Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 metalman42 Feb 17, 2009 13:23:49	Hey guys! During the course of our game, my players met up with a Splug type goblin defector. They took him in and he became their friend and sidekick. but he was getting annoying to control in combat, so I Put him On A Bus one encounter. There was an overwhelming number of goblins, and he used his Goblin Logic to convince the chief to play nice with the surrounding "Bigfolk." Their goblin friend (Phran) had gathered ideas about making the goblins acceptable to the bigfolk and shared them. So these goblins now have a little city in this abandoned forest called "Goblintown." The PCs saved the cities around the area in various ways, and declined payment, only asking that the people keep an open mind when contacted by the reformed goblins of Goblintown. I thought that was reasonable. So now, the goblins have a trade network that extends halfway across the main island. I went back and decided that the goblin had been living in a ruined fortress surrounded by this haunted forest, but that's where I'm stumped. i really want to give Goblintown a full writeup, but I'm really not sure what a goblin town would look like. Anybody out there have any experience making goblins good?
#2 Vatras Feb 17, 2009 15:21:35	There have to be some shops or markets, if they are trading, something where you get food and drink for traders and travellers (maybe a food hall?), living quarters (do goblins live in families or larger units?), which are probably partially underground (a bit like Hobbington), and a place where the chief lives. There would have to be some form of guard or soldiery, with a HQ and training grounds, a place where the chief administers justice, a place of punishment, probably some form of arena, where the goblins go for fun (animal fights like in old England maybe?), and something to take care of sanitary problems (as simple as goblins with carts and a shovel, or something as dangerous as a trained otyugh). There will be a place of worship and sacrifice (not necessarily living creatures, although even Zeus got his due in animals of all kinds). You have to decide how young goblins are growing up...is there some kind of teacher around (someone who spends a few hours every week with the youngsters to tell them about religion, history, tradition , and how to survive), do parents teach the young, or does a priest take the job? If there are beggars and criminals among them, you have to decide if they have an organization or work all freelance. If there are goblin mages (and sages) they have probably their own quarters where they can dabble with things better left alone. If there are defensive structures like a palisade or even a wall, goblins would probably spice the terrain with traps, too. If there are trained animals, there would be kennels and training grounds, too. Outside the settlement would live farmers and hunters to support the community. I can imagine goblin worgriders do patrol duty out there, watching out for dangers.
#3 ScrewySqrl Feb 18, 2009 22:56:47	Hey guys! During the course of our game, my players met up with a Splug type goblin defector. They took him in and he became their friend and sidekick. but he was getting annoying to control in combat, so I Put him On A Bus one encounter. There was an overwhelming number of goblins, and he used his Goblin Logic to convince the chief to play nice with the surrounding "Bigfolk." Their goblin friend (Phran) had gathered ideas about making the goblins acceptable to the bigfolk and shared them. So these goblins now have a little city in this abandoned forest called "Goblintown." The PCs saved the cities around the area in various ways, and declined payment, only asking that the people keep an open mind when contacted by the reformed goblins of Goblintown. I thought that was reasonable. So now, the goblins have a trade network that extends halfway across the main island. I went back and decided that the goblin had been living in a ruined fortress surrounded by this haunted forest, but that's where I'm stumped. i really want to give Goblintown a full writeup, but I'm really not sure what a goblin town would look like. Anybody out there have any experience making goblins good? maybe not what you're looking for, but back in the 1990s, there was a GURPS supplement: GURPS Goblins, which filled Regency-era to early Victorian London with goblins of all sorts. If you want a goblinized version of a recognizable city, its a great reference
#4 metalman42 Feb 19, 2009 18:38:19	Awesome! Thanks, dudes, this is exactly the kind of bump in inspiration I needed! I'll have to try and find gurps goblins, I've always liked looking at gurps books for inspiration (not playing it, mind you XD) I wonder what kind of beasts of burden the goblins would employ... And would it be out of place to let them have krenshar as pets?
#5 johnthedm7000 Feb 19, 2009 20:52:45	Well Goblins are famous for using wolves and worgs as beasts of burden and as mounts, so I'd imagine that there would be several wolf or worg breeders/keepers/trainers in residence that sell, (or live with) their animals. Krenshar would probably be an interesting pet as well. Goblins have also been depicted in a variety of D&D novels and modules as raising spiders as mounts (not to the extent of the drow, but it's been done)- consider the possibility of a "bug yard" where the goblins throw their refuse (and perhaps condemned criminals) into a pit filled with baby monstrous spiders or scorpions- they'd probably imagine that the viciousness inherent in the crooks would bleed into the spiders and make them good war animals (they might even be right). As for how a goblin city would look, I'd imagine that it'd be quite crowded and patched together (although the buildings and fortifications would be quite functional, goblins aren't stupid), scavenged from anything and everything that they can find. I'd personally look at pictures of depression-era shantytowns and then imagine would would happen if these buildings were increased in size and complexity and used as the basis for a working city. Groups under the command of "sub-chiefs" would probably serve as a militia of sorts but would probably have to be bribed into fighting for an extended period of time (much like feudal men-at-arms). Goblins, even reformed ones, would likely prefer a quick and dirty fight to a long, dangerous and "honorable" battle so they'd likely have trapsmiths or poisoners in a position of relative power in the militia (given that it's the trapsmith's know-how that keeps the militia's butts safe). Goblins are also typically not as picky as individual human cultures are regarding food; it might be interesting to imagine what a "gobbo gumbo" would look like-a combination of human food, insect meat, hunted game, and a dash of rock salt and foraged spice mixed together in a soup that has a strange color and a distinctive aroma (especially after having been cooked for nearly an entire day). Goblins tend to have a loose idea of property ownership-even if they aren't actual thieves (for example a typical goblin probably doesn't see anything wrong with lifting something lying around in the middle of a road) so their penalties for thievery would likely be less than in human or elven society. Murder would be more serious to reformed goblins, but more frequent than in human society (given that these goblins are coming from a society where it was considered acceptable to murder so long as you can get away with it), with Goblins having to give a hefty chunk of change to the family of those they murdered (or perhaps having to give the money to a shaman to get the goblin raised). Alternatively, it might be punished by maiming-particularly in the case of the murder of a well-liked goblin chief-few things motivate a goblin more than his or her own skin, so it might well be a deterrent. One thing I've considered is that typically in goblin society if you can kill the king you can gain his or her title. This might be continued in such a society, although the fight would be more regimented and perhaps only allowed in certain circumstances or during a certain time of the year (such as after the grub harvest). The challenger would have the ability to prepare for 3 days (getting weapons, training, setting traps) and the king would have the right to prepare for 5 (insuring that the crown typically stays where it is). Then they would fight in ritualized combat that would likely take on elements of entertainment as well as proving the kings right to rule (after all, if the king is cunning enough to prepare a trap to kill of an usurper than that bodes well for the town). Bets might be taken, both of the normal variety and in a more ritualistic sense; each goblin would be required to bet one gold (or something of equal value) on the individual they want to win. If this goblin wins, the money is used to buy him or her the essentials (a war wolf, a crown, a cloak etc) and if the individual loses it goes towards money to raise the loser. This creates a bond between royalty and those who rule them, and also prevents goblin society from imploding by preventing skilled goblins from throwing their lives away in kingly challenges. *whew* Hope these ideas are somewhat useful for you