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Hi guys, I've been lurking for a while and think this site has a respectful and helpful community (most of the time), so here is the situation.
My PC's (A Sorcerer 3, a Ranger 3, and a Rogue 2) as well as Shelelu, Father Zantus, and Sheriff Hemlock are all in a pretty crappy situation. They sailed to the backside of the island, scaled the cliffs, climbed the fortress walls on to the roof (all with much tension and rolling over whether they would be spotted). Then they slew the two card playing goblins in the watchtower and went down. They ended up in the nearby meat-storage room (C12). And here is where problems set in.
They decided to stay in the room (20x20) and slay any goblin that came to get any grub. They could hear Ripnugget and the goblin performances in the other room and heard him demand a snack. When the goblin servant came to get some meat for Ripnugget they killed him. A little while after that Ripnugget sent a small group of goblins to track down the missing one. This time the PCs were unable to kill all of the goblins (4) before they raised the alarm shouting "LongShanks!"
They decided to try and hold out in the meat room as a choke point for the inevitable siege. They also set about trying to goad Ripnugget himself into attacking, yelling out names like "He who lays with dogs", "Weakling" and "Buttnugget" among others. The sorcerer is very charismatic and socially skilled.
So my question: How should Ripnugget react? Where do I go from here? The goblins (though not yet Nualia) are aware of the PC's presence. I have some ideas of my own but wanted to hear your Thoughts. Sorry for the long post.
TLDR: PC's holed up in Meat Room at Thistletop, Ripnugget knows they are there, they are trying to goad him into attacking them personally. What next?
I suggest a Bluff or Charisma check to incite an attack; if the Bluff fails or the attack is repulsed the goblins will go warn Nualia so she can deal with it personally. Nualia gathers her guys and everyone buffs up to attack (Nualia and Lyrie to the rear, Orik up front with goblins and yeth hounds); if the second attack also fails they may seek to seal off and starve out the PCs.
Goblins love to watch things burn. Ripnugget might actually have the presence of mind to suggest tearing down the walls around the storeroom so that the fire doesn't burn down the whole place. Or, he might start up just enough of a fire to see if he can smoke them out.
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Fire is good. The goblins will not be worried about their home burning because goblins never worry about that - they enjoy watching things burn. Including each other.
I would second the notion that Orik and Bruthazmus get summoned to deal with the longshanks. Maybe Lyrie, Nualia and the hounds also (but remember the only being on the island immune to the hounds howl is Nualia so if they do that, they'll send a lot of allies running.)
I don't think Ripnugget would charge in regardless of insults (make sure the insulter can speak goblin.) At least not until more of his commandos and goblin dogs are down. (Don't forget the ones that were outside which it seems like your crew snuck past.)
I would also suggest that the roof of this "fortress" is not particularly well built. Goblins could rip open holes and pepper the heroes with arrows and fire from above.
Lastly, only Nualia, Lyrie and Orik seem likely to have the patience and foresight to consider starving the pc's out so that's unlikely to be the strategy at least until there are few or no goblins left.
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These have been some helpful suggestions so far. I think I will probably allow the bluff check against Ripnugget's sense motive. Rignugget speaks common, so the speaker need not speak goblin to get his attentions. If this goading is successful it won't cause Ripnugget to charge in unsupported, he didn't get to be Warchief by doing completely nonsense things like charging in alone on a group of armed foes, regardless of if they call him names.
If the check fails he will laugh, talk a little, and and have a goblin sent down to alert Nualia and the rest who will react in kind. Perhaps sending Orik, Bruthazmus, and Lyrie up initially and saving Nualia and the Hounds.
If the check passes Ripnugget will be enraged, but still retain his goblin psychopathy and set the meat room ablaze while he waits nearby surrounded by commandoes and other goblins bellowing his own angry taunts and challenges, a manic gleam in his eyes. It will however, not occur to him to alert his allies to the situation as he is so eager to deal with the interlopers himself. This won't stop an enterprising commando from doing it if things start to go south though.
Thanks for all the great suggestions so far!
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Just an update on what actually went down for those who are curious.
They overcame Ripnugget's sense motive (6) with a Bluff (14) and I ruled that they were able to anger Ripnugget enough that he would try to burn them out before alerting his allies. This led to a spectacular battle as the PC's broke through the adjoining wall of the meat room (taking fire damage) to do battle with Ripnugget and his assembled goblins in the great hall.
They had to deal with: Ripnugget on Stickfoot, 3 Commandos, 4 Goblins, 2 Goblin dogs, and a Warchanter. There were of course other dogs and goblins around, but not in the great hall at the time they broke through.
It was a very close battle in which they killed Ripnugget and all his cronies except for one Commando and one regular Goblin who both fled, but with two PC's dangerously unconscious at the end and father Zantus dead. After that they had to work hard to get back to their rope (on the back side of the island) and Bruthazmus almost caught them as they were shimmying down. It was nice to give Bruthazmus an appearence (with his elf ear necklace) as it is building up the hype of confronting him. We have an elf ranger in the group as well as Shelelu, so it should be quite the fight when they get to him.
They rode hard back to Sandpoint that very night to heal up, stock up, and to recruit guardsmen to their cause. They are very worried that all this time spent will allow Nualia to awaken Malfeshnekor, so they are quite rushed.
One big question for me to consider is: Will Gogmurt abandon the thistles now that Ripnugget is dead? Seems likely, but perhaps I'll do some rolls to see if the last Commando (the new defacto Warchief) can convince him to stay as the tribe has not been completely wiped out as of yet.
My take is Gogmurt would strongly suggest the surviving goblins leave Thistletop and let the longshanks kill each other over it. In the end the longshanks will leave (regardless of who wins) and then the goblins can move back in. It's happened before and it'll happen again.
Alternatively, if you're after more goblin violence ;) he might suggest they go recruit allies from the Mosswood goblins to come back and kick all the longshanks out.