On Goblins

Goblins in the movie Labyrinth, by Jim Henson. Part of the inspiration.

 

Goblins: 

HP: 2 // ARMOR 6

stats for Maze Rats

It is true that Goblins were children stolen from their crib and turned into goblins by the Witch Magobia. The following is also true about them:

• They never grow bigger than a toddler, as their growth is stunted by their strange diet.
• Their skin gets an unhealthy grey and wrinkles as if they are of very old age. Their pupils turn a very pale-pink color and their hair a greasy black.

• Most grow up to be mean, fearful and craven.

When encountering Goblins in the wild they…


• Try to hide or run away if you are stronger than them.

• Are singing a dreadful song that teaches to be mean.

• Are carrying a stolen baby and arguing about who has to take care of it.

The dreadful goblin-song teaches…


1. Stealing a one legged man’s crutches and burying them in the woods. And then again and again as he gets new crutches. 

If you listen to the song long enough, you figure out where these places are. If you check you will find a one legged man and a place in the woods where 1d6x10 crutches are buried. Returning the crutches will make you a hero to that family and village. Unless the goblins in question are dealt with, the stealing will continue.


2. A song about secretly giving someone laxative. It goes into detail about the pains, sounds, smells and textures of the resulting trouble. 

If you listen long enough you get the recipe from the song.


3. A song about what they’d all want to do to their ‘Momma Magobia’, bringing the punishments they got from her back to her, but making them even more mean. They sing in turn, trying to one-up each other. 

If you listen long enough you learn the way to find The Witch Magobia.


4. A song about how to anger a bear and lure it into a camp of unwitting, sleeping travelers. 

If you listen long enough you learn how to find a bear and —I guess— how to make it angry.
 You also learn one of their tactics.

5. A song about how to mimic someone in need, drowning, hurt, … to trick people into running in danger.

It are some handy tips, and if you listen long enough you can learn some of these techniques.


6. A song about how to spoil crops by sowing weeds in fields and gardens. It details which weeds do what. 

If you listen long enough, not only do you improve your knowledge of harmful weeds slightly, but you learn when to catch them in the act.