Goblin Gear: Goblin Porcupine Part II

Part II of the porcupine article.

Adam


Goblin Rune Casters

        Goblins in wildspace have a higher number of spellcasters in their

tribes than their groundling cousins.  A typical tribe has a head shaman

with two or three apprentices and one to three witch doctors.  Except

for the head shaman and the primary witch doctor, all of these

spellcasters are 2nd or 3rd level.  Spellcasters are spread out among

their ships to reduce the risk that a disaster will seriously diminish

the goblins' meager firepower.  Goblin kings have many spellcasters at

their disposal, often several dozen.  Witch doctors are almost never

encountered on ships, as they are needed to craft furnaces.  Goblin

witch doctors are rune casters.

        Goblin runes are unique among runes of other races due to their
unique

runes.  In appearance, the runes are no different than the runes used by

other races, but are subtly different.  The goblins treat their runs

with a special phosphorus paste, which cause the runes to glow ever so

slightly.  The glow is not noticeable unless viewed with infravision,

glowing in a variety of colors.  Further, scents and texture are also

used to create subtle differences between individual runes.  The goblins

make good use of these differences, using a single rune to exchange a

great deal of information.  The runes are also useful in misdirecting

invading humans, dwarves, and other races.  The shape of a way rune may

mean "safe passage" but the hidden messages within may warn of a deadly

trap ahead.

        In game terms, a goblin rune caster is similar to both an elvish
totem

caster and a runemaster (see Evermeet, Island of Elves, the Viking

Sourcebook (HR1) and Dragon #257), but different from both.  They are

witch doctors (mages) that make use of the rune caster kit provided

below.  They are able to use the following magical runes:



Bloody Owlbear

Duration: Special (1 turn)

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        This rune is often placed on an crude bone or wooden amulet.  The
rune

retains its magic until the amulet is donned by a goblin.  Once donned,

the goblin is enchanted with a berserker rage, temporarily gaining d6

extra hit points, gain an extra attack each round, and a gain a +1 to

hit and damage rolls.  So violent does the goblin becomes that he

remains conscious even if dropped past 0 hit points.  Only death at -10

hit points or the end of the rune's magic cause the goblin to lose

consciousness.  The goblin cannot differentiate between friend or foe,

so amulets with this rune are rare and almost always used as a last

resort.  Cornered goblin warriors will use such amulets to try and take

as many foes to the grave with them.



Venomous Wyvern

Duration: Special

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        A crude rune, the venomous wyvern is often inscribed on arrow heads.

When the arrow is fired, the arrowhead becomes enchanted with a toxic

poison.  A target struck by the arrow must make a save vs. poison or

suffer paralysis for 2d8 rounds.  Goblin warriors call this the Wyvern's

sting and favor using it.  Once the arrow is fired, the rune loses its

enchantment, no matter if it hits or not.  It can be used in conjunction

with the Rot Grub or Murderous Manticore runes, but not both.  Multiple

wyvern runes are not cumulative.



Striking Viper

Duration: 1 day

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        Often worn on amulets or pieces of jewelry, the striking viper
bestows

great quickness on a goblin.  The wearer gains a +1 bonus to their armor

class score and an extra attack each round in combat.  Only a chief's

bodyguards commonly carry amulets with this rune to better aid their

defense of their liege.



Howling Worg

Duration: 1 day

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        Another rune commonly found on amulets, this rune gives the wearer
the

ability to communicate with worgs.  The goblins use this rune to easdrop

on the conversations of their untrustworthy wolfish allies.



Feasting Scavvar

Duration: Special

Inscription Time: 1 day



        This rune is inscribed on a spearhead to be used in a ballista.
When

fired, the rune enchants the ballista to home in on crewmen on other

ships, striking with a  +2 bonus to hit.  The bonus only applies to

attacks against crewmen, not the ship itself.  If fired at a ship, the

rune's magic is wasted with no effect.  Only one rune can be inscribed

per ballista bolt.



Screaming Skull

Duration: Special

Inscription Time: 1 week



        A series of runes, these runes are carved into a skull.  So many
runes

are carved that the skull is nearly completely covered with runes.  The

enchantment in the runes remain until the skull is hurled.  When thrown

or hurled by a sling, the skull emits a screaming sound.  Anyone within

20' of the skull must save vs. spell or suffer the effects of a fear

spell.  The skull shatters on contact, inflicting d8 points of

cold-related damage to any target struck.



Rot Grub

Duration: Special

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        Inscribed on arrow or bolt shafts, the rot grub bares a nasty

enchantment.  When the inscribed arrow or bolt hits its target, the rune

causes it to burrow in deeper, causing an additional point of damage and

makes removal of the shaft very painful.  It can be used with the

Venomous Wyvern rune but not the Murderous Manticore rune.



Wolf Spider

Duration: 1 day

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        When worn on an amulet or article of clothing, this rune grants the

wearer the ability to spider climb at will and jump up to 50' once a

turn.  The rune does not grant the ability to traverse webs nor immunity

to spider venom.  Goblin thieves and assassins are most often given this

badge when infiltrating an enemy encampment.



Murderous Manticore

Duration: Special

Inscription Time: 1 hour



        This rune is inscribed on the shafts of arrows or bolts.  When
fired,

the arrow is instantly transformed into a small volley of arrows.  The

rune creates an additional d4 arrows in addition to the first arrow.

All arrows will be aimed at the original target, but their aim is poor,

suffering a -1 to hit.  Each arrow requires a separate attack roll and

some may miss their targets while others hit.  This rune can be used

with the Venomous Viper rune, but not the rot grub rune.



Coiled Dragon

Duration: Permanent

Inscription Time: 1 week



        Found on the masts of goblin ships, the Coiled Dragon acts to
control

the smoke of the pump furnace.  This rune concentrates the smoke into a

single stream that quickly exists the air envelope rather than

dispersing into the air envelope and polluting it.  Ships without this

rune can still spelljam, but can only achieve a ship's rating of 1 and

cannot achieve spelljamming speeds.



Salamander

Duration: Permanent

Inscription Time: 2 weeks



        A complicated rune, the Salamander is always inscribed into the Pump

Furnace itself.  The Salamander transforms the magic inherent to some

woods into a force of motion, allowing goblin spelljammers to fly.  When

a pump furnace is active, this rune glows white hot and actually seems

to move and squirm like a living snake, but is not normally visible

unless one is inside the furnace.  This rune requires some maintenance,

and needs to be cleaned of soot every two months or so.  It takes a full

day and a crew of a dozen goblins to clean the furnace, during which the

furnace cannot be active.  The ship is vulnerable during these times,

and if at all possible, captains will either clean the ship in deep

space or at home base, never when around planets or along routes of

heavy spelljamming activity.



Q'nidar

Duration: Permanent

Inscription Time: 1 week



        Inscribed on the outside of the pump furnace, the Q'nidar, while not

necessary, makes operating the furnace much easier.  When operating, the

fire inside the furnace heats the metal to such temperatures that it

burns to touch.  It may even cause fires if combustibles come in contact

with the metal.  The Q'nidar rune reflects the heat back inward,

transforming it into magic to help power the ship.  With this rune, the

ship requires 25% less fuel than normal.