(Rikka Thornstep, The bratty thief.)

Rikka was born the runt of a small goblin warren buried beneath the tangled roots of an ancient forest. From the moment she could walk, she learned that being small meant being pushed aside. The bigger goblin children stole her food, mocked her quiet nature, and shoved her away from the fire at night. Fighting back was never an option, she was simply too small. Instead, Rikka learned a different skill: taking things when no one was looking. At first she stole scraps of food or an extra blanket to survive the cold nights underground. But soon she realized something important, if she was clever enough, she could take almost anything. Every successful theft made her feel a little less powerless.

As she grew older, her habit of stealing turned into something more obsessive. Goblins in her tribe believed shiny objects carried good luck, and Rikka took the idea to heart. She began hiding anything that sparkled or seemed interesting: bent coins, cracked rings, buttons, bits of armor, polished stones, and even broken knives. She dug a secret hollow beneath a massive tree root where she stored her growing collection. The hoard became more than treasure, it was her sense of safety. If she had enough things, she reasoned, she would never be helpless again. When other goblins tried to take from her, she learned to hide her best finds even deeper, becoming secretive and fiercely protective of everything she owned. Years of being bullied also shaped her personality. Instead of acting scared, Rikka developed a sharp, bratty attitude that pushed people away before they could hurt her. She snapped back with insults, mocked anyone bigger than her, and pretended she didn’t care about anyone’s approval. Beneath the sarcasm and stubbornness, however, she still carried the lonely instincts of a runt who only wanted to belong somewhere. Being a thief also became a point of pride, if she could outsmart someone and steal from them, it meant she was clever enough to survive in a world that never gave her anything freely.

Everything changed the night the warren was discovered. Human hunters tracking goblins through the forest found the entrance to the tunnels and set the entire place ablaze. Panic spread through the tribe as smoke filled the passages and warriors fled into the darkness. Many goblins were trapped or scattered in the chaos. Rikka survived because of the same secretive habits that defined her life, she had already dug a hidden tunnel near her treasure stash so no one else could steal it. While the warren collapsed behind her, she grabbed what she could carry and escaped into the forest alone, her home burning in the distance. Now Rikka wanders the roads and wild places of the world with a heavy pack full of strange, stolen, and scavenged objects clinking at her side. She compulsively steals coins, trinkets, tools, anything shiny or useful, adding it all to the hoard that travels with her wherever she goes. Her bratty attitude keeps most people at arm’s length, and she insists she doesn’t need anyone anyway. But deep down, beneath the sharp tongue and sticky fingers, Rikka is still that frightened little goblin who once hid treasures beneath a tree root, hoping that if she collected enough things, she might someday find a place where she wouldn’t have to run anymore.