8 Shadowfang Cavern

In the Lion Skull Village, goblins were celebrating their recent victory. Abundant food from boars, dire wolves and arachnids were served in the main square. A huge bonfire had been lit as well for the occasion. Warriors and workers were happy, but none were as happy as the Elite warriors, who were able to display their absolute mastery of riding the dire wolves.

After all, they had been training for the past two months for this very moment. Be it the bite that they received during the taming process of dire wolves, or the numerous falls they had to endure before mastering the art of riding wild wolves, the process to learn this skill was arduous.

The ambiance was festive, and once again, every goblin from the village felt how incredible their leader was. The Sea Serpent summoned by their shaman had taken a giant goblin in one single strike.

[Gurk]

Without him, the Lion Skull Clan might have perished this day. However, the great walls, the technology of ballistae or the weapon skill mastery of the average goblin warrior in the village were all related to their shaman, an oddity of nature itself.

Although most goblins did not know about the status of goblins in the wilderness, Gurk made sure to teach them that they were privileged in the academy, the fact that they were of a breed of goblins above the other tribes, and that they should never breed with other goblins, all for the sake of reducing the odds of internal conflicts.

Gurk's goal in doing this was to build a monolith-like society, a utopy centered around his image, for the sake of goblin development and accumulation of resources.

And just like that, the Lion Skull Clan rised from a small, minor goblin tribe in the shadowfang to one of the two major goblin tribes in the Shadowfang Clan. With the recent battle, the Blood Fang Clan would surely take at least a decade to return to its former glory, making the Lion Skull Clan the only large goblin tribe in the shadowfang cavern.

Although there were other creatures in the shadowfang cavern, this battle sealed the fate of the Lion Skull Clan as the owner of the shadowfang cavern. After all, dire wolves only travelled in packs and could never challenge a 1200-goblin-strong tribe that was developping exponentially. Giant Arachnids were very strong, but they also happened to be very solitary creatures that only met with their peers for mating purposes for a month or two in a year. Even then, they would only travel as couples and then part ways, making them very vulnerable to group hunts. There were also other creatures such as wild boars that escaped the forest's danger, mineralites (creatures made of stone) and larvae. However, none of them could threaten the military trained goblin warriors from the Lion Skull Clan.

The only danger within the shadowfang Cavern which could potentially bring some trouble to the Lion Skull Clan was the so-called King of the shadowfang cavern, which was a [Shadow Python], a 20-meters-long reptilian with incredible strength and hunger. It also happened to be an advanced-rank magical creature.

However, shadow pythons were known for being lazy, and mainly hunted through its offspring, miniature versions of themselves, which could easily be taken care of by goblin warriors. Knowing this, Gurk did not try to expand the territory, since there was no need to do so. He would continue to develop slowly and surely in silence, strengthening the foundations of his clan and conducting various magical research projects.

Inside the Lion Skull Clan laboratory, that had doubled in size since a month ago, Gurk smiled.

On the table, the body of the goblin Chieftain Grimtusk was completely dissected.

Gurk nodded in understanding and started to write notes on a small book: "So goblins can surpass their limits by cultivating their genes and evolve by stressing their life force. Unlike knights who cultivate their life force through breathing techniques, goblins can grow by fighting in the wild. Those who survive evolve, using their life force...No wonder I never evolved, since I was never put in a life and death situation ever since I reincarnated...Perhaps I can trick my body into thinking that I am fighting a life and death battle using life force and create evolution patterns by modifying the Moonlight Household breathing technique..."

[New research project created]

[Evolution Breathing Technique...Progress: 0%]

It would take years of research. However, Gurk was confident in completing it. Instead of waiting for natural selection and thousands of years for a qualitative change in his tribe's gene, Gurk would create a breathing technique that would strength his tribe as a whole. Practicing the Moonlight Breathing Technique already made his tribe stronger on an individual level, but it was only based on life force and physical attributes. He wanted a qualitative change that would transform their genes and allow them to reach physical realms that would be otherwise impossible to reach as goblins.

In a way, Gurk wanted to create a knight path for goblins.

[Lion Skull Clan - Management Overview

General Information:

Clan Name: Lion Skull Clan | Shaman: Gurk | Race: Goblin (100%)

Military Strength:

Shamans: Gurk, Mya, Bjorg, Pirmtusk

Sword and shield Warriors: 320 (Guarding the village at all times)

Elite Goblin Warriors: 32 (Beginner Knight Level, Riding skills obtained), Gob (Intermediate Knight Level)

Goblin Arbalesters: 80

Direwolves tamed: 58

Formation Tactics: The warriors are trained in synchronized movement and fight in formation.

Equipment: Leather armor and iron weapons (sword and shield for warriors, crossbows for abalesters, as well as throwing daggers for all goblins, including civilians)

Defense: Three-meter-tall stone walls surrounding the village, 4 watchtowers in the cardinal points of the village, 30 ballistae, 20 catapults, 230 Web traps around the village

Population and Growth:

Current Population: 1210 goblins

Growth Rate: Approximately 28 new births per week

Infrastructure and Facilities:

Housing: 100 brick houses capable of housing thirty goblins each (1210 / 3000)

Community Buildings: Lion Skull Temple, Forge, Mushroom Farm, Livestock Reserves, Bonfire, Medicine Hall, Magical Herb Gardens, Mine, Leather Shop

Additional Facilities: Military Barracks, Training Grounds, Lion Skull Academy, Wolf Stables, Boar Stables]