Help with Goblin backstory.

[Snig]

Hey guys, my game starts tonight and I'm struggling trying to flesh out my character.

I'm playing a CN Goblin ranger who came from a wild tribe of wolf riders. A few points in working on

. why am I not a murderous little monster? Was my tribe more brave / noble? Maybe like Native Americans were?

. Was I am exception and cast out? do I struggled against my heritage (think Drizzt)

. Why do I adventure? What motivates me?

Any input or suggestions would be helpful.

[Takewo]

Well, I wouldn't try and define your character. The answer to your questions depends on how you want to roleplay it. Nonetheless, I'll give you a few suggestions on which you can work.

- Your goblin was a murderous, treacherous creature until somebody captured him and showed him mercy. That made him change his outlook.

- Goblins are not inherently evil in your world, just misunderstood. It's their enmity with humans and other races that has demonetised them.

- Your goblin comes from a tribe that lives relatively in pace with surrounding civilisations.

- Your goblin received a vision/mission from high above.

- Your goblin has decided that he's better off living like a rascal amongst humans rather than being part of a goblin tribe.

- ...

[Shining Wrath]

First, ask your DM if all his / her goblins are evil. My campaign, races tend toward an alignment but since my gods are fallible not all of Magubilet's creations wound up the NE he desired.

If not, then coming from a tribe of goblins with a different alignment is a quick solution.

If all his goblins are evil little creeps, which is the default, something happened to you. As a ranger, that something might very well be fey - you encountered a unicorn, perhaps, and the sheer beauty and majesty touched something in your soul.

[Slipperychicken]

Maybe your goblin left the community to seek his fortune among bigger races, and plans to return later, taking the wealth (and fighting skills) back with him to better his position in the clan. Obviously, it's hard to make your fortune with people when you're snarling at them all the time, so he's playing nice for now. Maybe he'll actually develop inter-species friendships, or maybe he'll stay quietly mistrusting of other species.

[MrStabby]

Well a couple of ideas. Not sure if they fit.

1) Goblin is evil but under Geas.
2) Goblin is on the evil side but dedication to nature means can act out of more than self interest
3) Goblin is a greedy trader who finds it expedient to maintian good relationships with people
4) Goblin was, in fact, raised by wolves so is kind of developing relationships with non beasts as he goes along.
5) Goblin is actually just nicer than other Goblins
6) Goblin was assigned a greater purpose by his tribe, a purpose that he needs cooperation from
7) Goblin is an outcast from his tribe so needs others to replace the companionship and community he misses. This entails not stabbing them in the kidneys.

[1Forge]

This reminds me of the web-comic "Goblins" which shows goblin adventurers and human adventurers and the conflict socially they have. Goblins are assumed to be savages and evil, but so were native americans, so you could just say his "tribe" was murdered by (insert murderer) That would give you motivation to leave your way of life. If all goblins are evil in your setting, you could pull a drizzit, maybe you were an outcast and were going to be sacrificed or executed; out of fear you ran and found refuge in the slums of a city (with tieflings, and half-orcs) there you could find value in human things. If you are traveling with humans/elves/dwarves that arnt kind to monsters, claim to be a half goblin (this will be backed up if you have a half-orc, tiefling, or drow)

Are you traveling with humans? Also whats the setting that will narrow things down a bit idea-wise.