ogre shamans in their ranks.

Rock Biter Tribe

The Rock Biter Tribe inhabit Timberscar Hollow in the Nibenay Basin. In 3E 433, they stole the totem of the Bloody Hand Tribe, inciting a goblin war. The war ended after a group of settlers got external help to stop the constant raiding parties preventing them from building a farm at Cropsford.

Rock Stick Tribe

The Rock Stick Tribe was a Goblin Tribe of the Gold Coast region. They formed when the survivors of a complicated tribal war between the Eye Stick, Sharp Rock, Shatter Bones, Blood Skull, and Gut Blade Tribes banded together (a separate group of survivors of that war founded the Sharp Stick Tribe). Later, they were slaughtered by the Long Claw and Tooth Rock Tribes when they migrated into the Gold Coast from near Chorrol. The remaining members of the three tribes were then known as the Long Tooth Tribe.

Rotbreath Tribe

The Rotbreath Tribe was a Cyrodilic Goblin tribe active in Silorn circa 2E 582. They were known to live among Minotaurs and Ogres.

Sharp Stick Tribe

The Sharp Stick Tribe was a Goblin Tribe of the Gold Coast region. They formed when the survivors of a complicated tribal war between the Eye Stick, Sharp Rock, Shatter Bones, Blood Skull, and Gut Blade Tribes banded together (a separate group of survivors of that war founded the Rock Stick Tribe).

Sharp Tooth Tribe

The Sharp Tooth Tribe inhabit an abandoned mine known as Derelict Mine, found east of Skingrad in the West Weald of Cyrodiil. The tribe is often targeted by goblin hunters. In 3E 433 they stole the totem of the White Skin Tribe, inciting a goblin war.

Shatter Bone Tribe

The Shatter Bone Tribe were a goblin tribe found in the Gold Coast. Tricked by the Sharp Rock Tribe into attacking the Blood Skull Tribe, they quickly found themselves in a three-sided war with both the Blood Skull and the Gut Blade Tribe. The Sharp Rock Tribe then allied with the Eye Stick Tribe to conquer those three tribes, but the allies turned on each other at the eve of their victory. Survivors of all the five tribes banded together and formed the Rock Stick and Sharp Stick Tribes.

Sharp Rock Tribe

The Sharp Tooth Tribe were found on the Gold Coast. They battled with the Eye Stick tribe, but allied with them to conquer the other resident tribes, the Shatter Bones, the Blood Skulls, and the Gut Blades, when these found themselves in a three-sided war. On the eve of their victory, Sharp Rocks and Eye Sticks turned on one another. Survivors of all the five tribes banded together and formed the Rock Stick and Sharp Stick Tribes.

Skull Breaker Tribe

The Skull Breaker Tribe inhabit Wenderbek Cave, found deep in the Nibenay Basin near Drakelowe.

Three Feather Tribe

Three Feather Warchief

The Three Feather Tribe (or the Three Feathers Tribe) inhabit an abandoned mine known as Plundered Mine, found east of Bruma on the base of Gnoll Mountain. They are located in the Jerall Mountains of Cyrodiil. In 3E 433, the tribe's current shaman was killed, and they became known as the most famous example of a goblin tribe who was pacified this way. They may have been the tribe that traveled to Skyrim in 4E 201 after going through the cave system in Gromm's Pass.

Timberscar Tribe

The Timberscar Tribe were found in the Nibenay Basin region, near Cropsford.

Toad-Tongue Tribe

The Toad-Tongue Tribe is found in the Blackwood region of southern Cyrodiil.

Tooth Rock Tribe

The Tooth Rock Tribe originally from the south of Chorrol. They often battled with the Long Claw Tribe for territory, until they were eventually displaced by the local Fighters Guild. Both tribes migrated south into the Gold Coast region, where they banded together slaughtering the resident Rock Stick Tribe. The survivors of the three tribes merged as the Long Tooth Tribe.

White Ghost Clan

White Ghost warrior

White Ghost banner

^(?)

White Skin Tribe

The White Skin Tribe inhabit Goblin Jim's Cave, found north of Skingrad in the Imperial Reserve, a long way from civilization. They were led by a Breton man named Goblin Jim, who was accepted into the tribe and became their shaman. In 3E 433 their totem was stolen by the Sharp Tooth Tribe, inciting a goblin war.

Hammerfell

---

Dogeater Tribe

The Dogeater Tribe are found on the island of Stros M'Kai. In 2E 582, a goblin called King Demog took control of the tribe and started causing trouble until he was put down.

Flint-Tooth Tribe

The Flint-Tooth Tribe was a tribe of giant goblins that inhabited Hammerfell before the arrival of the Ra Gada. Frandar Hunding rallied the Ra Gada to exterminate the goblins, but was killed during one of the bloodiest battles of the campaign. The goblins, led by their Warchief, were eventually slaughtered, and their spirits became bound to HoonDing's Watch in the Alik'r. These spirits serve to test pilgrims hoping to understand the trials of the Ra Gada, who came to love the desert's simple beauty during their fight against the goblins.

Sandgrubber Tribe

The Sandgrubber Tribe inhabit Divad's Chagrin Mine, a shallow mine in the Alik'r. They were originally brought to the abandoned mine by Dunmer slavers, who hoped to sell them as laborers. However, the goblins rose up and killed their captors. Their leader Nokhailaedhaz was killed in 2E 582.

High Rock

---

Bonesnap Tribe

The Bonesnap Tribe are found in the Bonesnap Ruins in the Stormhaven region.

Disembowler Tribe

The Disembowler Tribe was a famous goblin tribe of High Rock. By 2E 582, the tribe had been exterminated.

Hillborne Tribe

The Hillborne Tribe inhabit the cave of Breagha-Fin in Rivenspire. The majority of them were originally Nords who were transformed into goblins by a mage named Malofar using the power of the Emerald Chalice. Malofar was slain and the chalice recovered in 2E 582, and at least one of the Hillborne goblins was restored to human form.

Ratfarmer Tribe

The Ratfarmer Tribe was a goblin tribe of High Rock. By 2E 582, the tribe has been exterminated.

Throatcutter Tribe

The Throatcutter Tribe was a goblin tribe of High Rock. By 2E 582, the tribe had been exterminated.

Morrowind

---

Murkwater Tribe

Murkwater Scourge

The Murkwater Tribe are found in the Stonefalls region.

Netch Gouger Tribe

The Netch Gouger Tribe were a tribe of goblins found on Vvardenfell during the Second Era.

Shadowsilk Tribe

The Shadowsilk Tribe are a tribe found in Stonefalls who have managed to tame giant spiders for use as war beasts. An Orc named Oodegu came to earn one of the higher-ranking positions in the tribe, killing two of the tribe leaders and giving their shaman "an embarrassing beating" to do so, and lead them halfway across Tamriel to Morrowind. At some point they took control of one of Mephala's Nests, killing the Mephala worshippers within. In 2E 582, a Dunmer mage apprentice named Denthis Romori accidentally transformed his brother Dithis into a female goblin. Dithis was then kidnapped and taken to a nearby goblin camp by the Shadowsilk chieftain Grimmstal, prompting a rescue.

Summerset Isles

---

Coral-Splitter Tribe

The Coral-Splitter Tribe are found in the King's Haven Pass in the Summerset Isle. The Coral-Splitter is among the only known tribes on the Summerset Isle, who live in the deepest and loneliest corners of the island. The Coral-Splitter have traditionally lived in King's Haven for quite sometime. Because of the Coral-Splitter's aggressive nature, and the perilous cliffs of King's Haven, the pass would be used by the Cult of Phynaster to test the pilgrim's faith.

Toothmaul Tribe

The Toothmaul Tribe are found on Auridon in the Summerset Isles. Originally slaves from the main Summerset Isle, the goblins escaped from captivity and laid claim to a cave they named Toothmaul Gully. They then formed a tribe, led by Chief Koth.. In return for the ability to recruit tribe members into labor and fighting forces, the Heritance provided the goblins with reserve arms and armor. After discovering the goblin occupation of the gully, the First Auridon Marines broke up the alliance and ensured the tribe's survival for their continued cooperation with the Altmer.

Cross-Province Tribes

---

Cragkin Tribe

The Cragkin Tribe are found in the Bangkorai and Reaper's March regions. Some of them seemed to worship Gargoyles, while others worshipped an Ogre known as Big Ozur.

Dust Eater Tribe

Dust Eater Skirmisher

The Dust Eater Tribe (or Dusteater Tribe) are found in both Hammerfell and Cyrodiil. They are known to inhabit the Dwemer ruins of Rkhardahrk in Craglorn, where they live alongside ogres and dreugh. They also inhabit an abandoned mine known as Barren Mine, found deep in Blackwood.

Rotblood Tribe

The Rotblood Tribe inhabit Jode's Light, a Khajiiti temple in the Reaper's March region that was abandoned during the Thrassian Plague.

Stonechewer Tribe

The Stonechewer Tribe are a tribe found in both High Rock and Elsweyr. They are known to worship Muluk. The tribe in Elsweyr was wiped out by the Knahaten Flu. The High Rock tribe inhabit Menevia, in central Stormhaven. In 2E 582 the tribe briefly held Cumberland's Watch after their totem was stolen.

Gallery

• 

  Goblin
  (Arena)

• 

  Goblin
  (Redguard)

• 

  Goblin concept art
  (Redguard)

• 

  Goblin
  (Morrowind)

• 

  Goblin officer
  (Morrowind)

• 

  Goblin
  (Shadowkey)

• 

  Goblin
  (Oblivion)

• 

  Goblin Witch
  (Oblivion)

• 

  Goblin
  (Oblivion Mobile)

• 

  A goblin in light armor (Skyrim)

• 

  Goblin (ESO)

• 

  A female goblin (ESO)

• 

  Goblin Witch (Legends)

• 

  Goblin (Blades)

• 

  A goblin warrior (Gathering Force: Arms and Armor of Tamriel)

• 

  Goblin Totem Staff (Skyrim)

• 

  A Goblin Healing Totem (ESO)

• 

  A goblin (Betrayal of the Second Era)

Notes

• 1.

  According to the research of the Antiquarian Circle, the goblins' attack on Ojwambu was one of several to justify the Siege of Orsinium, a conflict that started in 1E 950 and lasted for thirty years. They also theorized that the attack on Ojwambu took place in the seventy-four-year timespan between the beastfolks' exodus from Hammerfell in 1E 874 and the start of the siege. But this contradicts Derik's status as the last Ansei because it would place his death several years before Makela Leki's fight against King Joile in 1E 973.

• In Nordic folklore, Falmer are sometimes known as "riekr-kin", they are derogatorily nicknamed "bogles" and "clatter-coats". Though incredibly similar in nature and physique, they are not related to goblins. In fact, they are just the corrupted descendants of the Snow Elves.
• Goblin wax is known to have alchemical properties.

See Also

• Goblin Names
• For game-specific information, see the Arena, Redguard, Tribunal, Oblivion, Oblivion Mobile, Skyrim^CC, Elder Scrolls Online, Legends, Blades, and Castles articles.
• For a list of notable Goblins, see here.

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.