I just watched the first episode of Goblin Slayer. We need some bad ass goblins dood, like holy shit that fucking anime cranked to 12 in the first 10mins. I know you mentioned being ko'ed and dragged back to their lairs at one point ages ago(which i think would be dope), but the idea of this creature that literally loots stuff and hides it in its caves sounds cool to me. This scourge that if not handled grows into a nightmare for players. we need to be surrounded and daggered to death by 12 little shit green men.
i wouldnt even care if you let them live in caves that spawned above ground as our current dungeons do, but theyd need to be an active pve threat to the area.