Hobgoblin — Conqueror of the Ninefold Dominion

Game Statistics

The statistics below represent eight recurring positions within hobgoblin armies and occupations. A Bound Cohort Soldier or Crown-Bound Guard need not be ethnically hobgoblin; those organisations deliberately incorporate conquered peoples. The remaining profiles represent hobgoblins themselves.

Bound Cohort Soldier

Bound Cohort Soldiers are the Dominion’s ordinary coerced troops: captives, tributary levies, debtors, convicted rebels and other conquered people placed under hobgoblin command. They occupy the lowest rung of the military system and are used for dangerous assaults, labour-intensive garrison duty and campaigns where the Dominion prefers to risk subject lives before trained hobgoblins. Their obedience depends heavily on officers, hostages and the belief that resistance is impossible, so a broken command structure can turn a disciplined-looking unit into deserters, surrendering soldiers or potential allies.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid, Any Alignment

AC 15
Initiative +1
HP 11 (2d8 + 2)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)	10 (+0)	9 (−1)

Skills Athletics +3
Senses Passive Perception 10
Languages one regional language; limited Goblin military vocabulary
CR 1/4 (50 XP)

Traits

Coerced Obedience. While the soldier can see or hear a conscious hobgoblin officer, it has Advantage on saving throws against the Frightened condition.

Uncertain Loyalty. If the soldier begins its turn with no conscious hobgoblin officer within 30 feet, the GM may call for a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, the soldier Dodges, retreats, refuses an obviously suicidal command or attempts to surrender.

Actions

Spear. Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft. or range 20/60 ft. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) Piercing damage.

Light Crossbow. Ranged Attack Roll: +3, range 80/320 ft. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) Piercing damage.

Human warrior 2
CR 1/2; XP 200
Any alignment Medium humanoid (human)

Init +1; Senses Perception +2

Defense

AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
hp 15 (2d10 + 4)
Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +0

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee spear +4 (1d8 + 1/×3)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19–20)

Statistics

Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9
Base Atk +2; CMB +3; CMD 14
Feats Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (spear)
Skills Intimidate +3, Perception +2
Languages one regional language, limited Goblin
Gear studded leather, light shield, spear, light crossbow, 20 bolts, identification tablet

Special Abilities

Coerced Obedience (Ex). +2 morale bonus on saves against fear while the soldier can see or hear a conscious hobgoblin officer.

Uncertain Loyalty (Ex). With no conscious hobgoblin officer within 30 feet, the GM may require a DC 10 Will save at the start of the soldier’s turn. Failure causes withdrawal, surrender or total defence rather than continued obedience.

Human warrior 2
CR 1; Medium humanoid (human); Any alignment

Init +1; Listen +2; Spot +2
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14
hp 13 (2d8 + 4)
Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +0
Speed 30 ft.
Melee spear +4 (1d8 + 1/×3)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d8/19–20)
Base Atk +2; Grapple +3
Abilities Str 13, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 9
Feats Improved Shield Bash, Weapon Focus (spear)
Languages one regional language; limited Goblin

Coerced Obedience (Ex). +2 morale on saves against fear while a conscious hobgoblin officer is visible or audible.

Crown-Bound Guard

Crown-Bound Guards belong to the Dominion’s elite captive-born state corps. Taken young and raised inside imperial institutions, they are educated, armed and trusted far beyond ordinary subject troops, serving as palace guards, arsenal protectors, officers, administrators and personal retainers. They can possess rank, property and real influence while still standing beneath hobgoblins in the legal hierarchy. Because they guard rulers, gates and armouries, senior Crown-Bound can become decisive political actors whenever a succession crisis divides the hobgoblin nobility.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid, Usually Lawful Neutral or Lawful Evil

AC 18
Initiative +2
HP 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	14 (+2)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)	12 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +5, Wis +3
Skills Athletics +5, Insight +3, Intimidation +3, Perception +3
Senses Passive Perception 13
Languages Goblin plus two regional languages
CR 3 (700 XP)

Traits

Household Devotion. While the guard can see or hear its recognised patron, Banner Lord or commanding officer, it is immune to the Frightened condition and has Advantage on saving throws against the Charmed condition.

State-Bred Discipline — 1/Day. After failing a saving throw, the guard can reroll it and must use the second result.

Elite Formation. The guard gains +1 AC while within 5 feet of another conscious shield-bearing Crown-Bound Guard.

Actions

Multiattack. The guard makes two attacks with its Polearm, Backsword or Handgonne.

Polearm. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 10 ft. Hit: 8 (1d10 + 3) Slashing or Piercing damage.

Backsword. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Slashing damage.

Handgonne. Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 40/120 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) Piercing damage.

Reaction

Interpose for the Patron. When an adjacent recognised hobgoblin officer or Banner Lord is hit by an attack, the guard becomes the target instead, provided the guard can see the attacker and is not Incapacitated.

Human fighter 4
CR 3; XP 800
LN or LE Medium humanoid (human)

Init +2; Senses Perception +3

Defense

AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; AC 18 while wielding the glaive two-handed
hp 38 (4d10 + 16)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4; +2 against charm effects

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork glaive +10 (1d10 + 8/×3) or masterwork longsword +9 (1d8 + 4/19–20)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +7 (1d10/×4)

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 20
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (glaive), Weapon Specialization (glaive)
Skills Intimidate +8, Perception +3, Profession (soldier) +8, Sense Motive +3
Languages Goblin plus two regional languages

Special Abilities

Household Devotion (Ex). Immune to fear while a conscious recognised hobgoblin officer is visible or audible; +2 morale bonus on saving throws against charm effects.

Interpose for the Patron (Ex). Once per round as an immediate action, the guard can become the target of an attack that would hit an adjacent recognised officer.

State-Bred Discipline (Ex). Once per day, reroll a failed saving throw and use the second result.

Human fighter 4
CR 3; Medium humanoid (human); LN or LE

Init +2; Listen +3; Spot +3
AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17; AC 18 while wielding the glaive two-handed
hp 34 (4d10 + 12)
Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +4
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork glaive +10 (1d10 + 8/×3) or masterwork longsword +9 (1d8 + 4/19–20)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +7 (1d10/×4)
Base Atk +4; Grapple +8
Abilities Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 12
Feats Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (handgonne), Improved Shield Bash, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (glaive), Weapon Specialization (glaive)
Skills Intimidate +8, Listen +3, Sense Motive +3, Spot +3

Interpose for the Patron (Ex). Once per round as an immediate action, the guard redirects one attack that would hit an adjacent recognised officer onto itself.

State-Bred Discipline (Ex). Once per day, reroll a failed saving throw and use the second result.

Hobgoblin Legionary

The Legionary is the professional hobgoblin rank-and-file soldier and the backbone of the Ninefold Dominion. Legionaries garrison conquered towns, man checkpoints, escort officials and form the disciplined spear-and-shield lines around which larger armies are built. They are not disposable raiders: the state invests in their training, equipment and cohesion, and commanders expect them to hold formation even when individual bravery would be useless. For most adventurers, the Legionary is the face of hobgoblin authority encountered at a gate, on a road or behind a newly raised imperial standard.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 18
Initiative +1
HP 22 (4d8 + 4)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	13 (+1)	12 (+1)	11 (+0)	11 (+0)	10 (+0)

Skills Athletics +3, Perception +2
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 12
Languages Goblin plus one regional language
CR 1/2 (100 XP)

Traits

Formation Strike. Once on each of the legionary’s turns, a weapon hit against an enemy within 5 feet of one of the legionary’s conscious allies deals an extra 3 (1d6) damage.

Imperial Discipline. The legionary has Advantage on saving throws against being Frightened while it can see or hear a conscious allied officer or standard-bearer.

Actions

War Spear. Melee Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) Piercing damage.

Javelin. Melee or Ranged Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft. or range 30/120 ft. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) Piercing damage.

Reaction

Close Ranks. When a creature within 5 feet of the legionary is hit by an attack, the legionary grants it +2 AC against that attack, potentially turning the hit into a miss. The legionary must carry a shield and see the attacker. Only one Close Ranks reaction can protect a creature from the same attack.

Hobgoblin fighter 1
CR 1/2; XP 200
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.

Defense

AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16
hp 17 (1d10 + 7)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork war spear +5 (1d8 + 2/×3) or short sword +4 (1d6 + 2/19–20)
Ranged javelin +3 (1d6 + 2)

Statistics

Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Toughness, Weapon Focus (spear)
Skills Intimidate +3, Ride +6, Stealth +6
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Languages Goblin plus one regional language

Special Abilities

Close Ranks (Ex). +1 shield bonus to AC while adjacent to a conscious shield-bearing ally. This bonus does not stack with itself.

Set Against Charge (Ex). A readied war spear deals double damage against a charging creature.

Hobgoblin fighter 1
CR 1; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +2; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1; Spot +1
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15
hp 11 (1d10 + 6)
Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +1
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork war spear +5 (1d8 + 2/×3)
Ranged javelin +3 (1d6 + 2)
Base Atk +1; Grapple +3
Abilities Str 15, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Feats Toughness, Weapon Focus (spear)
Skills Intimidate +3, Move Silently +6, Ride +6

Close Ranks (Ex). +1 shield bonus to AC while adjacent to a conscious shield-bearing ally.

Set Against Charge (Ex). A readied war spear deals double damage against a charging creature.

Hobgoblin Conquest Rider

Conquest Riders are the Dominion’s mobile frontier cavalry: scouts, pursuers, couriers and raiders used to make sure an enemy cannot simply outrun the army. They are selected for horsemanship and often operate from military estates that maintain remounts and fodder for campaigning forces. In battle they avoid wasting themselves against a solid line, instead hunting messengers, baggage, isolated troops and fleeing enemies. In occupied country, a handful of riders can make distant villages feel as though the Dominion is everywhere at once.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 16
Initiative +3
HP 52 (8d8 + 16)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
13 (+1)	17 (+3)	14 (+2)	11 (+0)	12 (+1)	10 (+0)

Skills Animal Handling +3, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 13
Languages Goblin plus one regional language
CR 2 (450 XP)

Traits

Mounted Discipline. The rider has Advantage on checks and saving throws made to remain mounted. Mounting or dismounting costs only 5 feet of movement.

Ride Down the Isolated. Once per turn, a weapon hit against a creature with no conscious ally within 5 feet deals an extra 4 (1d8) damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The rider makes two Composite Bow attacks or two Sabre attacks.

Composite Bow. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 150/600 ft. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) Piercing damage.

Light Lance. Melee Attack Roll: +3, reach 10 ft. Hit: 6 (1d10 + 1) Piercing damage.

Sabre. Melee Attack Roll: +5, reach 5 ft. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) Slashing damage.

Pinning Shot — Recharge 5–6. The rider makes a Composite Bow attack. On a hit, the target cannot take Reactions and its Speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of the rider’s next turn.

Reaction

Controlled Withdrawal. Immediately after the mounted rider makes a ranged attack, its mount can move up to half its Speed without provoking an Opportunity Attack from the target of that attack.

Mounts: Most ride warhorses or regional war camels. Rare provincial units employ trained terror birds. Add a mount’s XP whenever it materially participates in the encounter.

Hobgoblin fighter 4
CR 3; XP 800
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.

Defense

AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp 34 (4d10 + 12)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2

Offense

Speed 30 ft.; normally mounted
Melee masterwork lance +7 (1d8 + 2/×3) or masterwork scimitar +7 (1d6 + 2/18–20)
Ranged masterwork composite shortbow +10 (1d6 + 2/×3)

Statistics

Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +4; CMB +6; CMD 20
Feats Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (composite shortbow)
Skills Handle Animal +6, Ride +13, Stealth +8
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth

Special Abilities

Mounted Discipline (Ex). +2 racial bonus on Ride checks to control a mount in battle, stay mounted or use the mount as cover.

Ride Down the Isolated (Ex). +2 weapon damage against an enemy that is not adjacent to one of its conscious allies.

Skirmish Fire (Ex). If the mount moves at least 20 feet, the rider gains +1 dodge AC until the start of its next turn.

Hobgoblin fighter 4
CR 3; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +4; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1; Spot +1
AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14
hp 30 (4d10 + 8)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2
Speed 30 ft.; normally mounted
Melee masterwork lance +7 (1d8 + 2/×3) or masterwork scimitar +7 (1d6 + 2/18–20)
Ranged masterwork composite shortbow +10 (1d6 + 2/×3)
Base Atk +4; Grapple +6
Abilities Str 14, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8
Feats Mounted Archery, Mounted Combat, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Weapon Focus (composite shortbow)
Skills Handle Animal +6, Move Silently +8, Ride +13

Mounted Discipline (Ex). +2 racial bonus on relevant Ride checks.

Ride Down the Isolated (Ex). +2 weapon damage against an enemy not adjacent to one of its conscious allies.

Hobgoblin Siege Engineer

Siege Engineers are literate military specialists trusted with some of the Dominion’s most valuable knowledge: artillery, powder, fortification, surveying, demolition and the machinery needed to reduce a defended city. They work in arsenals, siege trains, bridge crews and fortified camps, usually protected by soldiers who understand that the engineer may be harder to replace than the weapon being operated. Within hobgoblin society their status comes from technical usefulness rather than noble birth, and a skilled engineer can shape an entire campaign by deciding where a wall, road, gate or bridge will fail.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 16
Initiative +3
HP 60 (11d8 + 11)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
12 (+1)	16 (+3)	13 (+1)	16 (+3)	12 (+1)	9 (−1)

Saving Throws Dex +5, Int +5
Skills Investigation +5, Perception +3, Sleight of Hand +5
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 13
Languages Goblin plus two regional languages
CR 3 (700 XP)

Traits

Calculated Demolition. The engineer deals double damage to unattended objects and structures and ignores the first 5 points of an object’s or structure’s damage threshold.

Powder Discipline. The engineer has Advantage on saving throws against battlefield smoke, deafening explosions and similar hazards produced by gunpowder weapons or artillery.

Survey the Weakness. The engineer has Advantage on Intelligence checks made to locate structural vulnerabilities in fortifications, bridges, gates, siege machines and constructs.

Actions

Multiattack. The engineer makes two War Pick attacks or two Handgonne attacks.

War Pick. Melee Attack Roll: +3, reach 5 ft. Hit: 5 (1d8 + 1) Piercing damage.

Handgonne. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 40/120 ft. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) Piercing damage.

Incendiary Firepot — Recharge 5–6. The engineer throws a firepot to a point within 60 feet. Creatures within 10 feet of that point make a DC 13 Dexterity saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) Fire damage on a failure or half as much on a success. Unattended flammable objects ignite.

Bonus Action

Direct the Crew. One ally within 30 feet that can hear the engineer moves up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks. If that ally operates a siege engine or damages an object or structure before the engineer’s next turn, one damage roll gains 3 (1d6) additional damage.

Hobgoblin fighter 5
CR 4; XP 1,200
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft.

Defense

AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15
hp 42 (5d10 + 15)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork war pick +7 (1d8 + 1/×4)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +11 (1d10 + 1/×4)
Special Attacks alchemical bomb 3/day

Statistics

Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 19
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms), Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload (handgonne), Skill Focus (Craft [siege engine]), Weapon Focus (handgonne)
Skills Craft (siege engine) +14, Knowledge (engineering) +11, Profession (soldier) +9, Stealth +7
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Weapon Training firearms +1

Special Abilities

Alchemical Bomb (Ex). Three times per day; ranged touch attack, range increment 20 feet; direct hit 2d6 + 3 fire damage, adjacent creatures take 3 splash fire damage, DC 15 Reflex negates splash.

Breach Expert (Ex). +2 on attack and damage rolls against objects, constructs and siege engines; effective hardness is reduced by 5.

Direct the Crew (Ex). As a move action, allies operating the same siege engine gain +2 competence on attack rolls and relevant loading or Profession checks until the engineer’s next turn.

Hobgoblin fighter 5
CR 4; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +3; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1; Spot +1
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15
hp 37 (5d10 + 10)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +2
Speed 30 ft.
Melee masterwork war pick +7 (1d8 + 1/×4)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +10 (1d10/×4)
Base Atk +5; Grapple +6
Abilities Str 12, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
Feats Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Reload (handgonne), Weapon Focus (handgonne)
Skills Craft (siege engine) +11, Hide +3, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +7, Move Silently +7

Breach Expert (Ex). +2 attack and damage against objects, constructs and siege engines; reduce effective hardness by 5.

Alchemical Bomb (Ex). Three prepared bombs per day; ranged touch attack with a 20-foot range increment; 2d6 + 3 fire damage on a direct hit and 3 splash damage.

Hobgoblin Black-Banner Captain

Black-Banner Captains are career hobgoblin officers who turn groups of soldiers into a functioning battlefield formation. They command patrols, garrisons and assault groups, relay a Banner Lord’s orders and are expected to preserve discipline when plans begin to collapse. Socially they stand between the common legionary and the great military households: important enough to command Crown-Bound and subject troops, but still dependent on higher patrons for land, advancement and political protection. Adventurers who remove a Captain often discover that the troops around them become much less dangerous almost immediately.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 18
Initiative +2
HP 82 (11d8 + 33)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +2

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	13 (+1)	16 (+3)

Saving Throws Str +6, Wis +3, Cha +5
Skills Athletics +6, History +4, Insight +3, Intimidation +5, Perception +3
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 13
Languages Goblin plus two regional languages
CR 4 (1,100 XP)

Traits

Command Presence. Allies within 30 feet have Advantage on saving throws against the Frightened condition while they can see or hear the captain.

Formation Strike. Once per turn, the captain deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage when it hits an enemy adjacent to one of the captain’s conscious allies.

Unbroken Chain of Command. When the captain falls to 0 HP, one allied hobgoblin or Crown-Bound creature within 30 feet gains 10 Temporary Hit Points and can immediately move up to half its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Actions

Multiattack. The captain makes two Command Mace, Backsword or Composite Bow attacks.

Command Mace. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) Bludgeoning damage.

Backsword. Melee Attack Roll: +6, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) Slashing damage.

Composite Bow. Ranged Attack Roll: +4, range 150/600 ft. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) Piercing damage.

Command the Assault — Recharge 5–6. Up to three allies within 60 feet that can see or hear the captain can use their Reactions to move up to half their Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. One of those creatures can then make one weapon attack.

Bonus Action

Ruthless Order — 2/Day. One ally within 30 feet gains 8 Temporary Hit Points and can immediately repeat a saving throw against the Frightened condition.

Reaction

Parry. The captain gains +3 AC against one melee attack that would hit it, provided it can see the attacker and is wielding a melee weapon.

Hobgoblin fighter 6
CR 5; XP 1,600
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +7

Defense

AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19
hp 63 (6d10 + 30)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +5

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 heavy mace +13/+8 (1d8 + 8) or +1 backsword +11/+6 (1d8 + 5/19–20)
Ranged masterwork composite longbow +9/+4 (1d8 + 4/×3)

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +6; CMB +10; CMD 22
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Weapon Specialization (heavy mace)
Skills Intimidate +11, Knowledge (engineering) +11, Perception +7, Ride +9, Sense Motive +3, Stealth +6
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Weapon Training hammers +1

Special Abilities

Banner Orders (Ex). Three times per day as a swift action, choose one order affecting allies within 30 feet until the start of the captain’s next turn:

• Advance: +10-foot enhancement bonus to land Speed.
• Hold: +2 morale bonus to CMD and AC against attacks of opportunity.
• Seize: +2 morale bonus on combat manoeuvre checks and weapon damage rolls.

Formation Mastery (Ex). An ally adjacent to the captain and another conscious ally gains +1 morale on melee attacks; shield-bearing allies also gain +1 shield AC.

Unbroken Chain of Command (Ex). When reduced to 0 hp, one allied hobgoblin or Crown-Bound creature within 30 feet gains 10 temporary hp and can move half its Speed as an immediate action without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Hobgoblin fighter 6
CR 5; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +6; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1; Spot +1
AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19; AC 19 while using the longbow without its shield
hp 57 (6d10 + 24)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +5
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 heavy mace +12/+7 (1d8 + 7) or +1 backsword +11/+6 (1d8 + 5/19–20)
Ranged masterwork composite longbow +9/+4 (1d8 + 4/×3)
Base Atk +6; Grapple +10
Abilities Str 18, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 14
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Weapon Specialization (heavy mace)
Skills Intimidate +11, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +6, Move Silently +6, Ride +9, Sense Motive +3

Banner Orders (Ex). Three times per day as a swift action, allies within 30 feet receive one order until the start of the captain’s next turn: Advance (+10 feet Speed), Hold (+2 AC against attacks of opportunity) or Seize (+2 weapon damage and checks made to bull rush, grapple, overrun or trip).

Unbroken Chain of Command (Ex). When the captain falls, one allied hobgoblin or Crown-Bound creature within 30 feet gains 10 temporary hp and can immediately move up to half its Speed.

Hobgoblin Black-Iron Lancer

Black-Iron Lancers are the prestige shock cavalry of the Dominion. Their barded warhorses, reinforced armour, heavy lances and specialist training make each lancer expensive to maintain, so they are normally concentrated under wealthy military households rather than scattered through ordinary patrols. They embody the social prestige of mounted war: disciplined warriors trusted to wait until infantry, missiles or terrain have created the moment for a decisive charge. When Black-Iron Lancers appear, the Dominion expects a battle important enough to justify risking valuable horses, equipment and elite soldiers.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 19
Initiative +2
HP 95 (10d8 + 50)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +3

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
20 (+5)	14 (+2)	20 (+5)	13 (+1)	13 (+1)	12 (+1)

Saving Throws Str +8, Con +8, Wis +4
Skills Animal Handling +4, Athletics +8, Intimidation +4, Perception +4
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 14
Languages Goblin plus two regional languages
CR 5 (1,800 XP)

Traits

Heavy Cavalry. The lancer has Advantage on checks and saving throws made to remain mounted. Mounting or dismounting costs 5 feet of movement.

Imperial Discipline. The lancer has Advantage on saving throws against the Frightened condition.

Crushing Charge. Once per turn, when a Heavy Lance attack hits after the lancer’s mount has travelled at least 20 feet directly towards the target, the attack deals an extra 9 (2d8) Piercing damage. A Large or smaller target must also succeed on a DC 16 Strength saving throw or fall Prone.

Actions

Multiattack. The lancer makes two Heavy Lance, Sabre or Handgonne attacks.

Heavy Lance. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 10 ft. Hit: 11 (1d12 + 5) Piercing damage.

Sabre. Melee Attack Roll: +8, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d6 + 5) Slashing damage.

Handgonne. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 40/120 ft. Hit: 9 (2d6 + 2) Piercing damage.

Bonus Action

Drive Them Down. The lancer’s mount takes the Dash or Disengage action.

Reaction

Shield the Saddle. While mounted, the lancer gains +3 AC against one attack that would otherwise hit it.

Barded Warhorse. A Black-Iron Lancer normally rides a heavily armoured warhorse. Treat the horse as AC 17 while wearing its heavy barding and include the mount in encounter difficulty whenever it fights independently.

Hobgoblin fighter 7
CR 6; XP 2,400
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.

Defense

AC 21, touch 12, flat-footed 19
hp 67 (7d10 + 28)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +5

Offense

Speed 30 ft.; normally mounted
Melee +1 lance +14/+9 (1d8 + 8/×3) or masterwork scimitar +12/+7 (1d6 + 4/18–20)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +10 (1d10/×4)

Statistics

Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 23
Feats Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
Skills Handle Animal +10, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (engineering) +12, Ride +14, Stealth +6
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Weapon Training spears +1

Special Abilities

Heavy Cavalry (Ex). +2 racial bonus on relevant Ride checks.

Crushing Charge (Ex). +2 on overrun manoeuvre checks during a mounted charge. After a successful lance attack, the mount gains +2 on its next hoof attack against that target during the same turn.

Locked Saddle (Ex). +4 circumstance bonus to CMD against effects intended to drag, reposition or dismount the lancer.

Hobgoblin fighter 7
CR 6; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +2; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +1; Spot +1
AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20; AC 19 while unmounted and wielding the lance two-handed
hp 59 (7d10 + 21)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +5
Speed 30 ft.; normally mounted
Melee +1 lance +13/+8 (1d8 + 7/×3) or masterwork scimitar +12/+7 (1d6 + 4/18–20)
Ranged masterwork handgonne +10 (1d10/×4)
Base Atk +7; Grapple +11
Abilities Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 10
Feats Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Ride-By Attack, Spirited Charge, Trample, Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
Skills Handle Animal +10, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +7, Move Silently +6, Ride +14

Heavy Cavalry (Ex). +2 racial bonus on checks made to control a mount, remain mounted or use it as cover.

Locked Saddle (Ex). +4 circumstance bonus on checks and opposed rolls made to avoid being dragged, repositioned or dismounted.

Hobgoblin Banner Lord

A Banner Lord is not merely a stronger hobgoblin soldier but a member of the Dominion’s ruling military nobility: landholder, commander, tax collector and head of a household containing soldiers, Crown-Bound retainers, servants and dependants. A Banner Lord may control a fortress, town, cavalry estate or conquered district and is expected to turn that territory into troops, revenue and supplies for the Third Muster. Their power makes them indispensable to the First Marshal and dangerous to one another. In play, defeating a Banner Lord can mean breaking an entire local occupation—but it can also open a succession struggle among captains, heirs and rival households.

D&D 5.5e / 2024Pathfinder 1eD&D 3.5e

Medium Humanoid (Goblinoid), Lawful Evil

AC 19
Initiative +2
HP 136 (16d8 + 64)
Speed 30 ft.
PB +3

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	18 (+4)	16 (+3)	14 (+2)	18 (+4)

Saving Throws Con +7, Wis +5, Cha +7
Skills History +6, Insight +5, Intimidation +7, Perception +5, Persuasion +7
Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Passive Perception 15
Languages Goblin plus three regional languages
CR 8 (3,900 XP)

Traits

Master of the Household. Allied hobgoblins and Crown-Bound creatures within 30 feet have Advantage on saving throws against the Charmed and Frightened conditions while they can see or hear the Banner Lord.

Imperial Retinue. When initiative is rolled, up to three allies within 30 feet can each move up to 10 feet without provoking Opportunity Attacks.

Formation Strike. Once per turn, a weapon hit against a creature adjacent to one of the Banner Lord’s conscious allies deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage.

Actions

Multiattack. The Banner Lord makes three Command Mace, Backsword or Composite Bow attacks.

Command Mace. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 9 (1d10 + 4) Bludgeoning damage.

Backsword. Melee Attack Roll: +7, reach 5 ft. Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) Slashing damage.

Composite Bow. Ranged Attack Roll: +5, range 150/600 ft. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) Piercing damage.

Command the Field — Recharge 5–6. Up to four allies within 60 feet can use their Reactions to move up to half their Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks. Up to two of those creatures can make one weapon attack after moving.

Bonus Actions

Mark for Seizure. Choose one creature within 60 feet. The first ally to hit that creature before the start of the Banner Lord’s next turn deals an extra 7 (2d6) damage, and the target cannot take Reactions until the end of the current turn.

Restore the Line — 2/Day. Up to three allies within 30 feet each gain 10 Temporary Hit Points and may immediately repeat a saving throw against the Frightened condition.

Reaction

Expend the Guard. When the Banner Lord is hit while an adjacent willing Crown-Bound Guard or hobgoblin soldier is present, that ally becomes the target instead.

Typical Retinue. One Black-Banner Captain, two to six Crown-Bound Guards, several legionaries, a standard-bearer, clerks, messengers, servants and a barded warhorse. Calculate active members of the retinue separately when determining encounter difficulty.

Hobgoblin fighter 9
CR 8; XP 4,800
LE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)

Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.

Defense

AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 22; AC 22 while using the longbow without its shield
hp 103 (9d10 + 54)
Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +7 (+9 against fear)

Offense

Speed 30 ft.
Melee +2 heavy mace +19/+14 (1d8 + 11) or +1 backsword +16/+11 (1d8 + 7/19–20)
Ranged masterwork composite longbow +12/+7 (1d8 + 5/×3)

Statistics

Str 20, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18
Base Atk +9; CMB +14; CMD 26
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Leadership, Power Attack, Shield Focus, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Weapon Specialization (heavy mace), Improved Critical (heavy mace)
Skills Diplomacy +13, Intimidate +16, Profession (soldier) +14, Ride +14, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +6
Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth
Weapon Training hammers +2, heavy blades +1

Special Abilities

Command the Field (Ex). Three times per day as a swift action, affect up to four allies within 60 feet until the beginning of the Banner Lord’s next turn:

• Advance: +10-foot enhancement bonus to Speed; the first square each creature leaves does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
• Break Them: +2 morale bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls.
• Hold: +2 morale bonus to AC, CMD and saving throws against fear.

Master of the Household (Ex). Allied hobgoblins and Crown-Bound within 30 feet gain +2 morale on saving throws against fear and charm effects.

Expend the Guard (Ex). Once per round, an adjacent willing Crown-Bound Guard or hobgoblin soldier can become the target of an attack that would hit the Banner Lord.

Sealed Orders (Ex). When initiative is rolled, up to three allies within 30 feet can each move 10 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Hobgoblin fighter 9
CR 8; Medium humanoid (goblinoid); LE

Init +6; darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +2; Spot +2
AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 23; AC 21 while using the longbow without its shield
hp 94 (9d10 + 45)
Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +7
Speed 30 ft.
Melee +2 heavy mace +17/+12 (1d8 + 9) or +1 backsword +15/+10 (1d8 + 6/19–20)
Ranged masterwork composite longbow +12/+7 (1d8 + 5/×3)
Base Atk +9; Grapple +14
Abilities Str 20, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 18
Feats Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Improved Shield Bash, Iron Will, Leadership, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (heavy mace), Weapon Specialization (heavy mace)
Skills Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +16, Knowledge (history) +9, Move Silently +6, Ride +14, Sense Motive +8

Command the Field (Ex). Three times per day as a swift action, up to four allies within 60 feet receive Advance, Break Them or Hold until the beginning of the Banner Lord’s next turn.

Master of the Household (Ex). Allied hobgoblins and Crown-Bound within 30 feet gain +2 morale on saves against fear and charm effects.

Expend the Guard (Ex). Once per round, an adjacent willing Crown-Bound Guard or hobgoblin soldier can take an attack intended for the Banner Lord.

Sealed Orders (Ex). When initiative is rolled, up to three allies within 30 feet can immediately move 10 feet without provoking attacks of opportunity.

Encounter Formations

Hobgoblins become significantly more dangerous when their different military roles support one another. Use terrain, prepared defences and command relationships rather than simply adding more identical soldiers.

Always count independently fighting mounts, siege engines and auxiliaries when evaluating encounter difficulty.

How Hobgoblins Fight

Hobgoblins prefer objectives to slaughter. They fight to hold a gate, seize a bridge, arrest a fugitive, break a formation, silence a bombard, protect a register or preserve a line of retreat. A commander who has already achieved the objective may withdraw rather than continue exchanging casualties for no gain.

Legionaries

Legionaries form mutually supporting spear-and-shield files. They protect one another, hold narrow streets and force enemies to fight the formation rather than an individual soldier.

Missile and Powder Troops

Crossbowmen work from pavises and prepared platforms. Handgonne companies favour short controlled volleys from behind cover. Ammunition and powder are state property; uncontrolled shooting is treated as waste.

Crown-Bound

Crown-Bound troops protect officers, arsenals, gates, records and command positions. They are deliberately placed where ordinary slave troops might hesitate or defect.

Cavalry

Conquest Riders hunt messengers, baggage, scouts and fleeing troops. Black-Iron Lancers wait until terrain and enemy formation favour a decisive charge. Mud, stakes, pikes, broken ground and narrow streets are serious obstacles, so intelligent opponents prepare them in advance.

Commanders

Black-Banner Captains preserve cohesion at the tactical level. Banner Lords fight from protected positions where they can see the battle, dispatch messengers and move reserves. A Banner Lord who personally duels the strongest adventurer has usually already lost control of the field.

Signs of Hobgoblin Activity

• Measurements have been scratched beside bridges, gates or narrow streets.
• Households carry numbered census or tax tablets.
• Local weapons have been confiscated but authorised guards carry stamped permits.
• Important families have lost relatives to an imperial hostage system.
• Roads have been widened for bombards, wagons or cavalry.
• Fields have been reassigned to military households.
• Former guild halls or temples serve as barracks, stores or prisons.
• Captured engineers and artisans work inside guarded compounds.
• Black grease, iron filings and numbered fittings lie beside repaired siege machinery.
• Powder smoke hangs over a camp even when no battle is being fought.
• Birth, marriage, taxation and military recruitment records are kept together.
• Survey stakes mark property intended for confiscation or military settlement.
• A retreating hobgoblin force removes ledgers, officers, powder, engineers and breeding animals before ordinary loot.

Personhood, Surrender and Imperial Law

Hobgoblins are persons, not animals or inherently mindless monsters. They can own property, give evidence, negotiate, surrender, receive ransom and be held responsible for crimes.

The same is true of Crown-Bound soldiers. Their service may have begun with abduction and indoctrination, but individual Crown-Bound officers possess agency, interests and legal responsibility of their own.

Hobgoblin commanders usually prefer formal surrender when prisoners, labour, intelligence and public submission are more valuable than corpses. They also draft surrender terms aggressively, exploiting ambiguity and reserving rights that allow later demands.

Recognition of hobgoblin personhood does not protect officers from prosecution for enslavement, massacre, unlawful occupation, systematic destruction or other crimes committed under their authority.

The Ninefold Dominion

The greatest hobgoblin power of the campaign present is the Ninefold Dominion. Its enemies often call it the Iron Yoke.

The name remembers the nine great military standards united by the frontier house that created the modern state. It does not mean every province, office or regiment must occur in groups of nine. The symbolism matters more than the arithmetic: many competing households are supposed to submit to one command.

The Dominion claims that Varkesh’s First Muster created hobgoblin civilisation, Orzhal’s Second Muster restored it after an age of collapse, and the Third Muster will finally complete the conquest both prophets left unfinished.

The Third Muster

The Third Muster is a strategic programme rather than a promise to invade everywhere at once. Its commanders seek enough grain, artillery, ports, roads, fortresses and political obedience to sustain several wars simultaneously.

• hold Constantinople and the straits;
• secure the military corridors connecting Anatolia, the Caucasus, Mesopotamia and the Iranian uplands;
• extend a dependable chain of supply and fortified positions through the Levant;
• contain or defeat the Catfolk power in Kemet;
• renew pressure through the Carpathians without repeating the first failed invasion;
• expand artillery production and standardise replacement parts;
• prevent succession struggles from destroying the central command.

The conquest of Constantinople gave the Dominion a spectacular prize, but also a city that must be fed, policed, defended and integrated into a much larger war machine. Its rulers therefore treat the conquest as the beginning of a new strategic problem rather than the end of one.

Command and Social Rank

Banner Lords

A Banner Lord is at once a noble, commander, landholder and head of a military household. One may control a fortress, town, conquered district, cavalry estate or several subject villages.

A successful conquest creates new estates and therefore new Banner Lords. This rewards officers for victory while continually creating powerful households capable of challenging the ruler who promoted them.

Bound Cohorts

Bound Cohorts are the ordinary coerced formations of the Dominion. Their members may be captives, tributary levies, purchased slaves, debtors, convicted rebels or people inherited with a conquered estate.

Commanders deliberately mix languages and communities so a regiment cannot easily become an army for one captive nation. Relatives may be retained as hostages, while promotions, better rations and limited privileges reward obedience.

Bound Cohorts are often assigned the most dangerous assaults, distant garrison work and campaigns in environments senior commanders consider too costly for valuable hobgoblin troops.

This is distinct from the Crown-Bound. A Bound Cohort is fundamentally a slave-soldier institution. The Crown-Bound is a central state corps built around controlled upbringing, education and identity.

The Crown-Bound

The Crown-Bound are the Dominion’s elite captive-born military and administrative corps. Children taken in war, tribute or hostage arrangements are separated from their original communities and raised inside imperial training houses.

The system attempts to create loyalty by replacing previous identity rather than relying upon fear alone. Recruits learn Goblin, imperial law, literacy, arithmetic, military drill, administration, weapons, siegecraft and the doctrines associated with Varkesh.

They receive better food, equipment, education and prospects than ordinary subjects or Bound Cohort soldiers. Veterans may own property, command troops, supervise arsenals or administer military districts while still remaining legally beneath hobgoblins within the imperial hierarchy.

This creates genuine loyalty in some Crown-Bound and deep conflict in others. A character who discovers their erased birth identity does not automatically become a rebel. The Dominion may be the only society in which they remember having rank, friends, property and authority.

Crown-Bound and Succession

The institution was designed partly to give the central state servants whose status did not depend on a particular hobgoblin clan. That makes senior Crown-Bound officers especially important during succession crises.

A commander controlling the palace gates, armouries and capital guard cannot legally become First Marshal, but may decide which claimant lives long enough to do so.

Population and Households

Hobgoblins usually rule populations larger than themselves. Mature provinces contain many human, goblin and other subject communities, while hobgoblins concentrate in forts, garrison towns, administrative centres and military estates.

Their states expand faster than their own population can grow, forcing them to govern through subject officials, Crown-Bound institutions, Bound Cohorts, collaborators and military colonies.

Marriage and Succession

Dominion society is patriarchal and treats marriage as a political and military institution. Wealthy or high-ranking males may maintain polygynous households, while most ordinary hobgoblins are monogamous or unmarried.

This system helps powerful houses expand but makes succession dangerous. Several sons may each possess a plausible legal claim backed by a different maternal family, military household and provincial faction.

The result is characteristic of hobgoblin civilisation: highly detailed succession law combined with recurring wars over which interpretation of that law should prevail.

Weapons, Armour and the Siege Train

Hobgoblins admire equipment that can be standardised, counted, repaired and issued through a chain of command.

Infantry Equipment

Legionaries commonly combine mail, brigandine, lamellar or coats of plates with shields, spears, short blades and practical marching equipment. Armour varies by region but fittings, badges and maintenance standards identify imperial service.

Gunpowder

Handgonnes are concentrated among engineers, arsenal guards, Crown-Bound formations and assault troops. Powder belongs to the state and its issue is recorded.

See the SpiralWorlds Firearms rules for the wider treatment of gunpowder weapons.

Black-Iron Lancers

Elite heavy cavalry wear reinforced partial plate rather than universally adopting European full plate. High saddles, broad shields, heavy stirrups and barding turn horse and rider into a single battlefield system.

Siege Trains

A major Dominion army brings an industrial column behind the fighting troops: bombards, powder wagons, carpenters, smiths, slave labour, mobile forges, mantlets, spare fittings and draft animals.

The noise itself becomes a warning—iron wheels, hammering, shouted numbers, animal teams, loading drills and test shots long before the main army appears.

Religion: Varkesh and the Ninefold Muster

Varkesh, the First Standard, begins as a mortal conqueror and lawgiver. Hobgoblin tradition does not claim that he created the species. His achievement was cultural: he transformed dispersed clans and temporary warbands into a civilisation built around permanent command.

Varkesh teaches that conquest must leave institutions behind. Grain must be counted. Officers must survive the campaign. Captives must be classified. Garrisons must replace raiders. Law must replace the unpredictable favour of a temporary chief.

After death, Varkesh becomes the central divine authority of imperial ideology. His realm is remembered as the Ninefold Muster in Acheron.

Orzhal, the Reclaimer, later becomes the second great prophet by recovering lost law and restoring institutional hobgoblin civilisation after the Long Savagery.

State Worship

Varkeshite priests are disproportionately officers, engineers, judges, census officials, executioners and military administrators. They witness oaths, inspect chains of command and determine whether disaster resulted from treachery, incompetence or unavoidable circumstances.

Magic

The Dominion treats magic much as it treats artillery: useful power must be registered, supervised and placed inside an institution.

Divination, healing, communication, alchemy, counter-magic, engineering magic and siege magic are particularly valued. Independent magical organisations and hereditary magical families are viewed as possible rival power centres.

Talented children may be redirected into specialist education. Crown-Bound recruits with magical ability remain Crown-Bound even when trained as healers, investigators or magical technicians.

Foreign artificers and other controlled specialists work under close supervision, with materials, apprentices and finished products recorded by the state.

Enemies, Rivals and Auxiliaries

Elves

Elves are the oldest remembered civilisational enemy. Elven armies take part in the destruction of Varkesh’s first empire, and later conflicts over fortresses, hidden crossings and eastern territories ensure that the grievance survives for ages.

Giants and Dwarves

Ancient giant kingdoms inherited fortresses and claims from the age of the Primal Titans. Hobgoblin expansion repeatedly collided with those successor states.

Dwarves, once enslaved within some giant domains, become recurring hobgoblin rivals in later ages because mines, metallurgy, engineering and artillery are all strategically valuable.

Humans

Humans are now the most numerous enemies, subjects, collaborators, slaves, soldiers and officials inside hobgoblin-controlled territories. The Dominion depends upon conquered human agriculture and administration even while claiming hobgoblin supremacy.

Dracula and the Carpathians

The Dominion and Dracula are enemies despite the brutality of both powers. Hobgoblins require permanent military sovereignty over the Carpathian approaches; Dracula accepts no foreign hierarchy claiming his castles, subjects or roads.

The first advance has been repulsed. Dominion planners now study anti-undead measures, fortified daylight camps, artillery and Crown-Bound assault formations before attempting another campaign.

Orcs

Orcs are a separate civilisation and political force. Hobgoblins sometimes hire orc mercenaries, cavalry and specialists, and at other times fight orc powers as major rivals. Mercenary service does not imply shared sovereignty between the Ninefold Dominion and the orc successor states.

Catfolk Kemet

Catfolk Kemet is the major southern imperial rival. The two powers compete through the Levant, Sinai and the eastern Mediterranean using open warfare, trade pressure, espionage and client rulers.

Goblins and Bugbears

Goblins are frequently used as miners, labourers, sappers and scouts but are rarely trusted with vital arsenals or hostages. Bugbears are valued as hunters, kidnappers and ambushers while being kept outside the most sensitive parts of the chain of command.

Language

Hobgoblins speak Goblin and the languages needed to govern the places in which they live. Officers, tax officials, interpreters and Crown-Bound administrators often know several regional languages.

There is no universal Common language. A Dominion army in Anatolia, Persia, the Balkans or the Levant uses local languages alongside standard Goblin commands, signals and written military terminology.

The Imperial Cycle

Hobgoblin history is not one uninterrupted empire. It is a sequence of centralisation, expansion, overreach, internal fracture and reconstruction.

Adventure Hooks

Treasure and Intelligence

Hobgoblin treasure is often useful because it tells characters what the army intends to do next.

• identification tablets and regiment badges;
• campaign maps and passwords;
• prisoner and hostage registers;
• tax and census records;
• powder allocations and artillery tables;
• orders for confiscation or destruction;
• Crown-Bound recruitment records;
• cavalry breeding and remount assignments;
• succession agreements and marriage contracts;
• sealed correspondence between collaborating rulers and Dominion officers.

A captured standard can be more valuable than coin. It may expose a secret campaign, discredit a military household or permit characters to issue convincing false orders before the loss is discovered.

Defeating a Hobgoblin Occupation

Destroying soldiers is only one way to attack the Dominion. Its occupation system fails when its administrative and military parts can no longer reinforce one another.

• free hostages and allow subject soldiers to defect;
• intercept Crown-Bound recruitment transports;
• recover erased family records;
• destroy census and tax archives;
• protect seed grain, wells, livestock and winter shelter;
• cut powder and food supply lines;
• capture engineers before the bombardment begins;
• destroy mobile forges and siege trains;
• seize cavalry remounts;
• steal gauges and templates required to make standard replacement parts;
• exploit rivalry between Banner Lords;
• break the command chain before reinforcements arrive;
• preserve temples, assemblies, guilds and family archives that can rebuild local political identity;
• establish food distribution and public order quickly enough that liberation does not collapse into famine.

The occupation begins to unravel when orders stop moving, records become unreliable, hostages escape, slave soldiers believe rebellion can succeed, Crown-Bound loyalty fractures and local communities see evidence that resistance can survive the first imperial retaliation.

Even a defeated hobgoblin commander attempts to preserve maps, ledgers and lessons for the next campaign.

Historical and Folkloric Context

The word hobgoblin has a much older folkloric history than the heavily armoured military creature familiar from fantasy roleplaying. English tradition uses the term for troublesome or helpful domestic and countryside spirits and overlaps with figures such as Puck and Robin Goodfellow.

The SpiralWorlds version deliberately develops the later fantasy image of the disciplined martial goblinoid into a complete civilisation with ancient prophets, repeated imperial cycles, urban institutions, cavalry, gunpowder, provincial government and a history stretching far beyond humanity’s current political order.

The Ninefold Dominion and its distinctive institutions are fantasy creations. Historical military cultures provide broad comparative inspiration but are not treated as secret hobgoblin civilisations, and the achievements of real human societies remain their own.

For the older literary tradition, see the public-domain Project Gutenberg edition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.