Navigating their way through the perilous wilderness, Thorian seized the opportunity to learn more about his companion. He broached the subject with a question. "So, Brix, could you elaborate on your tribe? How expansive is it, and what is its organizational structure?"
Brix pondered Thorian's inquiry, scratching his chin before replying. "Well, I use the term 'tribe' loosely. It's more a unison of several tribes. Collectively, I'd say there are upwards of five hundred members, maybe even nearing a thousand. But, given the recent events of the past two days, I suspect that many may have died. So the current count could be less than five hundred."
Thorian was somewhat taken aback by Brix's casual acknowledgement of the recent fatalities. He couldn't help but respond, "You're rather nonchalant about it. Does the loss of your kinsmen not affect you?"
Brix shrugged, displaying a stark pragmatism. "Crying about them serves no purpose, master. As a goblin, you become all too familiar with death. It’s always a factor in our lives. Sometimes, that’s a good thing, because you get to choose which corpse you will have to eat and which one you will get to bury!"
Brix’s candid disclosure caught Thorian off guard. He found himself momentarily at a loss for words, his face a mask of surprised disquiet.
I thought I was a jaded man, but it seems I’m still a bit soft.
Sensing Thorian's shock, Brix tactfully shifted the conversation. "Master, as for the structure of the tribes, it's ruled by the council of elders at the helm. They are followed by the goblin champions, then the hobgoblin chiefs, and finally the normal goblins."
Thorian, managing to dispel his previous unsettling thoughts, nodded in understanding at Brix's detailed explanation. "So, it's a straightforward hierarchical organization. This simplification could be advantageous to us, as we only need to negotiate directly with this council of elders."
Brix's voice trailed off, his tone hinting at complications. "It might not be as easy as it sounds, master..."
Intrigued, Thorian prompted him to elaborate. "And why might that be?"
With a slightly apprehensive expression, Brix scratched the back of his neck before venturing into his explanation. "The council of elders live in the largest cave, situated deep within the goblin territory. To have an audience with them, we must go past the hundreds of goblins guarding them."
"Essentially, they have a security perimeter," Thorian deduced.
"Exactly, master. When I was last with them, the hobgoblin chiefs hadn't had the chance to construct any proper sheds. They were living in hollowed trees and bushes, just like us normal goblins," Brix elaborated with a hint of enthusiasm. "However, it's been a few days since then. I assume they've now established some form of shelter and fortified their defenses."
Thorian couldn't help but smile at Brix's assessment. "The ingenuity of goblins never ceases to amaze me. Among all lower level species, they truly stand out as one of the most, if not the most, intelligent."
Thorian's compliments elicited a jubilant response from Brix, who scratched his nose in delight. A wordless smile spread across his face, expressing his happiness more eloquently than any verbal response.
Observing his subordinate's joy, Thorian returned the smile, his eyes filled with pride. He then guided the conversation towards a more pressing concern. "However, this situation could pose a problem for us. Will these chieftains allow us passage? Or will we have to use force?"
Brix dismissed Thorian's concern with a shake of his head, puffing out his chest in a show of confidence. “Since I am now a shaman apprentice, they would be insane to try and make things hard for us. If they do and they are found out by the champions and the elders, we don’t even have to say or do anything, the higher-ups would kill them on their own.”
Hearing Brix’s words, Thorian looked at him with interest. I see, so a shaman apprentice is higher in the hierarchy than a hobgoblin chief. The more I learn about these goblins, the more intriguing they seem.
The duo proceeded onwards through the dense foliage. After a brisk half-hour trek, the distant sounds of movement alerted them to their proximity to their destination. Sharing a glance, they silently acknowledged their arrival at the target location.
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As they ventured deeper into the tangled forest, the haunting cries of the nocturnal wildlife echoed eerily around them. The uncanny luminescence of bioluminescent flora lent an ethereal aura to the environment. The cacophony of the goblin language, a discordant blend of grunts, shrieks, and squeaks, filtered through the thicket, signaling their proximity to the goblin settlement.
"We're close," Brix murmured, his eyes, acclimated to the darkness, scanned the dimly lit underbrush. His gaze sparkled with a subdued gleam of anticipation.
"It appears so," Thorian replied in a hushed tone. As they ventured closer, the hubbub intensified, and the rudimentary signs of goblin habitation came into view. A crude barricade fashioned from thorny bushes and fallen tree limbs delineated the boundary of the goblin territory.
Abruptly, two hobgoblin chiefs materialized from the obscurity, their grotesque silhouettes vaguely discernible. One was lanky, brandishing a rudimentary spear, while his companion, more robustly built, wielded a long sword. Their eyes glowed with an ominous light as they levelled their weapons at the newcomers. A volley of harsh squawks and piercing shrieks erupted from them, constituting an unmistakable warning. Thorian might not have understood their language, but their hostile intent was unambiguous.
“Leave this part to me, master,” Brix stepped forward, raising his hands in a non-threatening manner. He barked back a series of responses in their native tongue. His tones were confident and composed, a stark contrast to the hobgoblins' aggressive posture.
It seems he got more of a spine now that he had evolved.
Thorian watched Brix with interest. He had never before witnessed such assertiveness from the goblin. Following a moment of tense standoff, the hobgoblin chiefs unanticipatedly lowered their weapons. Their faces mirrored surprise, quickly replaced by mild disdain as they grunted and spat aside. Following a few more unintelligible grunts, they turned, beckoning for the duo to follow them.
Despite the residual hostility emanating from the hobgoblins, Thorian couldn't suppress a chuckle. Their brusque manners were, in their own way, quite amusing. So, even though they have to respect the hierarchy and tradition, it doesn’t mean that they have to like it. Very interesting behavior.
As Thorian and Brix ventured deeper into goblin territory, they encountered scores of the green-skinned beings. Most were scattered about, sprawled on the ground in states of visible fatigue and starvation, too drained to do much else. A handful managed to carry out tasks, moving supplies from one location to another. Yet, even these seemingly industrious goblins appeared gaunt and malnourished, their protruding ribs evidence of their dire condition.
Thorian's gaze was involuntarily drawn towards a goblin hidden behind a tree, voraciously consuming an indistinguishable piece of meat. As he followed the scene down, he spotted two green feet jutting out from behind the tree. His stomach roiled at the implication.
Brix, following Thorian's line of sight, wore a grave expression. "These are desperate times, master. When hunger gnaws, we goblins don't have the luxury of choosing our meals. Two rules apply here: let the family mourn for a day and do the deed in secret, and do it away from prying eyes. That’s what the elder always told me and that’s what I heard my whole life."
Thorian swallowed, his face etched with a grim expression. "That's a horrifying way of life." As the harsh realities of goblin existence hit him, his mind began to wander, recalling instances of similar desperation among his own kind. Yet, humans aren't above such acts in desperation.
As they ventured further into the open area, Thorian's gaze was drawn to a group of goblins huddled around a fire. Overseen by a hefty hobgoblin, the group was busily roasting a freshly hunted deer. The scene offered a stark contrast to the covert act of cannibalism he had witnessed moments ago.
"Why the discrepancy in meals?" Thorian queried, a crease of confusion marring his brow. Although he had a conjecture of his own, he desired to hear the explanation from the goblin himself.
Brix squinted at the group around the fire. "That’s an elite pack, master. They are led by a hobgoblin. They have the strength and skill to hunt larger game, while other groups aren't so lucky. Their kills are divided – shares for the elders, the champions, and the pack. The rest is left to the family of the pack, if there's any left that is."
"Squii, shrii."
The squeaking noises yanked Thorian's attention back to the two hobgoblin chiefs in the lead. They stood before a large cave entrance, barricaded by an arrangement of tree trunks and bushes. As the more robust of the two hobgoblins nudged a log aside, it revealed a pathway into the cavern.
Once the path was opened, the burlier hobgoblin turned to Brix, addressing him in their goblin tongue. Following a brief exchange, Brix, now eye level with Thorian's shoulder, tilted his head upwards to meet his master's gaze. "They wish to know the purpose of our meeting with the elders. What should I relay, master?"
Upon hearing Brix's query, Thorian took a moment to contemplate his response. "Our objective is clear - to discuss the assimilation of the goblin tribe into my village." He then swept his gaze around the open space, taking in the sorry state of the goblins before continuing. "Under my leadership, they will not have to suffer hunger. And certainly, they won't need to resort to consuming the dead bodies of their brethren."
After Thorian's declaration, Brix remained silent. The newly evolved goblin lowered his gaze for a few moments, then raised his eyes to meet Thorian's, displaying a certain apprehension. "Master, may I share my thoughts?"
Thorian's brows knitted together in mild surprise before he replied, "Speak your mind."
"I... don't believe this approach will work," Brix confessed, choosing his words with difficulty. “Neither the elders nor the champions truly care for the conditions of the goblins. What they care about is themselves.”