A Plague of Goblins!

Look at that glorious little goblin. A piece from the AD&D Monster Manual.

Goblins are  my favorite old fashion D&D critter. Over the years I've adapted the way I think about them. No longer are they just low-level fodder to be slept and slaughtered. They've become an important part of my campaign and one of the more interesting races in my campaign. The title of this post comes from what what I call a big bunch of goblins. You've heard of a murder of crows. Meet the Plague of Goblins. 

Goblins are a race with hundreds of tribes, with hundreds of factions within those tribes, with even more ideas on how things should be. Goblins look to improve their situation, however their innate impulsiveness, often sacrifices a better future for a better right now. 

Adaptation

Goblins are the great race of adaptation. They are survivors. They are the weakest, major race when it comes to military prowess and physical strength. They often have to move from predators and adapt to their new environment. This sometimes means they need to live in harsh conditions to avoid frequent conflicts. Or it means when the new heavy that comes in the territory, whether its a human community, dragon, ogre, or a charismatic preacher looking to convert their ways. Goblins learn quickly what others want and make sure they get it.

Religion

In the later example about the charismatic preacher, goblins don't worship a goblin god. Their religious tenents are formed to whom ever they attach themselves to. However, when they try to simulate religious rites and ceremonies it is never quite right. It comes off as comical. Some see it as mockery. Without religious guidance from another race or person, they are content without spiritual guidance. 

Forming Communities

Goblins are quick to find a spot where they fit in. They may not be treated well. They may be treated no better than second class citizens, but when they find a niche within the community they are dedicated to it. For example, in the great city-state they built their community near the trash heap outside the walls. The goblins hunt and kill the rats (giant, large, and small) and other critters that infest such places and make sure it doesn't become a problem. In some of the smaller communities they are excellent scavengers. If you need something they find it or something close to it. 

War Goblins

There is a faction of goblins dedicated to the art of war. These goblins are always led by a dominant person or creature that is not of goblin heritage. The tactics used are modeled after the attacking style of who they have dedicated their lives to. Examples would be, goblins who are led by a highly intelligent worg might use deceptive tactics. Speed. While a group that follows a dragon may use formations in the shape of a dragon and use the wings to encircle an enemy and a retinue of skilled archers as the breath weapon. Their tactics are creative and effective to a point. Because of their fragile nature, goblins still rely on massive numbers to win.

Magic Goblins?

There are no traditional spellcasters that are goblin. However, some goblins are born with gifts. Some goblins are born finders. As in the afore mentioned scavengers. They just know where to look. Their memory has an limited eidetic quality where they remember where they've seen things. Some goblins have the instinctual knowledge of plants. The ones that heal. The ones that poison. The ones that are edible. While they may not know how to bring out the properties of a plant, alchemists and herbalists often employ a goblin to help gather ingredients. 

In recent sessions of my campaign it's interesting to listen to the players calculate whether a goblin is friendly or hostile. Of course they default to kill them all and if one manages to survive, then ask if they were friendly. 

Rage Goblins

This is what I think of, when I think of old school goblins. Little rage machines. Like a little dog who attacks a moose because the dog thinks it can take it down or scare it away. Goblin Rage is actually a disease, for lack of a better word. No one is sure what it is or how it's spread. When a Goblin contracts the Rage, their eyes turn red, froth at the mouth, and attacks anyone it sees. Other goblins are terrified of the Rage. There are times when it becomes contagious and an entire community tears itself apart. Other times it remains only with a single goblin. There is no identifying trait that allows one to predict if a goblin is infected.

Conclusion

I use goblins in many ways in my campaign. This provides opportunities to get them involved beyond a gang waiting in a numbered room or a number on a random encounter table. In almost every instance, the party has adopted a goblin. They come to see it as an ally or friend, or at the very least, a resource. My current group encountered hundreds of war goblins. Instead of attempting a frontal assault, the party used a different tactic, to hire them. Terms were discussed and agreed upon. 

We'll have to see how this turns out.

Thanks for reading!

Note: Tried to use the caption option on the pictures, but nothing showed. So I am crediting the artist below with links to their stores on Drivethru RPG (except DAT). 

Artists in Order

David A. Trampier

Dean Spencer

Rick Hersey of Fat Goblin Games

J.M. Woiak and Heather Shinn of the STINKYGOBLIN

New Monster: Scourge Goblin

Here are the stat lines of the scourge goblins.  I'm using Swords & Wizardry for the system.  I'm not a fan of alignment or assigning a single set of stats because I like a range.  In this case I've given you stats for 1HD to 5HD goblins.  Their damage increases by 1 point per HD. 

Scourge Goblins
Hit Dice: 1 to 5 
Armor Class: 5 [14]
Attacks: 2 fists (1d2) and 1 bite (1d3)
Saving Throw: 17 to 12
Special: Immunities
Move: 12
Alignment: Neutral
Number Encountered: 1d4 x 100
Challenge Level/XP: 1/15 to 5/240

Scourge goblins are much like a locus swarm, when a group settles into an area they consume all plant and animal life creating a dead land.  These creatures were created many years ago when the necromancers to the south decided to expand their territories beyond the great river.  The massive goblin tribes were between the undead army and the human kingdoms to the north.  The undead slaughtered all but one tribe who sought assistance from the humans.  The mage-king, Barakus, agreed to aid the goblins by giving them the power to fight the undead.

Barakus's plan succeeded beyond his imagination.  The goblins were now imbued with the immunities against the undead.  They are not paralyzed by a ghouls touch, not drained by a wight nor will they contract a disease by a mummy.  They are immune to the undead's natural abilities.  This immunity does not expand beyond the undead.  A mage casting paralyze has a normal chance of succeeding.  The goblins fought back the undead.  In fact they ate any of the remains they came across.

What occurred afterwards, Barakus has no way of expecting.  The goblins began consuming and multiplying at an alarming rate.  He soon found his kingdom being consumed by his own creation.

Scourge goblins have an extremely high metabolism.   They need food constantly.  They also age and multiply quickly.  The goblin females instead of having one offspring now have a litter of goblins.  A horde of scourge goblins can double in size in one month.

Scourge goblins build very distinct settlements.  There are grouped villages surrounded by a large earthen wall that wraps around miles of area.  They are able to construct these massive walls extremely quick.  Once the wall is completed, they begin devouring the countryside.  It seems the only things they will not eat are the four elements, even water.  They usually stay in one location for two to three months before moving on. A stark dead land marks their path.

Goblin Scourge

I settled on Goblin Scourge as the new name for my goblin offshoot.  Here's the map I drew that got me to thinking about them.  As you can see the brown, 'dead' areas.  They move into areas and the destruction begins.  As you can see a chain of farming villages are protected by the river...for now.

The gray lines within the dead areas are the earthen fortification.  Scourge goblins are masters at building these structures. 

I'll try to write up something for a post tomorrow, to stat them.

Getting Ideas from Maps

One of my favorite fantasy tropes to play with is goblins.  I've written about them in past posts, Re-imagining the Goblin and Goblins! because in my campaign I find them very versatile.  While having a crazed horde of goblins storming across the country side is a lot of fun, it also lacks any depth.  It's just another goblin horde.

The goblins I have in my campaign are very skilled at adapting to their environment.  Some type of goblin can be found in nearly every part of the world.  And their ability to adapt is not just environmental, but culturally.  Goblins are adept at assimilating the predominate culture in the area.  They have no gods, traditions or history.  I've covered this in the previous posts.

Last night while drawing a map I was playing around with another idea.  Where goblins become a sort of pestilence.  Or blight on the land.

In this version, the goblins are vicious omnivores that consume plant and animal life at an alarming rate.  They will settle into an area and quickly build primitive fortifications on a massive scale, covering miles of territory.

The creation of these goblins came about as a answer to an outbreak of undead.  These goblins consume the undead, bones and all.  They are immune to the paralyzing touch of the ghoul and the drain touch of the wight.  They cannot effect incorporeal undead, but put them against a horde of skeletons and zombies, they'll make short work of them and you won't have to clean up the mess.

Of course the problem was that after they finishes consuming the masses of the undead, they began devouring everything around them.  Only stones are dirt seem to be not of their taste.

This is a idea seed I got from my map...that I can't show you because I am at work and my map is at home.  

Reimagining of an Iconic D&D Monster: The Goblin

My offering into the James Maliszewski call to share what we've done with these critters to make them our own.

The one monster I changed the most was the Goblin.  These guys have as many depictions as any monster, from the vicious minions of Saruman, in the Lord of the Rings to the Dobby in Harry Potter.  I know Dogby is described as a house elf, but you know and I know he's a goblin. *see comment with Sean about the banker goblins*

The goblins in my campaign are a cultureless race.  They have no god they collectively worship.  They have no customs or traditions they carry on from generation to generation.  They are a blank slate.  But masters of imitation.  Goblins search for another race to learn from.  Goblins will worship the same god and celebrate the same holidays and social occasions.    They will build a shanty town near the other race's settlement and it will imitate the village or town's layout. 

The imitation is never quite correct and often comical in its execution.  Goblins will take up the worship of local gods, but often will change the name that is more familiar with their language.  They will also create mock up of the refined wear priests and acolytes wear.  If your religion requires the acolytes to wear a plain brown robe you can be sure you'll be seeing a group of acolyte goblins donning burlap bags or potato sacks.  Though they may miss the mark with their imitation, Goblins are very respectful and honor the local gods. 

Though not many races like having goblins around underfoot, they are very useful.  Goblins are also masters of salvaging.  When a goblin settlement is nearby the sanitation increases because the goblins go through all that is tossed out, organize it and use what they can destroy the rest.  Large cities usually have a goblin settlement nearby so their 'city dump' doesn't become a problem.  The goblins also keep the rat population down.  Goblins hunt the rats for food.  The other benefit of having goblins nearby is they are a source of cheap labor and never complain about doing the horrible jobs.  Most large cities employ several teams of goblins to keep the sewers clear.

On very rare occasions when a goblin community is being abused or systematically slaughtered the community as a whole can go into 'goblin rage'.  When a goblin community final enters goblin rage they have gone feral and will attack any living thing with a berserker rage.  These are the wild goblins adventurers encounter in the wilderness.  They live to kill at this point and nothing more.  Should a goblin infected with goblin rage enter a docile goblin community, the rage will spread and within a few hours all goblins within the community will be infected.  No alchemical or magical solution has been found to cure goblin rage.

As a whole, goblins a passive race, but once in a great while an extraordinary goblin will rise above his peers and make a significant contribution; some have become elders in their church, some hold minor positions in the local government and a more than a few have become successful merchants.  Although they may never be generals or bishops or kings, goblins do not dream of power they are motivated by learning.  Though they are limited with what they learn they never stop trying to become better.  They also are protective of the friends they make and have been known to sacrifice themselves to aid the hosting community. 

Top Monsters

What monsters do you favor when developing an adventure?  Maybe there is a monster that you like the idea of, but never come up against or used as much as you have liked.  I know there is a list for me that is a mixture of both, ones I like and ones I like the idea.

Cyclops - One of my favorite creatures since I was kid watching Ray Harryhausen do his magic.  I always thought the cyclops was an underutilized monster.  Recently, in the Kingmaker Adventure Path by Pazio the boss for the 3rd in the path, The Varnhold Vanishing had a cyclopean lich.  Yeah, it is cool.

Doppelgangers - Another underutilized mid level ranged creature that I think can add a ton to an adventure and the overall campaign.  My god the havoc they can spread.  Taking the form of this or that person.  They are walking virus of paranoia.

Devourer - This one would be more in the line of a monster I like the idea of, but I have never put it in an adventure and never came across one.  But the concept of this undead definitely has it making the list.

Owlbear - This one is the first monster I remember from playing in the very early days.  I dunno there is something about the simplicity of the odd mixture of the two creatures that I like.  Plus it was my first.  You never forget your first, unless you drink too much.

And Goblins - The simplicity and flexibility of goblins makes them a favorite over the orcs.  They can be fierce little obstacles that can throw hundreds of bodies at a problem or in my world there are large groups who adapt to living next to other races and the ultimate scavengers of culture.  They make good companions and comic relief. 

What are you top five monsters?  Hell, I might try to figure out that poll thing-a-ma-bob and add it on the side for people to vote.  But what monsters do you like the fight or put in your adventures?

Boiled Head Broth or Gaming with My Wife

This week my wife agreed to roll up a character and go on an adventure, or as she puts it 'its like a little play'. Wife Rule #1, let her pick out her own dice because she will want the pretty ones. Wife Rule #2, another reason to let her pick her own dice is that she can't balme you for her crappy rolls later. Or maybe she can. I heard about her 8 intelligence all game long 'you made my character dumb'. See picture of character sheet.

She wanted to play someone who could heal and fight a little. So I explained the cleric class to her and she chose to go in that direction. We were playing a variation of Swords & Wizardry. I let her choose two first level spells, Cure Light Wounds and Detect Evil. I did a quick explanations of the spells and then we were off to shop for her character. She seemed to enjoy this process. Then I did a quick tutorial of what dice were what.

Before I go any further my wife would like everyone to know I did not provide full disclosure, so I was the reason she died on her first adventure. I was not allowed to use a GM screen because she kept calling it the 'cheater screen'.

"How do I know what you rolled?" asked the wife.

"You don't. Sometimes a GM needs to make rolls in secret." I answered.

"That sounds like cheating. You can say you rolled something when you didn't," the wife accused.

"Yes, that does happen. It's called fudging. GMs do it to enhance the game sometimes. I don't do it though." I tried to explain.

"Sounds like cheating. If you get to see my dice rolls I get to see yours."

So it came down to a game of if you show me yours I'll show you mine. So the GM screen went back on the shelf.

Her first adventure is was built around a boy who had gone missing. This is where I I failed to fully disclose. I had trouble explaining all the options she could do. She kept asking what I would do and I encouraged her to tell me what she wanted to do and we'd figure out if she could do it. During her time tracking the boy she came to a section of the woods where she didn't want to go in. She wanted to go back to the temple and get reinforcements, but I wanted her to handle the situation on her own. Rewind to the shopping phase, she rolled enough money to get a suit of plate mail and a shield, I praised the protection they provided and how hard it would be for her to get hit. Fast forward to the woods again. I had the boy scream to give a sense of urgency so she didn't go back to her temple. She burst through the trees and saw two goblins teasing the boy who was tied up to a tree. A short fight ensued. Goblins rolled two natural 20s killing her character (bet she would have liked me to have fudged those rolls now). She was not happy about that and blamed me for her character's death.

The second adventure had her delivering a potion of healing to an ailing woodsman in the forest. This time she encounter two goblins she snuck up on them and whacked one and killed the second before they got to attack. This is where she asked 'can I cut their heads off?'. Since they were fighting over the woodsman's axe I said sure. She said she wanted to make boiled head broth. She wanted to make healing potions from the broth to help cure people who were damage by the same creatures. Very cool idea. I slipped that one into my develop later file.

She found and healed the woodsman unconscious in front of his cabin while a goblin warrior tore apart the inside. She later learned the woodsman had found a bracelet near a large treestump. After devising a plan and killing the goblin warrior my wife in true gamer fashion, looted him, chopped off his head and kept the bracelet.

I few things I got from this, one that there weren't any (at least that I know of) very short adventures to start someone on to learn the basics of the game. So came up with 8 different starting adventures for a new person to learn on. I'll be posting the PDF later this week. And two, I like that boiled head broth idea. Three, let your wife pick out her own dice.

Goblins!

Goblins are iconic creatures that have the flexibility to be portrayed as evil or good and a whole lot of in between. I believe they are the most written about creatures in folklore. They have solidified their place in every fantasy game and many modern and futurist games. Each game has its own twist on the goblin. Well here goes my hat into the already full goblin ring. This is my version of the goblin.

After hundreds of failed wars that led to the collapse of their culture and loss of faith in their religion the more intelligent of their race learned they could live better by being sub servant to a greater race than to live on their own. Instead of waiting to be enslaved by conquerors different tribes settled near different races and took on the characteristics of their patron masters. Goblins prefer to live near human communities because of the variety and humans are the only race that has shown any interest in co-existing with them. Goblins are considered little better than peons, but that does not stop them from getting involved in every aspect of the community. There are goblin merchants, priests, soldiers and artists. Some even manage to gain respectability.

When goblins establish settlements separate from the human community, but near enough that they scavenge from the garbage. They will assist the town by keeping the refuge free of rats and make use of almost anything thrown away. They are expert scavengers. Goblins will go out of their way to please their masters and have no sense of humiliation. They do not take insults personally. If laughed at they will laugh along.

Goblins will worship whatever god the community worships. They will become fervent followers, but alter the beliefs to help the other goblins understand. Like all other things they will try to imitate the ceremonies, style of temple and dress of the priests. Sometimes they do an excellent job and other times it looks like a child wearing his father's boots. No matter what the result the goblins are faithful and challenge those who don't adhere to the laws of their god.

During times of war the Goblin community will send their best fighters. They make excellent scouts. If captured, torturing them does little. As a race they are used to being enslaved and beaten. They will remain faithful to their patrons even with the threat of death. If they are forced to speak the information is mixed with half-truths or what was true a month or year ago.

Some Goblins have magic ability. They all seemed to have the innate ability to detect magical items. Most goblins with talent tend to become excellent alchemists. They enjoy the searching for herbs and exotic components. On occasion a goblin will acquire enough training to become a mage. Even though a goblin mage is considered an oddity among humans within the goblin community it is a great honor are given the role of the chief even if others are already in power.

Most Goblin merchants deal in trinkets or small trade. Those who chose to become merchants are usually the best scavengers. They find items repair or shine them up and resell them. Goblins like to haggle and are insulted if you accept their first asking price. To haggling is a sign of respect.

I like seeing goblins haggling in the market squares, working in the forges, performing religious ceremonies, and armed and armored ready to kick some ass. Goblins make excellent additions to the story side of the game. They can add levity with their attempts to imitate the society they try so hard to belong to. And they have the ability to incite a sense of wonder as these little creatures sacrifice, even more than the original citizens or worshippers, to make it right. They can lead by example by their sheer will of not surrendering. And the goblins are tragic figures. The smallness and child-like determination sends them often into situations where they have no chance of winning and yet they try. This is why I like my goblins accessible and not hidden in caves or dungeons.