I have been asked by some to explain the tale of what happened
to me late in the Cycle of Ash, earlier this year. I have said
little of this up till now, but enough time has passed that I
feel I can and should bring to light the sorry story of my capture
and murder at the hands of the hobgoblins.
Normally, these dark things are best not spoken of under anything
but a strong noonday sun, but I have been told that much importance
rests on the telling of this, so I shall speak it.
The ordeal began when I was searching the south trails of
Forge Hollow and the area beyond the swamp for my friend Andrik.
One damp, dark evening I was examining some markings along the
Swamp Trail when I heard the sound of many footsteps coming.
I rolled down the embankment quickly and silently, secreting
myself behind a large dead log. In an instant, more than a dozen
horned figures stood in the trail above me, many sniffing the
air. Suddenly a shaman pointed down, directly at me and screamed,
"Heeeeyaaaaa!"
I bolted up and tried to run, but four champions were with
me as I cut through underbrush, trying to draw my blade as I
ran. In no time they beat me down. Blackness swirled around me
and I was lost.
I was awakened by a rough hand slapping my cheeks. "Kud
ume mek!" I remember his words because he kept speaking
and hitting me after I was conscious and spitting the dried blood
at him from my swollen mouth.
It was already very light. I later realized that it was the
next day, probably early afternoon. I was tied (quite well) to
a tree on the top of Hobgoblin Hill. In the encampment there
I saw nearly 20 of the horned ones, and some humans I didn't
recognize.
In the time there until dark, I learned that there was indeed
to be a dark ritual that night, and that I was to be the "guest
of honor." I knew little of the harvest rituals the hobgoblins
performed in their twisted magics.
All I could hear, knowing little of the hogoblin tongue, was
that they intended to cut out my heart and use it in the ritual.
What must have been over four hours after sunset, it began
to rain heavily. At this point I was dragged down the hill to
the lakeside. There they built a bonfire and began dancing while
a few tranferred my bonds to two trees. I couldn't make out the
components they threw into the small hole they dug, but I knew
what the last one would be. I remember passing out as they cut
into my chest; my spirit heard them complete the ritual and yell
for joy...then I passed on to eidolan. As I left the area towards
Death's Portal, I heard their wicked laughter as they made their
ways back up the hill.
