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CreditsContents

Editor: Richard Neale2489162021242932

IntroductionGoblin PhysiologyHabitatGoblin SocietyMethods of WarfareRoleplaying with GoblinsScenarioHooks and IdeasThe Tom HeadsWarrenGoblins ReferenceListD20 & OGL License Proof-Reading: Lucya Szachnowski

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INTRODUCTION

INT,RO'DUCTIONFor millennia, evil warlords, wizards, dragons

and larger goblinoids have enslaved the lowlygoblin. Untold thousands are slain every year

by thesesamedarkmasters,by thearmiesof good

folk everywhere and by countless brave adventurers.Through seemingly endlessadversity, the goblinsovercome and continue to thrive.

Throughout history, creatures of all types haveunderestimated the race's cunning and sheerwill tosurvive. Often they have paid for this misconceptionwith their lives. Deep in the warren of a goblin tribethere is no room for error. This harsh and unforgivingenvironment shapesthe goblin and thwarts the invader.

Full of ahatredfor all life, drivenby their dark god tounspeakable depravity and far more cunning than GameMasters and players have given them credit for, goblinsare truly worthy of our respect. They breed faster thanmost racesand, given time, can outlast and overwhelmmost enemies. Masters of stealth, traps and ambushes,goblins are rarely spotted until it is too late.

This book will introduce you to the customs, legendsand culture of one of the smallest but most formidableraces in the land. The information herein will equip

you if you let it and bring you safely home when younext cross the path of the 'mere' goblin.

THE SLAYER'SGUIDES

This series of supplements, designed for use with allfantasyD20 gamesystems,takesanexhaustivelook ata specific monster race. The guides thoroughly detailthe race's beliefs, society and warfare methodology.Typically thesewill be racesall but ignored by GameMasters and players who slay countless numbers ofthem on their quest for experience and magic.

Surely things are not this simple. An entire race doesnot just suddenly materialise in a campaign world andvery few monsters exist solely to wage war. Why dothese creatures live where they do? How did they getthere? What are they doing when the players are notaround?

GOBLINS.. FILTH ANDMALICE

Each Slayer's Guide featuresa singlerace,in thiscasethe goblin. In the following pages is a wealth ofinformation on the physiology of the goblin species aswell as an overview of goblins' typical habitat. Youwilllearn the fundamentals of their violent society andthe bloody religion driving them. Game Masters willbe provided with a number of scenario hooks to bringgoblins into their existing games, as well as informationdesigned to help them portray these creatures with morepersonality than ever, injecting renewed challenge intoold encounters with faceless enemies. Also providedherein is important information on how goblins wagewar, stageraids and their view of combat in general.

Game Masters will find a ready-made warren, completewith background, occupants and tactics at the end ofthe book, and statistics for standard goblin archetypesfor use in encounters. The Game Master can insert theadventure into a campaign as a straightforward dungeoncrawl. More likely, however, once the strengths andtactics of the goblin race are better understood, thischallenge will stretch over a number of exciting gamingsessions.

With the information provided herein, Game Mastersshould be able to ensure their players never againencounter thesecunning and malicious creatureswithout giving them a healthy dose of respect. Insufficient numbers, goblins are a match for anychallenge. They surely understand this maxim andshould be making the most of it in every campaign.

INTRODUCTION

Tabithiascouldn't believetheir situation. When the falling ceiling crushedKorl, they lost their lone fighter aswell asthe single memberof the group with darkvision. The cave-inhad alsoblocked their only known exit.Although shewassuretherewere others,finding onewould be a challenge. Thurm, the cleric, had beengravelywoundedby archersashe tried to savehis friend but eventually had to abandonthe dwarf andjoin with her andthe halfling asthey fled.

It was a grisly business,to hearthe goblins going over the body of the deaddwarf. Thankfully for the others,shewasthe only onewho understoodtheir vile tongue. The creatures'gloating had accordedthe party enoughtimeto escapebut it was not long before they were lost. The dark corridors, someleading nowhere,sometoo smallto enterwithout crawling, seemedto snakeforever in all directions, intersectingagainand again. Around everycorner, it seemed,were a handful of archerswho would loosea volley andthen retreat. Primitive trapsplaguedthemmercilessly and their spellshaddwindledfast.

Sarem, the rogue, who had been scouting ahead, returned and informed her the darkvision spell she had cast hadworn off. Tabithiascastthe spell on the halfling for the last time today. Soontheir last torch would be expendedand their lamp oil hadbeenlost when Korl had fallen so they would shortly be down to a few light spells. Beforecastingdarkvision on the rogueandsetting her on point the goblin arrowshad devastatedthe group, rainingdown deathfrom a darknessthey could not penetrate.

As they walked shebeganto wonder if they would everseethe sunagainbut her thoughtswere interruptedbyanotherrain of arrows.Thehalflingwasrunningtowardthem,motioningfor themto run. 'A bunchof' em,'shemanagedto get out, 'they havewolves with them!'

The trio rushedback down the hall to a sizeablechamberwith a door. Thurm turnedto securethe portal withiron spikeswhile Tabithiasusedanotherof her preciousspells to magically bar the portal. 'This won't last forlong,' shesaid,more to herself than to anyoneelse.

As Saremreadiedhercrossbow,Thurm waslightingincenseandpreparingoneofhis lastspells.'Theglyphwillblast them when they openthe door,' he saidashe dug out theprecious diamond dust the spellrequired, 'but thenI'll be down to my maceandmy faith.' Then he addedsolemnly, 'I pray they suffice.'

The priest beganhis spell anda small door, setcunningly into the wall swungopen slowly. Severalvery largegoblins strodein brandishingweapons. The lips of the largestgoblin curled back ashe spoke, 'Gurka alkkrenachvrechig!' Tabithiaschoseagainnot to translatefor the others.

Two of the creatures let loose javelins at Thurm but the cleric had finished his spell and dodged the missiles.Drawing his mace,the largehumanbeganto closewith the goblins. The elf backedaway andreachedfor an oldscroll. Sheheardthe enemieshacking at the sealeddoor behindher andwatchedasSaremburied abolt in thegoblin leader'sshoulder. The creaturesnarledand chargedthe rogue.

'Look out!', theelf exclaimedandthelightning boltshecastfromthescrollrippedthroughthelineof enemies,barely missing both of her friends. Only the surprisedleaderremainedin the aftermathandhe hastily turned toescapebut stopped.

ThechamberdoorsplinteredandThurm'sglyphexplodedin amistof acid.A horridcacophonyof screamswent up but a secondrank of goblins were alreadystepping over their deadanddying comrades. One of these,apriest, filled the room with a globe of impenetrabledarkness.

Before the darkness came, however, the heroes caught a glimpse of the red eyes and blackfur of an enormouswolf as it stepped through the doorway.

GOBLIN PHYSIOLOGY

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Goblins are among the smallest of the

intelligent races. Even so, they have

managed to fill the nightmares of children

and adults everywhere for centuries. Uniformly

bestial and savage, their reputation for cruelty and

violence rivals races many times their size. Many

victims of a goblin raid will never spot the stealthy

raiders but if they are fortunate enough to see them

emerge from the shadows they shall find only malice

and death in their blood red eyes.

Male goblins average three and a half feet tall with

variations of six inches in either direction. The

shorter group is perhaps underrepresented, facing

increased mortality in the highly-competitive tribe.

For their small size, goblins are quite tough. Their

bodies are virtually devoid of fat and wrapped in

sinewy muscle. This muscle mass makes them

heavier than expected, about 55 pounds at average

height. Females tend to be four to six inches shorterthan males but are actually heavier, averaging 60

pounds. As they are sedentary and primarily devoted

to the bearing and nursing of young, female goblins

are equipped with a thick layer of fat sustaining

both her and her young through endless cycles of

pregnancy. While they are weak by comparison with

larger humanoids, pound-for-pound, goblins are quite

powerful, especially when driven by desperation.

Goblins have a fearsome appearance, even in the

light of day. They have wicked, oversized mouths

with protruding canines, filthy claws on their hands

and feet and oily skin covered in patches of dull

black hair. Their faces are ugly and animalistic,

devoid of facial hair with the exception of a few

males sporting thin, uneven tufts on their cheeks

and neck. This same wiry hair, often worn long,

covers the creature's head. Goblin ears are large and

pointed and their wide, bony noses are barely raised

from their squat faces. Beneath a sloping forehead

and prominent brow are two deeply-set eyes,

reminiscent of dirty glass. Given their appearance,

one might think these creatures stupid but to draw

such a conclusion would be a terrible mistake. As

intelligent as the average human, goblins are far

more cunning and dangerous.

The goblin's sharp eyes, large ears and sensitive

nose account for the astonishing awareness they

exhibit. These heightened senses often allow them

to detect enemies long before they themselves arespotted. Goblins haveunderstoodand exploitedthis advantagefor ages. They alsohavepowerfuldarkvision, incredible agility anda talent forremaining unseenwhich is rarely equalled.

The irony of their powerful senseof smell is thegoblin's own terrible odour. Whether becausetheylair in filth andoffal or due to their natural bodyoil, goblins smell awful. Normally this odouris only noticeable in close quartersbut in areaswheregoblinscongregatethestenchis cloying,andalthough it has no adverse effect, it will linger fordayson thosewho areexposedtoo long.

Goblins prefer action to words but when they dospeakthey usethe harsh,gutturallanguage of allgoblinoids.Theirvoices tendto bepitchedabithigher than humans. More intelligent goblinswill often learn the common tongue,the difficultlanguageof the worg or occasionally orcish.

Healthy Bodies, DiseasedMindsGoblin living conditions are notorious for theirfilth, parasites and vermin. This may be due toa racialpreference forsuchanenvironmentorbecausethey simply despoil any areawhere theysettle. What is certain is the creatures have amazingimmune systems. Warrens have no sanitation andtypically standing water, carrion and other offal areeverywhere. Goblins seemimmune to the naturaldiSeasesand parasites thriving in such conditions.It is not known if this resistance arose over time,in response to the filthy environment, or if the traitservesamoregeneralpurpose.Scholarshavenoted,for instance, hoW a sick goblin becomes an easytarget for any healthy goblin in sight.

PHYSICAL VARIATIONSIn the tribe, goblin eye colour will range from

crimson to dull yellow and height, weight and

facial characteristics vary considerably. One fairlystandardtrait, however,is skin colour. Colouring,always a shadeof red, orangeor yellow, will befairly homogeneousin a tribe. Dominant malestend to monopolisebreedingandover time createaconsistentbloodline. Even so,variations exist and inany group of 50 goblins onewould encountersomevariation in skin colour. In a very large tribe, one

4

is likely to note a wide spectrumof colour amongaminority of members.

In humanoid societiessuchvariant skin colours oftenmark a memberasan outcast. Goblins, however,haveno suchaversionto an individual's colouraslong asthey arestrong. This uncharacteristictolerancemay haveits origin in the age-oldexploitation and slaveryof goblins, where they wereoften forced into mixed-tribe environments. Mosttribes havesomelevel of cross-tribebreeding in theirlineageand areacceptingof variantsamongthem.A chief may eventolerate other goblin tribes in histerritory, for a time, with sometribes ultimatelymerging rather than competing. This is especiallylikely when powerful enemiesare in the vicinity andthreatenboth tribes. Thesemergerswill naturallyincreasevariation in a tribe but require a strongleader in order to be successfuland to limit the levelof bloodshed.

NOT WITHOUT STYLEThough brutish andvulgar, goblins seemuncommonly concernedwith appearance.Thismanifestsin the popularity of body modificationand adornment. This practice seemsat leastpartially indicative of prestige. In a society devoidof personalidentity, suchadornmentmay alsobean effort to standout. A common techniqueisthe piercing of one's earswith rings of preciousmetal. Most tribal adults,male and female,willhavepiercedearswith chieftains, greatwarriorsandpriests frequently sporting a scoreof rings.Observerswill notice many earsmarkedby notchesand tears. This is likely due to a changein anindividual's status,theft or simple tribal infighting.

Goblins also adornthemselveswith tattooing orscarification. Thesepracticesarequite widespreadand the subjectmatter tendsto focus on tribaltotems,themesof war, hateanddeath. Prominentbattle scarsarealsodisplayedproudly and seemto increaseone's status. Many havenoted themarks of branding on goblin specimensbut this isprobably not doneto adorn somuch asa form ofpunishmentor to mark slavesand females. Whenthesemarks are the result of punishmentthey areoften quite severe.

The goblin senseof style doesnot appearto extendto their clothing, which is often threadbareand tom.When they can, they don crude leathergarmentsbutwill regularly settle for what they stealfrom others.

GOBLIN PHYSIOLOGY

Males favour dark breeches,cloaksand shirtswhilefemaleswear simple shifts, suiting their lifestyle ofcyclical pregnancy.

THE GOBLIN LIFECYCLEThe majority of femalesareconsideredcommunalproperty with a small numberbrandedastheproperty of a chief, priest or hero. Females'lives areonly slightly better than slavesbut eventhe lowestgoblin understandshow important the female is tothe successof the tribe. This important role keepsthem from being treatedtoo poorly and they oftenescapethe brutality of tribal life. Only the sick, oldor troublesomefemaleswill usually be killed.

All maturemaleshavethe right to breedwith thecommunal females(known asthe stew)but thestrongestoften dominateand fierce fighting canaccompanybreeding. Femalesare incredibly fertileand the majority of couplings result in pregnancy.Onceconceived,foetusesgestatefor five monthsand,after pregnancy,the new mother is fertile again

5

GOBLIN PHYSIOLOGY

within eight to 12weeks. Most femalesgive birth,usually to two or threeyoung, oncea year andthoseremaining infertile too long areconsideredcursed.

Goblin mothersarethought to sharethe caninetraitof collecting spermfrom multiple malesto fertilisedifferent eggs. This might accountfor why childrenborn to the samemother at the sametime oftenexhibit featuresresemblingdifferent males. Femalesalsoseemto exhibit the ability to determinethe sexof a foetusto meetthe prevailing needsof a tribe.Typically 30 to 40% of young areborn femalebutwhen the needarisesan entire stewmay producebabiesof a single sex.

Young goblins areable to crawl within threemonthsandwalk in six. By the endof their first year theyhavetheir signaturefangsandcoarseblack hair.From then on they arefed mostly meat, freeingtheir mothersto nursetheir newestyoung. In theirthird year a goblin is left to fend for itself among

the group of other young. Here it learnsto survive,competing for dominanceand food. By the ageofnine a goblin reachesmaturity andjoins the tribe.

Although goblins can live 50 years,few survive even20, with femalesandpriests living longest. Amongthe young, more than a third will neverachievematurity due to competition amongtheir peers,predatorssuchasgiant rats or cannibalism. Thislast phenomenonis seenusually when a pregnantfemalepreyson the weakestof the young to nourishher asshecarriesthe next generation. Femalesthemselvesrarely succumbto the random andviolentnatureof goblin societybut arevery often victims ofcomplications in childbirth. Males often losetheirlives in raids but they arejust as likely to be killedby a rival or by tribal decreeif they show themselvesweak or incompetent. Entire raiding partieshavebeensacrificedto The Mighty One if they fail toprovide sacrificial victims andscoutingpartieshavebeenslain andeatenif they fail to provide adequate

food.

THE GOBLIN DIETThe goblin diet is asvaried astheir habitat butmeat is preferred in every case. Whatever form itmight take,goblins prefer to be total carnivores.Insects,snakes,bats, rats andgrubs form thestaplesfor many tribes and thosecloseto thesurfacecometo dependon gameanimals,birdsand fish to feed their population. Goblins arealsonot abovecannibalismof the weak (theyoung, old, sick or dead)or eatingcarrion butvegetablesareavoidedwheneverpossible. Thereare somereportsof tribes cultivating mushroomsandother fungi but thesereports, if true, aretheminority andgoblins haveneverbeenknown tocultivate cropsaboveground.

Any abundanceof food in an areawill causea population explosion and asthe number ofgoblins increases,they tend to depleteeveryavailable food sourcein the areaand fall prey totheir lack of planning. Thesetribes are forced torelocate in order to sustaintheir numbers. Thiscycle of abundanceand scarcity leadsmanytribes to starvationandruin. Cannibalism intheseleantimes is evenmore common aslittle isrequired to turn a hungry tribe upon itself.

Tribes do not raise domestic livestock but it isnot unknown for larger, slave-taking tribes to use

6

slavelabour to tend small herdsof animals capturedin raids. This practice is lesswidespreadthan itmight be asthe presenceof animal herdstendstoconflict with the racial instinct to remain hidden. Itis also difficult for goblins to restrain themselvesfrom eating the slavestending the herds.

Goblin tribes are likely to facemany leandaysdue,to their own short sightedness.This fact and theracial conditioning born of generationsspentin ofcaptivity, abuseandprivation haveequippedthemwith physical enduranceto help them survive famine.In general,a goblin is very resistantto hungerandmay operatefor five or six daysbefore suffering itsadverseeffects. Much folklore hasalsogrown up ingoblin society abouthow to staveoff the demonofstarvation. This lore recommendsfilling the stomachwith foreign matter suchaswood, stonesor sandandalsopoints to certainberriesandplantswhich cansuppressthe appetitewhen ingested.

THE GOBLIN MINDThe forcesdriving a goblin arepowerful, deepandhaunting. Half cultural andhalf instinctual, thesecompelling fears,desiresandhatredscarry the goblinthrough a bleak and savagelife. Individually and insmall groups,goblins are awareof their vulnerability.Hobgoblins, orcs andworsecreaturesinhabit theworld, waiting to enslaveor slay them andthe goodracesareready to attack if everthe goblin leavesthesafetyof the shadows. This caution hasgiven rise tothe idea of 'goblin cowardice'. To somedegreethisis true, a goblin doesavoid an openbattle on enemyground andwill often flee to the shadows.A simpleexplanation suchas 'goblin cowardice', however,

GOBLIN PHYSIOLOGY

fails to tell the whole story. With sufficient numbersandpreparation,thesecreatureswillingly faceanyenemyandwill prove a vicious, unrelenting andmemorablefoe.

In the tribe, goblin fearsandbehaviourstruly reachtheir heights. From the earliestmomentsa goblinis taught the harshprice of showingweakness,failing or a misguided allegiance. Theseyoungsterswatch their peersstarved,bullied andevenkilledfor minor errors. If it reachesmaturity a goblin iswell acclimatisedto its environmentandhaslearnedto manoeuvrecarefully, obeying the strongandexploiting the weak. They are fully committed totakeany action necessaryto neverbe last, weakestor slowest. Justasthey areeveron the lookout foranothergoblin to dominate,they areequally watchfulof their leaders. Eachof them understandstheir ownstatusin the tribe canadvancewhen the strong fall.Goblin leadersaretypically awareof this dangerandkeepthe tribe busyenoughraiding, scoutingandfighting amongthemselvesto maintain power.

A seethinghatredof all other life, evennatureitself,is the cornerstoneof the goblin psycheandthey liveto defile, despoil andprofane. The priesthoodofThe Mighty One is relentlessin its recitation of thishateful tenetandeverygoblin is eagerto murder,pillage and terrorise the enemiesof their god. If theselfishnessanddeceit of their heartsdid not channelsuchenergyto infighting, there is little doubt thesecreatureswould be a world-shaping force. Few racesareasprolific or relentlessasgoblins andcountlessenemieswould havebeenforced from their cities,towns and strongholdslong ago,before the unendingwavesof thesecruel marauders.

The Coming of the GoblinsLongago, The Mighty One watchedthe new world, the racesandwhere theysettled. Hewatched the foolish orcgod sethis peopleagainstthe good racesforever,hoping to acquiretheir land. He knew he would nevermatchthe initiative of the humans,the ingenuity of the gnomes,the industry of the dwarvesor majestyof the elvesbuthe saw a way in his black heartto best them an. Be retreatedto the underdark,to make the goblin.

He madethem small and stealthy,to avoid their enemiesbut gavethem greatcunning sothey could trick theirfoesand strike from the shadowsat unexpectedtimes andplaces. Insteadof greatstrength,they would rely ongreatnumberstooverwhelmallfoesintime.Ratherthanmakingorbuilding,theywouldtake what they wanted

from the weak. So the mighty amongthem would rule andthe weak would be culled, heset them forever at oddswith eachother. Lastly, he taught them to hatelife andbeauty,chargingthem to destroy it.

For ages,goblins bred in theunderdark unopposed. When other racesstartedto gain territory in this lightlessworld, the goblins madewar but were often defeatedOrenslaved. After a centUryof warfare the priestsofTheMighty One heralded the time of ascension and many of the free tribes migrated to the surface. So it has beenforcenturieswiththe followersofTheMightyOne spreadingtoallknownlands.

GOBLIN HABITAT

GOBLINBABITAT

Goblins cansurvive whereverthere is air,water andsomeform of nourishment. Theyhavebeenencounteredeverywherefrom the

arctic to tracklessdesertsandremote islands. Givena choice,goblins will lair undergroundbut asthis isnot alwayspossible,they haveadaptedthemselvesto numerousalternativearrangements.If food isabundantandpowerful enemiesarescarce,anyplotof land canbecomean ideal goblin habitat.

Born in the endlessblack cavernsof the underdark,goblins arequite comfortable in this unforgivingenvironment. Unfortunately for the surfaceworld,when racessuchasthe drow andduergarbeganto claim larger territories they slew andenslavedcountlessthousandsof goblins. This drove thesurvivorsto the surfacein hugenumbersandtoday it is unusualto find goblins living free in theunderdark. Thosewho havesurvivedhavedonesoby ranging far, raiding andavoiding drow huntingparties. Thesetribes usually establishhidden safedensthroughout their territory and aremastersofthe trap andthe ambush. Without the worg of theirsurfacebrethrenamongthem, thesegoblins areevenlesslikely to facean enemyopenly.

Cavernousexits from the underdarkwere the firstlocations settledby goblins following their surfacemigration. The combination of plentiful resourcesandeasyaccessto the comfort of the underdark(into which few raceswill delve) allowed them tothrive. Eventually other humanoids,most notablytheir hobgoblin relatives,beganto targettheselocaleswith slaveraids andmany goblins migratedagain. Todaythe majority of goblins on the surfaceinhabit caveand tunnel systemsranging from beardensto abandonedor conqueredmines. Althoughlazy, goblins are fair miners andcanmodify evenpoor locations to accommodatetheir tribe. Theworg, found amongmany tribes, hasmadeit possiblefor them to extendtheir influence acrosshills andmountainsvirtually everywhere.

When it is not possibleto locateanundergroundlair,a tribe will seekruins or other abandonedstructuresto inhabit. As a last resort,however,they will makeshelterfrom whateveris available. Goblins arenotoverly industriousandsuchbuilding efforts are

often poorly conceived,roughly implementedandunsightly. Unlike their hobgoblin relatives,goblinsrely primarily on camouflagefor defenceandwillrarely build a stockadeor wall aroundtheir lair. Onesurfacelocale where goblins havemanagedto thriveis the marshland. Theseenvironmentsareusuallyremoteenoughto offer the tribe the protection itneedsevenwhen closeto towns androads. Theswampalsooffers abundantfood to thosewith anindiscriminate paletteand few raceshavea lessdiscriminating palettethan goblins.

MOVING THE TRIBEFew things areastempting to a hobgoblin or orcwar bandthan a goblin tribe on the move. Withoutproper preparationsuchmovescan,andoften do,end in disaster. It is extremely difficult to organiseandco-ordinatethe move of a goblin tribe. This isespecially true for their own leaderswho tend to useforce asthe only tool for motivation andexplanation.Given theseissues,leaderswould neverrelocatebutthe tribe's tendencyto despoil any territory over timemakesmoving an inevitable part of goblin life.

In order to selecta new lair, scoutsaresent far insearchof a suitable locale. They return with reportson both available resourcesandenemypopulations.Goblins areculturally obsessedwith the avoidanceofsubjugationand it is a major factor in the selectionofa lair. Suchcaution may evenlead a chief to selectan areawhere raiding is poor and the tribe suffers.This will usually herald a changein leadershipaspowerful warriors ariseto challengethe wisdom ofthe chief.

The emphasisof the move itself is not speedbutstealth. Oncethe new location is chosenand aroute selected,the tribe movesin small groupsoveranumberof nights.ThisprocessriaY stretchforweeksin a large tribe. Oncesettled,they begin thework of making the new lair invisible to observers.Soonafter, the first raids begin. While there is nosuchthing asa 'typical' goblin lair, wherevertheysettle,the territory is likely to be changedforever bytheir coming.

GOBLINSOCIETYR

le by strength and terror is the philosophy of

a goblin chief. Above all he understands there

e goblins ready to replace him at the first sign

of weakness. This paradigm of leadership shapes the

tribal culture. Each goblin clamours to show deference

to those above them while lording over those who are

weaker. Those tribe members at the bottom of this

social order, called II-Mûk (literally 'no voice'), face a

bleak existence indeed, one of daily beatings, ridicule

and servitude. When life must be sacrificed, be it to

a deity or to an enemy, it is sure to be a life from the

II-Mûk.

The reign of a particular ruler in any tribe might last a

few hours or five years. Rare, indeed is the goblin thatcan keep his tribe content for a longer period. The chief

is usually a strong or cunning warrior but The Mighty

One encourages his priests to seek leadership positions

as well. It is even possible a skulk or other rogue might

rise, by virtue of his deceitfulness, to lead a tribe. The

chief presides over all matters of military and domestic

life, sharing power with priests and powerful warriors.

He sits in judgement over all matters of law and

determines appropriate punishment for offenders.

Criminals are dealt with swiftly in the tribe.

Punishments are harsh even for small infractions but

are not always lethal. Branding, eye gouging and bone

breaking are staples of the goblin justice system. These

punishments are brutal in order to send a clear message.

It is for the same reason that offenders are punished

publicly. It is an irony lost on goblins that due to the

arbitrary nature of tribal laws it is not possible to deter

criminals. One might be a criminal for spilling the soup

one was carrying to a powerful warrior. On a bad day,

this offence could get the criminal branded a clumsy

ape.

Tribes of goblins are usually smaller than two hundred

males. Larger tribes certainly exist but would need

a very powerful leader indeed. Legends do exist,however, of goblin tribes in the underdark, numbering

in the thousands, ruled by great and terrible goblinkings. A tribe will organise around a single lair called

a warren. Even surface lairs are likely to have tunnels

and underground chambers. Goblins are fair miners and

love to be below ground. Females and young may be

divided into communal groups or housed all together.Males live among the females but sleep in smallgroups according to their status or role. The chief and

other prominent goblins almost always have separate

chambers, often with females to attend them.

GOBLIN SOCIETY

ON MAKING AND TAKINGGoblins adhere to the age-old economic and industrialphilosophy of all goblinoids, 'Why make when youcan take'. This philosophy mandates they settle at leastreasonablycloseto inhabitedlands. A major focusof agoblin raid is usually the acquisition of tools, weapons,food and armour. Being too lazy to care for goods,most of what they do own is in poor repair. Thesecreaturespossessno conceptof personalownershipand

the strongestwarriorsquickly claim thebestequipment,often violently. Any true wealth is the property of thetribe, held by the chief and passing to the new chiefupon succession. The average goblin sees little in theway of gold and gems.

Many tribes have found good fortune by sending bands

of skilled raiders to follow bugbears, orcs or gnolls ontheir raids. These larger raiders often overlook what isuseful to a goblin, concentrating on real treasure andthe joy of killing. Although lucrative, such parasiticbehaviour carries great risk. All of these raceswouldturn on the goblins if they discovered them. The leader

and members of a rewarding 'shadow raid' can gaingreat prestige within the tribe and this is often worth therisk.

GETTING ALONG WITHOTHERS .

Goblins hateall life and beauty categorically. They

have an enmity with all creatures but dwarves andgoblins have warred for centuries beneath the earth anda special hatred exists between the two races. There is

also a long history of conflict with kobolds and gnomeswho often compete directly for territory with goblins.

Unlike the powerful dwarves, who regularly slaughter

goblin war parties, goblin raiders prey upon these

weaker races mercilessly.

Justasgoblinspreyon thoseweakerthan them, morepowerful racesshareterritory with goblinsandpreyon them. Since time unremembered, orcs, hobgoblins,gnolls and other humanoids have been frequent anddangerous enemiesof thegoblin. Theseraiders often

enslave some or all of a tribe but just as often theywill extort an ongoing tribute from the goblins in gold,goods and slaves.

Unless they are attacked, the goblin tribe rarely resiststhese raiders once they have located the warren, thoughthey might relocate if possible. That said, it is rare

for any race to exist in goblin territory undetected andthe tribe will take every measure possible to concealtheir presencefrom an enemy. If deemed possible, thegoblins might launch raids of their own to kill enemy

rearguard and scout units. In this way, through stealth

GOBLIN SOCIETY

and surprise, goblins can eliminate a more powerful foe

over time.

Over the centuries, goblins have interbred and

intermingled with other tribes, in captivity and in the

world. The race has, therefore, developed a remarkable

tolerance between goblin tribes. When two goblin

tribes meet, the stronger tribe may assimilate the

weaker, often after only minor bloodshed. Individual

goblins from the smaller tribe will need to establish

their place in the hierarchy of the tribe. Once they are

part of the tribe they will be treated as any other goblin

(i.e. poorly). The reason for this tolerant behaviour

may have its roots in the racial tendency to congregate

and the belief there is safety in numbers. Whatever the

reason, it is more often better to merge than to compete

for the same limited resources.

SLAVERYSlavery, for the purpose of labour, ritual sacrifice and

food is well established in goblin society. Slaves are

most often the result of encounters with small groups of

other races. Goblins almost never enslave other goblins

and most larger and monstrous races prove difficult to

control. Most slaves tend to be gnomes, halflings and

humans. Isolated homesteads and small caravans can

yield prisoners but it is unclear why slaves are taken in

one raid and not in other, similar forays. Goblins rarely

They were in complete blackness. Saremknew the spell, as the halfling had seen Thurm cast it many times. She had

heard the goblin shaman chanting but was unable to interrupt the spell. Now the same shaman or another had brought

a magical silence on the room. Surely the creatures were searching the darkness for her and her friends now. Luckily

for her, she was small enough to get around unnoticed.

What was really a concern to her Were the black wolves she saw just before the darkness had overcome them. Surely

they could smell ber? She quickly fumbled in her pack and foundwhat she sought: a bag ofpowdered hot pepper!

She cast it about randomly, hoping to throw off their trail and made her way to where shehad seen the secret door openearlier.

She came upon a warm pool on the rough floor. As she probed further, her blood went cold: it was Thurm! By his

wounds it was clear she could not help the cleric. She recalled just the previous day he had saved her own life by

healing her terrible burns. Suddenly, shooting pain lanced throughher leg as a goblin spear pierced her. Instinctively,

she stabbed upward and felf her sword sink deep. The vile creature slumped beside her.

Leaving her lifeless friend, she reluctantly continued. When she reached the secret door beyond the silence and

darkness her spirit soared: Tabithiaswas waiting! She ran to the mage and, after securing the door behind them, the

tWo fled down the passage. Still under the influence of the darkvision spell, Sarem led the pair and Tabithias, blind

in the dark, stayed close. It was only a fewmoments before theyheard the secret door crash open behind them. The

shouts of goblins and terrifying snarls of the great wolves echoed up the passage.

'I'm out of spells, Sarem! 'exclaimed the elf.

Thehalfling droppedahandfulof caltrops behind her asthey

ranbut she knew they could not hope to outrun their

enemies. Arrows began to fly around them and the wolves closed in.

raid so.lelywith a mind to.acquire slaves and tend to.view the priso.nersas little mo.rethan bo.o.ty.

Go.blins are, quite po.ssibly,the cruellest and mo.stdegeneraterace in the realms. Often victimsthemselves, they take perverse delight in the to.rtureand suffering o.fo.thers. Co.nsidering the brutalitywith which they treat each o.ther,it is easy to.seetheho.pelessnesso.ftho.sein bo.ndageto.them. Slaveswho.are to.o.o.ld, to.o.yo.ungo.rinfirm are killed, o.ftenfo.rsacrifice. As a way o.fkeeping their priso.nersaliveand at the sametime to.rmenting them, meat fro.mslain priso.nersis a staple o.f the slave diet. Faced withstarving and being eaten themselves, mo.stslaveso.ptfo.rthe grisly fare. As ho.rrific as fo.rcedcannibalism is, it isno.tthe o.nly curse o.fa slave's life.

Male slaves labo.ur,wo.rking 12 to. 16 ho.ursper daydigging, farming o.rsimply engaged in inane to.il to.amuse their capto.rs. Females are co.nsiderablywo.rseo.ff. They perfo.rm do.mesticwo.rk under the supervisio.no.fcruel tribal females. Many amo.ngthe slave wo.menend up in bro.thel groups o.ras wet-nurses. Wet-nursinga gro.upo.fgo.blin infants is ho.rrid in the extreme. Theyo.unggo.blins inevitably kill and eat their wet nursewhen they are weaned.

The priestho.o.drequires frequent sacrificial victimsand slaves are used when available. A healthy slave ispreferable to.a sick o.nebecausetheir to.rtureand dyingis mo.rerewarding. When it is time to.select a victim,the slavesthemselves are o.ftenfo.rcedto.cho.o.sewhicho.f their o.wnwill die. This pro.cesso.fwaiting to.beelected to.die and feeding o.ntho.seyo.uhave sent to.death is ano.thero.f the many aspectso.fcaptivity thatdrive many slavesto.madness.

One o.f the mo.stpo.werful fo.rcesdriving the go.blintribe is its desire to.avo.idbeing subjugated itself. Manyracesuse go.blins as slaves and are ever o.nthe lo.o.ko.utfo.rmo.re. An eno.rmo.usamo.unto.f tribal energy,therefo.re,go.esinto. remaining free o.fcaptivity. Go.blinwarrio.rs and SCo.utsare warned no.tto.lead o.thersto.the tribe o.npain o.fdeath. The warrens are usuallyextremely well hidden and defended. Still, who.letribes have relo.catedto.avo.idnew bands o.fgno.llso.rho.bgo.blinsin their area.

Go.blins in captivity are a miserable lo.t. Luckily,go.blins o.fany so.rtare a miserable lo.t so.they tend to.adapt. In slavery with larger humano.ids,go.blins o.ftenfare po.o.rlyunless they are kept separated. Due to.theirlaziness, go.blins are usually unpro.ductive labo.urers.Under clo.sesupervisio.nand fear o.fpain they will wo.rkbut the effo.rt o.fteno.utweighsthe gain. Therefo.re, themo.stco.mmo.nuse o.fa go.blin slave is still a fo.o.tso.ldier.

GOBLIN SOCIETY

If a go.blin is lucky eno.ughto.be co.nscriptedinto. thearmy o.fan o.rganisedwarlo.rd, they will be armed andhave a shield, maybe even armo.ur. Unfo.rtunately fo.rthe go.blins, they mo.sto.ftenend up in ho.bgo.blinando.rcarmies, fo.rcedto.take to.the field with whateverthey can find, o.rno.thing at all. In this last situatio.n,the go.blinsare purely used as canno.nfo.dderand adiversio.n fo.r the enemy. Faced with pro.babledeathat the hands o.f the enemy and their capto.rsalike,go.blinsmake unreliable so.ldiersat best. They will fleethe battlefield o.rsurrender if either o.ptio.nbeco.mesavailable.

Captivity and EscapeGo.blin captiVity is quite co.mmo.nin the realms anda great deal o.ftribal energy is expended avo.iding it.Ironically, captive goblins rarely attempt to.escape andare obedient, if lazy, servants so long as they are showna stro.nghand. It is o.bvio.us this o.nlymakesthemmo.redesirable as slaves and feeds an already po.Qrsituatio.n.Outsiders lo.o.kingto.understand this behaviQur shQuldco.nsiderthe fQllo.wing:

First, ho.weverbad the conditio.ns o.fcaptivity are, theyare rarely measurably wo.rsethan the averagego.blin'sexperiencesin the warren. Eachgo.blin has, since birth,faced hunger, unjust punishmen tand cruel abusebytho.sestro.ngerthan them. It matters little to.the averagegoblin whether their o.ppresso.ris a fellQWgo.blin o.rfo.ulQgre. In either case,the go.blin's chance Q fending up inthe stew pot fo.ra mino.r infractionis co.mparable.

Secondly, a rebellio.n or escapeplo.t isan act o.fco.-o.peratio.n.Unfo.rtunately, go.blins do. no.tco.-Qperatewell witho.ut so.me(usually external) authQrityforcing them. Ago.blin who.vo.icesanescapeplan to

aco.mrade-in-chains is quitelikely to.find the samecomradehasbetrayedhim to. the capto.rsin ho.peso.fbeing rewardedwith a raisein his o.wnstatUs.

The

Goblin

Warren

GQblins can live nearly anywhere but will mo.sto.ftensettle undergrQund, far fro.m large PQPulatiQncentres.Altho.ugh they are natUral raiders and thieves, citiesQffer rewards o.nlywith great risk. Regardlesso.fwherethey settle, a wide perimeter o.fpits, snaresand ambushsites will be established immediately. It is also.a primeco.ncemfo.revery tribe to.camQuflagethe lair and makecertain no.tracks co.mpro.miseits lo.catio.n.To.rtureanddeath await the gQblin respo.nsiblefo.r leading enemiesho.me.

The warren itself is a criss-cro.sso.fpassages,chambersand dead ends. The chao.ticarrangements allo.wdefenders to.surro.undand diso.rient their enemies.Go.blins are acco.mplished,if lazy, miners and given

GOBLIN SOCIETY

time they can transform even a small cave into a

sprawling lair. The average tunnel is dug too narrow

and low for most larger races to enter, except on

their bellies and without heavy armour. As with the

surrounding area, passages and important chambers

will be protected with pits, collapsing ceilings and other

traps.

It has been said even an orc would feel dirty in a goblin

cave. Whether this is true or not, the living conditions

of the warren are legendary for their filth. Goblins seem

to have no concept whatsoever of personal or communal

hygiene. They can live in and among dung, half-eaten

carcasses and other offal without issue and quicklydespoil any area in which they reside.

Contrasted with this filth are the crude but prolific cave

paintings that commonly adorn the walls of the warren.

These murals often tell stories of the tribe's exploitsor represent religious themes. While not artisticallyinteresting, when compared with the work of other

races, these paintings stand in stark contrast to theperception of the goblin as a dull and brutal savage.

RELIGIONReligion is an important aspect of goblin societyand priests are feared. A goblin tribe often findsitself overmatched and in need of divine protection.Unfortunately, goblin gods are not a sympathetic lot andusually answer by calling for more blood and violence,often against the very foe the goblins sought protectionfrom. Despite their indifference, goblins worship theirgodsout of fear. They recognise their truegoblin nature

in the gods'behaviourandit hasshapedtheir culture.

Goblin worship requires frequent sacrifice and a greatquantity of blood. Prisoners are sacrificed following avictory, before an important raid or to bless importantevents. If slaves are unavailable, substitutions aremadefrom theweakin the tribe. Raging bonfires,feverish dancing and rhythmic drumscharacterise many

ceremonies. It is not uncommon for several victims tobetorturedin the early stages of a ritual, in orderto stirthe bloodlust of the tribe. Once again, if slaves are notavailable, the smallest goblins often fare poorly.

The Mighty OneThere are several gods in the goblin pantheon but none

are as universally revered as The Mighty One. Thisviolent deity appears as a massive, pure black goblinwith burning eyes. Goblins and hobgoblins worshiphirn,eachrace claiming to be first in the god's heart.The Mighty One is a brutal god who requires obedienceand suffering from his worshippers. He hates all lifeand spurs his peopleon toward war and brutality.

The most holy day of The Mighty One is the night

of the neW moon. This night is always one of sordidrevelry and unspeakable evil. Ironically, the daily

OCCUrrence of high noon is also holy to The Mighty

One, who is sometimes called Fire Eyes and identifiedwith the sun. The Mighty One demands regularsacrifice and many tribes practicedaily noontimerituals. The deity prefers the blood of ores, kobolds and

gnomes but race will be overlooked if the sacrifice isbrutal. He has long encouraged his priests to cull theweak: of the tribe throughsacrifice.

Class Fort Ref WillLevel Base Save Save Save Special-- - - -1 +0 +0 +2 +0 AmbushMastery,PoisonUse- - - - - - -2 +1 TrackingMastery. -3 . +2 +l +3 +l CoverandConcealmentMastery

- -4 +3 +1 +4 LesserSurpriseMastery-5 +3 +l +4 +1 GreaterSurpriseMastery

THE GOBLIN SKULKMasters of reconnaissanceand ambush, skulks playa crucial role in goblin society. Usually encounteredalone, they traverse tribal territory watching (andoccasionally assassinating)enemies and positioningtraps and ambush sites for the day an invader appears.The role of locating food and targets for raiding is leftto lesserrogues or warriors in the tribe although skulkswill sometimes help raiding parties' approach unnoticedand cover their retreat.

Skulks are respected,as their murderous traps andclever ambushescan savea tribe from ruin. When thereare dangerousmissions, such aspoisoning an enemywell or counting orcs in a nearby tribe, the skulk getsthe job. Consequently, lossesare common among theirnumbers. While they live, however, they represent thebest of their race and are among the most courageousgoblins in the tribe.

Among goblin rogues, only the truly exceptionalbecome skulks. The class is quite rare and even largetribes have only a small number of these specialists.The great danger keeps the number of skulks low.

Hit Die: d6

RequirementsTo become a skulk, a goblin must first fulfil all thefollowing criteria:

Abilities: Dexterity 14, Intelligence 12 and Wisdom 12Feats: TrackSkills: Craft (trapmaking) (5 Ranks); Hide (8 Ranks);Intuit Direction (5 Ranks); Move Silently (8 Ranks);Spot (8 Ranks) and Wilderness Lore (4 Ranks)

Class SkillsThe skulk's class skills (and the key ability for eachskill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Craft (Int,trapmaker only), Disable Device (lnt), Hide (Dex),

GOBLIN SOCIETY

Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nature)(Int), Listen (Wis), Move Silently (Dex), Ride (Dex),Search(Int), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), Tumble (Dex),Use Rope (Dex) and Wilderness Lore (Wis).

Skill Points at Each Level: 3 + Int Modifier

Class FeaturesAll of the following are class features of the goblinskulk prestige class:

Weapon and Armour Proficiencies: A skulk isproficient with all simple and martial weapons and allarmour though they tend to wear light armour. Notethat armour check penalties for armour heavier thanleather apply to the skills Balance, Climb, EscapeArtist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, Pick Pocket andTumble. Also, Swim checks suffer a -I penalty forevery five pounds of armour, equipment or loot carried.

Ambush Mastery: At 1st level, a skulk begins tomaster the techniques of ambush. A skulk that co-ordinates or createsan ambush grants a circumstancebonus to the Spot DC equal to his skulk level plushis Wisdom bonus. To get this bonus the skulk mustmake a Wilderness Lore check (DC IS). An ambushtakeshalf an hourto preparefor everyambushinggoblin. The skulk is also adept at spotting ambushes.A WildernessLore check(DC IS) will grant a +Icompetence bonus to their spot check vs. ambushes(including natural traps such aspits, snares,etc.) perskulk level.

Poison Use: At 1st level, a skulk may use poisonwithout the danger of accidental poisoning themselves.Skulks with the Alchemy skill gain a +2 competencebonus to make natural poison.

Tracking Mastery: At 2nd level, a skulk begins toperfect the art of tracking and avoiding trackers. AsuccessfulWilderness Lore check (DC 20) every

13

The Skulk

GOBLIN SOCIETY

onelevelhigher than would be applied:1/4 cover or concealment becomes 1/2, 1/2becomes 3/4 and 3/4 becomes 9/1O. A skulkwith 9/10 cover or concealment gains noadditional bonus.

Surprise Mastery: By the 4th and 5thlevels, the skulk has become a master ofsurprise. At 4th level, a skulk can never becaught flatfooted and cannot be flanked orsurprised. Conversely, when they surpriseanenemytheyreceivea full ratherthanpartial action. Skulks also gain a +2 ontheir initiative rolls following a surpriseround in which they successfully surprisea foe. At 5th level, skulks gain a +2competence bonus to attack rolls duringa surprise round against surprised foes.Their critical threat range is also doubledon such attacks.

GOBLIN SPELLSBlood GlyphAbjurationLevel: Adp 2, Clr IComponents: V, S, MCasting Time: 10 minutesRange: TouchArea: 5 sq. ft./levelDuration: Until dischargedSaving Throw: Fort halfSpell Resistance: No

four hours allows the skulk to move at full speedwhile hiding their trail. Similarly, with a successfulWilderness Lore check (DC 20), the first three creaturesin a group with a skulk do not count toward the bonusgiven to trackers following the group. For each threepoints above the required role, three additional creaturesare not counted.

Priests of The Mighty One use bloodglyph to sealthetunnelsof theirwarrens against invaders. A blood

glyph protects an area,not an object.The caster setsthe conditions of the ward, limited toa passphrase or simple set of physical characteristics('Not a goblin or worg'). Blood glyph does not detectinvisible or ethereal beings and multiple castings ofthe spell may not overlap. Castersmay have a numberof bloodglyphs activeequalto his casterlevelplushis Wisdom bonus, subsequentcastings beyond thismaximum fail.The baseDC penalty to track a group which includes a

skulk is + 1 per skulk level. Likewise, a skulk receivesa + 1 to their Wilderness Lore roll per skulk level totrack creatureswithin 30 miles of their lair. With asuccessfulWildernessLore check(DC 25) everyfourhours, the skulk can move at full movement whiletracking.

Blood glyphs maynot beaffectedor bypassedbyphysical or magical probing but may be dispelled.Mislead, polymorph and nondetection can fool ablood glyph. Read magic can identify the spell with aSpellcraftcheck(DC B). This identificationdoesnotdischarge the ward and simply reveals its nature andanypasswordsor requirementsto passsafely. Note:Arogue(only) mayuseSearch(DC 26) to find thewardand Disable Device (DC 26) to disable it.

Cover and Concealment Mastery: At 3rd level,a goblin skulk has mastered the use of cover andconcealment. Any time a skulk would be entitled to acover or concealment bonus, that bonus is considered

Bloodglyph is activatedwhena creatureentersthewarded area without meeting the conditions set by thecaster. The spell attacks the victim's blood vessels,causing them to burst with intense pain and deals Id4+ldamage per level of caster (maximum of 6d4+6). Allcreatures within 5-ft. of the warded area are affected.

Material Component: The ritual requires humanoidblood sufficient to cover the warded area completely.The spell renders the blood into the nearly-invisibleglyph that hovers in the air in the centre of the wardedarea, which radiates both magic and evil.

Extinguish LightAbjurationLevel: Adp 3, Clr 2Components: V, SCasting Time: 1ActionRange: 50-ft.Area: 30-ft. radiusDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

Extinguishlight causesall non-magicallight sources(torches, lanterns, campfires, etc.) in the target area toextinguish immediately. The spell also dispels light-producing spells or effects of the spell's level or lowerthatarein effect in thetargetarea. Itemswith light orcontinual flame cast on them (ever-burning torch) aretreated as spell effects for the purpose of extinguishlight.

This spell may not be used to counter light-producingspells and normal fires extinguished by the spell can berelit normally.

Note: extinguish light does not produce magicaldarkness, it simply removes light from an area.Creatures with darkvision or low-light vision are notpenalised by extinguish light.

Vision of the WolfDivinationLevel: Clr 3Components: V, S, M, FCasting Time: At least8 hours(special)Range: 10 mile radius + specialDuration: InstantaneousSaving throw: NoneSpell Resistance: No

Castingvision of the wolf sendsthecastera visionof the nearest worg and its location. Casting mustbegin on the night of the new moon and requires eightgruelling hours of ritual chanting, singing and dancing.

GOBLIN SOCIETY

The caster must not be interrupted during the ritual.

If there is a worg within the range of the spell, the casterwill receive a clear vision and unerringly know thelocation of the animal as well ashow to get there. Thisknowledge lasts until the full moon.

If the spell does not locate a worg on the first night,the samecaster may cast it again on following nights,to the limit of the caster's endurance. The caster mustfast through the casting period and, due to the strenuousritual, attempts to cast the spell on more than one dayrequire a CON check (DC 15) at -1 per subsequentdayof casting. With eachcasting,tenmilesareadded to theradius of the spell.

Focus: The caster must be dressedin the head and furof a wolf to cast the spell, although not necessarily thatof a worg. If the actual skull or pelt of a worg is used,double the base radius of the spell. A fire pit of at least

3' diameter is also required as a focus for the ritual.The fire must bum for the length of the ritual, whichmay span days. The final vision appearsto the caster inthe flames of the fire.

Material Component: One live humanoid sacrifice foreachnight the spell has been cast. For each additionalsacrifice offered during the ritual but not required, fivemiles are added to the range of the spell.

Note: This spell does not ensure the worg's favour, nordoes it guarantee the creature is not already allied withanother tribe.

Child of the Mighty OneTransmutationLevel: Adp 4, Clr 4Components: V, S, MCasting Time: 1 minute per subjectRange: TouchTarget: 2 Creatures per caster levelDuration: 1 day per caster level or until dischargedSaving throw: Will negates(harmless)Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)

Casting child of The Mighty One is a bloody ritual oftenprecedingamajorraid or battle. When cast, the subject

is marked by the caster with a bloody sigil persistingone day per caster level unless voluntarily discharged bythe subject. When discharged, the subject is overcomeby blood frenzy exactly like that of the barbarian's rageability as described in Core Rulebook I.

Material Component: One live humanoid must besacrificed for every subject blessedby this spell. Thebloodof thesacrificeis usedto markthe subject.

METHODSOFWARFARE

METHODS OFWARFARE

Goblins havebeenat war sincetheir creation,lost in the mists of time. The priesthoodofThe Mighty One is unrelenting in its call for

new victims for sacrificeand its demandthe tribemultiplies and slaysits enemies.A goblin warrenthat is not raiding is often eating itself from the

inside andmired in discontent. Knowing this andneedingto protect their reign, the chieftain sendshiswarriors out, driven by the inflammatory rhetoric ofthe priests.

Goblins areboth intelligent and cunning, challengingenemiesmore than they areoften given credit for.They areracially andculturally preparedto surviveby preying on the weak and their tactics focus onstealthandoverwhelming numbers. They understandthey arerarely superior to their enemiesand thus relyheavily on greatnumbers,ingenuity andpreparationto succeed.

GOBLIN UNITOVERVIEWScoutsThe scout/rogueplays a critical role in goblinsociety. Always alert for new enemiesin the tribalterritory, they also locatenew food sourcesandgatherinformation on targetsfor raiding warriors.When goblins do strike, scoutsarerarely amongthem, having movedon to preparethe next target.Scoutsmight be used,at times, to perform specialtasks. For instance,raidersassaultinga town mayhavea small group of scoutssneakin to gatherprisonersand loot for the warren.

Another common mission of the scout is thepoisoning of wells and livestock of a potentialtargetandburning cropsandwarehouses.Theseactionsmay happendaysbefore a raid, ensuringthedefenderswill be sick andweak. The elite goblinscouts,known asskulks, may lead thesespecialoperationsbut arenever involved in battles. Insteadthey busy themselvespreparing trapsandco-ordinating ambushsitesalong the path of returningraiders.

Warriors and ArchersThe largestpercentageof a raiding force willbe warriors. Theserank-and-file malesarewellacquaintedwith violence andaregenerally effectivecombatants,especially in groups. It would bea mistaketo assumethey forsaketheir stealthyheritageto takeup arms. Rather,they maximisetheir threatby approachingunseenandunheard,swarming opponentsonly to fadeback into cover,usually to a preparedambushsite.

Many tribes alsohavededicatedarchers. Whenpresent,theseunits canhavea dramatic impact

METHODS OF WARFARE

on the battle. Arrow stormscover the advanceandretreatof warriors while other archerswait inambushfor pursuing enemies.

Wolves, Worg and CavalryWolves, dire wolves and the cruelly-intelligent worgare common sights on the battlefield, fighting besidetheir goblin allies. The presenceof thesebeastsis often enoughto terrify evenhardenedsoldiers,granting the goblins a tremendousadvantageon thefield. Without riders, the greatwolves often runhaphazardlyaroundthe battlefield, bringing chaos,fear and deathwhile their allies pushthrough theconfusedandweakenedenemy.

As fearedasthey areon their own, worg-mountedcavalry areone of the most fearedunits in therealms. Thesewarriors areexpert riders who havegrown more brutal and sadistic through their closeassociationwith the evil wolves. When they chargeinto battle, only the most disciplined enemyis notscattered.

LeadersMost raids will haveone or more sergeantsincommand,with lieutenantscommandingonly thelargestactions. The dual purposeof a unit leaderincombat is to inspire couragein the troops, allowingretreatonly when it leadsto strategicadvantageand to makedecisionsrelated to the goalsof theraid. Without strong leadershipevenexperiencedwarriors tend to deteriorateinto a mob andexcessiveviolence, looting anddestructionoften result. Good

leadersunderstandthe tribe canmilk a village andits environsfor monthsor yearsunlesspowerfulretribution comesasthe result of too zealousanassault.

The PriesthoodIn combat,adeptsandpriestsalike counter lightsourcesand sow fear,diseaseanddisorder. Theirversatility assuresevenmoderate-sizedraidswill contain at leastonepriest or adept. On thebattlefield, priestsarealso fond of summoningreinforcementsto their side,often zombiesfrom thecorpsesof slain enemies. The impact of seeingtheircomrades'deadbodiesadvancingon them helpsspreadterror in the ranksof the goblins' enemies.

GOBLIN EQUIPMENTGoblin equipmentis a mismatchedcollection ofstolenor crudely-fashioneditems. Tribes havenoindustry andmakeonly the simplest items. Ratherthan create,goblins rely on theft andsalvageformost of their needs. Becausegnomessharebothhabitat andsize,goblins areoften found in the gearof thesegood beings. Whatevergoblins possess,it isnormally dirty andneglected.

The battleaxe,sacredto The Mighty One, is favouredby goblins but still rarewhere it is not commontothe people in the raiding territory. Morningstars andshort swordsaremuch more common,the formerbeing easily fashionedand the latter universallyavailable. Warriors tend to usesmall-scaleweapons

The cleric and fighter ducked behind the cover of logs. Although the dwarf had severalarrows protruding fromhiSarmour,nonehadmanaged to penetrate. He and the cleric had exchanged fire with an unknown number of

goblins hidden amongthe treesas themage countedand locatedthe enemy. When shewasreadyshesignalledher friends, hoping the halfling wasin place. The cleric andthe elvenmage roseandlet fly their spells. Shelooseda volley ofmagic missilesinto the thick underbrushwhere they found threeof the archers. Thurmsummoned an enormous badger

to charge thoseholdingthetreeline.

Severalof the creaturesturned to fleeand the dwarf's crossbowwent to work on the exposedenemy. Thehatfling rogue emerged,seemingly from nowhere,to cut down apair of the monsters. The survivorsbrokeranks and fled asa mob through the thick trees,the heroesin pursuit. It was not long before the rogue andbadger,leading the pursuit, crashedthrough the forest floor into a concealedpit. the fleeing goblins tookpreparedplacesbehind logs and turned on the surprisedfighter, mageand cleric crestinga hillock.

A dozenor more new goblins rosefrom concealedpositions and launcheda rain ofarrows, sendingthe heroesdiving for cover. As Tabithiasbeganconjuring an obscuringcloud to shield them, Korl brought his crossbowto bear again. 'Lookout!' criedThurm Dut it was toolate. More arrows,now flaming, hadpiercedseveralbladdersof oil camouflagedamongthe treeswhere the heroescrouched. The explosion interruptedthe elf'sspell and the threeof them were engulfed in fire andreducedto rolling amongthe leavesto dampenthe flames.They heardthe battle cry of the chargingwarriors andnoticed the pit that held Saremwasa raging inferno.

'OK,' spatthe elf, preparing her fireball, 'let's seehow they like this ..'

METHODS OF WARFARE

that allow the addition of a crudewoodenshield while leadersoften forego a shieldandwield normal-scaleweaponswith twohands. Javelinsare in common useasaneasily-fashionedrangedweaponandmanytribes alsomakeuseof shortbows,lightcrossbowsor slings for rangedattacks.Archer units will likely wield bows overother options. Tribes with accesstoalchemistfire or tanglefoot bagswill makeintelligent and effective useof these.

Most goblins wear leatheror studdedleatherarmour, favouring the mobility andstealthit allows. Many leadershavebeenencounteredwearing masterworkor evenmagical armour. On the oppositeend ofthe spectrumarereports of wavesof nakedgoblins armedwith only clubs, sharprocksor sticks. If suchreportsaretrue, thesegoblins were certainly first wave forcesdriven by hobgoblin or other captors.

WARS, RAIDS AND

AMBUSHESThere is anenduringimageof thegoblinhorde. Although goblins tribes can exceedtwo or evenfour hundredcombatants,this force is almostnevergatheredforcombinedaction. The averagetribe lacksthe depthof leadershipto effectivelycommandsucha force. Large units arealsomore difficult to concealand largegoblin forces tend to bring organised

Worgs And GoblinsWhen goblins migrated to the surface sOmanY years ago, they turned to the priesthood for anSWers. Were theynot the chosen ofThe Mighty One? Were they not destined to defeat all fIis enemies?flOW then were theydriven from their deephomes? The priests beseeched. their dark god day andnight for answersto thesequestionsand for guidance, spilling the blood of many humanoidprisoners in dark rituals to regain the favour of theirpatron.

Goblin folklore. maintains that shortlythereafter, dire wolves imbued with evil and intelligence began tocontact tribes everywhere. The priests explained these beasts had been given. the spirits of the bravest andmostbloodthirsty goblin warriors andcalled them worg, which is sometimestranslated' goblin spirit'. Therelationshipbetweenthe two raceshasgrown ever since.

So dependent are the goblins on the great wolves, they have developed powerful magic to locate them. Oncethey have located a worg, the tribemounts an expedition to make contact with the wolves and convince themto join the tribe. Theworg are inclined to theserelationships sothesemissions rarelyfail. There are times,

however, when a rival tribe hasalreadymadea pact with the.great wolf.The worg remain neutral and cast theirlot

in

with

the side

that

proves

the victor,.diningonthe loser.

responsefrom civilisedsocieties.Soratherthanarmies,goblins operatein raiding bandsthat rarelyreachonehundredwarriors.

Their small sizemakesthe racewell suitedtocombatin restrictedspacessuchasundergroundand in deepwoods. Their darkvision and incrediblenatural stealthcombineto deadlyeffect. Many anight massacrein a wildernessborder town hasbeenblamedon the goblin. Wherethe racetruly excels,however,is with small, fast raids againstundefendedor lightly defendedtargetsandambushesor guerrillaraids againsta larger force whom they often watchfor daysbefore striking.

Goblins useambushesboth aspositions to attackfrom, suchaswhen targetinga caravanroute, andasdefensivepositions to cover retreatingwarriorsor guarda warren. Generally therearenumerouspits in the vicinity of an ambushsite, lined withsharpsticks, expertly concealed.Ambushesareoften designedso an initial attack from the front ofan enemydrives themback into a larger,secondarystrike.

There is no suchthing asa typical goblin raid, orbattleplan. Suchpredictability would soongive thegoblins' foesthe advantage.Rather,their actionsrunthe full gamutof purposeandexecutionmaking themextremelydifficult to counter. The creaturesshowanextraordinarygift for remaining unpredictableand

METHODS OF WARFARE

striking with surprise. Other than the fact goblinsoften strike at night, there is little elseto aid thosewho would stop their aggression. In many bordertowns, everynight becomesa tenseandwatchfulordeal.

THE EXCEPTION TO THERULEGoblins havebeenenslavedfor millennia by thosemore powerful than themselves. Someof thesecreatures,suchasthe warlike hobgoblins or powerfulwizards, may gathergoblins togetherin numbersfar exceedingthe natural inclination of the race. Itis here we get the classic goblin horde but, in truth,

thesearmiesfight in a mannersounfitting the racethat they shouldhardly be called 'goblin' at all. Insuchlargenumbers,tactics invariably resort towavesof warriors pushedforward asa mob by cruelleaders,hoping to overwhelm their enemyby sheernumbers.

On very rare occasions,goblins may be found inthe armiesof evil masterspowerful enoughto directthem effectively. It is herethe racemay becomeitsmost fearsome. Vastnumbersof goblins, viciousandbloodthirsty, directedaccordingto a solid battleplan canaccomplishnearly any task. Luckily, mostwho enslavethe raceuseit asfodder and carelesslyexpendgoblin lives to softenan enemy.

Arrows zipped passed them frequently now asthey rushed downthe black:.tunnel. Onehad struck the halflingand though she was hurt, shestill led the elf. Evenso, thepairhurried, knowing the goblins would show nomercy to the two women. Tabithias,the mage, imagined the hot breath of theblack wolves on her legs and herfear grew. Would this passage never end?

At that moment, the floor collapsed under Sarem and the rogue fell with a shriek that was cut off quickly. Theelfstoppedanddidnotjoinhermendbutshewasblindinthedark She felt aroundbut could not find a way

around

the

pit

and

knew nothowwideit was.Helpless,overcomebyfear,forthefirsttime in herlonglife,shedespaired.After her manyadventures,shewasto die at the handsof meregoblins.

A moment later, she sensed her enemies within a few feet. She could smell their Vile stench and hear theheavy panting of the evil worg. 'Pretty, pretty elf,' came a guttural voice in the dark. The goblinspoke brokencommon.A crowd of harsh voices followed the wordswith evil laughter.

'Yes,ajuicy elf... A tastygirL' came another voice.'You killTikar. Wekill youfriends,wemake fe astwith

you now for new chief.'

'But first we makegamewith pretty elf,Brull.' camethe first voice moreforcefully. 'Makefun with pretty elfandkeep it alive for long time?'

The elf heardall this asif shewere far away. Shewished they hadheededthe old priest andnevercome. Withherremainingwillsheroseandthrew herself acrOSS the openpit, no longercaring if she madeit.

ROLEPLAYING WITH GOBLINS

ROLE-PL YI1NG WITHGOBLINSF

ar from mindless enemies waiting for

adventurers in dungeon rooms, goblins have

a fascinating culture and personality which,

if used properly, can add life and dimension to your

games. Through reading this work you have beenequipped with a wealth of knowledge on goblins'

society, motivations and their method of warfare.

The purpose of this section is to help the Games

Master combine these various elements into a

consistent whole. When goblins are presented in the

game world as unique creatures, distinct from larger

goblinoids and other humanoids, everyone playingthe game benefits from the added richness.

PORTRAYINGGOBLINSGoblins arebrutal beings,showingno mercy to eachother or the universearoundthem. Their excessiveviolence andblood revelry haveearnedthem apermanentplace in the imagination of the commonfolk. This trait must not be underplayedin orderto portray the raceproperly. Goblins areexpertsatterror andunderstanda community's vulnerability isits women andyoung. Do not havegoblins simplyraid a town. Let them brutalise it in the most sordidways you can imagine. Remember,however,goblinraids will be quick and stealthy. Only a few homesin a targetedtown might everknow of an attack.

With conditions against them, goblins will alwaysflee and regroup. Ifunable to hide or evadeafoe, goblins soon degenerate into cowardice andtreachery. They may surrender, begging mercy orswitch sidesentirely. Somehaveevenrevealedthe warren location to savetheir life or gain favourwith their new master. This trait has given rise to

the popular image of the 'snivelling goblin'. Theirvoice, alreadypitched high, becomesmore annoyingwhen they resort to suchdesperateandobsequiousbehaviour.

Remember,goblins arecontrolled by a fearfulparanoiaandmay behaveirrationally at times. Forinstance,if one goblin should flee a battle but othersremainandprevail,thecoward's life is forfeit for theshow of weakness.A group could, therefore,exhibituncharacteristicbravery,knowing their own kind areaslikely to kill them asthe enemy.

ENCOUNTERS WITH GOB-LINOIDSGoblins arerarely found in groupsof lessthanfive. Theyareeminentlyaware of theirweaknessesandgroupsbolster their strengthand confidence.They arethe quintessentialtribal being anduncomfortablewhen alone. Encounterswith lonegoblins will invariably be with a skulk, observingfromahiddenlocationandfleeingif spotted. Unlikeother humanoids,goblins seldommake trading orinformant relationshipswith non-goblins.

Goblins are typically encountered in hunting, raidingor patrol parties. Remember,they will alwaysobservebefore attacking andaremastersof thetrap, ambushandmisdirection. They will flee ifhard pressed,harassingenemieswith missilefirefrom cover or darkness. Leaveplayerswith theimpressionof an enemyalways striking where leastexpectedandretreating to strongerground.

The presenceof the worg will drastically altergoblins' aggression.The greatwolves mightpressfor attack, to satiatetheir bloodlust, evenifcircumstancesarenot ideal for the goblins. Goblincavalry,adaptedto their fierce mounts,are a savageandterrifying enemy.

The warren is the ultimate challengefor the goblinslayer. It will be expertly hidden,well patrolledandprotectedfor miles by pitfalls, ambushsitesandother trapsand tricks. It is herethe goblin essencewill emerge,driven by mad priestsandsub-chiefsto defendthe tribe. Only the very powerful shouldeverentera goblin warren andnonewill emergeunscathed. The tunnelsaredesignedfor defence,the warriors arerabid with violence and the leadersareready to expendany number of lives to repel aninvader.

SCENARIO HOOKS AND IDEAS

SCENARIOHO OK S AcND.IDEAS

NEVER SEEN THAT IN AGOBLIN BEFORE

A powerful but mad wizard hasbeenexperimentingon a local goblin population. He paysthe chief wellfor hisco-operationand offersthetribeprotectionfrom someof their more powerful enemies. Over thelast decadethe tribe hasrelocatedbehind his wallsandhe has,through the useof demonicallies, bredseveralhalf-fiends from goblins andworg. The firsthavecometo maturity andmore than a dozenmorearematuring. The magehasalso imbuedthe bloodof goblins andworg foetuseswith the essenceofpure evil, breedinga new raceof fiendish goblins andworgs to servehim. Severalof thesehorrid creationshe hasinstructed in the magical artsandmanyothershavebecomeskilled warriors. There is now aformidable contingentof monstersin his dark keepandhis work continues.

B elow areseveralshort hooks for useasseedsin your goblinstorylines.A GamesMaster,armedwith the information in this

book shouldbe able to elevatethe goblin abovea simple, facelesscreaturehitherto thrown half-heartedly at low-level characters. Theseintelligentand cunning creatureshavethe capability to hampercharacterswell beyond their challengeratingsuggests.With the addition of worg allies andhigh-level leaders,they canprove a suitable annoyancefor charactersinto moderatelyhigh levels. In fact,nothing may be more satisfying than introducing'just goblins' and watching the player's faces turn tosurpriseand then horror asthey reassesslong-heldpreconceptions.

All would be well for this wicked madmanif it werenot for the reportscoming from travellers in theareatelling of strangeflying beasts.What is worse,the creatureshaveof late begunto attacktravellers,spreadingthe fear evenwider. Clearly somethingmustbe doneandthe playersarehired to investigatethe storiesand the attacks.

SCENARIO HOOKS AND IDEAS

HERE THEY ARE, GETTHEM

About a week ago,an anonymoustipster slippedseveralpapersunder the door of the meetinghouseofa large town. The paperscontaineda very crudemapof the wildernessaroundthe town with two areascircled. Accompanying the map was a poorly writtennote in commonclaiming the map led not only tothe bugbearraidersplaguing the farmersof the areabut alsoto the new home of somehobgoblins whohadmoved into the area. Scoutshaveconfirmed thepresenceof the humanoidsat the marked locationandthe playersarehired to put a stopto both groups.

In reality, roguesin a local goblin tribe plantedthe papers. It is the goblin tribe, not the other twogroups,who areresponsiblefor the town's problems.They hopeto removetheir competition andat thesametime protect their scoutsandraiding parties

from destructionat the handsof the powerfulhobgoblins. Feel free to help the players discernthe true natureof the enemyduring the adventure,perhapsby interviewing raid victims or examiningsiteswhere they might find clues leading to goblins,not bugbears. Better yet, let them eliminate boththreatsonly to give the goblins a free hand in thearea!

ATTACK!The party is hired to escort a caravan along a well-travelled,well-patrolled route. Halfway alongthe route the caravanstopsat the usualwateringhole:a large,lonelyinn crowdedwith travellersandmerchants. The party's caravantrain arrangesits wagonsin a field with thoseof other caravansandthe characterspitch their tentswith the othercaravanguards. The merchantsrent rooms for thenight. Late the samenight, a horsemanrides into the

courtyard, waking everyone,yelling. 'Goblins areswarming nearthe swamp! They are coming thisway!' The playersmust quickly form a defencestrategyusing the wagonsandbuildings of theinn. There shouldbe severallow-level warriorsavailable (guardsfrom other caravans)but most ofthosepresentshouldbe treatedasnon-combatants.The goblin force should include wolf-riders andarchersaswell asfoot soldiers. Match the size ofthe force to challengethe characters.

No oneknows what causedthe goblins to swarm,assuchlarge,direct assaultsarerare but thisscenariowill allow the GamesMaster to makefull useof the goblin battle tactics presentedinthis book. Perhapsa follow-up adventurewithinformation gainedfrom prisonerswill identifythe causeof the attackand leadto an attack on thewarren?

KIDS IN A CANDYSTORERecently,friends visiting a powerful wizard weresurprisedto be ambushedby goblins apparentlyin control of his tower. How this happenedisunknown andthe tower is guardedagainstscryingso little canbe learned. Whateverthe cause,thesecreaturesmust notbeallowedto remainin thetower. If they shouldgain masteryof the powerfulitems of the old wizard the whole areawouldsuffer dire consequences.

SCENARIO HOOKS AND IDEAS

any stepandalways remember,thesecreatureswillnot standidly by astheplayersmove from roomto room, slaying andcollecting treasure. They willretreat,circle back and leadthe adventurerstowarddeadendsand traps. Rememberto hamperthe partywith corridors too small for an armouredman andguerrilla archerstrikes.

In truth, the old wizard died of natural causesand thegoblinshappenedupon the tower. A powerful wizardamongtheir number hasindeedlaid claim to somemagicanddeclaredhimself the new tribal chief. Heis still gatheringhis strengthbut it will not be longbeforehestrikesatthevillagesaroundthetower.Alocal mageguild offers to financethe recaptureeffortsolong asthe magic inside becomesits property.TheGamesMaster shouldallow level-appropriateitemsto fall into the handsof the party but usetheguild's stipulation to balancethe treasureandpreventtheparty from unbalancingthe campaign. The guildmayevenknow the items it seeks.

GOBLINTOWNA remoteborder town hasbeeninfiltrated bygoblins. Many of the leading citizens havehadlovedonescapturedandheld hostage.Thelargestmerchantspay a third of theirshipmentsastribute to the goblin chiefresidingin the hills. For this paymenteachcaravanis escortedthrough the surroundingorccountryby a contingent of wolf riders.Thetownjustifies this by pointing out the orcswould takeall their goods; the goblins takeonly a third. Playersmay be introducedbycomingupon oneof thesestrangecaravansor by storiesfrom the nearesttrading town.Thesestorieseither speakof the strangecaravanguardsor tell of their own caravansbeingunableto get through due to orc orgoblin activity. Although the townsfolk wantto berescuedthey live in fear of saying toomuchbecauseof their loved ones' safety. Thetownhasa moderateforce of goblins aswellasseveralwell-placed spieson the lookout for'meddling outsiders'. Putting an end to thisthreatby going after the chief could lead intoWarrenSweetWarrenbelow.

WARREN SWEETWARREN

Theclassicdungeoncrawl! Scoutshavelocatedanentranceto the goblin warren atgreatcost. The playersarehired to clean it outfor a greatreward. This scenariowill allowtheGamesMaster to makeuseof the tacticsanddefencesmentionedin this book aswellasinfusethewarren with delicious hints ofgoblinculture. Before the players evenreachthewarrenthey will encounterambushes,trapsandtricks. Do not make it easyfor them at

The warren shouldrepresentthe height of thegoblins' cunning. It shouldchallengeeventhe mosthardenedparty andspell a quick doom to thoselessprepared.

THE TORN HEADS WARREN

THE T]ORN

HEADSW A ,R,R,E

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~

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The Tom Heads grew out of a large goblin tribe

living for decades in the cliffs at the mouth of

a mountain pass. Early in the tribe's history,

a great dragon subjugated it and many of the goblins

were relocated to serve in the dragon's den. A

contingent of hobgoblins was placed over the

remainder of the tribe to ensure consistent

productivity and tribute. Finally, however, powerful

adventurers tracked the dragon to her lair. Though

they gravely wounded her, they were all slain in the

attack. Rather than aid the dragon, an opportunistic

hobgoblin drove scores of doomed goblins at the

beast to finish her.

Word of the events reached the goblin warren

quickly. The new chief recalled many of the

hobgoblins to the dragon's den. A young goblin

scout, named Drek, saw an opportunity for freedom

in the confusion. He persuaded several worg males

and many warriors to join him. They defeated the

remaining hobgoblins and, taking the few females

they could, fled across the wide valley toward the

mountains beyond.

When theyreachedthemountains,scoutslocatedasuitablelair. Unfortunately, a tribe of orcs occupiedit. Unlikemany chiefs,Drekfoughtthemorepowerful foe for the rich territory. For severalweeks,his scouts,warriors andcavalry ambushedrandompatrols,hunting andraiding partieswith greatsuccess. When the orcs launched a major search for

Tribal StructureSee the reference list for statistics for the following:

Non-combatants 57 Young/23Females120 warriors (30 archers/90 warriors)8 cavalry

16 scouts (rogues)

6 priests (4 shamans/2priests)8 leaders(6 sergeants/2lieutenants)Drek, chief12worg (asdescribedin CoreRulebooklII)

the invaders,Drek's warriors slipped into the lightly-defendedlair andmassacredthe orcs. Returningraiders, facedwith a grisly, orc-headtower at theentrance,choseto abandonthearea. Thus Drek'stribe earned its homeandnameonthesameday.

THE TORN HEADS TODAYIt has been more than two years since the tribe

established itself in the orc caves. They haveworked hard to makethem more defensible. Thefew femalesfrom the original warren havealreadyproducedalmost 60 young for the tribe. The areawithin 20 miles hasbeenclearedof enemiesand thewarriors havecarefully spreadtheir raids over a wideareato divert attention. Ironically, they now prey ontraderoutesmadepopular by thosewishing to avoidthe dragonthey onceserved.

The Tom Headsappearsto havea bright future. Thetribe's exceptional leaderis not without enemies,however,and the tribe showsthe natural dissensioncommonto all tribes. Somepowerful goblins arecritical ofDrek's slow andcautiousapproachandfavour a freer hand in the area. The grumblinghasnot becomerebellion but the tribe may changeleaderssoonif Drek doesnot showmore aggression.Increasedaggression,of course,could bring a strongresponse and may destroy the young tribe.

USING THE WARRENThe Tom Headsis an exampleof a warren GameMasterscandrop into their campaignswithminimum preparation. In many ways, the tribalstructure,the lair, trapsand tactics are typical ofgoblinsanywhere.There are several peculiarities,however,aboutthis tribe. Sincemany of the bestmalesmigrated with Drek, there is a high percentageof classedgoblins in the tribe. Takenwith thedefensibility of the caves,this could be a deadlycombination. Drek himself is unusual,havinglearnedfrom his hobgoblin overlords. His stronggraspof strategyand extendedplanning makehim adoubly-dangerousopponent.

The warren shouldprove an excellent source ofadventurefor a mid-level party. The tribe could bethe focus of severallow-level adventures,includingseveralof the hooksmentionedin this book, allowingcharactersto build experienceand confidencebeforeassaultingthe warren itself. Playerswill find thecavesan above-averagechallenge. The warren is

well hidden and the surrounding area is heavilypatrolled. The Tom Headsarea deadly challengeandcanbe overcomeonly with persistenceandcarefulpreparation.

Getting ThereGameMastersareencouragedto make locating andtravelling to the warren a challenge. The goblinshavebeenespecially careful to raid a wide area,leavingfew survivors. It shouldbe difficult todeterminethe location of the lair or guessthe site ofthenext raid. If characterslocatea fresh trail from araidedcaravanor village, they may follow it into thehills but will likely encounterat leastone ambushbywarriors left behind to discouragesuchtracking. Theareacloser to the lair is aggressivelypatrolled anddottedwith traps andambushsites. The goblins areontheir own land and aremastersof this scenario.Theextentof their preparationandcunning shouldbeobviousto the players from the first ambush.

FeaturesRiver: A mountain streamflows directly by thegoblin hill system,into andunder the caves. Fromtheoutside,an observernotices a mossycavemouthby apool at the (apparent)end of the stream. Ifinvestigated,it will be discoveredto be a tunnel intothegoblin caves,crossinga corridor andending in apool in the main living area. The water path into thecavesis guardedasdetailed in area13.

Small Corridors: Severalcorridors (grey on themap)were cut smaller andmorejaggedly than therest. Large (and Medium creaturesin heavyarmour)maynot enterthesetunnels. Medium creaturesin the tunnelsmove at half speedand only Smallweaponsmay be employedunlessthey pierce.

Mapping: Facedwith a moving enemyattackingfrom all sidesit is unlikely characterswill be ableto map. If not, they shouldbecomedisorientedandGameMastersshouldexploit the confusion to thedefendersadvantage. Intuit Direction may help findnorthbut will not help them navigatethe twistingcorridors.

Blood Ward: The GameMaster is encouragedtoplaceblood wards (seenew spells) throughout thewarren. Eachshamancanmaintain threewardsandeachpriest may havesix. Thesewards shouldalsobeplacedin the areasurroundingthe warren andcanbeusedaspart of an effective ambush.

THE TORN HEADS WARREN

Spiked Pit Trap (20ft. Deep): ('Boxed X' on themap) CR2; No attack roll needed (2d6), + I 0 melee(ld4 spikesfor Id4+2 damageper spike); Reflexsave(DC 20) avoids; Search(DC22); Disable Device(DC 20). The warren floor is coveredin a 2-3 inchlayer of sand,brushand skins making it difficultto spotall pits and floor traps. A +2 circumstancebonushasbeenaddedto them to reflect this.

Collapsing Ceiling Trap: (Marked 'T' on the map)CR: 5; +15 Melee (5d6/x2 critical); Reflex save(DC15)half; Search(DC 25) ceiling outsidethe room,Search(DC 27) floor in room; Disable Device (DC25). Trap must be reset,taking 2d6 hoursandeightgoblins. Charactersdetectingthe trap in the hallceiling will notice only a weak ceiling. Charactersplacing more than 100Ibs.of weight on the triggersquarewill causethe ceiling to collapseoutsidethetrappedroom andfill the hall with impenetrablerubble. The trap attacksall creaturesin the twosquaresoutsidethe room, pinning them. Pinnedcharactersand thosetrappedin the room may be dugout asper CoreRulebookII. '

Vermin: The cavecomplex is alive with rats,centipedes,beetlesandspidersof various sizes. 2d6of thesecreaturesinhabit nearly everyroom. Mostof thesecreatureswill not attack if left alonebutthe GameMaster should feel free to usethem ascombatencountersif the playersrequire additionalchallenges.

Filth: The entire lair reeksof goblin filth. Thestenchhasno gameeffect but GameMastersshouldmention it frequently. Heroesreturning homemayfind themselvesreplacing clothes,reeking of foulgoblin. Diseasealso lurks in warren. Goblins arelargely unaffectedbut charactershavea cumulative1% chanceper hour of exposureto contract filthfever (as per Core Rulebook II), Fortitude save (DC12). Game Masters should increase this chance ifcharacters spend a great deal of time poking aroundin the goblin's belongings.

TACTICSDrek's goblins, encounteredin the wilderness,willavoid contact if possible,sizing up their opponents.Oneor more runnersmay be dispatchedto thewarren if trespassersappearwell equippedor headedfor the lair. If time allows, goblins will preparean ambush. After striking with surprisethey willretreattoward a preparedtrap or ambushsite. As a

THE TORN HEADS WARREN

last resort, they will split into small guerrilla bandsandharassthe enemywith missile fire, retreatingtowhere anothergroup lies in wait. They will headtothe warren only oncethey haverepelledan enemyandwill avoid leadingothersto the lair.

In the lair, defenderswill fall back from invaders,fighting to slow progressandallow for ambushorfor allies to achieveflanking positions. Femalesandyoung will be evacuatedat the first sign of danger.The tribe's wolves are its first line of defenceandthey will attack fiercely, hoping to intimidate,overrunor force invadersaway. Failing a quickvictory, warriors will take to the tunnels,harassingenemieswith missile fire andusing the naturalbottleneck of the smaller tunnelsto slow them. If thesituation becomesdire, warriors will attackdirectlywhile leaderspreparea betterplan or retreat from thewarrenentirely.

If goblins spotadventurersin the area,Drek willceaseall raiding for severalweeksto wait out theinvaders. This waiting will increasethe tensionbetweenDrek andhis rivals in the tribe and is not apermanentsolution. If desperate,Drek will arrangea raid andthe captureof oneof his scouts. The scoutwill trade information for freedom,pointing hiscaptorsto acrossthe valley, to the original warren.

THE WARRENS1 Entrance (EL 1): The warren entranceis expertlyconcealed,Spot (DC 15)within 100yards,+5 DC foreach20 additional yards. Four guardsarehereday ornight andarerelatively diligent in their duty. The cavemouth opensinto a small room strewnwith a few fursanda small fire pit (rarely used).

Tactics: Theseguardsretreatimmediatelyfromasuperior foe through the small corridor in the northandrousethe wolves.

2 Worg Lair (EL Varies, 7+): The tribe's worg alliesoccupythis room, filled with bonesandold furs. Thereare Idl2 worg hereat any time, the restbeing on patrolor a raid.

Tactics: Thewolveswill attackfiercelyandwithoutprovocation,evenpursuing a fleeing enemy. Ifcavalry warriors from area3 arepresentthe wolveswill often defer to their judgement.

3 CavalryWarriors Cave(EL Varies,2+): Thisroomis strewnwith old bones,unfinished mealsandold furs.A rough wooden table and stumpchairsprovide a senseof furnishing. Therewill be Id8 cavalry warriors here,the restbeing on patrol with the worg. Females(1d2),belonging to the cavalry,arealsopresent.

Tactics: Thesewarriors will fight but will seeka way to call or retreat to their worg or involvereinforcements from area 4.

4 Rogues(Scouts)Cave(EL Varies,2+): Theroguesof the tribe arehousedhereand 1d12arepresentat anytime. The room is strewnwith largeboulders, furs (forsleeping)andother clutter. Females(1d2), belonging tothe scoutswill alsobe present.

Tactics: It is difficult to approachthis room unheard,asthe roguesareextremely aware. They will preparean ambushif time allows andusetheir sneakattack.The roguescarry tanglefoot bagsandwill usethem.

5 Guard Room(EL Varies,1+): Warriors(ld4) in-habit both of thesesparserooms; double if intruders areexpected. An old shield hangsfrom a hook in the wallfor useasa warning gong.

Tactics: Theseguardswill soundthealarmandattack, fleeing to area6 or 10 to warn the tribe ifpressed.

6 CommonCave(EL Varies,3+): Thishugechamberholds the majority of the tribe. It is strewnwith filth,bedding andhalf-eatenmeals.At any time therewillbe 6d1O+6warriors present. The tribe's femalesandyoung not found elsewherewill alsobe presentunlessevacuated.

Tactics: If significanttimehaspassedsincecharactersenteredthe cavesthe femalesandyoungwill haveevacuatedleaving only the warriors whohavemadea ready defence. This room is the mostlikely place for defendersto be confronted directlyin a pitched battle. The goblins herewill make themost of their superiornumbers,using the multipleentrancesto surroundthe invaders.

7 Storeroom: This room holds barrelsof water,dryfoodstuffs and items the tribe hasstolen in caravanraids. The GamesMaster should stock the room withany items deemedreasonable(silk, wool, spices)

THE TORN HEADS WARREN

keeping in mindthatall true treasureis storedin Drek'scave.This room is alsowhereprisonersarekept. Pres-entlytherearethree gnomesanda dwarf; all minerscapturedseveralweeksago,bound here. They are inpoorcondition and await sacrifice to The Mighty Onehavingwatchedseveralfriends draggedto the samefate.

8 Chapel to The Mighty One: A simple stoneobeliskoccupiesthe centreof this room, inscribedwith runespraising The Mighty One. There is alsoa stonetable,stainedblack with blood andseveralinstrumentsusedin the performanceof sacrifice. Two large,stonebasinshold largequantitiesof dark blood, attracting insectsand filling the room with a foul stenchnoticeableevenover the odour of the goblins.

THE TORN HEADS WARREN

9 Priests Cave (EL 12): This room is furnished in rela-tive splendour,having well-maintained bedding,bits offurniture from raids and lessgarbagethan other caves.The tribal priestsmakea communalhomehereandshamansandpriestswill be hereat all times. There arealso 1d2+1femaleshere,ownedby the priests.

Tactics: Thepriestswill assaultinvaderswith spellsandalchemist'sfire, hoping to shaketheir resolvebefore making a quick retreatto the communalcaveandsupportingthe warriors in their defence.

10Leader's Cave(EL Varies,5+): Thisroomis fairlywell appointed,with decentbedding, somesmall fur-niture items from raids and is much cleanerthan othercaves. The sergeantsand lieutenantsmaketheir homeherebut only Id6 and Id2, respectively,will be presentat any time. Females(1d2+1), claimed by the leadersalso live here.

Tactics: Thesegoblinswill attackfiercelybeforeretreatingto the commoncaveto co-ordinatethedefenceof the warren.

11 Drek's Cave (EL 6): Drek andhis two femalesoc-cupy this room, which containssmall bits of furniturebut is relatively sparse.The bedding furs arethe newestandbest in the tribe but the real focus of the room isthe tribal treasure,which is piled haphazardlyalong thewalls.

Tactics: By thetimeinvadersreachDrek,thereshouldbe severalother warriors or priestswithhim. The defenderswill makeuseof the naturalbottleneckof the small corridors to strengthentheirdefence. If things go poorly, however,they willflee, leaving the treasurein an effort to distract theinvaders.

Treasure: TheGameMasteris encouragedtocreatea treasurestoreof coin, gems,minor magicandmundaneitems suitablefor their campaign.(Suggested value of 12,000 GP.)

12 Trapped Room (EL 5): A single orc zombieinhabits the dead end tunnel to the west of the roomwith orders to shuffle around and make noise. Theroom itself is strewn with old furs and garbage but thenoisy zombie, not visible from the north hall, should beenough to entice the curious through the door and intothe trap. The zombie is not considered in the CR, as itdoes not attack.

13Water EntranceGuard Post(EL Varies,1+):The water running into the warren averagesa depthof2-ft. and endsin area6. The tunnelsmarked atarea13 hold a total of Id8+3 warriors at all timeschargedwith guarding the secretentranceinto thecaves. The four openingsarea total of 10-ft. abovethe water,allowing the guardsto fire arrowsdownon intruders. Theseopeningsarenot immediatelyapparentto thosein the corridor anda Spotcheck(DC 15) is required to notice them. Characterswishingto climb theslipperywallsarefacedwith aconsiderablechallenge(DC 30). The secretdoor inthis areais very hard to find, Search(DC25), fromeither side. Woodenplanks on either side of thepassagecanbe pushedacrossthe opening to allowthe defendersto manoeuvrethe full circle (this takestwo roundsand two goblins). Severalcasksof lampoil arestoredon eachsideof the passagefor defence.

Tactics: Theguardsin thisareawill firearrowsdown on intruders hoping to slow them andpossiblyforce them to retreat. They will wait until invadersarepositioned in the centreof the areathus allowingattacksfrom all four openings. They will useoiland fire, which bums on top of the water, to deterattackers.

14 Trapped Room (EL 5): 2d6 dire rats inhabit thisroom (Core Ru/ebookIII). The floor is strewnwith oldfurs anda scatteringof coins (4d8 copper,2d8 silver,2d4 gold), just enoughto entice the curious through thedoor and into the trap.

GOBLINREFERENCELIST

This chapterprovides GamesMasterswitha variety of ready-madegoblins. Thesecreaturesarecompleteand easily dropped

directly into a gamewith no preparationor canbe easily customisedto meet campaignneeds.An attempthasbeenmadeto offer a wide rangeof archetypesbut greatvariety still existsamongdiffering tribes. Adventurers shouldnevermakeassumptionsabout the capabilities of this intelligentandadaptablerace.

All goblins receive a +4 racial bonus on MoveSilently checks.

GOBLIN CHIEF2ndLevel Warrior/2nd Level Fighter/3rd Level RogueHD: 2d8+2d10+3d6+1O(37 HP); Init: +6 (+2 Dex,+4 Improved Initiative); Spd: 30ft.; AC: 16(+1size,+3 studdedleatherarmour, +2 Dex); Attacks:MW battleaxe + 10/+5 melee, javelin +9/+4 ranged;Damage: MW battleaxe 1d8+ 1,javelin 1d6+l;SQ: Sneak attack +2d6, evasion, uncanny dodge(Dex bonus to AC); SV: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2;Abilities: Str 12, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 11, Wis 12,Cha 11; Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +3, Diplomacy+5, Hide +11, Intimidate +2, Jump +3, Listen+ 10, Move Silently + 11, Ride +4, Spot +6; Feats:Alertness, Combat Reflexes Improved Initiative,Toughness, Weapon Focus (Battleaxe); Items: MWstuddedleather,MW battleaxe(two handed),javelin(medium); CR: 6.

GOBLIN PRIEST3rdLevel Adept/3rd Level Cleric

HD: 3d6+3d8 (21 HP); Init: +1 (+1 Dex); Spd:30ft.; AC: 15 (+ 1 size, +3 studded leather armour,+1Dex); Attacks: Alchemist's fire +5 ranged,MWmorningstar +4 melee; Damage: Alchemist's fireId6, MW morningstar Id8-1; SV: Fort +4, Ref+3,Will +8; Abilities: Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 12,Wis 14, Cha 10; Skills: Alchemy +4, Concentration+3, Diplomacy +2, Heal +6, Hide +6, Knowledge(religion) +4, Listen +6, Move Silently +5, Scry +4,

GOBLIN REFERENCE LIST

Spellcraft +5, Spot +6, Wilderness Lore +5; Feats:Alertness, Brew Potion, Combat Casting; Items:Studded leather, alchemist's fire, MW morningstar(two handed); Spells: DC 12 + spell level (cleric)0 -cure minor wounds, detect poison, mending,resistance; 1st -cure light wounds, doom, inflict

light wounds (d), shield of faith; 2nd -desecrate (d),enthral, summon monster II (adept) 0 -create water,detect magic, guidance; 1st - bless, command, sleep.Domain Power: Smitepower onceper day,Evilspells+ 1casterlevel; CR: 5.

GOBLIN HERO/LIEUTENANT2ndLevel Warrior/2nd Level Fighter/1 s1Level Rogue

HD: 2d8+2d10+ld6+5 (26 HP); Init: +6 (+2 Dex,+4 Improved Initiative); Spd: 30ft.; AC: 16 (+1 size,+3 studded leather armour, +2 Dex); Attacks: MWmorningstar +7 melee, MW shortbow +7 ranged;Damage: MW mornings tar Id8, MW shortbow ld6;SQ: Sneak attack +ld6; SV: Fort +7, Ref+4, Will+0; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11,

GOBLIN REFERENCE LIST

Cha 10; Skills: Bluff +5, Climb +4, Intimidate +5,Jump +2, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, ride +5, Spot+4; Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, ImprovedInitiative, Weapon Focus (Morningstar); Items: MWstudded leather, MW morningstar (two handed), MWShortbow; CR: 4.

GOBLIN SHAMAN3rdLevel Adept

HD: 3d6 (9 HP);Init: + 1 (+ 1 Dex); Spd: 30ft.; AC:12 (+1 Dex, +1 size); Attacks: Sling +3 ranged,morningstar + 1 melee; Damage: Morningstar 1d6-1,alchemist's fire 1d6; SV: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4;Abilities: Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha10; Skills: Alchemy +3, Concentration +3, Heal +3,Hide +7, Knowledge (hearth wisdom) +4, Listen +5,Move Silently +5, Spellcraft +5, Spot +5, WildernessLore +5; Feats: Alertness, Brew Potion; Items:Morningstar (small, one handed), alchemist's fire;Spells: DC 11 + spell level 0 -Create Water, GhostSound, Guidance; 1st -Bless, Burning Hands, Sleep;CR:3.

GOBLIN ROGUE3rdLevel Rogue

HD: 3d6 (9 HP); Init: +2 (+2 Dex); Spd: 30ft.; AC:16 (+3 studded leather, +2 Dex, +1 size); Attacks:Short sword +2 melee, shortbow or tanglefoot bag +5ranged; Damage: Shortsword 1d6-1, shortbow 1d6-1; SQ: Sneak attack + 1d6; SV: Fort + 1, Ref +5, Will+2; Abilities: Str 8, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 12, Wis 12,Cha 8; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +4, Disable Device+6, Escape Artist +7, Hide +14, Listen +9, MoveSilently + 12, Search +6, Spot +9, Tumble +7; Feats:Alertness, Skill Focus (hide); Items: MW studdedleather, shortsword, tang1efoot bag, shortbow; CR: 3.

GOBLIN CAVALRY3rd Level Warrior

HD: 3d8 (12 HP); Init: +2 (+2 Dex); Spd: 30ft.;AC: 15 (+2 leather armour, +2 Dex, + 1 size);Attacks: Light lance or morningstar +3 melee,javelin +6 ranged; Damage: javelin 1d4-1, lightlance or morningstar 1d6-1; SV: Fort +3, Ref+3,Will +2; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10,

Wis 12, Cha 9; Skills: Balance +3, Hide+8, Listen +4, Move Silently +6, Ride+ 10*, Spot +4, Wilderness Lore +2; Feats:Alertness, *Mounted Combat, Skill Focus(ride); Items: Leather armour, light lance,morningstar (small, one handed), javelin(small); CR: 2.

GOBLIN HERO/

SERGEANT3rdLevel WarriorHD: 3d8+3+3 (Toughness)(18 HP); Init:+1 (+1 Dex); Spd: 30ft.; AC: 15(+3studdedleather,+ 1Dex, +1 size); Attacks:Battleaxeor morningstar+4 melee,javelin +5 ranged;Damage: Batt1eaxeormorningstar 1d8,javelin 1d6;SV: Fort+4, Ref +2, Will + I; Abilities: Str 10,Dex 13,Con 12,Int 10,Wis 11,Cha 8;Skills: Climb -1, Hide +3, Intimidate+3, Listen +3, Move Silently +2, Spot+3; Feats: Alertness,Toughness;Items:Studdedleather,battleaxe(two handed)or morningstar (two handed),javelin(medium); CR: 2.

GOBLIN WARRIOR/

ARCHER1'tLevel WarriorHD: Id8 (4 HP); Init: +I (+1 Dex); Spd: 30ft.;AC: (Warrior) 16 (+3 studded leather, +I Dex,+1 size, +I small wooden shield) (Archer) 14 (+2Leather, +1 Dex, +1 size); Attacks: (Warrior) Shortsword or morningstar + 1 melee, javelin +3 ranged,(Archer) shortbow +3 ranged, short sword +I melee;Damage: (Warrior) short sword or morningstar1d6-1 or javelin 1d4-1, (Archer) shortbow 1d4-1,short sword 1d6-1; SV: Fort +2, Ref +I, Will +0;Abilities: Str 8, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 11,Cha8; Skills: (Warrior) Hide +3, Listen +3, MoveSilently +3, Spot +3, (Archer) Hide +7, Listen+3, Move Silently +5, Spot +3; Feats: Alertness;Items: (Warrior) Studded leather, wooden shield,javelin (small), morningstar (small, one handed)or shortsword, (Archer) leather armour, shortbow(small),shortsword; CR: 1/4.

GOBLIN REFERENCE LIST

GOBLIN FEMALEHD: 1/2d8+1 (3 HP); Init: +0; Spd: 30ft; AC: 11 (+ 1size); Attacks: Club or Dagger -1 melee; Damage:Club 1d6-2 or Dagger 1d4-2; SV: Fort +3, Ref +0,Will +1; Abilities: Str 6, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 9, Wis12, Cha 5; Skills: Hide +4, Listen +3, Move Silently+4, Spot +3; Feats: Alertness; Items: Club (twohanded)or dagger;CR: 1/8.

GOBLIN YOUNGTiny Humanoid (Goblinoid)

HD: 1/4d8-1 (1 HP); Init: +0; Spd: 20ft; AC: 12 (+2size); Attacks: Bite -1 melee; Damage: Bite 1; SV:Fort + 1, Ref +0, Will -1; Abilities: Str 4, Dex 11,Con 8, Int 8, Wis 9, Cha 4; Skills: Hide +9, Listen+ 1, Move Silently +5, Spot + 1; Feats: Alertness;Items: None; CR: 1/16

The old priest laid the tom and discoloured map on the dark table before the four adventurers and raised the flame

on the lamp. 'Here, is where you will find the creatures,' he began, 'follow this trail...Here,through the wood 'tilnoon of the third day. Then, go half 'round the mereand turn.up into the foothills. The lair should be close by theend of the first day in the hills. Do takecare, I pray.'

The dwarf chortled, 'For goblin ye would have me take care man? I've been slaying these foul cowards since yewere a toddler. .If there bea trick l'venotseen,I'll shave me beard!'

Sarem,the halfling laughed at Korl's boast, adding she would pay to see his chin. The elven mage, however,raised herhandto still the group.'As

confident as we seem, good priest,be assured we will not behasty in action,

Severalyears together have made us confident only of our bond and desire to defeat evil. My companion was onlyexpressinghis eagernessto aid your town.'

Korl nodded, 'I think we should even set out tonight. Me axehand iS itchin' with a want fer goblin necks.'

'Yeah, we'll be back in a week,' the rogue added with a smile, 'just have the reward handy when we return, Your

Holiness. You worry about counting gold and we'll worry about those pesky beasties!'

Thedwarf laughedout loud at his little friend but theparty's cleric was not impressed,'Please,friendS! Canyou notbe sensitive to the loss in this community?' fie turned to the aged priest, 'Johan, we will take due care and bring thisevil to an end.'

The ancient priest was saddened by dwarf and halfling's levity, 'So many underestimate the goblin', he thought,'anddie.' He replied to thehumancleric, 'You may takecareasyousay, Thurm. I know your intentionsaretrue.

Understand, however, these creatures are not to be trifled with. I venture not even ourstalwart dwarfhasfacedthisenemy on its own terms before. Theirs is a violent world ofhate and death. They will not tolerate you and willsparenothing to repel you. When you least expect they will attack and then disappear when pressed. They will beeverywhere at once, watching and waiting to spring.'

The old priest rose on his staff to leave, 'I will ask of my god, his hand to guide you on yourquest. It is a perilouscourseyou steer for our village. Our hearts and prayers will accompany you.'The friends nodded Solemnly. Thurm

andTabithias, the mage, embraced the old priest and be left the room.

The party gathered their things and set off down the path to the goblin lair.

Ag Wolf

New Agwolf