Fires Over Brinestump, They Be Goblins

The original map of the Licktoad Village, suspended on 10' stilts.

My version of the Licktoad Village, 10' stilts left to the imagination.

For a behind the scenes look at the maps and encounters from this adventure, check out Behind the Screen: They Be Goblins.

The players accept Walthus' help and the group paddles through the swamp toward the goblin village. Adrezi smells goblins in the distance so the group disembarks, only to find the ship once occupied by the goblin Vorka (see We Be Goblins, Parts 1 & 2). The ship is empty, but Locke notices that the name of the ship is the "Kaijitsu Star". Shocked by seeing her last name on the ship, Locke and Paz take the nameplate off the ship to show Ameiko.

The group also locates the lair of the S.R.M. (see The Beasts of the Bog), filled with humanoid bones and several personal items, including a locket engraved with the name "Claire" (see the Rumors and In-Character Knowledge sample for the rumor about Harold Olver's sister).

Fires over Brinestump, The Beasts of the Bog

A = Old Fish Trail; E = Soggy River Bridges; G = Walthus Proudstump's Cottage

After the party decides to venture into the Brinestump Swamp to pursue the psychotic and firework-armed Licktoad goblins, they spend some time buying supplies and investigating their rumors, including interviewing fisherman Thomas Bain about his recent encounter with the cryptid Soggy River Monster (see Rumors and In Character Knowledge in last week's Behind the Screen).

Brinestump's infamous Soggy River Monster

Into the Swamp

• Even the party's scout, Rillka, hasn't spent much time in the Brinestump. Though she knows that the Licktoad tribe lives there, she doesn't know the location of their settlement.
• Rillka suggests they visit her "friend" Walthus Proudstump (see Rumors link above).
• The party eases their way through the swamp along the Old Fish Trail, their imaginations fueled by Thomas' horrifying and alcohol-addled description of the Soggy River Monster.
• The party's paranoia causes them to watch every step of their journey to Proudstump's.
• Noises in the distance, the waxing and waning din of swamp sounds, and bizarre scents on the wind raise their anxiety.
• They carefully cross two bridges on the way to Walthus', but the third and final bridge is washed out.
• Rillka locates a tree fallen across the river to use as a ford.
• Antax and Adrezi swim across just upriver of the log.
• When Rillka crosses, a pair of pasty white, three-fingered hands reach out of the water and pull her under.