The Beast Fears Fire - Bugbears

Bugbear [Ignorance 3]

Impulse – Bring forth fear. Neither bug nor bear, these goblins have the dubious distinction of having more names than any other kind of goblin. Cricks refer to them, variously, as bugaboos, boogoblins, buglins and grablins, depending on region. Bugbears get their collection of names and their notoriety from their habit of stalking, tormenting and kidnapping people. Foremost representatives of the competent/evil quadrant of goblinhood, bugbears run lanky and tall, usually bigger than most goblins and generally stronger than almost all of them. This forces even the more sociable bands of goblins to abide by their eccentricities and the negative attention it invariably draws. Bugbears, for their part, are content to browbeat, bully and intimidate everything that falls within the reach of their long, long arms. “Cruelty personified” seems a little dramatic, and I don't want to just say that, but with bugbears, I am coming up short on a better description.

Harm – Injury 2, Peril. Bugbears aren't always deliberately murderous, but their chosen forms of entertainment tend to end in death, regardless of whether or not they set out to murder their intended victims. Bugbears skulk around places unseen until they find a likely target to begin stalking. Motherfuckers are masters of stealth, and generally choose victims who, at first, don't have a lot of reason to suspect they're being watched. Once they've chosen a victim, the bugbear begins to stalk and gaslight them.

I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me
When you are being actively stalked and gaslit by some villain, face Ignorance.
On a Hit, you become aware of the villain's intentions, beyond a doubt. You can ask one question about your tormentor and receive and honest answer.
On a Hard Hit you can turn the tables on your tormentor and confront them or ask three questions and get honest answers.
On a Miss, you aren't sure, you can't be sure. Maybe it's all in your head... Take Peril as stated (Paranoid, Frightened, Terrified; something like that).

Once the Bugbear has gotten bored with the hunt, they will usually subdue and abduct their target for further torment. Bugbears dragoon hobgoblins into designing chambers of fun for the purpose (and hobgoblins justify it on the basis that a bugbear with a victim is a busy bugbear not throwing its weight around and causing problems with hobgoblin projects).

Would You Like to Play a Game?
When you are placed in a deathtrap or torture chamber and left to your own devices, face Ignorance.
On a Hit, you can make progress toward getting out or avoid Harm in doing so.
On a Hard Hit you can make progress toward getting out and avoid Harm or take the Harm and escape in a single go.
On a Miss, Moderator makes a Hard Move.

Despite these moves, bugbears don't usually go for prey that could stand up to them in a Fight or turn the tables on them – they prefer targets that aren't quite so capable or dangerous. Bugbears aren't interested in the challenge of worthy prey, they just like to terrorize and hurt things. They are one of the few monsters that being an adventurer makes you less likely to meet. That said, you probably know a lot of people who aren't adventurers, and a bugbear is bound to find one of them an interesting choice in prey.

A Particular Set of Skills.
When someone you know has been kidnapped and you want to find them, face Ignorance.
On a Hit, you can ask a question about the situation or kidnapper and get an honest answer.
On a Hard Hit, you can track the kidnapper or the victim to their lair/the place where they are being held, respectively.
On a Miss, the victim takes Harm as stated.


Intruder's happy in the dark.

There's no clear consensus on what drives bugbears to behave the way they do. Goblins aren't much for psychology or philosophy, and aren't much help with the insight into their cousins' behavior. There certainly is no lack of run-of-the-mill evil goblins who gleefully carry out terrible designs, but bugbears are unique in the very narrow and consistent focus of their particular brand of terribleness. Likewise, they are, quite possibly, the most competent and focused kind of goblin. That said, they seem to contribute the least to goblin culture.