The Shiverplains stretch across the central interior, a vast grassland that gets its name from the way the wind makes the tall grass ripple in waves that look like shivering. It's Scalawag goblin territory—dozens of broods spread across the plains, fighting each other, raiding neighbors, and generally creating chaos.
The Scalawag Broods
The goblins of the Shiverplains are classic Scalawags—mischievous, impulsive, and up-to-no-good in ways that can be either amusing or deadly depending on your perspective. Each brood follows a single lineage, with hundreds of half-siblings living together under their brood-father's guidance.
The broods compete constantly. Territory, resources, pride—any excuse for a fight will do. These conflicts rarely produce lasting victories; a brood that loses ground one season will raid it back the next. The plains have been in perpetual low-grade warfare for as long as anyone can remember.
Relations with Neighbors
The Shiverplains goblins raid in every direction. Eloweir settlements to the northwest get hit occasionally—the elves retaliate efficiently, but the goblins don't learn or don't care. The Bygone Hills to the northeast are avoided; too many goblins have walked in and never returned.
The Jinxz Plains to the south are enemy territory—different broods, different rivalries, same chaos. The border between Shiverplains and Jinxz is a constant low-grade war zone, though "border" implies more organization than actually exists.
The Sharabha of Azawahasi to the east are occasionally targets, but the lion-folk are dangerous enough that most broods think twice. Raids happen, but they're less frequent than the inter-goblin fighting.
The Sachi Plains
The northern section of the Shiverplains, sometimes called the Sachi Plains, lies closest to Eloweir territory. The broods here have the most contact with outsiders—sometimes trading, sometimes raiding, rarely peaceful for long.
Life on the Shiverplains
Goblin settlements on the plains are semi-permanent camps rather than fixed towns. A brood might stay in one location for a season or a generation, then move when resources thin out or a bigger brood pushes them away.
The goblins hunt the plains animals, gather what grows, and supplement with whatever they can steal from neighbors. Their culture values cleverness, audacity, and loyalty to brood-mates—in that order. A goblin who can steal a rival brood's best weapon and escape laughing is celebrated; one who dies trying is commemorated briefly and then replaced.
Life expectancy is short. The goblins don't seem to mind.