as recorded and translated from their Fell tongue.
by A. Drake Gilderspine
sage of Peakshadow
Foreward
I had at first undertaken the studies that led to the following work chiefly to satisfy my own curiosity. However, a later sense of academic rigor prevailed and I undertook to write this monograph. It is my hope that it might stand as testimony on behalf of the undesirables which it concerns. Notwithstanding their lack of reliability on other matters, this will at the least, provide valuable insight into the minds and motives of creatures generally considered too far beneath contempt to consider.
Those of my colleagues who are unfamiliar with my means will no doubt be interested in my methods of data collection. As I have delved into that subject matter more thoroughly in previous volumes, I will not belabor it here. Additionally, I am more acquainted than most of the linguistic singularities of fell speech. I have admittedly taken some license with the translation in order to provide a consistent tone throughout the work.
It should be noted that the goblins have no standardized system of writing. They rely solely on memorization for the continuation of their histories. Each of the twenty-seven “Tells” of the goblins is composed of exactly fifty words. I have preserved that format as best I can.
The first tenth of this work will be concerned with reproducing the Tells themselves. The last nine tenths will be a detailed exposition of the Tells within the context of the histories of more learned species.
Humbly,
Arturos Drake Gilderspine
1. In a far cave, the Sire of Worlds made Gullas and The Brothers, and Boru their Sister. Gullas was the god of all the Hordes. Boru was the god of all the things that grow and make for smooth bowels and also the creatures what have sweet bones.
2. The Brothers of Gullas were gods also, but they were not strong like Gullas. One was god of the Ulfs and the other was god of the Shorts. Between all of them the Sire was happiest with Gullas and he was happiest with the Hordes that came from Gullas.
3. One day Gullas invented War and he was Happy. It was the best of all of the makings. Gullas loved only War. For he loved the sound of metal and screaming. He loved the smells of fear and burning dead. He loved the tastes of blood and salty tears.
4. Now Gullas and The Brothers lived in a great cave with Boru their sister. Gullas and his brothers did the slaying and Boru kept the fire of them. She also cooked their meat and kept the biters and pinchers from their hair. But the brothers were jealous of Gullas.
5. The Brothers came to Gullas and said, let us mate with Boru our sister. We want to be strong like you and ready to war. But Boru would not mate with the brothers for they were weak and her loins longed for Gullas alone. So the brothers stole away.
6. The Brothers hid with the Ulfs and the Shorts that they made. They said many lies about Gullas and told sweet dreams of Boru. This is why Ulfs like trees and Shorts like the dirt. Trees and dirt are from Boru, who is the chief of things which grow and make for smooth bowels and them with sweet bones.
7. Then Gullas mated with Boru and made many kinds of things which love war and have strength. All of them are servants of the Hordes that Gullas first made. And though many did not like to serve, they still served and were kept with whips or tamed by fire.
8. These are the things which came forth from the mating of Gullas and Boru: first Maglubiyet, second Nomogaeya, third Hruggek, fourth Gorellik, fifth Kurtelmak, sixth Semuanya, seventh Vaprak, eighth Gruumsh, ninth Laogzed and tenth Bargrivyek. These are still the tribes that thirst for blood and make war without fear.
Editor’s note: Maglubiyet (goblins), Nomogaeya (hobgoblins), Hruggek (bugbears), Gorellik (gnolls), Kurtelmak (kobolds), Semuanya (lizard men), Vaprak (ogres), Gruumsh (orcs), Laogzed (troglodytes), Bargrivyek (trolls).
9. Then the Ulfs and Shorts began to look for the cave of Gullas and Boru because they too wanted to mate with Boru. The Ulfs and Shorts were ashamed of their Chiefs because their Chiefs hid from War. They wanted new Chiefs which they would make by laying with Boru.
10. Once when Gullas was out slaying, the Ulfs and Shorts made a great feast with the Hordes. But the Ulfs and the Shorts were liars. They stole Boru while the Hordes slept. They hid her in a new cave and tried to mate with her, but Boru would not mate with them because they were weak and floppy.
11. When Gullas returned he was angry for losing Boru. He whipped and burned the Hordes. Then he searched for Boru but could not find her. Gullas could find the Ulfs and Shorts, but they would not give a Tell of Boru. Then Gullas slew many of the Ulfs and Shorts.
12. The Brothers heard of the anger of Gullas but hid from him for they were scared. They did not care about the slaying of the Ulfs and Shorts, only the hiding place of Boru. So the Brothers also looked for Boru, for they still wanted to mate with her.
13. Finally the Brothers promised to fight Gullas if the Ulfs and Shorts took them to Boru. So the Ulfs and Shorts took their Chiefs to Boru and they mated with her. But the Brother’s seed was weak and Boru bore them only those weak things which run from war.
14. So Gullas wept for Boru his Sister until the Sire of Worlds heard his cries. So it was that the Sire’s anger was kindled. He raged against the Brothers and against the Ulfs and Shorts for they were all weak. Still his anger was hottest with Gullas for his weeping.
15. In his anger, the Sire of Worlds made Gullas a slave. He forgot the Ulfs and Shorts and their Chiefs. But he sent Gullas to the ship of Fire that burns in the sky. Gullas is whipped and burned by day, and his shame is strongest in the light.
16. Then many of the Hordes were grieved for the loss of their Chief, but one among them was not. His name was Grond. He knew not the weakness of Gullas, who wept, nor did he grieve as some of the Urok, for he was strongest among them and fearless.
17. Grond gathered all the Hordes before him and brought also his own litter brothers. Now the whole litter of Grond were known by their many slayings and much war. All the Hordes knew them and trembled for they were of a mighty litter and loved the taste of blood.
18. Then Grond took his blade and in the sight of all the Urok, made the first ambush. He slew his own litter and drank their blood. He said, If I have done this to my own litter mates, know that I will do it also to the Brothers of Gullas.
19. So it was that the weak became the food of the strong. So only the strong remained. Then all trembled before Grond. Even the Brothers of Gullas were afraid and hid, never to show themselves again. For this reason the Ulfs and Shorts hate Grond and fear the Hordes.
20. Grond grew strong for he had slain many and had eaten his own brother’s flesh and made war against the Ulfs and Shorts. All the Hordes feared Grond and loved him. They made him their chief. He drank the blood of many things and all who saw him trembled at his coming.
21. In that day, the mightiest of the Urok was Grond. In most every way Grond was greater than Gullas, but one. For Gullas had tamed the longing in the loins of Boru, but Grond could not. Grond was filled with anger, but still Boru would not come unto him.
22. Then stood Grond in the light of day and cursed the Sire of Worlds saying, Am I not stronger than Gullas and his Brothers? Command you Boru to my cave. I alone will quench the fire of her loins and make a people without the weakness of Gullas our Chief.
23. But the Sire of Worlds would not answer because Grond was of Gullas who was cursed forever. But Grond did not care and said, if I am cursed, so also do I curse the Sire of Worlds. Because I am not answered, neither will I answer -- anymore and forever.
24. Then came the Ulfs to the cave of Grond and said, Make peace with us and put us not to the sword in our weakness. We shall serve you and your lair. We shall tell you the commands of Boru. We will make war with you against all the Shorts.
25. Then Grond said, I have made war with many Ulfs, but for this I will stop. If the Ulfs obey and remember the oath that they give, they may have all the world that they desire, save for the cave of Grond, and Boru shall keep the fire of Grond.
26. The Ulfs took Grond to a far off place. There they bid him mate with the many weak things that had come of Boru and the Brothers of Gullas. But Grond did not see Boru herself. So he was angry at their lies and slew them and drank their blood.
27. Then Grond commanded the Hordes to seek Boru in the lands of Ulfs and Shorts. Ever we make war against them so that he may mate with Boru and stop the longing in her loins. But Boru fears the Horde and hides from us though her loins still burn and will not stop.
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