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

[Jopustopin]

Spoiler: Not deleted for posterity

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Gibs^{Still Round 1}

There isn't anything Gibs can do about getting hit in the face with spider stuff. This close to silkwhisper he can't bring his glaive into play. However as his attempt to pull Hekx off his mount is foiled by the weird saddle he's on, Gibs spins around fast as he's hit by the spider silk. Entangled, he continues his spin bringing his glaive down hard on both Hekx and Silkwhisper as they attempt to flee him.

Spoiler: AoO for them moving through Gibs threatend squares

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Combat Reflexes and Reach Weapon
Attack of Opportunity on Silkwhisper for moving through a space Gibs threatens with his glaive.
Attack of Opportunity on Hekx for moving through a space Gibs threatens with his glaive.

Glaive, -4 penalty for non-lethal, -2 entangled, (1d20+3)[23] vs AC 14 Silkwhisper for (1d8+6)[8] points of non-lethal damage
Glaive, -4 penalty for non-lethal, -2 entangled, (1d20+3)[18] vs AC 12 Hekx for (1d8+6)[11] points of non-lethal damage

[Jopustopin]

Gibs^{Round 2}

Spoiler: OOC

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I don't really know what happened last round, but I want to speed this up as I'm not really interested in this. I will simply keep my attack roll vs Silkwhisper.

With Hekx getting away and surrounded by spiders, things change drastically for Gibs. The spiders hear their command from their master, Gibs hears his command from Maglubiyet. Gibs again is oddly silent and predatory while he fights.

Spoiler: Round 2

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Move five feet away from silkwhisper provoking two AoO.

Glaive, -4 penalty for non-lethal, -2 entangled, (1d20+3)[23] vs AC 14 Silkwhisper for (1d8+6)[8] points of non-lethal damage

Critical Confirmation(1d20+3)[10] for (1d8+6)[9] points of non-lethal damage.

He deals 8 points of non-lethal damage to Silkwhisper and is 10 feet away from him.

Spoiler: Character Sheet

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Gibbs, The Insane One

male goblin barbarian 2 CE small humanoid (goblinoid) Init +2; Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Spot -1, Listen +4 Languages Goblin, Common AC 14 (+5 armor, +1 size, -2 raging), touch 9, flat-footed 14 HP 21/21 (2d12+6) Fort +6, Ref +0, Will +1 Speed 40 ft Melee glaive +7 (1d8+6/x3) Combat Options: Combat Reflexes, Trip Special Actions: Rage (4 rounds remaining) Base Atk +2; Grp +2 Abilities Str 19, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 6 Skills Jump +3, Listen +4, Survival +4, Tumble +4, Move Silently +6, Ride +6 Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Trip

[pife]

While Plink had been distracted talking to one of the other goblins when this altercation first began, Plink looks up when voices get raised, and sees Gibs launch himself at Hexz.

Oh no, he thinks to himself frantically.. Immovable object meets unstoppable force. Or rather, Irreconcilable grumpiness meets unfathomable insanity.. Knowing that he is about to lose control of the situation, (and either his tribes greatest fingerwiggler OR its tactical nuke, or both), Plink knows he has to intervene.

Quickly casting Ghost Sound, (in round 1, I hope), the volume of 8 humans in full throat screaming "STOP, YOU IDIOTS! The elfy murder gods have poisoned your minds with their foul magics"!, Plink moves to intercept, or lay hands on Gibs (just enough to get his attention, Plink knows he hasn't the strength to physically move him).

[JbeJ275]

Almost to late there! Hekx hell’s to Plink, then the spider that was currently moments from sinking it’s fangs into Gibs discorporates into red mist. He also calls back Silkwhisper trusting it’s wits and it’s fear to succeed over it’s anger.

[Kaptin Keen]

For a moment, tempers flare with near-murderous fury. Gibs' glaive is swung, and Hekx summons monsters in return - but then Chief Plink (First of the Name, True Sovereign of All Goblins) steps in, calls everyone to order (quite possibly speaking with the Voice of Maglubiyet), and as quickly as it began, it's over. Hekx and Gibs look somewhat shamefaced, perhaps not at letting a minor thing spiral into potential bloodshed - but more at being reeled in by Plink.

[Kaptin Keen]

The wolfriders set off from the lake shore, heading towards the Barrow Mounds you noticed previously.

The Barrows stand upon the open plains, five large hills topped by stone circles. There is a visible entrance to each, a stone arch leading into the cold, damp earth and the darkness of the ancient graves. But before you get close, you notice something else - disturbing and scary: There are tribal markings around the Barrows, poles driven into the ground, and festooned with decoration .. if animal skulls and broken bones can be called that.

Also, in the gathering dusk, you spot movement, all but hidden in the tall grass. You see moonlight reflected greenly in large eyes.

Spoiler: OOC

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You may roll Spot or Listen to find more info, or whatever you can think of to learn more about the tribal markings.

[pife]

Plink slows his trusty steed, and crouches low, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up.

It's time to evaluate the situation. The eyes could just be from a spooky green-eyed cow, but he doubts it. Those tribal markings mean something that tickles the back of his tiny mind, and he wracks his brain trying to recall just why. Gesturing with one hand at the "decorations" and the creature in the grass, Plink gives the quiet warning Eyes open, this about to get ugly.

Spoiler: Plink's rolls

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Bardic Knowledge (1d20+4)[24]

Spot (1d20-1)[16]
Listen (1d20+1)[16]

Unnerved by the green-eyed mystery, Plink fumbles in his bag and retrieves a bag of caltrops. He opens the bag in preparation for spreading them on the ground between he and the green-eyed beasty (or its hidden friends). He tries to look every direction at once, his eyes wide and ears twitching with nervousness.

quietly, he adds Watches your steps if beasties come charging, I have toe-spikers that I will drop if they rushes us.

[JbeJ275]

Helix peers up at the barrows, looking both for the creatures and at the barrows themselves. He racks his brain to see if the patterns around the barrows have any arcane, planar or religious significance. He’s also trying to figure out what creatures could live in the area that fit the general profile of the stalker in the long grass.

Spoiler: ROLLS:

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Ignore any unnecessary rolls.

Spot: (1d20-1)[4]
Listen:(1d20-1)[14]
Knowledge (Arcana):(1d20+8)[28]
Knowledge (Religion):(1d20+3)[13]
Knowledge (The Planes): (1d20+5)[11]
Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+6)[9]

He then instructs Silkwhisper to lay a sheet of webbing between them and the figures.

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: OOC - Plink

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Wait! Didn't you ace the last Bardic Knowledge roll too? Hmf.

Anyways, these are the markings of a ghoul tribe. It's not like you've encountered ghoul tribes before, but the stories are very clear. Surprisingly, the markings are highly informative - to other ghouls, and anyone else who happens to be able to read them. You recall the story quite clearly: The bones used in the totem indicate what sort of tasty remains are to be found on the tribes hunting grounds, in this case humans. Certain shapes on the totem warn of nearby dangers - this one warns of powerful deaders, a human cleric, and a place to the south to be avoided at all cost.

The totem also holds a warning: This tribe isn't about to share their bounty of bones, so no eating the rotters.

Spot and listen informs you that there are ... oh, call it maybe 3-5 creatures out there, skulking about. You can hear them sniffing at your scent, and there are gutteral whispers among them. They don't seem aggressive - but certainly cautious.

Spoiler: OOC - Hekx

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The five stones are placed with four surrounding the fifth. The four are almost certainly wards for the last, central one. At this distance, you cannot make out much more than that. Also ... this is a burial site - it's pretty much inherently religious. You don't know much about human religions though. You do know they bury chieftains with a lot of stuff, though.

[pife]

So, I'm definitely open to other ideas, but here is where Plink is at now..

He will quickly and quietly tell the story of the barrow markings very dramatically, sharing his profound wisdom and uber-bardliness with his tribemates. His soft voice would drip with the venom of the neverdead. He wants his brethren to hear the marrow being sucked out of bones, the cracking of femurs, the tearing, rending of soft flesh being shredded and devoured. They will be able to see, in their minds eye, a ravenous horde of flesh-eating monsters, see the bloody saliva on their putrid dead lips, hear the cacophonous sounds, the cries of madness and hunger from the never-satisfied ghouls.

Plink ensures that they know that there are a good half-dozen already watching them, waiting for the last rays of light to fade before they assault us.

Perform
[roll0]

After he finishes his tale, Plink tries to protect his charges. IF we is gonna do this, we gotta do it right. We needs a plan. But first, we need to get further away from them before the sun goes down

[JbeJ275]

If we rest I can restore my magics and in the morning make spells to destroy thier pitiful presence here. We’d need to post gaurds as we rest though, and I would claim last post as then I will have my magics incase they come for us then. Also, some warding covers the central tomb, we’ll need to gain access to the outer tombs before we breach that one.

As he looks on, Hekx will quietly cast detect magic to look for any major warding or for other magical effects in the area.

[Jopustopin]

Gibs

Perhaps Plink forgot of Gib's terror the last time he met with a deaders. He took off running and wet himself. As Plink's tale grew more dark, more graphic, and more ominous Gibs's eyes grew larger and larger in terror. His knuckles froze gripping the reign on his wolf mount. The moment Plink indicated they needed to get further away, Gibs wasted no time. He whipped the wolf around and fled into the night.

[Kaptin Keen]

At some time during Plink's performance - just after Gibs legs it for the hills, and quite possibly just when Plink has tuned the fear levels to 11 - there is a shuffling, and wet, labored breath*.

As the goblins turn to look, three ghouls stand at respectful distance. One holds a staff, and looks notably older than the others - he has faded to an even paler shade of grey, his posture more stooped posture, his eyes whiter (though in this light they look green). The other two flank him, clearly guards of some sort.

The elder ghoul speaks, it's voice a wet, rasping gurgle - quite literally from beyond the grave:

You is not attack. Us is not attack. We is talk. Yes, no? His speech is slow, stuttering, stumbling - like he is searching for the words, and having a hard time remembering how to speak.

Spoiler: *

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Ghouls aren't really undead - or, they are, but not in the traditional sense. Ghoulification or beghoulment happens when sentients turn cannibal over a prolonged period of time. It's equal parts blessing and curse. Sure, you get to live forever, but your mind deteriorates, and .. well, you become a ghoul.

Ghouls can create spawn, but the spawn is mindless. Proper ghouls - AKA true or high ghouls - are not undead in the traditional sense, they are ... unliving, but not dead. They can still be turned and so on, but often they still breathe, or their hearts still beat.

[pife]

Plink hopes that nobody noticed him nearly swallowing his tongue when he sees the ghouls. Thinking fast, he turns to Hexz, Hexz, uses your mind powers to tell Gibs not to brings the reinforcements yet. The deaders wants to talk.

Bluff (for the benefit of the ghouls) (1d20+8)[19]

Attempting to be nonchalant (while inwardly terrified), Plink remains astride his wolf, one hand on the reins while he gestures with the other. You want talks, dead guy? Okay, talks is good. What you got to say to us? Maybe we makes a deal.

Spoiler: Plink's other rolls

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Diplomacy (1d20+8)[9]
Gather Information (1d20+4)[21]
Sense Motive (1d20-1)[0]

[JbeJ275]

Yes, I’ll do that. Just give me a chance to get back in range.

At this point Hekx and Silkwhisper Move 40ft away from the terrifying undead monsters, and Hekx does a very accurate mime of casting message. He achieves this by casting message targeted at Gibs.

In Gibs’ head, he hears.Come back and be ready to fight you stupid coward, or they’ll do more than take your shinies!

[Kaptin Keen]

The old ghoul uses the claws of his left foot to scratch behind his ear - you see something unidentifiable drop, and are relieved to see it's not his ear .. but then you wonder, what was it then?

Talks talks .. yes yes .. you are littlest greens kins, you are .. gob-lins. Us .. knows. We-we-we .. Us want bones. Special bones. Powerful bones. For a moment there, his voice becomes steady, strong, like his hunger makes his thinking clearer. Us will trades for .. has much .. look, much! He tosses something towards you. You see a glint of metal, and a solid thud as it lands in the grass before you.

If you didn't know any better, you'd say it was a crown. A silver crown. Small one, too.

[Morovir]

Having remained on the mainland whilst the others investigated the island, and skulked in the shadows while Hekx and Gibs had gone for each others' throats, Krog saw no reason not to continue his craven attitude. Thus, while he had accompanied the others to the barrows, he had hung back from Plink and Hekx as they engaged with the ghouls, though not so far back that he could not intercede if negotiations turned hostile.

[pife]

Plink eyes the crown, and, indeed, tries to determine what the small object is that fell first, but returns to gaze levelly at the spokesghoul. Bones is easy to find, Plink states nonchalantly. But what special, powerful bones is you talking about? We is not bonefinders, but we finds them sometimes. You want elfses bones? Or hooman bones? Maybe we makes trades. With that, Plink leans down slightly from astride his noble steed, and uses his spear to pick up the crown, but is careful not to touch it with his skin yet.

[Kaptin Keen]

Old bones. Powerful bones. Dragons. Elfses. Trolls. Mages. Drool dribbles from his dessicated lips as he fantazises about these various delicacies.

We have much-much. Yes-yes?

[pife]

You waits here, the Council will discuss this.. trade agreement. Plink gestures to his brethren and retreats to a distance that guarantees privacy from undead ears, leaving the lowest ranking mounted goblin to remain within darkvision range of the ghoulish emissaries.

Once privacy is assured, Plink will open up the discussion to his fellows. Does we want to make trades with these deaders? Allies is good, even stinky ones. If they will gives us shinies for bringing them bones from places we was going to go anyway, this is good trade, and it lets us see what kind of shinies they have without risk.


We can fights them and takes all their shinies, but I thinks many of us will die. We needs to get stronger before we gets weaker. When there is thousands of us, losing a few is good risk. When we is small, like now, may be better to make deals. What you think?

[JbeJ275]

I say we trades, we know where many bones are and they had enough magics that some were bound to have magics that permeate through. Also they have lived here for much more time than us, they will know the area better. Maybe we can learn some of thier tricks to, adapt thier learnings about the dead. Even if one day we must fight I believe tonight is a foul night for such things.

After making his contribution to the goblin discussion Hekx turns and addresses the ghouls.

I see you have many arcane materials about yourselves, tell me are there any arcanists about your number or do you rely only on scavenged treasures?

[Kaptin Keen]

The elder ghoul stares at Hekx in total and honest bewilderment:

Arca-who? What's it says?

[pife]

Flustered that Hexz didn't wait for others of the Council to chime in, Plink nevertheless agrees with his assessment.

Addressing the ghouls, to alleviate their confusion, he says He likes fancy words, he means do any of you's use magic? Cast spells, wiggle fingers, make magicy stuff happen.

We agrees, to trade bones for treasures. You no kills us, we no kills yous, good trade.

Hey, what you know of the town called Brooksglade?
(Plink describes where it is, in case they don't know its name)

Skimbibble, Gibs, Skog, Krog, Soz, what sez you to all this? This deal sounds good to yous? Plink waves the crown still dangling from his spear to indicate "goodies for bones".

[Kaptin Keen]

The old ghoul ponders at length, muttering through Plinks question as if riddling the words and their meanings: .. fan-cy .. ma-gic ..

.. wig-gle ..

Us has .. power. Deep of earth .. and old of bones. He struggles visibly before going on, time, mem .. m-memries, buried long, lost but not .. gone. Knows secrets .. of deaders.

This long string of semi-coherent thought and explanation seems to have exhausted him. He turns and leaves. The silver crown remains on the grass on Plinks spear.

[pife]

"Secrets of Deaders", Plink realizes. Then perhaps they know things about the Smoke Lady, or her boss man on the sled. He finds the thought of an arrangement with these ghouls to potentially be even more profitable now.

Did the lead ghoul's guards go with him? Assuming that they did, Plink will move forward to find the other object that the ghoul had dropped from the area of his ear.

Either way, once the ghouls have withdrawn, there will be time and opportunity to discuss potential plans with the rest of the tribe. Plink moves to gather everyone together to gather their thoughts, observations and opinions.

[JbeJ275]

Perhaps they may not be quite as useful an ally as we hoped. But still this is no time and place for a fight, we give them thier platitudes then scout the town, returning once we have worthwhile buissness to do with them.

[Kaptin Keen]

Looking around in the grass where the elder ghoul was standing, Plink manages to locate a piece of what turns out to be scalp, with sad, white, stringy hair still attached. It is, by any standard you can come up with, remarkably gross.

[Jopustopin]

Gibs

Meanwhile, farther away. Gibs stopped when the ghostly message entered into his mind. Whipping around he screamed in terror, "Who's there!?"

Panicked he whips his wolf around a couple more times before finally saying with chattering teeth, "Ghost. They all deadder now. Just Gibs to rule tribe."

Gibs gets out of there and starts making his way back to the tribe.

[JbeJ275]

I’m forced to say that Gibs is in fact a complete and total idiot. Hekx says after sending of his whispered message and hearing the murmured reply.

He’s heading back to the cave, though with such little knowledge of... really anything it’s unlikely he’ll be back there before us. Hekx says.

Now we have peace between us and the wights I say we continue on and wish the local hill giansts happy hunting.

[Kaptin Keen]

Scouting the human towns takes a couple of nights work, but is easy enough as long as caution is maintained. There is a town, called Hallow, and two smaller villages called, respectively, Riverford and Brooksglade.

Hallow is a reasonably large town, numbering an estimated 1000+ humans. It is walled in stone and wooden palisade, and looks fairly formidable, having been built on a naturally defensible hill. It even has a moat. This is certainly a dangerous land, but this town looks like it was built to withstand concerted assault. It's also reasonably newly built, if you had to guess.

Riverford, unsurprisingly, is built beside the river, in a place where it is fordable - however, a bridge across is being built. The town has a low wooden wall, irregular guard towers, and - as judged from a safe distance - a modest militia. It is, however, defensible, and ready. It is the lightest defended of the settlements. It is also the easternmost, farthest from the ruined keep of the vampires. Possibly there's a direct connection between those facts.

Brooksglade is built where a brook skirts the boundaries of a copse of deciduous trees - most of the trees in the valley are firs and pines. It is strongly defended for it's size, with robust walls and stakes at the base. Well equipped militiamen are on patrol. Brooksglade houses a large church, proudly perched upon a hill in the center of town.

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

For his part, Gibs rides off north, towards the caves, and home. The trip is largely uneventful, until - as night lightens into dawn - Gibs encounters two humans. It being late, Gibs is looking for a decent place to sleep during the day, while the humans are just leaving their camp. They are mounted on sturdy horses, with a laden pack mule tagging along.

One is a portly fellow, weirdly dressed in puffy cloth and a silly hat. The other wears chainmail and a shield. Both are armed.