Essens Goblin
 
 
CLIMATE/TERRAIN                Any non-arctic land
FREQUENCY                            Rare
ORGANIZATION                      Tribal
ACTIVITY CYCLE                    Night
DIET                                        Carnivore
INTELLIGENCE                       High ( 13-14 )
TREASURE                               P,T
ALIGNMENT                            Lawful Evil
---------------------------------------------------------------
NO. APPEARING                      Special
ARMOR CLASS                        10
MOVEMENT                             6
HIT DICE                                 Apprentice 1+1
                                                Magician 3+2
                                                Spellbinder 5+3
                                                Shaman 7+4
                                                Witchmaster 9+5
THAC0                                    Apprentice 20
                                                Magician 19
                                                Spellbinder 18
                                                Shaman 17
                                                Witchmaster 16
NO. OF ATTACKS                   1
DAMAGE/ATTACKS               1-6 ( Staff )
SPECIAL ATTACKS                Spells
SPECIAL DEFENSES               Nil.
MAGIC RESISTANCE             10 %
SIZE                                        S ( 4'  )
MORALE                                  Fanatic ( 14 )
XP VALUE                                Apprentice 35
                                                Magician 75
                                                Spellbinder 150
                                                Shaman 350
                                                Witchmaster 500

The Essens Goblins are the remains of a time where goblins were numerous and powerful, and where their mages rivaled the other demihumans in magical knowledge. Then an unknown event took place, which brought an end to the Goblin empire, the Goblins became scattered and disorientated, and lost most of their magical knowledge. Only the Essens Goblins remained. The Essens Goblins look much like their normal cousins, except for the fact that they never wear armor, and never carry other weapons than their "Staff of Magic" ( this is not the magical item by the same name ). They are more talented with languages than their cousins, and some of them speak languages like Common, Elvish or even Dwarvish.

COMBAT
When the Essens Goblins engage in close combat ( which rarely happends ) they ride wolfs, which they use to charge the enemy, inflicting double damage if they hit, if possible they will continue right through the enemy lines to the other side so they can attack again from behind. Their primary attack is by spells, which they hurl like a wizard of the same level as they themselves have hitpoints ( Apprentice 1st lv, Magician 3rd level etc. ). They can cast spells from the schools of Invocation, Necromantic, Illusions and Charm, together with the priestly sphere of Healing. All spells are cast as wizards. Roughly 25 % of all Essens Goblins are Wild Mages.

HABITAT/SOCIETY
The Essens Goblins live among their relatives, but usually they have a higher rank than the others, and sometimes they even are "the right hand" of the leader.
Essens Goblins are often found as leaders of Goblin patrols, and thereby they bring more cruel and clever tactics into their raids. An Essens Goblin is so good for the morale of the Goblins, that when they fail their morale check, they may try with another dice roll.

ECOLOGY
Essens Goblins have a very short lifespand just like their cousins, which further adds to the mystery of how they have survived for such a long time.
They also eat pretty much the same, but they have achieved a special taste for Human brain and Elven ears, because they somehow think they will give them more intelligence.
 

1