Goblin Graveyards & Cults

I think more and i'd like goblins to be a core race in my setting with some capacity to selects a speciality sub race to mutate into. Have considered replacing halflings with them. Not reading much inspiring on line of late. Mostly ppl I know have to some degree become commercial and doing less but more resolved. When the weird go pro (happens to mant good hobbies). Am gobbling up so much Cthulhu stuff I might declare it my religion next census. Going to Sydney a few days to lodge a form so i have option of working there and keeping myself in casual and holiday rosters there. I get to see kids I've known for 5 years some I got into DnD. Will be playing my Exilon game there.

So as Ive had so few new ideas and busy awaiting the house im moving to being vacant and busy with adulting stuff. Overall stuff is better but im mobile and stuff stored. Anyway this terrible idea came from me being alliterative which i guess got a germ of an idea.

Goblin Graveyards on Exile Island

Goblins have lived everywhere before humans and many times have turned a wasteland to farm able land only to have humans turn up and build castles and claim this land was theirs and had been discovered. Anyway goblins bring this stuff up a bit when not human serfs. As a result all over the land there are goblin grave sites pretty much one per hours march on a road you see one if you know the signs. In the forests you see where goblins shaped the land to aid hunters. In the creeks you find ancient stone fish traps that were used for thousands of years. Arrowheads, campsites, midden heaps and rock art abound showing how common goblins were in the dawn age. 

Graveyards are known about only to learned or well travelled city folk but common knowledge to country folk. Many have been tampered with especially near human settled lands, looted for stone and treasure. Ones in forests, marshes and mountains are more often intact. Also people learned certain signs and left the most dangerous looking ones alone or buried them as hazards of elder goblin magic from the darkness. Most city people think defiling the dead terrible but a bigger shame to leave treasure laying about.

Colour code d12 dice with first 4 tables and roll all at once
and roll a d6 with a 1 = d3 hauntings
these describe basic area of 2d20 graves

Condition 
Dressings (could roll d3 times)
Local Burial Custom (could roll d3 times)
Cult (could roll d3 times)
Haunting for graveyard (1in6 graveyards have a d3 effects)

next three are for investigating each grave

Common Grave Good roll d3 times
roll d6 on a 1 has a Grave Defence & Grave Treasure 

d12 Condition
1 Vandalised by clerics of more recent religion, objects smashed or defaced with holy symbols

2 Looted by recent treasure hunters who dug up place and smashed things searching

3 Old and forgotten, long ago ruined, overgrown and crumbled to mostly rubble 

4 Damaged by elements such as running water, earth slide, wind erosion, tree growth  

5 Damaged by something large, smashed and dug place up long ago

6 Prospector or 1in6 chance of a murder hobo adventurer party digging this claim

7 Intact, covered in pleasant moss and grass and shrubbery

8 Spooky with cobwebs, toadstools, ugly animal (possibly a little bit part goblin)
9 Well maintained with signs of recent activity of goblin rituals like offerings or new burial

11 Dozen gobbos pilgrims & religious leader and pets here to maintain holy place 

12 Goblins here for a ceremony, dozen of them including leaders and heroes and pets

d12 Goblin Graveyard Dressings

1 Artificial mounds, 1in6 with post holes or stones on top with circle pattern

2 Rings of stones of various sizes from hand to goblin size

3 Land and vegetation is serene sculpted garden of great beauty

4 Giant fungus and rings of smaller fungi over area 

5 Stone pillars with niches for heads to fit in with skulls in them 1in6 fresh enemy heads

6 Sinister megalithic stone monument worn by worshippers over aeons

7 Corn doll figures of goblins have been left hanging in vegetation

8 Goblin bones mixed in with soil and a few larger bones exposed

9 Carved totem pole often with multiple faces dedicated to a god or spirit or several
10 Stone altar worn smooth from aeons of blood sacrifice here
11 Goblin Runes carved on rocks, trees and even in earthworks
12 Great cavern or twisted tree with carved goblin figures

d12 Local Burial Custom
1 Bark tube coffin sealed in crevice or cave or buried with food and bags and tools

2 A mound of rubble is deposited by loved ones over the body

3 Body is burned with remains in funeral urn and some eaten by kin

4 Body buried in wicker basket with a pet 

5 Huge boulders from goblin size to many tonne for leaders on top of body

6 Sealed in tomb with sacrificial slaves and followers with tools and everyday goods

7 Buried in a clay jar in fetal position

8 Flensed skeleton arranged with all their skull collection at feet

9 Small stone hut crypt where remains in niches or jars

10 Mummified in a coffin in a stone sarcophagi 

11 Earth mound with crude stone lined tunnel tomb complex inside with many burials

12 Bodies are made into undead and stored in coffins or peat for future use

d12 Goblin Cults (names are tribal and bigger tribes have several)
1 Ancestral Cult 

2 The worm God
3 Faerieland

4 The Insect Cult 

5  The Horned God

6 Hobgoblin King 

7 The Goblin King

8 Mushroom Mother 

9 Chaos Jester
10 Great Frog Mother  

11 Spider Mother

12 Mother & Father Bugbear

d12 Haunting Table for graveyard 
1n6 in untouched graveyard

1 Hear beating goblin drums and chanting but only with lo

2 Hear wolves, bats squeaking, bugs all noisy then stop

3 Cold supernatural breeze chills everyone in area lose 1hp

4 Shadowy figures moving in distance

5 Creepy animal with red eyes watching you

6 Muttering voices from underground

7 Huge spider or centipede or giant rat attack

8 Spectral goblin elders chanting, save or run away with fear for a d4 rounds

9 Poltergeist awakens, starts having angry fits

10 Bats flying all around cause confusion for a d4 rounds if fail save

11 Lesser demon abuses then attacks for a d6 rounds then leaves in puff of smoke

12 Wraith with spectral scythe called from underworld to punish defilers

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d12 Grave Defences

1 Curse -2d4 Con if fail save until removed, strikes who breaks seal first
2 Shadow arises where warrior was sacrificed to be a guardian if damaged
3 Swarm of rats, worms or bugs pours out of grave if damaged

4 A magic mouth sternly rebukes you as you rob grave, possibly in old language

5 Terrible rotting disease strikes all in area save to resist

6 Poltergeist arises and menaces all in area if touched without respect

7 Random encounter attracted by spirits or possibly lairs in this grave

8 Extra d4 slave zombies arise if any damage

9 Imp appears invisibly starts campaign of terror, sabotage and distraction

10 Disturb ghouls hidden here with a 1in6 chance of attracting d6 more 

11 Skeletons arise in area 2d6  with a 1in6 chance of attracting shadow

12 Zombies arise in are d4 with a 1in6 chance of attracting wight

d12 Common Goblin Grave Goods
d3 items per grave of d3 bodies

1 Stone bowl
2 Clay vase
3 Wooden spoon carved
4 Toothbrush
5 Copper knife
6 Wooden stool
7 Silver sickle 30gp
8 Semiprecious stone 10gp
9 Jug of nasty goblin grog
10 Large Crystal 50gp
11 Stone statuette of goblin god 20lb worth 80gp

12 Copper arm band or Ivory tusk medallion 15gp

d12 Goblin Grave Treasure
1in6 chance of untouched grave

1 Torc d4 1=bronze 90gp 2=silver 180gp 3=gold 360gp 4=crystal torc +1 protection 

2 +1 sling

3 Stone +1 Javelin or +1 Mace or +1 Shortsword 

4 +1 Small Shield with goblin cult symbol

5 Chest with d4x100sp 

6 Stone +1 dagger or club or spear

7 Chariot broken into parts and horse skeletons 300gp if working

8 Spider Venom Antidote

9 Healing Mushrooms d4 doses heal d4 HP

10 Missile ammo x2d4 shots +1 arrows or sling stones

11 Set of d4 Fetishes gives +1 on save once

12 Goblin Fertility Idol double births in household over year

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d12 Goblin Cults
Often names are tribal and bigger tribes have several cults


1 Mother & Father Goblin
Ancestor cult mostly shamans and priests of tribal goblins
Humans chase them away mostly
Worship first pair of goblins made in fairyland to work on creation in the early dawn age. These goblins commune with ancestors and leave them offerings, kin to many nature spirits in plants animals and land. They mostly want to be left alone on their traditional land
Treasure includes ivory, stone tools, grinding tones, baskets, flint, ochre, figures of kin or ancestor bones

2 The Great Worm God - The Gnawer Beneath
Mostly shamans and tribal
Infamous as cannibals, traitor and losers humans try to exterminate them
Worm that gnaws first heard goblins hunger and resentment and aided their rebellion to run wild. When the worm god fell most of this cult fled into the deeps. They are always desperate and hungry but ever living albinos
Treasure includes food for afterlife often decayed or worm ridden, piles of teeth

3 King and Queen of Faerieland 
Common to all goblin magicians and cultures
Know as serfs of faerie who's lot is to perhaps reincarnate into a pixie
These goblins still serve their creators and faerieland who readied the world for the arrival of the sun which some resented. Their depictions and conduct varies seasonally such as the bright fey ruling summer and dark fey ruling winter. They are advanced gardeners growing forests, thorn hedges, holy herbs and food for faerie forests
Treasure includes elf made items and petty treasures, wine and clothing

4 The Insect Cult - Million Swarming Ones
Shamans or priesthoods of tribal and common folk
Most people know most insect cults just mind their own business
Provides food and labour and works hard, each breed has own spirit. Most tribes specialise in a bug type like bee, ant, beetle, wasp. Often traders who travel with loads over the world
Treasure includes jewellery with insect motif of copper or 1in6 times gold and amber

5  The Horned god - Lord of Beasts & Death
Evil priesthoods, shamen and sometimes necromancer wizards
Feared as snaky magical killers with pets
Lord of the hunt who defied the faerie queen and became king of underworld to live forever undead. Served with lords of night in the age of darkness. These actually plant undead in graves for in storage. Everyone shuns them for serving the armies of death and their blasphemies. Older version of cult are just hunters, each clan specialise in a type of huge animals as a mounts including wolf, bat, boar, goat, lizard, toad, weasel. Corrupt hunters prefer undead animal pets.
Treasure includes necromancer items, weapons, shaman tools, musical instruments, silver coated bones, sometimes evil scrolls

6 Hobgoblin King - Lord of War
A formal clerical order of war priests who operate like templars
Humans intimidated by hobgoblins but will hire as mercenaries
A warlord who is highly disciplined, often have superior weapons, armour and many bigger graves. At least half the cult are goblins who wish to become hobgoblins. Goblins mutate into hobgoblins often in times of crisis like war. Hobgoblins are hardworking and very disciplined in war. They are quick to anger or fight and are easily offended
Treasure mostly weapons and armour, might be used as armoury reserves then returned

7 The Goblin King - Lord of Kingship
Civilised urban priesthoods even those thralls of humans
Humans ridicule these goblins and wage war against them or enslave them

The great and terrible first goblin king who still rules from his underland mountain fortress in rebellion to the gods and fey. He urges war to all others and civilisation building for goblins. His cult are also traders and bankers and quite civilised and encourage distinctively goblin quality. Goblins often sing melancholic work songs. Goblin slaves know they will live in goblin city with their king as his thralls in the next life. Free goblins in his service are the most warlike and expansive but also propagator of goblin culture and arts. Secrets of breeding ghouls, goblins and trolls to make thouls to make guards is a cult secret
Treasures include goblin handycrafts, gems, gold, clothing of high quality

8 Mushroom Mother - Queen of Fungus
Every kind of magician and all goblins praise her
Human think of them as harmless but too lazy and stoned to be slaves
Who teaches how to make food and survive in the utter darkness, popular fertility cult and mostly peaceful willing to trade food and provide healing. They establish fungus gardens and are often left alone as their gardening is mostly provides food and habitats for others
Treasures are food and potions or magical fungi brewed by cult witches

9 Trickster - Jester of Chaos
Every kind of magician and goblin may serve the trickster
Humans universally exterminate crazy goblin clowns with chaos mutations if possible 

The jester of chaos cult is crazy and dangerous but teaches alchemy, espionage, gambling, deceit, magic and more. Most are more mischievous and vindictive rather than evil and serve as acceptable ways to be a outsider in goblin society. Some rise to be sly advisers to rulers. The demonic sects are increasing and teach the jester is a lord of chaos juggling the planes of the abyss and sent to bring entropy and rebirth. Gremlins are part of the jester
Treasure often includes curses, taints and tricks but also weapons and useful items

10 Great Frog Mother - The Opulent Jade Queen
Every kind of magician and goblin
Famous for fecundity, vice, depravity, poverty and inbreeding  

The great frog mother is popular in wetlands and theses goblins often are more frog like with webbing, slimy skin or other features. Mostly they mind their own business and avoid others but as they are very fecund they may swarm occupationally. Each swamp has it's own spirit who the frog cult serve. They often live with other wetland monsters such as frogs.
Treasure is often poor but food, swamp weed and grog are common

11 Spider Mother - Queen of The Night Age
Every kind of magician and goblin
Hated by most surface dwellers and humans as creepy horrors

Goblins that sold as slaves to the monster lords of the dark times by faerie. Goblins served magic spiders as hands, mounts and food until they were banished to another dimension. Some even turn into spiders or have spider like abilities like immunity to webbing and climbing up walls. Most live in caves in the deep now
Treasure often have cursed and evil items, spider silk books of forbidden lore, gems

12 Great Mother & Father Bugbear
Every kind of magician and bugbear, some goblins and hobgoblins join too
Humans dread bugbears especially children
Bugbears mutate from goblins when a community is in a military stalemate and hobgoblins are just keeping up. Bugbears eat other goblins, humans, pets. They like spooking people (especially children) and cruel pranks. They are fearsome warriors in formation but also expert scouts and assassins. The cult teach bugbear culture and the importance of collecting your enemies heads and shrinking them. They Initiate and teach new bugbears and those who wish to be bugbears. Bugbears breed too and once they appear in a goblin community they are a threat to it. They will feed on their weaker kin and possible end up in control. A few loner bugbears serve other goblinoids as executioners and body guards. Mother & Father Bugbears were siblings the first to become bugbears and then they spawned generations since. Father Bugbear is a warrior storm god and Mother Bugbear is a moon goddess witch. They have a sweet and heart warming romance collecting human and orc heads