Goblins XVIII: Being yourself can be dangerous

[Traab]

Wait, wouldn't the death trap take care of the Axe problem too, or would it just allow Hell to directly invade the Angelic realms?

It might actually work. Hard to tell since the description of where the trap leads is basically technobabble but it SOUNDS like its a direct route to instant destruction thats not connected to anything directly. I dont think he has the axe on him right now anyways.

[Morgaln]

It might actually work. Hard to tell since the description of where the trap leads is basically technobabble but it SOUNDS like its a direct route to instant destruction thats not connected to anything directly. I dont think he has the axe on him right now anyways.

He does. It's wrapped in the blue cloth he also carries the gargoyle in.

[tomaO2]

How the heck is this not an April Fools Day comic? Very disappointed.

Also, her willingness to kill him shows that I was wrong about how much she was initially valuing him.

It still feels weird though. Big Ears has the axe on him, right? Like, I feel like that axe should have been involved in this trial. It's the linchpin in saving, or destroying the world, right?

[sihnfahl]

Also, her willingness to kill him shows that I was wrong about how much she was initially valuing him.

Or she's bound by Her Job. No matter her personal feelings, fulfill to the end.

It still feels weird though. Big Ears has the axe on him, right? Like, I feel like that axe should have been involved in this trial. It's the linchpin in saving, or destroying the world, right?[/FONT]

I think the idea is, "Look, she's so LAWFUL that no matter what the individual in front of them is doing or trying to do, if they fail the test, pull the lever!"

Or Lawful Stupid.

[Keltest]

Or she's bound by Her Job. No matter her personal feelings, fulfill to the end.



I think the idea is, "Look, she's so LAWFUL that no matter what the individual in front of them is doing or trying to do, if they fail the test, pull the lever!"

Or Lawful Stupid.

Isnt she here as a punishment of some kind? Im not sure why people expect her personal feelings to come into play at this point.

[sihnfahl]

Isnt she here as a punishment of some kind? Im not sure why people expect her personal feelings to come into play at this point.

Yes, she is here as punishment. For a law she broke a long time ago.

[Radar]

There is an interesting detail in those trials: Fumbles was the only one so far who actually did think the question through. Both Ears and Complains thought the answer was obvious, when it really was not. Says a lot about how Fumbles is self-aware.

[Traab]

There is an interesting detail in those trials: Fumbles was the only one so far who actually did think the question through. Both Ears and Complains thought the answer was obvious, when it really was not. Says a lot about how Fumbles is self-aware.

Well he DID get a big wisdom boost.

[Kish]

Big Ears really didn't think about the situation at all. Gushing about how amazingly pure he is according to what's on the papers in front of her, then, "Are you a hero?" Gee, what do you think those papers say, Big Ears?

[Wildstag]

Yeah, Big Ears really goes full tilt with his Lawful Stupid alignment. Kinda boring to read, tbh.

[Vinyadan]

Do we have any reason to assume Ears has high wisdom or intelligence? He looks very muscular compared to the other goblins, and he has occasionally been convincing, which could be CHA (like when he intimidated the kobold), but generally his thinking doesn't go beyond following the code, and it takes more courage than brains.
He did realise how the axe-break rooms worked, however, although it might have been because the axe itself was of special interest to him. And he realised he could absorb the explosion by jumping over the lolpearl, in a world where stories of soldiers jumping over grenades to save their comrades probably aren't as common as in ours.

[Keltest]

Occam says that Big Ears is simply genuinely humble and doesnt think about his actions in terms of heroics. As a paladin in good standing, he is almost definitionally a hero, which makes it a really, really strange question to ask unless she was deliberately trying to lowball it for him or something.

[Sholos]

Part of me wonders if the angel is actually hyper competent to the point of looking incompetent. Kind of how it takes a good actor to portray bad acting convincingly. She could be letting them go and teaching them lessons at the same time while technically trying to kill them. It's not her fault they're all good enough to get out, after all.

[Traab]

If ears hadnt gone half angel on us I would have started thinking this was all a trick and thats actually a demon in disguise trying to cripple them all before they can take the axe to hell.

[Vinyadan]

If ears hadnt gone half angel on us I would have started thinking this was all a trick and thats actually a demon in disguise trying to cripple them all before they can take the axe to hell.

Goblins 3 - Return of Not-Walter?

[Traab]

Goblins 3 - Return of Not-Walter?

Yeah basically. It would even make thematic sense. They have tried using the flea demons to kill them and failed, and devils and demons are pretty good at the whole trickery and deceit thing. So setting up a trap like this, designed to lower their guards and get an easy kill in, would be right up their alley. Heck, even as a delaying tactic it works. The longer the damaged axe remains in the material plane, the closer the big bad demon dude gets to crossing over.

[Vinyadan]

Yeah basically. It would even make thematic sense. They have tried using the flea demons to kill them and failed, and devils and demons are pretty good at the whole trickery and deceit thing. So setting up a trap like this, designed to lower their guards and get an easy kill in, would be right up their alley. Heck, even as a delaying tactic it works. The longer the damaged axe remains in the material plane, the closer the big bad demon dude gets to crossing over.

I think thematic unity would also help with a recurrent problem: in Goblins, so much energy goes into defining the singular features of the dungeons, that the actual plot is put on hold, or struggles to stay in the reader's memory. For example, now we have the GAP running away (more or less) from Kore, but the dungeon makes it difficult to tell what the distance between them is, both temporally and spatially. Sooner or later, Kore will reappear, but that's completely adjudicated to author fiat. We also have Hell, but we don't know how bad the situation is, or how much time is left, and I believe we don't even have the first idea of what can be practically done to solve this problem.
Instead, the focus is on the angel's test, which does let the GAP become stronger and more capable, but isn't actually connected with the plot, and wasn't even actively looked for by the GAP.

[sihnfahl]

Instead, the focus is on the angel's test, which does let the GAP become stronger and more capable, but isn't actually connected with the plot, and wasn't even actively looked for by the GAP.

Which makes it look like a DM realizing the CR for the campaign is a bit high for the group, so is pulling things out of a hat to up their levels.

[Traab]

Which makes it look like a DM realizing the CR for the campaign is a bit high for the group, so is pulling things out of a hat to up their levels.

"Suddenly your group is attacked by a group of dinosaurs known as Expasaurus Rex! Oh no! They tripped and fell, breaking apart into a stream of experience that flows into you. Congrats, you are all level 10. Suddenly a portal to hell opens up before you! The next stage of the story is about to begin! Choose your spells/feats/stats wisely!" (whew, almost messed up the whole campaign!)

[sihnfahl]

"Suddenly your group is attacked by a group of dinosaurs known as Expasaurus Rex

You have defeated the luutbog! In its dying throes, it bursts open, revealing ... more treasure than its insides could have possibly contained!

[Dragonus45]

I'm suddenly reminded of a fairly infamous incident in an old D&D group of mine where a newer DM uncertain of the best way to guide the party towards the plot he wanted decided to just have a literal guy stand in the desert as our airship passed by it with a sign saying "Adventure"

[Anteros]

I'm suddenly reminded of a fairly infamous incident in an old D&D group of mine where a newer DM uncertain of the best way to guide the party towards the plot he wanted decided to just have a literal guy stand in the desert as our airship passed by it with a sign saying "Adventure"

It's a desert. Couldn't he just have had wherever you land be the spot?

[Cazero]

It's a desert. Couldn't he just have had wherever you land be the spot?

Well they wouldn't land in a desert if there wasn't a guy standing there with an adventure sign.

[Maryring]

In fairness, that is pretty memorable. And would you as a bunch of murder hobos not drop on by to a weird random dude with a big sign in the middle of the desert?

[Traab]

In fairness, that is pretty memorable. And would you as a bunch of murder hobos not drop on by to a weird random dude with a big sign in the middle of the desert?

You never know, either he has a cool adventure, or its someone who needs a good murdering!

[Fyraltari]

You never know, either he has a cool adventure, or its someone who needs a good murdering!

Or he's somebody who needs a lift out of the desert who figured that holding a big "adventure" sign would get people's attention.

[Taevyr]

I'm suddenly reminded of a fairly infamous incident in an old D&D group of mine where a newer DM uncertain of the best way to guide the party towards the plot he wanted decided to just have a literal guy stand in the desert as our airship passed by it with a sign saying "Adventure"

"It has to be a trap! Turn around, quickly"

[Radar]

"It has to be a trap! Turn around, quickly"

And reveal your back to the danger? Bombard with everything you have!

[Morgaln]

Or he's somebody who needs a lift out of the desert who figured that holding a big "adventure" sign would get people's attention.

Or maybe he had a religious epiphany and was looking for converts:

Spoiler

Show

ADVENTURE

Now that I have your attention, have you considered the fate of your immortal soul?

[Dragonus45]

And reveal your back to the danger? Bombard with everything you have!

We have a winner! One of our grumpier players decided to open fire on the weirdo in the dessert with an adventure sign and things went downhill from there. In retrospect I do think it wasn't the worst idea a new DM could come up with though.