The Court of King Hogboon

GM: Andrew Szilvasy
Players: Nicholas Vlamis, Tim Jones
Characters: Cassius, Siobhan, Erkan, Aurelian, Poldmere, and the thief (later named Nobbins Quickthumb); with Naganin

Summary

The party geared up for an overland expedition — tents, camping supplies, weapons for the previously unarmed characters (Siobhan the druid took a spear, shield, and leather armor), and standard adventuring gear (rope, grappling hook, chalk, caltrops, tinderbox). With Naganin guiding them (and unable to get lost while he’s along), they headed north toward his old home — a ruined temple now occupied by goblins — planning to stop at the fauns’ wine grove along the way.

Crossing toward the river, they helped free a small fae creature (leprechaun-like) whose fishing line had tangled in his own beard; in gratitude he gave them a 150 GP turquoise gem before fleeing, visibly spooked by sounds coming from the woods. Those sounds turned out to be three very drunk goblins crossing a rickety bridge, singing about “Good King Hogboon” and goblin conquest. The party let them pass unharmed rather than start a fight over nothing.

At the wine grove, two fauns appeared, uninterested in the dragon or the town’s troubles — they only wanted to trade. The party gave up a sentimental item (the unsigned love letter meant for Warwick the smith) in exchange for a wineskin of the magical wine. The fauns also offered a gate into Feyland, which Naganin urged them to refuse — Fae is dangerous and unpredictable for mortals, with unreliable time and distance and hostile elvish hunters.

The party camped for the night (successful firewood gathering, cooking, and storytelling around the fire), though a mix-up left dirt from the faun grove in Cassius’s bedroll, giving him a bad night’s sleep and the exhausted condition (-1 to attack/damage rolls) the next day. Continuing north, they reached Naganin’s ruined temple — now goblin territory — and were spotted by the dragon itself: a huge, glistening black, alligator-like creature dripping acid and spittle, with an unnervingly unnatural roar. Fleeing, the party dove through a window into the temple to escape it, landing in a room piled with looted books, crockery, and human and animal remains.

Naganin scouted invisibly and reported 13 goblins bracing the front door against the dragon outside. During the chaos, Cassius cast Sleep, downing 9 of them just as the dragon’s assault (and a large boar-headed goblin noble’s arrival) escalated the situation. The dragon eventually gave up trying to get in and moved off to the north — pausing unusually long near the northwest corner of the temple before it left.

Rather than fight the remaining goblins, the party talked their way out: Cassius, with an excellent Charisma roll, convinced the boar-headed goblin — introduced as King Hogboon, ruler of a growing goblin kingdom — that they’d only been hiding from the dragon. Impressed, Hogboon offered to knight the whole party (and make Cassius his advisor) if they captured the dragon alive and brought it to him — he was cagey about why it needed to be alive. He revealed that a legendary sword lies in the Tomb of Sir Brandon, said to have once slain a dragon in the region; goblins he sent to retrieve it never returned. He gave the party a magical Rope of Unburdening to help haul the dragon back, plus a signed token guaranteeing safe passage through goblin territory (which he claims extends to the river).

The session ended with the party planning to retrieve the sword from Sir Brandon’s tomb before attempting anything with the dragon, and considering picking off the remaining goblins (and possibly pitting the goblins, the dragon, and an as-yet-unencountered giant against each other) rather than facing all ~19 goblins at once.

Important Details Discovered

• King Hogboon: A large, boar-headed, human-sized goblin in a nobleman’s frock, ruling a “growing goblin kingdom” out of Naganin’s old temple. Wants the dragon captured alive (reason unknown) and is expanding his territory toward the river.
• The dragon: Glistening black, alligator-like, drips acid/spittle, smells of rotting flesh, makes an unnaturally metallic/mechanical roar. It attacked the goblins’ front door but couldn’t fit through, then moved off north.
• Tomb of Sir Brandon: Said to hold a legendary sword that once slew a dragon in the area. Goblins Hogboon sent there haven’t returned.
• Fauns/wine grove: Uninterested in the dragon crisis; trade only in sentimental/emotional items for their magical wine. A Feyland gate exists there but is dangerous — unreliable time/distance, hostile elvish hunters and hounds.
• Naganin’s abilities: Can turn invisible at will but is revealed the moment he takes an action; loses his powers entirely if imprisoned. Not privy to any secret entrance to his old temple.
• The missing dwarves: Naganin knew them as friendly visitors who used to bring him supplies — he has no idea they went missing.
• Goblins are not fae and are unaffected by the wine grove’s magic (unlike mortals in general, who can be knocked out by a sip).

Treasure Found

• 150 GP turquoise gem — gift from the freed fae creature at the riverbank
• Wineskin of magical faun wine — traded for a sentimental love letter
• Sweetgrass (magical herb) — foraged near the wine grove; vanilla-scented, usable in potions/rituals (attracts good spirits, small healing effects)
• Rope of Unburdening — a 20-foot magic rope that makes anything tied to it feel weightless; given by King Hogboon to help capture the dragon
• Sigil token / safe-passage paper — marked with King Hogboon’s ring, grants safe passage through goblin-claimed territory
• Still pending: Naganin’s promised 500 GP pot of gold, and the legendary sword at the Tomb of Sir Brandon

Next Session Plans

• Locate and retrieve the sword from the Tomb of Sir Brandon
• Decide how to deal with the remaining goblins — possibly picking them off in smaller groups rather than facing all ~19 at once
• Consider using the dragon, the goblins, and the still-unencountered giant against one another
• No session next week (players traveling)