Goblyn Market is a rules-light weird little roleplaying game mash-up of storytelling with lots of dice tossing. Each scene begins in a highly regimented way to provide guiderails but soon delves into a wriggly mass of self-centered goals and wild propositions that must end at a designated real time limit. Gameplay reflects the goblyns themselves; part beast, part fiend, all chaos.
Failing has disastrous (and often funny) consequences offered by the other players at the table and success usually comes with a time-consuming curse such as; become the Lord of Haberdashery, enforce your new era appropriate fad unto others, or loudly share your favorite goblyn recipe for the masses.
What you get
– 68 pages of core rules already edited and ready to go! Including
– How to play the game
– How to run the game
– How to write adventures (called affairs, oh la la!)
– Art by Fernando Salvaterra
The Game Mechanics
An incredibly simple system so the players can focus on telling the story they want to tell…with consequences.
Roll d6s equal to one of your golbyn’s attributes; Guile, Muscles, or Smarts. 4-6 is a success.
2+ Successes = Triumph! everything you have been narrating becomes true.
1 Success = Blunder, same as Triumph! but with a curse.
0 Successes = Disaster! Each other player describes how the golbyn failed.
Gameplay
The goblyns are assigned an affair to solve by the Nighttide Empress. Play alternates between explorating locations in Victorian cities and retreating to the Goblyn Market to resupply, lick their wounds, and dream up the next round of mayhem.
After five years of hosting games at conventions, Goblyn Market is my favorite to run. I have bonded with more people, laughed loudest, and even teared up at times because of the good-natured stories I witnessed being brought to life by strangers.
FAIRE Edition for Sale!
DriveThruRPG or Itch.io or RPG Trader
Interviews
Resources
Cheat Sheet for both Players and Escort
Affairs
A Place to Call Home
Tunnels full of shadow beasts rip through the Market like maggots though a rotten apple. A Fretful Knoll grows larger with every chime of the Tootle Pip threatening to pierce the veil. While others fight the creature’s head on, the coterie has summoned a vexation to find a weapon of legend.
Harrowed Hearts of Somersend
One year ago a tragic fire set in motion the end of times for the village of Somersend. A ‘blazing demon’ torments field hands, preventing the barony a bountiful yeild for this year’s Harrowing.
Three lovelorn hearts hold the key to what happened at the old grist mill and how to stop the impending doom.
Part liminal horror, romantic drama, and cold case mysteries. Introducing three Optional Accords for Goblyn Market:
• Portents
• Exploding Frailties/Rites
• Frailty/Rite Prompt
Comes with Escort and Player Handouts for ease of play.
A Stirring of Eddies
The Empress of Night has conscripted loyal courtesans to scour every nook and cranny of this lawless rock in order to uncover a traitorous Primacy within the Goblyn Market. Play separately or as part one of the Harbinger of the Wild Hunt campaign.
A Sacrifice of Innocence
Admiral Blue ruled the Hebridean Isle with a charmed tongue and an iron fist. Those that oppose him are torn limb from limb. His reign of terror must end with the Pirate Queen’s revenge. Play separately or as part two of the Harbinger of the Wild Hunt campaign.
The Harbingers of the Wild Hunt
Five scattered tribes of mortals and wyrdlings alike must be brought together to form a new Accord to battle the Despoiled. But only a single candidate can be anointed from among the tribes to become the Chosen One and take up the mantle of Primacy. Play separately or as the finale of the Harbinger of the Wild Hunt campaign!