I am looking for some character inspiration for a Goblin Alchemist for me as a PC. I need some reasons why a Goblin might be in Kenabres for the crusades. Also is there anyone that might be good for background or reason for him to travel within town and not get thrown out or killed on sight?
Perhaps he was exiled by his tribe and apprenticed by a mad alchemist in the River Kingdoms and then became a traveling merchant with a caravan pulled by goblin dogs.
I'd also maybe advise coming up with some kind of link to one of the other PCs or possibly even one of the NPCs beforehand.
|
I recommend Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines, and the books that follow, for inspiration. Aside from being fun, the main character is a goblin, a runt of the litter, but observant and smart. Jig doesn't want to be a hero, but keeps getting roped into situations where he saves the day. Jig never apologizes for being a goblin, though!
Perhaps your goblin was run off from a local tribe of goblins, maybe he was too small or too cowardly or his fascination with weird chemicals and substances just seemed too abnormal (for a goblin). Maybe one of those experiments back fired, and burned the goblin chief in a very sensitive place.
Maybe he's been bullied all his life for being different from other goblins. Maybe he hates bullies (and maybe some of his more successful experiments were part subtle revenge for how he's been treated).
Maybe he's part fugitive, part determined to make it on his own. But he knows he'll never make it on his own out in the wilderness. Something bigger and meaner is bound to come along and eat him.
Not sure what alignment you're going for, but maybe somehow he gets his hands on some gnome or halfling clothes, and sneaks into Kenabres. Maybe he sneaks onto a wagon bound for town, relieved to not be walking, and maybe there's a little food, too.
There's so many people in town, nobody notices the little cloaked figure. But what's all this hustle and bustle? Some sort of party? Well, this could be interesting. Maybe he sneaks closer to the epicenter...and then all hell (or Abyss) breaks loose, and he's caught up with the other PCs.
The next question, is what is his driving motivation for staying and helping the crusades? If he can earn the trust of the PCs (and the NPCs) enough to vouch for him, that would be good. Maybe he discovers there's a lot he could learn about alchemy while trying to be a hero. Sure, it's dangerous (but it's not like being a goblin is great for life expectancy), but maybe the rewards are worth the risk. And maybe, when he's alone and can admit it to himself, he's still tired of bullies.
Thanks I really like that it totally makes sense. Now I just have to build him. Still torn between bombs or vivisectionist
Perhaps he has been reincarnated. Kid gets killed, parents pay to have him reincarnated, he comes back as a goblin, and they still raise him and love him. Or, perhaps that is a lie his parents told him because they destroyed a goblin den and felt bad about leaving a baby to die and took him and raised him as their own. Then, when he got older, they made up the lie. :D
Notes: bombs are supernatural and thus work against creatures with SR and I believe there is some connection to the demon lord of locusts which means bombs may be useful against swarms...Also, if you get into melee with the vivisectionist you might want to choose a path that gives access to...
Titan's Bane (Ex): You can move through the space of any creature two or more size categories larger than you without provoking attacks of opportunity, and you can share such a creature's space. When sharing a larger opponent's space, you gain cover against all melee and ranged attacks made by the creature, and it is considered flat-footed for the purposes of any melee or ranged attacks you make against it.
As goblins are small, this would work against large foes and I am guessing there will be a number of those in WotR.