THE GOBLIN SHAMAN

The Great Western Forest spanned the region from the foot of the mountains in the north, to the tip of the continent in the south. The goblin tribes now had a chance to reclaim their lost lands in the northern forest. When hundreds of small tribes consisting of fifty or more members join together, the numbers became staggering.

Chu looked as bands of goblins crawled up trees, scrambled over fallen logs, or stepped menacing out from the shadows into the moonlight. Tall and lanky, short and stubby, pointed noses, menacing grins. Similar to how humans differentiated between race, so too did Chu notice the differences between tribes.

All bickering and snapping together like a volatile angry mob.

"Looks like we just found ourselves in one big pile of doo-doo..."

Miki muttered.

"Where the heck did you come up with that word?"

"Heard it from Yin one time when she cleaned up the baby."

Miki replied to Rose.

Chu ignored the two while wrinkling his brow. The goblins surrounding them had to number in the hundreds, maybe even higher. The mob stopped some distance away, hesitating as if torn between thoughts of attack or intimidation. An invisible barricade prevented them from succumbing to instinct.

They move like well-trained dogs guarding a courtyard, rushing to eat an intruder who stepped foot inside but snarling and yapping to those outside. All the while, refusing to step over that unseen line near an open gate.

"Something's happening over there."

Lucy indicated with her eyes. Besides her, maybe only Dyna had an indication of the movements in the darkness, through reading her wolves actions.

"Ah, I get it now! Head, that thing contains the Leader!"

Ming shouted while slapping a fist in a palm. The action caused the surrounding delegation to jump, as the clanging of iron and increased chatter also increased from the goblins.

Eight strong, burly goblins-- when comparing between goblins themselves, of course, stepped out of the forest. The mob parted so as to allow the palanquin they carried, to move without hindrance. Faces of reverence, fear, and worship scrambled away to the side.

The wooden transport had a polished natural look that blended in with nature. The gnarled frame of the structure glittered in the moonlight from strange runes carved and decorated with polished iron. The curtains consisted of woven strands of flat bark, creating a mat. A painting decorated it, hard to decipher in the dead of the night.

The bearers remained standing with their mysterious guest, while a group of Elder goblins hobbled out from the procession. In the eerie silence that descended during the arrival, an old goblin chattered a few yards from the palanquin before stumbling towards the table.

What an opening

Chu thought while Ming conversed with the arriving Elder goblin.

"I think he wants a sack of grain, the leader wants to inspect it or something."

Ming said.

The others agreed with his interpretation since both sides of the table had many novice translators. Almost everyone at the table engaged in deciphering the hand gestures, hoping to make the breakthrough. Soon two goblins followed the Elder, their legs bowed under the weight of the large bag.

The Elder dipped his hands into the grain near the closed carriage, chattering while the others congregated. The old goblin nodded and gestured towards the leader separated by the woven curtain before returning. The nearby crowd of wrinkled goblins wobbled on their staffs while chattering on the news.

An old goblin from the previous trio shuffled out and pointed into the spectators. One by one, goblins walked out, lining up together, separating themselves from the mob. The goblin pointed to the numbers, then pointed to the bag of grain. A goblin, a sack of grain, a goblin a sack of grain... all while pointing at the moon.

"Holy crap, he wants about two hundred sacks, and he wants it by next full moon Chu."

Ming shouted. Nobody jumped this time since they had accepted this guy as the most vocal among the lot.

Chu nodded his head. All this met his expectations because he had thought about it for days. Trading ten bags every month, would not feed a goblin army seeking to resettle. If he provided the goblins enough food, then his profits... wait, ahem!

No, he actually meant that they might not resort to raiding the farms.

Chu however, would never let an opportunity like this one pass him by. He had come prepared and now intended to impress this Shaman these goblins feared.

"Jim empty the wagon for this trade, all two hundred sacks. Let the goblins know we already have the means to meet their quota. Ming, take Pug and the older goblins and count out four hundred goblins. That's the quota we can meet for the next trade. If iron is in short supply then we will have no choice to settle for the worthless gems instead."

Until the goblins resettled, he expected a shortage of iron mining.

"Sure, but can Rose join me, that is a large number, so I don't want to make mistakes."

While Jim and the others unloaded the wagon, Chu stood at the table and received the usual pouches from the Elders. Under the light from the lamp, the internals of the pouches reflected colorful light. This time Chu handed out two hundred bags of grain and received four hundred iron billets of high purity.

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The pouches were for the five casks of pick-pickled vegetables.

Most of this acquired iron came from the arriving goblin horde. As the goblins swept northwards, tribes had begun to settle on their long-lost lands. The Elders, however, remained with the contingent until the Shaman received the divine message to disband the council.

Chu had no idea of the intricacies of the goblin political structure, nor any plans to meddle with it. Presently he stood laughing internally at his good fortune.

When Ming finally pressed his intentions for the future delivery, Pug and the Elder Goblin nearly bowed. The Champion ran towards the palanquin and prostrated. After some chattering, and loud squeals from both sides, Pug rose from the ground.

"Shaman says help the humans load the iron. Decree that any who kill humans wearing goblin band will die. Bones speak truth, time to reclaim goblin lands is now. Goblins not starve for winter."

Jim and the others sat resting after the unloading of the grains. Wiping their brows, they witnessed the goblins take their time and load the iron onto the wagon. Due to the strain, the wagons had to make a few trips to transport the heavy load.

Under the presence of the Shaman, the goblin remained orderly, not daring to move an inch. To keep these unruly creatures in check testified to the hold and standing of the Shaman.

When the last load of iron had been packed onto the wagon, the Elder goblin called Pug from the negotiation table. The little goblin shivered while prostrating in front of the palanquin. Only the goblins and maybe the larger races within the forest knew the true status and power of the Shaman.

A soft melodious voice sounded out from behind the painting.

"You did good little goblin, quenching the hunger of the tribes. As of today, you have earned the right of the Champion title because of your wit and hidden courage. Elders, let our Champion shower his mercy on the uncultured humans."

Pug rose with pride as the Elders around him nodded in acknowledgment. The Elder of his tribe limped forward and beamed a toothless smile while handing over some pouches. Obviously, his standing among the other Elders had just blasted off to new heights.

"Alright, let's return since the job is done."

"I want a hot bath after sweating in the cold. Who is willing to earn half a smoked hare to chop wood?" Dyna asked.

"Hey, you didn't do anything except stand around with those thugs. You should hand that smoked meat over for free."

Before Chu could stop them from bickering, Pug came over and handed him ten familiar pouches. After some time he understood that the Shaman had given him a gift. Chu looked up as the goblin horde retreated into the depths of the forest, following the palanquin.

With the transaction complete, the Shaman disappeared into the shadows.

Chu sat down on a log, digesting the night's events. He had to wrap his head around trading with not a tribe but an entire race. As long as he had the supply, then he could barter for any resources in the hands of the goblins.

An entire race.

It numbed his mind when thinking about it.

"Well, that went well."

Miki said while digging her teeth with a chipped splinter. Nearby, Dyna twisted the front of Ming's robe with her little hand, jacking him up like a thug.

"From tomorrow I am so going to double the etiquette lessons for all you gringoes."

***

In the morning Chu walked over to the windmill with Tye in tow. While the apprentice oohed and ahh on the tour with Toll, Chu directed Bon as to how to construct the additional shaft to power the grindstone.

"Enclose the grindstone in the corner when you install it. We don't need any prowlers figuring out what we are doing. Sakura will hand out the gems while keeping a strict record. The last thing we need is festering greed to shatter our family."

"Ok Boss. I don't think Mr. Pick keeps the finished gems anyway. As for greed, I don't think any of us wants to return as slaves or to the slums. Which villager has the privilege to choose a gem of their own from a heap? One gem alone is worth more than the life of a commoner in this world."

Bon sighed. He had fallen from grace and branded a slave, only to rise to greater heights. Living on this farm had opened his eyes to a whole new world.

"These days, I would jump on the opportunity to spend my nights toiling over the forge..."

He sighed again.

This new world had encouraged another fad most couples had been unwilling to undertake.

Finn's wife Sherry was due to have a baby soon. Having a baby in the middle of winter was like seeking death, but on this farm, the season never mattered. Normally when a couple crossed forty, the time for continuing the family had passed.

Times had now changed, since Halter's wife had become pregnant, leading for Bon's wife to nag him every night. Nearly all the couples in the farm had jumped onto the lineage extension wagon. Because of this, Ms. May had taken two of the younger girls in the village to learn the basics from the village midwife.

Medical supplies ranging from health potions, herbs, and pills had been purchased. The women had even prepared an empty room in the dormitory to serve the expectant mothers. With babies due next year at different intervals, Mrs. Thomas and Sue controlled the roster to allocate the jobs.

"What can I say, go for it, man. You're not getting younger anyway. Besides, we all know you don't have a choice since your wife will kill you if you don't comply."

Chu said sagely.

Bon looked at the young brat doling out advice like an old man.

"Brat when your time comes, I will wait for you. You should know that the girls around here will own your sorry little ass."

Bon retorted.

Chu sighed. If he did not continue improving in skills and mind, he would be destined to be manhandled one day by these roughnecks.

Only in this farm did women possess the power to stand on equal footing with the men. Not because the men were weak, but because the women had secured a place of worth and pride.

Like two old men, they both sighed with drooped shoulders as if bearing the weight of the world.

***

Late at night under the stars.

"We sold twenty of them in total, some wanted just one, others bought three or four."

"Not bad while for the period of when I traveled to Karst. I registered my name in Karst at the guard booth and had Ming visit his haunts to show his face. I don't think anyone would suspect us for selling horses if they investigated."

Chu said. He had just caught and scolded a pair of truants who wanted to sneak out into the forest. Those two girls were probably sulking in their rooms by now.

"Well, we have been careful in hiding the horses, Boss. But still holding onto sixty or so horses will make us stand out as a farm."

Chu shifted on the log while turning the dripping hare roasting over the open spit near the west gate. Doug and Ming sat warming near the fire, stoking the glowing embers. The chill of the night air heralded the birth of winter. The three had been rostered for night watch duty.

"Don't worry much about it, since our reputation is not one of a normal farm."

"Alright, but I must say that Master John is amazing. He reminds me of those ruthless merchants we encountered during the travel to the Capital."

Doug said. Chu flicked a lump of hot coal closer to the source of the appetizing aroma before replying.

"Yep, a true merchant always has a black heart."