The Role of Monsters

D&D has a lot of monstrous humanoid races. Indeed, I'd go so far as to say D&D has too many monstrous humanoid races - do we really need Orcs and Goblins and Hobgoblins and Bugbears and Lizardfolk and Gnolls and Kobolds and...? Especially when each of these takes up a page or more of the Monster Manual that could instead be given to other, more distinct, creatures?

But that's an academic debate now. D&D has all these monstrous humanoids, so a better question is: what shall we do with them all?

I'm a big fan of Paizo's decision to recast a lot of the classic humanoids, giving each of them a new identity. (Incidentally, Eberron does much the same thing - it's not exactly a unique idea.) However, I'm also inclined not to simply reuse Paizo's redefinitions. In at least some cases, I want to have my own take.

So...

Kobolds: Kobolds are diminutive cavern dwellers. They thrive in large cavern complexes near the surface of the world, and clash extensively with dwarves. Kobolds are small, cunning, and cowardly.

Goblins: Goblins come into being in dark places where the Shadowfell comes close to the Prime Material Plane and where strong emotions are gathered. Sages are divided as to whether such a convergence gives rise to these creatures, or if it merely allows corrupted fey spirits to break into the world. Either way, goblins are monstrous little creatures that want to eat you. They are cruel, and sadistic, and utterly insane.

Orcs: Orcs represent the rejection of civilisation. They live in large semi-nomadic tribes that plague the borders of the civilised world. Orcs war on the nations of man, and also on each other.

Hobgoblins: Conversely, hobgoblins represent civilisation gone wrong. They have dark and complex nations built on cruel laws and slavery. Hobgoblin mercenaries are amongst the best in the world, but they are never entirely trustworthy.

Bugbears: Bugbears are solitary, lurking terrors. They're the monster that lives in the wardrobe or under the bed, the unknown threat that comes seemingly from nowhere and ends you. Bugbears may well be nothing more than particularly large, particularly dangerous goblins. (And yes, this is essentially the same as Paizo's interpretation.)

Lizardfolk: Lizardfolk are the unknown and the alien. Their behaviours and their morality is utterly inhuman and therefore unpredictable. And yet lizardfolk aren't evil; they're just different.

Gnolls: Gnolls are the servants of decay and entropy. They dwell in the shadows of civilisation and gnaw on it as it collapses. In that way, they're much like the Skaven, only hyenas rather than rats.

And that's it, or the short version at least.