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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gnostic Goblin" data-source="post: 9530841" data-attributes="member: 7048243">Spoons The surviving goblins, dusty, battered, and thoroughly demoralized, gathered in a ragged group on a rocky outcrop above the wreckage of their former home. They watched as the adventurers marched triumphantly down the hillside, their bear companion plodding along behind them, now carrying what looked suspiciously like a sack of stolen goblin loot.“Unbelievable,” muttered Glint, slumped against a boulder with his helmet still on backward. “They didn’t even need the bear. That thing was just overkill.”“I told you it was overkill!” Gunk piped up from where he sat cross-legged on a fallen log, smirking smugly. “But noooo, Gunk’s just the ‘lying hillside goblin.’ Can’t trust a word outta his mouth!”The other goblins glared at him, though they were too tired to argue.“They took everything,” moaned Grinkle, who was nursing a bruised arm and cradling a single, slightly squished mushroom. “The shiny rocks, the mushroom barrels, the cursed spoon collection…”“Oh, come on,” Gunk said, rolling his eyes. “The spoon collection cursed us more than anyone else. You should be thanking them for taking it.”Grinkle sniffled. “But I liked the spoons.”As the adventurers grew smaller in the distance, the goblins’ grumbling turned into murmured complaints.“What’re we supposed to do now?” someone muttered. “The cave’s gone.”“And all our stuff!”“And the mushrooms!”“You’ve got the whole hillside!” Gunk said brightly, throwing his arms wide. “Plenty of trees, rocks, nice open skies—fresh start for all you former cave-dwellers.”The goblins turned to glare at him again, and Glint stood, wincing as he brushed dirt off his armor. “You think this is funny, Gunk? If you hadn’t been such a troublemaker, we’d never have kicked you out, and maybe we’d have taken you seriously for once.”“If you’d listened to me for once, we might still have a cave!” Gunk shot back, standing up on his log. “But nooo, I’m the bad guy for thinking ahead.”Glint growled, pointing an accusing finger. “You’re not the bad guy. You’re the annoying guy!”“Better to be annoying than flattened under a bear!” Gunk retorted. “Besides, I saved you all in my own roundabout way!”“Saved us?” screeched Grinkle. “We’re homeless and broke!”“And alive!” Gunk yelled, arms flailing. “You’re welcome!”The goblins grumbled and muttered, but no one had the energy to argue anymore. They sat in sullen silence as the adventurers finally disappeared into the trees below.“Well,” said Gunk after a long pause, “if it makes you feel any better, they didn’t take everything.”“What’re you talking about?” Glint asked suspiciously.Gunk grinned and pulled a sack out from behind his log. “While you lot were busy getting flattened and fireballed, I snagged some stuff from the supply nook. Look! Mushrooms! Some shiny rocks! And… uh… one spoon.”The goblins’ eyes widened as they crowded around the sack.“Gunk,” Glint said slowly, “you might be the most annoying goblin alive…”“…but we’ll take it,” finished Grinkle, snatching the mushroom.Gunk smirked as they rifled through the sack, muttering among themselves. “See? Stick with me, and we’ll rebuild. Hillside goblins! New name, new beginnings. Maybe even a new cave someday!”“Don’t push your luck,” Glint muttered, but Gunk could tell his heart wasn’t in it.Above them, the sun was setting over the hillside, and the goblins settled in to regroup, a little battered but still standing. For now, that was enough.To Be Continued…</blockquote>

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