The Curse of the Receding Hairline
over 5 years ago – Sun, Mar 31, 2019 at 11:36:51 AM

Greetings Traveller,

You come seeking knowledge of witches do you? That is a dangerous folly…. Beware the witches three for their curses can strike at the very heart of what makes a man and change him forever.

We present a never before published short story featuring one of our oldest and best loved characters - Baron von Fancyhat, recanted to me recently by Brother Daniel as warning for all….

The Curse of the Receding Hairline

The young baron stared bleakly out of the window, sighing dramatically to himself. With little to no interest his eyes moved from person to person walking in the dirty street below. They all looked so happy. He saw two slightly inebriated men outside the tavern laughing, at some pointless joke no doubt. These worthless, insignificants would never understand his plight. How could they? How were they to know? He loathed them for their pointless joyful attitudes, their high spirits and their camaraderie. He sighed again as his mind wandered back to more glorious days….

“It’s the most magnificent hair a young man could hope for,” said one.

“I’m green with envy,” exclaimed another.

“I would do anything for a man with that hair.”

He couldn’t recall if these were the exact words his admirers had used to describe his hair, only a year ago, but he was sure that this is what everyone must have been thinking. After all, his hair had been truly gorgeous; long, full, radiant and it shone in the sunlight like a perfect yellow mirror. Girls would swoon when he walked past, men would scowl, jealous of the luscious locks which flowed so elegantly down over his shoulders. His own father had said that it was his most important attribute and his mother… Well actually his mother hadn’t cared at all, but that is beside the point. 

His brow furrowed as he remembered the first terrifying time he awoke to find not one but three of his beautiful hairs on his pillows. The screams of anguish had raised the entire house, although none had dared to enter his room for fear of facing the beast he had now become. He had tried everything since then in the year that followed to treat this most chronic of ailments, visiting doctors, wig makers and hairdressers up and down the land. Even that mad fool Quack couldn’t find a potion to stop his hair falling out. All the idiot had managed was to make his ever receding hairline shinier! Hardly the outcome he’d been looking for.

Just as he was about to turn forlornly back to his diary to write another tragic sonnet, he caught sight of the most stupendous creation he had ever seen! Flipping the perfect mahogany table over in disgust and throwing the useless diary across the room, he leapt to the window just as the beautiful plume slipped around a corner next to the tavern. His mind was racing, this was the answer he’d been unknowingly searching for. A hat! He needed the best, most expensive and most fancy hat there was. With a speed he didn’t know he had he sprinted down the stairs and virtually broke the door off its hinges in his efforts to reach the owner of the hat which was clearly rightfully his. In the street below he saw the two drunks swaying and singing together. They were in his way. He punched the first squarely in the middle of his stupid, ugly face and kneed the other in the groin. The young baron could easily have run around the two men, but this made him feel better, and settled his nerves a tad so that he could concentrate on finding the hat. In two great strides he reached the corner of the tavern and peered round. Empty. He’d lost the hat but it mattered not.

He lent against the wall of the tavern, breathing heavily as the two drunks groaned on the ground at his feet. Then the young baron jumped up and down with renewed vigour. He felt his heart swell with purpose, as his life now had a whole new meaning. He would start his search immediately and wouldn’t stop until he’d found the hat of his dreams. He smiled smugly to himself and to no-one in particular said: “Then I shall become…” he paused.

“The Fancyhat”.

---

Until next time, may you also find new purpose in life through fabulous headwear.

-Goblin King Games

Wind in the Willows
over 5 years ago – Sat, Mar 30, 2019 at 07:32:06 AM

Greetings once again intrepid explorer! 

Returned from the woods unscathed again I see..? Well that is a surprise. You must be one of the lucky ones. Perhaps you have one of Mama Gamble's Amulets? Or is it that the Fae Folk have been pre-occupied with a new arrival to the Shadow Glade I wonder...

-

You voted, we counted, and the winning design to become the Kickstarter Exclusive Gwendoline sculpt is Willow!

Our fabulous faerie sculptor David Whitaker - who was responsible for all of our previous faerie sculpts - has been set to work so we should have renders of the miniature to share before the end of the campaign!

New Add-ons!

As well as one copy of Gwendoline being added for Free to Leshavult Congregation, Leshavult Horde, Riot in the Streets and Absolutely Everything pledges some backers have asked if additional copies of this miniature can be purchased as an Add-on, and the answer is - Yes you can! We are pretty sure that as this game grows in popularity and new players start to discover it, the resale value on this miniature will far exceed the list price, so grab her while you can! ;)

We are also excited to announce that we will make available the Treasures and Tyrants of Tauber, An explorer's handbook as an Add-on for just £7 (one copy free with Absolutely Everything pledges). It's a real 'passion-piece' for us so we were thrilled with the positive feedback on the idea. The book will give collectors a real insight into the narrative of our world, not published elsewhere, and once again this booklet is a Kickstarter Exclusive!

Please do consider adding-on these items to your pledge total. A little bump here and there really helps push us on to smashing our next stretch goal - A Witch in Time!

Until next time, remember never to trust the Fae-folk, no matter how beautiful they may appear...

-Goblin King Games

Gwendoline - UNLOCKED!
over 5 years ago – Fri, Mar 29, 2019 at 08:22:28 AM

Dear Moonstone Hunters,

Thank you so much for all your help so far sharing the good word online! And now for your reward - Gwendoline, the Leshavult Priestess is Unlocked! She will be a FREE Kickstarter Exclusive miniature for backers of Leshavult Congregation, Leshavult Horde, Riot in the Streets and Absolutely Everything! pledge levels!

Now we have one more favour to ask - we need your VOTE! Which of the two designs, should be the Kickstarter Exclusive Limited Edition Sculpt? The other will be a later standard retail edition.

Cast your vote by entering either Willow or Cherry in THIS UPDATES comments for your choice of the Kickstarter version. You must be a backer to vote and only one vote per backer! You only have 24 hours as we want to get our sculptor started right away - and with luck we can reveal the sculpt before the end of the campaign! Totals will be added up and announced tomorrow at 15:30 GMT (+0)

Until next time, never forget that the trees have ears (and sometimes wings).

-Goblin King Games

The Treasures & Tyrants of Tauber - An explorer’s handbook
over 5 years ago – Fri, Mar 29, 2019 at 07:01:18 AM

Good-day Loyal Follower of Leshavit,

It has come to our attention that a certain literary work entitled The Treasures & Tyrants of Tauber - An explorer’s handbook, By Professor Percival Boffinsworth esq. is presently being written and seeking a publisher. As I'm sure you are well aware, Prof. Boffinsworth, Head of Anthropology and Cryptozoology at the Sunrise Academy, is the leading expert on all things mystical and fantastical and may have a great deal to share in his new book regarding the the individuals associated with the 'Leshavult'.

Should this be of interest, we believe we could make this book available as a Kickstarter Exclusive Add-on for around £7-8 (1 copy for Free as part of 'Absolutely Everything' pledges).

Let us present you with an extract:

Chapter 1: Introduction and a warning to travellers

"My dearest friends and most esteemed peers. What you hold in your hands is the culmination of my life’s work travelling our verdant land. My magnum opus, if you will. 

Everything you read henceforth is real, every story told, observation made, or sketch drawn, none has been fabricated. Should you wish to follow in my step you will likely find the lady with the hut in the Swamp of Sorrows, or the Hermit Fawn of the Forsaken Forest. You might even spy a Jackalope or two.

But do not expect miracles to come alive on your journeys. Most of the fantastical I learned to be nothing shy of mundane. There are many more things to be afraid of in the wilds than an imagined beast-man, or even vengeful spirt. There are real people, from all walks of life who would happily take yours with a knife should the whim take them.

But never let that stop your own investigations, for I am sure it is only the tip of the ice burg that I have explored."

Chapter 4: Swamp of Sorrows, Part 2.

"As I ventured further into the Swamp, I heard yet more stories. One family who thrived as buzzbee farmers told me of yet another poem.

    Beware the noonday swamp my child,

    When the sun is fat, and the beasts are wild,

    Don’t stray from the patch that runs clear,

    If you stop, you’ll have more than fuzzbugs to fear,

    Never eats the treats you may find in a trail, 

    For your breathing stops, and your heart will fail.

As much as I hate to admit it, I was reluctant to spend much time within the Swamp of Sorrows, a dank and foul place that it is. But from the little I was there, I heard of this poem of the Noonday Beast, also called the Sun Wraith, or Midday Witch. Stories are wide of travellers who get lost within the Swamp and stumble across a line of treats, each one crunchy and sweet. Due to the nature of the Swamp to trap unprepared travellers for days, such a treat may seem like a welcome respite for those lost in the unforgiving swamp, but would be nothing more than a trap to lure the unsuspecting soul into the monster’s lair. Within my time at the Swamp, of course I found no such trails, nor anything that might resemble a fuzzbug. I did however manage to meet a portly young woman by the name of Antonia who was more than happy to share with me her pot roast of some of the most tender meat I have ever eaten."

----

Let us know in the comments below if this is something you'd like to see as an add-on! 

Until next time, remember that accepting sugary treats can lead to more harm than just toothache.

- Goblin King Games

The End is Nigh - UNLOCKED!
over 5 years ago – Thu, Mar 28, 2019 at 02:54:11 PM

Good evening Moonstone Hunters!

It is with Great Rejoicing that we can announce our first Stretch Goal has been met and The End is Nigh Troupe Box is now unlocked!

We've written a very short piece introducing one of our favourite characters from the set - Brother Daniel. Hope you enjoy!

Until next time, get out on those street corners and keep spreading the good word!

- Goblin King Games