jumping goblins

Jumping goblins look like common goblins but there are legs are about twice as long and thick as an ordinary goblin. Their legs are sort of awkwardly like a cross between a frog and a kangaroo.   The usual green hues of goblin skin are washed softer with whites, blues, and rarely gold and silver overtones.   Jumping goblins can jump about three or four times as far and as high as common goblins without breaking a sweat, and their normal walking incorporates a lot of tiny hops. Beyond these casual jumps, goblins can accomplish 3-6 supernaturally augmented jumps every day, jumping so far they seem to be flying.   Super jumps are physically taxing, so the amazing leaps of jumping goblins are great for quick escapes but not very useful for long distance travel.   Average jumping goblins can pull off three or four great leaps before needing a long rest while the strongest and toughest goblins can pull off six or seven such leaps.   Jumping goblins are not much smarter than regular goblins, but they have great instincts when judging distances and wind conditions so they rarely miss their target when performing a super leap. They are also uncannily accurate long distance marksmen though they rarely have access to quality bows and crossbows.

The jumping goblins first emerged in the The World Seam Mountains and have been growing in numbers taking up a larger and larger area of the mountain range every generation.   Jumping goblin clan have tried migrating outside of the mountains but their jumping prowess is far less useful in open ground. As of yet, every attempt has ended with the clan in question being wiped out or driven back into The World Seam Mountains.

Jumping goblins still speak a variant of Elven and Grauen that is near indistinguishable from the common goblin dialect, but it naturally includes many words describing rock formation and wind condition that affect jumping.   A few unusually intelligent goblins can speak Common or Dwarven, but this is fairly rare.   Jumping goblins rarely bother to talk to other races, so it seems likely that some goblins knew these languages before they started mutating.

It's not clear whether the first jumping goblins emerged underground or above ground, but most jumping goblins avoid spending long periods of time underground.   Even in the relatively spacious caverns found underneath Scarterra, they have less room to jump around underground than above ground.   While the jumping goblins are not consciously aware of this consciously, the elemental essence of air permeates their bodies and souls and they are most comfortable in high elevations feeling the wind on their face.

Jumping goblins are a growing nuisance to everyone living in or near the The World Seam Mountains, primarily Stahlheim, Meckelorn, and the Border Baronies region.   They are not overtly murderous or bloodthirsty. Unlike mainstream goblins, jumping goblins are not seething for revenge against elves, humans and/or dwarves.   Jumping goblins are thieves not killers. They will waylay travelers in rocky areas, grab some loot or livestock and leap away with their ill gotten goods. dwarf rangers especially hate them.   Jumping goblins are opportunistic bandits, but they are capable enough hunters and gatherers, so they can and do survive without looting or scavenging from civilized folks.   When jumping goblins leave The World Seam Mountains, they tend to die horribly. If they exit the mountains west they will find themselves run down by Kantoca cavalry. If they enter the The Great Colassian Tundra, it's a race to see if orcs or starvation kills them first. If they survive the tundra long enough to reach the forests of Codenya, the wood elves will find them and pin cushion them with arrows.   It has been speculated, especially among the Children, that if jumping goblins could get safe passage out of West Colassia, there are many rocky, hilly places in Scarterra where they could thrive, but few people are willing and able to smuggle jumping goblins to the East Colassian Mountains or the rocky wilderness of Penarchia and if a helpful group of humans volunteered to help a tribe of jumping goblins migrate, the tribe probably wouldn't believe them.