Goblins in contemporary mass culture
Tolkien's World In the books of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, or Back and Lord of the Rings, the word goblin is used (usually by the hobbits) as a synonym of the orc word, though the goblins and the orcs are related to each other in the film The Lord of the Rings filmed by Peter Jackson, but different creatures. In the Hobbit book, or back and forth, goblins ride on the lips.
Gothic
In the Gothic games series goblins are presented as creatures similar in appearance to monkeys. There are at least two varieties: more common green goblins (ordinary and goblin-warriors) and slightly more powerful black some of them have mastered simple spells (fireball). Goblins seem to be primitive creatures, nothing is known about any products of their culture, or about possible social divisions. Encountered almost exclusively in groups, they live in forests or caves. They are aggressive and violent; they fight almost exclusively with wooden sticks, sometimes they use rusty swords. They do not come close to human places. They feed on meat (they know its heat treatment), fish and plants. As they come into possession of meat, it is not known because there are few animals that could harm their attacks. You can often find gold coins (the same people use) with their brains, but it is not known for what purpose they store them - whether they use them as a means of payment or collect them as glitter. They most probably do not know speech, maybe they only use some simple language. They are also food for drowned people.
The Elder Scrolls
In the Elder Scrolls series, goblins are depicted as small creatures (less than half a Bosmer's height) with poorly developed intelligence, which allows them to create their own tools, as well as use simple weapons (mainly batons, swords and shields). Goblins have (depending on the game) skin color from gray to olive green. They feed on meat, most often from rats whose breeding they run. They do not know human or Elvish language, most probably they use their own. At the head of the community there is a commander, shamans are also important (they use simple offensive magic) and warriors. The rest of the goblins are usually subordinate to them. They use animals called Durzogs.
Warcraft
In the Warcraft gaming series, goblins are portrayed as gnome competitors. They are famous for their great intelligence and great inventions, for example, the Airship or Wyrwidrzew, for which they want some gold. During World War II, the goblins supported the orcish Horde in their conquests, but after its end they are neutral, although many of them live together with the new Horde Thrall Orgrimmar. They founded the city of Ratchet in Kalimdor. In the third World of Warcraft add-on entitled Cataclysm, the goblins are a new playable race attached to the Horde.
World J.K. Rowling
Goblins in the cycle J.K. Rowling about Harry Potter are dwarfish creatures with long toes and feet. They work in the fairy Gringotts Bank. They had a "talent" to manage money. They always had a tendency to rebel. They also often used the innate tendency to consume mead as a stimulant for thinking. They were the creators of unusual items that were highly appreciated in the wizarding world (eg the Gryffindor Sword). They believed that the only legitimate owner of the object produced by the goblin was its creator. They considered the payment for the object as a rental fee. According to the goblins, the item should return to the creator after the death of its owner. They did not accept the inheritance of the objects they created by the families of the deceased wizards, considering such action to be theft. Wizards denied them the right to use wands which was another, after the habit of inheritance, the source of conflict between goblins and wizards.
Disk World
In Terry Pratchett, goblins are portrayed as a race of dirty, repulsive and malicious creatures, which turns out to be only pretense. After discovering their ability to create art, they are included in a multi-species parahumanoid community.
Other worlds
In fantasy, goblins are usually presented as hideous and stupid creatures, with green, sometimes black or olive skin, and small pig eyes. Goblins are characterized by brutality, impetuosity, but also enormous cowardice. Goblins and other related creatures (eg orcs) are sometimes classified as goblinoids.
Goblins registered by the camera.
