Warhammer Wiki
Register
Advertisement
Warhammer Wiki

"You've never seen anything crueler than three Goblins torturing a wounded deer that had caught its foot in their crude traps "

—Fritz Bodger, Forester
300px-ForestGoblinShaman

A Forest Goblin Chieftain riding a massive Spider

Forest Goblins are a distinct breed of forest-dwelling Goblin species that are known to in many forested locations within the Old World. Similar in both culture and appearance to the Savage Orcs, the Forest Goblins have in a sense, degenerated into a primitive shamanistic culture that revolves around the spiritual veneration of the Giant Spiders that have made the forest their home. The origins of the Forest Goblins came about around the age known as the Time of Woes, during which time the Greenskin race migrated from the Eastern Hemisphere of the Warhammer World and into the heartlands of the Old World.

Since the Goblin tribes first entered the primeval woods of the distant past, they have been prey to the spiders that dwelt within the forest for many generations. The Goblins eventually adapted to this new and harsh environment, becoming the precursors to the Forest Goblin tribes of today. The Goblins reasoned that since the powerful arachnids could not be defeated, perhaps they could be appeased. In time, eight-legged totems festooned with webbed skulls began to appear alongside the traditional idols of Gork and Mork. Ever since then, the culture of Forest Goblin communities usually revolve around the worship of the Spiders as gods that would require a constant supply of fresh sacrifices in order to appease them, and to keep them from killing the Forest Goblins. This is especially prominent when these Forest Goblins tries to appease the great Arachnarok Spider in the hopes of luring one into the tribes service.

Eventually, even their Shamans were given visions about the Spiders, and have since turned to worshiping them as Gods of the Forest. The tribes followed their Shamans in supplicating themselves to this new religion, eventually resulting in the creation of the first Spider Kult. In time, these Forest Goblins were able to push back the Spiders, and have even been able to, over time, raise those clutches of Spider Eggs they've captured as pets or mounts. Taming the Spiders of the Forest became a pivotal point in the Forest Goblins history, for this allowed the Forest Goblins to spread their reach out to all of the forested lands of the Old World, where they soon became a belligerent threat to all lumbering communities, often competing with other forest-dwelling races such as the Beastmen for territorial supremacy. When these Goblins go out to raid neighboring communities, Forest Goblins would often fight alongside warbands of Spider Riders. Most Forest Goblins, however, fight on foot, and fulfill the same role as skirmishers and archers when engaging the enemy. They are often dressed with feathers that would help distinguish themselves from other Forest Goblin tribes. 


Source

  • Warhammer Armies: Orcs and Goblins (8th Edition) -- pg. 50 - 51
Advertisement