Dwa 18th, 4288: 7 Days in the mortal realm
I sit here in a haze of conflicting emotions. Reminding myself that I'm a good person with good intentions can only do so much considering how yesterday went... I wanted to write last night, but it was just too painful to think about. To think the day had started off similar to Dwa 16th, but how it ended... Cortanna and I had set out to go back to Isaac's place when we happened to come across a swarm of Griggs in town. It was curious that they had entered into the town considering their worldly needs were in the woods. It was apparent as they made the townsfolk dance with them, myself included unfortunately, that something was distressing them. They darted from villager to villager asking for help. Before they could get an answer they'd follow up by having the villager dance with them. Upon seeing me and Cortanna, they rushed up to us with a slur of words.
Once they calmed down enough, we were able to get out of them that goblins had entered their woods. For years (if not generations) the Griggs kept to the woods while the goblins kept to the mountains. It was like an unspoken contract, but now the goblins broke it and we hunting the Griggs as they invaded their land. I was impressed that we were able to get any information because they managed to convince me to dance with them. Once I had my senses back I snapped at them that it was futile for any of us to help them with their problem if they kept having us dance. To this all the Griggs had an enormous epiphany that nearly imploded their heads at the notion. For a moment their little minds could comprehend how dancing actually had a time and place.
Once we received immunity from all dance requests until their problem was solved, Cortanna and I finished making our way to Isaac's place. We told them about the Griggs plight. Isaac and Rekka were the only one's there, so we took off for Jessica's tavern. Sure enough they were there, Gideon being quite drunk. I may hate my God and not care of His opinion, but being in such a drunken state is distasteful of the Angelic race. Gideon may prove to be a problem if alcohol is a vice for him...
The Griggs kept to their word and we were able to get out of town. About 30 minutes later we came across a party of goblins. They seemed to have made camp though it was late morning. The goblins were munching on Griggs just like we were told. So I went out to try and solve the problem. I approached with the weapon handle in hand. That was another perk of the magic weapon; I could appear nonthreatening though I was armed. Gideon came with me, staggering slightly while the rest stayed behind. I began speaking in goblin to see what was going on. It was distracting to listen to the goblin as he ate a Grigg in front of me. From what I remember him saying, he first introduced himself and fellow goblins as friendly. They meant no harm to anyone. The reason behind the migration of their community of goblins was due to werewolves invading their mountains. Rather than fight the problem, they figured they'd relocate and were in the process of finding a new home.
Latching on to his comment of them being friendly, I tried explaining that the creatures he and his community were eating were intelligent creatures. I continued to explain how the woods they were in were the Grigg's home. The goblin looked somewhat discouraged. I added that we’d be willing to try and help relocate them. The lead Goblin then appeared. He was large in stature and spoke in common to inform us that they had found an abandoned mine close by. It was perfect in size for their community and he were planned on moving everyone into it. The only mine I knew of was the one we found Billy in; the mine that was filled with undead, possibly marked like Billy. I asked if they were the mines just northwest from where we were and the leader confirmed the location. Immediately the hairs on my neck stood up knowing what lurked in those mines.
Cortanna sounded behind me stating that the mine weren’t a good place. The lead goblin inquired about it and she blurted out to him how there was undead in them. He asked how we knew of that to which Cortanna pointed at Billy. I had forgotten how much goblins loathed the undead and I was reminded quickly once the lead goblin whipped his sword out. The sword glowed a fiery blue and the goblin's whole demeanor became rigged with hate. Isaac assured the lead goblin that he was under control. The leader eased his posture a little.
Despite our warning, the lead goblins was set on moving into the mines still. I tried to encourage him that there were other places so that they wouldn't have to deal with the mass amount of undead. I would have though I had learned not to utter undead in their presence after the small exchange with Billy, but no. The lead goblin's agitation sparked again. He looked me squarely in the eyes before scanning over the rest of my party, pointed at Isaac and accused, “How do we know he didn’t put them there?” I was already feeling frustrated with the lead goblin not wanting to try and look for a different option. Let alone I was avoiding the mention of how the creatures back in the mine were most certainly marked. So with the accusation against Isaac, out of exasperation, and what I felt was under my breathe, stated, “It was the Gods!”
As soon as those 4 words left my mouth, I knew these once friendly goblins were now my sworn enemies. How! How was it I would have forgotten something so monumentally sacred to the Goblins than that of their religious beliefs! And what did I do, cursed ALL of them! In front of their leader!
The leader's sword somewhat numbed the pure idiocy I felt. He sliced open my abdomen and I felt my legs weaken and collapse under me. In the haze of pain and self loathing I could see my party attacking. I looked around and could see half of the goblins starting to flee. Images began to flood my head of 200+ goblins descending upon us or the town. Out of panic I exclaimed that we must kill them all. If not for our life’s sake, then for the towns sake.The goblin leader then drew a horn out and began to lift it to his lips. I knew what he was trying to do; alert the rest of the goblins to join in the fight. With a surge of adrenalin, I attacked. My strike was true as the weapon handle morphed into a halberd. Miraculously, Gideon’s sword was right there with my weapon and our combined attack killed the goblin leader in his tracks.
I fell back to the ground catching my breath and clenching my wound. I could see my party take off to deal with the others. I sent a fireball after a goblin, unsure as to whether it got him. I was spent. My energy was depleted. I doubt there’s anything more I could have done. Clearly there was no going back on what I had instigated, and I hated that.
The group gatheried back together. Gideon placed his hands on my head and suddenly I whole, rejuvenated and without pain. I bit of gratitude swelled in my heart toward him. But that gratitude vanished as I looked at the massacre of goblins about us. Another distressing question came to ming... what happens when the goblins find their fallen comrades? Apparently I wasn’t the only one thinking this. As a group we discussed what we could possibly do. Try to make it look like a werewolf attack? Bury them? Make it look like they had a dispute? Once more the safety of the town was my first priority. I figured since we were talking in circles of our options that I’d at least do something by going and getting shovels to dig with if in the end we did decide a mass grave.
Oh how stupid it was of me to have cursed the Gods! The confrontation with the goblins wasn’t meant to be so difficult! We were there to help! To be completely honest, not sure who to be more angry with; myself or the goblin leader? Worse yet, the group seemed to be equally frustrated by my choice. Doubt this will ever be let down.
Upon returning with shovels, the group STILL hadn’t come to a decision. I passed the shovels around and said we definitely had no more time to dawdle and better start burying them. We had been lingering around much too long.
“Hey guys! I caught some more Griggs-” we heard behind us. We all whipped around to watch a goblin enter the clearing with an arm full of Griggs. His look of shock to see us replicated how I felt to see him. We managed to line up to block the heap of bodies (the only productive thing they did while I was gone). The Goblin greeted us and then asks if we knew where his comrades were. As the others spoke they attempted to make him think werewolves had recently come by. I decided to assist on the believableness of the situation by casting a howling sound 9 squares from us.
I hadn’t realized how flighty everyone was going to be. As soon as the wolf howl sounded, everyone except me, Isaac, and Bill, fled. Suddenly there was just the 4 of us and a pile of bodies left in the clearing. It was enough to say that the Goblin was beyond shocked. He dropped the Griggs, sputtering, pointing, and looking absolutely devastated. We gave him his moment, looking solemn and I completely guilty.
Finally he wiped at his eyes and glared at the three of us demanding to know exactly what had happened. I figured it would be pointless to try and lie, so I slowly and carefully retold the story. When it got to the point about me cursing the Gods, I made it clear that I had offended their leader when I had blamed my Gods for the undead in the mine. Once more I should have known better, but with the mingled guilt and hatred of how awful the whole encounter went, I almost welcomed the sword as it sliced across my abdomen and chest. I fell backwards to the ground accepting the pain that replaced the anger in me. It was here that I was certain I was dead as slowly everything turned white.
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How was it that everything went so horribly wrong?
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