Appearance
Large and well fed for a goblin, Fhlinghin looks much like the rest of his kin. His head is rather flat on top with sparse black hair, large almost bat-like ears and a comically bulbous nose. He has most of his teeth which are cone shaped and worn from years of poor diet. He is somewhat different in that his hands are often marked with patches of ash and minor burns and the thick goblin often smells of ozone and electricity.

To have the look of a serious mercenary, Fhlinghin wears a leather harness that crosses acros his chest, a thick leather belt, and thick soled boots. He carries throwing daggers in the straps of the harness as well as a pouch of goblin snuff, healing potions, and a horn of goblin brewed beer.

History/Background
Fhlinghin was once just like any other goblin, thin, hungry, abused, and used. Like any other goblin, hewas also conniving and always looking for a way out of the normal goblin's life. After some hardscrabble years, Fhlinghin was chosen from the men of the tribe to join a necromancer's army. things went well enough for a few years. The food was better but the beatings were more enthusiastic, as instead of other goblins there were hobgoblins, orcs, and trolls in charge.

A band of stalwart heroes later attacked the lair of the necromancer. This band was slain, and Fhlinghin was among the troops that had survived their attack and participated in the looting of their bodies. Splattered in the blood of the mage, the young goblin spied a shiny on the mage's corpse and quickly did what goblins were best at; he ate it. Planning on claiming the jewel when it 'came back' Fhlinghin waited, and waited, and waited until he decided that it must have tasted pretty good and that he really ate it instead of just swallowing it.

Some days later, an overseer attempted to whip Fhlinghin and several other goblins for sleeping instead of digging new latrines. Fhlinging and the other goblins hurled insults at the hobgoblin whip-officer and with a violent gesture and vile insult something shocking happened. A jagged bolt of purple lightning erupted from Fhlinghin's outstretched middle finger, incinerating the hobgoblin and scarring the wall behind him. Fearing repercussions from the necromancer, Fhlinghin and the rest of his newfound mob fled from the camps with the goblin blasting several more bunches of guards during their escape.

Since that day, his mob has grown quite devoted to Fhlinghin, mostly since he is too lazy to properly beat them and instead just threatens to 'zap em if they det too far out of line. No longer petty thugs, Fhlinghin operates as a low cost mercenary, often working for food and rides to a new destination. While not having the best reputation, they are rather fond of taking long naps, Fhlinghin and his mob of 30 or so goblins have proven themselves reluctantly trustworthy.

Special Equipment
The Zap-Bolt Rock - Also known as the Jewel of Argus, this relic from ages past was part of a goblin treasure horde until Fhlinghin filched it and other pieces. Crafted from skystone and infused with the elemental power of storms, it is the object that gives the goblin his special ability. Thus far the jewel remains lodged in the lower part of his stomach. The following list details the powers of the stone. If conditions are rainy and lightning is naturally present, the uses can be doubled, plus the stone gives the goblin a basic immunity to electrical based damage.

  • Thunderbolt - with a staggering boom, Fhlinghin can 'throw' a thunderbolt roughly 300 feet with some accuracy. A powerful attack, the thunderbolt can vaporize unprepared foes, stun much larger enemies, and is pretty nifty for flash cooking cattle and other large herbivores. It is also the most difficult use of the stone and Fhlinghin can only toss between 1 and 3 of these in a given day.
  • Chain Lightning - Only having an effective range of 100 or so feet, chain lightning starts as a single bolt that hits an object and splits, arcing between several targets before dissipating. Fhlinghin uses his daggers to good effect with this power as he can eaily hit a metal object moreso than a living one. His current favorite trick is to throw a dagger high above a sheltered foe and follow with a jab of chain lighting. Most foes are stunned or killed as the lightning chains down from the dagger to hit them from above. He also likes to use this power on flights of startled birds, his mob likes this too because it means flash cooked pheasants, pidgeons, and the like.
  • Shock - His weakest ability, this causes a strong electrical discharge to leap a short distance, less than a foot, and hit someone else. While causing little or no damage, the hit is obviously painful. Fhlinghin has since learned that humans really really hate having this power used on their crotches, which unfortunately encourages him to do it more.
  • Ball Lightning - The most devastating power of the stone, Ball Lightning actually summons an elemental composed entirely of lightning. this elemental only remains for ten to fifteen seconds, but during that short amount of time, it can cast a staggering number of electrical attacks as well as shattering anytihng made of glass or crystal, liquifing metals, and setting flammable materials on fire. This is the most draining use of the stone, and renders Fhlinghin's powers unusable for a week or longer.
  • Roleplaying Notes
    Fhlinghin is not a nice goblin, years of habitual abuse have left him seething with anger and a desire to get back at those who abused him. This combined with his newfound electrical affinities has given him a bit of a Napoleon complex. thankfully, he has no special hatred for humans, but rather for orcs, trolls, and the like and would be a liberator of his goblin kin. The only problem with being a liberator is that it means alot less time for the things that Fhlinghin likes, namely beer, copious amounts of food, napping for hours, and the like.

    Fhlinghin's mob is much like him, eager to hunt and kill for crimes against them in the past, but also lazy almost to a fault. Once roused, they are effective scouts and skirmishers but are largely helpless against heavily armored foes or heavy cavalry. Otherwise they are decent cooks, play passable music and dont complain about setting or breaking camp, plus few are skilled as goblin looters.

    Plot Hooks
    Goblin for Hire - Running low on funds Fhlinghin and his mob advertise their services as hirelings. The PCs happen to be in a position needing some hirelings to help in their current venture. The surprising thing, Fhlinghin has some references whose only complaints are that the mob smelled terrible and ate too much.

    Band of Goblins - The PCs benefactor has hired Fhlinghin and his mob as reinforcements for a coming battle, leaving the PCs in the position of having a goblin mob as their back-up. Instead of ending up as sword-fodder, Fhlinghin and his goblins actually do a passable job with thier shortbows, spears, and cleavers.

    Inspired by Pieh's Hucken Fyreb'lls. Link below.

    Login or Register to Award Scrasamax XP if you enjoyed the submission!
    XP
    160
    HoH
    1
    Hits
    6,713
    ? Hall of Honour (1 voters / 1 votes)
    Hall of Honour
    Pieh
    ? Scrasamax's Awards and Badges
    Society Guild Journeyman Dungeon Guild Journeyman Item Guild Master Lifeforms Guild Master Locations Guild Master NPC Guild Master Organizations Guild Journeyman Article Guild Journeyman Systems Guild Journeyman Plot Guild Journeyman Hall of Heros 10 Golden Creator 10 Article of the Year 2010 NPC of the Year 2011 Most Upvoted Comment 2012 Article of the Year NPC of the Year 2012 Item of the Year 2012 Article of the Year 2012 Most Submissions 2012 Most Submissions 2013 Article of the Year 2013 Submission of the Year 2010