Fury of the Small

Fury of the Small is a book uncovered through use of Study-related Inquiries by Moxzi Bluhedd.

## History

With her sights angled in a lofty manner toward the title of "Greatest Goblin in History", Moxzi Bluhedd sought to lay the path for her claim by investigating her competition, and so promptly started to scour local libraries for venerated, famous or otherwise notable goblins through history.

The process proved a particular struggle for her, seemingly stemming primarily from the lack of pictures included within the books she uncovered. As such, she failed to finish reading the book, leaving the later sections an uncertainty. She would however, several months later, return to the tome to finish the text contained within.

## Reading

### Completed by Moxzi Bluhedd

For many, goblins are considered squarely amongst the so-called monstrous races, seen as Malign, for that is indeed where they are believed to have come from. During Aita's Second Gift, the Dawn Matron brought the Principal Races into being, but goblins were not amongst them - for instead they came later, created from halfling stock by the Black Hand, after being led astray by the Battle Chief, a subservient of the Bane-Of-All. It is upon these teachings that many base their beliefs and assumptions upon goblinkind, as well as tales of bandit-like activity, opportunistic strikes against isolated travellers, and other malicious acts. But the truth of the matter is as such. Just as it was halflings that originally turned to the Black Hand, many goblins have since turned away from the Malign to re-embrace the Principal Sixteen, and are indeed far more than the vicious and nimble brigands that they are often portrayed as. That said, when considering noteworthy members of the race, there is, like any race, more than one side - good, bad, kind, wicked, and so all will be discussed within, covering Lugkas the Brasseye, Skrorr, Oxas (also known as Nettlebreath), Tas Doghorn, Zalda the Tall and of course Bluk "Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg" Blightbearer.

#### Lugkas the Brasseye

Though known to most historians for their engineering prowess, it is for their beguiling nature and talent for deception that Lugkas the Brasseye is celebrated amongst goblinkind. Lugkas claims to have learned the way of tinkering, pewtering and casting from watching a gnomish artisan at work and eventually persuaded the gnome to take him on as an apprentice by demonstrating his natural dexterity - although other versions of the tale suggest Lugkas instead stole the tools he desired and made off with them before the elderly gnome had noticed. After growing skilled with the craft, Lugkas attempted to join a number of artisan guilds across the continent, finding himself repeatedly rejected on petty excuses, ultimately leading him to believe it was his lineage, not his creations that worked to bar him.

And so began the great deception. For the best part of fifteen years, Lugkas the Brasseye managed to beguile hundreds of artisans, thousands of customers, and even a King - that of King Leonarde II Goldlor who visited Lugkas' workshop in Halima by chance on a visit to the Morning Court of the Faris Regime. The deceit was only uncovered when a pair of rival guild masters conspired to destroy Lugkas' workshop before he could unveil his newest creation, and while Lugkas and his novel Variable-Infusion Hand Crossbow held off the thugs sent his way, the weapon, untested as it was, misfired and near took off half of the goblin artificer's head. Located in the rubble of his workshop, Lugkas was rescued by devotees of Aita, his secret revealed. While no reprimand came from the Sunar government for his deception, he departed Halima a short while after his recovery, seemingly having decided to set up a new workshop further away from prying eyes and would-be rivals.

#### Skrorr

When one seeks out fame and recognition, what harm is there if you get rich along the way? Particularly if those riches come from folks that aren't using them anymore! It was upon these ideals that Skrorr lived, rising to become amongst the most prolific archaeologists (and tomb raiders) in Ahlusian history. Unable to resist the lure of an unexplored ruin or dungeon, Skrorr chased after legends in the pursuit of treasures and relics of mages, warlord and monarchy. Paired with their trusty telescopic 10-foot pole dubbed *Traptapper*, it was said that there was no trap that was capable of catching Skrorr offguard, and in doing so Skrorr managed to *recover* the lost treasures of Nogu Bloodhair and Rangrim the Ravenous, as well as recover the Circlet of Affluent Delirium from the hoard of the Dawnbreaker Voolikugedan.

Skrorr's prior actions would find themselves overshadowed by his exploits at the Hauntdelve Vaults, the lair of the lich Baqex. It remains uncertain whether to this day that Skrorr knew exactly what he had claimed when he made off from the deepest crypts with a supposedly beating heart wrought from crystal, but when it was subsequently established to be Baqex's phylactery, Skrorr was heralded as a hero for facilitating the lich's destruction once and for all. Rumour has it that the reward showered upon him was subsequently used by the goblin explorer to gold plate *Traptapper*, although few of Skrorr's later exploits came close to the Beguiling of Baqex and so his later life falls into obscurity.

#### Oxas/Nettlebreath

Known for her iridescent and vibrant green eyes that were claimed to give out light of their own accord, few can look at the tales surrounding the legends of Oxas and not recognise the obvious influence of the Feywild into her being. Born but a few decades after Aita's Second Gift, when physical connection points between the Ahlusian continent and the Feywild proper were far more frequent and common than they are in present day, it has been assumed by historians that Oxas was exposed to Fey magic early on in life, whether at conception, birth, or early childhood. Beyond her eyes, Oxas was also said to possess skin that was covered in coloured bands of soft fur, and an odd influence on surrounding plant life, with flowers spontaneously blooming in her presence.

Upon reaching adulthood at the age of 8, Oxas claims that she was approached by no less than three Archfey, all of which petitioned her, not she they, to give unto her a gift of their boon - and she accepted the offers of all three, unbeknownst to the other two. The surging primal energies empowered Oxas greatly, giving her fearsome access to all manner of druidic magic that she used to build vast natural fortresses and lairs from interwoven forest groves, animating huge numbers of trees and shrubs to defend them. Everywhere she walked, twisting vines would spring up as she breathed life into the forest, granting her her monikor. Somewhere between weeks and decades later, it is said that the Archfey discovered Oxas' ploy, and while two were greatly bemused by it, the third was anything but, and cursed each and every member of tribe into an extended bout of *Confusion* each time she tried to utilise her powers.

#### Tas Doghorn

Tas Doghorn is heralded amongst one of the most notorious gangster mob bosses in last two hundred years, commanding a vast crime network sprawling throughout the Realms of Halholm, Tulis, Lienia, Tviatini, the Empire of Raq and the Duchies of Tynd. The Doghorn Cartel, from which Tas claimed his name, having risen through its ranks from a lowly acolyte to its premier leader, engaged in all manner of illicit activity, including smuggling, racketeering, robbery and murder for hire, and it was through competency at all that eventually allowed Tas to seize control. Referred to as the Reign of the Bloody Nose by former gang members that went to testify against Tas as his brutality only further increased in scope and scale, Tas operated the Cartel for the best part of a decade, before being finally taken down by operatives of Assardin the Immured.

What confounded efforts to capture or otherwise eliminate Tas for the duration of his vicious but highly lucrative command as leader came from the devotion of his followers, which he referred to as his Zealots. The Zealots not only served to offer praise to the ego-driven goblin mob boss, but also as is doppelgangers, with many undergoing forms of cosmetic surgery to better resemble their leader. Tas survived no less than six attempts on his life through this method, before a scorched earth tactic eventually destroyed him, his remaining Zealots and much of the assets of the Doghorn Cartel in one definitive sweep.

#### Zalda the Tall

Few goblins have inspired more terror during their lives than Zalda the Tall, a goblin that claimed to have been bathed in the blood of a giant when they were just a babe, granting them their extraordinary height, towering over even some hobgoblins, though even this was not enough to prevent some of said race within the warband to which she held allegiance - the Smoketouched Breakers. Zalda's dominion over both the cunning of conventional goblins with the brawn afforded by her size meant she proved exceptionally capable at animal handling, or rather beast and monstrosity handling - for it was with all manner of cruel and vicious creatures that she soon found she had a talent for dominion over. With this skill growing ever more capable by the passage of the moon, Zalda sought to rise from her place in the typical goblinoid hierarchy, staging a quick and efficient coup which, while resulting in the death of near all her original supporters in the infighting that consumed the Smoketouched Breakers, quickly garnered her further support from goblin tribes dotted throughout the Ironfangs. From Uldingweld to the northern edge of the Tviatini Jungle her warband, Zalda's Zealots, raided, finding frequently conflict with all that passed their way.

It would be with the Halhomites of Halholm that Zalda's Zealots would find quarrel most greatly, clashing repeatedly with numerous factions of riders, the first formal stone of war thrown when Zalda the Tall seized numerous Terrorwing breeding sites throughout the Halmbrae Hills, all involved in traditional coming of age traditions for the Halhomite people. At the decadal gathering of the population at the transient city of Halm's Hold, the people largely reached a state of union in their agreement that action would need to be taken, ultimately culminating in the War of Wing and Claw, in which Zalda's Zealots and the riders of Halholm clashed in a bloody conflict atop beasts of the land and sky alike across the entirety of the Realm. During the final battle, some four months into the campaign, Zalda was slain when her monstrous winged mount was shot out from under her, sending her careening into the depths of Halm's Break, a deep canyon at the heart of Halm's Plains, the screams of her fall cut suddenly short upon striking its base - to which those remaining mounts still living raised a chorus of chilling cries.

#### Bluk "Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg" Blightbearer

All praise be offered to the Master of All Booyahg, the followers of Bluk "Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg" Blightbearer called freely wherever they were encountered, the mere presence of Bluk seemed to augment the goblins in his presence, a touch of the wild magic that flowed so freely through him lingering in each. With scimitars spontaneously aflame and bows fired arrows tipped with acid - though not until loosed - the sorcery of the Blightbearer was, and seemingly remains, unparalleled amongst goblinkind. Having quickly ascending through the ranks of the lasher families due to their might, Bluk then organised the successful raid of a travelling trade caravan from Tulis bound for the Duchies of Tynd, stealing from them, amongst many other things, supplies originally destined for the Guild of the Velvet Rose including an enchanted wand. Further emboldened, Bluk "Booyahg Booyahg Booyahg" Blightbearer would grow in power and infamy alike as a both a vicious ambusher of those travelling through the Tviatini Jungle and the source of a great deal of destruction, wildfires and other blights on the surrounding forest promptly following in their wake.

Over the years, Bluk would add a set of robes and an enchanted brooch to his arsenal, clashing with Yuan-Ti societies over their twenty year reign of terror, sacrificing vast numbers of followers to ensure their escape every time any organised effort by the Realms or groups elsewise affiliated sought to capture them. Nonetheless, eventually fate would meet with Bluk, although the exact cause - or even location - of this fate is highly disputed. Some claim that Bluk quarrelled with a colony of stone giants and found themselves pulverised beneath a dozen stones cast at them in unison, whereas other tales instead say they were eaten by a naga that Bluk had long maintained a rivalry. Others instead suggest that their own magic backfired, transforming them into something mundane and easily broken, killing them instantaneously, but regardless, the greatest curiosity was yet to come. All accounts agree, that upon death, Bluk found themselves reincarnated by a surge of wild magic - although no agreement settles on into what exactly Bluk became, a truth lost to the ages alongside their treasures.