Southland: Argyle Diamond Mine

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Southland Index

Humanoid Lands Index

Argyle Diamond Mine

[Something of a stripped mountain.  Again, there’s a big dungeon inside it, dominated by a large central tunnel.]

Seven Sisters Myth: The Sisters found a mighty Wizard burning himself trying to dig diamonds out of an erupting volcano.  They offered to help him in return for helping them escape.  All of their magic managed to silence the mountain, and they dug out a pile of diamonds.  The Wizard thanked the Sisters, grabbed the prettiest one, and disappeared with her.      

Goblins are like cockroaches.  They’re everywhere and can’t be permanently eliminated.  The largest concentration of them is at the Argyle Diamond Mine.  Not only a valuable deposit, Argyle is the only known source in the Commonwealth of rare Pink Diamonds.  The gems are retrieved from a very large volcanic pipe (thankfully, not active.)  While they are not very effective fighters, the Goblins are well entrenched in the Argyle and very numerous.  They seemingly can’t be flushed out, hampering all efforts at mining.

Goblins are organized into a multitude of tribes are each lead by their own Chief.  They are unable to use magic, but, unlike Orcs and Hobgoblins, Goblins are able to keep animal mounts (without eating them immediately).  Goblins are omnivores.  While preferring meat, they’ll eat anything organic, short of feces.  (The Argyle Goblins seem to be living off vermin, mushrooms, lichen, and likely their own dead.)  They eat constantly and have few thoughts beyond their next meal.  Goblins can replicate once every two weeks.  New Goblins mature in about a month.

Tribes don't fight internally.  Tribes tend to only have mock fights between themselves, but they don’t work together well regardless, since they’ll end up fighting over the all-important food supply.  Generally, the stronger tribe simply bullies out the weaker one.  Goblins will fight other species only if they have a tremendous advantage and a big, possible gain, or are protecting something they deem valuable.  Mostly they are either enslaved or bullied by the larger Humanoid races. 

Generally weak fighters and not very smart, Goblins will relent from stubborn resistance or after serious losses.  They won't even attack superior foes by themselves without powerful leadership.  No use of tactics, they usually just attack en mass in a frontal assault in Mob units.  Ranged attack and cavalry are a disorganized afterthought.  They tend to sabotage their own plans through cowardice, inattention, over exuberance, and outright rebellion, unless closely and violently supervised. 

Goblin Soldier

HD 1, Hp 4, AC 15 (Leather, Light Wooden Shield)

Fort +2, Ref +2, Will –3

Melee: Club +1 to hit 1d6

Ranged: Javelin +3 to hit 1d4, S

Mounted troops

(Charge: Spear +1 to hit 1d8)

A near mindless creature in combat.  They attack if forced, otherwise, they’ll probably scatter.  Mounted Goblins are usually field scouts, though if they are planning a raid, they might be massed as a unit.  (The term “planning” is used in the loosest sense of word when applied to Goblins.) 

Goblin Captain

HD 2, Hp 8, AC 16 (Studded Leather, Light Wooden Shield)

Fort +3, Ref +2, Will -1

Melee: Morningstar +2 to hit 1d8

Ranged: Javelin +4 to hit 1d4, S

Not much better than the average Goblin, a little braver.

Goblin Mob

HD 5, Hp 40, AC 15 (Leather, Light Wooden Shield)

Fort +2, Ref +2, Will –3

Melee: Club +5 to hit 1d6+5

Grapple: +5 to hit, One DC 18 Str check or Escape Artist skill can be made to break loose.  A swarm or grapple attack may also be used to pull down a mounted rider. 

Mob: Must have at least 10 and be lead by a Captain.  Takes 1 rd to organize.  Will last until the Captain is killed or the group is reduced to 20 hp.  Called shot to take out Captain.

This is the Goblin’s preferred combat tactic.  Unfortunately, there’s usually plenty of Goblins available to create several Mobs.

Goblin Chief

HD 4+1, Hp 20, AC 17 (Chain Mail, Light Wooden Shield)

Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1

Melee: Longsword +5 to hit 1d8+1

Goblins aren’t lead so much as pushed in the direction of food.  The Chief is the Goblin who is best at finding food for the tribe.  He tends to get bigger from eating more than the rest.

Bugbear (Mutant Goblin)

HD 3d8+3, Hp 16, AC 17 (Leather, Light Wooden Shield)

Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1

Melee: Morningstar +5 to hit 1d8+2

Ranged: Javelin +3 to hit 1d6+2

Stealth +6

Much larger, mutant Goblins.  Naturally stealthy, very cruel and brutish.  Tend to be mute.  They seem clever, but are bent to only thinking about killing and eating.

Dire Kangaroo Mount

3d8+9 (22 hp) AC 13

Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +1

Melee: Doesn’t engage in melee unless they lose their rider

Hop at 20 mph with rider