The Cloafly of the Goblin Kingdoms

The cloafly is flying insect about two feet long with a membranous wingspan twice that length. It has six legs, the front two are hooked. Its face ends in a toothy proboscis. The cloafly is an endoparasitoid that can use the body of another living creature to produce a litter of offspring. The cloafly survives in warm arid environments that are not exposed to direct sunlight. It is active at night coincident with the full moon, making its activity cycle approximately three nights out of every twenty-eight. During that three night period, the cloafly will emerge from its host, find a victim, impregnate it and then die.

The offspring of the cloafly is a translucent sack of worms which will slowly mature in the body they inhabit. A laying female will put between fifteen and thirty offspring into their host. The female worms are genetic clones of the mother and will grow into adult cloaflies after about 28 days of feeding. The male offspring will be a hybrid of the host and the cloafly, but will favor the characteristics of the host body. It will take about three months for the males to emerge as adult humanoids.

The cloaworm must consume about two hundred times its body weight, or more, to reach maturity. This each worm will do, provided there is enough food material in supply. If not, the male worms will be consumed by the females. Therefore the worms are most often kept in refuse pits, where they are fed animal and plant matter by the shovel-full.

The male offspring that reach maturity are capable of reproduction with the species of the host in the usual way. Though they have a tendency to create sterility in the females of the host species after contact.

God-kings of the Orcs

Over the millennia, strange powers from far off Erenes have allied themselves with the goblinkind and used them to do their bidding. Some of these powers have been able to grant faculties and abilities to certain of their followers, including unnaturally long life. These gifted followers have made names for themselves as infamous god-kings of the orc hordes. 

The most famous of these is Gruumsh One-eye, warchief of the who was slain by Agronar the Conqueror, but whom the Orcs believe live on in the fury of night storms. Gruumsh was a orc of immense physical strength and unrelenting vitality, capable of a barbaric rage which rendered him all but immune to magic. He was averse to bright light and could sense and seek out impending conflict. His skill as a warchief was said to be augmented by a limited prescience that allowed him to see the immediate future.

Yurtrus the White Handed is a terrifying spectacle of death and disease. He is a huge, vaguely orcish giant covered with peeling, rotting green flesh. His hands are chalk-white in color. He is surrounded by a huge envelope of stinking gasses which choke and blind all but his devoted followers who find it invigorating and healing, as well as a periapt against all disease. The shamans of Yurtrus are distinguished by the white gloves they wear. His subsidiary warchiefs are seen with fist-shaped maces. 

Shargaas the Night Lord is believed to be an orc of ebony skin, dark set eyes and gaunt, almost skeletal features. He is completely blind by light of day, but has the ability to see up to a mile at night. He is known as the consumate hider who cannot be spotted in anything less that full daylight. He is also said to be a gifted climber with the ability to scale any height on any surface.

Bahgtru, Son of Gruumsh is a huge, incredibly muscular orc with tan skin and dull green eyes. He does not use weapons, but relies on a pair of allegedly enchanted leather gloves, studded with iron. His tan skin is said to be immune to all blunt weapons, greatly resistant to those with edges, and subject only to those that pierce. He is an orc of immense strength, exceeding even that of the strongest giants. He is said to have once beaten a reptilian gargantuan to death with his bare hands, before making his lair in its corpse.

Ilneval the Planner, is a half-orc with a mix of bestial features and those which are unmistakeably human. A tactical genius and strategist without peer, Ilneval was responsible for most of Gruumsh's victories, where sheer strength could not have carried the day. It is said that any of the human and demi-human generals would be glad to have him at the head of thier armies. Due to his uncanny abilities, he has led his horde successfully since the death of Gruumsh, though that warchief had a son. He remains Bahgtru's greatest rival and the two hordes are often at odds with each other.

On the Urok and their Foul Offspring

Goblin is an appellation somewhat misapplied by the good and civilized people of Erenth. Strictly speaking, the word only belongs to a specific species of humanoid foulness -- the diminutive flat-faced, broad-nosed monster with pointed ears, wide mouths and small, sharp fangs which seem to be as abundant in some areas as the bushy-tailed squirrel. More commonly that that, however, the word is applied to all creatures of the so-called goblinkind, including bugbears, bullywugs, flinds, gnolls, hobgoblins, jermlaine, kobolds, lizard men, mongrelmen, ogres, ogrillon, orcs, orog, troglodytes, trolls, urd, and hill giants. It is true that all of them in all their monstrous varieties are descended from the same common ancestors. They are all the foul offspring of an ancient and proud people. 

The Urok were once a race closely resembling humans. They were of the same average height, but were stockier (like Dwarves) and had pointed ears like Elves. They also had ridges on their brow which narrowed to the point just above the nose. They were strong and hearty, and some might say, born for war. 

The Urok were marked by laconic speech and austere lifestyles. Long after the other races had settled into cities, they eschewed them preferring nomadic lifestyles following game. Their strongest and brightest were marked for the warrior upper class. Those who were weak remained part of the servile underclass. 

It is said that at one time the Urok were the dominant race on the planet. If that is true it occurred long before the knowledge of anyone living. What is not in doubt is that the Urok were a contentious people who were prone to raiding and war throughout all of history.

By the time that the human civilization had dawned, learned scholars among the Urok had deduced that man's greatest strength was his birth rate. In league with dark forces, their scholars undertook a fertility program that came to be called the Dread Foulness. 

An evil mage named Niktalor, introduced an extra planar creature known as the cloafly to the so-called Goblin Kingdoms. This invasive species assured the fecundity of the Urok race, but also permanently changed its nature. Over time the actual Urok were outbred by the Dread Foulness and the goblin races rose in their place. Every successive generation of them is more inbred, more mutated and more ill-tempered than the previous.

Of the original Urok, none remain. There are adult male goblinoids and their grotesque wormy breeding pits. While some lairs seem to be rife with "children" and "females" those creatures are really just the runts of their litters. Scrawny and stunted, they are relegated to domestic and servile duties... and in times of want they become food. 

While there are no female goblins, the males are capable of reproduction in the usual way, but the only race with which they seem still capable of breeding are humans. This has given rise to half-orcs and half-ogres. Such half breeds can expect to live 40 years on average and are stronger than their fully human peers, but somewhat more difficult to look at.

The goblin descendants of the Urok do believe that they should rule the world. It is almost their sole animating principle. They believe that all the world was stolen from them and handed over to "the shorts." While the rule of the world has passed from race to race since then, it has never returned to them... its rightful heirs. Their civilization has no records. It relies instead on orally transmitted "tells" of dubious accuracy.

Battle Song of the Fell

The Urgamesh were a tribe who apparently worshipped the elemental powers of one they called Mother Earth, along with her sons, Wind and Fire. Their unnerving repetitious chant was heard by all at the Battle of the Black Princes in 3012ey. However, it was preserved as nothing more than a beat or cadence with nonsensical grunts by the Northruner skalds who were there. Those skalds passed it down in their oral histories -- mostly to bring color and fear to their audiences at the appropriate time.

Apparently the Urok had a greater audience than anyone suspected. The song was also adapted by several goblin hordes. In 4224ey, animated with a religious fervor, goblin armies returned with the so-called Chanters' War. They believed that the endless repetition of the chant rendered them all but invulnerable. 

Again at the Battle of Wanderhalt 5284ey, Northruners fought alongside of Westruners against goblins. Over a period of six days, this song was heard time and again. The skalds were dumbfounded to hear the same battle cadence they had preserved, and when it was over, had the lyrics translated. Learned Westrun sages gave them the true words and their meaning from the Fell Speech.

In practice, the first two verses are sung by lonely voices in their vast horde. Perhaps one in one hundred are singing, while the rest are quiet. The third verse is joined by all and at the conclusion of it, the horde surges forward attacking. The final chants are made until the battle is won or they are beaten off.

A Song of Urgamesh: a chant of Earth, Wind and Fire.

Behold the battle before us
Behold the mighty wind
Behold the raging fire
They will be with us bringing death
Returning ash and blood to earth

See how the gods will fight with us?
See how we win the spoils of kings?
Ride all the wind and fire
True warriors bring earth its due
Leave all the ash and blood behind us

We attack screaming like true heroes
We fight the foes who stand before us
Ride all the wind and fire
The gods go with us and are pleased
Feel their power of blade and brand

Ride all the wind and fire
Ride all the wind and fire
Ride all the wind and fire
Ride all the wind and fire

The Dread Foulness

In 3686ey the last of the Urok make an unholy alliance with Niktalor the Archmage. Under the auspices of the Dread Foulness, they begin to give themselves over to simple, savage propogation.  This dilutes the blood of the Urok and further poisons their souls. It also gives rise to the foulest of offspring, the many races of animal-like goblins -- who still hate the banishment of their forebears (the only history they care to remember) and vow eternal war on all the other races.

The Realms of Southrun and their Recognized Monarchs

An index for the use of all Royal and Noble Houses.

• Dun Dalurdig: (King Sudurtal Dururthur) Hearth of the Bright Black Watch; ancestral place of the Derro Dwarves
  
• Dun Duergara: (King Druna Garentega) Hearth of the Angry Souls; ancestral place of the Duergar Dwarves
  
• Dravomalas: (Queen Galnathra Ararsda) The Drowood; ancestral place of the Drow Elves
  
• Neblodi: (King Perid Nebnofz) Stronghold of the Pure ; ancestral place of the Svirfneblin Gnomes
  
• Ridgedale: (King Dafe Spearfling) ancestral place of Renegade Halflings
  
• Karkkarthkarag: (King Agalgaash) The Red Fang Den; ancestral place the Urok
• Bhrenherjhot: (unknown) Grandhold of the Flames; ancestral place of the Fire Giants
  

The Realms of Eastrun and their Recognized Monarchs

An index for the use of all Royal and Noble Houses.

• Dun Usega: (King Thorgren Mithralri) Hearth of the Eternal Night; ancestral place of the Deep Dwarves
  
• Fingolfmalas: (King Uruvien Daerdaes) The Southwood; ancestral place of Wood Elves
  
• Lochdale: (King Wilstan Watergarden) ancestral place of Stout Halflings
  
• Merrydale: (King Fredo Fieldshanks) ancestral place of Tallfellow Halflings
  
• Vinlinlodi: (King Garin Rullanti) The Ice Star Stronghold; ancestral place of Rock Gnomes
  
• Kuttiqiakarag: (King Sekulfumsh)The Fighting Slave Den; ancestral place of Urok

The Realms of Westrun and their Recognized Monarchs

An index for the use of all Royal and Noble Houses.

• Dynkyr: (King Daen Bannahr) ancestral home of the Sundered Dwarves
  
• Oromir: (King Urthomm Mirauth) ancestral home of Hill Dwarves
  
• Festog: (King Vestri Naknolmbir) ancestral home of Hill Dwarves
  
• The Mistwood: (King Elralad Farofir) ancestral home of High Elves
  
• The Deepwood: (Queen Iseri Sephyaren) ancestral home of High Elves
  
• The Greywood: (King Esadrel Urilmar) ancestral home of Grey Elves
  
• The Forest Hills: (King Crolo Vindvelf) ancestral home of Rock Gnomes
  
• The Curwood: (Queen Taro Gnipjarin) ancestral home of Forest Gnomes
  
• Hilldale: (King Bolond Halechest) ancestral place of Hairfoot Halflings
  
• Rakagkarag: (King Karkbrahl) ancestral place of Urok

Nhelherjhot

Race: Giant, Ice

Land: Northrun

Name: Grandhold of Sunset

Jarl:

Resources:

Population: 

Description:

Dhagherjhot

Race: Giant, Frost

Land: Northrun

Name: Grandhold of Sunrise

Jarl:

Resources:

Population: 

Description:

Rakagkarag

Name: The Strong Victors Den

Ruler: Karkbrahl, Warchief

Government: Autocracy, absolute rule by the strongest -- woe to the vanquished

Population: 150,000

Description: Boasting one of the largest hordes of Goblinkind, Rakag is well ensconced in the ancient Holdfast which they took from the Dwarves during the time of the Fifth Betrayal. There, in the darkness beneath the mountains they have bred and grown strong.

Warchief Karkbrahl

Warchief Sekulfumsh

Warchief Agalgaash

College of Malec Keth

The College of Malec Keth is located somewhere in the Goblin Kingdoms



The Primus is unknown. The students are not known to observe the censure and have no identifiable clothing.

The Oxmen have not rated the college.

The Identification of Boru in the Tells of the Goblins

Throughout the Goblins tells there are references to five beings of great power. The first is Gullas, their Lord, who was betrayed by the second and third, his brothers. The Fourth is Grond, the successor hero demigod after the banishment of Gullas. The fifth and most intriguing, is the sister of all three, whom the Goblins call Boru.

It has been the contention of many that these tells are corruptions of tales told first among the Elder races (See Dulagdur and Abernathes and the Canons). They are perhaps the prototypes of those legends, or more likely, owe their genesis to some other lost tale which is the foundation for all of them. As I am of this latter school of thought, I have referred to the unnamed writing as Manuscript X.

In trying to harmonize Goblin Tells with other legends it is most important not to give too much creedence to the material at hand. Much of what the Goblins have memorized regarding their kind is done so as to exculpate their conduct and motivations across history. This is nowhere more evident in their explanations for the various Goblin races and the person of Boru.

If there is a Manuscript X, it stands to reason that Gullas is synonymous with Agellas, the accursed former Servant of God. Examined from the standpoint of the Fell races, the described actions of Gullas may seem laudable. What the Elder races refer to as poor conduct may only serve to endear this figure to them. Moreover, being outcasts in the world, may give them additional incentive to root for another perceived underdog.

The unnamed Brothers have posed a problem for many as there only seem to be two of them. As my previous volume indicates, I maintain that the cosmology of the Goblins must reflect their taxonomy. In other words, as the Goblin divide all other races into Ulfs and their ubiquitous Shorts, they must limit the divine personages to the gods of the Ulfs and Shorts. That there are several different types of "shorts" seems self-evident, so must it follow that there could be several interlocutors for them, even if the Goblin lumps them in together.

Boru, by far is the most interesting of the beings of Great Power in the Tells of the Goblins. At first blush, she would seem to fit well with the description of Baere in other legends. Even the construction of her name would seem to fit most cleanly, however, this is the first indication we have that this Servant of God is a female. The other legends seem unanimous in their affirmation of male interlocutors, or at the least, no gender whatever.

But the Goblins go beyond a divine personage when describing Boru. They claim that the Brothers sought to mate with her, in the manner of Gullas. And that Gullas had successfully mated with her and brought forth the various Goblinoid races. In this regard, Boru seems to be conflated with the manifestation of nature -- perhaps the flora and fauna of all Erenth. What the Hobbits call Mulnechir (see Butterchurn).

The search for and the mastery over Boru would appear to be a struggle for control of the known world and all that fits within it. This would seem to echo the charges of the Dwarven Betrayals (see Dulagdur) against the Elves specifically. Perhaps the best explanation for Boru in the Goblin Tells is that she is both a representation of Baere and of Erenth herself, a sort of fertility goddess for them to revere.

On the Convention of Urkish Names

On the Convention of Urkish Names
a brief list by Tobor Walenrut, Sage of Treft and environs

The following list of words shows the word roots and their meanings that are most often used as names in the Urkish language. While it is true that the goblinoid races took many of their grammatical structures from the Fell Speech, the vocabulary is unique to their  races.

Ad         Curse

Agal Jagged

Agh         Spirit

Am         Beasts

Amba Slithering Beasts

Amg Insects And Creeping Beasts

Amn Two Legged Beasts

Amrd Flying Beasts

Amrr Four Legged Beasts

Amsh Swimming Beasts
Arak        Maker of

Azhak Offering

Bak         Ripped

Borg Swamp

Brahl Night

Brogg Sea

Brug Lake

Burg Desert

Burz Darkness

Chor Claw

Chos Bone

Dith     Scar

Drumz Music

Druul Witch

Dug         Day

Dum Trap

Duuk Death

Eg         Small, Short, Tiny

Fek         Broken

Gaash Wound

Garz Attack

Gath Littermate

Ghank Steal

Ghaz Gift

Ghruz Lust

Ghurn Totem

Glog Fur

Golug Slave, young

Gorth Strength

Gri         Sharp

Gro         Every, All

Grod Flame

Grol         Wind

Gru         Eye

Grum Eat

Grush Summon

Gtuk Possessions, Items, Things

Gul         Follower

Gum Food

Gurz Raider

Hnas Stab

Hoo Soft

Hrek Ear

Hruk Tribe

Huk         Herd

Iqa         Slave, breeder

Irk         Us

Isk         Group

Jajal Dripping

Jakjak Bent

Ka         Winnings, Plunder Treasure

Kal         Inside

Kalyes Viscera

Karag Overwhelming Victory

Kark Red

Karth Fang

Kich Animal Maw

Kragh War

Kraghnar Warrior

Krol Hooked

Krosh Slave, worker

Krul         Anger

Kum Home

Kurn Hunter

Kutt Blade, Knife

Lag         Long

Lid          Poisonous Plants

Lin         Edible Plants

Lip         Inedible Plants

Lug         Cave

Lugh Ghost

Lurg Greed

Mak Scar

Mar         Hide

Mauk Defeat

Min People

Mog Commander

Morg Sleep

Mugrak Druid

Mulk Black

Murg Go

Muuk Victory, Win, Success

Nagush King

Nub         Night

Nurz Hate

Olbg Large, Tall

Piz         Drink And Urine

Prk         Spear

Rag         Powerful, Large, Many

Rang Blood

Raug Shaman

Rog         Armor

Rokh Pig

Ruk         Forest

Rukmar Forest Hider, Sylvan Creatures

Rul         Mountain

Sek         Foul

Shar     Ash

Shat         Axe

Shirrt Others, Any Non-Elven Race

Skal         Clan

Skargh Shield

Skarn Rock

Skarzul Scout

Skaum Ice

Skor Banish

Skul         Want

Snuk Snout

Strk Sword
Sul           First or Primary

Tharn Hunger

Thorn Tree

Thrag River

Thrak Battle

ThrakmarHonor

Throgh To

Thrum Thunder

Thrungh Pain

Thrunz Rage,

Thug Chain

Thul Trophy

Thum Doom

Turuk Shaman

Tuun Tongue

Tzaal Kill

Ulf         Elf

Ulg         Wolf

Umsh Fight

Urthak Land

Uru         Fear

Uruz Demon

Uzg         World

Vark Hard

Vragh Chief

Vrog Magic

Vrok Joy

Wajk Flat Tooth

Yes         Warm

Zargh Opening

Zhak Grass

Zhakmar Grass Hider, Small Prey

Zugor Enemy

Zul         Elder

Zûr         Wizard

Anger         Krul

Animal Maw Kich 

Armor         Rog

Ash                 Shar

Attack         Garz

Axe                 Shat

Battle         Thrak

Beasts         Am 

Bent         Jakjak 

Black         Mulk 

Blade, Knife Kutt 

Blood         Rang

Bone         Chos 

Broken         Fek 

Cave         Lug

Chain         Thug

Chief         Vragh

Clan         Skal

Claw         Chor 

Commander Mog

Banish         Skor

Curse         Ad 

Darkness         Burz

Day                 Dug    

Death         Duuk 

Defeat         Mauk

Demon         Uruz

Desert         Burg

Doom         Thum

Drink & Urine Piz 

Dripping         Jajal 

Druid         Mugrak

Ear                 Hrek 

Eat                 Grum

Edible Plants Lin 

Elder         Zul

Elf                 Ulf 

Enemy         Zugor

Every, All Gro 

Eye                 Gru 

Fang         Karth 

Fear                 Uru

Fight         Umsh 
First                 Sul

Flame         Grod

Flat Tooth Wajk 

Flying Beasts Amrd 

Follower         Gul

Food         Gum

Forest         Ruk

Sylvan      Rukmar

Foul                 Sek 

Four legs     Amrr 

Fur                 Glog 

Ghost         Lugh

Gift                 Ghaz

Go                 Murg

Grass         Zhak

Small Prey Zhakmar

Greed         Lurg

Group         Isk

Hard         Vark 

Hate         Nurz

Herd         Huk

Hide         Mar

Home         Kum

Honor         Thrakmar

Hooked         Krol 

Hunger         Tharn

Hunter         Kurn

Ice                 Skaum

Inedible PlantsLip 

Insects             Amg 

Inside         Kal 

Jagged         Agal 

Joy                 Vrok

Kill                 Tzaal 

King         Nagush

Lake          Brug

Land         Urthak

Large, Tall Olbg 

Littermate Gath

Long         Lag 

Lust                 Ghruz
Maker              Arak

Magic         Vrog

Mountain Rul

Music         Drumz

Night         Brahl 

Night               Nub

Offering         Azhak

Opening         Zargh

Others             Shirrt 

Victory         Karag 

Pain                 Thrungh

People         Min 

Poison Plants Lid 

Possessions Gtuk 

Powerful  Rag 

Rage         Thrunz

Raider         Gurz

Red                 Kark 

Ripped         Bak 

River         Thrag

Rock         Skarn

Pig             Rokh

Wound             Dith 

Scar                 Mak 

Scout         Skarzul

Sea                 Brogg

Shaman         Raug

Sharp         Gri 

Shield         Skargh

Slave, young   Golug

Slave, worker  Krosh

Slave, breeder  Iqa 

Sleep         Morg

Slithering Amba 

Small, Short Eg 

Snout         Snuk 

Soft                 Hoo 

Spear         Prk 

Shaman         Turuk

Spirit         Agh

Stab                 Hnas 

Steal         Ghank 

Strength         Gorth

Summon         Grush

Swamp         Bor

Fish             Amsh 

Sword         Strk 

Thunder         Thrum

To                 Throgh

Tongue         Tuun 

Totem         Ghurn

Trap                 Dum

Tree                 Thorn

Tribe         Hruk

Trophy         Thul

Two Legged Amn 

Us                 Irk 

Victory, Win Muuk 

Viscera         Kalyes 

Want         Skul

War                 Kragh

Warm         Yes 

Warrior         Kraghnar

Win, Plunder Ka 

Wind         Grol

Witch         Druul

Wizard         Zûr

Wolf         Ulg

World         Uzg

Wound         Gaash 

The Tragedy of the Faithless and Childless

In days of yore there were two Ranes -- one of the Urok Kin and the other of the Younger Race. Bitter enemies were the two and each hated the other, though each had more in common than they knew. For both loved their Ranaa more than their own lives, but not more than their pride. Both were childless and were consumed by the fear that they could not have an heir. And, both sought my counsel in this matter and many others.

I take neither side in such affairs, only asking the Urok Kin keep to their land and the Younger Race to theirs. Ever I aided the other when one became too strong. Ever I counsel both sides to peace and negotiated a truce among them. This is the way of Continuity and this is the middle path though few understand it.

I approached the Mirror of Time and besought the answer and saw what must transpire. For neither would bear an heir except by betrayal and this I warned them straightly. There are worse things than to fade into history. The birds rise and fly and die again and no one weeps for their passing. Many have birdlings but none remember them. So it must be with many things and so might it be for you.

But each offered a protest that went something like this, "I have a bitter enemy who must be defeated. If I produce not an heir, then my enemy shall win. I need a son to fight when I can no longer draw the blade."

Neither of the Ranes would hear my counsel, and each went back to their Realms and knew not of the others torment.

Then, by some dark design whose portent I did not foresee, the Ranaa of the Urok Kin and the Rane of the Younger Race, met in peace upon a moonless night. There they coupled upon a bed of stone and there they swore to meet in peace upon a night nine months off.

Thus was the Mirror of Time proved right again. In betrayal was the Ranaa of one Realm was pregnant by the Rane of another. The Ranaa carried offspring within her and among them an heir for her Realm and an heir for her enemy's. But she resented it not and kept her word as lawfully given. Nine months later she returned to the bed of stone.

But the Rane of the Younger Race was full of torment and the deed weighed heavily on his mind. When he saw the issue of his loins and the fruit of the coupling he became murderous and struck the Ranaa dead and slew also the children.

But one survived, which I rescued and raised. Whose heir it was, I could not tell and did not care. Only I saw him to adulthood and called him the Man of Balance. A wanderer was he between two nations and never did I guide his life upon one path or another. For it was fit for him to choose, and he alone.

The Tells: A History of the Urok

A compilation of the oral legends told among the goblins
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.

On the Vices of Many Races

To His Royal Majesty, King Mynus of Sakland, Magister and Scholar, Seeker of Knowledge

From Tindol of Laketon, sage and guilded member of the Bards and Bandsmen House #7

My lord, you have requested information on the social ills which plague the many peoples of Erenth. As I am well-traveled and practiced in many forms of entertainment, I thought to give you what I knew of the ways that men will wile away their time in various games of skill and chance.


Westrun

As you know, the people of Westrun are fond of two games: Checks and Draughts. Both are two player games using tokens of two colors. The tokens are flat and round and usually colored white and black.

The game board is a subdivided square of alternating smaller dark and light colored smaller squares number 64. 

Each player starts with 12 pieces of their own color. The row closest to each player is called the "King Row". The black moves first.

In Checks, a player places all of his pieces alternating with his opponent. A player cannot move a piece once it is played, and it must be played on the whtie player's King's Row, if possible. If that column is occupied than the piece is played in the first vacancy closest to King's Row. When a column is filled, no more playing is possible there.  

The Game is over when either player has arranged his pieces so that there are four in a row, either diagnolly, vertically or horizontally. If nobody has four in a row, the game is a draw.

In Draughts, a player places all 12 of his pieces on the dark colored squares closest to the his King's Row. Thereafter, a player can move in two ways. A piece can be moved forward, diagonally, to the very next dark square. A piece can also jump over an opponents piece to remove it from the board, provided there is clear space on the other side of the opponents piece to land. A player can also use one piece to make multiple jumps in any one single turn, provided each jump continues to lead immediately into the next jump and in a straight line.   

If a player's piece moves into the King Row on the other player's side, it becomes a king. It can move forward and backward. A king cannot jump out of the King Row until the next turn. Unlike Regular pieces, Kings can "jump" various empty boxes at a time to capture a regular piece. These "King Jumps" may only occur in diagnoally alligned boxes. Neither Kings nor regular pieces may move in any direction that is not diagonal. 
The first player who cannot move loses. So if a player loses all of his pieces, he loses the game. And if he cannot move, he loses (even if he has pieces). A player may also resign (choose to lose). If nobody can lose, the game is a draw.

Northrun

The Men of the North have a game called Mill. This uses draughts as our games of Westrun, but the rules are a bit more complicated. The board consists of a grid with twenty-four interesections or points. Each player only has nine pieces. Players try to form 'mills'— three of their own men lined horizontally or vertically—allowing a player to remove an opponent's man from the game.

The game begins with an empty board. The players determine who plays first, then take turns placing their men one per play on empty points. If a player is able to place three of his pieces in a straight line, vertically or horizontally, he has formed a mill and may remove one of his opponent's pieces from the board and the game. Any piece can be chosen for the removal, but a piece not in an opponent's mill must be selected, if possible. Once all pieces have been placed, the second part begins.

In the second part, players continue to alternate moves, this time moving a man to an adjacent point. A piece may not "jump" another piece. Players continue to try and form mills, and remove their opponent's pieces in the same manner as in phase one. A player may "break" a mill by moving one of his pieces out of an existing mill, then moving the piece back to form the same mill a second time, or any number of times; and each time removing one of his opponent's men. The act of removing an opponent's man is sometimes called "pounding" the opponent. When one player has been reduced to three men, the third part begins.

In the third part, there is no longer a limitation of moving to only adjacent points: The player's men may jump from any point to any vacant point on the board. A player wins by reducing the opponent to two pieces, or by leaving him without a legal move. 

Eastrun

The Eastrun version of draughts, is called Tiles and begins with the same board and pieces though many more are used.

The first two moves by each player are in the 4 central squares of the board. The players place their pieces alternately. The dark player makes the first move.  

Upon his third move, dark must then place a piece such that there exists at least one straight (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) occupied line between the new piece and another dark piece, with one or more contiguous light pieces between them. After placing the piece, dark captures and replaces all light pieces lying on a straight line between the new piece and any anchoring dark pieces.

Now light plays. This player operates under the same rules, with the roles reversed: light lays down a light piece, capturing one or more dark pieces. Players take alternate turns. If one player cannot make a valid move, play passes back to the other player. When neither player can move, the game ends. This occurs when the grid has filled up or when neither player can legally place a piece in any of the remaining squares. The player with the most pieces on the board at the end of the game wins.

Southrun

The men of the South play a game called Twelve Lines. 

The objective is to remove (bear off) all of one's own draughts, from the board before one's opponent can do the same. The draughts are scattered at first and may be blocked or hit by the opponent. As the playing time for each individual game is short, it is often played in matches, where victory is awarded to the first player to reach a certain number of points.

Each side of the board has a track of 12 long spaces, called triangles. The triangles are considered to be connected across one edge of the board, forming a continuous track in the shape of a horseshoe, and are numbered from 1 to 24. Players begin with two draughts on their 24-triangle, three draughts on their 8-triangle, and five draughts each on their 13-triangle and their 6-triangle. The two players move their draughts in opposing directions, from the 24-triangle towards the 1-triangle.

Triangles 1 through 6 are called the home board or inner board, and triangles 7 through 12 are called the outer board. The 7-triangle is referred to as the bar triangle, and the 13-triangle as the midtriangle.

To start the game, each player rolls one die, and the player with the higher number moves first using both the numbers shown. If the players roll the same number, they must roll again as the first move can not be a doublet. Both dice must land completely flat on the right hand side of the gameboard. The players then alternate turns, rolling two dice at the beginning of each turn.

After rolling the dice players must, if possible, move their draughts according to the number of pips shown on each die. For example, if the player rolls a 6 and a 3 (notated as "6-3"), that player must move one draught six triangles forward, and another or the same draught three triangles forward. The same draught may be moved twice as long as the two moves are distinct: six and then three, or three and then six. If a player rolls two of the same number, called doubles, that player must play each die twice. For example, upon rolling a 5-5 that player may move up to four separate draughts forward five spaces each.

For any roll, if a player can move both dice, that player is compelled to do so. If players cannot move either die in a roll, given the position of their draughts, then that turn is over and the turn passes to the opponent. If either one die or the other but not both can be moved, the higher must be used. When removing draughts from the board ("bearing off"), the exact roll must be used unless a die is greater than any draught can use to bear off; in that case the die is played by taking a draught from the highest-numbered triangle off the board. If one die is unable to be moved, but such a move is made possible by the moving of the other die, that move is compulsory.

In the course of a move, a draught may land on any triangle that is unoccupied or is occupied only by a player's own draughts. It may also land on a triangle occupied by exactly one opposing draught, or "blot". In this case, the blot has been hit, and is placed in the middle of the board on the bar that divides the two sides of the playing surface. A draught may never land on a triangle occupied by two or more opposing draughts; thus, no triangle is ever occupied by draughts from both players simultaneously.

Draughts placed on the bar re-enter the game through the opponent's home board. A roll of 2 allows the draught to enter on the 23-triangle, a roll of 3 on the 22-triangle, and so forth. A player may not move any other draughts until all draughts on the bar belonging to that player have re-entered the game.

When all of a player's draughts are in that player's home board, that player may start removing them; this is called bearing off. A roll of 1 may be used to bear off a draught from the 1-triangle, a 2 from the 2-triangle, and so on. A die may not be used to bear off draughts from a lower-numbered triangle unless there are no draughts on any higher triangles.

If one player has not borne off any draughts by the time that player's opponent has borne off all fifteen, then the player has lost a Double, which counts for double a normal loss. If the losing player has not borne off any draughts and still has draughts on the bar or in the opponent's home board, then the player has lost a Triple, which counts for triple a normal loss.

To speed up match play and to provide an added dimension for strategy, a doubling cube is usually used. The doubling cube is not a die to be rolled but rather a marker, in the form of a cube with the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 inscribed on its sides, denoting the current stake. At the start of each game, the doubling cube is placed on the bar with the number 64 showing; the cube is then said to be "centered, on 1". When the cube is centered, the player about to roll may propose that the game be played for twice the current stakes. His opponent must either accept ("take") the doubled stakes or resign ("drop") the game immediately. If the opponent takes, the cube, now showing the doubled stake, is moved to the opponent's side of the board. This is done to indicate that the right to re-double belongs exclusively to the player who last accepted a double.

Whenever a player accepts doubled stakes, the cube is placed on his side of the board with the corresponding power of two facing upward. If the opponent drops the doubled stakes, he loses the game at the current value of the doubling cube. For instance, if the cube showed the number 2 and a player wanted to redouble the stakes to put it at 4, the opponent choosing to drop the redouble would lose two, or twice the original stake.

Dwarf Realms

The dwarves are known for a game called Bartuk. Which attempts to simulate a battle between Kings on a board remarkably similar to our draughts board. The rules are far more complex and instead of using simple interchangeable pieces, Bartuk requires the memorization of different movements, captures and strengths for each individual piece as all sixteen are inscribed with a different rune.

Elf Realms

Elves play a game called Red Leaves which uses leaves mounted on carefully oiled sheets of animal skin. This game can be played with two or three players, but is most often enjoyed by four.

Halfling Realms

Halflings are found of a game called Stacks and Sticks which allows players to take turns removing small irregular shaped blocks from a pile and replacing them on the top of the pile, until it either falls or is knocked over by a player's attempt. This game can be played by any number of contestants.