The Cave Part 20

The north road led with a mild incline downwards, never too steeply, as if the folk that had first planned it out had deliberately sought to make it easy to traverse. Glip confirmed my suspicion that the goblin folk had been highly involved with this as well, though humans had participated. Gathrax had reigned in the mountains for many centuries, and his fame had spread far and wide apparently, bringing other races to bow and serve over the long years. The fear of the dragon was in a way, a leveling force that kept the inhabitants of this part of the world in a state of general peace and tranquility. No one wanted to stir his ire by causing 'problems' as Glip put it, and so Gathrax had exerted the presence of a king over his subjects without ever actually ordering good behavior.

"There be many dragons in the world, but ya have to know they not all be good," Glip observed sagely, as if this was something he had pondered on for many years. "What dragons have ya in the interior country?"

"Not many," I replied. "Many of the towns and villages are agricultural in nature, and not particularly rich in goods or treasures. We probably fall in the slim pickings area if you were a dragon. I have heard of some wyverns that used to trouble the livestock, but bowman eventually brought them down."

"Hmmm, so not as tough in scale or claw as the big old ones. Ya be lucky that they didn't turn to people catching before they were killed."

"Indeed," said I, observing that the trees and foliage seemed to be getting thinner ahead of us. The air had been fresh and clear, almost exhilarating after the journey through the cave and lair, but now I detected something else on the breeze. The scent of flowers and herbal undertones. "Are we getting near your village?"

"Oh yes, we be almost there. Ya like our place."

"What is it called?"

"We call it Dropdrip," said he with a smile. "Ya like?"

"Sounds like the atmosphere of a cave."

"Ya might translate it into ya own tongue as Safe House."

"I like it!" said I with a chuckle. "Yes I can see how that might be the equivalent, like the warm crackle of a fire for comfort, or the creaking boards in a solidly built house."

"Just so! Ya catch on quick!"

We did not have very far to walk before we came out into a clearing of the forest, and I was amazed to see what the goblins called a village. Nothing had prepared me for this. I had half expected some reasonably sturdy huts and a large open cave leading into darkness. My understanding of goblin culture was that primitive. How true now were Glip's words that I really needed to get out more and see the world.

Situated on a pleasantly sloped cliff side, I beheld what seemed to be at least a hundred terraced garden plots, each a few feet in width and rectangular in length. Row upon row, they walked up the mountainside, bearing well tended crops, and each had a small opening leading out to them. Glip assured me that each one represented a single occupant home on the reverse side in the mountain, and the crops of each garden went towards the communal needs of the village.

Below this first staggering site, a large stone wall reached out from the cliff and enveloped the road that we were on. One had to pass between two gateways of the village to continue on one's way, and the wall was no easily vaulted thing. In fact it was at least three span high, and Glip informed me that this was to keep the deer out. Why would the animals want in? Well beyond the wall were more well tended gardens, consisting of herbs, fruit bearing bushes and trees. Here the medicinal plants that the goblin tribe used to make healing potions were cultivated for sale to outsiders.

"This is fantastic. Much bigger than I thought," said I, pausing on the road to take it all in. "When you said tribe, I guess I assumed you were small in number."

"We be small," he conceded, the smile falling from his face. "Once we were many hundreds."

The mystery to why there had once been a lot more, was one I would have to sit with apparently. No further explanation was forthcoming it seemed. Walking on in silence, my eyes taking in each little garden terrace above me, we approached Dropdrip. The gates to my surprise were not big wooden things, but metal bars framed. Earlier Glip had revealed that the tribe was at perfect peace with all the local communities, and so now I guessed the only reason a barrier was needed at all was for the fauna eating animals.

"Ho Glip, who that ya be bringing with ya?" called one of the guards, a slightly taller fellow with a leather gear and brimmed hat to protect his eyes. The sun was high in the sky at this point and with the forest cleared back from the wall by some spans, it was indeed bright here. The voice was friendly and suggested much more curiosity that direct challenge.

"Here be the one Elder Mona foresaw in dreams," replied Glip with sudden excitement. I guessed he was more pleased than he had let on, being the first to find me. "Sent by the great one himself!"

"May his wings never falter and scales ever shine," answered the guard, making a slight bow towards the mountain peak. "The elder will want to see you at once."

So we walked inside the village, and finally here were some building I had half expected before, but they were far finer. Several stone made buildings stood along the road leading towards a giant cave mouth opening into the cliff. Glip informed me that these houses were dwellings for the guards at night, while a big one was used as an over night hostelry for races who came to trade but needed a night to stay over before heading back to their communities. A small and popular tavern was also situated in this large space.

Everything around me was meticulously organized, with very well maintained paths through the gardens. I saw many goblins working on hands and knees within, either carefully harvesting plants for their needs, or weeding out what was undesired. With so many pairs of hands to work on the tasks, I could imagine daily life was slow and unhurried. Many of the people greeted my guide with a friendly word or jest, and he seemed to know everyone well. Clearly he was a favorite member.

Into the great cave opening we went, and I could see many lights filling the cavernous space beyond. It was a chamber far bigger than any I had seen in Gathrax's lair, and here were more carefully built workshops. Everywhere goblins were working industriously at tasks, and I had the sense I had walked into some kind of massive forge that employed many assistants. Turning around after walking into the central plaza, I could see that the rock wall was honeycombed with doors and windows, the opposite side to all the terraced gardens on the outside.

"Every time our family grows, we have to carve out new homes for the goblins to live in," Glip informed me. "Unless a goblin hole be empty. Then we fill again with new folk."

"Are there many empty?" I asked, seeing his face downcast again.

"Aye, ya be right about that. The creature."

"What creature is that?" I asked, the mention of this vague threat coming up once again.

"We are happy to welcome ya warrior," said another voice, an elderly goblin woman from behind me. I turned and beheld an ancient goblin, much stooped by years, but holding herself with dignity. Her thinning white hair was long, and all the starker in contrast to her dark robes and the gnarled staff she leaned upon.

"Elder Mona, I has brought him," said Glip, bowing low towards his elder. The older goblin nodded in approval.

"This be excellent new. Come with me and we shall introduce ya to the council."