William was not exactly composed at the moment. He had made preparations for meeting the goblins while making the air rifle. A few in case of '___' healing potions for Cluri, a few days practice for Cluri on his new gun though he had a natural talent as a sharpshooter. The plan had gone smoothly until actual contact with the enemy. A day turned month long slog through a forest filled to the brim with traps. Then instead of a mutual meeting in open air a stoic champion that actually wanted Will's help dethroning their chief but must fulfill his duties and charged a rifleman. Cluri for his part was a fantastic shot and the shots were placed perfectly to incapacitate Grok not kill. Now, instead of seeing the chief outside in open air he had to go underground. This was not the plan. Cluri would be at risk and he couldn't do anything about it. Thankfully losing Grok had seriously taken the wind out of the rest of the goblins. They jumped when he had asked politely to lead on. The guards just out of sight in the mine followed the precession at good distance. Will could swear they seemed to get more distant every time he looked back. They were at a tipping point either they went with the devil they knew or risk everything on the devil they don't. Will needed to galvanize them or they would never join him. As the escorts led Cluri and himself deeper eventually they reached a gallery. As Will entered his eyes raked across the stone greedily. Red lines snaked in veins and strata everywhere. This mine was a godsend. With very little effort he could arm every single person in defense of the village. If he could find limestone the village would turn into a near modern fortress. Of course that would only happen if this meeting went well.
Besides the brilliant patterns of red snaking and swirling on the ceiling. The first gallery had been turned into a village of various hide tents. Off to one side another tunnel went further down but it seemed as if the Iron Fingers had only settled in the one gallery. Various goblins milled about aimless but scattered as William's party and escort exited the tunnel. At the back of the gallery a larger tent had been erected and as Will guessed, his escorts bee lined there through the scattered crowd.
As Will passed the goblins it seemed as if they were doing fine not a single one looked as if they were starving. Yet he looked closer each was tired and somewhat sickly.
The big tent wasn't even guarded this chief was either stupid or the reason there weren't any guards was the possibility of thousands of traps out in that forest. Will didn't want to think about that possibility but hey at least the iron mine was safe. The escorts announced William to the chief and pulled the flaps open wide. The interior was dimly lit but even with his vision he could see a large older goblin the body rippled with muscles Will suspected this to be the chief. The chief sat upon a raised dais of furs. Another goblin sat to the chiefs right quite a ways away. This goblin was adorned in bones and a simple cloak Will suspected this to be the tribes druid. As William entered the tent he immediately knew why the druid was seated so far away. Inside the tent it smelled of rot, fecal matter, with the strongest body odor mixed in to for good measure. William silently gagged as did Cluci but less covertly. The chief didn’t acknowledge the two of them and if he noticed Cluci dry heaving he didn’t seem to care. As Will took his steps toward the chief he took the room in more detail. The place was filthy like hoarder filthy. Bones of previous meals tossed to one or the other side and other more unsavory remains also remained wet and decomposing. If Will could he would have had the chief shot the goblin leader was quite literally living like a sad caged animal. But as Will studied the face of the chief he realized the chief was barely there. The eyes of the chief never once looked at William he just stared aimlessly at nothing. It was then that William knew what was really going on the tribe even Grok had been hoodwinked. As the druid rose to his feet and spoke Williams blood began to boil. The druid was a smaller fellow. The druidic goblin would barely come up to mid-thigh while the rest of the tribe came to just below the hip on Will’s six foot frame. The druids voice was like all backstabbing cowardly people this time however it was low and deep for his race. “Chief Ghin of the Iron Fingers greets you outsiders. Chief would like to know what has brought you to his claimed lands.” William stood at a safe distance and replied “This Lord greets Chief Ghin as well and this Lord is here to parlay and possibly ask for access to the iron of this mine as the village of Runick is in desperate need.” The druid barely pretended to understand the vague mutterings of the senile chief before turning back “The Chief wishes to hear what you bring in trade for such access to his resources?”
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William was in shock this thieving coward was asking for trade when Will had just ‘defeated’ the tribes champion. Will then noticed that Cluci never entered with him remaining at the opening to the tent the goblins had never closed the flaps in fear of Cluci being offended. Will then took in a large breath then unleashed a practiced booming voice that echoed out into the mine gallery.
“I Lord William Willow vanquisher of your champion Grock do not wish to trade for goods stolen from their rightful owners. However, this Lord does not wish our two peoples to be at each others throats as it would be a waste of mortal life. So I come with tidings of grace and a promise. Your tribe is on the verge of disaster you may feel safe in this hole. You regard good food and safe shelter meaning safety you are wrong. I see and smell rot and disease in this very mine. Before long if this is not fixed your tribe will perish. So I offer this, join the efforts of rebuilding the village of Runick. If you join I will see that every goblin here enjoys a hard but fair life bellies full and a bright future for your children. I hold a vast wealth of knowledge you could only dream of knowledge that will put anything you know to shame. I wish to share it with you allow you to harness the very world around you and make it bend to your will.” William was no longer speaking to the druid but to the flaps of the tent. He no longer took part in the pomp and circumstance between leaders to keep their prides intact. There was no leader of the goblins here only a druid. He spoke to the masses outside the tent. To his concern, they were all screaming. He hurried outside the tent past Cluri who was still focused on not retching. What he saw were massive blue and tan forms but before he could do anything a club the size of a tree collided with his chest.
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Darkness once again filled Williams eyes.
Am I dead again? Will thought.
That notion died as soon as he felt a slap and the appearance of screen appeared.
[ Congratulations! You have completed the contract (Tit for Tat 1?) Rewards as follows immediately +100 Mana, 150 XP please return to contractor for the last reward. ]
[ Congratulations! You have leveled up! You are now Level 2 in the Arcane Engineer class. No other classes detected. New class skill [ Group Contract ] is now available as conditions have been met. You have also gained ten stat points to distribute. ]
[ Group Contract ] Description: The Engineer can now have contract with a group no larger then one hundred. XP gain is reduced however additional mana will be rewarded on completion of a [ Group Contract ].
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Well that’s helpful I guess but it doesn’t exactly help me find out where I am. Will could move a little as he wasn’t restrained. He also wasn’t in his true form but that of his skeleton. Another few things were prevalent everything around him was wet and squishy. Will slowly wiggled his way to what felt like an edge to wherever he was. The edge felt an awful like burlap. Great I’m stuck in a burlap sack. Will then wriggled and climbed to what felt like up and found that the bag was also tied closed. Well that kinda immolates any plan to get out of here on my own means unless I can maybe find something to cut my way out. After quite a while Williams sense of smell came back meaning he was restored. As he breathed in his first breath in a while he immediately regretted it. William finally knew what he had been squirming around in. The sack contained warm slightly rotting meat with smashed bones. At least he now knew what to look for as a tool and continued wiggling within the vicera looking for bones large enough to act like a knife. William eventually had to claw at the rotting meat around him to get at the bones that lie beneath. It took a lot of time but eventually some sort of arm or leg bone was available and thankfully it seemed to have been snapped as it had a sharp portion to it. Tool in hand he squirmed back to the edge of the bag and started poking sawing and prodding his way to freedom. The burlap eventually gave way to his efforts only to reveal the slightest hint of light. As William escaped his confinement he and whatever meat was in the sack slid out onto a rough stone floor of a cave. Flickering just out of view seemed to be a fire it being the only source of light in the chamber. William readied himself for anything. He didn’t expect a deep oafish voice call out “Ther’s a ‘est in the pantree, smash et.” Upon hearing this Williams world became dark once more.