Full Item Description
A strong, 20’+ long wooden pole, with a sturdy basket at one end large enough to carry a small goblin, and a leather-wrapped handle on the other end, sized for huge hands.
History
A refinement of the scaling ladder, this was constructed to take advantage of the great size of the larger humanoids, and the small size of others. It’s origins have been attributed variously to the goblin chief Narku, the oddly intelligent ogre chief Morkaar, and by others to a rogue dwarfish necromancer known simply as He. What is known is that at least four human forts have fallen to this device, generally at night time or in bad weather. The number of goblins expended in failures, however, no one can tell.
The Goblin Pole is a specialized device used by humanoids to break into places. It requires a team of an ogre or similar large humanoid, and a sacrificial , er, volunteer goblin. Since most fortifications are not that huge, a 10’ ogre can usually put the goblin up on a 25’ wall without much difficulty, though the experience is generally quite harrowing for the goblin. Once on the wall, the goblins mission is to sneak down and open the gates. It is expected to be used when something has either distracted the garrison, or when things such as inclement weather make detection unlikely.
Other uses include having the goblin to drop items onto the wall, such as poisonous snakes, oil, etc. In this role, the goblin is often strapped into the basket to allow them to better focus on the mission. Theoretically, they could be used in battle to give a goblin archer a better line of sight, but few goblins are brave enough to serve effectively in this role - their nerves ruin their aim.
Campaign Use
Likely a one-shot wonder that a mixed humanoid army could use to surprise PCs’ One can make it even more subtle by introducing variants which can be broken down for easy travel, or even have been made invisible by magic.
Additional Ideas (4)
2.) Long arm to feed huge monsters.
3.) 'Jousting' during Ogre parties, of course with goblins in the baskets...
4.) Retriving objects from wells and similar deep places.
5.) PCs could try using one with the halfling in the party.
7) Prop one up, good place to get away from it all
8) Scouting
9)Put some feed around it and use it for deer hunting.
11.) If the fortifications are low, the wielders could first 'clear up' the wall from its defenders with a swing, then drop the first cannon fodder while the real fighters get up the wall. Might work.
12.) Harvesting resources from those really high unclimbable trees...
13.) ...and as an extension, taking care of those pesky elven tree houses.
14.) Taking two, and making a huge net, with some luck a whole army unit could be immobilized for a few precious moments.
16.) Scratching that really bad itch in your ultralarge back. It's not always about war.
17.) Delivering workforce across ravines to span ropes, build bridges and the like.
18.) To keep kidnapped people in sight during negotiations. If you attack or don't seem willing to pay, they just might drop it...
19.) While few ogres are smart enough for that, it is a perfect tool to detect traps.
October 2, 2007, 20:49
A strong, 20'+ long wooden pole, with a sturdy basket big enough to carry a small goblin, and a leather-wrapped handle on the other end, sized for huge hands. You had me laughing from the description alone!
Of course, this is still only slightly kinder than the goblin catapult :)
(could use a quick spell/grammer check)
October 2, 2007, 22:59
October 3, 2007, 3:28
Step 2: get your cousin onto the pole
Step 3: get another cousin
HAHAHAHAHA!
October 3, 2007, 8:05
October 3, 2007, 17:51
October 3, 2007, 18:31
This thing will have a very bad safety record. :)
October 3, 2007, 19:26
October 5, 2007, 12:00
October 3, 2007, 18:29
Fantasy warfare is definitely a different beast than the common one, and this is shown here nicely. Great work.
October 5, 2007, 9:19
o_0
0_0
o_o
x_x
*head asplodes*
Funny stuff. Those poor goblins...Oh well, plenty more where they came from! :)
October 5, 2007, 12:06
Nice one val - I can definately see this being used
The goblins would hate it of course
But then again again, who cares what a goblin thinks
3½ for a damn good idea
+½ cos I'm having serious trouble keeping a straight face
So - 4/5
Nice work val
October 28, 2008, 9:28
October 28, 2008, 19:37
October 8, 2010, 17:44
BUMP. Just 11 more pole functions to go for 30 :)