I have to say, I am underwhelmed by most the ideas in this thread so far, particularly the overly ornate arena. For one thing, it feels too much like the arenas that other races get. For another, I don't like the idea of goblins just being able to summon giant murder-demons, even if said murder-demons are at the end of a 19 level grind...
I think it is more interesting to have the goblins summoning demons with high social skills and maybe some sort of "sorcery", but otherwise not much better than a goblin. So Sauron (Numenorian edition), not the Balrog. This isn't so much because giant murder demons aren't "gobliny", but more because giant murder beasts of different varieties are kinda common in Masterwork, and it would be nice for Goblins to be different.
The other thing I am really not keen on is the idea of Goblins being a sadistic slaveocracy. Again, not because the above isn't "gobliny", but rather because sadistic slaveocracies are depressingly common and popular in dwarf fortress. I'd find it more distinctive and interesting to see a goblin mode with a more nuanced presentation of goblins. So for example, giving the goblins ways to make prisoners and captured babies full members of the tribe, rather than making every member of a non-goblin race more oppressed than the ordinary goblins themselves.
(It was the impossibility of making an implementation of a multi-race fortress which satisfied my perfectionism that discouraged my own attempts at making a goblin mod.)
It would be rather fun to play a "goblin liberator fortress", where the focus was on saving dwarf babies from lives as oppressed slaves of Armok and raising them as free members of the goblin tribe...
Anything that has to do with farming animals or plants is out
Pretty sure they can still weave, else what are they shearing their trolls for?
Would it be possible for goblins to learn any of that list of skills through a modded version of the necromantic secret system? It would be cool to have a succession game where fortresses and adventurers would start on year 1 of the world with stone-age knowledge, and for each player to add to the race's knowledge with their fortress or adventurer play-through...
And I'd love to see goblins stealing the secrets of steel from the dwarfs.
For other ideas for a goblin mod:
Cattle raids. Because I like the idea of sending goblins out to raid the domestic animals of other civs, and maybe bring back some orcish mammuks or dwarf drakes to help me establish a breeding population of those animals in my own fortress. (Or simply to get food if I'm in a tight spot.)
Most of the ideas in this thread:
http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=138248.0And here are some of my working notes for my own stab at a goblin mod:
The Obsidian Fortress:
Caustic sleet swirls around the great tower. It's vast black bulk so dark that even against the stone-gray clouds it looks like someone has taken a wedge from the sky. This is the Obsidian Fortress. This is hell on earth. Dare you rule it?
Demon Lords: Tame animal, magic spells, good fighter, legendary social skills (so they tend to be elected leader of your fortress, but truly great Goblins can compete with them for power), only available via transformation, sterile, immortal, lays "eggs" - stones that can be used in Goblin magic reactions and to build certain high-level buildings
Elf Slave/Human Slave/Dwarf Slave/Drow Slave: intelligent tame animal that can fish for your fortress, can be transformed into an Elf/Human/Dwarf/Drow "Janissary" - a fighter with iron armour, an iron weapon (Elf - bow, Human - spear, Dwarf - hammer, Drow - sword) and natural fighting skills.
Kobold Slave: intelligent tame animal that can fish for your fortress, can be used in thieving reactions
Trolls: A simi-intelligent tame animal that is the goblin's preferred source of wool. Troll wool cloth is as strong as heavy leather. Trolls can regenerate very fast, which combined with their natural aggression and skills at fighting, makes them excellent meat to throw into a fight.
Goblin Slave: Your "dwarfs". Castes are as follows.
Snaga: The natural leaders of the fortress, Snaga have an admixture of Orc blood in their veins, making them smarter and more charismatic than the average Goblin - natural administrators, doctors, traders and the most likely Goblins to become nobles.
Bugbear: These mutant Goblins are dumber than average, but their strength, size, speed and ability to go berserk like a Dwarf makes them excellent haulers and fighters.
Hobgoblins: These Goblins are said to have demon blood in their veins. They are particularly adept at performing ritual dances.
Boggart: An average Goblin.
Bogrin: Particularly stout Goblins, they heal faster than other Goblins and the females are known for bearing litters with many children.
Gobber: Young Goblins that show particular interest in the crafts are known as "Gobbers". As such, they may be depended on learning any artisanal skill well.
Bugaboo: Rumour holds that these Goblins have a touch of Kobold blood, regardless of the stories, they are stealthy as only air sign Kobolds and though smaller than other Goblins, their speed and agility makes them hard to catch.
Koalinth: These Goblins are excellent swimmers and can breathe under water as well as in the air.
Nobles are as follows.
The "chief" oversees the day to day affairs of an Goblin expedition, receiving diplomats and meeting with workers. The clan leader is expected to stay on the job in larger settlements even after other greater nobles arrive.
The "warchief" is the leader of a clan's military forces.
One or more "scribes" can be appointed, and each takes on the responsibilities of both Accounting and Production management.
One or more "shaman" can be appointed. Shaman are required for medical diagnoses, and also can help calm angry Goblins.
The Goblin designated "speaker" takes responsibility for trade.
An "executioner", if appointed, is the sole embodiment of the rule of law in any clan-holding without a huscarl.
When a clan grows to the notice of the Demon King, a "Thain" is appointed to ensure the clan's survival. The Thain is a hereditary position and may be promoted to Hersir or Jarl as the clan continues to grow. As Jarls rise through the ranks they may chose to appoint clan champions including the Huscarl, Battlemage, and Avenger.
When a clan rises to become the richest Goblin Fortress, the Demon King comes to live in the fortress.
Goblin Properties:
No max age. Bonecarn, alcohol dependant, never advance beyond 0 skill in mining, naturally skilled masons and carpenters (both improve more slowly than they do for Dwarfs though). Learn metal working EXTREMELY slowly. Steel is their super-metal and requires stealing technology from the Dwarfs to access.
Buildings:
Ritual Circle: Goblins perform their primitive rituals in these above-ground shrines. They can manipulate the weather (requires a slave to sacrifice), summon Demons (requires a slave to sacrifice), make offerings and perform ritual songs and dances when the clan gathers at the circle (works like the songs that other races can do). The most important ritual that can be done at the circle is to steal the blood of Armok - magma. Using this and simple water engineering, the Goblins can manufacture the obsidian which is so important to them.
Arena: Slaves may fight here in order to earn the right to join the tribe as full goblins.
Industries:
Peat->fuel
Peat->iron ore (bog iron)
wicker
netherwood sawdust+water=magical pykrete
No gem tools/weapons/crafts
no glass weapons or trap components
No stone weapons or trap components
No tree farming
No bloodsteel or ironbone
No other supermetals
no adamantine?
No stone blocks?
In general, the theme is that all members of the tribe would be equal as a slave to the demon lords, non-tribe members would have limited use, but could be armored like dwarfs can armour animals in Masterwork, to produce Janissaries, and two non-tribe members could be sent to fight in the "arena", which, through DFhack would have resulted in the annihilation of those slaves and the creation of a single goblin (who in-game would be the slave who'd won the fight in the arena, now raised up to full goblin status and given a new goblin name).
I had a whole bunch of ideas for fun caste types. My favorite was the alternate version of the snagas from Smake's Orc Fortress.
One of the big things is I wanted to do was to hamstring the goblin metallurgy.
fasquardon
