Better Wandering Goblins Continued . . .

Part Two: Mid-Level Table

Today, I’ll be posting a draft for the Mid-Level Wandering Goblin Table. For those that missed it, the first post in this series can be found here. Let’s get right to it . . .

Mid-Level Wandering Goblin Table (Levels 4-8)

The mid-level table assumes a group of characters ranging roughly from fourth to eighth level. The number of creatures appearing will be dependent on the size and strength of the party. Guidelines will provided in the below descriptions.

1) Goblin Patrol w/ Goblin Shaman

This goblin patrol is accompanied by a goblin shaman and an entourage of one or more apprentices. Goblin shamans practice terrible magic that invokes the aid of the ancestors and/or the Bloated One, a deity worship by goblin-kin. Treat the goblin shaman as a 4th-level cleric capable of casting the reverse of spells like Light (e.g., Darkness). Shaman apprentices are treated as 2nd-level clerics.

No. Appearing: 9-16 goblins (8+1d8), along with 1 goblin shaman accompanied by 1d4 apprentices. Consider increasing the levels of the shaman and apprentices for particularly large parties, or parties at the higher end of the mid-level range.

Weapons: Treat the goblin warriors as standard goblin patrols (see part one). The shaman and apprentices carry stone mauls used for crushing skulls in sacrificial ceremonies.

Armor: Treat the goblin warriors as standard goblin patrols (see part one). The shaman and apprentices are bedecked with bone necklaces and a variety of other shamanistic talismans. The shaman also wears a skullcap helm adorned with strange arcane symbols painted in blood. The helm is made from a dwarf’s skull. There is a 50% chance that one of the shaman’s talismans is magical. The DM can decide the talisman, or use one of the following suggestions:

• +1 AC bonus
• Bless (per cleric spell)
• Protection from Dwarves (per Protection from Evil cleric spell)
• Resist Fire (per cleric spell)

Tactics: While the goblin warriors attack, the shaman will try to stay back and cast spells. If the shaman suspects the presence of a magic-user, he will cast Silence in an attempt to prevent the magic-user from using spells. Otherwise, the shaman will select a player he feels is the most dangerous, or an immediate threat to him, and cast Hold Person. The apprentices will stay back to defend the shaman. They will also cast Darkness to eliminate the players’ light source(s).

2) Elite Goblin Hunting Squad w/ Goblin Leader

See part one for details regarding the elite goblin hunting squad. This squad will be accompanied by a goblin leader.

The goblin leader is a 2HD goblin wearing oiled chain armor (AC 5), and he is armed like the other members of his squad. The goblin leader is an excellent tracker, and hunting squads with a leader increase their chances of surprising a party by +1. Goblin leaders also poison their bolts (see notes on poisoned bolts in part one).

3) Bugbear Hunting Party

The party encounters a pack of massive and hairy bugbears on the hunt.

No. Appearing: 2-8 bugbears.

Weapons: The pack is armed with axes capable of cleaving a person in two. Due to their strength, bugbears add +1 to all damage rolls.

Armor: Standard AC

Tactics: Because of their natural stealth (surprise 1-3), bugbears will attack from ambush if possible. If the opportunity presents itself, they will not kill the entire party, preferring to take a few captives for later torment and enjoyment. The body of slain characters will be harvested for the cookpots.

4) Goblin Slackers

As in part one, these encounters have the same theme in that the party has come across another group of goblin-kin (i.e., goblins, hobgoblins, and/or bugbears) slacking off and engaged in some random diversion. While the general themes are the same, the DM should adjust the scenario content to suit the context of play. DMs should increase the party’s chance for surprise in these encounters (e.g., +1 or +2 to the surprise roll). Roll again on the following table to determine the theme of the diversion.

5) Goblin Event

The following encounter represents an event that will only occur once. Roll again on the following table to determine the event.

1. To Murder a Bugbear: A party of raucous goblins (2d4) are luring a drunk bugbear named Longteeth to a secluded area where they intend to murder the intoxicated and unsuspecting fiend because of his particularly harsh treatment of his weaker kin. The goblins have a number of wineskins and frequently encourage Longteeth to drink more. Longteeth suffers -2 to all rolls due to his inebriation. Players that consume goblin wine should Save vs. Poison. Failure results in becoming violently sick for 1d3 hours.
2. Escaped Cave Lizards: A pair of cave lizards (1 male and 1 female) have recently escaped from their pen. They both still wear the goblin harnesses, but not the chains. Players will be viewed as a meal of opportunity.
3. What’s in the Pot?: 16 goblins are bearing an enormous stone cauldron with two long poles (8 goblins per side/pole). The cauldron has a stone lid and has been secured with cords of rope. An escort of hobgoblins (1d6) ensures an orderly procession with an intermittent bark-like command. The stone cauldron contains a captured black pudding. Should the goblins drop the cauldron (e.g., as might happen if they are attacked, killed, made to flee, etc.), the cauldron breaks open releasing the black pudding.
4. Execution: A displeased group of hobgoblins (1d6) has decided to execute an entire patrol of goblins for dereliction of duty. That’s the excuse, but the truth is that the hobgoblins are just bored. The eight goblins to be executed are hog-tied in a line. Another patrol of 8 goblins watches in gleeful anticipation. One of the hobgoblins will eventually start walking down the line beheading goblins with his broadsword. Another 3 HD hobgoblin named Blackheart watches the proceedings impassively.
5. More Gambling: A group of hobgoblins and a bugbear have huddled together for a gambling match involving bone dice. Trussed up and gagged on the ground is a young dwarf named Arlo. The winner of the dice game will have the dwarf for dinner. The gamblers have lit a couple of torches in order to see the results of the dice. The occasional shout and curse may be heard by players. DMs should increase the party’s chance for surprise in this encounters (e.g., +1 or +2 to the surprise roll). If saved, Arlo will gladly serve the PCs. However, should the party ever come upon a group of hobgoblins or bugbears with Arlo present, he will immediately charge in fit of rage and bloodlust regardless of any plans on the part of players.
6. Crawler for Dinner: A group of hobgoblins are trying to kill a pack of three carrion crawlers that were consuming the rotting corpse of a cave lizard. The flesh of the crawler is considered a delicacy among goblin-kin. Increase chances of throwing off future pursuits by goblin-kin if carrion crawler meat is dropped as a distraction by players.
7. Trolls on the Loose: Two trolls recently captured for experiments by the shaman known as Kraygal Twisted-Heart have escaped and are looking to exit the goblin warrens. They savagely murder any goblin-kin on sight.
8. DM’s Choice: The DM can choose from the above options or come up with another scenario.

6) Unique Goblin-kin Character/Team

The players encounter a unique goblin-kin character/team as determined by the random table below. The players can encounter the same character/team multiple times assuming the character/team was not killed in a previous encounter with the group.

Gulga the Thunder Maker: Gulga is an intelligent, but insane, goblin that has discovered a way to make black powder using bat guano, brimstone from mountain hot springs, and charcoal. He never shares the secret of this alchemical recipe. He carries a number of primitive bombs that inflict 1d8 explosion damage for those within 10ft of the blast (if an 8 is rolled, roll again and add to the damage total. Repeat until no 8 is rolled). 1d4 damage is inflicted for those within 20 feet of the blast. Those in the blast radius must also make a DEX and CON check. Failing the DEX roll results in being knocked to the ground. There is a 25% chance that anything held by the player is flung 1d10 feet away. Failing the CON roll results in being stunned for 1d4 combat rounds. Stunned players incur a -2 penalty to all rolls and cannot hear anything but a loud ringing sound in their ears.

Gulga is always accompanied by 8 fanatical goblins (standard goblin stats) that he affectionately refers to as his “little thunder makers.” In addition to also having bombs, they all wear special harnesses loaded with black powder. A cord fuse is attached to each harness. These little thunder makers will not hesitate to light the cord and then run into the middle of a bunch of enemies to blow everyone, including themselves, to pieces. If Gulga feels he is in a losing battle, he will light a little thunder maker himself in hopes of creating enough mayhem and carnage to allow him to escape. Gulga should be treated as a 3HD goblin.

Gakula the Fat: Gakula is a massively obese goblin shaman devoted to the Bloated One. He weighs around 600 lbs. and can no longer walk on his own. To get around, he is carried in a large open palanquin that has been designed to attach to the back of four giant beetles with huge mandibles capable of snapping a person in half (use Tiger Beetle stats). Gakula communicates with the beetles by using a shamanistic version of Speak with Animals. The palanquin can also be picked up and carried by a team of 16 goblins that are always part of his retinue.

Gakula is the second most powerful shaman in the warren (6th-level cleric), and most rightly fear him. In addition to the goblin train responsible for his palanquin, he is always accompanied by a number of subordinate shamans that do his bidden (2d4 4th-level shamans). Such duties mostly involve obsequiously ensuring a never-ending supply of food. Due to Gakula’s excessive amount of fat, bludgeoning weapons only do half damage. Gakula carries no weapon because he needs none.

Gakula will resort to some of the following tactics if in danger.

• He will cast Growth of Animal on one of his beetles and instruct it to attack. If successful, this results in a 8-foot long beetle capable of dealing 4-24 points of damage with its mandibles!
• All of Gakula’s goblin lackeys carry bundles of sticks. In dire cases, at least one of these goblins will scatter the sticks about the floor, and then Gakula will cast Sticks to Snakes. This will transform 2d8 sticks into snakes, and 50% of those snakes will be poisonous. The snakes obey Gakula.
• Gakula’s shaman subordinates will employ tactics similar to the one’s outlined above for the goblin patrol with a goblin shaman on the encounter table.

Skullcracker the Hobgoblin: Skullcracker is a powerful and cruel hobgoblin whose only true enjoyment is inflicting pain on others. His true name is never spoken. He is treated as a 5 HD monster, and he is always accompanied by four elite hobgoblin bodyguards (4 HD each). There is a 50% chance that a standard goblin patrol is also with him (2-8 goblins). Due to his massive size and strength, Skullcracker inflicts an additional +2 damage on all attacks.

Skullcracker is armed with a wicked looking mace forged from a strange black metal. He calls this maze Dwarf Crusher (+1, +3 vs Dwarves). Tassels of dwarf finger bones are tied to the upper part of the shaft. The weapon is cursed for any dwarf character. In addition to the normal effects of a cursed weapon, a dwarf that has picked up Dwarf Crusher will have ongoing nightmares that depict actual scenes of former dwarves that have had their skulls crushed by this despicable weapon.

Skullcrusher wears a suit of black plate armor painted with horizontal ochre stripes (AC 3). From his shoulders is draped a thick cloak made from the hide of a bugbear that once displeased him greatly. By threat and bribes, he has coerced the shamans to create a talisman that offers him some form of magical protection. The talisman consists of a half-moon shaped plate made of gold. The plate is engraved with arcane symbols, and a black cord allows Skullcrusher to wear the talisman around his neck. The talisman grants Skullcrusher +2 on saving throws vs. any form of magical attack.

Skullcrusher’s bodyguards wear similar suits of plate armor (AC 3), and they wield large curved blades. They also have an increased morale of 10. However, if Skullcrusher is killed they will fight fanatically to the death in hopes of avenging him (+1 on all attacks). If they succeed in their revenge, the surviving bodyguards will then commit suicide with their own blades rather than live with the shame of their failure.

Jargo Shadow Tongue: Jargo is a solidary bugbear that prowls the warrens inducing fear and terror. He enjoys stalking his prey for extended periods of time in order to watch the fear build before making a kill. The kill, itself, is always a let down for Jargo because it ends the fear . . . unless, of course, someone witnesses the kill. More fear.

Jargo has 4 HD, and he is more skilled than other bugbears at stealth and surprise (1-4 instead of 1-3). However, gaining surprise on an opponent does not mean Jargo attacks. Instead, he now has new quarry and will watch from the shadows in order to learn about his new prey and how best to instill fear and terror. Jargo will never initiate contact without knowing exactly how he intends to escape.

Some of the tactics Jargo employs are as follows:

• Jargo speaks many languages in a deep ominous voice, and he will sometimes growl, whisper a phrase, or make some other noise from the shadows in order to begin his reign of terror.
• If possible, Jargo will attempt to steal items from the party, or rearrange their gear (should they camp). He wants them to know they are being stalked.
• Jargo will leave behind items or signs to spook the players. These might include, messages written in blood, mutilated corpses arranged and staged in weird ways, and dolls made of bones and other debris meant to look like one of the players.

When Jargo decides to strike, he will look for opportunities to take one player (or henchman) out at a time. When ready, and assuming he gains surprise, he will often run full speed from the shadows and attempt to simply snatch a weaker player up with his great strength and keep running without stopping. This will require some combination of a to-hit roll and a STR test, as determined by the DM. Jargo will then attempt to carry the PC to a predetermined location. Jargo does not necessarily kill the abducted player. Sometimes, Jargo will beat the victim into unconsciousness and wait until that person wakes up to continue his games of fear. Sometimes Jargo will even let the victim go in order to watch the scared fool walk the twisty corridors of the warrens alone and vulnerable in complete darkness. That trick always results in sublime fear and terror.

7) DM’s Choice

The DM can choose from the above options or come up with another scenario.

8) Roll on Higher Table

The DM rolls again on the Wandering Goblin Table for High-Level Encounters (to be posted soon).