We know all about the origin of Gnomes, it’s similar (or rather identic) as Humans, Dwarves, Kobolds, Mogu, Giants etc… They’ve started as Mechagnomes, a successful creation of the Titan Keepers in the Forge of Wills. Mechagnomes were created by Titan Keeper Mimir with the purpose of helping him to build and maintain titan machinery. Later after they suffered the curse of flash and degenerated into Gnomes.
However Goblins are a race similar to Gnomes in many ways. And Goblins are literally the only playable race whose origins I don’t know anything about.
Are Goblins also related to Mechagnomes and Mimir?
Mimiron discovers a new mineral (Kajamite) and experiments with it by exposing a primitive race to it, creating Goblins. The rest of that race that weren’t part of the experiment eventually evolved into the Pygmies we met during Cata.
Time passes and the effects of the mineral upon the Goblin’s intelligence wears off so they retreat to a volcanic island, probably due to their subconcious telling them that Kajamite existed there.
The Zandalari arrive and enslave the Goblins, making them mine Kajamite for use in Zandalari rituals. The Goblins start getting smarter and create weapons and plans.
The Goblins rise up and kick the Zandalari off Kezan, then turn their weapons on each other before reaching a stalemate and setting up the Cartel system as we see it today.
There’s stuff I missed out and/or glossed over, but that’s the basics.
So that means Goblins originated from Pygmies? Or rather the ancestor of Pygmies. Who in turn have more or less the same origins as Trolls?
Does that means Goblins have no connection to Mechagnomes?
Are Hobgoblins related to Goblins, or are they a totally different race with the same name?
Was the origin of Gilgoblins explained at all?
We don’t really know the origins of the Trolls and Pygmy precursers. They could both or either be naturally occurring, or something else.
The only connection Goblins have with Mechagnomes is that they were both ‘created’ by Mimiron, just with the Goblins created due to an experiment rather than purposefully created to help with the shaping of Azeroth.
And Hobgoblins are Goblins that have been altered through Alchemy into being little more than cheap manual labour. Gilgoblins, on the other hand, are a bit of a mystery. Hobart Grapplehammer claims to have created them (despite him being advised not to due to a negligence claim), but one of the Gilblin in Nazjatar has stated that that is false.
We have no concrete lore to say, they could have just evolved, or been guided by titan hands, we don’t know. This is the case for several races:
Trolls
Yaungol
The Furbolg and Pandaren ancestor
Goblin and pygmie ancestor
Vulpera
Tuskarr
Tortollan
Quillboar
Kobolds
Gnolls
Several of them have suspected links to ancients, but whether the ancient made them or simply evolved their ancestor is another question. For example there is a fox ancient but we have no idea whether it has anything to do with the Vulpera.
I suspect there was one form of proto troll that evolved naturally but Zandalari were actually influenced by titan processes without realising which explains the titan tech around where they live and their affinity for magic (and glowing eyes) but I don’t believe this was how the Zandalari remember it. Rather titan artifacts influenced their evolution in tandem with the Loa.
