Licktoad Tribe
Licktoad Tribe
The Licktoad goblins of Brinestump Marsh were the party's tribe of origin. The tribe no longer exists as an organized faction — the village was destroyed by human adventurers while the party was on their second ship expedition. The core four are the last known surviving Licktoad goblins operating in the region.
Regional Context
Five major goblin tribes operate in the Sandpoint region:
| Tribe | Location | Character |
|---|---|---|
| **Birdcruncher** | Caves along western edge of Devil's Platter | Least aggressive of the five |
| **Licktoad** | Brinestump Marsh, south of Sandpoint | Excellent swimmers, pests |
| **Seven Tooth** | Shank's Wood (east) | Raid Sandpoint's junkyard, rebuild refuse into armor |
| **Mosswood** | Eastern region | Largest tribe; feuding internal factions limit them |
| **Thistletop** | Nettlewood coast, small island | Controls "the best lair" per goblin consensus |
Tribal Identity
- Location: Brinestump Marsh, southwest of Sandpoint.
- Distinguishing trait: Excellent swimmers — unusual for goblins.
- Chief: Rendwattle Gutwad — obese chieftain who never leaves his throne. Speaks only through his advisor Slorb.
- Status: Destroyed. The village was burned by human adventurers from Sandpoint.
Tribal Laws
"Do not die!"
One of the core laws (commandments) of the Licktoad goblins: "Do not die!"
Any goblin who breaks this law — i.e., dies — is first punished, then killed. The punishment precedes the execution. The irony is intentional and canonical: darkly comedic and consistent with goblin tribal logic.
Cultural Traits
Fear of Writing
Goblins have an irrational fear of writing. Two related beliefs underpin this:
- Mythological origin: Some goblins believe the fear stems from the contracts Asmodeus used to bind their barghest forebears in the mists of time. Writing, in this view, is a tool of infernal binding.
- Folk belief: The mere act of writing words steals them from one's head — what is written down is lost from the mind.
Pig Culture
The Licktoad tribe kept pigs in the Pigpit — a muddy enclosure near the goblin baby cages. Squealy Nord was the tribal mascot pig. Shvub-Mah held the title of Master of the Pigpit.
Known NPCs
- Rendwattle Gutwad — obese chieftain. Never leaves his throne.
- Squealy Nord — tribal pig mascot. Status unknown after village destruction. See the Squealy Nord NPC page.
Post-Destruction Status
The Licktoad tribe no longer exists as an organized faction. The party (core four) are the last known surviving Licktoad goblins. They have since affiliated with the Birdcruncher tribe after Sneaky Scorch became Birdcruncher Chieftain.
Naming & Coming of Age
Baby Names and the Earned Second Name
Licktoad goblins are given a single-part name at birth. The second part of a goblin's name must be earned — not given.
The four founding party members bore only single names until they completed the Cave of Darkfear quest:
| Final Name | Baby Name |
|---|
After completing the quest, the party encountered Magical Maggie on the road, then returned to Licktoad Village and were received as full Licktoad Goblins — earning the second part of their names.
Coming-of-Age: The Cave of Darkfear Quest
The pre-story coming-of-age quest required the young goblins to travel to Tadpole Bog, catch a toad, then present it to the spirit of the Cave of Darkfear. The quest was supervised by Whelp-Wrangler Loptop, whose instructions were: "get toad, show spirit, kill anything that wants to stop you and most important DO NOT DIE!"
During this quest, the party killed a goblin bully named Kettlehead.
The Licktoad Badge Challenges
To earn a Licktoad Badge (with magical properties), four challenges must be completed:
Screech Sagg is NOT Licktoad
Seven of the eight party members are Licktoad goblins. The exception is Screech Sagg — his tribal origin is unknown. He was found cocooned in a spider cave and joined the party there. No tribal context has been recorded.