Rise of the Goblins?

[marvin_bishop]

One of my players is playing a halfling druid who is a very caring soul. When the party explored thistletop they found two goblin children in cages. She stopped the other characters from killing them and brought them home with her. She talked Madame M'vashti into keeping the goblins secret in the basement and is hoping to work out something with the master of turnadarok academy about an education. In the end, she wants to help the goblins to become something more than petty thieves and pawns for larger powers. She wants to give them something to be proud of.

My question is, What legitimate enterprise could the goblins undertake? I love the idea of at least some goblins rising above their bickering tribes but I have no good idea where to take this.

[Brother Ra]

marvin_bishop wrote:

One of my players is playing a halfling druid who is a very caring soul. When the party explored thistletop they found two goblin children in cages. She stopped the other characters from killing them and brought them home with her. She talked Madame M'vashti into keeping the goblins secret in the basement and is hoping to work out something with the master of turnadarok academy about an education. In the end, she wants to help the goblins to become something more than petty thieves and pawns for larger powers. She wants to give them something to be proud of.

My question is, What legitimate enterprise could the goblins undertake? I love the idea of at least some goblins rising above their bickering tribes but I have no good idea where to take this.

First thing to come to mind is to work as a dungsweeper for Gorvi. Sandpoint tolerates this half-orc because he does such a good job. I imagine Sandpoint might tolerate a couple of goblins running around town with red wheelbarrows. This would also be in line with one of the "ten fun facts about goblins"; Goblins raid junkyards. Anywhere there is garbage, there are goblins.

[Blue_eyed_paladin]

This seems really nice. You could have some of the townsfolk react badly to it, and then your druid might get a nice RP encounter, trying to reassure people that goblins weren't all bad.

[Huzzaher]

Well, I think this goes into a nature vs nuture question. From the book, the nurture aspect is designed to make them into a lot of what they are, so depending on how young they are, they might be "redeemed."

But this is going to take a lot of work and people who are willing to really try to help them. I imagine with the town's current feelings, they will be dead set against this happening. How many people lost someone because of goblins, in the raid, the aftermath, or the glassworks?

The whole thing is wrought with RP chances for the PC, using the goblins as a McGuffin. If you want to have them trained to actually add to society... Give them to the church. Specifically, Sarenrae, Goddess of Redemption. Use the PC as a role-model, and have them go out to redeem the rest of their race, and cut down those who stand in their way. Then she's not just saving two goblins, she's leading the way for all the goblins to be saved. Plus, then you don't have to try and find a place for them in a city that would never really accept them anyway.

[All DMs are evil]

How about have the goblins be prejudiced against by the whole town, but then have them do something later on to redeem them selves in the towns eyes?

Spoiler:

Sandpoint is attacked later on, why not have the Goblins give their lives defending the town, maybe let one survive? A goblin child charging a giant is a pretty strong image.

[SterlingEdge]

Similar event in one of my sessions. A captured kobold ended up being a bounty hunter, leveled up, gained the leadership feat, then went on to form a mercinary band for hire. They guarded caravans and pilgrimages and helped stem a drow raid. I still run the band as a NPC squad.