Tacomin Gemmin'

Tacomin Gemmin' is a goblin employed by the airship *Jester's Paradise*. He is first encountered in episode 4-1.

Tacomin was born in the picturesque Theloveno mountains. He was the 9th child of 13 in the Gemmin' litter. He was quickly abandoned by his parents, however, due to a grotesque deformity of the mouth, commonly referred to amongst goblins as "blot-cheek," that led to speech impediments and uncontrollable drooling. Tacomin fled his home, wandering the countryside on a diet of insects and feces. He was found by a paladin who enrolled him in the goblin orphanage of the villa of Momensk.

Tacomin learned to speak properly and managed his drooling via the teachings of the Momensk monks, who ran the orphanage. He was also taught proper manners in an attempt to prepare him for a life of servitude. But Tacomin felt like an outcast and a freak. He feared he would never gain employment unless his blot-cheek disappeared. One of his fellow orphans suggested magical removal and told him of a mage, Yugo, who could cure it. Tacomin snuck out of the orphanage one night to find Yugo.

Yugo lived life as an exile in a hut just outside the caverns of Ull'atra. Yugo was a blackmage -- a disgraced practitioner of magic, forced to sell his services that would be deemed illegal by licensed mages. It took Tacomin 6 days to walk, swim, hitchhike and climb to reach Yugo. Yugo offered his cosmetic "facade" spell for a price -- 35 gold. Tacomin could not match the price, for he only scavenged 12 gold during his years at the orphanage. Yugo offered a deal -- he would cast the spell for free if Tacomin would retrieve a special item from the caverns of Ull'atra: an enchanted gold necklace named "Flesh-Fire."

Tacomin made his way through the caverns in a sneaky fashion -- hiding behind rock formations, holding his breath beneath the freezing lakes, and laying low, just as he did as a goblin pup when abandoned by his parents. He found the necklace from a distance. It was on a pedastal on a small island in the middle of a large lake that was guarded by Zyto fish and mad goblins. Tacomin devised a plan: he yelled and screamed to garner the attention of the mad goblins, who jumped in the lake only to be devoured by the Zyto fish. He then ran to the opposite side of the lake and swam to the pedestal while the fish were distracted. He grabbed the necklace and gazed at it in awe, until he realized he didn't know how to swim back to shore. Following the currents, Tacomin tossed the necklace in the lake with a splash that drew the Zyto fishes' attention. He then swam away from the fish and followed the necklace's progress along the current, snatching it when it reached a safe point on shore.

Tacomin returned from the caverns with "Flesh-Fire" in hand. He wondered why this necklace was under such protection and why Yugo wanted it in the first place. When Yugo asked for it, Tacomin demanded the "facade" spell be cast before handing it to him. Yugo spoke the enchantments and waved his hands for several minutes before passing Tacomin a mirror. The spell worked -- his blot-cheek was gone! Tacomin then gave Yugo the necklace. Upon touching the gold, however, Yugo began to scream. He dropped the necklace and his hands quivered as his face began to melt! Tacomin was powerless as Yugo died in agony before him, his eyes melting first before his flesh turned to blood. "Flesh-Fire" wasn't some rare necklace -- it was a weapon against humans!

Tacomin did the thing he only knew -- he fled on foot from Yugo's cabin. He was 2 days into his journey when he was stopped by a band of men -- the Dearthwood Collective. Covered in Yugo's blood and gore, Tacomin was immediately deemed hostile to them. They were about to kill him when he offered up "Flesh-Fire." He explained what it was and the Collective decided to take it, spare him and auction him off as a servant in town. Fortunately for Tacomin, the auction was attended by one of Duchess Darcilia Ross of Barrowhaven, who was in need of an educated, well-spoken and good-mannered servant for her airship. They purchased Tacomin for 10 gold and he was assigned to the *Jester's Paradise* as a general porter/driver.

It took Tacomin only a couple of days to learn the in's-and-out's of his job -- shooing harpies, adjusting the ship's magical engine systems, cleaning excrement -- and he grew to be appreciated by the ship's staff and even the Duchess herself. Tacomin had finally found a place where he was accepted (although he still managed to drool a significant amount while sleeping). That was, until Party 13 arrived onboard with an assignment to protect the Duchess...

Like almost all goblins, Tacomin Gemmin is nice, really nice, with a nice disposition and demeanor, beloved by many despite his horrid facade and this whole write up. He can also breath in space without a helmet. Just like any human.

He's also the namesake of the Tacomin Effect.