| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
After taking over the newspaper office, perhaps waiting for the Catfolk Parents becomes boring, and the office supplies have inspired them to take up journalism.
Goblins usually loathe reading, believing that printed words steal imagined words right out of your head. Seeing as the Goblins occupying the office have clearly overcome this aversion, perhaps they want to improve their literary skills, in order to lord over their "lesser bretheren" who still believe writing is taboo.
I would write up a Goblin Rogue 5, and/or a Goblin Investigator 5. Describe how reports across town are describing poorly disguised Goblins, wearing the oversized jackets and trench coats of the previous staff. These Goblins are convinced they "blend right in", and actively approach people in pursuit of hot new stories to cover.
Every day leading up to the PC's departure, you can describe how that days newspaper is filled with poorly written stories that push Pro-Goblin propaganda. Even if people don't buy these papers, they inevitably end up everywhere as the Goblin paper boys vandalize the town with unsold editions.
In combat, you can have these fake journalists having a meeting in a sketchy alleyway, or a seedy tavern. In the last one or two days before your party leaves, you can have the latest article in the newspaper describe how the Goblins have captured different people, and will behead one every day that passes without their demands being met.
Perhaps your group finds the boss goblin when they go to liberate the captives. Or, they could find just the right piece of evidence to find the location of the Boss Goblin.
Rise of the Runelords Book 1 contains a low level goblin invasion. You could look to the for some ideas.
Some suggestions based on the above for scenarios:
The Goblins begin spreading propaganda about a traitor ally! Any Goblin (Elders) caught reveal the identity to the police (The Party Rogue). The party needs to find the one responsible for this lie (Hobgoblin Slave master) to help the rogues case.
Key areas are being sabotaged (Gatehouses, water mills, armories, shipyards, etc), so that doors jam, floorboards crack, beams collapse, etc. making it hazardous to work there. More and more guards are diverted to chase the long since vanished Goblin Saboteurs. Meanwhile, a Hobgoblin and his elite Goblin rogues are planning on destroying the local police station while it is conveniently empty. The call goes out as the timed traps lock most of the guards at their prospective sabotage locations as the attack begins. (The party can break into the office of the chief investigator amid flames and grab valuable documents and evidence).
The Goblins and several huge jugs of oil have been spotted climbing above the local dam, if that should be breached (With crude oil bombs) half the town would be flooded away and the Parties sewer home would be destroyed.
Pro-Not revolution commandos are in league with the Goblins, using them to punish the rebel dissidents. They want traitor leaders they can hang before the loyal mobs to reassert their control. Their Goblin spies are everywhere and looking to kidnap high ranking rebel members (who are vulnerable to kidnap). The rebels have been deceived and believe the PC's parents are high ranking leaders under protection, and they are following the clues on behalf of their Goblin spies.
Tracking Goblin dogs are nice for some variety and disease checks.
Classic, poison in the watering hole, find the source without being implicated.
Rats, dire rats, rat swarms all attracted to the growing mounds of uncollected filth outside the Goblin zones. If the party wants to navigate those areas of the sewers they need to pass through these massed groups of rats and environmental hazards.
Goblins hate Goblins, this is a thing in Golaron. Why not have factions fighting each other in the street, attracting guards hoping to beat them both. Only for them to be overwhelmed when the "ratclub" tribe betrays the "Not that smelly" tribe in their clash against the "pig tail pullers" and the "one ear bigger than the others because we put many shinies on it and not it is red and big and shiny" tribe. Of course this all started because the "Not afraid of horses, we chop them!!!" tribe refused to burn down the hated guards stables with so many guards (and horses) around.
Gangs are using the Goblins as a distraction to rob a local bank, fortunately the PC's have discovered this ruse, unfortunately they look like they are part of the gang...
The Goblins in the local butchers shop are bragging to the other tribes that they have captured the cat people, they produce a withered and bloodied hand as proof and the tribes rally. What happens next will shock you! (Goblin sorcerer with shocking grasp inside tight slippery blood soaked corridors with cleaver hurling Goblins and sickening [or nauseating] piles of rotting half eaten meat. One of the Big Boss's chief men who wanted to lure the party out in an ambush).
Human assassins and bounty hunters don't care where the coin comes from, even if it comes from Goblins. The order was to take one PC alive, how they get them alone is another matter. Ambush the party after tracking them, femme fatalle the target PC, lure them in with promises of trade or wealth.
The Goblins have a guardtower and have somehow managed to load its ballista, this is keeping the Guard away. but maybe a brave party could sneak in and disable the weapon to allow the guards to rush in before more people are killed. The oil slicked sides and random oil bombs don't help much either. A sewer entrance exits, but for those damned Goblin Snakes blocking the way...
Of course, any good Goblin lieutenant would rather die than give up any details about their chief (or so they say, Goblin skin is a lot more precious than honour when it's your own skin on the line).