I’ve actually had this basic idea for a while. I’ve been trying to work the whole “Amara gets lost in a cave, meets some friendly Goblins” into something that fits a real story, complicated as my worldbuilding has grown and changed and Realmgard Goblins aren’t really subterranean anymore — though Realmgard Goblins being generally benevolent and considerate (as opposed to the standard screaming, mindless evil horde; that’s on purpose) is basically the premise I’ve built the entire concept of my Goblins around
Again, this is going to need refinement if it’s going to become a real story, but it’s a good way to get a longstanding idea onto the page (so to speak) in preliminary form.
Copyright
J.B. Norman
“Oh, geez,” Pela says, peering over the edge of the crevasse. “We just killed Amara.”
One minute, Amara was there. The next, the cliff was collapsing and Amara was going tumbling into the darkness of the cavern depths.
“When we get back to Porthaven, Kat is going to kill us,” Matilda notes.
Falcata goes up the edge of the crevasse and drops her drop down.
“Well,” she notes, pointing down to where the light of the torch is burning distant but still visible. “The good news is that a drop of this height is unlikely to have been fatal. However, she may be hurt and in need of help.”
“What are we waiting for?” Nolan says, we have to get down there.
“Wait, Nolan,” Tancred says, grabbing him by the sleeve.
“You heard what Falcata said, Amara’s probably hurt!” Nolan protests, trying to wriggle free. “We have to get down there.”
“Nolan!” Matilda says.
Nolan freezes at his sisters’ voice.
“Look, we all know you’ve got it bad for Amara,” Matilda tells him. “We get that you want to be the first down there to be all gallant and chivalrous, but stop and think — if you fall down there, too, who does that help? That just means the rest of us will have to carry two people back up. Let’s figure this out first.”
“I’ve got a rope!” Pela declares.
“Oh my,” Amara groans, regaining her senses at the bottom of the cavern cliff.
She staggers to her feet. Her left leg immediately buckles over her and she tumbles back to the ground with a cry.
“I do believe that’s broken,” she mutters. “Oh, bother.”
She slumps back to the ground.
“Have no fear, Amara,” she tells herself. “The others will be along shortly. Why, I’m sure Nolan is right at this very moment —“
Her face falls as she hears her own words echoing on the cavern walls.
“I’m doomed…”
Suddenly, a light begins to glow around the corner, followed by several sets of approaching footsteps.
Amara finds herself face to face with several Goblins.
“Greetings,” the largest of the Goblins says.
“Oh, yes… well, hello,” Amara says.
“It’s her!” one of the Goblins shouts.
“I don’t follow,” Amara says
“Produce,” the apparent leader of the Goblins declares, “the Scroll of Destiny!”
One of the other Goblins hums a little fanfare as he reaches into his pocket and unfurls a
“Your coming was foretold, O Glorious One!” the head Goblin cries jubilantly.
The blonde woman on the paper does look like Amara, though Amara is not particularly convinced of its prophetic nature.
“Well,” Amara says. “For one thing, this is a poster for a show at the Opera.” She peers at the poster. “From forty years ago.”
“I told you we should have found someone who can read Gardian!” one of the other Goblins says.
“Hmm,” the head Goblin says thoughtfully. “This poses quite the quandary for our entire belief system. Be that as it may, whether or not you are indeed our prophesied God-Queen, you appear lost and injured. We would be more than happy to assist you.”
So, basically, my original idea for these Cave Goblins was that they find discarded objects, don’t understand what they actually are/are for and assume they’ve got some kind of divine origin. I don’t think it quite holds water given the current state of Realmgard, but I do like the idea of Amara becoming the Cave Goblins’ God-Queen.
And not just because she’s my favourite character…
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