Things (i.e. Goblins) That Go Bump in the Night

[GameDoc]

I am thinking of creating a small, simple home brew for play-testing DDN by revisiting a concept I had for a campaign but never got to use before.

It basically takes goblins and their ilk back to a fairy tale type setting where they truly do only come out at night because it's the only time they can.

Basically they live in something akin to the Shadowfell (but not he SF per se) and when the sun sets, that realm mergers with ours, opening gateways, causing their camps and villages to materialize and they can prowl around in the dark stealing livestock, ruining gardens, and preying on any poor soul out and about at night.

A common magical ward can be placed on walls, gates, and doorways so that goblinoids cannot enter or cross unless someone on the other side lets them in, leaves them open, or the goblins decide to attack in force and tear them down.

2 things spring to mind that I would have to do: (1) add some minor features (mostly fluff, but some crunch) to goblins, bugbears, and hobgoblins to reflect this; and (2) come up with a ritual that wards against goblinoids and determine it's cost, level, and area of effect.

With regards to # 1 , I have considered giving them disadvantage in any light brighter than torchlight, and perhaps some type of vulnerability to radiant damage. The rest would be pure fluff (e.g., they cant cross a warded barrier; they turn to stone in sunlight if they don't find a dark place to hide, etc.).

With regards to # 2, I would want it to be something low level characters could not perform. If they go out at night hunting goblins or just braving a chance encounter to complete whatever mission they are on, that's just part of the danger. No warding your campsite or the old shack you find to rest in. But it brings some interesting ideas for quests such as "They have built a new bridge across the river that lies beyond the mountain. Take this scroll to the priest of Pelor encamped there so he can ward it against goblins. And beware of the bandits in the forest along the pat. They would love nothing more than to hold such an item for ransom."

Anyway, that's what I have so far. I'd appreciate any feedback or thoughts on fleshing it all out.

My group really likes the simplicity of DDN so far and seem to be yearning for some old school, simple plot, campfire story style adventuring.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

In regards to 1:

I like it!

I'd say that goblins are true (dark) fey- a counterpart to the light fey that spawned elves. Hobgoblins could then be human/goblin hybrids, and bugbears be Orc/goblin hybrids.

In regards to 2:

Don't make the ritual high level- it should be low enough level that either a layman could do it or afford to have it done, since it has to be available to protect households in villages everywhere. Instead, make the ritual require there be a permanent dwelling or structure to secure.

 

[Klaus]

I consider 4e spriggans as the original goblinkind, native to the dark parts of the Feywild, and those that spent too much time in the natural world became the goblinoids we know and love (to skewer).

 

[Rhenny]

Be careful with the disadvantage and especially giving them vulnerability. If you use the stats for goblins from the Beastiary they are already only 3 hp creatures that have very little chance to hit anything over AC 15. Hobgoblins are slightly stronger, but still doubling radiant damage would make it so that the cleric could one shot them with his Radiant Lance (an at will spell). The bugbears, who should be more fearsome, only have 18 hp, so again, Radiant Lance becomes a killer. Once players learn that they are vulnerable to radiant damage, the Cleric will be seen as completely overpowered.

 

[GameDoc]

Be careful with the disadvantage and especially giving them vulnerability. If you use the stats for goblins from the Beastiary they are already only 3 hp creatures that have very little chance to hit anything over AC 15. Hobgoblins are slightly stronger, but still doubling radiant damage would make it so that the cleric could one shot them with his Radiant Lance (an at will spell). The bugbears, who should be more fearsome, only have 18 hp, so again, Radiant Lance becomes a killer. Once players learn that they are vulnerable to radiant damage, the Cleric will be seen as completely overpowered.

Good point. After posting this it occurred to me that in this type of setting, goblins can't be mooks for 1st level characters to push around. They need to be a bit more threatening. Human and demihuman villains should be the first ones fledgling heroes face.

 

[GameDoc]

Don't make the ritual high level- it should be low enough level that either a layman could do it or afford to have it done, since it has to be available to protect households in villages everywhere. Instead, make the ritual require there be a permanent dwelling or structure to secure.

Thanks. Permanent structures only is a great idea. Also perhaps it has to be renewed every so often. A first level cleric or wizard could make it last long enough for along rest. It takes a high level caster and a heap of spell components make it last a year?

 

[ComradeGnull]

With regards to # 1 , I have considered giving them disadvantage in any light brighter than torchlight, and perhaps some type of vulnerability to radiant damage. The rest would be pure fluff (e.g., they cant cross a warded barrier; they turn to stone in sunlight if they don't find a dark place to hide, etc.)

'Brighter' is subjective- the Light spell has the same radius as a torch in the current rules, but the lit area is the same. We only have Lit, Shadowy, and Dark right now to deal with in the rules, but I think that is enough complexity.

As was mentioned, Disadvantage anytime they are in light is going to really make Goblins too easy to kill unless their stats are buffed. I would make their vulnerability only to natural light- Sunburst/Sunray type spells, magic effects from a sunblade, etc. If vulnerability is too much overkill, you could give them essentially a 1dmg/rnd recurring damage while in an area of natural sunlight rather than turning into stone and re-roll all 1's from radiant damage/sun based spells.

That also means that they can still be active during the day- but they would prefer to be under cover and safe. You could stage village wild 'goblin drags' where villagers try to break open cellars and flip rocks over to uncover hiding goblins, which promptly begin to smoke and writhe on contact with the light.

To buff them up a bit, you could also give them Advantage when fighting from darkness/the shadows. That would mean that even PCs with Darkvision would prefer to carry torches or other light sources to negate their bonus- which would then reveal their position to goblins that can pelt them with arrows or engage in hit-and-run attacks against them.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

You need trolls that turn to stone in the sunlight, and goblins (or other fey) who have vulnerabilities to cold iron. Perhaps they can't cross a ward circle drawn in chalk or salt.

Be careful not to feed them after midnight, too.

 

[GameDoc]

Here's my first crack at the warding spell:

Goblin Ward
Minor Abjuration

You create a magical barrier that cannot be crossed by goblins or similar creatures.

Effect: You ward a single man-made portal or threshold against incursion by creatures of the goblin subtype for 24 hours. This can be as grand as the gates of a castle or as simple as a line etched or drawn across a path or cave entrance. Effected creatures may not pass through the portal or cross the threshold without the your permission. This spell cannot be used to ward an entire structure, only doorways, windows, or other openings. It also does not prevent goblins and similarly warded against creatures from scaling over walls or battering through them as an alternative to entering through the warded portal or threshold, nor does it prevent them from shooting or hurling projectiles past the ward.


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I'm shooting for a spell that any 1st level wizard or cleric can perform to secure a defensible spot without just drawing a circle around the camp. It also keeps them from just warding an entire town. The clerics of the local temple can go out each evening and ward the city gates, but the night watch still has to be alert to keep goblins from sneaking over the wall and and a sizable force (particularly hobgoblins) can still just lay siege. A druid or spell-casting ranger can make the rounds each day and ward all the farmhouses and barns in his area.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

Thanks. Permanent structures only is a great idea. Also perhaps it has to be renewed every so often. A first level cleric or wizard could make it last long enough for along rest. It takes a high level caster and a heap of spell components make it last a year?

I am totaly stealing this idea, but making the rituel last 1d12 new moons, but you can reroll any result less then your level. The town sage will be 6th level, and have a pc apprentice if possable, and will of cource die in game 1.or 2