40d:Goblin

Goblins are intelligent humanoid creatures that live in dark fortresses in the mountains. They are primarily interested in killing dwarves. They will siege any sufficiently populous or wealthy fortress, and frequently employ trolls in their armies to destroy doors and other buildings.

Occasionally, one or more goblin "snatchers" may arrive if you have children in your fortress. They are stealthy like kobolds. Detecting them is announced by "Snatcher! Protect the children!". They will attempt to kidnap any children they come across and carry a bag with them for this purpose. After a few attempts goblin master thieves will start showing up – besides being generally more competent, these can also evade traps. There is also a small chance of getting the goblin ruler with these thieves, if he is a thief himself. Toady stated in a RPPR interview that these children will be raised by the goblins and can eventually show up in future goblin armies.

Independent of this goblins will ambush your fortress, sending squads of different soldier types. Later, the sieges begin: your primary adversary in an invasion, goblin numbers increase every year once they start attacking, and eventually begin besieging your fortress more than once a year. Fortunately, they are not very bright, and will walk into traps by the hundreds. They may sometimes come riding beak dogs as cavalry.

Goblins carry somewhat valuable gear. They often wear giant cave spider silk clothing, iron armor, even steel armor (that can be melted down) and steel weapons. Crossbowmen will carry dwarf-usable bolts. Goblin clothing is considered "narrow" and dwarves cannot wear it, though it can be used as trade goods. Goblin bones and skulls are not particularly valuable, although - as with all bones and skulls - the bones can be crafted into bolts and the skulls crafted into totems.

Unlike other races, goblin "roads" are underground, and if you get in to one, unless you are ready, it can take a long walk to the other side, and you cannot enter the travel map when walking one. Being underground, they do not show up on the map^[Verify].

Living among them

Starting a fortress with a goblin stronghold in the local area is not for the faint of heart. If you take on this challenge, be careful in choosing a starting position; if your wagon starts inside the stronghold, your dwarves will probably come to a quick and bloody end. Reclaiming the resulting miasmal pit causes a bloodless eviction of the goblins and leaves one with a broad selection of odd items scattered throughout the now deserted towers^{v0.27.169.33g}.

Because the goblin master thieves can avoid your traps, it's useful to chain a few war dogs at the entrance. Cage traps also seem to be more effective than other traps at catching those sneaking goblin masters.

Starting Equipment

If starting in a goblin fort you should definitely ditch your anvil. If you have a soil level you can probably get by bringing less food and less booze, thus allowing you to bring lots of dogs; a large enough pack of dogs should allow you to escape the goblin fort with few casualties, and start building your own army. The dogs will also provide you with a nice source of meat.

Goblin society

Goblin society has few laws. Slavery, assault, oath-breaking, and murder are all considered a personal matter between the parties involved. Additionally goblins view all forms of torture as acceptable (and fun).

Goblins do not possess the aptitude for growing, tending more towards fishing, hunting, and butchering livestock for their food sources. Fortunately for goblins their digestive systems can derive as much sustenance from bones as from the meat that came on it.

V · T · E Creatures
Races	Dwarf • Elf • Goblin • Human • Kobold
Animals	Alligator • Beak dog • Bilou • Black-crested gibbon • Black-handed gibbon • Black bear • Bonobo • Cat • Cave crocodile • Cheetah • Chimpanzee • Cougar • Cow • Deer • Dog • Donkey • Elephant • Elk • Fox • Gazelle • Giant bat • Giant cave spider • Giant cave swallow • Giant cheetah • Giant desert scorpion • Giant eagle • Giant jaguar • Giant leopard • Giant lion • Giant mole • Giant olm • Giant rat • Giant tiger • Giant toad • Gorilla • Gray gibbon • Grimeling • Grizzly bear • Groundhog • Harpy • Hippo • Hoary marmot • Horse • Ice wolf • Jaguar • Large rat • Leopard • Lion • Mandrill • Mountain goat • Mule • Muskox • Naked mole dog • One-humped camel • Orangutan • Pileated gibbon • Polar bear • Raccoon • Rhesus macaque • Saltwater crocodile • Sasquatch • Siamang • Silvery gibbon • Tiger • Two-humped camel • Unicorn • Warthog • White-browed gibbon • White-handed gibbon • Wolf
Aquatic	Angelshark • Basking shark • Blacktip reef shark • Blue shark • Bluefin tuna • Bluefish • Bull shark • Carp • Cod • Coelacanth • Common skate • Conger eel • Frill shark • Giant grouper • Great barracuda • Great white shark • Halibut • Hammerhead shark • Longfin mako shark • Longnose gar • Manta ray • Marlin • Milkfish • Nurse shark • Ocean sunfish • Opah • Pike • Sea lamprey • Sea monster • Sea serpent • Shortfin mako shark • Spiny dogfish • Spotted wobbegong • Stingray • Sturgeon • Swordfish • Tigerfish • Tiger shark • Walrus • Whale • Whale shark • Whitetip reef shark
Humanoids	Antman • Batman • Blizzard man • Cave swallowman • Dark gnome • Fire imp • Fire man • Foul blendec • Frogman • Gremlin • Iron man • Leechman • Lizardman • Magma man • Merperson • Mountain gnome • Mud man • Nightwing • Ogre • Olmman • Ratman • Satyr • Slugman • Snailman • Snakeman • Strangler • Tigerman • Troglodyte • Troll • Werewolf
Semi-Megabeasts	Cyclops • Ettin • Giant • Minotaur
Megabeasts	Bronze colossus • Dragon • Hydra • Titan
Nonexistent	Centaur • Chimera • Griffon • Treant • Wizard