The Tribe! 3.5 goblin only with GGM (General Goblin Management)

[Xenopax]

"But Metalz. They haz the shiny hard stuff we needz yeah? Dere's alwayz a way. Ask dem for proof of da shiniez. Maybe we'z gives em our deaders?,"

He stroked his nonexistent beard, trying to be wise.

[JbeJ275]

Don’t be stupid, stupid one. They want the useful ones not the dealers, unless we sell other living goblins we need to claim the source properly.

[JbeJ275]

Now fully rested and prepared for battle, Hekx begins to first search for a different route of egress that prevents some of the vertical fighting. He is impatient though and if he doesn't find one within three hours he'll simply make ready to storm in through the same tunnel.

[JbeJ275]

Vertical saddle is something that can be done. It's been a while since I adjusted the Week Counter, so once you're back in camp, a saddle for climbing walls will be ready for you. A v.01, which means propably safe for walls, better not go crazy with ceilings just yet.

For 'one tree' you get 'one days production from the mine'. One days production turns out to be relatively underwhelming, you get what amounts to approximately one large bucket of ore - and after a couple of days of trade, the rocklins have more timber than they easily know what to do with.

However, this is not crappy iron ore. This is mithril. It's still not a huge amount, but depending on how you use it, it's good for a lot of ammunition, a few weapons, or one suit of armor (in goblin size).

Along with the second shipment of ore, there is a new clay tablet. This one reads:

Dear Smelly Giants,

We generously inquire your ability to provide diverse alchemical contraptions - fire would be of premium interest - for which we would be willing to trade our rare and wonderful ore from our mines. We should also like to once again magnimoniously offer some of your people the opportunity to act as workforce in said mines. Giants, obviously, break more rock pr. day than normal sized folk. You get more ore - we do less work. Really, it's win-win.

If you need any of these things explained slowly and patiently, feel free to re-read this letter until you get it.

Best regards,
Underking Flintjaw Mountainbreaker
Magelord and Chancellor of Foreign Relations

Sign here to accept this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: ________________________

Hekx was outside of the cave when this message was initially received, as he was mounted up on Silkwhisper testing the new Saddle outside of Pipzy's cave. He had his to porters with him as well as the one assistant that's survived from the beginning. Now he began to ascend the shute and see what was up here.

[Kaptin Keen]

Back at the main caves, things were progressing a pace: Wolves and spiders were breeding, goblins were breeding, traps were constructed and put in place - with only minimal accidents and subsequent loss of life or limb. The metal workers of the tribe took the mithril ore, and awaited word on what to use it for.

Berserkers were still in training, but already showeing considerable increase in aggression, flying into sudden rages over minor - or entirely imaginary - slights or insults. Thus, progressing to the point where the members deserved the title of Berserker had reduced their numbers by half. But none the less, the tribe now had 5 truly fearsome warriors to spearhead any assault.

A new tribesman of note had emerged from the ranks: Yarezh the bard. In truly goblin fashion, he had trained a wolf to act as his companion.

----------------

Out at Pipzy's Cave, Hekx has Silkwhisper poised to climb the vertical chute at the back of the cave, to find what's up there. The shaft is quite high, exceedingly sheer, and the rock is polished smooth, one must presume by water that flowed here some time in the past.

All of this makes little impression on Silkwhisper, who is a spider and thus not terribly impressed by walls in general. Frankly, she also doesn't care much about geology or the fascinating history of how the landscape is carved over eons by continental shift, weather and the shifting flows of water. She simply scuttles up the shaft on far too many legs for most people's sensibilities.

The shaft goes straight up for around 120', at which point it ends in a large chamber. If one had to guess, melt water seemed down over long ages, creating an underground lake over time. Eventually, the sheer weight of the water weakened the floor of the cave, sending immense amounts of water cascading down the chute - which would originally have been a narrower, natural crack below the lake.

Be that as it may, what Hekx finds is an immense chamber. Around the cave are five massive pillars - stalagtites and stalagmites that have fused over the years. The roof is high, disappearing beyond the range of dark vision. There is a sulpherous smell in the cave for some reason, and the floor is slippery and messy with some sort of whiteish goo.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

A roll of Dungeoneering DC 15 will reveal that there is a colony of giant bats nesting above. So will climbing up there, or even just getting some light up.

A roll of Dungeoneering DC 25, or Geology 15, or any other relevant skill will reveal details about the cave.

This place is very easily defensible, and easily large enough for the cave. It will take some knowledge rolls to construct an easier route of access into the cave. Also, unlike the other cave, this one isn't ideal for food production.

[JbeJ275]

Out at Pipzy's Cave, Hekx has Silkwhisper poised to climb the vertical chute at the back of the cave, to find what's up there. The shaft is quite high, exceedingly sheer, and the rock is polished smooth, one must presume by water that flowed here some time in the past.

All of this makes little impression on Silkwhisper, who is a spider and thus not terribly impressed by walls in general. Frankly, she also doesn't care much about geology or the fascinating history of how the landscape is carved over eons by continental shift, weather and the shifting flows of water. She simply scuttles up the shaft on far too many legs for most people's sensibilities.

The shaft goes straight up for around 120', at which point it ends in a large chamber. If one had to guess, melt water seemed down over long ages, creating an underground lake over time. Eventually, the sheer weight of the water weakened the floor of the cave, sending immense amounts of water cascading down the chute - which would originally have been a narrower, natural crack below the lake.

Be that as it may, what Hekx finds is an immense chamber. Around the cave are five massive pillars - stalactites and stalagmites that have fused over the years. The roof is high, disappearing beyond the range of dark vision. There is a sulphurous smell in the cave for some reason, and the floor is slippery and messy with some sort of whiteish goo.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

A roll of Dungeoneering DC 15 will reveal that there is a colony of giant bats nesting above. So will climbing up there, or even just getting some light up.

A roll of Dungeoneering DC 25, or Geology 15, or any other relevant skill will reveal details about the cave.

This place is very easily defensible, and easily large enough for the cave. It will take some knowledge rolls to construct an easier route of access into the cave. Also, unlike the other cave, this one isn't ideal for food production.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+6)[25] To see if there is any native life, animals that might be tameable, or used for food.
Knowledge (Geography): (1d20+5)[9] To look for any resources in the cave that could be extracted or an easier way in that could be made.
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): (1d20+3)[16] To look for additional uses and potential hazards
Cast detect magic and detect secret doors just in case.

Upon ascending, Hekx mostly seems satisfied that his saddle did what it needed to do. He scouts this new cave only briefly, checking for the current state of the ancient water source and for the size of the cave. With it's easily hidden position and difficulty of egress he briefly considers making it the site of his future wizard tower. Or maybe an oubliette.

[JbeJ275]

Hekx observes the giant bats, then briefly heads back to the cave to fetch some more porters and a sled or wagon. Then he waits until night falls and the bats exit the cavern to front.

Now, while they are out he and Silkwhisper work quickly, dropping reinforced sheets of webbing over the entrance. Low enough to the ground that the fall wouldn’t hurt them but far enough in that the moonlight will not let them see the webs.

Then he waits, concealed. If the bats hit a reinforced web and go down he’ll quickly use his magic to put it to sleep.

[Kaptin Keen]

It's the work of a couple of days to bring back a couple of bats. The catching of them is relatively pain free - they are not highly intelligent beasts, and fly into the nets readily. Once asleep, it's also manageable to tie up their wings, and wrestle them off onto sleds. It's no picnic for 'a couple of porters' to move a 200 pound bat around, but they manage it eventually. Thankfully, the colony isn't really that communal, and the other bats do not rush to rescue the captives.

Nor, even more thankfully, do any of the bats appear to be in the mood for a goblin snack.

Back in the cave, another challenge awaits: The bats are by no means eager to become goblin mounts. And the only thing scarier than their hideous, warped faces is their long, deadly fangs.

[JbeJ275]

With the bats now stashed away for training, and metal slowly coming into their hands, Hekx begins to plot what to next. He needs gold, reagents, magical knowledge, perhaps the favour of other spellcasters. All of these lay either in Brooksglade or along paths that start there. Thus he would martial twenty goblins including the five berserkers and task them with setting up a small defended camp from were he and those goblins with more enviable talents could scour the city.

[Auranghzeb]

As the goblins try to herd and rear the bats, a dashing goblin, significantly taller than the rest of his breed, approaches the bats. He sits atop an elegantly crafted saddle over a black wolf.

Spoiler: Yarezh

Show

He gets down from the saddle and approaches the bats.

He focuses his sight on the strongest looking bat and starts humming a calming song:

then when and if the beast calms down he proceeds to train it.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Fascinate, perform sing sets will DC: (1d20+7)[21], then handle animal (1d20+7)[27]

[Kaptin Keen]

Yarezh soon has the fearsome bats eating from his hands, nibbling gently with their giant fangs for fist sized cockroaches found in one of the caves.

[Kaptin Keen]

With the new flying mounts acquired, it's suddenly easy to do things that would previously have taken preparation and provisions. The caves are abuzz with activity and excitement as four leading goblins mount up, ready to fly off on important missions against the foul and untrustworthy surfacedweller giants.

It's something of a gruelling experience. Saddles have been hastily assembled, but it's still an unnerving experience to mount the bats while they hang upside down from the highest ceiling in the caves. Long ladders are erected, and the four chiroptenauts climb up to strap themselves relatively safely in.

Then, the bats drop without warning, and with a furious beating of giant, leathery wings, they're out of the caves and already soaring above the forests.

The ground rips past at terrifying speeds, and before morning the bats settle into the topmost branches of a giant oak. From it's proud perch atop a hill overlooking Brooksglade, you can see the village spread out below. You can also see a dizzying maw below you, easily 200' feet of sheer drop to certain death for anyone who has any sort of climbing mishap.

The village - as the name implies - sits astride a small waterway. It's walled, with two gates, east and west. The villagers are clearly serious about names, and thus, the center of the village is indeed a small glade, a hilltop clad in proud old trees, and with a small lake fed by the brook.

The village isn't large, perhaps 4-500 souls, divided among perhaps 80 houses. The walls are mostly wooden, and patrolled. The land around the village is farmland, but clearly everyone lives inside the walls. There are barns and a few pig sties and stables outside, but it's clear everyone is safe inside the walls at night. The village doesn't have a lot of exciting shops, although you spy what might be an inn, and there are things you figure might be forge, tannery, carpenter. A granary and a mill are outside the walls.

And then there is the temple. It's the tallest building in town, easily, built from grey stones with a shale roof and tall, arching mosaic windows. Around it is a small garden, prettily laid out in some sort of pattern.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you climbing down the tree.

You'll need to wait until the next night to find a way in. Scaling the walls or somehow passing the river gates are options. Others likely exist =)

[JbeJ275]

Well, clearly they are not as foolish as we hoped. I would suggest we observe for some time, and see if it would be practical to charm one of them and sneak into the city when they return after farming. A few hours in the evening might be all we need to begin stealing.

[Kaptin Keen]

It is still not quite spring yet, and there isn't a great deal of work in the fields - but there are people about during the daytime, some going into the forest to hunt or such. They are a cautious lot, however, and don't travel alone.

A few hours into the day, you spot a fat merchant and his hired guard arriving in town, with a heavily laden pack mule tagging along.

During daytime, you get a bit of a feel for the activities in town. It's a busy little community, but with a bit of a siege mentality: Guards are posted constantly, the countryside around town is patrolled regularly, and the gate isn't just left open during the day. Several times during the day, a deep, rumbling *boom* (like from some giant drum) rolls over the land, and everyone lowers their heads in what might be prayer.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

You can roll spot to gain further insights. DC is 15 to see anything worthwhile, but better rolls yield more interesting results.

[JbeJ275]

Spot: (1d20-1)[11]

So do any of you fools have a clever idea? Or do you want to try and do this the hard way. Take down a patrol quickly at night and hide the bodies?

[Auranghzeb]

I'm out of better ideas. The aerial attack seems out of the question.

[JbeJ275]

Fine then, a midnight dash across the walls it is, at least until we get greater powers.

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: OOC

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I shall need hide and move silently rolls from everyone going over the walls.

[JbeJ275]

A careful spell was woven as the goblins were making their dash, in truth it brought a spirit here from the hells but the only realised effect would be a loud caw and a pellet of guano landing on a guard's head while the goblins made their dash, including one particularly decrepit figure.

Hide: (1d20+1)[2]
Move Silently: (1d20+5)[9]

[Morovir]

Hunching low, Krug hurries across the wall behind the others, furtively glancing around as he goes. For once, he refrains from muttering to himself constantly, worried beyond anything else about being spotted.

[Xenopax]

The blue would do the same, rushing behind em as fast as he could! And stealthy too! Stealthy and fast! They were the same right?
...He might not be the wisest of gobbos.

Spoiler: Don't know my modifiers sadly

Show

Like the thing says! writing this up on horrid data. Can't access Mythweavers hhr.

[Kaptin Keen]

Hekx did the sensible thing, really - he tried to use a simple spell to create a simple distraction for the guard. But by some miracle of chance, the guard, who had just moments before been all but dozing over his spear, perked instantly to the most alert of attention, and promptly spotted the unlucky goblin, distance and darkness not withstanding.

Why you little .. he mumbles, barely audible, and readied his crossbow to fire.

Spoiler: Rolls

Show

Initiative: (1d20+1)[4]

The guard will ready and fire his crossbow on his initiative. If you manage to beat his initiative, you may change that fact. He may also sound the alarm - or at least shout - once it's his turn.

If it gets to that:
Attack: (1d20+1)[18]
Damage: (1d6)[4]

[JbeJ275]

Initiative: (1d20+1)[8]

With desperation Hekx swiftly tries to cast a spell, a burst of enchanting energy goes to envelope the guard.

Cast Sleep spell. Will saving throw.

[Kaptin Keen]

REBOOT IN 3 .. 2 .. 1 .. REBOOTING NOW:

In the year of Grebble's Pox (literally the year that Grebble got the pox), Skuzza the shaman made a proclamation. Raising himself from his customary mushroom-induced stupor, he staggered to the Circle of Speaking, and spoke thusly:

The mountain shall explode in fire and smoke and molten rock - the tribe must leave the sanctuary of these caves and travel south to the Promised Land. Any who remain here shall suffer very, very briefly, then join Maglubiyet in His hallowed Underhalls.

This caused quite a stir, obvious, in part because the tribe had - many generations past - fled the south from larger and stronger enemies, and found shelter here under the fiery mountain. In part also because Skuzza forgot his own prediction, and fiercely denied it when asked about it later.

And so a small host set off. 100 goblins, along with 10 trusty wolves, a healthy amount of food and some camping and survival gear. Each goblin was issued a spear, a shield and a ratty suit of studded leather armor (rat leather being the most readily available), and thus they set forth. For the Promised Land.

It was many weeks of travel through the frozen north, but finally the pilgrims crested the last pass, and below them spread the lush - if snow covered - valley of the Promised Land. Farms and villages dot the landscape, easily visible in the fading light of dusk. The valley is bordered north, east and west by foothills, the eastern slopes crowned by some crumbling old ruins that might be a gutted fortress of some type. The lowlands of the valley are a mixture of farms and forest, and to the far south, small rivers converge into a large lake that forms the southern border.

Leaving the pass, you make camp among ancient firs. Hunters return succesful, reporting plentiful game, and that first night, you dine on rabbit and pheasant.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Goblin count: 100
Rations: 20 days
Extras: 10 wolves (these aren't something you can buy - rather, they can be expended as a type of ressource)

There is no player map, but it's not terribly complicated: You enter from the northern edge. East and west, there are low mountains, the eastern one holds an old ruin. There are three villages - two small and one larger - as well as a number of outlying farms. There are many things on the map not apparent as of yet.

It's open world, so you can essentially go anywhere and do anything.

[KAmber]

Gestin will get some goblins to chop down some trees a bit away from camp, cut it into pieces, and drag them into camp as supplies.

[Kaptin Keen]

Gestin will get some goblins to chop down some trees a bit away from camp, cut it into pieces, and drag them into camp as supplies.

The caves are above the treeline, if only just. Cutting down timber and dragging it up the mountain requires a good bit of effort, but is not a problem. However, keep in mind that deforestation is visible at a distance, so above a certain scale, it may be less attractive than it seems.

For now, it's no problem, you can cut down some hundreds of trees without making noticable impact.

Also, wood is plentiful. That, along with masonry, can be had any time. Food is available by hunting. Metals are another matter. Same for cloth and leather.

[JbeJ275]

Hekx grumbled as he often did, and went to find a nice section of cave to take for himself and set up a cauldron and other supplies necessary for his magic, sealing it off and scribing an arcane mark on the door. Hearing about the lack of worthwhile materials and knowing of their necessity for his magic he begins to look around the cave searching for minerals, ores or living things that could be useful to enrich both himself and the tribe.

Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+6)[20]
Knowledge (Geography):(1d20+6)[17]
Knowledge (Arcana): (1d20+8)[22]

[Kaptin Keen]

Exploring a region of the caves didn't take long for Hekx. There were all sorts of pockets and dead-ends and sidechambers, and he quickly decided on a suitable one to be his personal lair and cauldronarium. He mapped a section of the tunnels, and checked the rock for interesting compounds, metal ore, rare earths and the like - all to no avail. This rock would be nice for building things, but was otherwise inert and dull as .. well, stones.

As for the flora and fauna, there were spiders and bats and fungi and molds and mosses. He also discovered plants on the surface with healing properties - though these would require alchemical refinement. In the deeper tunnels (deep, but still relatively safe) he found luminescent mushrooms, which might make a nice addition to the caves.

Finally turning to arcanery, he quickly discovered a highly unusual but useful feature: A leyline running through the caves. Useful on it's own, a single leyline is not that impressive. A convergence of leylines however - that would be something.

Spoiler: OOC

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You have a personal space of ... say 30x30 feet? Equip as you like, although keep in mind material scarcity. Large metal cauldrons aren't really an option. At present.

Predictable results for Nature, but more digging around may reveal more.

Leylines: Requires attuning (1 hour), gives +1 caster level (at present). A leyline convergence ... is ... more. Hekx will likely giggle hysterically at the possibilities - although he's not quite certain precisely what they are.

[JbeJ275]

Hekx begins barking commands at the other less trained goblins, having some carry furs and heavy ceramic instruments to his personal lair, while others took cuttings of the glowing mushrooms and had them light several passageways, especially damper ones.the medical plants were marked off so they wouldn’t accidentally be trampled before they could be used. While they worked, he found the leyline again, and began to attune to it, banishing the annoyance at his lack of knowledge of this phenomena and instead focus on understanding it in what ways he could manage.

At then end of the day, he will call a meeting with the other goblins with any influence or power (the PC’s). To discuss how to get their hands on the resources of metals, glasses and better tools that the tribe desperately needs (and Hekx really wants).

[Henry the 57th]

The self-appointed “boss” of the tribe, it didn’t take long for Gitmangla to start his scheming all over again. The loss of the mountain had been a blow to his plans for a goblin civilization, but he was nothing if not persistent. Almost as soon as there was a free moment, he began to round up a small group of the best wolf-riders and sneakiest gits he knew of of, ten in all.

”Alright you lot,” he said to the assembled gang, “Listen up an’ listen good. I got an important mission for you gits. We’re in unfamiliar territory,” he ignored the puzzled looks of the goblins that didn’t recognize either word, ”and we got idea what could be out ‘dere. So what I need you lot ta do is head out and sneak about in all directions. Find out what’s out ‘dere, and don’t let it see you, got dat? We don’t need no fightin’ just yet, so try and don’t do any if ya can help it. Just see what’s what, and bring the news back ta me. Da future of da tribe depends on your success!”

Once he feels like he’s adequately stirred up the scouting party, Gitmangla sets to work on his own pet project - inspecting their new home’s defensive capabilities. He’s looking to see how hard it might be to defend, and what the gobbos could do to make it a proper fort. He can’t build a lasting goblin civilization without a solid home base, now can he?