Welcome to Goblin Town, a sprawling, subterranean nightmare designed for the Wretched Darkness RPG. To capture that Nightbreed (Cabal) essence, we are pivoting away from "clumsy fantasy midgets" and toward The Abominable: a secret society of biological outcasts, ancient mutants, and tragic monsters hiding from a world that wants to "fix" them with fire.
The Concept: Midian’s Sewer
In Wretched Darkness, Goblin Town isn't a cave; it’s a liminal sanctuary. It exists in the "Below"—the forgotten veins of the city (subways, Victorian sewers, and ancient catacombs).
The inhabitants aren't a race; they are a collection of the Broken. Some were born this way, others were "changed" by the dark ichor of the earth, and some fled to the darkness to escape the cruelty of the "Breathers" (the human world).
The Law of the Low
The Mask is the Face: To show your true, monstrous self is a sign of trust. To hide it is a sign of shame or espionage.
No Sunlight, No Silence: The hum of the city above is their heartbeat; the sun is their executioner.
The Meat is the Message: They don't use money. They trade in biological "gifts"—claws, teeth, skin, and memories.
Key Locations
| Location | Description | The "Twist" |
| The Bone Gallery | An infinite hallway of calcified remains. | The walls are alive; the bones are "recorded" memories of those who died above. |
| The Red Market | A bustling bazaar of forbidden biology. | You don't buy items; you buy mutations (temporary or permanent). |
| The Cradle of Goo | A glowing, bioluminescent pit. | This is where "New Goblins" are born from humans who have been "reclaimed" by the dark. |
| The Silent Cathedral | A hollowed-out subway station. | It’s where they worship the Primal Shadow, the entity that birthed all monsters. |
The Inhabitants (The "Night Breeds")
1. The Porcelains
Fragile, white-skinned humanoids whose skin cracks like ceramic. They are the historians and lawyers of Goblin Town. If they stop moving, they turn to literal stone.
Ability: Can "read" the history of any object by tasting it.
2. The Quill-Backs
Hunched, beast-like entities covered in organic needles. They are the protectors. They don't speak; they communicate through rhythmic clicking of their quills.
Ability: Can fire paralyzing barbs that induce vivid, terrifying hallucinations.
3. The Skin-Takers
The most "human-passing" of the lot. They can mold their flesh like clay, but it is agonizing. They act as scouts and "Surface Walkers."
Ability: Near-perfect mimicry, but they must consume a piece of the target first.
Plot Hook: The Great Purge
The players are hired (or forced) to enter Goblin Town. A radical group of human "Inquisitors" (think the Sons of Free Enterprise or a militant Church) has discovered the entrance and plans to pump industrial toxins into the vents to "cleanse" the city.
The Moral Dilemma: The Goblins aren't "evil"—they are just other. They have their own art, songs, and families. Do the players help the "monsters" survive, or do they side with the "civilized" world that fears what it doesn't understand?
Wretched Darkness Mechanics
Sanity Checks: Entering Goblin Town requires a Sanity check (Difficulty 12). The sheer "wrongness" of the geometry and the smell of ancient rot is overwhelming.
The Taint: Spending more than 24 hours in Goblin Town grants a permanent +1 to Corruption as the environment begins to "claim" the player's biology.
Note: If a player dies in Goblin Town, they don't stay dead. They have a 50% chance of being "re-knitted" by the Cradle of Goo, returning as a playable "Night Breed" mutant with 0 Sanity and a new set of monstrous traits.
In the Wretched Darkness (Wretchedverse) system, characters and NPCs are defined by seven core attributes: Muscle (MUS), Brains (BRN), Wits (WIT), Agility (AGL), Toughness (TOU), Magnetism (MAG), and Sex-appeal (SEX).
Below are the stats for Goblin Town as a location and its Nightbreed-inspired inhabitants.
Goblin Town (The Hive of the Broken)
Location Difficulty: TN 14 for most Navigation/Survival rolls. Atmosphere: Gloom-choked, humid, smelling of copper and wet earth.
Special Mechanics
The Taint of Midian: For every 6 hours spent in Goblin Town, characters must pass a Toughness (TOU) Avoidance Roll (TN 12) or gain 1 Corruption.
Monstrous Kinship: If a character has at least 5 Corruption, Goblins will not attack unless provoked; they recognize the "scent" of the changing soul.
NPC Stats: The Inhabitants
1. The Porcelain Historian (Elite/Support)
They appear as cracked, doll-like humanoids. They are fragile but possess terrifying mental acuity.
MUS: 5 | AGL: 8 | TOU: 6
BRN: 16 | WIT: 14 | MAG: 10 | SEX: 4
Health Dice: 2d8 (Avg 9 HP)
Abilities:
Psychometric Taste: By consuming a small piece of a person/object, they gain all memories associated with it for 1 hour.
Fragile Frame: Any blunt force damage is doubled against them.
2. The Quill-Back Sentinel (Heavy/Guard)
Massive, hunched creatures with thousands of twitching, organic needles.
MUS: 15 | AGL: 10 | TOU: 15
BRN: 6 | WIT: 12 | MAG: 4 | SEX: 2
Health Dice: 5d8+10 (Avg 32 HP)
Attack: Needle Volley (Ranged, 15/30/60). Damage: 1d6 + Paralyze (TN 14 TOU save or lose next turn).
Abilities:
Reactive Spikes: Anyone hitting a Quill-Back in melee with an unarmed or short weapon takes 1d4 piercing damage automatically.
3. The Skin-Taker (Scout/Infiltrator)
The tragic "Face" of Goblin Town. They can look human, but their "true" form is a raw, muscle-exposed nightmare.
MUS: 11 | AGL: 14 | TOU: 10
BRN: 12 | WIT: 13 | MAG: 15 | SEX: Variable (1–18)
Health Dice: 3d8 (Avg 14 HP)
Abilities:
Malleable Flesh: Can assume the identity of anyone they have touched. This process takes 1 round and causes the Skin-Taker 1d4 damage as their bones snap and reset.
Uncanny Valley: Any human with a WIT of 14+ can instinctively feel something is "wrong," gaining a +2 to see through the disguise.
Leader: Lyles the Thrice-Born
Lyles is the "Mayor" of the filth. He has three heads—one that weeps, one that laughs, and one that only whispers secrets of the Void.
MUS: 12 | BRN: 18 | WIT: 16 | AGL: 9 | TOU: 14 | MAG: 17 | SEX: 1
Health Dice: 8d8 + 16 (Avg 52 HP)
Special Ability: The Triple Mind. Lyles can take two actions per round. He is immune to any "Mind Control" or "Fear" effects because his three brains never agree on what to be afraid of.
Weapon: The Scepter of Reclamation (Melee). Damage: 1d8 + Corruption. If a target is hit, they must roll a Corruption Check.
To truly capture the Nightbreed atmosphere in your Wretched Darkness campaign, these encounters shouldn't just be combat; they should feel like stepping into a taboo civilization that is both repulsive and strangely beautiful.
D10: Encounters in the Below
d10 Encounter Description & Hook 1 The Mourning Parade A procession of Porcelains carrying a shattered comrade. They believe the pieces can be re-glued in the Cradle. They demand a "silence tax" (1 minute of holding your breath). 2 The Skin-Peddler A rogue Skin-Taker offering "temporary faces." For a price (1 permanent HP), they can graft a mask onto you that makes you look like a specific human for 24 hours. 3 A Breach from Above A sanitation worker or urban explorer has fallen through a weak ceiling. They are catatonic with terror. A pack of hungry Quill-Backs is closing in. Do you save the "Breather"? 4 The Whispering Pipes The city’s plumbing echoes here. A character hears the voice of a dead loved one coming from a drain. It’s a Sanity Check (TN 13) or they follow the voice into a lethal trap. 5 The Meat-Graft Bazaar A chaotic market where Goblins trade organs. A massive, multi-limbed creature offers to "upgrade" a player’s weapon by fusing it to their arm. 6 The Inquisitor's Scout A human drone or a high-tech camera rig is hovering in the tunnels. If not destroyed in 1 round, it transmits the players' (and the Goblins') location to the surface authorities. 7 The Molting Slough The floor is covered in thick, translucent skin shed by a giant entity. It is difficult terrain. Deep inside, a valuable "Breather" artifact (a gold watch or locket) glints. 8 Lyles’ Herald A small, three-legged messenger with a bell. He informs the party that Lyles the Thrice-Born has "seen" their arrival and expects a gift of "surface secrets" or "fresh blood." 9 The Feral Spawn Goblins who have lost their minds to the Taint. They are mindless, twitching heaps of flesh. They attack with unbridled rage (MUS 16) and no regard for self-preservation. 10 The Bioluminescent Bloom A rare cavern where the walls pulse with soothing blue light. Resting here recovers 1d6 Sanity, but there is a 20% chance of waking up with a minor Mutation. The Environmental Hazard: "The Drip"
In any encounter, the GM can introduce The Drip—toxic runoff from the city above.
The Hazard: Corrosive industrial sludge leaks from a pipe.
The Check: AGL Avoidance Roll (TN 14).
Failure: 1d8 Acid damage and the character’s gear is permanently damaged (-1 to Armor or Weapon rolls).
Navigating the Tunnels
The layout of Goblin Town is non-Euclidean. If the players try to leave the way they came without a guide, have them roll Wits (WIT) + Navigation. On a failure, they find themselves back at the Red Market, but 4 hours have passed and their Corruption has increased.
In the Wretched Darkness RPG, items are typically acquired through Acquisition Rolls ($1d20 + \text{Origin/Wealth Modifiers}$ vs. a Target Number (TN)). In Goblin Town, however, the currency is often blood, secrets, or "meat."
Here is a catalog of gear and powerful relics found in the "Below."
The Red Market (Items for Sale)
Most "Breather" (human) money is useless here. To purchase these, players must trade Corruption points, Sanity, or perform favors for the merchants.
Item TN / Price Stats Description Black-Sight Goggles TN 14 Grants Darkvision (60ft). Lenses made of polished obsidian and fly-eyes. -2 to WIT on the surface. Pheromone Rag TN 10 +3 to Stealth vs. Monsters. A damp, foul-smelling cloth that masks your "human" scent. Marrow-Paste TN 12 Heals 1d8 HP. A grey sludge that tastes like copper. +1 Corruption on use. Needle-Gauntlet TN 15 Damage: 1d4 + Poison. A brass knuckle fused with Quill-back spines. TN 12 TOU or paralyzed. Porcelain Mask TN 18 +2 MAG, hides mutations. A beautifully tragic ceramic face. It is permanently fused to your skin. Relics of the Below
These are unique, powerful artifacts imbued with the "Darkness" of the world. They often carry a heavy price for their use.
1. The Razor of Midian (Dagger)
A jagged blade of rusted iron that seems to vibrate when near "pure" humans.
Damage: $1d6 + 2$ (Lethal)
Special: This weapon ignores Armor Rating.
The Curse: Every time you kill a human with this blade, you must roll for Corruption. If you fail, the blade "drinks" your empathy, granting you a permanent -1 to Brains (BRN).
2. The Lantern of Lost Souls
A cage made of ribs containing a flickering, ghost-white flame that never goes out.
Effect: Illuminates invisible or ethereal beings within 30ft.
Mechanical Bonus: Grants a +4 bonus to any Wits (WIT) check made to detect traps or secret doors.
The Price: The lantern is fueled by the user's vitality. For every hour it is lit, the user takes 1 point of damage that cannot be healed until they sleep for 8 hours.
3. The Skin-Dresser’s Needle
A long, curved needle made of silver and human bone.
Effect: Can be used to "sew" wounds shut instantly.
Mechanical Bonus: Spend 1 round to heal an ally for 2d8 HP.
The Twist: The healed character gains a minor Mutation (roll on the d20 table) as their flesh is re-knitted in a "monstrous" pattern.
4. The Echoing Shell
A large, spiral shell that drips black ichor.
Effect: Allows the user to cast "Whisper of the Deep" (Communication with the dead or monsters).
Mechanical Bonus: Once per session, you can ask the GM one question about the current location. The "Below" will answer truthfully.
The Cost: You must lose 1d6 Sanity to hear the answer, as the shell screams the truth directly into your brain.
Weapon Stats Summary Table
Weapon MUS Req Damage Range Size Notes Needle-Gauntlet 10 1d4 Melee 1 TN 12 TOU or Paralyzed Razor of Midian 8 1d6+2 Melee 1 Ignores Armor Scepter of Reclamation 12 1d8 Melee 2 +1 Corruption on hit Bone-Shard Bow 9 1d10 40/80 3 Uses "Teeth" as ammo In the Nightbreed and Wretched Darkness tradition, mutations are rarely "superpowers"—they are agonizing, beautiful, and alien.
When a character fails a Corruption Check or spends too much time in the Cradle of Goo, roll 1d20. These mutations can be hidden with heavy clothing, but they often carry a social or physical price.
D20: The Mark of the Night Breed
d20 Mutation Name Mechanical Effect Cosmetic "Twist" 1 Exoskeletal Plates +2 TOU, -2 AGL. Hard, insectoid chitin bursts through the skin of your chest and back. 2 Prehensile Tongue Can grab small objects up to 5ft away. Your tongue is 3 feet long, barbed, and smells of lilies. 3 Vestigial Twin +2 WIT. The twin whispers warnings. A half-formed face grows from your shoulder or neck. 4 Acidic Sweat Unarmed attackers take 1d4 damage. Your sweat is neon yellow and hisses when it hits the floor. 5 Hollow Bones +2 AGL, but take double falling damage. You feel light as air; your skin becomes translucent. 6 The Third Eye +3 to BRN rolls involving the occult. A vertical eyelid opens on your forehead, weeping black ink. 7 Claw-Fingers Melee attacks deal 1d6 + MUS damage. Your fingernails harden into obsidian talons that never stop growing. 8 Bat-Ears Advantage on Hearing-based WIT rolls. Your ears become oversized, leathery, and twitch at ultrasonic sounds. 9 Multiple Hearts Once per session, drop to 1 HP instead of 0. You have a visible, frantic pulse in your throat and stomach. 10 Gelatinous Skin Can squeeze through gaps 2 inches wide. Your body loses its skeletal rigidity; you feel "rubbery." 11 Spider-Climb Can walk on walls/ceilings at half speed. Tiny, microscopic hooks emerge from your palms and soles. 12 Bioluminescent Veins You provide light (10ft). -4 to Stealth. Your blood glows a haunting electric blue. 13 Vocal Mimicry Can perfectly imitate any sound heard. Your throat distends and ripples like a toad’s when you speak. 14 Centipede Limbs Two extra small arms. +1 Action/Turn (Minor). Two spindly, pale arms grow from your ribcage. 15 Leech-Mouth Heal 1d4 HP by biting a living target. Your mouth is a circular maw of serrated, needle-like teeth. 16 Transparent Flesh +2 to Stealth when naked. Your internal organs are visible through your skin. 17 Memory-Scent Can smell a person’s emotions/intent. Your nose disappears, replaced by flickering, sensitive pits. 18 Quill-Skin Anyone grappling you takes 1d8 damage. You are covered in short, stiff hairs that are sharp as needles. 19 Wings of the Void Can glide (not fly) for short distances. Leathery, bat-like flaps grow between your arms and torso. 20 The Metamorphosis Reroll 2 mutations; keep both. Your body begins to hum with the true frequency of the Low.
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