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The Stonelands and the Goblin Marches

Table of Contents Credits

A Few Notes About Me ...... 1 Design: Monte J. Cook Part One: Regional Details ...... 3 Editing: Jonatha Ariadne Caspian Part Two: The Vanishing Wildlife ...... 6 Interior Art: Daniel Frazier Part Three: The Goblin Threat ...... 7 Cartography: Dennis Kauth Part Four: The Great Beasts...... 21 Typography: Nancy J. Kerkstra Part Five: Rumors and Events ...... 32 Production: Paul Hanchette

ADVANCED DUNGEONS & , AD&D, and FORGOTTEN REALMS are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. The TSR logo is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc. All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. Copyright © 1994 TSR, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Printed in U.S.A. Random House and its affiliate companies have worldwide distribution rights in the 1111XXX1506 ISBN 1-56076-917-3 book trade for English language products of TSR, Inc. Distributed to the book and hobby trade in the United Kingdom by TSR Ltd. TSR, Inc. TSR Ltd. Distributed to the toy and hobby trade by regional distributors. POB 756 120 Church End, This material is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Lake Geneva, Cherry Hinton Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork herein is pro- WI 53147 Cambridge CB1 3LB hibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc. U.S.A. United Kingdom A Few Notes About Me

here is so much to tell you in such a bragging, but I dare say no other person in the history small amount of space. I am not quite of the Realms has spent as much time in those sure where it is best to begin—per- uncomfortable, unfortunate places, or so committed haps the beginning? Yes, of course herself to learn their secrets. But I am getting ahead you are right. My name is Maris of myself. Khorma Terrabin, but I am known to some as the When I was much younger, I lived in central Cor- One-Eyed Mistress, and to others as Maris of Dagger- myr, apprenticed to a wizard named Felbour. I heard dale. That last title is odd because I have never . . . all the tales surrounding the Goblin Marches and the well, that is a long tale, and Elminster wishes me to Stonelands, I lapped up all the legends of beasts and be brief. and mysterious beings that might be found I am a wizard of great skill and ability—not to men- there. When I was old enough, I accompanied a group tion modesty! I must admit, though, it is no surprise of adventurers into the Stonelands. They had dreams to me that Elminster should seek my aid in detailing of finding the legendary Citadel of Seligonil. Was it the Stonelands and the Goblin Marches. I am not or history? I caught the flame of their passion,

1 and it burned bright within me. Of course, finding the ruins of Rasilith. We have been grubby, frozen, water- place was not as simple as finding the new wines in logged, desiccated, wounded, bruised and exhausted. the market. We spent many months in conflict with Though my allies have come and gone, moving on the border raiders that skulked along the rough edges to other climates, going down in battles, falling out of Cormyr, making sorties into civilization, and dash- over minor squabbles, or major ones—come now, who ing back into their Stonelands warrens. And raiders truly thinks all’s fair in love?—I have spent most of were not all we encountered. There were other crea- my life in this desolate region. And I have more than tures, even less savory creatures, as well. Not a vial of enough to show for my labors, thank you. I know the perfume for miles. Stonelands and the Goblin Marches like a Wyvern- Although we never found the Citadel, I learned spur knows Immersea, like King Azoun knows enough about the Stonelands to make me want to Suzail—perhaps, I dare say, better. I have solved many stay. This was an area ripe with secrets. Few remem- of the mysteries in the sullen wastes. I have found bered its treasures, left over from the ancient king- much of its treasure. doms—kingdoms which at one time sprawled over all But don’t let this prideful tone, this puffed self-con- that is now Anauroch, the Great Desert immediately sequence, put you off. There is more treasure to be north of the sullen wastes we wandered. History had here, even yet. The Marches and the Stonelands called, legends whispered. Treasure fanned the flame. boast many more secrets to uncover. I no longer reside I and a few companions built a small wooden keep in that snug little keep beyond the Moors. New just north of the High Moors. From there, we adventure has led me to the far west. But Elminster launched our forays into the Stonelands and the was persuasive—and flattering. That long-ago flame Marches. Our travels took us from the Thunder Peaks still flickers. So I am relating now what I learned, that to the Farsea Marshes, from Skull Gorge to the Storm others may blow its coals once more to life. Horns, and even into Anauroch, to find the ancient

2 Part One: Regional Details

he Goblin Marches and the abundant rain and ground water, few plants find the Stonelands are desolate areas that Marches a comfortable home. Tough, hardy grasses, few humans venture into—for fear, flowering weeds, prickly ground vines, and various no doubt, of the goblins, , and fungi straggle sparsely throughout the plain. Low other dwelling in the scrub brush, such as the tiny lorach bush (as the gob- region. The inhabitants are not the only discouraging lins call it), can be found everywhere. Certainly a features, either. The land is rather infertile, and the farmer would despair of raising crops here. climate is hot and humid in summertime, cold and windy in winter. Due to the position of the surround- ing mountains, and the proximity of that unnatural The Stonelands desert to the north, strange, dangerous storms appear with little warning—particularly in the Stonelands. his area is actually more fertile than the Goblin In point of fact, neither place has anything to recom- TMarches, but that advantage matters very little. mend it to a reasonable person. And reasonable folk The frequent, violent storms that lash the surface don’t see a need to distinguish (unless they are map- make any sort of agriculture impossible here as well. makers) between the two. But there are differences. Hail and fire are just not healthful for croplands—but I am getting ahead of myself. The Stonelands are named for the large, monu- The Goblin Marches mentlike spires which are scattered haphazardly across an otherwise unremarkable landscape. Some number he Goblin Marches are a narrow strip of land of these rocks are hundreds of feet high, but most are Tbetween the Storm Horns and Anauroch. much smaller. All of them give the impression that Although technically a part of the Kingdom of Cormyr, they fell from the sky and landed awkwardly. this rind of land is all but devoid of human inhabitants. That appearance is not mere bardic fancy. Unlike As its name implies, the masters of this region—if you the Goblin Marches, the earth here is not rocky—the could call them that—are the goblinoid races. Fortu- stones do not belong. Many jut at strange angles and nately for the civilized lands to the south, these goblins lean dangerously off kilter. A traveler passes below are disorganized and would rather fight among them- these tilted megaliths at his own peril. Have I seen selves than attack well-trained Cormyrean soldiers, one fall? No. Do I dance at their feet, flouting their particularly those who stand guard in the passes stability? Not on my life. through the Storm Horns. The same plants grow here in the Stonelands as The Marches are primarily rough grassland, their haunt the Goblin Marches. In the Marches, the vege- meager vegetation broken by small streams, rocky out- tation seems cowed and sullen. Here however, lusher, croppings, an occasional gnarled copse. There is a great greener grasses tuft around the rocks in shy celebra- deal of subsurface water here, and underground streams tion, while plush mosses and lichens cling tenaciously and pools have etched caves and tunnels into the to their sides. The larger plants are not so happy with underlying bedrock, some of which rise very near the their situation. Trees are still fairly uncommon, their surface. These caves provide homes—lairs is the better welcome height and shelter limited to a narrow edg- word—for many residents. ing on a stream bank or a thin fringing around one of The soil is poor and consistently stony. Despite the rare lakes. Where there are trees, there are also

3 plenty of deadfalls, downed limbs, and lightning- 5-7 Icestorm. All within a 3-5 mile radius are scored trunks attesting to the hazards of Stonelands pelted with huge hailstones, many of which sport weather. At least gathering firewood and tinder in iciclelike points. All those exposed take 2d6 these fringe woods is never a problem. points of damage each round. Stone shelters are Storms thrash the area with high winds, hail, and the safest bet. Only the sturdiest wooden con- frequent lightning strikes—sometimes so frequent as structions can withstand the storm. Constant bat- to seem continuous. Rumor has it that occasionally tering destroys most structures and anyone inside these tempests rain down acid or even fire, but I takes full damage thereafter. Icestorms last 1-12 have never seen such a thing in my time here. rounds, and are always accompanied by thunder- That is not to say it doesn’t ever happen. I could storms. imagine such an environmental effect to be the rem- 8-10 Acid Rain. All within a 1-6 mile radius nants of an ancient magical experiment gone wrong, take 1d6 points of damage if exposed to acidic or the lasting aftermath of a wizards’ battle of incredi- raindrops. Wooden or stone shelters can protect a ble power. Given the proximity to the old, magical character, which is fortunate since these storms kingdom of Netheril, I never completely ignore such last 1-20 rounds. They are always accompanied by legends. thunderstorms. 11 Anti-Magic Storm. These dreaded storms do no physical damage, but any magic items caught Storms in the Stonelands in such a storm must save vs. magical fire or have their powers completely drained. The chance of encountering a storm is 1 in 12, 12 Magic Storm. The effects of this storm are with a single check made each day. always different and completely unpredictable. Normal storms produce heavy rains and wind, Those caught in the storm can be teleported, slowing all movement by 50%. There is a 1 in 10 altered, cursed, put to sleep, or affected by any chance of a nearby lightning strike, which panics other effect chosen by the DM. Such storms have horses and other animals for 2d10 rounds. been known to summon monsters, create magic There is a 1 in 100 chance, if a lightning strike items (rain-filled pools become potions, sticks is rolled, that it hits a random player character. become , etc.), and alter animals and plants Such strikes should be treated as 6d6 lightning into never-before seen mutants. bolts, with a chance to make a save and so take only half damage. One storm in 100 in the Stonelands is magical in Ruins nature. These rare storms (occurring once every three years or so, although there have been occa- hroughout the Goblin Marches, and especially sions when they are more frequent) can be very Tin the Stonelands, ruined castles and remnants dangerous to wildlife, plants, and intelligent inhabi- of ancient cities can be found in the wilderness. In tants, and especially to travelers without shelter. If the Marches, these structures are often goblin such a storm strikes, roll 1d12 for the specific nature: fortresses of the more organized past. In the 1-4 Firestorm. All within a 1-mile radius take Stonelands, ruins are even more prevalent, and are 2d6 points of damage from fire per round if in the most frequently the remains of Anauria and Asram, open, half to no damage if adequately sheltered those powerful ancient cultures that once controlled (DM discretion). Storm lasts 1-6 rounds. These the area. are accompanied by normal storms 90% of the It is fairly common to encounter creatures, particu- time, so the chance of a grass fire is very small. If larly magical beasts, among these ruins. It may be the the storm is not accompanied by rains, there is a comfortable ties of a place, or the remnants of cumulative 30% chance for a grass/scrub fire to a holding spell, or even the draw of magical energies, start each round. Such a fire kills all plant life and that keeps inmates prowling around the dead and dis- drives away monsters and animals. integrating structures. Most ruins, however, have long

4 been plundered of their treasures. Nothing of worth Climatic Averages for the survives in them. Stonelands and Goblin Still, rumors abound of new discoveries of gold or Marches magic within some previously obscure find, and they Temperature (Spring) 68º F. are a draw for adventurer traffic in the region. Temperature (Summer) 86º F. Between the regular influx of hopeful explorers, and Temperature (Autumn) 62º F. the frequent discovery of further baleful monsters Temperature (Winter) 40º F. which dwell or propose to dwell in many of the ruins, Low Temperature (Year) 2º F. these crumbling sites are actually an important facet High Temperature (Year) 101º F. of the ecology of the area. Annual Precipitation 63 inches The numbers of natural animals are waning in any Days With Snow on Ground 18 days case from overhunting by the goblinoids. The sight of game is rare. But even the slim possibility of finding game drops to nil near a ruin that contains such vicious predators as chimerae. In fact, I find it a good bet that ruined castles or towns surrounded by an area Seasons of lifelessness are plagued by the heavy predation of some (or several) which dwells there. An t would seem that there are only two seasons in ancient ruin with animals nearby can fairly safely be I the Stonelands and Goblin Marches—summer presumed unoccupied. and winter. Spring and autumn are transitory periods of temperatures somewhat lower than in summer, and of precipitation a bit higher than in winter. With lit- Weather tle plant life, and so few trees to mark the seasons by their changing foliage, the landscape looks about the ven dismissing the terrible storms which plague same year round. Perhaps the grass swells greener in E the the Stonelands (and occasionally the Marches), the quick warmth of spring, but summer heat bakes it weather in the region is inhospitable and unrelent- tough and sere again all too soon. ingly harsh. Although rainfall is heavy, the blazing This monotony of aspect does not have much bear- summer heat, fueled in part by unnatural winds blow- ing on a particular month’s weather. The individual ing off the Great Desert, makes it impossible for any details of seasonal conditions can vary greatly from but the hardiest plants to survive. Humidity fluctuates year to year, particularly in the Stonelands. There, greatly, as whatever moisture the summer storms bring the vagaries of rainfall can cause flooding in lowland is quickly absorbed northward into always-thirsty areas, or deny the earth any moisture at all for Anauroch. months. One summer I shivered through unseason- The orcs of the Marches sometimes say, “In the able coolness, and several winters ran strangely hot, summer, if you are not too hot, you’re cold and wet. while all our efforts at disguising our tracks churned In the winter, you’re just cold.” Winters are indeed to mud, and no one wore the thick wool cloaks I’d cold, but at least it is a dry chill, crisp and razor-sharp. paid so much to have boiled for windproofing the year Powdery snows fall in the heart of winter, but the before. I attribute these wild year-to-year swings of winds common to the season blow them about like so climate to the unnatural influence of Anauroch, as much dust. They rarely pile up to dangerous levels much as to the usual natural factors of geography, except in the drift-filled corners of the standing topology, and all the rest. stones.

5 Part Two: The Vanishing Wildlife

ard as it is to believe if one has actu- bandry by callous killers, and over-crowding by too ally visited the stony skeletons that many, overly-efficient predators, the region has been pass for wilderness now, once the completely depleted of many species of game. The empty wastes of the Goblin Marches results are what you might expect. Prey is scarce for and the Stonelands teemed with life of hunters, both intelligent and natural. Now, the preda- all kinds. Herds of antelope, deer, wild oxen, and tors have begun preying on each other. sheep roamed a green-furred countryside, the air dark- The goblins and their kind, in their murderous ened with birds, and shy, defensive animals, such as slaughter of all of the lower animals, have by default rabbits, foxes, and badgers dug their homes in the placed themselves as the major food source remaining coarse soil. Even mighty dinosaurs and those huge to the larger predatory monsters. They have remade mammals, the titanotheres and woolly rhinos, coex- the food chain, and in their short-sightedness, short- isted with the more common sorts of wildlife. temperedness, and stupidity, exchanged their right to Wolves, the occasional bear, owls, and eagles a top link for one near the bottom. were the region’s major predators. Less commonly a Although an adventurer can still find wildlife in firedrake or a giant spider cast its fearsome shadow the area, trust me, it is scarcer here than a Sembian across a meadow, and thinned the ranks of an unlucky merchant’s altruism. Those creatures that still survive herd. The area was balanced in respect to predators are often those more equipped to defend themselves, and prey, and all species flourished. such as the giant forms of common animals—badgers, That idyllic time, however, was thousands of years porcupines, skunks, etc. Titanotheres, axebeaks, balu- ago. Change always comes. With humankind’s inter- citherium, phororhacos, and woolly rhinos, with size ference, it oftentimes comes sooner and more abruptly and natural defenses on their side, still frequent the than nature can adapt. Human empires with powerful area as well. Dinosaurs roam the plains, at least in the magic arose, such as Netheril and its successor states. summer months—but their numbers dwindle like Their proximity to the wilderness brought an influx of those of everything else. dragons, chimerae, medusae, perytons, and other Many natural predators, particularly wolves and “unnatural” predators to the undeveloped land. bears, have moved out of the area. These mere physi- The Marches and the Stonelands were never lush, cal beasts are unable to compete with the fiery breath but they were full. The new monsters swung the bal- of the chimera or the skill and power of the hiera- ance from occasional fright to frequent terror. Life in cosphinx. the area became more of a struggle, both for the her- Two influences are poised to save the area’s ecology bivores to survive, and for the native predators to find from completely falling apart. First, as I noted before, suitable prey. the predators now prey upon each other. Second, The beginning of the end of any harmony in the human, , and heroes are moving into both ecosystem truly came as the goblinoids and their allies the Marches and the Stonelands, and slaying the (gnolls, , etc.) increased in number. Predators monsters as they come. The indigenous wildlife is not stalk prey to feed themselves. Once they have gorged, altogether gone—yet. A sharp decrease in the number they abandon the hunt. Goblinkin show no such of carnivorous beasts might still allow the natural, restraint. They kill everything they are able to, out of grazing animals a chance to repopulate. spite and contempt. Even creatures they do not need to eat are slain and left to rot. Now, after centuries of the most abandoned hus-

6 Part Three: The Goblin Threat

he area known as the Goblin and its cunning tactics and battle lore were greater yet. Marches can merely skirt the south- The goblinoids were based in a huge fortress called ern lip of Anauroch, or it can stretch Araugul, or Goblin Mount, constructed in the center to embrace the whole empty vastness of what is now the Goblin Marches. They had other of the High Moors and the Farsea strongholds as well, of course. Goblinkin commanded Marshes, depending on whom you ask. It is primarily a powerful presence in the areas then known as the a flat, untamed plain. The place is named for its most Border Forest, the Hunter’s Hills, and even the predominant —if not its most universally reviled— Teshan Mountains (now called the Desertsmouth residents, the goblinkin. Mountains). In the days of the great kingdom of Anauria (over When the Great Desert to the north began to 1,000 years ago), a powerful goblin nation existed expand, huge clouds of loosened earth blew into this here, made up for the most part of goblins, , ancient goblin realm. And some things seem never to orcs, , and gnolls, and leavened by a few change. For all their power and cunning, for all their and the occasional human. A powerful, sor- master’s control, the ancient goblinkin were not cerous being from another plane controlled the vast braver than the sniveling specimens we battle today. forces of this dark nation. To them, it was named Terrified by the roiling clouds raining earth and stone, Hlundadim. the goblins fled from what most believed was their Little is known about this being. What history gob- impending doom. lins keep is difficult for a human sage to gain access Well, perhaps I can’t blame them entirely; the effects to, for what I hope are obvious reasons; what history must have been spectacular, and even I have chosen to they have lost is doubtless beyond recreation. Even seek safety first, and complete my calculations later, on whether the controlling being was male or female (or occasion. Anauroch did indeed swallow the northern- neither) remains a mystery. most portion of the goblins’ realm. But the desert did But I should not heap too much contempt on the not come as far south as they had feared. goblinkin. Their loyalty to this being defies all reports The damage was done, however. Hlundadim had of cowardice, stupidity, and shallow loyalty. The gob- disappeared, the goblin strongholds had been aban- lins and their ilk still evoke Great Hlundadim when doned, and their organization was lost. Many gobli- in peril. To listen to them, one would think Hlun- noids returned to their homes, once the weather dadim actually cared for the miserable creatures. normalized. But far more stayed cowering in the In those far-gone days, both orcs and goblins Stonelands, the Storm Horn Mountains, and the attacked their neighboring human nations in huge western lands to which they had fled. armies. Often enough, they won. In its glory, the It took years—many, many years of continual ancient goblin realm sacked great cities and devoured work—for the goblins that returned to feel they were traveling caravans. succeeding in restoring their great past. That they shamans, in units called ularim, held their own even tried is what intrigues me. Tenacity is not the against many human wizards. You may well snort your first trait on anyone’s lips when they speak of goblins. disbelief—but I have seen the records writ by the Perhaps the breed has degenerated as history grows ancient sages. I have studied their spellbooks. Only older. Perhaps the best and brightest, if one can imag- well-organized armies supported by powerful wizards ine goblinkin harboring any such creatures, are too were able to stop them. Hlundadim’s power was great, often the first to fall.

7 Whatever the case, the more steadfast, more exactly how many tribes there are in the Marches, I greedy, more power-hungry natives of the Goblin have encountered or heard of at least 48. Given the Marches made an attempt to recapture their old typical size of those clans I have run into, and the cul- heights of glory. Three hundred years ago, a great ture I have observed, I would estimate from this figure army of orcs, goblins, hobgoblins and kobolds amassed there are at least 7,000 adult goblins in the Goblin within Skull Gorge and prepared to make war against Marches—and that does not include orcs, kobolds, the lands to the west. Orc shamans, once again and other goblinkin. formed into ularim, managed to summon fiends and My time adventuring has made me something of a tanar’ri to aid them. A combined force of humans and scholar about goblins and their ilk, from self-preserva- opposed the monsters at what is now referred to tion and from my native curiosity about the world. You as the Battle of Bones. might almost say I am a connoisseur, not of wines or Though they inflicted great losses upon their foes, silks, but of monsters. Ah, that conjures a picture. How the goblins and their allies were thwarted at the last. amusing it would be, to trade anecdotes on goblins in Only a tenth of the once-massive army remained alive the fashionable noble houses of Cormyr. But I digress. and able to flee back into the Marches. All semblance of organization was lost. Remember what I said about The Goblin Lair the best and brightest? Here lies proof of that specula- Each tribe controls an area of from 10 to 30 square tion. Only minor attempts have been made to unite miles—depending on the size of the tribe—with their the dark forces since the infamous Battle of Bones. main lair in more or less the center of their territory. Anyone entering the area should expect it to be patrolled. Goblins are not that stupid. Most goblin ter- The Goblin Tribes ritories sport at least one small, secondary lair which is used solely as a military camp. These secondary lairs Today are often situated in small, wooded areas or high- placed caves—generally locations that have a good t first glance, it would appear there is little to command of the surrounding area and yet still remain A say regarding goblins and their allies after so concealed. many defeats. Though they are constantly on the Particularly now, the goblins’ strength does not lie minds of merchants transporting their goods, as well in force of arms. Instead, subterfuge, hit-and-run tac- as in the nightmares of those people living in small, tics, and an intimate knowledge of the lay of the land undefended villages near goblin territory, the horrid are their chief advantages, against both predators and creatures have gained an almost comedic reputation adventuring parties looking for an easy target to prac- within certain circles. Cormyrean Purple Dragons (as tice upon. Lairs are the focus of, and a chief tool in, the soldiers of my native land are known) serving as exploiting these advantages. The Marches region is border guards in the north have a whole barrelful of riddled with natural, small tunnel and cave complexes jokes about the stupidity and ineptness of goblins. that lie very near to the surface. This bounty was a I admit, I am as guilty as the next person of men- major factor in the ancient goblins’ original decision tioning goblins with contempt. But I have more than to settle the area over a thousand years ago. Goblins rumors and tavern tales on which to base my opin- have always preferred to lair in caves. ions. While it may be true that a large goblin attack A goblin lair has a number of entrances and exits. force with no proper leadership could be held off by a Not all of these are obvious, and at least one is small unit of Purple Dragons, there is much more to extremely well hidden. Favorite sites for this hidden the creatures than most people allow. They are not egress include next to a small stream, under or behind brilliant, but they are cunning—and vindictive. If the an outcropping of rock, or in the midst of a thicket of local settlements are not careful, another goblin inva- thorny trees common to the area. Choose a place that sion could figure in their futures. looks innocent of disruption or impossible to traverse. Although not even the goblins themselves know It’s a good bet goblins have marked it for a secret exit.

8 The Purple Dragons’ Goblin Exits include both naturally occurring caves and Joke Scroll goblin-dug tunnels. Every exit is guarded, or at the very least watched. A lair never has more openings How many goblins does it take to break through a than a tribe can handle. If their numbers dwindle, siege wall? unguardable exits are filled in. The tribe cannot risk One hundred. Ninety-nine to soak up the boil- an enemy or a monster gaining access to its lair. ing oil, and one to tunnel underneath. It is in a goblin’s nature to attack, destroy and kill. Out of necessity, he has learned to defend. Still, a gob- Two goblins rode out hunting for the tribe’s din- lin likes to be able to let his guard down when in his ner. For days, all they could bring back were lair even as a drover likes to share a pint in his tavern skinny lizards. Then, somehow, they found them- without worrying about his stock, or a lady likes to selves in a hidden valley. Antelope grazed unper- putter about in her garden without fear of kidnaping turbed, trout leaped in a crystal lake. In no time, or invasion. Lairs are made to be defensible without a the hunters caught all they could carry. lot of work or attention from those goblins otherwise “We have to come back,” said the first goblin, occupied inside. “But how will we find this place again?” First of all, lairs are difficult to find. Goblins are never The second goblin thought a moment, then seen simply milling about outside their lairs. They have dipped his fingers in the scum on the lakeshore. too much cunning for that, whatever a Purple He wiped a grimy green ‘X’ on his dire wolf’s fur. tells you. They rarely even come and go except under “What’s that for?” the first asked curiously. cover of darkness. Oftentimes, the entrance to a lair is “That marks our spot. You figure out how we get specifically placed in a rocky area or where the ground is the same wolves tomorrow.” very hard, to avoid any possibility of tracks leading right up to the front door, as it were. A goblin slinks into a mercenary dive, and orders If this luxury of location is not possible, or, if it is Suzale. Pretty soon, another goblin joins him. The winter and there is fresh snow to reveal even the most careful woodsman’s trail, the residents do their best to second goblin says, “I’ll bet you two coppers you cover up the tracks or disguise them. Some Marches can’t make me flinch.” goblins have displayed amazing ingenuity in disguis- “You’re on,” says the first. “What do we do?” ing their footprints to resemble deer, bear, or similar The second goblin spreads his fingers out animal tracks. against the stone wall next to the bar. “I’ll hold Second, lair entrances are very small, compared to my hand like this, and you punch it. If I flinch, the more standard door width and height in a human you get the two coppers.” dwelling. Entrances are often so small that most of Like lightning, the first throws his fist forward. the tribe has to crouch or even crawl to get in (crawl- The second jerks his hand back, and the first gob- ing is not considered awkward or unseemly by goblin lin’s fist crunches hard against the stone wall. He standards). This keeps out large predators and most howls and rubs his aching knuckles. goblin foes like humans or elves. Obviously, meager “I flinched,” the second goblin grins, tossing the size cannot prevent dwarves, gnomes, and first two coppers as he leaves. the most common goblin foe—other goblins—from Slowly, the first goblin’s anger—and his pain— gaining access, but it is easier by far to defend an fades. Looking around the tavern, he spies a lone entrance when the attackers are forced to scramble in orc at a table in the middle of the room. He on all fours. decides to try out his new trick. Swaggering over Almost all goblin lairs have one large entrance, or to the orc’s table, he plants his feet wide. “I’ll bet one that can be made large quickly either by rolling you two coppers you can’t make me flinch,” he aside a boulder or perhaps tripping a simple - crows, spreading his fingers in front of his face. nism-driven gate, so that vast numbers of the tribe can get in or out quickly. Naturally, these entrances

9 are always the most heavily guarded. directly in the wolves’ den. Entrances are very often trapped. Though goblin Lastly, to keep the entrances to a lair secret, every brains are not clever at designing a new trap, goblins’ tribe occasionally, and randomly, changes them. The nimble fingers are good for building simple mecha- original entrances are blocked with boulders and cov- nisms they have been taught or they have seen and ered with smaller stones, vegetation, or other camou- copied. Some goblin trap-lore extends back hundreds flage. New entrances are dug out, or more rarely some of years to the time of Hlundadim’s reign, when they older passage that was previously blocked up is re- attacked and gained control of dwarven holds. opened. This changing of entrances happens only The most common styles of entrance traps found once every few years or so, since it is time- and tem- around a goblin lair are in fact the oldest standards in per-consuming work. But goblins will undertake the defense the Realms over: leaf or litter-covered pits, task more often if their burrow has been discovered by large stones suspended or wedged above a portal and a foe that might return. connected to a trip wire, or any of the number of sim- As I mentioned before, anyone entering the area ilar unsubtle, simplistic tricks that fall in a builder’s controlled by a tribe is subject to attack. It may not repertoire. always happen that a traveler is worthy enough game Those goblins that employ traps are, of course, to risk the abandoning of assigned guard posts. If, how- quick to take advantage of their victims’ predica- ever, a force is patently looking for the lair, such as a ments. They do not hesitate to attack foes pinned rival tribe’s raiding party, they are always harried by under rocks and to fire missiles down at victims at the goblin patrols. Confrontations, especially in defensive bottom of a pit. I have many times seen goblins link maneuvers, are most likely to be quick smash-and-fade their traps and “house pets” in a gruesome combina- raids, so that the goblins can inflict as much damage as tion: for instance, a tribe which kept dire wolves in its possible while maintaining an element of surprise. lair rigged up pit traps that dumped their victims Using their knowledge of the region, the harassing gob-

10 lins strike, then seek a safe hiding spot before the of an information network, you would be dangerously invaders are able to organize and fight back. wrong. Consider a ground squirrel’s whistling signals. Often, the secondary lair is used to launch such Remember that herd animals flick various appendages attacks and to hide in during a retreat. Other times, in warning. Goblins are natural creatures, too. local caves and tunnels (not part of the lair itself) In fact, the entire defense of a goblin lair requires make snug hideouts. Their superior knowledge of rapid communication. Patrols need to send word back these tunnels allows the native goblins to attack, flee to the lair to warn the rest of the tribe of approaching underground, and then emerge again to attack from a invaders, and those goblins organizing the direct different direction. Attempts are always made to lead defense of their lair must be able to relate news to one the invaders away from the lair—perhaps into a trap another very quickly. or an ambush if the defenders are really prepared. Goblins accomplish this transfer of information in The typical goblin lair itself is an unfathomable two ways. First, they use runners. Certain, particularly maze by human standards. Usually, a central chamber fast individuals are chosen to serve as messengers. serves as a common room. Here the majority of the Each patrol has at least one designated runner. Run- tribe eats, sleeps and for the most part, lives. Large ners are used when the distances are great, or when tribes may have several such rooms. Only leaders, some amount of stealth is involved. shamans, and other tribe members of importance Otherwise, goblins use the second, easier method of have the right to claim private chambers. communicating— loud noise. Goblin ears are some- The bulk of a lair is made up of winding tunnels, what more sensitive than humans’, and they are able small guard rooms, storerooms, worg dens, slave to hear sounds from a great distance, especially sounds chambers, and other nameless places. If invaders gain reverberating underground. Most guard posts are access to a lair, the native goblins show no hesitation equipped with drums, gongs or horns for sending sig- in using these abundant small rooms to ambush the nals. Many tribes require all adult males to keep a attackers and harass them as they did outside. horn or whistle with them at all times. Messages and Tenacious ambushers that they are, goblins never signals are kept short and simple among goblins, just fight to the death in defending their homes. When as they are among ground squirrels. A goblin brain is faced with an obviously superior force, goblin morale not equipped to handle sonnets. always breaks—and usually in one massive tide of I know that you have already formed your own panic. Suddenly, the vicious guerrillas of only opinions as to the decoration and upkeep of a typical moments ago have turned tail. The natives use one or goblin home, and I am sure my description will not more of their many exits to flee. disappoint you. A lair itself is filthy. Goblins are dis- Each tribe usually has designated a regrouping area gusting creatures with little knowledge of personal somewhere in their territory. Of course, many of their hygiene, and no concept of sanitation. As the main number flee in such abject terror when routed that portion of the tribe shares a single chamber, so filth they lose the presence of mind to make for that area and waste are found right next to food and bedding. once they have left the lair. Treasure and important valuables belonging to the A goblin tribe driven out of its lair can lose nearly tribe are stored in the chief’s quarters. Personal pos- one fifth of the survivors to such panic. Goblins alone sessions of individuals, which are few, are stored on in the wild usually end up as a meal for a wandering their persons. Everything else is considered property chimera or similar beast, although some make it back of the tribe and freely used by whomever pleases. to their tribe eventually. Many who cannot find their Even the piles of bedding, which usually consist of own tribe are captured by or surrender to another knots of stolen or plundered rags, straw, or leaves, tribe. One such creature of my acquaintance have no individual owner. explained in a servile whine that life as a slave is bet- ter than no life at all. The Tribe Though you would not think creatures of such low Goblins have no family units. No mating rituals or intelligence are sophisticated enough to even conceive emotional bonds exist. They simply breed, and what

11 young are born get raised collectively by all of the succession is not so clear (nor the target so obvious). females together. Being selfish creatures, older goblins A new leader is not chosen until after the current care for the young only with the idea that babies can chief’s demise. grow up to help provide for and protect the tribe. A chief’s life is difficult, as one might begin to sus- Infirm or weak young are left to die. pect, for he must always be on his guard. Anyone Likewise, old goblins that are unable to fend for strong enough and bold enough to kill the current themselves are also left to die. The frequency with chief is likely to become the new one, so the chief’s which elderly goblins are abandoned is amazingly low, life is always in danger, even within the supposed however. Of course, this statistic paints too rosy a pic- safety of the lair. The chief usually chooses the most ture of the race’s health in the twilight years. Actually, powerful goblin warriors as his bodyguards, both to there are so few elderly goblins because individuals are protect him, and to keep them on his side—for they most likely to be killed—either in a raid, by some giant would otherwise be his main threats. predator, or in a fight with their own tribesmen—long In turn, the chief gets the best of everything the before they reach a debilitating age. tribe has to offer, and his word is law. There is no one Males dominate goblin society only because they to question him, and anyone displeasing him dies if are physically stronger. Positions of authority are he so wishes. always held by males, and hunting and warfare are Under the chief, if the tribe is large, ranks one or their areas of influence. Females have young and care more subchiefs. Like the chief, these privileged indi- for them—they are responsible for, and allowed to viduals have bodyguards protecting them from poten- accomplish, nothing else. Invaders attacking a goblin tial challengers. Subchiefs are great warriors, and lair soon learn that the females cannot be discounted often serve as military leaders. However, their power entirely, however, and they do fight long and hard in is not absolute. Any decision they make can be imme- their lair’s defense. diately overruled by the chief himself. Interpersonal relationships such as friendships are Some tribes have acknowledged “leaders” as well, beyond the mental and moral capacity of the average which rank rates below the subchief, but above any goblin—even beyond the capacity of the above-aver- other goblin in the tribe. This third tier leader is usu- age goblin. Don’t be fooled by a plaintive snivel. Gob- ally the biggest, strongest goblin in any given group of lins are completely self-serving, and staying alive is 40 to 50 adult males. Leaders enforce decisions made their major goal. To a goblin, a life of pain and misery by their superiors and make small-scale decisions of is better than no life at all. their own. In this horrid society, the strongest rule over their A holds a special place within a goblin fellows. There is a distinct “chain of command” that tribe’s structure and hierarchy. Since he usually wields includes every goblin in the tribe. Each tribe member powers that mystify the others, he is regarded with knows at all times who is above him in the chain, and awe—a terror-induced awe he carefully fosters with who is below. judicious use of spectacle and manner. The chief, obviously, is the first link in this chain. Goblin shamans are the best argument for the edu- Although the position of supreme leader is generally cability of the race, for I have rarely seen one who hereditary (a chief’s sons are kept apart from the rest does not use his native cunning, nastiness, and grasp of the brood so that they can be distinguished and of goblin culture to the fullest. Not that a goblin offered training not given to the run-of-the-litter reg- shaman is unbeatable—far from it. Some are the ulars), this humanlike favoritism survives only worst cowards of the lot. But within their capabilities, because goblin genetics are not very complex. Large, they are masters of mob control. They have to be. strong individuals usually beget large, strong young. Though he has no real political power within the When this is not the case, and the heir to the chief- tribe, a shaman’s commands are usually followed and tainship is sickly, or merely a small specimen, the his advice is always heeded. Not all tribes have chief’s son is killed (usually by his father) for disgrac- shamans—in fact, slightly less than half do. Those ing him. When a chief has no “heir,” however, the without them simply ignore religion altogether.

12 Goblins have no real philosophy (other than self- Goblin “Culture” preservation at all costs), and their religion is crude As I previously stated, the goblin mentality places and simplistic, sometimes to the point of farce. self-preservation above all else. Comfort and happi- Maglubiyet is the goblin deity they revere, though ness are a distant second, and in fact, perhaps unat- only out of fear and loathing—fear of Maglubiyet, and tainable by human standards. I cannot pretend to of what life might be without him. This horrible god have an unbiased opinion of the race, nor have I con- is offered sacrifices of animal blood by the tribal ducted interviews in the accepted scholarly fashion. shaman at least once a month. There are no other But I have known more of the creatures than any religious services of any kind. The religious life of a three of my sometime allies, in my years in the shamanless goblin tribe consists simply of fear. Marches. The most a goblin can hope for is to simply exist—perhaps that is why they are so hateful and so Goblin Allies enjoy killing and stealing from others. The goblin tribes today raid and make war upon each Goblins despise light, particularly sunlight. They other more often than on their more traditional ene- rarely venture out during the daytime, preferring to mies—humans, dwarves, gnomes and elves. Only a skulk in the dank, dark closeness of their lairs. If some few tribes are actually joined in any sort of alliance, plan requires them to bestir themselves in daylight and even such meager agreements as those are often hours, they only attempt it on cloudy, cold days. broken. Their reasoning is simple: goblins have very good Due to their long history, however, many goblins infravision. Why should they waste one of their few still have ties to other races. I have seen tribes work- natural abilities? As for comfort, they prefer to work, ing in cooperation with orcs, hobgoblins, kobolds, and for that matter to live, in a climate that is cold, even occasionally gnolls and ogres. Goblins in the and even a little wet. Stonelands ally themselves with all of these races Human slaves in a goblin’s favorite environment and worse, with humans as well, to form the multira- succumb rapidly to illness and death. Not so their cial plague known in my native Cormyr as border masters. They apparently have a great resistance to raiders. disease, for not only are goblin lairs filled with dis- Of all other creatures, however, worgs and dire ease-spreading waste, but fleas, rot grubs, rats, and wolves are the chief allies of goblins. These fero- other unclean creatures inhabit their living quarters ciously evil creatures share the same hateful, as well. I heard one creature defend the—well, destructive mentality that goblins do. They often unkemptness is far too pale a term—conditions by live in dens right in the goblin lairs, not as pets the observing that snacks were readily available, and way a noble keeps lap dogs, nor as slaves, nor even as one needn’t depend wholly on the womenfolk for beasts of burden the way a huntsman keeps hounds. dinner. No, most often they are treated as cousins, even Although their infant mortality rate is high, gob- honored guests. Out of respect they are often given lins reproduce in litters like animals, each female hav- better food than the majority of a tribe’s members. ing three to seven young per birth, at least every Some goblins train to ride their companion dire other year. With the lax mothering, perpetual lair wolves. Otherwise, the wolves simply accompany strife, and adult preoccupation with raiding and vio- their allies into battle. lence, it is a wonder that any young survive to mature Goblins also keep slaves of various races, although adulthood. most longterm servants are goblins of other tribes. Goblins have no concept of husbandry. They eat Slaves of other races end up dying too frequently from anything, as long as it is raw. Cooked food they dis- harsh treatment, petty jealousies, or—much to their dain, although principles go out the window when masters’ disgust—simply from despair. A few slaves supplies are short. They prefer fresh meat, and hunt might be kobolds, dwarves, gnomes, orcs and even any moving life form in the tribe’s territory to virtual humans. These slaves are forced into mining and extinction (another reason they have become a race other dangerous, hard labor. of raiders and robbers). They even eat the flesh of

13 other intelligent beings, including other goblins. not command much power by human spell-casting If forced to by lack of game or beseigement, the standards, but they hold the respect and fear of all of creatures eat fungus, leather, and even plants they their brethren. The chief usually does his best to limit know to be poisonous. I have heard that a starving, the political power of these individuals, whose capac- lone goblin will eat dirt if nothing else presents itself. ity for exciting admiration may surpass his own. More Goblins feel starvation is the worst way to die. than one group of orcs has been completely taken Most of what goblins have, they have stolen. They over by a shaman or witch doctor. can manufacture their own crude weapons and tools Unlike goblins, orcs are capable of accomplishing from wood and stone if they have to. Generally, how- more than just basic survival. Orcs craft their own ever, if they don’t have something, they simply do weapons, cultivate crops, and have developed a fairly without—there is little ingenuity within the race. complex society. They are surprisingly intelligent, and In brief, goblins are disgustingly evil, selfish, mean- are capable of original design and creation. Unfortu- spirited cowards that delight in killing and destruc- nately, they are lazy and prefer to steal the creations tion. They have learned how to protect and defend and ideas of others. Their native abilities are ham- themselves and their society out of a sense of need pered by their animalistic tendencies. and fear. They feel few emotions other than hate, Despite this, orc culture is sophisticated when com- despair and loathing. If they ever organize into a large pared to the bulk of their goblinoid relatives. They nation again, it will be dangerous—they would mur- have developed a complex worldview wherein they der all other life if they could. themselves are the center of all things. All other liv- ing creatures, according to their belief, exist to be exploited by orcs in one way or another. The Orc Horde Powerful and well-skilled members of other races are particularly loathsome in orc eyes, as power and hough not as numerous as goblins, the orcs of skill should only be wielded by their own hands. Orcs Tthe area are a vicious and powerful threat to fervently believe such abominations should be travelers. Many orcs can be found living among gob- destroyed, and their power should be taken from them lin tribes, acting as mercenary muscle in raids and and used by orcs. protecting the lair in between actions. Orc social structure actually mimics human culture Orcs on their own live in small villages of wooden fairly closely. Orcs marry, hold worship services for huts, usually surrounded by a deep trench, and often their gods, have codified laws, and even teach their hedged with a log palisade. Each village is home to young in a crude educational system. They desire to anywhere from 50 to 500 orcs. prove, to others and to themselves, that they are a Orc villages are often located in secluded, hidden sophisticated race. Perhaps the squalor of their goblin areas. Warfare is the orcs’ chief pursuit, so their vil- cousins spurs this need to acquire (or refine, as the lages are defended by patrols and traps, while a force orcs would have it) their own cultural identity. of soldiers remains ready at a moment’s notice. These Oftentimes, however, their true, bestial nature creatures have fought all their lives for generations— comes forth. Marriage vows are rarely upheld among they know what they are doing. orcs, the strong dominate and exploit the weak, and Orcs are not racial isolationists. Usually, some five orc children are taught the skills of murder, thievery, to 20 ogres can also be found in these communities, and destruction long before any elevated cultural along with a few goblins, hobgoblins, and half-orcs lessons come their way. (crossbred with humans or any of the races found in Orcs are excellent miners and control a number of the village). iron ore mines in the Marches and the Stonelands. The orc village is led by a chieftain and his assis- They use this ore themselves to craft weapons, armor, tants (who also double as bodyguards). Often, villages and tools. I have never discovered ore for export, I boast a shaman and perhaps a witch doctor with think because of two insurmountable obstacles. First, some minor wizardly abilities. These individuals do what rational outlander would trade with orcs, and

14 second, what orc would deign to ship his merchandise Other Goblinoids to an inferior race? The accomplishments of the orc race are not, like Hobgoblins goblins’ talents, limited to the violent arts of rapine Hobgoblins are pretty common in both the Goblin and murder. Orcs are also expert hunters, and passable Marches and the Stonelands. There are separate tribes of farmers. Again unlike goblins, they do not keep dire hobgoblins in the region but most often the creatures wolves, or any other domesticated or allied creatures. are found in the company of orcs, goblins, or humans. Sometimes an orc village or family may capture an When they travel or shelter with goblins, hobgoblins animal or monster and force it to serve them, but they consider themselves the masters. Orcs and humans they are a race too cruel and selfish to be able to tame or are more likely to treat as equals—albeit equals they do befriend such creatures. not completely trust and at least somewhat resent. Even those of other races that orcs occasionally At the time of the Battle of Bones, about three may ally themselves with need to be wary of betrayal hundred years ago, hobgoblins were a much more or exploitation from their erstwhile friends. Although plentiful race, far outnumbering orcs. In that terrible, orcs are willing to interact and interbreed with all the bloody war, however, it was the ranks that other goblinoid races—and even with some human sustained the most terrible casualties. The vast major- border raiders—they seem unlikely to actually respect ity died in Skull Gorge. these other races. Orcs have a great deal of racial It is certain that hobgoblin shamans have never pride and hubris. They are confident that they are the again attained the levels of mastery and of power that dominant people in the world—or at least that they they brought to that fateful conflict. Only legends should be. recall the times when hobgoblins were able to sum- mon servants from the lower planes, and cast extremely powerful spells.

15 Kobolds actually do is accompany their host orcs or goblins Kobolds are also rare in the Marches and the when they make raids, and help defend the tribe’s Stonelands today, but their numbers were not dimin- home when it is attacked. In return they usually ished by heroic massacre or battlefield betrayal. Most demand the best spoils—both food and treasure. have simply relocated to deep caverns under the sur- Despite this unfair situation, tribe members of the face to avoid the raids and attacks of their goblinoid lesser races are usually glad to have an or two cousins. I guess retreat is always the better part of around, for defensive benefits if nothing else. Remem- valor. Some hardy—or greedy—individuals ber, most goblinkin admire raw power more than any remain, joining the border raiders or orc mercenary other attribute. What are ogres, if not might? Their groups that exist in the area. added power often makes the difference between vic- Entirely kobold tribes are very few in number, but tory and defeat, and their mere presence serves as a those that exist are most likely to be found in or deterrent among would-be raiders. around the Farsea Marshes. These tribes number 50 to There is another phenomenon I think worth men- 200 kobolds, and they live a very primitive existence, tioning. Tribes of goblins or orcs that include ogre even for their race. companions are far more likely to attack human trav- Farsea kobolds dwell in tiny, domelike huts of dried elers and settlements, both because of the greater mud. When not simply attacking with claws and physical power they can field, and because of the teeth like any predatory animal, these little beasts ogres’ fondness for human flesh. hunt with weapons made of sharpened wood. They The ogres of this region do not make anything, pre- have few accomplishments or blessings. At least their ferring to steal or coerce whatever supplies they relative poverty frees them from goblin or orc attacks, require to meet their needs. They generally do not and so they live largely unmolested. The almost revere any gods, and have no shamans. Having lost gnomelike ingenuity and fondness for mechanisms what small amount of culture and racial unity other displayed by most kobolds I have heard tales of in the ogres in the Realms may retain by living among mem- Realms is nowhere in evidence among the Farsea bers of their own race, Marches and Stonelands ogres, creatures. These kobolds are simple pests. like orcs, seem quite willing to interbreed. Of particu- lar note, those individuals with orc tribes breed with Ogres their companion orcs, creating orc/ogre crossbreeds Those ogres in the Stonelands or Goblin Marches, known sometimes as orogs. being creatures of greed, hunger and laziness, have These progeny were once looked down upon by found it more profitable and easier to dwell with ogres, but orogs are slowly becoming as numerous as tribes of smaller creatures, such as orcs or goblins, ogres themselves, among the goblinkin. Orogs, partic- than to form their own society. It is not uncommon to ularly those that favor their ogre parent, are now find a handful of ogres (both male and female) lodged accepted by other ogres and often mate with them. among a tribe of goblins or orcs. More rarely the crea- These second-generation offspring are very close to tures condescend to patronize hobgoblins. Perhaps it ogres both in physique and temperament, but usually is the other way around—more rarely, hobgoblins suf- a bit smaller and smarter. fer ogres in their midst. Orogs that are three-quarters ogre blood or more Too chaotic to fit into whatever organizational may eventually supplant ogres altogether in the structure the host tribe accomplishes (and too power- Marches as the pure bloodline gets more and more ful to be forced into any social mode or title), ogres diluted. Orcs always look upon orogs as a blessing, for usually do as they please in such a situation. They are they are bigger and stronger than orcs, and not as not required to perform menial tasks, and they do not cruel (to other orcs) as pure-blood ogres. have to obey or show respect to the chieftain or the Ogres within goblin tribes do not—yet—breed local shaman. with goblins, that I know of. It is not unknown, how- In fact, they treat other tribe members quite badly, ever, to encounter orc-goblin crossbreeds (especially bullying and tormenting them out of spite. All ogres in goblin communities that use orcs as “hired muscle,”

16 rather than ogres), and these halfbreeds can and do covered a tribe of gnolls as well, for the former always mate with both ogres and orogs, creating strange hold a position of authority in the latter’s society. racial mixtures. Aside from flinds, gnolls are also often accompa- nied by hyenadons. These beasts serve as guards when Gnolls the tribe makes camp, and as hunting companions These creatures usually live and operate separately when a meal is in order. They are rarely taken on from all the other evil creatures in the raids and offensive actions—simply because they are region, repudiating goblins, ogres, and orcs alike. There too valuable to lose. There are a few wild hyenadons are exceptions to this general rule, and in particular, in the Stonelands, but almost all have been domesti- some gnolls can be found among the border raiders. cated by gnolls. Though gnolls were once allied with the gobli- noids, it was a thousand years ago. That time has Bugbears passed. Gnolls have made no attempt since to join Bugbears in the Goblin Marches and the Stonelands are the other races in forming huge armies. Perhaps always encountered in the company of goblins. They they’ve had enough of grand schemes. They are con- serve as mercenary guards for their smaller cousins, tent to perpetrate their small raids upon whatever tending to bully and mistreat them much as ogres do in human, dwarf and elf travelers are brave enough to the same position. Their advantage as paid muscle is tread the area. Occasionally, gnolls may make a sortie surely offset by their abusive behavior, but as I have against local goblin or orc tribes. noted before, goblin intellect is not strong, and they In general, these creatures occupy the eastern sec- revere might, even when it is directed against them. tion of the Stonelands and the Storm Horn Moun- There is a further hazard in employing tains. They are not numerous, and actually try to raid mercenaries that goblins never seem to recognize. All without drawing attention to themselves. bugbears eventually try to take over any tribe of gob- They bitterly hate stone , however, and lins they work with, and make the smaller creatures always attack them, even if the odds are not in their their slaves. favor. Gnoll tradition has it that a stone giant slew Bugbears encountered with goblins are always their greatest historical figure, a gnoll called Grrat. male. They usually only stay on the surface a few Because of that act, their legends lament, gnolls are months out of the year, before returning to their deep, forever doomed to relative insignificance in compari- lightless lairs in the Underdark. Only deep in the son to humans, elves, and other races. earth can females and young be found. Gnolls tolerate the presence and machinations of almost all the other evil races in the area when they must. Their preference is to fade away from intruders. Specific Tribes and They simply move elsewhere if the interference looks to be permanent, like a new lair or fortification. But if Groups the invaders are merely a small scouting or raiding party, gnolls have no qualms about attacking them for here are a few individual tribes of goblins and food and wealth. T their ilk that stand out from the grubby masses Each gnoll tribe numbers between 75 and 200 indi- of their kind. These bands warrant specific attention viduals, at least half of which are male warriors. As is due to their wide influence, potentially lethal devia- the case across the goblinoid races, males dominate tions, or simply interesting quirks. Know these groups, gnoll society. The gnolls of the Stonelands and the and you know the movers and shakers of this desolate Storm Horns are almost all nomadic in nature and little slice of the Realms. establish no permanent lairs. There are a few gnoll-like flinds in the Stonelands, Border Raiders but they are quite rare. Gnolls revere these stockier All of the bands of goblins, hobgoblins, orcs, ogres, and smarter individuals. Find a flind, and you have dis- kobolds, evil humans, and gnolls within the

17 Stonelands are referred to as border raiders by out- The Servants of the Zhentarim siders. But that generosity of labeling defeats any Grinnsira’s influence in the Goblin Marches is being accurate assessment of the situation almost from the undermined by the Black Network of the Zhentarim, beginning. who are becoming more active in this region each The groups I designate as raiders earn their name day. They hope to bring the border raiders, as well as by the fact that their existence seems to revolve com- the goblinoids of the Marches, under their own influ- pletely around attacking nearby human, dwarven and ence, so they can exploit them to their own dark even elven settlements, as well as any parties unlucky ends. This evil organization figures to use the goblins enough to be traveling through the area. They raid and their ilk to establish a foothold in the region. I eastward into the Elven Woods, range north to attack can think of few less appealing plans. dwarves in the Desertmouth Mountains, and strike From here, the Black Network intends to direct its southward to prey on humans in Cormyr. The west- inhuman armies to attack key positions in Cormyr, ernmost Dales are not safe from border raiders, either. the Dales, and the lands to the west. Since that is The membership of the raiders, goblinoid and what many of the goblinoids are doing anyway, the otherwise, is interracially tolerant, even more so than goal may not be that hard to achieve. The main any “pure” tribes found in the Goblin Marches. Bands obstacle the Zhentarim face is getting these goblinoid are almost always comprised of at least two races, and troops to take orders from humans. sometimes compass as many as four or five. They seem To manage this, they have so far used an effective almost to strive for diversity, the way an adventuring and unexpected technique. A number of captured and group solicits mages and clerics to round out the tal- mind-controlled dopplegangers have been planted of its fighters. within certain tribes, and groups of border raiders, Some examples will make it clearer. One group of sometimes replacing leaders and even chieftains. border raiders I dealt with was lead by a small party of Through these plants, the Zhentarim are able to humans, who had a dozen ogre bodyguards. Under coerce the goblinoids into following their commands them were six commands of about 20 goblins, each without the tribes even knowing. Some of these lead by an orc. There was also a group of orc archers, dopplegangers have been discovered by tribe mem- and nearly 25 kobold servants/guards. These raiders bers, but goblin minds are not clever. They see no even had a and four bugbears that worked with concerted threat, only the random predation of a nat- them as well. ural menace. Word of the dopplegangers’ existence Another band of border raiders is almost exclu- has not spread far. sively gnolls and kobolds, commanded by a surpris- Even if the Zhentarim never assume clandestine ingly intelligent hill giant. Still another numbers control here, they plan on at least de-stabilizing the exclusively crossbreeds as its membership, including region. A precarious border situation would tie up human/orc, orc/ogre, orc/goblin, orc/duergar, Cormyrean resources, allowing the Black Network goblin/kobold, orc/hobgoblin, and even human/ogre freer reign within that kingdom. To tip the balance mixes. and foment open conflict, the Zhentarim have been Unknown to most of their victims, these groups bringing other, powerful monsters, like beholders, to have a secret. Many, but not all, of the border raider the forefront of the region. These invaders cause trou- bands operate under the control of a venerable red ble and draw forth the Cormyrean border guard. dragon named Grinnsira. She is a particularly adept spellcaster (even when compared to Great Wyrms), The Neidlig and she has used charm spells to ensnare the raiders— Of all the goblin tribes, the Neidlig are the most pow- as well as a vast spy network that extends through erful—that is, they are the most numerous and they Cormyr, Sembia, and the Dalelands. Her ultimate hold the greatest amount of territory. Based in the goals are unknown to me, but carving out an empire southern part of the Goblin Marches, the Neidlig does not seem beyond her scope. tribe hunts and raids throughout the High Moors as well.

18 The lair of this tribe is actually a ruined citadel, Their ranks are not supplemented with orcs or ogres, one of the few remnants of an ancient goblin army like the Neidlig, although they do not hesitate to that once controlled the area. The walls have long employ other races as slaves. Even more than other since crumbled away, but some of the towers, as well tribes, the Fenlis use cunning and ingenuity to aid as the main keep, are relatively intact. The whole and protect themselves. Their secret lair is surrounded goblin tribe, numbering almost 600 by my estimation, by well-hidden traps of devious and deadly design. dwells mainly in the dungeon under the keep and in They war with nearly all other races, particularly the the natural caves connected to it. Colchar orcs. Unlike most goblin tribes, the Neidlig do not feel it necessary to hide their lair—no other tribe would be The Melial so foolish as to attack them. Aside from huge numbers This mixed community of orcs and hobgoblins coex- of goblin warriors, the tribe also employs a group of ists near Skull Gorge, and represents the last vestige orc mercenaries to help protect their citadel, and a of that vast force of goblinoids that warred against the surprising number of ogres accompany the Neidlig on humans in the Battle of Bones. Of all goblinkin in the their raiding missions. region, the Melial are the most adept at magic, and A medium-sized tribe of hobgoblins known as the there are a number of powerful shamans and witch Merrowdrinkers lairs not far from the citadel and has doctors among them. allied itself with the Neidlig. An orc community call- I find this tribe fascinating. Fascinating and oh, so ed the Colchar is also on friendly terms with the gob- dangerous. These are not clumsy oafs toying with lins. magical baubles, as likely to burn themselves as the The multiracial nature of the force that the Neidlig objects of their attacks. These are serious practition- represent is due in part to a vision of the past which ers, mages bent on recapturing the powers their peo- Neidlig’s chief Srubaash—or King Srubaash, as he ple no longer wield except in legend. prefers to style himself—had. He claims a mysterious Indeed, the Melial use magical items left over from explained to him the urgency and importance of ancient times. These devices help protect them from rebuilding what once was lost. other tribes and aid them in their attacks against The Neidlig represent the greatest threat that a nearby human settlements. They even sometimes vast goblin empire might again rise up from its long- journey into the desert of Anauroch and make raiding cold ashes. Seeking instead to unite goblins, orcs and strikes against the town of Lundeth, as well as any others, they actually avoid raiding and warring with convenient camps of nomadic Bedine. other tribes. Certainly the number of tribes that ally They are especially interested in gathering more themselves with the Neidlig will continue to grow, as magical items and spell knowledge, so sometimes the King Srubaash spreads his visionary message. Melial can be found scouring various ruins in the Marches or even in the Great Desert. Particularly The Fenlis brave orcs even dare to tread the haunted battlefields Since the rumors of Srubaash’s vision began to be dis- that once echoed the war screams of the Battle of seminated throughout the Marches, another tribe has Bones, willing to stave off undead in order to glean also attempted to unite the goblins. The Fenlis, as magical weapons or armor. they are called, are not allies of the Neidlig, however. They are not just randomly recovering these frag- They despise the latter’s inclusion of other races in ments of ancient history, either. They have a specific their plans for rebuilding the past. The Fenlis are . The shamans of the Melial tribe are seeking an racial elitists, believing that orcs, kobolds, and other armored fragment known as the Darkhelm. Its powers humanoids are destined to fall before their own goblin supposedly allow the wearer to summon forth fiends superiority in the same manner as the races of from the lower planes. humans, dwarves and elves are doomed to do. Whether it is a result of an old curse bequeathed The Fenlis, whose lair lies due north of the High upon them during the Battle of Bones, or some unre- Moors, are a large tribe of 400 or so goblin members. lated cause, there are those among the Melial

19 inflicted with the disease known as lycanthropy. This perfectly comfortable wearing chain armor. They fact is usually suppressed so as not to alarm or fore- demonstrate other qualities of civilization and sophis- warn other goblinoid tribes. Nevertheless, I myself tication foreign to their brethren as well—but do not have seen a Melial orc transform before my very eyes welcome them into your hearts and homes just yet. into a misshapen, humanoid wolf. These They are still goblins in appetite. Teerac-on-Water are just as powerful as humans so cursed. It is a Melial raid other tribes, keep slaves, and unfortunately still tactic to use their lycanthropic members as a surprise possess that gruesome, goblinish delight for killing attack upon their enemies. and destruction. Despite the fact that they hide their shapechanging Although they harpoon fish as a dietary staple, they ability from outsiders, it is a symbol of importance and actually eat a surprising number of the fruits and leafy status to be a in Melial culture. Lycanthropy plants which grow near or in the lake. Goblins inter- has not spread willy-nilly to everyone—in fact, new ested in a balanced meal? I didn’t believe it myself were-creatures are chosen, not randomly created when first I observed it. But in time I noticed there is when the hunger arises. That fact argues more disci- one particular plant, the blood red lily, which they pline than most of members of either species possess. cook (again, an odd behavior among goblins) and eat Not surprisingly, the affliction is more common regularly. among the orcs than the hobgoblins in the tribe. I have discovered through my own studies that this Melial leaders, as well as many of their shamans and plant, which I have found nowhere else, actually pro- witch doctors, have the curse, which they ironically longs the life span of goblinoids. Many goblins of call “the Blessing.” Teerac-on-Water are well over 100 years old. Perhaps it is this extended life span that enables them to Teerac-on-Water become more sophisticated, or perhaps intelligence An oddity among goblins, this small tribe displays boosting is another effect of the plant that I have several unique characteristics that distinguish it never isolated. from all others. It occupies an area that straddles The Teerac goblins have tunneled deep under their the border between the Marches and the island. Their delving discovered a force of bugbears. Stonelands and encroaches into both, though it is a They quickly allied themselves with the subterranean very small territory. creatures, and have (recently) discovered the exten- The tribe gains its strange-sounding name from the siveness of the Underdark. They have trained giant secluded lake upon which it makes its home. At the and killer frogs for use as guardians around the center of the lake, which is formed within a large perimeter of their floating lair, and are attempting to crater, there is a small island. The only way to reach gain other creatures, preferably amphibious ones, as the island is by boat. The tribe occupies this island, as help as well. well as a flotilla of wooden barges and rafts tethered to Teerac-on-Water do not fear raids from other gobli- it. Squat wooden houses and buildings cover both the noids since others of their kind feel the difficulty in island and the attached flotilla. It is nearly impossible assaulting them in boats is not worth the effort. The to tell from a distance where land gives way to water, tribe numbers around 200. They revere and protect a because of the density of buildings over both. powerful shaman whose responsibility it is to oversee Teerac-on-Water goblins are well skilled in navi- the construction of the wooden dwellings, the barges gating their small boats around the lake. It helps, no and the boats, none of which are typical goblin cre- doubt, that the surface of the lake remains calm virtu- ations. ally all of the time. The members of this tribe, unlike all other goblins I Teerac Goblin: Int average; AL Lawful evil; AC have met, can tolerate the light of the sun without 5; MV 6; HD 1; #AT 1; Dmg 1-6 (by weapon); compromising their health, and are often found SA Nil; THAC0 20; SZ S; ML 10; XP 35 abroad at hours during which any of their cousins would be fast asleep. Then, too, Teerac goblins seem

20 Part Four: The Great Beasts

nfortunately, there are other horrible, monsters then turned on the very humans and other dangerous monsters inhabiting the fair creatures they were made to save. These found regions known as the Stonelands and the behir as great a foe as the dragon had once been. the Goblin Marches besides the gobli- One evil was replaced by another. The bard who noids. Because so many of the gentler originally told me this tale said that the moral was animals have been hunted to near extinction by the one cannot trust the help of the gods in overcoming goblins and their ilk, those beasts that remain in these evil, but I am not so sure of the accuracy of his inter- areas are primarily those too terrible for the gobli- pretation. That is just the sort of man he was. noids to challenge. Travelers who hear a rustle in the In any event, behir are undoubtedly real. Further, rocks or find tracks half-filled in swampy mud don’t they are sworn enemies of dragons, although they do have the luxury of supposing the unseen creature is a not aggressively hunt them. They simply do not abide mere marsh hare. It’s vicious. And all too likely, it drakes within their territory, and likewise never enter knows they’re there. the realm of a dragon. A behir’s territory usually covers a 10-mile radius and centers around its lair. The lair is almost always Behir one of the caves found within the Goblin Marches. I find it significant that behir are more common in the hese dangerous beasts are the subjects of an Marches than in the Stonelands, while dragons are T interesting legend which seems to predate even more likely to be found in the Stonelands than in the the goblin kingdom of a thousand years ago. I first dis- Goblin Marches. missed the tale as a mere fancy, the sort of nurse’s tale Although full-grown behir are said to have a dozen that parents and family servants tell their children at legs, in fact, they may have many more than twelve. I bedtime, with a neat moral at the end for the young have discovered that as the creature ages, the number to memorize. But I’ve since met the beast. So I’m of its legs continues to increase. Theoretically, a behir repeating the tale here, for those of you deficient in never ceases to grow in length—or in number of legs. nurses, who might not have heard it. Behir eat almost anything, although they enjoy the Apparently, in the days when even ancient warm blood of mammals best of all. As with most Netheril was young, a number of mages, wizened creatures in this blighted region, the preferred lifestyle elders, and priests set out to try to reason with a blue and ecosystem of behir is threatened by the constant dragon of incredible might that had been plaguing depletion of available prey by the local ravenous— their communities. The dragon rebuffed their and ravening—goblinoids. More and more, orcs and attempts at parley, and many men and women were goblins are finding themselves the next-most-succu- slain by its retributive attack. A god (which god is lent meal for behir. unknown today; it may even be a deity who no longer I’ve also discovered it is fairly common knowledge exists) decided to “help” the humans, and created that a behir’s horns, talons, and heart are valuable to creatures known as behir, amalgamated from the dead alchemists and mages for making scroll ink. It is not remains of their fallen comrades and the old scales of so widely known, however, that the scales of a behir the dragon. are also useful for their magical properties. I modestly It is true these behir, then great in number, slew the report that I have discovered the scales can be used to blue dragon in a desperate, pitched battle. But of make an armor which provides limited protection course, as often happens in legends and in life, the from electricity.

21 Never mind how I happened upon the knowledge. battle, while the other dragon head spouts flame as It is not, unfortunately, wildly useful, but more a usual. The entire body of this beast, except for the curiosity—a footnote, if you will. Behir scales are not lion head, is covered in serpentine scales. It is a so easy to come by. And there is the matter of curing hideous sight. them. The scales must be soaked in a solution of blue These chimera-spawn are usually short lived, how- dragon’s blood first, before they are hinged together, ever, for they disregard their own safety while attack- to achieve their unusual ability. ing and destroying the countryside and its inhabitants. The only one of these beasts that I have The spells which can be recorded on scrolls in ever seen myself was already dead—in its frantic behir ink are lightning bolt, neutralize poison, and pro- attempts to slay a group of minotaurs underground, it tection from poison. collapsed the cave that it was in as well, crushing itself under the fallen rocks (I have no idea what became of the minotaurs). I have never heard of these Chimerae creatures existing anywhere other than here. Grinnsira the red dragon has made pacts with at here is perhaps nowhere else in the Realms that least two chimerae, promising them treasure and food Tthese terrible beasts are more common than the in return for service. Marches region. They ravage the countryside, and bring fear to all who dwell here, with the possible Chimera-spawn: Int Semi-; AL CE; AC 2; exception of dragons. Chimerae can be found mostly in MV 9, Fl 18 (E); HD 10; #AT 6; Dmg the Goblin Marches, dwelling in the shallow caves that 1d4/1d4/1d4/1d4/2d4/3d6; SA breathe fire for honeycomb the area. Sometimes a chimera comman- 3d8 points of damage, breathe lightning for 3d8 deers an abandoned goblin lair—oftentimes, it was the points of damage (save halves damage for both); very beast that drove out the previous occupants. THAC0 11; SZ L; ML 14; XP 6000 Chimerae are obviously the creations of some ancient sorcerer as their different parts (goat, dragon and lion) do not seem naturally combined at all— Dopplegangers they do not even appear to coexist peacefully. I would guess that the stress of their own self-loathing drives s mentioned previously, the Zhentarim have most chimerae insane early in life, making them even A managed to charm and control a number of more dangerous and destructive to others. dopplegangers in order to infiltrate the border raiders Occasionally two chimerae mate, but thankfully and other goblinoid tribes. Other individual members offspring are rare—another sign of their magical of this race exist in the area independent of the Black rather than natural origins. Interestingly enough, Robes, however. however, chimerae seem to be immune to most dis- Free dopplegangers dwell in subterranean caves eases and aging. They live to terrorize the world until under the Goblin Marches, and there assume their they are slain. natural form. Usually, they work together, and make That rare offspring of two chimerae infrequently plans for infiltration and impersonation, for that is will be an entirely new beast, different from both its how they survive. parents. Something goes wrong in the development of A successful doppleganger finds a humanoid com- the unborn creature, or some twist of magic gets the munity to infiltrate, and either lives off the resources upper hand. I don’t presume to explain, I merely of that community or uses its position to steal food record my observations. You can recognize a chimera- and treasure. They are not choosy about what spawn by the twin dragon heads which flank the cen- humanoids they impersonate, but they usually avoid tral lion’s head (instead of the more usual triad of goblins. Goblin life is generally harsh and unpleasant. goat, lion, and dragon). Who would deliberately plot to share it? The “new” dragon head breathes a lightning bolt in The best position for a doppleganger to obtain,

22 from its own point of view, is that of an old or infirm Nonetheless, red dragons usually avoid attacking human. Such a person is taken care of by the rest of giants, preferring prey that cannot fight back. Red the community and is not expected to work or con- dragons enjoy human flesh more than goblinoid, and tribute to the common good. try to get it when they can. For this reason, dragon Dopplegangers are lazy and refuse to fend for them- attacks are not unknown to the populace, from the selves if they don’t have to. They do not farm, manu- wildest wastes even up to—and within—the facture, mine, or produce any goods of any kind. Any Cormyrean city of Tilverton. items, treasure, or tools that they may have are invari- Red dragons almost never enter Anauroch. In fact, ably stolen. The most a doppleganger does on its own they avoid speaking of the desert or its inhabitants is use its ability to put itself in a position altogether if they can. Perhaps they know of a power where it can attack and kill others, in order to take there that we do not. I have heard only the vaguest their possessions. hints and whispers in that vein. There is said to be a Dopplegangers hire themselves out for various infil- place holy to dragons deep within the Great Desert; tration or assassination missions, and so allow them- venerable Grinnsira claims to have been there. Other selves to be approached in their lairs by those who dragons in the Stonelands may make pilgrimages as know where to look. They do not willingly enter into well, but when they do, they do not speak of them. permanent service to anyone. Make of this what you will. Although they sometimes work together, and are I have made it a practice to at least attempt estab- helpful toward one another, there is no doppleganger lishing friendly communications with dragons when I society, as it were. These beings leech off the societies encounter them, but I must say that the red dragons of others, and make use of others’ accomplishments in this area make such attempts difficult. They are and successes. Orcs, hobgoblins and even gnolls are aggressive, voracious, and downright rude. not surprised to find one of their tribe is a dopple- In my experience, copper, silver, and amethyst ganger, and perhaps has been for years. They are not dragons can all also be found in the Stonelands, and surprised by the discovery, but they are not tolerant, less frequently in the Marches to the west. What cop- either. Such an individual is immediately killed. per dragons I have met are simply those traveling out of Anauroch for their own inscrutable reasons. The silver dragons seem to have made their homes here Dragons for specific defensive purposes. The only silver dragon I spoke to at any length here are a few dragons which call the Goblin chose to lair in the Stonelands to directly oppose TMarches their home. Drakes are found in greater Grinnsira the red dragon and her attempts at organiz- numbers in the Stonelands. Red dragons are the most ing the goblinoids into an army. This silver dragon, prevalent type, much to the dismay of all who live in whose name was Fi Lendicol, was aided by a human the region. ranger known as Dreik Lorne and a dwarf warrior by Only one red dragon, a venerable female by the the name of Thurn, son of Doulm. name of Grinnsira, has attained great age or power Fi Lendicol often takes the form of a human wizard, that I know of, but that does not keep the younger and the threesome can be encountered working on dragons from terrorizing both the native goblinoid various missions. They travel throughout the tribes and the rare traveler. Of course, firedrakes can Stonelands planning how to stop the border raiders be found throughout the Stonelands as well, and they and their dragon mistress. Other silver dragons may are often mistaken for red dragons. be found in the area, but I do not know any of them The only race that can do more than stoically personally. endure dragon raids are giants. Unfortunately, a united, vigorous giant society is sadly lacking in the The Cloudlands region. What few giants inhabit the Marches and the Supposedly, more silver dragons live in the clouds Stonelands are scattered, without any organization. above the Stonelands. There also dwell mist dragons,

23 as well as giants and other beings such as ki-rin. There creatures are occasionally seen in or above the are many local legends regarding this magical area in Stonelands, gathering food on the surface in the form the clouds. Some tales offer explanations for the huge of wild plants or herd animals, and quickly ascending stones scattered below it on the blasted earth. back into the sky. In fact, of the myriad such tales, many conflict in If the tales of the Cloudlands and its demise are specific details. I’ve tried to distill the gist of their true, perhaps these creatures are relics living among meaning, to separate true fact from what are obvi- the ruins. Castles on the surface are rarely so com- ously some fanciful bard’s epic exaggerations and pletely smashed that nothing remains, and so might it pretty images to make a more palatable—and be in the air above. Some of the enchanted places in longer—story. the sky might have escaped the ravages of war, Most legends agree that there was once a powerful remaining to this day. magical kingdom above the Stonelands, kept secret from those races who dwelt below it on the ground. This kingdom, which supposedly existed 1500 years Giants ago or more, boasted a society comprised of dragons, giants, , pegasi, asperii, giant eagles, and even ightings of cloud giants, and even storm giants, some winged, elflike beings whose name is no longer S are more common even than tales of mist remembered (and who are now apparently extinct). dragons. These beings are encountered in the These races coexisted in peaceful harmony among the Stonelands as they gather food, or more rarely, as they clouds, avoiding the decadent human realms of the trade or interact with the other giants in the region time, especially Asram. (for instance, the stone or hill giant races). Cloud These beings came down to the surface of the Realms giants hunt native game such as wild sheep, elk and only to gather or trade for food and other necessities, other animals, though their preferred prey is getting and quickly fled back upward to their cloudy haven. harder and harder to find. The goblinoids have The giants, ever industrious, even brought huge stones hunted most such animals to extinction. If for no up with them. They built magnificent fortresses and other reason, these giants are no friends to the evil cities in the sky, hidden by the clouds. races that dwell on and under the surface. Sometimes It wasn’t until the Cloudlands were discovered by the giants go so far as to attack goblinoids when a the mages of Asram and Anauria that disaster struck. chance encounter arises. In the event that they can- The sky-dwelling races had been right to avoid their not find game, sky giants hunt more dangerous (and earthbound neighbors. The great and powerful wiz- less savory) prey such as dinosaurs, behir, giant spi- ards of these nations intended to conquer the Cloud- ders, etc. They do not eat either goblinoids or humans lands, for they knew that such a kingdom would be a under any circumstances. safe haven from the encroaching desert that was soon Cloud giants, though still very rare, are more com- to destroy their earthbound realms. monly encountered than their storm brethren. The In the war that ensued, the Cloudlands were two seem to coexist peacefully and are often working destroyed. The fortresses and cities so carefully crafted in concert when seen together—which indicates that by giant artisans fell to the earth. You see their forlorn the cloud giants are of the good variety. I have heard remains scattered over the plain now called the one tale of a few evil cloud giants attacking a mer- Stonelands, a mute relic of war. chant caravan. It might be sour grapes, or mistaken Most of the enchanted places in the clouds that identities. once supported solid surfaces are gone. Supposedly Storm giants are three to four times as likely to be the great spells that were unleashed in this earth/sky found on or near the ground during one of those infa- war linger on in the form of powerful storms that fre- mous storms of the Stonelands. Usually just one of quently lacerate the area. their number is seen at a time, but occasionally they While I do not know how much truth is contained travel in small groups. If there is a group of storm in these stories, mist dragons and other sky-dwelling giants, it is a good bet they are accompanied by at

24 least twice as many cloud giants. The same propor- be found throughout the Stonelands and the Goblin tions apply to merchants’ daughters and Purple Marches, particularly in the High Moors. Addition- Dragons in the streets of Suzail, but likely for vastly ally, and with increasing regularity, hill giants are different reasons. keeping company with goblin and orc tribes. Typically Cloud and storm giants are usually seen in the their positions in these are as leaders or as mercenary company of giant eagles, and even rocs (which the help, in much the same role that ogres play in other storm giants ride as mounts). A campfire tale reports tribes. that giants have been seen in the company of a silver These giants are evil and cruel. They exploit those dragon as well. weaker and smaller than they are—when they are not I know for certain that some of these giants lair in slowly killing and then eating them, that is. Though the high peaks of the Storm Horns to the south, but if they sometimes work with other races—the gobli- one believes the stories about the Cloudlands, some noids already mentioned, ogres or —hill giants of them are sure to dwell there. Of giants’ lairs— generally tire of the effort cooperation takes. When it wherever they are—and the society that sky giant gets too tedious to bear, they turn on their allies, mak- races have formed among themselves, I know noth- ing them into slaves or dinner. ing. They seem to be noble beings, inclined to arro- The only thing saving these allies from gradual gance and haughtiness. Very rarely do they even pay annihilation is a hill giant’s total lack of subtlety. The attention to the events and people of the ground, smaller races, dull and stupid as they may be, are nev- unless some incident directly concerns them. ertheless aware enough to see such betrayal coming. They hide, they attack first—many times, they simply Hill Giants slink away, and start another lair. Far more common than their lofty brethren are the Hill giants live in small tribes, led by the largest baser, cruder hill giants. Hill giants can unfortunately male in the group. They lair in caves, though they

25 rarely go deep underground. Primarily nocturnal, an encounter he and some men-at-arms had with these giants hunt the bigger creatures in the area for some stone giants. He claims that one among their food, raiding humans or goblinoids when they can. opponents’ number cast spells of surprising power. I They eat any living creature, and seem to have no had heard of certain giants having meager wizard real preference for one foodstuff over another. capabilities, but Thergeis claims the one he faced was Leaving aside their lack of intelligence, hill giants extraordinarily powerful. He swears the stone giant are fearsome foes. It does not take brains to wield a wizard had a number of magical items as well—all quarter-ton club convincingly. Even dragons usually giant-sized, indicating they were constructed by a avoid attacking one of their tribes. giant, for his own use. Most goblin, orc and hobgoblin tribes have devel- Thergeis has always been an accurate source before. oped techniques to fight the monstrosities, including If his tale is true, perhaps there is more than meets huge traps, clever ruses and careful ambushes. One the eye in these new pilgrims of the Stonelands. The goblin tribe whose lair is close to the High Moors has wizard also insisted that the skin of a stone giant is a placed their main entrance at the end of a narrow useful ingredient for a potion that makes one resistant chasm. Too tight in places for giants to pass through, to petrification attacks, like those of a medusa’s glare. the chasm is their first line of defense. If a hill giant I have not tried it—I prefer to stay away from were ever so foolish as to pursue tribe members into medusae, when I can. the gorge, he would most likely get wedged between the narrow walls part-way in. Then the goblins could Ettins and Trolls attack from above and below, trusting the canyon Ettins are sometimes found in the company of hill walls to at least partially immobilize their foe. giants, or even orcs. I have never heard of two or more ettins living together year-round as other giants Stone Giants do, though they do dwell together for short periods at Although they normally live in the mountains, some their time of mating. Of all giants, they are the least stone giants have taken up residence in the frequently seen. Stonelands. For the most part, these beings avoid I have heard of one orc tribe near the Storm Horns both hill giants and border raiders. whose witch doctor has managed to bewitch an ettin. Their presence in the area is due to a sacred feeling It now serves as the orcs’ slave. Its strength allows it they hold for the megaliths scattered over the land- to construct walls and such in a very short time, and scape. I do not know any specifics about their beliefs in battle, the orcs actually fit it with a harness so that regarding these stones, but I have heard that stone two of their archers can ride on it, chest and back. giants do not permanently dwell in the Stonelands. Those encountered are pilgrims of a sort. Ettins are, if possible, even stupider and more bestial Many so-called experts on giants refute these than hill giants. Beside the uniqueness of having two claims. They believe stone giants are too unsophisti- heads, these giants are best known for their horrible cated in their thinking to have developed so complex stench and filthy countenance. Because they and a religious dogma as to require a pilgrimage of any their lairs are so disgusting, ettins often carry parasites sort. Nevertheless, the giants are here. The experts and diseases. Although they do not have a value sys- are not. tem, as such, ettins seem to regard filth as a good While in the region, stone giants hunt what little thing, and fear cleanliness, purity, and bright light. game that they can find, and gather edible plants. Their fear of washing extends to water in general. They travel in clans, and make their (temporary) lairs They absolutely refuse to enter a pool, lake or river in whatever sheltered area they can—caves, crevasses, that runs deeper than mid-thigh on their own bodies. etc. Some stone giant clans have been seen traveling The possession of two heads is not a troublesome with giant goats to keep them supplied in milk and thing to an ettin, for even with both, they do not own cheese, which they love. enough intelligence or self-awareness to question their A wizard by the name of Thergeis once told me of dual existence. The right head is generally dominant

26 occasionally trolls can be found assisting hill giants or Troll Repellent () goblinoid tribes. More frequently, they appear as 1st-level Wizard’s Spell aggressors, coming up from the Underdark to raid Range: 1 yard/level goblin and orc lairs that extend too far into their dark Components: V,S,M realm. For this reason, most deep lair egresses are Duration: 1 turn + 1 round/level either well hidden or quickly blocked off. Casting Time: 2 Some orc shamans have discovered a minor spell Area of Effect: 20 foot-radius sphere that creates a strange odor. This odor repels trolls Saving Throw: Neg. much of the time. I subsequently learned this spell (seemingly a worthwhile investment when I first This spell creates a thin, greasy, greenish mist that encountered it), and I can attest that it works—some carries a potent odor. While this odor is unpleas- of the time. ant to most creatures, it is horrible to trolls, and if Trolls in this area usually regard orcs, goblins, and they fail their saving throw at +4, they leave the their kin either as weaklings to steal from and exploit, area of the mist for the duration of the spell, refus- or as food. They respect gnolls, and fear giants. ing to enter again until it is gone. The mist, unfortunately, is easily dispersed, making it useless in even a light breeze. The spell- Giant Spiders caster must concentrate during the duration of the spell, or the mist instantly disperses. The material hese creatures are both hunter and prey in the components for this spell are a bit of ragweed, TGoblin Marches. They come in many varieties. some troll dung, and an open flame. Large spiders build web-nests in the tall grass which grows irregularly across the region. In its web a spider can catch small animals and birds. The web threads when cognizant abilities are required. I have read in are so strong that even goblinoids and humans may some mage’s public notes that a left-side-dominated potentially be ensnared long enough for the spiders, ettin was found. As I recall it was actually more intelli- which dwell in groups of two to 20, to swarm over gent than an average member of the species—but not them. by much. The orcs call these spiders terruk-ukl, and make it a Occasionally, an ettin uses any treasure that it has practice to keep both spiders and their webs cleared accidentally found as a bribe, or as trade, to goblins or from the area surrounding their communities. Once a orcs in return for aid. These smaller beings build traps month, six to ten warriors make a perimeter check, around the ettin’s lair, help defend the ettin from foes, slaying any spiders they find, while burning or chop- hunt or gather food, dig tunnels, or accomplish any ping their webs as well. In this way, they do not have other sorts of tasks the two-headed giant asks of them. to worry about patrols, young at play, etc. falling acci- Surprisingly enough, ettins wishing such help dentally into spider snares. It is exceptionally good always pay for it—they do not collect slaves. Perhaps housekeeping, and a technique to which the lower this is because the ettin does not want the responsi- goblinkin have not yet caught on. bility of watching his slaves to make sure they do not At least one orc tribe has discovered the root of a escape, or perhaps it is because the creature just has particular plant, called the hundir, is poisonous to never imagined the possibility. Orcs and goblins usu- giant spiders. They often feed hundir root to small ally are happy to do the work, for often, an ettin offers animals and then throw them into terruk-ukl webs. them payment far beyond what the job is worth. The When the spiders drain the animal of its blood, they goblinoids rarely stay long, working only a few ingest hundir poison as well, and die. months, at most. Another type of spider found throughout the Trolls are rare near the surface. Sometimes a gnoll Marches and the Stonelands is the giant flying spider. tribe has a troll bodyguard to protect its chieftain, and This creature makes its home in underground caves

27 but sometimes comes up to the surface—particularly travel northward to capture dwarves as their favored at night—to hunt. It spins no webs, but flies on insec- sacrifices. Other hobgoblins settle for travelers or toid wings and swoops down upon its prey. Its pre- other goblinoids. ferred victims include small animals, goblins, kobolds, It is rumored that the heart of a phase spider is and even other spiders. actually a ruby of incredible size and worth, but the Generally, flying spiders do not attack humans treasure must be removed from the creature on the unless they appear to be easy targets. Perhaps that Ethereal plane or it will shatter into worthless advice is too vague. I can hear Elminster admonishing shards. even as my pen leaves the scroll. All right, if it is details you want, then details you get. To a flying spider, an easy target is one that is Hieracosphinxes alone, unarmored, and does not keep a significant amount of fire nearby. These spiders are afraid of ieracosphinxes are vicious, winged predators flame and dislike bright light. A campfire is sufficient Hthat dwell along the northern edge of the Storm to deter them. They are not intelligent enough to rec- Horn Mountains. Their hunting forays often take ognize a spell caster or realize the inherent dangers them deep into the Goblin Marches, for they prefer to such a target holds for them. feed on goblins, kobolds, and even orcs. They also fly Phase spiders are somewhat more intelligent than into the desert of Anauroch. There they hunt giant flying spiders. They, too, prefer easy targets, like androsphinxes, which they hate more than anything, the flying spider, but flamboyant spell effects, such as and search for gynosphinxes with which to mate. lightning bolts, fireballs, even walls of fire or ice, etc., Hieracosphinxes are cruel, evil, and intelligent. usually frighten them off. Phase spiders spin webs in They usually operate alone in this region, forming underground caverns and among the trees of the groups only to hunt down a hated androsphinx. I Farsea Marshes. I have heard that explorers have have heard that sometimes powerful humans of evil encountered them in the Stonelands, where they use disposition can convince a hieracosphinx to serve as a the huge standing stones as anchors for the webs they mount and a companion, but I do not know of the build. validity of this rumor. With their ability to go back and forth from the Ethereal plane to our own, these monsters can attack their prey, phase out, leaving a bewildered foe with no Medusae target to hit, then phase back in and resume the attack, again with surprise. They are there, then they idden away amidst the caves of the Goblin are not, then they are back. Using such tactics, phase HMarches and the crude obelisks of the spiders are successful preying on even such large and Stonelands are terrifying medusae (and their vicious targets as ogres, trolls, and giants. extremely rare male counterparts, whom I will discuss Due to their abilities and their unnervingly human soon). These horrible beings have no enemies in the faces, these spiders are feared and avoided by all of area, as all creatures fear their petrifying gaze. the humanoid population in the region. In fact, - A typical medusa spends most of its time in its lair, goblins revere phase spiders as minor godlings, ser- which is often a remote cave, an abandoned goblin vants of the divine sent to exact retribution against lair, or even a simple wooden cottage in a remote those that offended them. ravine. Like snakes, they do not eat often. This small Sometimes, a hobgoblin tribe (especially one with appetite is helpful, for their gaze often turns potential a powerful or influential shaman) sets up camp near, meals to stone. It seems contradictory that a creature but not within sight of, the web of a phase spider. could have an ability which actively hinders its sur- These hobgoblins attempt to capture victims for their vival, but such is the case for many a magically cre- “godlings.” There are some hobgoblins near the ated monster. Because of this curse, a medusa often southern edge of the Desertsmouth Mountains that seeks out a maedar.

28 Maedar while meeting her stare.) Once a man completes his Maedar are a personal discovery of mine. They are task, most medusae reward him with petrification. It incredibly rare—so rare, in fact, that very, very few seems a harsh treatment for a lover. individuals even know of their existence. Few These offspring, like those of medusa and maedar, medusae ever find maedar to mate with, but when hatch snakelike, from eggs. But they look human they do, they mate for life. enough as babies—chubby, pink-skinned girls with a A maedar provides food for himself and his mate by cap of green, stubby hair-tendrils. They always mature smashing her monument-ized victims with his great into medusae. strength. He has a natural ability to turn the petrified A medusa’s lair houses no more than three individ- shards back to flesh. uals. Those without maedar mates seek other medusae The ties between the two creatures are not purely to live with, for companionship and mutual gain. practical, though. There is a true emotional bond, Although it is true that a medusa can turn herself to found only rarely among such evil monsters. A stone if she sees her own reflected image, she is maedar is protective of his mate to the point of obses- immune to the gaze of others of her kind. sion. He will hunt her killers until they are dead— “Spinster” medusae must either hunt wearing masks nothing deters him except his own demise. or (more frequently) use bows at ranges great enough If a maedar and a medusa have offspring, nearly all that their intended prey does not first fall victim to their the unfortunate hatchlings are normal human chil- gaze. They can wield other weapons as well, and I have dren—strangely enough—who die when they see met some armed with daggers and even short swords. their mother. A rare few male babies are maedar. The bows they favor are short bows—they do not like These live, immune to their mother’s gaze, as well as large, bulky weapons, nor are they particularly strong. to the venom of her snaky locks. The spinster medusae that I have encountered or heard about do not like to be reminded of their petri- fying abilities, and so do not keep their victims in When a maedar and a medusa mate, 99% of the their lairs. In fact, it would seem that these sad, lonely resulting eggs hatch as normal human children. creatures despise their power. Unfortunately, they The other 1% of their eggs hatch as maedar, with direct their anger and hatred outward, vilifying most all of the noted immunities. other beings. If not hungry, a medusa is likely to pet- rify any living creature she comes upon. Maedar may be encountered outside the company A medusa’s value to alchemists and mages wishing to of a medusa, if they have not yet found a mate. It create magical items is great. Her eyes and blood are seems the frequency of medusae draws maedar to the both used in making ink for spell scrolls. The venom Stonelands and the Marches, for they wish to bond as produced by hair/serpents is renowned by assassins much as medusae do. Bachelor maedar sometimes live and their ilk for its deadliness. among orc or goblin tribes as welcome guests. In exchange for shelter and food, a maedar can Medusa eyes are used to make ink for protection from offer his hosts his abilities to move through stone. petrification scrolls, while their blood is used to create Using this ability, a maedar can find ore deposits, hid- potions of human and mammal control. den chambers, or new underground water sources. I have heard that some medusae use their own Maedar are also useful allies in combat, being intelli- venom to coat their weapons. I also have heard that gent tacticians, very strong, and fearless. certain, older medusae have learned to brew a potion But I have not finished with medusae. Without a which can change stone back to flesh. They use this maedar—and most medusae live their whole lives remedy to restore targets they accidentally petrify. without a soulmate—a medusa is forced to procreate Medusae often trade or sell these potions to others of by seducing humanoid males. She hides her terrifying their kind. Apparently they are popular nostrums, a visage—for a time. (Apparently, for her fabled gaze to fact for which many an adventurer has been grateful. work, the victim must see most of the medusa’s face If a fighter falls foul of the monster’s gaze, he or she

29 is petrified. But all is not lost. When (that is, if) his gain the aid of both medusae and maedar (they appar- companions manage to slay the medusa, most adven- ently know of the males’ existence). Rumor has it the turing teams now search the creature’s lair for the wizards of the Zhentarim have uncovered an ancient likely vials of this convenient potion. Finding it, they spell that protects a potential victim from a medusa’s can restore their stony friend to flesh, not too much gaze. Armed with this spell, the Black Network has the worse for wear. made offers of aid, treasure, and power in return for Although I do not know the exact time limit—nor medusae aid as special destructive agents. The Net- would I wish to take part in further tests to find out— work wishes to send the monsters south to assassinate I do know that a person can survive petrification if she key individuals and in general sow fear and disorder is restored back to flesh soon afterward. Oh, the in the Cormyrean ranks. rewards of personal experience! The gaze of a medusa I do not know if they have been successful in their petrified me. I remained in that state, alive but recruitment, but they must know that neither unconscious, for almost five minutes before my allies medusae nor maedar will long serve human masters. were able to transform me back to flesh with an A medusa’s contempt for other life is too strong, and a appropriate spell. maedar’s protectiveness for his mate will draw him to There is a snakelike creature known as a boalisk her side—away from any duties entrusted to him. that seems, like maedar, to be immune to a medusa’s gaze. Often kept as pets and guardians by medusae, these 25-foot-long snakes not only possess deadly Perytons constriction abilities, but also demonstrate a danger- ew creatures are a more constant danger to gob- ous gaze themselves. A boalisk’s stare causes a rotting Flins and other races in the Stonelands and disease in those it attacks. I have recently heard the Zhentarim are trying to southern Goblin Marches than perytons. These

30 evil, magical creatures prefer to hunt humans; when Wemics they cannot be found, other humanoids are the next best target. lthough there are no traditional in this Perytons swoop down upon their prey and attack A area, their rarer cousins, wemics, do roam the ruthlessly—usually surprising their targets. Their plains of the Goblin Marches. These leonine centaurs hides are immune to any blows save those by magi- are enemies of most goblin, orc and hobgoblin tribes, cal weapons, so few orcs or goblins can even wound although they have established uneasy truces with a them. few of their foes. Sages claim the monsters need human hearts to Each of the numerous prides of wemics is lead by a insure their own fertility. They point to this gruesome chieftain, who is always male. Like most of the cultures requirement, coupled with the fact that perytons have in the area, wemic society is strongly male-dominated. both the scent and the shadow of man, as proof that The reasons for this commonality are not clear. My the creatures were once human. These scholars sup- guess, based on my years of study, and on my own expe- pose the ancestors of the peryton race were cursed or rience leading an adventuring group, is that the male magically altered eons ago. I find myself in complete leaning toward warfare may be a determining factor. agreement with their reasoning. And I add these fur- The Marches are a region of constant strife. ther observations, gleaned from years of harrowing In any event, wemic society is primitive in compar- encounters. ison to human civilization, although these beings are Perytons are intelligent, crafty, and patient. They by no means unintelligent. They do make weapons are wont to make detailed plans which they follow and tools from stone and wood, and they create clay through to the letter—even if long waits are pottery as well. Any metallic items a wemic carries involved. A goblin will get bored, a hill giant con- have probably been salvaged from the battlefield, usu- fused. Not so a peryton. Like a cat at a mouse hole, a ally off slain orcs. peryton may look relaxed, but all the time it is Surrounded by the constant danger of living in the watching for its prey to break. Any error can be a open spaces of the Goblin Marches, a wemic tribe is fatal error. focused on defense. They are well-skilled in ambush- Perytons can eat anything, although usually the ing would-be attackers. Females and even children are flesh of those whose hearts they tear out suits them taught to fight hand to hand (or should I say tooth just fine. They do not need to waste time hunting for and hoof?), although they usually do not wield dinner if they are successful in their first pursuit. weapons in battle. Many wemic females do learn to On one of my trips back to civilization—or at least use such tools when they help in hunting. what passes for civilization in Tilverton’s high frontier Wemics are primarily meat-eaters. They stew roots, streets—I came upon a disturbing rumor about pery- wild berries, and certain grasses with their kills. tons. I have not been able to establish its truth, but I Although they usually try for smaller game, a band of find it significant enough to repeat it. wemic hunters may target such powerful beasts as It is said that somewhere in the Stonelands, a low- dinosaurs or behir if easier prey is lacking. land nest of perytons keeps a mixed group of orcs, Wemic prides are nomadic, and they travel the humans, elves and ogres captive. These are not simply length and breadth of the Marches. Younger males slaves to be worked to death, or food stockpiled for a may offer to guide travelers in exchange for a weapon, macabre feast. The monsters care for their captives as shield, or other metal item. They also accept money, a human drover might tend a herd of beef cattle. knowing that other races value it. Some humanoids are slaughtered for their hearts, and In times of great danger, wemic prides unite into a as food for the nest. But enough members of each single nation. A king is chosen from among the chiefs, species are kept alive, and bred, so that they can and he then has complete control over all members of reproduce and replenish the “herd.” the nation. Such a gathering has not happened in gen- erations, and would probably only occur in response to a major threat— say, the formation of a goblinoid army.

31 Part Five: Rumors and Events

he regions known as the Goblin south of the Storm Horns claims that orc and gob- Marches and the Stonelands are lin tribes are much closer to uniting than anyone filled with legends of the ancient believes. He boasts that Cormyr will run red with past and current happenings. Travel- blood shed by orc weapons within two years. He ers in the region need to be aware of would not give more details—other than to snarl both. The following are rumors and legends which that the goblinoids were not being led by an out- may or may not be true, but are important to note. side force. If there is any truth to this, the Neidlig They have been gleaned from various sources—tav- goblin tribe must be stirring. ern tales, goblin legends, dragon secrets, and old • Travelers from the north say the Great Desert has forgotten manuscripts. begun to spread southward again, and that the sand • An evil human cult has an underground temple in dunes are expanding at a measurable rate. Dust- the center of the Goblin Marches. Supposedly they storms and high winds are said to be increasing in hire mercenary orcs and ogres, and have built a the area. huge labyrinth with the help of kobold and goblin • Rumors of extraordinarily large worgs are spreading miners. This cult worships Cyric, the Prince of Lies throughout the Marches. Supposedly, a tribe of and God of Death. They have many undead ser- goblins crossbred their worgs with some other crea- vants. These cultists are now attempting to create a ture (some claim a spell or magical item must be dracolich to honor their god, but first they need a involved) to make them more dangerous. These willing dragon and some magical formulae from the beasts are said to stand almost 10’ at the shoulder. Cult of the Dragon. They may try to trick other- • Huge numbers of undead have begun to appear in wise altruistic adventurers into obtaining these for- the Stonelands, their source or creator unknown. mulae for them under false pretenses. Some blame the Zhentarim, while others claim • An ancient book called the Yielding Tide speaks of a these are the long-dead inhabitants of an ancient forgotten city-state that may once have existed in empire which once ruled the area. the High Moors. Supposedly the powerful wizards • A creature heretofore unknown in the region, of this city captured a minor goddess in order to probably unknown in all the Realms, has been steal her power. While the city and its wizards are spotted in the Goblin Marches. This four-armed, long gone, those who know the legend (and they insectlike being stands only five feet tall but pos- are few in number) believe the unnamed goddess is sesses the strength of a giant. Eyewitnesses report it still buried under the city’s ruins. She might grant is cutting a swath of destruction and screaming in her rescuers their heart’s desire—or she might slay an unknown language. A cleric who cast a tongues them in retributive anger. spell says that it is demanding to be returned to its • A powerful band of human and dwarven adventur- own world. ers recently scoured the Goblin Marches, killing all • A gnoll/orc border raider band found a wooden war goblinoids they found. Whole tribes were destroyed galleon amid the huge rocks of the Stonelands. or forced to abandon their lairs. In the band’s wake, Although the obviously misplaced ship shows signs displaced goblins roam the countryside, and other of incredible age, it is basically intact. Some say it creatures, such as medusae, claim the empty cave is a magical flying ship, left over from the decadent complexes. Asramian assault on the Cloudlands. Others claim • An orc prisoner captured by Cormyrean soldiers the vessel can sail to other worlds.

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