Exploding Doodads

*"Goblins: They get in everywhere."*

This card starts as a challenge-specific encounter for The Lovers which is used twice. It later becomes a regular encounter the player can add to their deck.

## Event (The Lovers, First Level)

*You arrive at an overturned cart propped up by a large log. "Well, here we are!" Oswin knocks on the top of cart. "Uncle! It's Oswin!"*

*A goblin, poorly disguised as a human, scurries out from behind the cart. You note no surprise on either Oswin nor the goblin's face.*

*"Oswin, my boy! Have you come to see my exploding doodads?" And before anybody can agree or protest, the goblin pulls a lit bomb from his robe and flings it into the forest. The bomb explodes spectacularly against a boulder.*

*"You there!" The goblin squints up at you. "Watch out for monsters. This forest is simply ripe with them!" He taps his staff upon the ground and undead begin to crawl from a swirling portal.*

**The Dealer draws two Skulls cards**

*The goblin gives you a genial smile as he places a bomb in your hands. He pats Oswin on the arm then jumps into the portal with a little "whoop!"*

**The player receives Holy Purification with infinite uses**

*The portal closes, leaving you surrounded by the walking dead, holding a bomb, and with a potato farmer at your side.*

**Enter combat**

*"I'll take that." Oswin's uncle appears behind you without a sound, taking he curiously enchanted bomb from your hand and replacing it with a near identical one.*

**The player receives the regular Holy Purification**

*He then gives you both a forceful pinch on the cheek and disappears under the overturned cart.*

*Oswin seems wholly unperturbed by the happenings. You continue on your journey.*

## Event (The Lovers, Second Level)

*You run into Oswin's goblin uncle. He beckons you over to a tree stump.*

*As you approach, he places two items side by side on the stump.*

*"One will make your enemies your friends, the other is poison! Which shall you drink? Quickly! Quickly! Choose!" There is a bomb and a bottle marked 'POISON'.*

1) Pick the bomb.

**The player acquires Traitor's Urge.**
*The goblin watches expectantly until you feign drinking the bomb.*
*Satisfied with the proceedings, the old goblin gives you a little wave and climbs up a nearby tree.*
*A band of skeletons emerges from the thicket.*
**The Dealer draws 2 Skulls Monster Cards.**
*You ready your weapon.*
**The player enters Combat.**
*You continue your journey, wondering how you'll next encounter Oswin's goblin uncle.*
2) Pick the bottle.

**The player draws 2 Life Pain Cards**
**The player acquires Traitor's Urge**
**The player enters Combat.**
*You continue your journey, wondering how you'll next encounter Oswin's goblin uncle.*
## Event (The Lovers, Third Level)

*You run into Oswin's goblin uncle. He beckons you over to a tree stump.*

*The goblin reaches out a wrinkled hand. "An artefact, if you will."*

1) Give him one of your artefacts.

**The player chooses one of their artefacts.**
*He bashes the artefact a few times with his staff. Then shakes it vigorously by his ear as if listening for anything amiss - the artefact makes a worrying rattling sound as he does it.*
*Then, without warning, the old goblin flings the artefact back at you, smacking into your shoulder.*
**Chosen artefact Uses are recharged.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*
2) Walk away.

(insert text here)
## Event (Normal Encounter)

*You chance upon Oswin's goblin uncle, offering his trinkets to passersby. He shows no sign of recognising you. "Can I interest you in an exploding doodad? My prices are tough, but fair."*

1) Ask to have one of your artefacts recharged.

*"Oh you have one of your own do you? Trying to show a goblin new tricks, hey? Well I won't be impressed!" He eagerly reaches out a gnarled and spindly hand.*
**The player chooses one of their artefacts.**
*He bashes the artefact a few times with his staff. Then shakes it vigorously by his ear as if listening for anything amiss - the artefact makes a worrying rattling sound as he does it.*
*Then, without warning, the old goblin flings the artefact back at you, smacking into your shoulder.*
**Chosen artefact Uses are recharged.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*
2) Ask for a Bomb artefact.

If there are no Bomb Artefact Cards in the deck:
*The goblin considers his heaping pile of bombs and then looks at you. "No."*
*"Have this, instead."*
**The player draws a Gain Card.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*
Otherwise:
**The player selects a Bomb Artefact Card from the deck.**
*As you reach for the artefact, the goblin slams a large bowl over it, catching the tips of your fingers.*
*He pulls three more bowls from his robe and arranges them in a line.*
*Lastly, disarmingly, he lights the fuse of something dangerous and hides it under one of the bowls.*
**Chance Cards Gambit** (Bomb Artefact, 2 Failure, Huge Failure)
Bomb Artefact
*You flip the bowl, uncovering your chosen artefact!*
**The player gains 2 Fame.**
**The player acquires the Bomb Artefact.**
Failure
*You flip the bowl, revealing nothing underneath.*
Huge Failure
*You flip the bowl to reveal the lit bomb! You turn and leap away but are caught in the blast.* **The player draws 1 Life Pain Card.**
Huge Success (Only possible with Eternal Hope blessing)
*You flip the bowl, revealing a glittering pile of gold.*
**The player draws 3 gold gain cards.**
*The goblin is already jogging away from you, his arms piled high with exploding doodads.*
**Encounter ends.**
3) Leave.

## Event (Hubie Token 1)

*Oswin's goblin uncle is perched on his usual log, his vast arsenal of bombs piled precariously behind him.*

*"Welcome, Hubie," he says. "I've been expecting you."*

You took Hubie to his desired Encounter!

*Hubie and the old goblin skip solemnly in a circle, clapping their hands and reciting the traditional goblin song of greeting.*

*After several dizzying moments you intervene, hoping to get to the meat of the meeting.*

*Hubie wrings his hat nervously. "Mister Bomb, sir, do you have a magic bomb to blast my horn out of an ogre?"*

*The elderly goblin nods and draws back his cloak, revealing a glimmering new bomb tied to his belt.*

*Dark smoke swirls ominously behind the frosted glass of the container.*

*With a flourish, he slips the bomb under one of four wooden bowls.*

*From a nearby bush, he draws a twin-headed blacksnake - hissing and spitting - and slides it under another bowl.*

*The remaining bowls are filled with small wrapped parcels.*

*He takes a large war drum into his lap and begins grimly drumming out a steady beat.*

*Hubie claps happily in time with the drumming. The rhythm thunders in your ears as you make your choice.*

**Chance Cards Gambit** (The Lionel Special, 50% Life Pain, Gain Card)

The Lionel Special

*You flip the bowl to reveal the glass bomb!*
**The player acquires The Lionel Special.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*
*You pass the curiously warm bomb down to Hubie. He gives it an investigative lick before handing it back.*
*"Can you kill ogres with this for me? I'm not allowed to throw things anymore."*
**The player gains Hubie's token.**
50% Life Pain

*The old goblin's drumming rises to a crescendo as you lift the bowl. The twin-headed snake rears and attacks, sinking its fangs into your arm.*
**The player suffers the Life Pain.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*
Gain Card

*The old goblin's drumming rises to a crescendo as you flip the bowl. Waiting underneath as a small box wrapped in wax paper.*
**The player acquires the Gain Card.**
*"Goodbye, dear one," the old goblin says, bowing deeply. He sits back down on the nearest tree stump and proceeds to pointedly ignore you.*

## Notes

The first use of this encounter card in the Lovers challenge serves to teach the player about Bomb Artefacts.