Goblin Games5
Goblin Games5
No one quite remembers the original purpose behind prevent goblins from accidentally releasing Mycorgath.
the construction of the Temple of the Luminous The goblins were puzzled by the disappearance of the
Shroom. However, it is widely known that goblins of wizards, but were to excited about their new home to
the Grimshroom clan have occupied and fortified it give it much thought.
ever since the fall of Eledain's Empire. The story of how The goblins never saw the secret passage from the
they seized the Temple has become a cherished legend inner chamber, so they are ignorant of the Vault. But the
among the goblins in the clan, who eagerly recount and story of the desperate flight of the wizards while being
celebrate it every five years. Recently, they have begun pelted with food was passed on by word of mouth, and
inviting all kin to participate in the festivities, which every couple of years they get an irresistible urge to
features games, competitions, drinking late into the capture or trick other kin and force them to re-enact
night, and the promise of a finale that’s “straight out of that legendary scene.
legend!”.
The urge comes from Mycorgath’s influence. Now,
Mycorgath once again spreads his tendrils towards the
surface and pushes his influence through his spores,
trying to control the goblins into bringing another set
of adventurers into the Temple. Maybe this time, the
adventure will free him while searching for the promise
of treasure.
Some people blame the Grimshroom clan for the Around the temple, a maze of tents, shacks, and stalls
disappearances, but others talk about some mysterious forms the goblin camp. The air is thick with the smells of
ancient threat. Who knows what sort of dark magic was roasting meats, exotic spices, and the tang of fermented
done there in Eledain's time? mushroom ale. Goblins dart between the structures,
their guttural laughter and high-pitched chatter
creating a symphony of mischief.
Random Events during the Festival
You can roll on the table below after every shift of time spent by the players around the Temple and the goblin camp,
to add a bit of flavor or hints to the adventure.
D6 Event
1 Mystery Mushrooms: At a bustling market stall, a goblin vendor offers the players a "mystery mush-
room" for a bargain price. After haggling, they finally agree on a price, only to discover it’s a fake
mushroom made of painted wood. The goblin cackles and offers them a real mushroom for double
the price. To determine the mushrooms’ effect roll on the Mushroom Table (see Game 3 below)
2 Rorik's Attempt: As the players wander near the temple entrance, they notice Rorik trying to sneak
past the guards. He creeps along the shadows, clearly aiming for the door. Just as he reaches for the
handle, he stumbles over a loose stone, causing a loud clatter. The goblin guards burst into laughter,
and Rorik sheepishly retreats, disappearing into the crowd.
3 Mushroom Run: As the players navigate through the festival, they overhear a conversation between
two goblins. One goblin excitedly whispers about the "Mushroom Run," coming up soon. Just as the
players catch intriguing snippets of this clandestine event, another goblin, with a scar across his face,
hisses at him to be quiet. He glances around nervously, spotting the players, and quickly changes the
subject.
4 Skeleton Standoff: The players are struck by a vivid vision of a dimly lit cave filled with skeletal
warriors. A wizard steps forward, raising a hand and uttering a powerful command in an unknown
language. Instantly, the skeletons lower their weapons and stand down. The vision fades, leaving the
players back at the festival, filled with curiosity about the vision.
Players should take a Languages Roll. On a succes, the players are able to remember the command
words and try to use them later in the adventure.
5 Deja Vu: One player accidentally touches a glowing mushroom, and a vision falls upon them, like a
vivid dream. They sit in a dark chamber, near the back wall, covered in decorative symbols. They touch
three small symbols of encircled mushrooms and this action opens a magical door, revealing a room
filled with chests and gold. The vision then clears.
6 Mushroom Mimic Madness: At Grog’s food stall a goblin helper cook is frantically chasing what looks
like a perfectly ordinary mushroom. However, it turns out to be a mushroom mimic—a creature that
disguises itself as food and then scurries away when someone tries to eat it. Grog enlists the players'
help in capturing the mischievous creature before it causes more chaos.
Locations Temple, and their joy for the festival, but omitting the
final events, the Mushroom Run.
1. The Entrance She will judge the Games, and she can easily be bribed
As the players enter the camp, they can't help but with gold, jewels, trinkets or displays of affection to
notice a peculiar sign hanging above the main gain favor during the competition.
entrance, written with crude letters: "Welcome to the
Grimshroom Gaems: Fun, Festival and Fungi for All!" 3. Food Stalls
Below it, in smaller letters, "NO refunds, NO whining, A to-the-side area is reserved for food stalls. A goblin
and NO fair-play!" chef tends to a grill, flipping skewers of unidentified
meats and vegetables. His sign reads "Grog's Grubs:
2. Shroogla’s Hut Best Shroom-Burgers in the Vale!" Behind him, a curious
To the right of the entrance, a goblin shaman, clad in contraption made of gears and pulleys stirs a massive
robes adorned with dried mushrooms and bones, pot of mushroom stew, releasing clouds of savory
stands before a large cauldron bubbling with a noxious steam into the air. Grog himself is a stout goblin with a
green liquid. Her name is Shroogla, and she beckons to worn chef's hat. He greets everyone with a hearty, "Try
the players with a toothless grin. A closer look reveals it or die hungry!"
her eyes are a mesmerizing swirl of colors, likely the
Other stalls are present nearby, allowing player charac-
result of one too many mushroom-based potions.
ters to purchase food, rations and drinks at regular
Shroogla is very welcoming and inviting, and is willing
prices (see Core Rule Book).
to share the history of the goblin’s taking over the
4. Guest Area
Players may try to sneak into the Temple without taking
The guest area, located at the northern edge of the part in the Games. This is a valid scenario, though it
goblin camp, is a well-organized enclave amidst the should be difficult (high Awareness for the guards). At
chaos, filled with humans, halflings, and the occasional the DMs discretion, if they got both the Skeleton
mallard setting up their abodes. The atmosphere is one Command vision and the Dream vision already, they
of cautious curiosity, as guests mingle and share tales of now have all the information needed to progress once
their journeys to the festival. inside the temple. In this scenario, the sneaking option
Despite their rowdy reputation, the goblins have could become more plausible, as it would fit Mycor-
provided basic necessities like water barrels and gath's will.
latrines, showing a rare effort at hospitality. If this is the case, feel free to reduce the treasure inside
the inner room to half the number of Treasure Cards
The players spot Rorik Lightfoot near his bedroll. He's
(not all prizes are here yet) and only allow a Stretch for
meticulously inspecting his gear and muttering under
investigations before some goblin guards come in and
his breath about the upcoming games. Around him, a
confront the group, throwing them out of the temple. If
few sketches of rings are scattered, showing his obses-
the players manage to open the secret path in time (see
sion with the legendary magic rings. The symbol in his
Inner Chamber later on), you can jump directly to that
drawings is the same symbol in the players’ dream and
section.
on the Temple's door.
He will take part in the Skull Kicking, Mushroom Eating
and Pig Calling competitions. 6. Game Arenas
Speaking to Rorik, players may learn his backstory. In the center of the camp, in front of the temple, several
arenas and stages have been set up for the competi-
tions. All events will be held in turn, and everyone is
Rorik Lightfoot free to participate. Shroogla will be the impartial judge
and referee for all of them. Unless bribed by the players,
A sturdy young halfling with tousled dark hair and in which case she'll favor them by disqualifying compet-
a determined expression, Rorik is a farmer from itors.
nearby Outskirt. He’s been dreaming of a magic For any additional contestant, use the tables on pages
ring that could allow him to control animals. He 105 and 106 of the Core Rules book to create nameless
dreamed that this ring could be found under the NPCs.
temple, if only one could get inside the inner
chamber. The temple and inner chamber are
off-limits now, but he thinks the winners of Game 1 - Shield Bashing
various games will get the opportunity to enter.
Each contestant faces a shield mounted on a wooden
Movement: 13 Damage Bonus STR: D4 dummy. The goal of the competition is to smash the
HP: 13 WP: 13 shield into pieces in as few hits as possible.
The Shield acts as an inanimate object (see pg 48 of
Skills: Awareness 14, Brawling 13, Evade 12, Spot
Core Rules), that has an Armor Rating of 6, and must
Hidden 15
receive 16 Damage before it breaks.
Abilities: Fast Footwork Players may use any weapons at hand.
Weapons: Dagger (Skill Level 12, Damage D8) Other contestants succeed in 7, 9 , 11 and 12 hits.
Animal Whisperer: By using 2 WP, Rorik gets a
Boon on any roll when interacting with animals.
Game 2 - Skull Kicker
Each contestant has five chances of kicking a skull as far
5. Temple of the Luminous Shroom as they can. For each kick, do a Brawling roll. The skull
The temple stands tall, with a large door adorned with a is thrown a distance in meters equal to the difference
glowing mushroom. Leading up to the door is a between the roll and the skill of the person (ex: rolling a
pathway with cobblestones and some makeshift 6 with a skill of 10 makes the Skull fly for 4 meters). The
benches on the side. The entrance to the pathway is contestant with the highest total distance out of 3 tries
blocked by a couple of goblins, working on tying up a wins.
great big ribbon. They don’t allow anyone to pass
through until the games are finished, as this pathway
will be a Walk of Fame for the winners.
Goblin Mushrooms
Mycorgath’s Will
Game 4 - Improvised Weapons Skirmish Mycorgath notices the player characters’ strength
An arena is set up filled with random objects on the of will and work as a team, and he’s convinced
ground. Up to 10 fighters enter the ring, for a last man that they are the ones that could open the Vault.
standing combat. No weapons allowed (except of He tries to use his influence to control the results
course if someone sneaks in a hidden blade), and each of the games. This could manifest in several ways:
round, a number of Improvised weapons is drawn equal
to the number of fighters. • The potential winner of a game trips at the
last second, before winning
• If a game is won by someone other than the
Game 5 - Pig Calling Competition PCs or Rorik, the winner suddenly gets
stomach-sick before the awards, and the
Competitors take turns calling a pig from 10 meters
next-in-line are selected instead, until the
away, trying to get it across the finish line. Each round,
winner is a Player Character.
allow players to roleplay what they try, then have them
• Contestants between the player characters
roll an appropriate skill (eg. Beast Lore, Performance,
and the winner may be kicked out of the
Bluffing or Languages) When appropriate, they can
camp, because they whined that the winner
Push rolls to get a Boon in exchange of appropriate
cheated.
conditions.
In case of success, the pig moves 1d4 meters (+1d4 for a In the best-case scenario, the player characters
Dragon). Cheating by using food or animal talking should all be part of the winners, and Mycorgath
doubles the distance traveled by the pig each time. will try to achieve that. If it's not possible, Shroog-
la will allow other members of the player charac-
Other competitors finish in the following number of
ter groups to take part in the awards. Under
rounds: 3 (Rorik), 7, 8, 8, 8, 11, 15.
Mycorgath's influence, she wants as many people
as possible in the Mushroom Run, after all.
Mushroom Run Crossroads
When the awards ceremony begins, the winners gather As the players navigate the dimly lit path within the
in front of the ribbon at the start of the pathway leading Fungus Grotto, they reach a crossroads where the
to the temple. On either side of the pathway, goblins tunnel splits into two distinct directions. To their left, a
shift excitedly, elbowing one another and whispering in faint breeze carries the scent of fresh air, a welcome
anticipation. change from the musty, mushroom-filled atmosphere
of the grotto. This path slopes gently downward, and
As Shroogla taps her staff loudly on the stone, a hush
the bioluminescent fungi become sparse and eventual-
falls over the crowd, and the temple doors creak open.
ly disappear altogether. Following this route for a shift
From a distance, the players can only see the shadowy
leads to a small, hidden cave exit, allowing a quick
interior. Shroogla declares that the rewards await inside,
escape to the outside world, somewhere north of the
and the goblins begin to grin mischievously.
Temple. This was the path used by the wizards to flee,
Rorik, whether or not he’s among the winners, starts after setting up the wards.
running towards the temple doors. Goblins from
behind the winners begin pushing them onto the To their right, the tunnel continues deeper into the
pathway, and the ruse is revealed. Suddenly, goblins heart of the grotto. The air grows cooler and damper,
pull out sacks filled with rotten fruit, sticky mushrooms, and the glow of the bioluminescent fungi intensifies,
and putrid vegetables, hurling them at the winners. illuminating the way forward. This path promises
Time to run! further exploration and greater mysteries, but ends
with a caved-in tunnel.
Vault Door Alternatively, if the players don't open the vault or find
a way to reseal Mycorgath without killing him, they
Beyond the skeleton guards, the players reach a
achieve a delicate balance that prevents immediate
massive, ornately carved door that seals the Vault.
disaster. The temple stands, but the players depart with
Intricate symbols and runes adorn the door, and it
a sense of unease, aware that Mycorgath's influence
becomes clear that it is magically locked. The rings
might one day resurface. The goblins of the Grimsh-
taken from the skeleton guards can be used to unseal
room clan, ignorant of what transpired beneath, remain
the door, fitting into keyholes that trigger the ancient
in their camp, and might yet again fall victim to Mycor-
mechanisms to unlock.
gath's manipulation in the future.
The Mushroom Vault If Mycorgath is released and escapes into the wide
As the players enter the Vault, they are enveloped in an world, the consequences are dire and far-reaching. As
ancient aura of magic and fungal growth. The air is he emerges from the vault, his influence spreads
heavy with the scent of damp earth and a faint hum of rapidly, his spores carried by the wind to distant lands.
otherworldly energy. These spores bring madness and hallucinations to
those they infect, causing chaos and discord among
Mycorgath stands as a formidable presence, its massive
settlements. Forests and fields become overgrown with
form woven with tightly packed fungal matter over
strange, glowing fungi, altering the landscape and
ancient runes and pulsating veins. Its textured "skin"
threatening local ecosystems. The players might
hosts a variety of fungi at different growth
witness the initial outbreak of this fungal corruption,
stages—from delicate, glowing mushrooms to resilient
realizing the full scope of the disaster they unleashed.
molds that ripple subtly.
The goblins of the Grimshroom clan, no longer
As the players gaze upon this living relic of forgotten
controlled by Mycorgath but unable to cope with the
magic, they experience a mix of awe, trepidation, and
chaos he brings, scatter in fear and confusion. Some
curiosity. Mycorgath’s deep, resonant voice echoes in
may try to warn others of the impending doom,
their minds, hinting at centuries of confinement and a
blaming the player characters for what happened. The
readiness to explore the world, regardless of the
Temple of the Luminous Shroom, now abandoned and
players' willingness to cooperate.
crumbling, becomes ground zero for this new blight,
Note: Mycorgath is not outright aggressive. He just sees drawing adventurers and scholars alike who seek to
the player characters as pawns, and is willing to let understand or stop the spreading corruption. The
them live as a reward for helping him escape. He will players, now burdened with the knowledge of their role
explain his master plan and how he manipulated in releasing Mycorgath, may feel compelled to pursue
everyone toward his release, but then will move on and him, seeking a way to end his reign of terror.
advance towards the exit. If anyone tries to stop him, he
will become aggressive and attack.
Aftermath
The adventure concludes with several possible
outcomes.
D6 Attack
1 Spore Burst: Mycorgath releases a cloud of toxic spores from its body, enveloping a wide area in a
noxious mist. Anyone caught within the cloud risks suffocation or hallucinations. Characters
become Dazed
2 Fungal Slam: Mycorgath slams its massive fists or appendages onto the ground, causing shock-
waves that knock nearby enemies off their feet, throwing them 1d6 meters away and doing 2d6
Damage
3 Mycelium Whip: Long, sinuous mycelium tendrils sprout from Mycorgath's body, lashing out to
attack 1d4 random opponent, doing 1d8 damage to each.
4 Regenerative Bloom: Mycorgath channels its magical energies to accelerate the growth of fungi
on its body, rapidly healing 2d6 damage.
5 Hallucinogenic Aura: Mycorgath emits an aura of hallucinogenic spores, causing confusion and
disorientation among its enemies. Those affected may see illusions or experience vivid, distracting
hallucinations, and suffer a Fear Attack.
6 Tendril Prison: Mycorgath summons a network of thick, thorny tendrils from the ground to
entangle and immobilize adversaries. The tendrils quickly grow around their targets, restricting
movement and leaving them vulnerable to further attacks. The caught character cannot perform
any Actions until a Successful Strength roll.