Over the course of the past month, I have been including some iconic monsters in my map posts. While giant spiders and green slimes certainly hold a special place in my heart, I suppose you could make a case that the lowly goblin is the quintessential low-level fantasy TTRPG foe.

Considered by many to be no more than cannon fodder, I wanted to put together a mini-adventure that would play out more like an infiltration from an action movie. Sure, the party could likely wipe the floor with any of these encounters. However, if they are not careful, they could bring the whole enclave down on their heads.

If you’ve been following for any time you already know that I try to keep things system agnostic. I would probably suggest this for a party with some experience under their belt (levels 3-4?) but do what works for your game. As previously mentioned, the rooms on their own should be relatively simple but if you play the goblins wisely, there are good chances for things to go sideways.

What the Player’s Know

The party has been hired by the residents of a small village and asked to secure the release of their blacksmith. It seems the poor fellow was carried off by a band of marauding goblins! The goblins are said to live in a simple cave complex outside of town.

Inquiring in town may lead to some rumors about the goblins. Roll a d10 and consult below:

1. Elven Captives: It’s said that the goblins have captured a group of elves and are using them as forced labor. (False)
2. Shaman’s Dark Magic: The goblin shaman wields powerful dark magic, capable of curses and hexes. (True)
3. Hidden Entrance: There’s a hidden entrance to the goblin warren, concealed cleverly to catch intruders off guard. (True)
4. Cursed Shaman: The shaman is rumored to be cursed and can be easily defeated by a simple chant of “Bree Yark, Bree Yark!”. (False…this is a little call out to B2)
5. Dragon Alliance: Rumor has it that the bugbear has formed an alliance with a young dragon lurking in the nearby mountains. (False)
6. Traps: The goblins have set up traps throughout their warren to protect against invaders. (True)
7. Friendly Goblins: Some goblins are friendly and can be persuaded to help intruders if offered bribes. (False)
8. Bugbear’s Brutal Leadership: The bugbear leader is a ruthless brute, known for his immense strength and cunning tactics. (True)
9. Stolen Treasures: The goblins have amassed a hoard of stolen treasures from their raids. (True)
10. Wargs as Mounts: The goblins ride ferocious wargs into battle, using them to terrorize their foes. (True)

The Goblin Warren

1. Guard Post: Two goblins sit outside the main entrance to the warren at all times. They will flee at any sign of trouble. Unless the party can dispatch them quickly, things could get sticky. These fellows are cowards so they will not engage with the party. If they become aware of an assault they will immediately flee to area #3.
2. Guard Room: This is the post for the goblin guards during periods of inclement weather. It is littered with trash and debris.
3. Pit Trap Ambush: This is a trap area. Surviving guards will run along the right wall to avoid the pit trap. Arriving at area #3 they will arm themselves with short bows and wait for the party. Party members will notice the pit trap covered with brush on a roll of 1-3 on a d6 (thieves on a 1-5). Characters falling into the 10’ pit will suffer 1d6 of falling damage and 1d6 of impaling damage. The goblins will rain down arrows on the attackers and scream for help from other areas of the compound.
4. Common Area:  This stinking room is covered in piles of trash and animal pelts. In the evening hours 6 goblins will be slumbering here. If the guards from area #1 have been making noise for more than 2 rounds, they will groggily be arming themselves. By day, there will be 2 goblins here, 2 in area #5, 1 in area #7, and 1 in area #8.
5. Kitchen: This is the kitchen area for the warren. During the day, 2 goblins work here preparing mutton for the denizens of the warren.
6. Larder: This is where the questionable food supplies for the warren are kept.
7. Bathing Area:  During the day, one goblin may be found here, bathing in the spring waters that bubble up.
8. Warg Kennel:  During the day one goblin is stationed here, tending the 5 wargs who are present. The wargs are in cages but will be released in the alarm is sounded and reaches the tender.
9. Shaman Quarters: The goblin shaman dwells here. This cave smells of incense and spices. Unless warned of intruders, there is a 40% chance that the shaman will be taken by surprise.
10. Chieftain’s Lair: A bugbear chieftain presides over the goblins. 3 bodyguards attend him. The blacksmith is caged in this room. At any sign of trouble, the chieftain will flee through the secret door to the north. The captive blacksmith is caged in this room.
11. Rear Guard: A lone goblin guard is stationed here. He is usually dunk or asleep. He “guards” the escape route out of the complex but is unaware of location #12.
12. Treasure Room: This room is only known to the bugbear chieftain and his 3 bodyguards. This is where all the treasure of the goblin warren is stored. 

Wrap Up

That’s all for now. As a little peek behind the curtain, I usually write this part on Sunday evening, fully dreading going back to work on Monday. If you are reading this, you are legitimately helping me to get through the week, so thank you for taking the time to stop by. I hope you have a great week and manage to roll some dice as part of the process.

For more maps & plot hooks, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

Hello. Real life work continues to be a challenge. However, I am stubbornly doing my best to keep my posting schedule regular. This week I am once again going back to the well of classic monsters for inspiration.

My introduction to this hobby was due in no small part to the 1977 animated version of The Hobbit by Rankin/Bass. While many would point to goblins/orcs as being the classic villain of fantasy tabletop role-playing game, I would make a case for giant spiders.

I don’t happen to be an arachnophobe myself but there’s no denying the fact that real world spiders are creepy on their own. The thought of giant versions is particularly terrifying.

What the Party Knows

The party has been hired to deliver a bag of mail and sundries to a lumber camp, about a day’s ride outside of the small town of Galeton.

Arriving at the lumber camp the party will be surprised to find that it appears to have been abandoned. While the party expected to see a bustling scene of people chopping wood and going about their daily chores, there is not a soul in sight. Beyond that, apparently even the beasts of burden are missing. Where did everyone go?

What the Party Doesn’t Know

The workers of the logging camp delved a bit too deep into the ancient forest. While going about their work they uncovered a nest of ancient giant spiders.

The queen of this cluster of spiders is possessed an unnatural intelligence. One by one, they picked off the lumberjacks, learning along the way. The spiders would pull one hapless soul deep into the forest. Realizing that his cries would soon draw others, they adopted the practice of always leaving one of their victims alive.

This process continued until nearly all of the lumbermen and their animals were devoured. By the time the party arrives on the scene, only the foreman clings to life. The spiders are holding him at location #5. However, it has been the better part of the day and no one has arrived to help. The spiders are hungry and ready to feed but then they see the party arrive in the camp.

1. The Camp

The lumber camp is clearly deserted but it doesn’t make sense. While there are no great treasures present, there are enough personal belongings to make it clear that the lumbermen would have never simply left without taking their gear with them.

A careful search will turn up the quartermaster’s tent, which holds the payroll for the whole camp. Surely brigands or even orcs would have ransacked this and taken everything of value.

2. The Work Site

While there are no traces of horses or mules, it’s clear that they had once been at the camp because the tack and saddlery are evident. Downed trees have been readied for transport but lay abandoned where they were left.

3. Pine Creek

A worn path leading up to Pine Creek indicates that members of the camp regularly used this area to bathe and do laundry. Characters approaching this area will hear moans and screams of agony coming from the northeast. If the party crosses the creek when they hear the screams, consider it to be difficult terrain. The stream is fairly shallow here, though the rocks are slippery. The hill on the opposite bank is manageable but fairly steep.

4. The Hill

Arriving at location #4, the party will be able to see the foreman on the ground at location #5. It is at this point that the spiders will attack. Two will attack from the rear on either side. Two are perpendicular to the party in the trees. Once some of the party members are ensnared in webs, the queen will charge from across the clearing.

5. The Foreman

Should the party be victorious they will find the foreman webbed to the ground here. He’ll be in bad shape but will pull through if he receives healing right away.

Wrap Up

If I were to run this one again, I think I’d focus on some custom mechanics for the spiders. How about you? Any thoughts come to mind?

Thanks for taking the time to stop by. The little interactions I have with all of you really do help to get me through the week at work. Have a great week!

For more maps & plot hooks, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.

I have always had a soft spot for green slime. After receiving the Holmes Basic Edition of Dungeons & Dragons for my birthday in 1979, I would spend hours reading through the monster descriptions. I was already familiar with many of these, from different myths or old movies. However, the green slime always stood out and sparked my imagination.

The green slime has gone through a bit of an evolution over the various versions D&D. While this green substance features heavily in this week’s post, I will leave it to you to tune things in such a way that would best fit your game. As always, I have tried to tried to keep this as system agnostic as possible.

What the Party Knows

To kick things off, arrange for your party to get hired to recover an exotic object. In my game, I went with something called the Burundi Apparatus, a device created by a Gowandian scholar. What you use for your game is entirely up to you.

The individual hiring the party recently loaned the apparatus to a gnome alchemist named Fineous Fizzlecrank. The gnome was supposed to have returned the item weeks ago. However, as Fizzlecrank is known to be a bit eccentric and get caught up in his work, the party has been sent out to fetch the overdue device directly. The gnome lives on the outskirts of a small village, about 2 days’ travel from the party’s current location.

Should the party happen to ask around, they may learn the following bits of information about Fizzlecrank:

• The gnome is filthy rich, having made his money selling potions and elixirs to the wealthy.
• He lives in a large estate on the outskirts of the village.
• He has a staff of human servants who wait on him hand and foot.
• People call him eccentric but he is really quite mad.
• Some say that he can turn lead into gold.
• He is absolutely obsessed with green slime.
• He has not been seen for weeks.

What the Party Doesn’t Know

Fineous Fizzlecrank, the eccentric gnome alchemist, was always known for his unconventional methods and insatiable curiosity. His reputation for pushing boundaries made him both revered and ridiculed among his peers.

Fizzlecrank’s fascination with green slime began innocently enough. He had read ancient texts that hinted at the slime’s potential applications in alchemical concoctions. His early experiments involved extracting and distilling the slime’s essence to create powerful acids for his potions. But as time went on, Fizzlecrank’s obsession grew, and he delved deeper into the mysteries of the substance.

He spent countless nights pouring over his notes, scribbling equations, and muttering to himself. His once-pristine laboratory was soon a mess of vials, flasks, and slime samples. The more he experimented, the wilder his ideas became. He believed that the slime held the key to unlocking extraordinary abilities—immunity to disease, increased longevity, and even the power to transmute materials.

When his staff became fearful for his health, the alchemist dismissed them all, assuring them that he was fine. However, Fizzlecrank’s experiments became increasingly reckless. He began exposing himself to small doses of the slime, believing it would grant him the insights he sought. His skin developed strange patterns and a sickly green hue, while his mind started to unravel. Yet, he pressed on, his obsession blinding him to the dangers he was courting.

One fateful day, driven to a fevered state of delirium, Fizzlecrank ingested a substantial amount of the slime. His transformation was swift and horrifying. His body convulsed, his bones shifted, and his limbs contorted into a gelatinous form. As his consciousness melded with the slime, he gained a rudimentary form of sentience, albeit one warped by his madness.

The Manor House

Fizzlecrank’s alchemy lab is located in the basement under his opulent manor house. Should you desire, you could certainly map out the full structure and create other encounters. For the purposes of this post, I will limit myself to the alchemy lab itself.

Whether you decide to spend time detailing the manor house or not, you will want to leave some clues to make sure the party suspects something is amiss. My party waited politely at the door. Once they were fairly certain no one would answer, the rogue took care of the lock and the let themselves in.

It was clear from the state of disarray that something was not right. However, seeing a number of valuable objects lying around left the party feeling fairly certain that the manor had not been robbed. Ultimately, the party discovered a diary Fizzlecrank had left in the study. This document clearly documented the alchemist’s descent into madness and made numerous mentions of green slime.

Concerned for the well-being of the gnome and not yet having found the Burundi Apparatus, the party made their way downstairs.

The Alchemist Lab

Entering this massive room, the party will immediately know that they have found the alchemist lab. 11 pillars support the ceiling and the room is lit with a sickly green phosphorescent light that emanates from the top of each.

The room is in a great deal of disarray and the air is filled with a strange, pungent odor. There are 4 cluttered tables on each side of the room, with crates, barrels, bookshelves, and all manner of odd storage beyond.

1-4 Loose Slimes

Areas marked 1-4 show loose minor green slimes that have been roaming the lab since Fizzlecrank’s transformation. When the party first opens the door, slime #1 will begin moving toward area #5, at a pace of 5’ per round. On the second round after the party opens the door, slime #2 will similarly start moving, and so on.

These minor slimes will pay no attention to the party unless attacked or blocked. If so, they will hold their ground and fight back. You will need to adjust accordingly for your game but in my Rules Compendium game I gave these minor slimes a pseudopod melee attack with a reach of 5’, dealing 1-2 hit points of damage. They were unharmed by all attacks, except cold or fire (again adjust as necessary) but only had 1 hp each.

Upon dispatching one of these minor slimes, the pile of ooze starts to quiver in an unstable fashion. At the top of the following round, the minor slime corpse will burst like a bubble, dealing 1 hit point of damage to all adjacent targets. If the bursting slime happens to be adjacent to any of the 8 tables in the room, roll a d4 and the result will be the number of beakers containing other minor slimes that are shattered, releasing more minor slimes into the room.

These extra slimes will only be released once per table and any new slimes will start heading toward area #5 unless hindered by the party.

5 Greater Slime / Fineous Fizzlecrank

A wooden basin 12’ in diameter is inset within the floor here. Inside lies the slumbering form of what remains of Fineous Fizzlecrank. Now a giant amorphous green slime with a vaguely humanoid face, the creature is resting when the party initially enters the room.

If any of the minor slimes reach it or if the party disturbs the basin in any way, it will wake and attack. In addition, any subsequent minor slimes that reach it will have a healing effect on the abomination.

6 Burundi Apparatus

The Burundi Apparatus may be found inside a small crate here.

Wrap-Up

This week was a touch more silly than my usual fare but my group had a lot of fun with this fight. You’ll have a bit of tinkering to do, in deciding on what stats you want to use for the minor and greater slimes. That said, I suspect that most folks reading gaming blogs know the drill and wouldn’t have much trouble putting something together. I’m just trying to toss stuff out there to inspire people.

Do you have any favorite old-standby monsters that you’d enjoy seeing in an encounter? Drop me a line and let me know. Thanks for taking the time to stop by and have a great week!

For more maps & plot hooks, go here.

For some random tables, go here.

Finally, for a bit about me and some general stuff, this is the spot.