Giantslayer: With GM Placeholder of Doom

Game Master Foxy Quickpaw

Bupkis was born into the Ram Chaser goblin tribe in the northern Mindspin mountains. At an early age, other goblins noticed that things moved by themselves in his presence. Whispers grew that he was possessed. Fearing that he might be next on the menu, Bupkis fled the tribe and never returned.
Without the safety of the tribe, he made his way to human settlements, where he could scavenge for food, and count on the Longshanks to keep predators and orcs at bay. He eventually ended up at Trunau, which seemed to offer the best protection. He would sneak in, and use his telekinetic powers to cause loaves of bread or scraps of meat to float through the air towards his hiding spot.

One day, Bupkis saw a young human girl playing outside, with no adult nearby. He had been so very lonely for so long; maybe he could make her laugh. He came out of his hiding spot, careful not to get to close, lest he scare her away. She just stared at the funny looking creature with big ears. Bupkis picked up a stick using his mental powers, and launched at his own head, falling down in an exaggerated, comic fashion. The little girl smiled, so he did it again. The girl's mother came out of the house to see what her daughter was doing, so Bupkis had to retreat and hide again.

Seasons passed, years passed, and the girl grew older. Bupkis saw the girl every now and then, and made her laugh with his antics. He lived for those moments; they made his loneliness more bearable. He learned that her name was Alicia. He listen to the people in town and talked with Alicia, gradually learning to speak common. She was the only friend he'd ever had.

Alicia's family were merchants. On market days they tended their stall at the Barter Stones. One fall market day, a raiding band of orcs came to grab what plunder they could, before the town Defenders could respond. Bupkis was nearby; he never missed market days, because he could see his friend.

That day the lookout was lax, and the raiders got quite close to the market, before they were spotted. Traders and townsfolk ran in panic as the alarm was sounded, and orcs ran through the stalls. Bupkis was filled with fear for Alicia's safety; he had to do something! Hiding behind a vegetable stand, he picked up a rock with his mind, and launched it at the nearest orc. The villain was closing in on a woman just a few steps behind Alicia, when the rock slammed into its shoulder. Surprised and angry, the orc turned and chased him. He dodged out of the way, scrambling through the maze of tables, and threw another rock at it. The commotion confused the other orcs, and delayed them long enough for the a group of guards, led by Patrol Captain Rodrik Grath, to arrive and drive them off.

Before this point, Bupkis had been very good at remaining unnoticed, but his concern for Alicia had caused him to throw caution to the wind. He had been spotted, but luckily for him, Rodrick had realized what had distracted the orcs, and that lives had been saved. Bupkis was cornered by the guards, but Rodrik ordered them to spare the little goblin.

Rodrik took a liking to Bupkis, and made sure he could get enough to eat without stealing, in exchange for a promise to defend the town if it came under attack again. The Patrol Leader also arranged for a place in a shed for Bupkis to sleep, so he didn't have to camp out beyond the walls. Bupkis now had two friends! Rodrik introduced him to his brother Kurst and some of the guards; if they had any reservations about a goblin in the town, they kept their concerns to themselves, deferring to Rodrik's persuasive manner. He continued to visit Alicia; he would amuse her with his slapstick routine, and she would play games with him (these were a lot nicer than the goblin games played back in his former tribe).

A few months later, Rodrik asked Bupkis if he would like to come and see something special: a Hopeknife ceremony. The goblin was curious; Alicia, now 9 years old, would be going through the same initiation in 3 years time. The idea of Alicia having to actually use a Hopeknife for it's intended purpose was abhorrent to him. If the town came under attack, he would just have to make sure she didn't have to.