Gaming

Halloween story: a closer look at goblins

Halloween is full of all kinds of monsters and creatures from different cultures, and it can be fun to learn a little about their roots. One of the popular appearances that often appear everywhere, from haunted houses to trick-or-treating costumes, are goblins. They may not be as ubiquitous as zombies and ghosts, but chances are good that you will see one arrive at your door this Halloween. What exactly are goblins and where do they come from?

What are goblins?

According to Wikipedia, goblins are “legendary, evil, moody, and mischievous” creatures that range in height from dwarf to human in size, and can be disfigured. They can be classified as annoying tricksters, somewhat related to brownies and gnomes (creatures we’ll see in another article!).

Where do they come from?

It is difficult to pinpoint a specific place where goblins first appeared, because they have been a part of our folklore for over 800 years. Still, many fingers point to Europe. Britain is believed to have started the trend (with goblins sneaking aboard ships to sail to France and the rest of Europe soon after).

Elf stories

Goblins tend to be the villains in Halloween and fantasy stories (in fantasy, they’re often cannon fodder for true villains), so there aren’t too many stories that they star in. Back in the 17th century, they were thieves in a play called The Goblins. In 1872, The Princess and the Goblin may have been the first children’s novel to involve mythical creatures.

If you fancy a modern and quite different take on the goblins (similar to what the Shrek movies did with the ogres), visit http://www.goblinbrothers.com. The young goblins are the heroes rather than the villains, and they star in their own fantastic adventures.

Game goblins

Part of what has made goblins popular Halloween creatures in recent decades is their popularity in role-playing games, like Dungeons & Dragons, and online games like World of Warcraft. While they are often the “cannon fodder” here as well, WoW has gone a long way to give goblins some personality by turning them into cunning neutral creatures rather than villains to kill.

Wherever you see them, goblins have grown and evolved from their earliest European roots. Look for these creatures this Halloween!

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