"So your vows are like divine mandates?" Bolin asked.

"More or less," Blem replied. "And you're a druid, how does that work for a dwarf?"

"Poorly," Bolin chuckled to himself. "My people said I lacked stone sense, that I was better on the surface with the other weaklings. The thing that gets me however is the fact our deep paths plays host to a wide variety of subterranean life. As to why we see little reason to maintain that I'll never know. Anyways I decided to be a druid much to my family's chagrin. My brother took greater exception to it than everyone else hence why I wound up a slave."

"That mad huh?"

"Indeed. My brother is a proud man, and believed my presence would sully our family history. He said I was unworthy of the name Wraithkiller."

"That's a very evocative surname," Blem replied in amazement.

"And relevant to your quest, my great ancestor Bolin the First earned the name slaying deep wraiths in our quarter of Redspear Mountain. Deep wraiths are ghastly things; they slither in the dark, and prey upon the weary and the weak."

"Wraith implies they are malevolent spirits," Pleck interrupted, "what were they before they passed."

Bolin cocked his head, "We as a people do not know if they are even truly spirits, never mind their mortal forms. Perhaps they are remnants from a time long past. Perhaps they are unknowable beings from the deep unknowns. Dwarves, though masters of the deep, cannot claim to know the absolute truths of the great depths deep into the earth below.¹Bolin is speaking figuratively, as in deep in the planet's crust. The planet this takes place on isn't earth, but the word earth is used in reference to soil or the ground. Regardless, they are an ever present threat and should not be taken lightly if you wish to reactivate this shrine."

"About that," Blem spoke, "You don't seem to mind us delving into your mountain, especially to activate something your people your people deactivated long ago."

Bolin thought about it with intense focus. Pleck glanced over occasionally, casting a suspicious squarely on the dwarf. "I must admit hesitance in doing this, but I am in no position to argue otherwise."

"I trust you won't give us problems while we do this?" Pleck asked.

"No, I do not intend on stopping your mission," Bolin seemed to pause. "But I will not allow undue harm to come to my people."

"As long as we understand each other," Blem replied.

It was a quiet walk. The only sound to accompany the group was the squeaking of the wain's wheels. Nobody spoke the rest of the way but the tension lingered around them as the group continued onto the nearby town of Bellton. It was a sleepy town bisected by a river and flanked by farms on all sides. The golden fields of wheat greeted the group long before the walls of the town did. The cobblestone walls were not tall nor were they particularly sophisticated; they circled the town completely and had a gate, and three guard towers. The gate wasn't massive by any means, just big enough to let a large wagon go through.

"What do you want?" a guard shouted from a murderhole²Murderholes are basically holes or slits defending archers would shoot through during a siege. They are more common in forts and castles but the world Blem lives in is a bit more dangerous than ours. A few more guards came to check out the commotion. They wore chain shirts and kettle helms, and wielded simple spears. Nothing flashy, but if things went south these men were in a defensible position and had weapons suited for their skillset.

"We want to enter and do some business," Elia replied before anyone else could.

"You and the dwarf can come in. Those two can wait outside." The guard singled out Blem and Pleck.

"They're with me," Elia replied abrasively. The guard shook his head while the others on the walls appeared to debate each other. Pleck glanced uneasily at Blem.

"We won't cause any problems," Blem spoke up.

"Why should we believe you?" another guard skeptically replied.

"I haven't caused problems here before. You guys know me I'm goblin who shops here the start of every month." Blem protested. The lead guard squinted and confered with his friends.

"You come here that often?" Pleck whispered.

"Yeah and this exact same scenario plays out every time I come here. It's been like this for the last several years now." Blem said. Pleck shook his head slightly while the guards deliberated. Before long the gates opened up. The town was typical in appearance and human-centric. Rooves with wooden shingles, box framed houses for modestly wealthy or simple mudbrick houses for the poor. The streets were quiet and unburdened with foot traffic. Still the group could feel the eyes follow them. Conversations that could be overheard seemed to be snuffed the instant they drew close to the source. Blem was unbothered by this, he had enough time to adjust to it. Everyone else, not so much.

They proceeded to the market and bought what they needed like enough supplies and rations to last a couple weeks. They also sold their excess gear, like weapons they couldn't wield or armour they couldn't wear. They used the money they pilfered from the slavers to aid in their purchases.

Regardless of how good their money was thought, it couldn’t help the cold shoulder they got in shops. It must've getting to Elia given the fact that she glared at any person who stared at them for more than two seconds. Bolin didn't seem to mind nearly as much, he was tranquil, serene even. Pleck kept his guard up, not that Blem blamed him. After all, all an unwary goblin needed to do to get jumped in a human settlement was exist. Blem had been jumped in non-goblin towns before; after the first few times he gained a keen edge for trouble. It didn't always help but he knew he could rely on it to give him some advanced warning.

The group debated their next action. Bolin wanted to stay at the inn for the night. Pleck wanted to keep going well past evening and get away from town. "If we keep going we'll make it to Redspear a day early," Pleck argued.

"We'll be too worn out to defend ourselves in that case, let's rest here, nothing will happen," Bolin protested.

"Nothing will happen to you two," Pleck snapped, "you and Elia look like humans. What about me and Blem, I bet these people are already thinking up ways to get rid of us."

"That's not fair," Elia growled. "Just because we look human doesn't mean we are human. Besides why would I want to spend my time around a bunch of flat ears anyways, most of my captors were human."

Blem looked around while the group bickered. He didn't like how empty the town felt. It was sudden, too sudden. "Let's go," Blem spoke cutting through the argument.

"And go where?" Bolin asked. "We don't have a place to rest yet!"

"I don't care," Blem shot back, "let's go anywhere but here. I got a bad feeling." Blem clambered up the Wain and cracked the whip. The mule went on its way and the group reluctantly followed. The closer they got to the other gatehouse the better Blem felt. It was like an oppressive weight was being lifted from their collective shoulders when they saw the gate.

"Oi!" a strong voice called out. The weight fell back on their shoulders as they slowly turned around. A party of five greeted Blem's party of four. The man who called them out stood a head taller than the others. He was built like a statue, and looked just as solid. His white hair was a stark contrast to his red armor and weapons. "Any reason why you're harassing the people of this town," his voice boomed.

"The hell are you on about," Blem spouted. Both groups were surprised at the outburst, and so was Blem. If Godblin is watching it's probably laughing itself stupid right about now, Blem thought.

The large man quickly regained his composure. "I- You! You are disrupting the townpeople's day and we'd prefer it if you leave!" He shouted.

"We're disrupting their day?" Pleck questioned.

"Yes," the man answered matter of factly.

"Our presence is disruptive," Pleck asked again.

"Yes," the man boomed, more quizzical in tone.

"So our presence is disruptive to the townspeople, and just as we're about to leave and end that disruption you have the bright idea to interrupt that, continuing the disruption, is that right?" Pleck asked for a final time.

The big man didn't reply. He seemed to be befuddled and rotated between anger and confusion. One of his companions, a shifty looking type covered head to toe in rags let out a low cackle. The other members weren't as impressed by Pleck's logical line of thought.

"Stand back Cedric you're embarrassing us," a woman stood in front of the big man. The big man named Cedric tried to protest but she just brushed him off. She looked like a witch, a black backless dress, a witches hat that bent near the tip with a wide brim that seemed to shadow her flawless face. She was unnaturally beautiful and had a curvy figure that seemed to draw in Blem's eyes even though he didn't have a thing for humans. Her jade green eyes seemed to bore deep into Blem's being. "I am Selena, leader of my band of adventurers, and protector of this region."

"You're doing a shit job at it," Elia snorted. Again the ragged man cackled, which prompted the witch to snap her fingers and stab him with phantom needles. The two other members, a halfling with a lyre and a woman wearing the holy robes of Tamzon carefully watched the other members of Blem's party

"I beg your pardon," she asked coolly.

"You heard me," Elia bluntly noted. "For a band of protectors you seem to do very little protecting."

"Elaborate," Selena replied. The other members of her retinue crossed their arms while Cedric drew his twin axes.

"Year after year you let all manner of dangerous beings and rabble assault my friend here and not once have you lifted a finger to help." Blem cast a startled glance at Elia. Perhaps I told Elia a bit too much about my past, Blem mused. Then again, this brought back memories in Blem.

"Well, you can't save them all," the witch replied sardonically.

"That's a weak excuse and you know it," the cackler replied with his raspy voice as he stood up; the phantom needles dissipated, and again the witch snapped her fingers. This time the needles struck the ragged cackler in more 'sensitive' regions.

"I agree," Blem spoke up. Everyone drew their gazes on Blem. Even the guards turned their heads to see the little goblin speak. The witch and her retinue waited expectantly. "When I first came to this region about a decade ago, I remember being attacked and harassed by all manner of peoples and beings." Everyone seemed to listen intently; Blem wagered this was the first time the guards had ever heard him speak more than a few words.

"When I hurt and I needed help in those early years," Blem continued, "I came here. I got none save for a single tip from a sympathetic guard. 'Seek out the adventurers at the inn' he said. So I did, and there you all were just sitting and drinking. Greener than grass I'd bet, and yet itching for a fight. So what happens when I ask you for help, do you remember witch?" Selena looked surprised and so did her other companions, she didn't answer and neither did her friends. "Don't worry I'll tell you. I asked for help and instead you chased me away, called it a goblin ploy."

By now the nervous townsfolk were peering out windows to see the spectacle. Perhaps feeling the pressure the Halfling flicked his curly black hair and spoke up. "If your people weren't known for being vermin then maybe we wouldn't have chased you away." Something about his smarmy tone and naked bigotry seemed to light a furor in Bolin's tranquil eyes.

"And maybe if you had half the brass my goblin friend did, you and your cowardly friends would never let slavers operate in the woods!" Bolin exploded. The halfling choked on the dwarf's fiery reply and just stared at his companions for assistance. Cedric quietly fumed while Selena glowered at the halfling. The cackler cackled so loudly that his laughter was practically the only sound in town. Blem's group stood tall; even if Bolin had yet to prove himself it was nice to know he had Blem's back.

It was the cleric's turn to speak up. Her Tamzon robes, dyed blue in honor of the frost god Tamzon, fluttered in the breeze as she stepped up, her short brown hair also waving in the wind. "That's impossible we scried those forests and patrol this area often," she replied frigidly. Her face was emotionless as she continued. "Furthermore slavery is, strictly speaking, not illegal-"

"It's not legal to sell free men into slavery as per the kingdom charter," Pleck interrupted, "Nor is it legal to enslave free men in territories where slavery is legal."

The cleric furrowed her brow, "And you base your legal expertise on...?"

"On the fact I killed hundreds of domestic slavers back in my day. As a people we made our petitions, we, the hobgoblins, memorized those laws. In the end they told us those laws don't protect people like us." Pleck looked around the plaza, the townsfolk and the guards seemed to be fixated with the debate.

Blem sprung into action. "And those laws won't protect you!" Blem shouted as stuck out an accusing finger and sweeped around. The guards began talking amongst themselves intensely, the townsfolk gasped and the witch's group seemed dumbstruck by the sudden declaration "If these people won't help me in my time of need, who's to say they'll help you in your time of need?"

Now it was Bolin's turn to shout at the people, "I was a free man, and I was still enslaved. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you!" The guards argued with each other while the townsfolk appeared to collectively mull it over.

"Why should we believe you!" The cleric spat. The rest of the witch's party were getting their own retorts ready.

"Oh you don't believe us do you?!" Elia quipped. Before anyone could muster a response Elia took off her shirt. Blem averted his gaze even though she kept the fabric over her chest. The rival group were stunned to see the lash marks all across her back. When Blem returned his gaze in time to see them, Bolin had followed suit, revealing similar lash marks. After they put their shirts back on Elia continued. "If you still don't believe us there's remnants of the slaver camp in the forest. Follow the deep trails till you hit the valley, there you'll see cages where we were forced to endure the elements like cattle, and posts were we earned our whippings."

The town fell quiet, nobody made a sound, even the cackler awkwardly stood there in complete silence. "You were escapees," The cleric quietly muttered which made everyone stare Elia and Bolin.

"Yeah, why you gonna put those shackles back on me?!" Elia challenged. She unslung the axe and let it's head bite the ground. The cleric stepped back nervously. Selena looked around and saw all the eyes on them now. "Come on then, I'm willing to die for my freedom, are you willing to kill for your slavery?!"

The cleric's icy facade cracked, "I, I never said- I wasn't- I wasn't going to," she mumbled as she held back tears.

"Shut up Clara" Selena snarled. Selena's group anxiously looked at the disapproving townsfolk. Even the guards were beginning to look angry. Whatever fight they had in them evapoarted like water in a desert. Even Cedric put his axes away. The townsfolk were beginning to pelt the rival party with accusatory questions.

"Alright, alright, enough!" The man who spoke appeared to be the guard captain. He had brown skin, curled hair, and wore half-plate armour. The other guards saluted him as he passed through the gathering crowd. Everyone listened to the captain it seemed as the questions stopped. "Since they say it's true, I suggest we organize a party and investigate the forest. Who know's maybe we'll find other runaways."

"Need help," Cedric meekly asked.

"No, you've done enough," the captain replied. Cedric appeared to bite back some bile and he turned away. His companions followed suit which made the captain turn his attention to Blem's party. "You mind staying in town a few days while we verify your story?"

"We don't have to prove anything to you," Blem spat, still amped up on his emotions. "Open the gate we're leaving!" Blem shouted at the guard even though he held no authority.

The gate opened, and Blem's party set off to Red Mountain, feeling closer together despite their agitation.