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You are the heroes of the Licktoad Tribe, living legends after you triumphed against the terrible goblin cannibal Vorka and recovered many fireworks from her lair. Your tribe used the fireworks to great effect, but one day while you were out scrounging for more fireworks, adventurers came into the swamp and wiped out your tribe. You returned to your home
to find it in ruins.
Now homeless, you have decided to travel to the closest tribe of goblins you know about-the Birdcrunchers. Maybe they'll have room for you to join! Only, now that you've arrived in Birdcruncher territory, something seems wrong. The Birdcrunchers appear unusually nervous and frightened, cowering around the entrance to their cave. They aren't even trying to defend their territory. And now, a wrinkled old goblin with bulging eyes is waddling out of the crowd, approaching you. She's obviously some sort of shaman-maybe even the chieftain. If anyone here knows whether or not you can join the tribe, it'd likely be her!
At one point, the Birdcrunchers counted several caves and the hills above them as their own territory, but the actions of Pa Munchmeat and his fire-breathing hogs have forced the Birdcrunchers to crowd into this single cave. It's a nice cave, and a big one, but it still rankles the goblins, and arguments over sleeping space and eating space are fraying their nerves. The arrival of the goblin PCs is more than just a welcome distraction to the Birdcrunchers-it is hope.
After the four goblins arrived at the Birdcrunchers cave, they are brought in front of a wrinkled old goblin woman, Wise Mummy Sprattleharsh.
"Well, well! What have we here? Licktoads, by the look of you, and from what I hear, orphans as well, hmm? Looking for a new place to live, I suspect? Well, you might be in luck, because we need new blood. Our own chieftains have been ... lacking ... in chieftainish ways. We've been having problems lately with an ogre and his fire-breathing boars, you see, and any goblins capable of killing the boars and driving off the ogre ... or driving off the boars and killing the ogre ... or ... or whatever-well, they'll not only be welcomed into Birdcruncher territory with open arms. They'll be made chieftains, one and all!"
With that, the gathered Birdcruncher goblins suddenly animate into cheers and song. Eager and excited, they surge out of the cave to welcome their saviors, but suddenly freeze as the old woman shrieks out a command for silence. The goblins freeze in place, and she continues in a softer voice.
"But we can't just assume you're the stuff chieftains are made of. You might just be lucky. No, no ... before we accept you as our saviors and before you'll even have a chance to face off against Pa Munch meat and his pig ... I declare we have a Chieftain Moot!"
The gathered goblins erupt into cheers again, and the four heroe goblins know why - a Chieftain Moot is a day-long festival of games and dares, a tradition among the local tribes when the need to select a new chief arises. Those goblins who want to be considered for the role must endure a number of trials during the moot, and if they survive and win, they earn the respect and support of the rest of the tribe.
Wise Mummy Sprattleharsh barks a few orders, and the Birdcrunchers scurry off to start organizing the moot. She then introduces herself to the heroes and invites them into the cave to sit and warm their feet by the fire.
Greta Bigbadevil walks proudly to the fire." Great warrior Greta is name-name. Very goodgood chieftain material. Hahaha. Also good for many strong you goblins, you seesee!"
Poog walks over to the firepit, sits down, and gently removes Dogfinder from his head, petting him absently as he says,"My name is Poog. I am priest of Zarongel, who gives me magics to kill dogs, light fires, and heal good goblins who do those things, too. So. Why you no have anyone to make ogre dead without us?"
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"It is Burdcrunchers tradition that only chieftains can go and fight ogre."
Poog grunts. "I talk with Zarongel, see if he happy with this. More you tell me, happier he be. Happier he be, more dead dogs and big fires."
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"Well, I tell you truth young goblin. The last three chieftains is missing, we afraid they is dead. None of other Birdcrunchers wants to be chieftain because of this." Wise Mummy Sprattleharsh tells poog with sad eyes. She hands him some bird feathers and skulls to burn for Zarongel. "Please take this to ask Zarongels blessing!"
Poog nods knowingly, even though he had no idea this was coming, because clerics must always look wise. "I make offering to Zarongel, sing and dance, make happy. Zarongel be happy with you and with us. Him not happy, lots of hurty fire... not good. So make him happy. I will do this, because I am wise priest and could help lead Birdcrunchers good, help serve Zarongel." "...and find more dogs to kill and light more fires, and lead tribe from back of big war-pig mount someday while goblins bring me good stuffs." he thought, but didn't say.
Greta smiles very wickedly and says:"Chief you need-need, Greta will show how well she can be. You have to ride a evil warthog-thog, Greta will teach hog-hob who master goblin is!"
The newly single Mogmurch seems positively gleeful having finally escaped the clutches of his troublesome mate, no more face licking and more time for messing with bang makers!
"Hah! We is the best at games, Mogmurch be frog fryer, super slug eater, cannibal killer, dog burner! Ogres probably burn up good! Bring on games!"
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The day after the heroes arrival at the Birdcrunchers tribe, the four goblins are ready and eager to begin the moot. The "chieftains-in-waiting" must endure three dares - the winner is the goblin who earns the most points across these three dares. The goblins can also skip one or more dares, but its very unlikely the Birdcrunchers goblins would accept a coward for chief.
First Dare: The Blind Bird Shoot
The first dare takes place in a valley to the south of the Birdcrunchers' cave. The chieftains-in-waiting are led to the center of the valley, blindfolded, and given a short bow and three arrows each (each contestant's arrows have fletching of a different color from those of the other contestants so the arrows can be identified after they're shot). The Birdcrunchers clamber into trees or sit on rocks that ring the valley while Wise Mummy Sprattleharsh explains the rules to the blindfolded contestants: She will release three cages of seagulls over the course of a minute, and the blindfolded goblins must shoot down as many of them as possible. The gulls in the first flock are worth 2 points, those in the second 4 points, and those in the third 6 points, but each consecutive flock is a bit farther away than the previous one, making it more difficult to notice.
This dare is more about luck than accuracy. As the dare begins, a few rounds of relative silence (punctuated now and then by goblin sounds) pass before the first cage is released. Wise Mummy swiftly dives to the ground, and each contestant must attempt a Perception check to determine by sound where the flock of panicked birds is flying, then attempt an attack roll to hit a seagull. Targeting the first flock with an arrow while blind requires only a successful DC 8 Perception check (this is not an opposed Perception check, and thus being blind does not modify the check), but distance is increasingly a factor with the following two flocks - a successful DC 11 Perception check is needed to target the second flock, and a successful DC 14 check to target the third. A goblin who successfully targets a flock can attempt a normal attack roll to hit a seagull (AC 14, with a 50% miss chance) and score the appropriate number of points.
If a goblin misses a seagull, the arrow has to land somewhere. Roll 1d20 and consult the table (my GM table) to determine where misses land - note that it's possible to earn extra points even on a miss!
Solid hit
One solid hit and one near miss and 1 Total miss
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Greta makes three quick shoots, the first one hits the dull worth 2 points. The second one touches the gulls wing but goes wide into the crows, coming dangerously close to hitting a goblin, resulting in shrieks (0 points). The third one is a spectacularly bad miss that earns nothing but jeers and insults (0 points).
Mogmurch sniffs disdainfully as he is given the bow, "This be stuuuupid just let me burn dems! Arrows not even on fire!" And his opinion of bows does not change...
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Mogmurch throws three arrows into the air: the first one came close to the target but missed it. The shot hits a goblin in the surrounding crowd, resulting in one shriek and a lot of laughter (1 point). The second one came also close to the target, but closer to a goblin in the crowd, but did not hit the dull nor the goblin (0 points). The third shot went through the air but terribly missed it's target. It also came dangerously close to a goblin in the croud but did not hit him (0 points).
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Second Dare: Stirge Swamp Stomp
The second dare takes the contestants and the crowd to the west, where a particularly low valley has subsided into a permanent swamp of nasty standing water. A failed attempt by the Birdcrunchers to build a bunch of huts on stilts left behind a haphazard arrangement of wobbly Posts protruding from the boggy ground. The goblins have laid wooden planks across several of these posts, creating narrow bridges that stand 10 feet off the ground.
In this dare, the contestants all begin on the southern shore of the bog and are fitted with wide, clumsy, human boots. A single stirge on a 5-foot-long tether is tied to each of the red posts. The goal of this game is to kill as many stirges as possible (preferably by stomping, which qualifies as an unarmed strike, but any method of stirge killing is allowed) without falling into the swamp below.
The dare begins when Wise Mummy throws a thunderstone, at which point you (the GM) should run the dare as a combat, with all of the contestants rolling initiative and heading out into the playing field to stomp stirges. Any goblin who falls into the swamp before the end of the first round is disqualified and earns 0 points.
Human Boots: The big boots the goblins wear are cumbersome and reduce the wearer's speed by 5 feet. In addition, the goblins attempt Acrobatics checks at a -2 penalty while wearing the boots.
Planks and Posts: Each plank and post is 1 foot wide and slightly unsteady. A successful DC 7 Acrobatics check is required to move along a plank; a goblin falls if she ever rolls 5 or less on such a check.
Stirges: A total of 12 stirges are tied to posts. Each stirge can attack anyone within 5 feet of its post. Killing a stirge earns a goblin 2 points. Once all 12 stirges are dead, the dare ends.
Falling: It's only a 10-foot fall from a post or plank to the swampy ground. Those who fall are out and can accumulate no more points during this dare.
Last Goblin Standing: The dare ends automatically as soon as only one goblin remains on the planks and posts. That goblin earns 5 points.
Wise Mummy throws the thunderstone and the dare begins. The goblins of the tribe start cheering for their favorite contestant.
Poog
Chuffy
Mogmurch
Greta
[/spoiler]
Greta just falls in at first chance
If you look at the map the red posts have stirges.
to the other set
Mogmurch scampers forward drawing forth a bomb and hurling it at the stirges grouped together, specifically targeting the central one before him. He immolates one of the insects and the fiery splashzone catches the other two.
"Ahahahaha, burn, burn, burn! Mogmurch best you learn!"
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Poog misses all three shots, the first and the third shot goes wide into the the crowd, resulting in shrieks (0 points). The second shot hits a goblin in the surrounding croud resulting in on shriek and a lot of laughter (1 point).
Result table after dare 1:
Name Dare 1 Dare 2 Dare 3
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Chuffy 10
Greta 2
Mogmurch 1
Poog 1
Mogmurch flings another bomb at the injured stirge carefully avoiding his fellow goblin.
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The rogue's attack deals extra damage anytime her target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the rogue flanks her target. This extra damage is 1d6 at 1st level, and increases by 1d6 every two rogue levels thereafter. Should the rogue score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this extra damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet.
With a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. She cannot use a weapon that deals lethal damage to deal nonlethal damage in a sneak attack, not even with the usual –4 penalty.
The rogue must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. A rogue cannot sneak attack while striking a creature with concealment.
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Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
jump: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 to the other set
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Is that the right position? In any case, 9 does not hit a stirge.
Which means its Poogs turn now:
Poog attacks the same stirge again with fire bolt.
He hits the stirge, but is not able to kill it.
Chuffy
Mogmurch
Greta
Poog
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
jump: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16 to the other set
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 1d2 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Is that the right position? In any case, 9 does not hit a stirge.
Which means its Poogs turn now:
Poog attacks the same stirge again with fire bolt.
[dice=Attack]1d20+2-2
[dice=Damage]1d3
He hits the stirge, but is not able to kill it.
Chuffy
Mogmurch
Greta
Poog
Mogmurch throws another bomb at the injured stirge in front of Poog, but it misses the agile creature and sinks into the water with a plop much to the goblins consternation.
Poog angrily lets forth a stream of foul language, and decides to try his javelin on the stirge he already wounded.