We'll take the baby to the goblin city!

What kind of magic spell to use?

Between here and the goblin city is a great underground maze. Well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration. But there’s a maze. And it is underground. And while most people entering it will be looking to get out the other end as soon as possible, there are chambers within the maze with their own hidden tricks, symbols, and messages.

And of course… the goblins. Not regular goblins, of course not. That would be convenient. Instead we are dealing once again with the infamous shroom-goblins. For those unfamiliar with these strange fungal humanoids, we have a lovely table explaining what’s special about them:

Shroom Goblin Species & Powers (roll 1d12)

• 1. Violet Goblin – has scary-looking antlers.
• 2. White Goblin – typical goblin but very, very pale.
• 3. Lumpy Goblin – goblin is misshapen with massive nose, ears or other body parts.
• 4. Explosive Goblin – this goblin explodes in a pressurized blast of harmless spores when slain. Frightening but harmless.
• 5. Shrieking Goblin – screams very loudly when alarmed. Attracts other goblins to the scene of the action.
• 6. Ascomoid Goblin – tucks himself into his heavy armour (+2 AC) and rolls down the caves, charging into his opponents at double normal speed. However, he must make a save versus paralysis after charging an opponent or spend the next round stunned.
• 7. Basidirond Goblin – when killed, this goblin erupts into a 15′ radius cloud of spores that last for 1 round and cause confusion (DC 10 Con save to resist) for 1d6+1 rounds for anyone who contacts or breathes them during that round.
• 8. Contagious Goblin – anyone wounded by this goblin must make a DC 10 Con save or become infected with a horrible fungal infection that deals 1d30 damage per day that cannot be healed until the infection is removed (via restoration). If the disease kills the victim, 1d4 shroom-goblins erupt from the corpse.
• 9. Spotted Goblin – massive warts cover the goblin. Anyone touching the goblin (such as attacking with natural weapons) must make a DC 8 Con save or grow similar nasty warts.
• 10. Cubic Goblin – roll 1d6 twice on this table.
• 11. Absurd Goblin – roll 1d8 twice on this table.
• 12. The Nuclear Option – treat as a cubic goblin, but explodes as contagious, spotted basidirond goblin.

Now, personally I have some pretty strong opinions about mazes and labyrinths in RPGs. (Hint: it involves not using a map – navigating a labyrinth is a mix of luck and skill, not cartography. Make appropriate skill checks, play it “theatre of the mind”, and include a few random locations to run into).

HOWEVER, Since I drew one as an illustration before GenCon, I’ve had the bloody things running through my head lately, so I tried to exorcise it here.

Thanks to your support, this map is downloadable for personal or commercial use from the post at https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2017/09/15/well-take-the-baby-to-the-goblin-city/