What goes well with Goblins?

Mercule

Adventurer

• Jul 4, 2005

• #1

The PCs are going to pass through a goblin town and I want to spice things up a bit. What sort of things would one find with goblins? I know worgs and maybe some other goblinoids, but was trying to come up with something a bit more interesting, or even a (very, very brief) side-quest.

Background: The goblins originated as hired mercenaries and their support (cooks, women, etc.) for a reclusive artificer about four-hundred years ago. Their decendants have since built up a small town (about 1200 inhabitants). Although there are some sanctioned raiders that rob caravans and the like, they are generally self-sufficient and non-expansionistic. The town sits in some rocky hills about three days from any human "cities" (although, there are probably some towns that are closer, but not in the hills). The artificer is long gone and his workshop is way too dangerous for the goblins to actually want to go there, so they've settled a ways away.

What sort of sights would anyone expect?

 

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Turanil

First Post

• Jul 4, 2005

• #2

Tamed giant insects used for mounts and beasts of war. Stirges used as nobles have hawks...

 

D

DarrenGMiller

First Post

• Jul 4, 2005

• #3

My first thought was honey mustard and a merlot.

Seriously, maybe some mongrelfolk servants. I like the giant insects tamed as mounts. Maybe their town guard has some giant wasps or the like tamed to secure their perimeter and scout the countryside. For entertainment, maybe they have an arena that features battles between the mongrelfolk, goblin criminals, prisoners such as gnomes, halflings and kobolds and some beasties they keep in pens under the arena.

DM

 

Mercule

Adventurer

• Jul 4, 2005

• #4

I'm not sure about the insect thing. It just doesn't seem to fit with goblins, to me. And I wonder: can vermin actually be trained? They're mindless, after all.

 

I'm A Banana

Potassium-Rich

• Jul 4, 2005

• #5

Since they're nearby an Artificer's place, I'd suspect constructs....

And not just any constructs....you know the goblins from World of Warcraft at all? Little green guys, great tinkerers. They make constructs themselves, and update 'em. I'd expect some goblins to have a higher-than-usual Int and have taken up the mantle of the Artificer, or perhaps some other arcane spellcaster. Goblins are about as smart as your average human, so turning them into ingenious inventors isn't that big of a leap.

Goblins, golems, maybe less worgs and more whirligigs and dynamite and firearms and such...

Think constructs, think wizards, think arcane magic....Goblins won't be any more shabby at that than any of the rest of the core races, after all.

 

E

EvilGM

Explorer

• Jul 4, 2005

• #6

For mounts: giant bats, large lizards, ostrich-like birds

A random dangerous animal they caught in a pit trap and don't know what to do with it (as it's eaten a couple of them that were too curious). Always a good candidate for animal companion. Wounded and very po'd.

They might be better outfitted due to trading with a nearby Duergar clan (through a cave system or mine that connects to the underworld).

Due to their outstanding devotion and frequent sacrifices they have been gifted a hellhound by the dark powers.

A grey render has "adopted" them.

Any of the more powerful humanoids may have taken control of the tribe (minotaur, bugbear, ogre (/magi), etc.)

One of their number (or humanoid listed above) could actually be a reincarnated insert PC class human that has taken up with them.

One (or more) of them could be a doppleganger.

They care for a baby wyvern or hydra.

They could be lycanthropes.

 

Exquisite Dead Guy

First Post

• Jul 4, 2005

• #7

Mercule said:

Although there are some sanctioned raiders that rob caravans and the like, they are generally self-sufficient and non-expansionistic.

Click to expand...

A barghest leader is probably out of the question then. If you do decide to use one you might want to have a look at the 1st edition AD&D MMII for more flavor text than is in the current MM listing.

 

Mercule

Adventurer

• Jul 4, 2005

• #8

Oh, giant bats. I kinda like that. I was also thinking about having domesticated wolves used as mounts. Fits the mold.

One thing that has always bugged me about goblins, hobgoblins, and bugbears -- at least since I realized it -- is that they have the same intelligence as humans, but everyone seems to assume they're always lackeys for someone else. IMC, goblinoids have a martial streak a mile wide and tend to be willing mercs, but aren't likely to be ruled by someone else. So, that's out for this group.

I like the idea of them having an ogre or some such as a captured pit fighter. Maybe a young hydra, too.

Oh, and although the artificer got paranoid enough to relieve the goblins of their duties well before he died, I do like the idea of a few constructs or odd items having survived the intervening four centuries. Those might help the PCs identify who they need to ask about the lab.

 

Mercule

Adventurer

• Jul 4, 2005

• #9

Exquisite Dead Guy said:

A barghest leader is probably out of the question then. If you do decide to use one you might want to have a look at the 1st edition AD&D MMII for more flavor text than is in the current MM listing.

Click to expand...

I've been pondering over having a barghest in the mix. Maybe an advisor or sergent to the leader. Someone who is pushing the goblins to make a move, but hasn't gotten the momentum, yet. Could be interesting, since the orcs to the north have made a move at the kingdom.

 

Lobo Lurker

First Post

• Jul 4, 2005

• #10

It's always 'interesting' to have a low-level creature like a kobold or goblin with LOTS of class levels. Your PCs might not be expecting that.

A powerful wizard or fighter, perhaps? Maybe even a rogue (it is the favored class after all).

Imagine in, your party comes in and boses the gobbos around. This goblin just isnt' going to take it and despite the party's best efforts, he takes them down one by one (subdual, 'cause goblins don't HAVE to be evil).

That'd be fun. Then the rest of the gobbos could make fun of the arrogant big-folk who thought they could push the greenskins around.

Also... some dragons can easily shapeshift into a goblin. I imagine that a shapeshifted dragon/goblin (even one who, for some reason, CAN'T turn back into a winged reptile) and it's half-dragon offspring could make for quite a challenge.