random.wip.fantasy

pt. 3

The first month consisted of gathering wood and creating sturdy platforms and fortifying the land around. A thick cluster of mangroves were used as the main campsite, where the trees were made into homes and rope bridges connected everything. Having Drosi with us really helped with ensuring the quality of the buildings. There were several offshoots away from the major camp that served as a market to barter with one another.

The next six months consisted of adjusting the building and improving them as life went on. Life became different as the food sources were much slimier. Freshwater was also an issue since the surrounding waters were contaminated. This was solved when we captured a swamp crab, which could filter the water. A system was set up to have a multiple buckets in a pulley system with crabs trapped in them to collect fresh water. Multiple systems were scattered through the village.

Cregz and the other hunters had to modify their techniques to catch the swamp creatures which seemed a bit more intelligent than the one in the woods. We also required goblins who needed to specialize in preparing swamp food, as many time, they were poisonous and needed special preparation. An increase in patrols were needed since the swamp creatures weren't taking kindly to out invasion. We also needed to station goblins at the bottom of the water systems since swamp creatures seemed to be attracted to the trapped crabs in the buckets. The mounts that had brought us over became work animals, pulling carts or building material.

I would also order large raids against the Great monsters so the goblins could train their skills. Their craftmanship gradually also increased under Drosi's tutelage. Jewelry also became popular along with tattoos when they were able to crudely copy the ones, they saw the healer and mage wearing. A couple goblins also started trying to craft weapons. In the beginning it was a crude society. But in a year, our numbers grew larger to a couple hundred and we also made contact to other species. The swamp's frogmen contacted us, and we began friendly relations with them, sending out goblins to them to learn and provide labor forces. They were especially interested in Drosi and asked many questions about why she would stay with goblins. After hearing the story of how I had saved her, they seemed to hold me higher regard.

They seemed to have a thing for heroic actions. They lived deeper into the swamp, close to a tribe of lizard folk. When I did visit the frogmen, it wasn't a camp, but felt like a proper city. After seeing their city, I hired some of the frogmen builders to help build up the buildings that we started.

When they did see the quality of our buildings, they couldn't believe that they stood and ordered a lot of tearing down and rebuilding. After a long year of hard work and building connections with other species, we were recognized as an official tribe and invited to a council of the Swamp Folk. This consisted of representatives of different tribes that lived in the valley. The Frogmen and Lizard Fold were there. Along with a tribe of Swamp Turtles and a small clan of Mountain Orcs. When we settled in, we had taken some of the land of the Frogmen, however, they decided to let us occupy it. The catch was that we would have to pay a lump sum of two hundred gold to the chieftain of the frogmen. Which we did end up paying.

"I am Sugzav, the chief of the orcs." The towering orc acknowledged me with a simple tilt of his head.

"Fairith, the leader of the Swamp Goblins."

The meeting was quick, as the tribes seemed to be in good nature.

Back in the village, it was time for the monthly tournament. This time, there were different division for the weaker and stronger goblins. I had prepared six different scrolls for the reward. All the goblins were now classified as Swamp Goblins. A notification appeared. I was close to evolving. I grew excited.

"Drosi!" I shouted and burst through her door.

"Agh!" She screamed and tossed a chair at me. "Get out!"