Goblyn

A goblyn has a faintly swollen head, pointed ears and eyes that glow red. Long, scabby hair sprouts only from the back of the skull and neck. Fully half the face is mouth, a wide gash lined with needle-like teeth.

Every goblyn was once a human, warped by potent evil spells or magical items into this shape. The change makes them thoroughly evil and utterly obedient to whoever made them. Each is linked telepathically to its master, and through the master to every other goblyn under the same control.

Goblyns are so agile that opponents suffer -2 on surprise rolls. When one appears unexpectedly it bares its fangs and leers horribly into its foe's face. Seeing this display for the first time calls for a fear check, and in every case it worsens the surprise penalty to -4. Surprised victims are frozen with terror and cannot move that round.

Weapons are rarely used. A goblyn claws at the throat, 1d6 damage per claw. When both claws land in one round it has seized the neck, and from then on it automatically bites, usually at the face, for 2d6 each round. The choking victim must also save vs. spell each round or take another 1d4 suffocation damage. Goblyns call this feasting, and every onlooker who witnesses it rolls a horror check. Every 10 points of damage dealt this way, scarring and disfigurement permanently cost the victim 1 point of Charisma.

While a goblyn clings to someone's throat, that person suffers -3 on saves and on all attack and damage rolls. Anyone else attacking the feasting goblyn gains +2 to hit and damage, since its attention is fixed on its meal. Like the undead, goblyns never check morale. Their thief-like knacks are 80% to move silently, 70% to hide in shadows and a poor 25% to climb walls, and their infravision reaches 90 feet.

A goblyn's will belongs entirely to its master. Ordered to kill another goblyn, it does so without mercy. It never starts a fight on its own but springs eagerly to attack when challenged or commanded, serving with cold, mechanical devotion and showing no other wants. Goblyns never sleep, tire or grow bored, and can go a very long time without eating or drinking.

They are pure carnivores that eat only fresh kills and drink their victims' blood. Certain wizards and priests seek goblyns out, as they make useful ingredients in spells and items meant to control humans.