Shoor Purdi (Booyahg Drummer)
I know I'm usually all about gnomes, but I'm trying something a little bit different with this post (while still being semi-related to gnomes). This is a goblin bard. She's an NPC I've used in my campaigns and with me now playing a goblin bard in another game I felt it was time to breathe some more life into this character. So, I hope you enjoy this one.
"The rhythm is gonna get you, one way or another.”
Shoor Purdi (CN) is a frenetic, 24-year-old female goblin whose visceral drum performances inspire goblin forces and intimidate goblin foes. Purdi was born into the Lashers caste of her tribe where she quickly took to the drums used to communicate orders during combat. That talent was battle tested when a gnome horde blitzed the tribe in a vicious attempt to wipe it from existence. On that day, the stress of combat, her desire to save her tribe, and her hatred for the gnomes who were slaughtering her people awakened a wellspring of booyahg from deep within her. Suddenly, her vindictive taunts drove the raiders mad with pain. Her passionate drumming emboldened the defenders to acts of grand bravery. It was enough to turn the tide and, even though many of her brothers and sisters had been murdered, the tribe survived. The vile gnomes were not so lucky. She now travels from tribe to tribe, retelling heroic tales to the deep, rhythmic beat of the percussion instruments she has come to think of as an extension of herself.
Bond: I will do anything for my caste, my tribe, and my people.
Flaw: I become wholly consumed by whatever emotion I'm feeling at the moment, often to the detriment of myself and others.
Play Purdi as a bold, expressive, and energetic musician whose percussion instruments are more than just tools of your trade; they are the blood that pulses through your body and the booyahg that weaves through your soul. Coming from the Lashers caste, you are better educated and better trained than most goblins but you don’t consider yourself a strict adherent of the social hierarchy into which you were born. You show great empathy for the menial lives of Pariahs and even the pathetic existence led by the creatures your tribe has enslaved. Your friendships cross every social and racial boundary. That said, you’re equally likely to be disdainful of anyone beneath you and to lash out at your lessers (and those different from you) when angry or afraid. Despite the accusations of nilbogism that flare up whenever you are simply having a good time, your status within the system that you take great glee in flouting is the very thing that affords you the freedom to be so fickle. The only constant in your life is your love for your tribe and your loathing for gnomes, best exemplified by the gnome-hide hand drum that commemorates the awakening of your booyahg. Upon it is inscribed the names of every goblin murdered that day.
Strongly Like: gnome suffering, music
Like: other drummers, respect for goblins
Dislike: bugbears, authority
Strongly Dislike: gnomes, goblin stereotypes
The following story hooks assume goblins are not the go-to villain of your campaign but rather are as complex and diverse as any player-character race.
The Fuzzy Mind Tower has spent generations studying fear in all its manifestations and has used that knowledge to deliver innovative, potent gadgets that have terrorized victims the world over. The Dread Drums are no exception to this marvelous success record. This innocent looking black box has no readily apparent seams, cracks, or fasteners. It houses a complex set of hammers and drums that produce a musical beat guaranteed to cause fear in any humanoid who can hear it.
The Dread Drums plays for up to one minute, filling a 30ft cube in front of the gadget with the dreaded drumbeat. Any humanoid entering the cube or starting its turn in the cube must make a D.C. 16 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened.
Shoor Purdi
(SURE per-dee)"The rhythm is gonna get you, one way or another.”
Shoor Purdi (CN) is a frenetic, 24-year-old female goblin whose visceral drum performances inspire goblin forces and intimidate goblin foes. Purdi was born into the Lashers caste of her tribe where she quickly took to the drums used to communicate orders during combat. That talent was battle tested when a gnome horde blitzed the tribe in a vicious attempt to wipe it from existence. On that day, the stress of combat, her desire to save her tribe, and her hatred for the gnomes who were slaughtering her people awakened a wellspring of booyahg from deep within her. Suddenly, her vindictive taunts drove the raiders mad with pain. Her passionate drumming emboldened the defenders to acts of grand bravery. It was enough to turn the tide and, even though many of her brothers and sisters had been murdered, the tribe survived. The vile gnomes were not so lucky. She now travels from tribe to tribe, retelling heroic tales to the deep, rhythmic beat of the percussion instruments she has come to think of as an extension of herself.
Using Purdi
Ideal: As long as the drums keep beating my people will know freedom.Bond: I will do anything for my caste, my tribe, and my people.
Flaw: I become wholly consumed by whatever emotion I'm feeling at the moment, often to the detriment of myself and others.
Play Purdi as a bold, expressive, and energetic musician whose percussion instruments are more than just tools of your trade; they are the blood that pulses through your body and the booyahg that weaves through your soul. Coming from the Lashers caste, you are better educated and better trained than most goblins but you don’t consider yourself a strict adherent of the social hierarchy into which you were born. You show great empathy for the menial lives of Pariahs and even the pathetic existence led by the creatures your tribe has enslaved. Your friendships cross every social and racial boundary. That said, you’re equally likely to be disdainful of anyone beneath you and to lash out at your lessers (and those different from you) when angry or afraid. Despite the accusations of nilbogism that flare up whenever you are simply having a good time, your status within the system that you take great glee in flouting is the very thing that affords you the freedom to be so fickle. The only constant in your life is your love for your tribe and your loathing for gnomes, best exemplified by the gnome-hide hand drum that commemorates the awakening of your booyahg. Upon it is inscribed the names of every goblin murdered that day.
Recurring
The party will most likely encounter you as a part of either a goblin tribe or a goblinoid host. They might also meet you in transit to one of these. You are almost always accompanied by a small entourage of personal security, caretakers, workers, and slaves. If you are inside or near a goblin settlement, you will also be surrounded by 2d10 enthusiastic followers. More likes indicate a willingness to form a friendship with members of the party. This outcome is easier to achieve with other goblins. It’s nearly impossible to achieve with gnomes though with enough likes you might begrudge an ambivalent respect. More dislikes indicate a desire to shut out or antagonize members of the party. This is more difficult to achieve with other goblins as you feel that all goblins are worthy of some level of attention. This is the starting point for gnomes.Strongly Like: gnome suffering, music
Like: other drummers, respect for goblins
Dislike: bugbears, authority
Strongly Dislike: gnomes, goblin stereotypes
The following story hooks assume goblins are not the go-to villain of your campaign but rather are as complex and diverse as any player-character race.
One Off
You engage the party to do one of the following: protect you from a group of gnome assassins, free a group of fans who have been taken captive, retrieve the remains of a goblin hero for proper burial, free a nilbog spirit from confinement.Story Arc
You engage the party to help your tribe with one of the following: discover what has caused its water supply to dry up or become contaminated, free it from a goblinoid host led by a particularly cruel boss, protect it from a powerful wizard who terrorizes it, arrange negotiations between it and a non-goblin settlement.Side Quest
You engage the party (or select members of the party) to complete one of the following tasks: join in an inspiring performance, tarnish the reputation of a goblin boss whom you dislike, sabotage a gnome workshop, collect interesting and unique percussion instruments.Gadget: Dread Drums
Fear is powerful. When weaved into the pulse of an unsuspecting public, it becomes a fine tool of manipulation that breeds hatred and incites violence. When channeled toward an enemy, it becomes a weapon more potent than any sword or arrow.The Fuzzy Mind Tower has spent generations studying fear in all its manifestations and has used that knowledge to deliver innovative, potent gadgets that have terrorized victims the world over. The Dread Drums are no exception to this marvelous success record. This innocent looking black box has no readily apparent seams, cracks, or fasteners. It houses a complex set of hammers and drums that produce a musical beat guaranteed to cause fear in any humanoid who can hear it.
The Dread Drums plays for up to one minute, filling a 30ft cube in front of the gadget with the dreaded drumbeat. Any humanoid entering the cube or starting its turn in the cube must make a D.C. 16 Wisdom saving throw or become Frightened.
The following is the stat block for this gadget, using the rules in my Epic Gnomish Inventing supplement available on the DM's Guild (link below).
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