1 Prologue

It's late spring in the Darh Mountains, in the night a storm rolled in and dropped nearly two inches of fresh powdery snow. As Tect and the other young goblins of the Darh Clan stepped out of their cave the snow reflects the morning sun like a mirror burning their sensitive eyes. Once their eyes have adjusted the children begin their morning chores. While the adult males hunt or mine and the females tend to the clans' mushroom gardens the children venture into the forest to gather wood and check the small snares they have been taught to use. Most of the children have fairly dark green skin, mud brown hair, and rough skin, Tect clearly does not match the others. Tect is nearly six inches taller than the next tallest child, his skin is a much lighter mint green and smooth, and his hair is the color of rich honey. This is because his mother is a half-elf. Tect runs into the forest the sun on his skin feels amazing, he is probably the only goblin that enjoys this. These are the memories of his youth, a happier time before his life was ruined by the greed of humans.

Crack! The whip cracks against the flesh of his back. For a time there is a searing pain, but this is not his first time and the pain fades quickly. Years of this treatment had turned his back into a cross hatch of scars, the regular whip couldn't draw blood no matter which master swung it. Crack! He cries out in pain. This is part of the act, if he doesn't do this they may switch to the whip with the metal tip, and then he really will be in pain. His people look on sadness, regret, shame, all these emotions and more, paint their faces. To the Elders this is nothing new, In the Town of Nadteifelt goblins were treated like this every day. The goblin being whipped is Tect, the last chieftain of the Darh Mountain Clan and their last hope for freedom.

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