Goblins, Part II

Goblin Magical Side-Effects

Wicked creatures work in cruel ways, though in the case of goblins, such malevolence doesn't always come out the way they intend it to. 

Roll 1d12 when one casts a spell and consult the table below for the general side-effect. If it then calls for a requirement, roll on the table for the goblin's spellcaster type to determine what it is. 

1-2. Beware - My - Magic! The goblin's spell does absolutely nothing, though the goblin has a 50% chance of believing it works anyway. In that case, it will act accordingly.

3-5. More? The goblin needs to follow a requirement for the spell to happen.

6. More! There are always too many goblins. To punctuate this fact, any (including the spellcaster) within a 1d6 x 5' appear to be doubled in number, though these are simply mirror images that last up to 3d6 rounds and vanish when hit. In addition, for every 1d4 rounds of the duration, the goblin must follow a requirement too in order to make the effect continue.

7-10. No Side-Effect: Apart from the goblin acting as strangely as it usually does, nothing additional occurs or is required with the spell this time.

11-12. Goblin Blood Magic: The goblin can now increase the spell's range, effect, or duration by 50% if it has inflicted some harm within the last 24 hours (if not known, there's a base 50% chance of that being so). What is more, if the goblin chooses to follow a random requirement from its spellcaster list, then the target of its spell must also save vs. death/ make a Will save DC 10 or take 1d8 damage.

Requirements by Goblin Spellcaster Type
Different varieties of goblin spellcasters have different malefic requirements for making their spells work. When one is called for, roll on the corresponding table below. Note that if the spell's effects would fulfill the requirement if the magical side-effect was applied, then the requirement in that case can be considered met.

Goblin Shaman 
Per Tezschnaz, or roll 1d8.

1. Act like a random animal for 1d3 rounds.

2. Speak to things that aren't there for 1d3 rounds.
3. Hallucinate for 1d4 rounds.
4. Scream at the top of their lungs for 1d4 rounds.
5. Drum loudly and/or dance crazily for the next 3d6 rounds.

6. Kill in a particularly spectacular way.

Hobgoblin Priest
Being more intelligent, hobgoblin priests add 1 when rolling on the Goblin Magical Side-Effects table, but their own requirements can be quite demanding, requiring either an Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma check (DC 15) to be successful (generally a 75% chance). Roll 1d6.

1. Properly bow to their master.

2. Recite hobgoblin liturgy without error.
3. Discipline a subordinate severely.
4. Draw blood from a victim with great prejudice.
5. Masterfully abuse a slave or sacrificial victim, or capture one to be either.

6. Kill in a particularly gruesome way.

For example, a goblin shaman casts a spell and the Referee rolls 11 on the d12 (Goblin Blood Magic). He then rolls a 3 on the Goblin Shaman table, so if the goblin has inflicted some harm within the last 24 hours, one of the spell's aspects can be increased by 50%. And if the goblin hallucinates for 1d4 rounds too, then its target will take 1d8 extra damage. Note that if the Referee had rolled a 6 for the requirement, then that will be met if the spell would end up killing the target.

 

Read the full article with details on goblin cultists here.

Next week: Goblins, Part III!