Page 14 - Tomb of Annihilation

BAT I RI (GOBLINS)
Chult is home to scores of independent goblin tribes
collectively known as the Batiri. A Batiri tribe is ruled
by a queen (use the goblin boss statistics). When a
queen dies, fighting ensues until a new queen emerges
victorious and proclaims herself ruler of the tribe. While
the Batiri have many cultural and mythical aspects that
make them unique, they behave essentially like other
goblins; they are superstitious, cruel, suspicious of out-
siders, fractious among themselves, and just as likely
to torture and eat other humanoids as they are to trade
with them. They are not only sadistic but highly creative
in their tortures. For example, they enjoy tying enemies
to trees, dousing them in honey, and leaving them to be
devoured by insects over the course of several days, if a
larger predator doesn't finish them off first.
War Masks. Batiri warriors wear oversized wooden
war masks into combat. Each goblin paints and dec-
orates its own mask to make it look as fearsome as
possible. Aside from intimidating enemies, these masks
serve the same purpose among the Batiri as coats of
arms among noble knights ofFaerOn. Batiri of oppos-
ing tribes might not know an enemy's given name, but
they'll know Snarling Crocodile or Fanged Ape.
Battle Stacks. Batiri warriors sometimes ride on
each other's shoulders in battle, in a formation known
as a battle stack. These can be up to nine goblins tall.
Each goblin tracks its hit points individually, but the
stack moves and makes ability checks, attack rolls, and
saving throws as one creature. Only the goblin at the top
of the stack can attack, and only the goblin at the bottom
cao move (all goblins stacked on its shoulders move with
it). The goblin at the top makes all Intelligence, Wisdom,
and Charisma ability checks and saving throws for the
stack. The goblin at the bottom makes all Strength,
Dexterity, and Constitution ability checks and saving
throws for the stack. A battle stack can't jump, but it can
grapple or shove another creature, swing from vines,
and use the Dash, Disengage, Dodge, and Hide actions.
The stack has advantage on melee attacks because of its
BATIRI BATTLE 5TA<:K
built-in "pack tactics" effect; all the goblins are waving
spears at the enemy, even if only one can hit.
When a goblin in the stack drops to 0 hit points, it is
DWARVES
thrown from the stack. If the stack succeeds on a DC 10
Dexterity saving throw, it remains intact (albeit one gob- Most of the shield dwarf strongholds beneath Cbult
lin shorter). On a failed save, the stack collapses and all were destroyed by intense volcanic activity. Hundreds of
the goblins fall prone in a 5-foot-square space. dwarves were forced to flee their collapsing halls, only
To form a new battle stack, a goblin must use its ac- to be slaughtered and devoured by jungle predators. A
tion to climb onto the shoulders of another willing gob- few made it to Port Nyanzaru, where they remain to this
lin within 5 feet of it. Other goblins can join an existing day. Some of these survivors are albinos (see appendix
battle stack in the same way. A goblin can use its action D for more information).
to remove itself from a battle stack, landing in an unoc- FROST GIANTS
cupied space within 5 feet of the bottom of the stack.
Twenty frost giants came to Cb ult in search of the Ring
The Batiri invented battle stacks as a way to combat
of Winter. Their ship is anchored north of Kitcher's In-
creatures much larger than themselves as well as a way
let, and teams of frost giants are scouring the jungle for
to reach enemies in trees. The battle stack formation signs of the ring and its wearer, Artus Cimber. A female
has the added effect of making the puny goblins appear frost giant named Drufi leads the hunt. So far the frost
taller and more fearsome to their larger enemies. Bat- giants have gone about their business unnoticed, but it's
tle stacks are not effective against other ground-based only a matter of time before they encounter a Flaming
threats, since all but the topmost goblin give up their
Fist patrol from Fort Beluarian. The frost giants hate
attacks and mobility to be part of the stack.
Chult and its climate, but they won't give up the search
for the ring no matter what the cost.
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