Nation Spotlight: The Hordelands

History

The Hordelands was the traditional homeland of the goblinoid and orc races. It was a brutish land in a constant state of conflict for thousands of years, and avoided by most humans of Technocticlan and Northire, providing a natural buffer between the two human lands. When the breaking occured, the militant hobgoblins formed their nation of Maryx on the south-western fertile lands, driving the other races from their to establish their nation. The remaining races began to squabble over the barren lands, scrub and rocky steppes that remained to them.

A new power has begun to rise in the Hordelands, as the Blue have begun to carve out a small goblin protectorate at the Broken Fangs. The Blues and their Goblin kin have settled this area in the last few decades, carving the stones at the base of the ruins of the mountains with psionic power and goblin labour. Their settlement, Nivath, is still growing, just as the ruling population of psionic Blues is growing every day. Nominally, the goblins claim the area around the fangs, but they are still small in number, always in danger of attack

For the most part, the Hordelands remains a wild a dangerous frontier. Marauding bands of orcs, vicious trolls, murderous bugbears, feral Goblins, as well as a variety of beasts roam the Hordelands. However when the Gods destroyed the Fangs, they rained the stones down on the Hordelands, depositing large stones filled with precious gems and minerals, including resonant psionic crystals. Many prospectors hire mercenary companies to protect them as they search for these precious resources, and the Guild of Psionics often pays handsomely for resonant crystals.

Culture

The only unified culture of the Hordelands is the fledgeling Goblin nation, which at this stage centres around the city of Nivath. This city is directly carved into the caverns of the eastern Fang, called Sharp. Before they were broken, the eastern fang had a sharper and taller peak than the western Fang, Worn. Almost every fractured goblin tribe has joined the nation, finally having a place to be protected from the dangers of the Hordelands, and a place to thrive and become more than they were.

Goblin society is segregated from the Goblin working class, and the Blue ruling class. With their greater intelligence and psionic gifts, Blues see themselves as the natural rulers, though usually with a benevolent viewpoint. Blues do not see themselves as better than their brethren, but rather see their talents as an obligation to protect and nurture their race.  Intermarriage between the two classes is common, as the offspring are equally likely to either be mundane or Blue. Prior to the breaking, the Blues were pariahs amongst the goblin tribes, and driven away to die in the wilds. Now they are seen as the saviours of the goblin people, a small and bullied race in the Hordelands.

Nivath has a small population of non-goblins, as the Blues first allowed trade, and eventually settlement by other races. Goblins are naturally fearful of the taller races, but the Blues work to integrate the other races, to show the Goblins that there is nothing to fear from them. Some say this is a deliberate attempt to civilise the Goblins, which have long been seen as vicious, stupid and cruel. For the most part, the Goblins have given up their old ways, and now are becoming industrious craftsmen and laborers. For the most part, Goblins stay within the walls of their city, but Blues now venture out into the world, seeking knowledge and power to take back to Nivath, to begin the dawning of the first age of the Goblins.

Language and names

The Goblin language was originally rudimentary and harsh. When Delan met a small tribe of a dozen Blues, he joined with their Chieftain telepathically, spending a great deal of time broadening their horizons and psionic gifts. When he left them, their minds had expanded in scope, now needing new words for concepts they had never considered before. This tribe began to collect other young Blues as they fled or were exiled from their tribes, and soon a polyglot of different tribal languages began to form, with new words being invented daily and recorded.

Now, the Goblin language is on par with Hobgoblin in complexity, and thanks to the Blues, is beginning to surpass it. Mundane Goblins tend to use simpler phrases and words, but the Blues teach them their language alongside their own gifted offspring.

Goblin is a language with shorter words, where words an have entirely different meanings depending on intonation. The word "Clenth" Means "Boot" when said in a low tone, and "Blade" when said in a higher tone. Words tend to be shorter, and names follow suit. There is no distinction in naming conventions between Blues and Mundanes, as the Blues believe that separating themselves would only foster discontent.

Names are separated by gender, with male names always beginning with vowel sounds, and female names always with consonant. Goblins used to have tribe names, which they have abandoned to show their commitment to their new society. Now, they use their trade, craft or psionic path as a last name.

Examples: Almag the Potter.  Suvuk the Gazer.

Male names: Abnarl, Almag, Ashnak, Azlarn, Ebrot, Edruk, Egtar, Ekarn, Etram, Idnorq, Ifnaq, Ilnort, Iprag, Odran, Oklark, Otret, Ozmic, Uknaq, Uquek, Uspak, Utnar, Ybnar, Ydrol, Ydruk, Yznor.

Female names: Belath, Churaz, Delkar, Gakrol, Jekor, Kelak, Kovak, Martuk, Nezra, Reknaz, Saknar, Suvuk, Telzak, Trakna, Varuz, Vreka, Vyklar, Waknuz, Wezlak, Xirtzak, Yovik, Zarknet, Zurbaq.