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Unseenmal
2014-01-09, 08:08 PM
What it says in the title...For the life of me I am drawing a blank. The PCs in my 4E game found a goblin's journal and want it translated...

This goblin in particular has recently (about 4 weeks ago) left his home to join in on the ground floor of a wonderful new "religion" (ie: CULT). A human high priest walked into his village/tribe/warband and tauted the wonders of this new religion. He and some friends fell for it and went with the priest.

Mr. Goblin, only more recently (maybe 1 week ago), discovered the "religion" is not what he was originally told and wants out. I have this more recent stuff written but more ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

You would think it would be easy since I know what's happening but everything I come up with seems to be complete crap. It's not majorly critical but I would like to have something in there that makes sense.

What would he have written in his diary prior to leaving his home? What would be in there from his journey and experiences in the last few weeks? These are the questions that haunt me.

If you need more details, let me know

Slipperychicken
2014-01-09, 08:14 PM
Maybe he'd have written at length about the religion's teachings and philosophy, at least at first.

FabulousFizban
2014-01-09, 08:20 PM
you mean if he didn't think the diary was stealing thoughts from his head? probably wondering when his cult was going to start burning things and why he wasn't being fed enough, by which I mean constantly.

Grinner
2014-01-09, 09:02 PM
Maybe he'd have written at length about the religion's teachings and philosophy, at least at first.

Yes, what are the tenets of this religion, anyway? That will inform much of what follows.

Slipperychicken
2014-01-09, 09:14 PM
Yes, what are the tenets of this religion, anyway? That will inform much of what follows.

Nobody Most gamers I've seen don't writes out the actual tenants and beliefs of D&D religions. That's part of the reason why Clerics almost never fall.

Rhynn
2014-01-09, 10:50 PM
Nobody writes out the actual tenants and beliefs of D&D religions. That's part of the reason why Clerics almost never fall.

I know what the tenets and beliefs of my setting's playable religions are (and differentiate between e.g. gnostic and mystical sects, orthodoxy, etc.)*, and most published settings (like Faerun and Dragonlance) tell you a good deal about them... Faerun especially, at great length, often down to what time of day you pray for spells.

Besides which, this is a great opportunity for some in-play setting development to lay down those tenets, if they've not already been invented.


* Although the clerics of those religions can't fall at all... excommunication is possible, but there's no divine retribution (unless you count having divine spells cast at you by other clerics).

Grinner
2014-01-09, 11:18 PM
Nobody writes out the actual tenants and beliefs of D&D religions. That's part of the reason why Clerics almost never fall.

And that's why Pelor is little more than a cosmic battery pack.

Eonas
2014-01-09, 11:33 PM
I figure a goblin's diary might be something like this:

Day 1: Friend killed by adventurer.
Day 2: Friend killed by hobgoblin.
Day 3: Killed villager.
Day 4: Another friend killed by adventurer.
Day 5: Nearly got killed by adventurer.
Day 6: Best friend got killed by undead hobgoblin killed by adventurer.

Et caetera.

NowhereMan583
2014-01-09, 11:35 PM
You should absolutely fill in a lot of completely mundane things from his life before joining the church. Complaints about how much of a jerk the goblin in the next hut over is. Concerns that his superiors in the tribe aren't recognizing his potential. A really unsatisfying meal he had one night. The rain that ruined his hunting trip. Maybe he has an unrequited-love thing going on with one of the other goblins in the village (or wherever he lives). For bonus points, write some terrible love poetry that he was thinking of sending her.

Thrudd
2014-01-09, 11:36 PM
Goblins can write? Smartest. Goblin. Ever. :smallbiggrin:

Bilgrot'z Dayaree

Day 1: Thak and Frikka find ratz in swamp tooday. Bilgrot tell Frikka give me wun. He sez no, so I sez yes, then chop Frikka with chopper. I get rat. Tasty with momma's ooze joos.

Day 2: Hooman come to tell Goblinz of new god. He sez new god better then old god, new god haz feest of sheeps and cows and pigs evry day. Bilgrot think dat sound pretty good. Maybe try new god.

Day 30: Many weeks with hooman waiting for feests. not even seen wun cow. Bilgrot think he and boyz feest on hooman soon. Jus make sure we get when sleeping. Haz ouchy handz and armorz.

Coidzor
2014-01-09, 11:50 PM
What is he aside from a gobbo cultist? Therein lies part of your answer.

What cultural model do these gobbos use? Therein lies another.

Generally the disaffected, underclass, or socially isolated/pariahs are what are thought of as falling in with such groups, typically, unless they see the cult as established enough that they can turn it to their advantage/take it over/gain power from it as a certitude rather than on faith. So why was he drawn to the group?


And that's why Pelor is little more than a cosmic battery pack.

Spread his cult and destroy the undead and those who hide from the Sun's Burning Hate. Simple as that, really. :smallamused:

Slipperychicken
2014-01-09, 11:53 PM
Day 1: Thak and Frikka find ratz in swamp tooday. Bilgrot tell Frikka give me wun. He sez no, so I sez yes, then chop Frikka with chopper. I get rat. Tasty with momma's ooze joos.

Day 2: Hooman come to tell Goblinz of new god. He sez new god better then old god, new god haz feest of sheeps and cows and pigs evry day. Bilgrot think dat sound pretty good. Maybe try new god.

Day 30 6: Many weeks days with hooman waiting for feests. not even seen wun cow. Bilgrot think he and boyz feest on hooman soon. Jus make sure we get when sleeping. Haz ouchy handz and armorz.

Let's be realistic here.

Raimun
2014-01-10, 12:21 AM
Do goblins even keep diaries?

I would imagine a goblin would write about stuff that happened to him. Like how he scavenged together bits and pieces of items and food. How he nearly got stomped by orcs for fun. How he and other goblins hid from a terrifying band of four humans who they only out numbered by two. There might also be bits where the goblin curses basically everyone who isn't him and expresses a profound desire to shiv at least some of them when they are sleeping.

Smarter goblins might keep false diaries so no one can use their diaries against them.

NowhereMan583
2014-01-10, 12:31 AM
Goblins can write? Smartest. Goblin. Ever. :smallbiggrin:

Bilgrot'z Dayaree

Day 1: Thak and Frikka find ratz in swamp tooday. Bilgrot tell Frikka give me wun. He sez no, so I sez yes, then chop Frikka with chopper. I get rat. Tasty with momma's ooze joos.

Day 2: Hooman come to tell Goblinz of new god. He sez new god better then old god, new god haz feest of sheeps and cows and pigs evry day. Bilgrot think dat sound pretty good. Maybe try new god.

Day 30: Many weeks with hooman waiting for feests. not even seen wun cow. Bilgrot think he and boyz feest on hooman soon. Jus make sure we get when sleeping. Haz ouchy handz and armorz.

I don't know from 4E, but in 3rd edition, your standard goblin has a 10 intelligence, so they're not THAT dim.

Edit: Also, all of Raimun's suggestions there are excellent.

Axinian
2014-01-10, 12:41 AM
In Pathfinder, it doesn't matter what the goblin writes, because he'd be run out of town by the other goblins for doing it.

Writing steals words out of your head you know.

Kol Korran
2014-01-10, 01:17 AM
Hmmmm... .you might put in some things that might help the players somehow, or give hints/ clues/ foreshadow stuff for the future. Some examples:
- On the journey there may be some occurrence where the high priest or his/ her lackeys use some spell/ ability/ magic item that is not that common. The goblin describes it in his/ her own language, giving vivid descriptions. Like say the priest immolating things with fire, or calling out some sort of creature to serve him and such.
- The Priest has some beast or some other low intelligence creature serving, and the goblin either befriends it or fears it, and so spends some time studying it. The goblin descriptions might give slues to the creature's powers and such, or more mundane knowledge- like favorite food, or that it likes a certain kind of music, or maybe a command word or two.
- In the priest teachings he keep mentioning "Trogdor the burninator" (Or some such NPC) with descriptions of their abilities, (He can burn entire villages with his flame!) or some such, foreshadowing a future NPC. Or he can speak of some "promised land", that the more forward thinking goblins might get to if they are good, giving the name of a future location to search for. ("If you serve the god well, and be evil little cultists, you will reach the fabled Goomba Goomba town!")

Ravens_cry
2014-01-10, 01:32 AM
In Pathfinder, it doesn't matter what the goblin writes, because he'd be run out of town by the other goblins for doing it.

Writing steals words out of your head you know.
Maybe he is so intelligent, he wants the ideas out of his head. Too much thinking is always getting him in trouble for being uppity.
Maybe if he can get the words out of his head, he can stop being intelligent and actually be smart.
It's mental phlebotomy!

Mastikator
2014-01-10, 01:50 AM
You can fluff it up with who likes who amongst the goblins.
If you can get the players to do this (http://thenoobcomic.com/index.php?pos=25) then you have won forever.

Lorsa
2014-01-10, 04:55 AM
You should make the goblin a misunderstood dreamer! Someone who has always wanted out and how this cult comes along and gives a promise of freedom.

So he'd write a lot of stuff how noone understands him and his ambition. How everyone just wants to go on raids instead of building up a true civilized society. That some of the older goblins have been bullying him. How he sneaked up on some humans that were camping just to listen to them talk about the big beautiful world outside of the goblin village. That he hates how bad everyone smells and wishes they would take regular baths just like him. Maybe he will have written about that one time when he saw a very cute halfling girl and fell in love with her and sneaked into her camp just to steal a piece of clothing so he could have her scent with him and now he's hoping to escape so he can go and see her.

Maybe something like that?

Bulhakov
2014-01-10, 05:08 AM
I was about to suggest the same thing as Lorsa

It seems kind of odd that a goblin would keep a journal, so make him a unique goblin. One with hopes, dreams and aspirations, maybe to become a cleric or a spellcaster? Or maybe something more mundane - like a writer or bard?

On a side note - if you google for cult member diaries, you might find some good quotes to use, especially on the confrontation of cult expectations vs reality: http://www.culteducation.com/reference/wicca/wicca40.html

Sith_Happens
2014-01-10, 05:23 AM
Obviously the earlier sections of the diary mainly contain a jumbled combination of bad poetry, worse fanfic, and schematics for a better mousetrap.

BWR
2014-01-10, 05:39 AM
Nobody writes out the actual tenants and beliefs of D&D religions. That's part of the reason why Clerics almost never fall.

Um, I do.
Because I want the gods and clerics to acutally mean something other than just powers and plots.

Grinner
2014-01-10, 07:43 AM
Obviously the earlier sections of the diary mainly contain a jumbled combination of bad poetry, worse fanfic, and schematics for a better mousetrap.

For bad poetry, I'd recommend a few rounds with the Goth-o-matic Poetry Generator (http://www.deadlounge.com/poetry/poems.html).

Slipperychicken
2014-01-10, 09:34 AM
Um, I do.
Because I want the gods and clerics to acutally mean something other than just powers and plots.


I know what the tenets and beliefs of my setting's playable religions are (and differentiate between e.g. gnostic and mystical sects, orthodoxy, etc.)*, and most published settings (like Faerun and Dragonlance) tell you a good deal about them... Faerun especially, at great length, often down to what time of day you pray for spells.


My bad, guys, I shouldn't generalize like that. I'll update my post to reflect it.

NowhereMan583
2014-01-10, 09:48 AM
Do all of the above. The goblin doesn't have to present a consistent character or narrative -- he's not composing this for other people. This is something he wrote for himself. People are complicated, after all.

He has bad days when he's just boiling over with resentment and wants to shiv everyone who has it better than him.
He spends some time mooning over that halfling woman who passed through a while back, and writes bad poetry about her.
He writes about how much he'd like to be a part of human civilization and have luxuries goblins don't have... then maybe later he changes his mind and writes about how human civilization is corrupt and decadent.
He talks about his old religious beliefs; he talks about his new religious beliefs; he talks about his doubts.
Once in a while, he takes the time to write out his opinions on whatever moral and political issues he's aware of / concerned with, and makes some thoughtful, salient points.
Sometimes he just writes about how much he hates that brown-noser Gertak, always sucking up to the cult leader.
He writes down a recipe for properly-prepared rat.

Put together a dozen or so pages of ramblings and everyday mundanity, sprinkle with a few plot points, and give it to your players. That'll give them something to think about.

I bet you could even get plenty of raw material just crowdsourcing this here on the forums, and then all you have to do is edit it.

Janus
2014-01-10, 10:25 AM
A goblin diary:

Mik Djibjak,

Jak jskdjladddl ajd ajdi adjjo pooj josiooodj laweewa. Chexzsefo Zhsooeuytio kalff brroochgj acommkp bak ukkk goomp oadjork budankkh. Phoo phyllliaaajkzxc dooruukah boochoo!!
*insert obscene doodle* <=== Booadl ajd Doiooaklm! Gakgakgakgak!! :smallbiggrin:

Boj teadoio jo bakk ihm asdpe doaiitman. Boojaddk!
--Gripgrok

EDIT

Obviously the earlier sections of the diary mainly contain a jumbled combination of bad poetry, worse fanfic, and schematics for a better mousetrap.
A Wizard in Bag End
A tale of love by Gripgrok

"Bilbo Baggins," said Gandalf the Grey with an alluring glimmer in his ocean-kissed eyes, "I'm looking for someone to share in... an adventure."

Unseenmal
2014-01-10, 11:36 AM
Wow! I never expected to get such great responses in that short amount of time. So my thanks to all of you. I was originally trying to be vague to keep info away from my players but I'm 99% sure they don't come to these forums...I hope that doesn't bite me in the ass

SORRY FOR THE WALL O' TEXT THAT FOLLOWS

Mr. Goblin (who doesn't have a name yet....) keeps a journal because he thinks he's a dreamer (Lorsa and Bulhakov hit it right on the head). He tends to write his daily thoughts, dreams and ideas for improving goblin life. To put him in our terms...he thinks he's the goblin version of Leonardo Da Vinci but his ideas are more inline with Wile E. Coyote.

The cult doesn't worship any current Deities. The PC's thought the cult worshipped Torog. But they have recently discovered that their assumption was wrong.

The cult's main goal is obviously not known by underlings. The cult leaders are trying to bring about the apotheosis of the being they do worship. A suffering lady (NOT THE LADY OF PAIN). That's all the PC's know so far. The campaign is still in the beginning stages (3rd lvl)

The cult members (and a few PCs) think it's a new religion that teaches true happiness is achieved by pain. That only if we know real suffering can we ever experience real happiness. The underling cultists *have* been doing good around the area...restoring monasteries and temples, providing jobs and homes for the wayward/homeless, etc. So Mr. Goblin will have some of that in his journal. The cult allows ANYONE membership. So far the PCs have seen humans, gnomes, halflings, dwarves, goblins, orcs, dragonborn and even 1 elf as members. And that was just at the 1 monastery they have been to.

However, the cult also engages in daily torture...but the lowly cult members see this as an honor. No one (so far as the PC's know) is being tortured against their will. The one time the PCs saw this ritual, the guy being tortured was jumping with joy at being chosen. He was even given the "honor" of choosing his method of torture. He went with a weak acid dripping on his body, not enough to kill him but enough to cause pain. So Mr. Goblin will definitely have some of that there too...like being upset about not being chosen and ecstatic when he finally is.

Spread throughout the journal are drawings of what he calls "The Blue Lady" (she's a Winter Nymph). She did visit him in his dreams. She does that to everyone that comes in contact with this cult. Some drawings are of her normal looking but he did do some dirty ones too. The players have those drawing already because none of them read/understand goblin so I only gave them the drawings they saw. The rest of it is being translated for them.

Now, Mr Goblin has become disillusioned about the cult because "The Blue Lady" visited him again....which he knows from the cult members is unheard of. She only visits you in a dream once. Well this 2nd time wasn't her being all smiley and happy that he was a new member. It was her screaming in agony, wide-eyed and desperate. Mr Goblin understands now that she is sharing in the pain that is inflicted on the cult members. So he has some of that in there too...and what he thinks he should do about it.

As I said, with that information, I should be able to write up some good stuff but it all keeps reading and sounding like absolute CRAP. I keep throwing it away.

Writer's block, I suppose.

I'll be using a good bit of everyone's ideas. I'm going to be spending tomorrow and Sunday trying to write this up using what you all have given me.

Keep the ideas coming if you want. I'm at work now but I'll check back every so often. THANKS AGAIN!!!

Lord of Shadows
2014-01-10, 12:00 PM
In Pathfinder, it doesn't matter what the goblin writes, because he'd be run out of town by the other goblins for doing it.

Writing steals words out of your head you know.

Axinian's post makes for an interesting angle, though I see you are planning on the Gobbo actually keeping a diary.

But... What if the above trait is sometimes found in Goblins, often enough that - if the party does a Knowledge check, for instance - it raises doubt about the true source of the diary.

Or...

The cleric/cultist/head honcho was aware that certain underlings were keeping words on paper, and decided to take advantage of that. Perhaps a fake diary could be slipped into another Gobbos' junk with fabricated entries that pass for real, but include something that seems more important. The leader could use it to try to set up anyone who finds it (ie, our courageous band of hoomans) for a fall, like directions to a certain death dungeon, or to a massive trap, or something.

Just something to think about. You have to stay one step ahead of those pesky players, you know..
.

Telonius
2014-01-10, 12:47 PM
A goblin diary:


EDIT

A Wizard in Bag End
A tale of love by Gripgrok

"Bilbo Baggins," said Gandalf the Grey with an alluring glimmer in his ocean-kissed eyes, "I'm looking for someone to share in... an adventure."

This also gives an explanation of why the Goblin wanted the words to be stolen out of his head. :smallbiggrin:

EDIT: Just got an idea from that. Maybe the diary was being kept at the suggestion of the priest. He's supposed to write his "heretical" words down, so that they will no longer trouble him. (This would also give the priest a way to track whether or not an individual Goblin is going to cause trouble).

Jay R
2014-01-10, 04:56 PM
I admit that I can't imagine why a DM arranged for the arty to find a goblin's diary without already knowing what they were intended to find in it.

Daily stuff would include possible descriptions of raiding parties, maybe notes on who comes along on the road.

It might also have a "treasure map" which is how to find the home of the cute goblin chick he's mooning over.

Oh, yeah, and there might be a reference to how annoyed he is that they've been told to stay away from the hills to the east, since Grishnarg saw a dragon there last month.

Grinner
2014-01-10, 05:06 PM
Oh, yeah, and there might be a reference to how annoyed he is that they've been told to stay away from the hills to the east, since Grishnarg saw a dragon there last month.

The twist is the dragon is actually an unusually large and angry lizard. Or a guy in a lizard suit...

Sith_Happens
2014-01-10, 05:16 PM
A Wizard in Bag End
A tale of love by Gripgrok

"Bilbo Baggins," said Gandalf the Grey with an alluring glimmer in his ocean-kissed eyes, "I'm looking for someone to share in... an adventure."

Well there goes another bottle.

http://narwhaler.com/original/vb/y/clorox-brain-bleach-VbYr8X.jpg

Unseenmal
2014-01-10, 05:33 PM
I admit that I can't imagine why a DM arranged for the arty to find a goblin's diary without already knowing what they were intended to find in it.

no I intended them to find it and I had/have an idea of what's in it...I wrote a bunch of stuff for it....it ALL BLEW and I didn't like anything I had come up with. That's why I turned to the forum. I'm having trouble getting into the mindset needed to write something worthwhile

Ravens_cry
2014-01-10, 05:40 PM
Well there goes another bottle.

http://narwhaler.com/original/vb/y/clorox-brain-bleach-VbYr8X.jpg
I don't know, it sounds pretty hot in a Yaoi kind of way.:smalltongue:

Icewraith
2014-01-10, 07:00 PM
Is there a goblin written language in the first place?

Maybe he actually wrote a series of pictograms or something.

Or, maybe he's devised his own language, but with symbols that correspond to goblin syllables.

Or maybe...

Ergobod 14, Year of the Picked Hamster. Dog carcass in gorge this morning, massive footprint on burst stomach. This forest's afraid of me. I've seen its true face.

Scow2
2014-01-10, 07:44 PM
I don't know, it sounds pretty hot in a Yaoi kind of way.:smalltongue:Not between Gandalf and Bilbo. Had it been between Fili (Or was it Kili?) and Bilbo, maybe. Or heck, even Legolas and Thorin, or maybe even Bard and Smaug... but Gandalf and Bilbo? No way.

Ravens_cry
2014-01-10, 08:18 PM
Not between Gandalf and Bilbo. Had it been between Fili (Or was it Kili?) and Bilbo, maybe. Or heck, even Legolas and Thorin, or maybe even Bard and Smaug... but Gandalf and Bilbo? No way.
Wait Bard and Smaug? How is that less weird than fantastic little people erotica?
That being said, Bilbo and Smaug, at least the movie versions, totally works, but then I am a total Johnlock shipper.:smallbiggrin:

Coidzor
2014-01-10, 08:31 PM
I don't know, it sounds pretty hot in a Yaoi kind of way.:smalltongue:

I dunno, it seemed a bit too... expected, almost like it was a cliche. :smalltongue:

Scow2
2014-01-10, 09:31 PM
Wait Bard and Smaug? How is that less weird than fantastic little people erotica?

Simple - Dragons pair with everything well. Also, there's lots of homoerotic subtext between the two (Note - Bard's the Seme, and Smaug's the Uke)

Axinian
2014-01-10, 09:49 PM
(Note - Bard's the Seme, and Smaug's the Uke)

"I-it's not like I razed the village to get your attention or anything... baka!"

"Bard-senpai noticed me!"
Yes I know Smaug is older and would be the senpai probably. Shut up.

Unseenmal
2014-01-11, 09:00 AM
Well that escalated quickly...can we end the Yaoi talk and get back on track please?

Sith_Happens
2014-01-11, 03:29 PM
How is this not on track? We are talking about a diary here.:smallconfused:

Lord of Shadows
2014-01-11, 04:12 PM
Well that escalated quickly...can we end the Yaoi talk and get back on track please?

Ahh....yes. Well, anyhoo. Another common thread in his diary might be descriptions of what he would do to certain people if he could. Being a lowly Goblin, he would likely be bullied, insulted, and generally looked down upon during the slow time at the monastery. Since he cannot actually "get back" at his tormentors, he might use his ability to write to put down on paper what they do to him, and what he imagines he will do about it "someday."

I expect that Goblins have an imagination of sorts, and could imagine all kinds of things they would do to those they don't like. Of course, someone from outside the situation who reads it probably won't know the names, but the described actions would be plain enough (disembowel, behead, etc. etc.). In fact, since this is a pain cult, he may have connected doing such things to the cult. At least early on.

If he has begun to doubt the cult, his "targets" would probably become the leaders of the cult toward the end of the diary.
.

Jay R
2014-01-11, 05:24 PM
He might be tracking the days for when they plan to leave, because of the coming velociraptor migrations.

Eulalios
2014-01-11, 08:21 PM
it all keeps reading and sounding like absolute CRAP....

And that is absolutely ok for authenticity because it is a goblin's journal, not a novel!


Ergobod 14, Year of the Picked Hamster. Dog carcass in gorge this morning, massive footprint on burst stomach. This forest's afraid of me. I've seen its true face.

^ This :smallbiggrin:

Jay R
2014-01-12, 12:17 PM
He might be tracking the days for when they plan to leave, because of the coming velociraptor migrations.

Of course, the goblin doesn't know the word "velociraptor". He calls them "lizard-folk".

Sith_Happens
2014-01-12, 06:59 PM
Of course, the goblin doesn't know the word "velociraptor". He calls them "lizard-folk".

No, he does call them "velociraptors," it's just that they're actually deinonychuses.:smalltongue:

Mr. Mask
2014-01-13, 01:35 AM
Can goblins normally read and write, and have paper for diaries?

NowhereMan583
2014-01-13, 05:18 AM
Well, there's nothing to indicate that they can't read and write. They're humanoids of statistically average intelligence, and D&D tends to assume that everyone (except barbarians) is literate. They might have a really high illiteracy rate if they're particularly far from civilization, but a goblin who can write is not implausible.

That's a good point about the paper, though. Maybe it was loot from some caravan his tribe/village/whatever raided a while back. (Maybe it used to be a spell book, and there are still some low-level spells scribed on the pages near the front?)

Mr. Mask
2014-01-13, 05:31 AM
Many illiterate people were very intelligent--they simply didn't have a society that made reading and writing necessary nor accessible.

It's not that you need paper to write... just that for something as unnecessary as a diary, that speaks of a surplus of concealable writing material. Or, you might have one goblin who very much stands out, with an empty book and a background that has made them literate and of a temperment where they'll keep a diary.

This points to less of a question of, "What would a goblin write in his diary?" to a question of, "What would THIS goblin write in his diary, and why?"

Slipperychicken
2014-01-13, 11:29 AM
That's a good point about the paper, though. Maybe it was loot from some caravan his tribe/village/whatever raided a while back. (Maybe it used to be a spell book, and there are still some low-level spells scribed on the pages near the front?)

He could have made paper out of tree bark. It would probably look like this, though:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bnwfeNG35d0/TuQluO4EyzI/AAAAAAAAJnw/O-F9Sc45zNg/s1600/Nov-Birch_bark_document_210.jpg

[note: I have no idea what the writing in that picture means. If it's something obscene in another language, just let me know.]

Mr. Mask
2014-01-13, 11:55 AM
I'm not familiar enough with tree-bark paper to say how it would go as a diary, how long it would last without good preservation or the like. Of course, if it doesn't last, that could add some character--someone keeping a diary which they know is rotting away as they write it. If it doesn't keep well, then they need continual access to the resource.

Jay R
2014-01-13, 12:37 PM
If the goblins have ever traded with, or raided, a civilized race, then there's no reason he couldn't have a perfectly good book.

GungHo
2014-01-14, 09:50 AM
He could have made paper out of tree bark. It would probably look like this, though:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bnwfeNG35d0/TuQluO4EyzI/AAAAAAAAJnw/O-F9Sc45zNg/s1600/Nov-Birch_bark_document_210.jpg

[note: I have no idea what the writing in that picture means. If it's something obscene in another language, just let me know.]

It says "Beware the 14 fingered man, as he shall strike down the 6 fingered, wobbly legged woman."

(I have no idea, but it looks insane, so let's run with it.)