Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » Have you seen the goblin?

It was early evening, beautiful sunset colors fading to pale darkness. On the outskirts of the little village, just passed the market place and a quarter mile into the woods, sat a quaint, little tavern with windows that glowed from warm light within. It was two stories high, made of wood and cobblestone, with a chimney that billowed smoke into the evenings air. An old, wooden sign hung out front, swaying in the light breeze and reading, “Ye Old Ale House”. In front of the tavern was a dirt and gravel lot to tie horses and leave carts, while behind the tavern lay the vast wilderness that cradled the village. Strange lights similar to fireflies were darting and floating about the treetops behind the tavern.
Shouts and laughter could be heard from within the cozy establishment, inviting any other passers-by to join in on the merriment and have a drink.

Inside the tavern, directly opposite the door was the bar on the far wall, while to the left was a large, stone fireplace and cushiony armchairs to rest in, then on the right side and center were many round tables. Most of the patrons were burly, large men and creatures, with a few lasses sprinkled here and there. Under all the chatter, a small band played folk music in the right hand corner.



A small, strange looking creature stood outside the tavern, out front in the gravel lot but off to the side, near the forest. At first glance, it looked like some forest beast, layered in furs and with odd, huge ears on its head. Upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was in fact a girl, a fae to be exact. A top her head was a fuzzy hood that seemed to be the skinned head of a giant bat, it’s ears protruding up like sonars. The furs were not her own, but instead layers of clothing to keep her warm and dry. The warm, glowing light streaming from the taverns windows illuminated her strange appearance. Her skin was pale, with a strange, iridescent tone that made it appear shimmery and a pale lilac-y color. Patches on her forehead, her cheek bones, her chin, and the bridge of her nose were the most iridescent, almost appearing to be scale-like. She had hairless brow bones that curved roundly down into a semi-flat and wide, feline-esque nose that ends in a cute, button tip. Both sides of the flat-ish bridge of her nose are lined with three golden studs, with a golden hoop hanging from her septum. Two long, thick braids of silvery-lilac hair hung out from under the bat head hood, draping down her chest. Thick, drooping ear lobes also hung out from her hood, stretched with huge, wooden rings. Her feet were bare and dirty.

She appeared to be watching people come and go from the tavern, sniffing the air occasionally. Everyone once in a while she’d ask someone, “Have you seen the goblin?” or peek into a large pocket in one of the fur layers, seemingly speaking to something inside.

Arianna flew to the town, landing with ease, her wings retracting into her back as she walked to the Ale house, hoping for a drink to calm her nerves. She noticed the small girl, her appearance making her look twice. Ari walked over to her. “Hey, are you alright?” She asked, curious why she didn’t walk into the warm building next to her.

A somewhat short being in a long hooded cloak made his way down the path towards the Inn. His entire body hidden from view. Save for the white glow of his eyes, easily seen through the darkness of his hood. Raziel was his name, a being with a long, confusing past. As he walked, he saw the strong girl standing off to the side. His eyes narrowed with curiosity. Why not enter the tavern with the rest of the humans, or he had assumed she was human.

The wraith moved closer, his bare feet crunching this few dead leaves on the ground. Though he still kept his distance. His past had taught him to be less trusting of anyone, and not to believe what they said until given indisputable proof. It was then he saw another female, approaching the odd girl as well. He would stop, deciding to listen to what the girl replied to her, rather then add his own question to it. Crossing his arms under the dark fabric of his cloak, he waited, and listened.

Madison had been heading towards the tavern, as she's found luck within them. For instance, once she found information on a rather rare item, which she simply went out and got that day. She had hoped that this tavern shared secrets as well. But she paused right outside to inspect a group standing nearby as she pondered if they had some secrets to spill. So, she paused, watched and listened, waiting.

Through the fading light of the evening, Kenji watched as a winged being descended from the sky, their lovely wings retracting into her back once her feet graced the ground. She shuffled her own bare feet, glancing over her shoulder at the shadow filled forest behind her and the tavern. When she glanced back, she noticed the female with the gift of flight was approaching her, causing her to shuffle on her dirty feet some more.

She blinked her pair of round, milky white eyes up at the woman, her silvery-lilac eyelashes brushing the strangely toned skin of her cheek. “I am all right, Miss.” the odd creature assured, her voice held some curious tinkling sound underneath the words, similar to wind chimes. “Miss please, I know you’ve only just arrived. But with your sky-high advantage, perhaps it is possible. Please Miss, tell me, have you seen the goblin?”

Those peculiar, clouded eyes of her’s shifted to just behind the woman who’d came from the sky, to gaze upon the small group that seemed to be hanging by. Her gaze particularly catching on a white, glowing one that seemed to cut through the darkness of the twilight.
Perhaps they’d seen the goblin? Oh that rotten, warty thing! She’d have his hide to make into a treasure sack!

A low, groan of a croak came from the baggy pocket on her left side.

“A goblin? I’m sorry, which goblin do you mean?” She asked, slightly confused. She had seen a few goblins, but without details she was left confused.

Raziel's pointed ears easily picked up on the small sound resonating from her pocket, only heightening his curiosity of what she was here for. Then he processed her question. The Goblin. She spoke it as if anyone should know just who she was speaking of. Yet Raziel had met many goblins in his long eons of life, even now some considered him to be a goblin, with his destroyed appearance. He tapped one of his three bone, claw like fingers on his bandaged arm. Though he didn't know what the once winged girl was thinking, he did think the same. How should they know what goblin the girl was speaking of?

He moved closer, to finally add his own words to the conversation. As he spoke, one eyes narrowed more then the other, giving a questioning appearance.

"Just what goblin are you searching for. Your vague details leave us at a want for more."

He spoke. He often relied on his eyes to show emotion, considering he had no lower jaw to show them like any other person. His eyes would both widen slightly as he spoke the second statement.

((Just a video to show his voice and method for showing emotion.))
((Soul Reaver 2 Intro))

"I'm going to have to agree with... Him," Madison concludes.

Those white, clouded eyes of her's shifted back to the cloaked figure and the girl behind him when they piped in. Kenji blinked a few rapid times, seemingly a bit confused by their uncertainty. Her hairless brows furrowed a bit, as if she was trying to understand or process something.

"I am searching for the goblin," She began slowly, doing her best to speak clearly and not too ramble-y. "The goblin who has stolen what is mine! He wears a long, red cap and a black belt with many small sacks tied to it. One of those sacks contains what is mine inside! I must retrieve it. It is horribly important to us."

She thought of that little goblin with the warty bumps covering his green-brown skin. His nasty, malevolent grin and tattered ears, his long, hooked nose. The smell of rot he carried. It made her pale cheeks flush with anger, her small fists clenching at her sides. How dare he!

"It is most pressing to us that we apprehend this fiend immediately!" She stomped a bare foot in the dirt. The small, glowing lights buzzing about the tree tops behind the tavern began darting around more aggressively, zipping in and out of branches, sounding like a hive of wasps.

“Hey, calm down.” She says, started to get worried. “I’ll tell you if I see anyone who matches those details.” She adds.

He noticed the quickened buzzing of the little glowing creatures quicken, and seemingly in time with the small girl's anger. What sorcery was this? His white eyes narrowing once more, he looked to the girl. The description she gave would help, though he had yet to see anyone who fit her words.

though from the tone of her voice, he gathered whatever item this goblin took was extremely important. More then even she said. Yet he also wondered what this we was that she spoke of. He lowered his arms, and would have given out a deep breath if he had lungs.

"Your words help, though I'm afraid I have not seen one as you describe. I will keep an eye out for him, or even help your search, as I have nothing more to do."

The fae seemed to have simmered down a bit, yet still looked a little upset, like a kicked puppy. She looked up towards Arianna and said, "Thank you Miss, for your willingness to help."

Her marble eyes then shifted back and forth between Arianna and the cloaked man with the peculiar eyes. "We know he frequents this place, it stinks of him around here." She said, voice tinkling like little bells. Her gaze shifted just behind the small group that'd gathered before her, then she turned to glance behind herself at the forest, growing more and more full of shadows as the inky night descended upon the land.

When she turned back to face Madison, Arianna, and Raziel, she looked a bit unsettled. "I am afraid to enter the establishment, because some folks do not appreciate the presence of my kind. I am afraid he's in there having a merry time just under my nose."

“Would you like me to check for you?” She asks, slightly confused why the girl kept saying “we”.

He looked back to the tavern behind them. Having not gone inside yet, he didn't know if said goblin was inside. Though Raziel never planed to go inside to begin with, as he often avoided people. His eyes then shifted to the thick forest behind the strange girl. It strangely reminded him of the Black Forest back in Nosgoth.

The darkening night only succeeded to make the glow of his eyes seem more intense, though he still refused to take off his hood and cloak.

"You are not alone in that regard. Most find no comfort in my presence as well. I'm sure she will be enough to give us word if he is indeed inside."
He said, replying to both the girl and Arianna. Then, as before, his eyes narrowed again, he didn't know what to call the others here.
"I do not believe any of us have been properly introduced. Should we end up working together, it would be wise to at least know what to call each other."

Kenji nodded rapidly in response to Arianna's offer. "Please Miss, would you?" She begged. Her white eyes seemed to reflect the light of the tavern like a cat's would in the darkness.

The buzzing behind Kenji in the forest hadn't quieted, perhaps even grew louder and more brisk. Out of the buzzing, an angry, electric sounding 'zap' could be heard.

It was oddly comforting to her to learn her kind was not the only one to make the other folk uncomfortable. She felt less singled out.

When Raziel spoke of introductions, Keji's eyes widened as if he'd reminded her about something she'd forgotten. "Oh! My apologies." She squeaked. "I am called Kenji Omari. It is a pleasure of mine to have made both your acquaintances. I can not give enough thanks for your willingness to help us."

“Oh don’t worry about it.” Arianna said, smiling. “My name’s Arianna Lewis Matthews.” She said proudly. “Anyway I’ll go and see if the goblin you speak of is in the tavern.” She says, walking inside, using her enhanced eyesight to see if anyone matched the goblin’s appearance.

"Raziel."

He said with a slight nod of acknowledgment. He remembered the say when he would greatly flourish his name, adding every title and achievement with it. Yet those days had long passed. His eye followed Arianna as she walked to the tavern. He like her name, it vaguely reminded him of the specter of Ariel, the murdered Balance Guardian the once haunted the Pillars of Nosgoth.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Kenji."

He said as he did so. He thought Kenji to be an odd name, having never heard any of it's kind before. Once again crossing his arms, his stern eyes now watched the tavern. Watching for Arianna's return, or something else that may require his action.

Kenji bowed her head to Arianna in a polite greeting, before she went about her way into the tavern to search for Kenji's goblin. Then, Kenji turned her milky eyes back to Raziel, the light reflected within them not diminishing a mischievous glint that flashed across them.

"Raziel?" Kenji repeated, shuffling her bare feet in the grass. "Like The Keeper of Secrets? Angel of Mysteries?" She purred, one of her pointed ears twitching. It seemed the bizarre orbs behind her were whispering, bits and pieces of language being caught between the buzzing. "Destroyer{/i}" and "Redeemer".

Inside the tavern was bustling, many people crowded inside having a jolly ol' time. Beings of all sizes, from ogres to gnomes. There were indeed a group of goblins inside at the bar, pushing and shoving each other around roughly and spilling their drinks. None of them wore a red cap though.

She narrowed her eyes, spotted the red hatted goblin. She walked out of the tavern briefly. “Raziel, c’mere really quick.” She said, wanting a second opinion before confronting the goblin.

*when you read something wrong*