View source for Interlude – The Isles of Goblin and Minos

{{Infobox_episode|title=Interlude - The Isles of Goblin and Minos|published=July 5, 2022|link=[https://wanderinginn.com/2022/07/05/interlude-the-isles-of-goblin-and-minos/ Interlude - The Isles of Goblin and Minos]|previousChapter=[[Chapter 9.04]]|wordcount=29,442|nextChapter=[[Chapter 9.05 NPR]]}}

'''Interlude - The Isles of Goblin and Minos''' is the 7th chapter of [[Volume 9]].

==tl;dr==
* [[Venaz]] begins [[Calruz]]'s judgement and gets a lot of people asking him to reconsider (including [[Calruz]]'s rats and Goblins). 
* The Isle of Goblins fights against the Minotaurs and [[Khedal]] finds some things about the Goblins. 
* [[Greydath]] leaves for [[Terandria]]. 

==Synopsis==
After much deliberation and build-up [[Venaz]] is finally in [[Liscor]] and ready to start his judgement of [[Calruz]]. Calruz is ready to die, but Venaz has plans to take things slower. The two gather with [[Bezale]] and talk primarily of home. They are joined by the [[Beriad of the Free Antinium|Beriad]] that Calruz has formed, Venaz's strategist friends, and [[Ceria Springwalker|Ceria]] as the three minotaurs talk and Venaz gets a feel for Calruz's character. Even [[Haldagaz]], through weeks of planning, managed to write a letter pleading for Calruz's life.

At home in the [[House of Minos]], their regular contact with the [[Isle of Goblins]] is fast approaching. We, as readers, get our first look at the lives of Minotaurs, and they are altogether filled with purpose. Some - like the actual Beriad - choose to fight and volunteer as members of the army, but others can spend their free time in less physically demanding ways. This purpose meant that minotaurs would throw themselves into their work and therefore not need to work for as many hours in a day. A regular drake [Merchant], [[Saimh]], showed all of this to his new apprentice as it was the drake's last trip to the Isle of Minos before he retired. In the throne room of Minos, the [[Inreza|Minotaur King]], Prince [[Khedal]], and Prince [[Lareqol]] talked about the real reason merchants were coming at such a tumultuous time. The Minotaur King, Inreza, put a policy in place that all of the art and statues would be sold on a regular basis so as not to stifle the younger generations with feelings of inferiority. Khedal also got the letter from Haldagaz since the rat had tried to contact the boss, and managed to make it all the way up to the authority of all minotaurs. Khedal showed it to the King and she agreed that they should keep an eye on the case, but they shouldn't act to alter Venaz's judgement unduly. Saying this, she tore up the paper and pieces of it flew away. One of those pieces was gathered by a raven from the approaching Isle of Goblins, and these goblins managed to recreate the letter finding it hilarious that a rat had sent it. They also had no such qualms about unfairly affecting Venaz's judgement, so with the blessing of their [[Goblin Lords|Goblin Lord]], they sent a thousand letters to Venaz pleading for his safety. Besides the hilarity of it, they reasoned that anyone that befriended a rat was worth trying to save. 

Regardless of the action or inaction relating to Haldagaz's letter, the war between the isles quickly approached. Khedal would lead the charge at the Isle of Goblins. This battle was not nearly as simple as an outsider might expect though. The minotaurs sent were all over level 30, had strong enchantments and other buffs, and had siege weapons, but the goblins had their own strategies. They used nimble fliers and the power of their shamans to stop the magical bombardment, and they were even willing to hex one of their own people to create an opportunity. A series of feints from both sides led to the King herself entering the battle by throwing axes from her palace. Goblin ships were being destroyed and [[Izikere]], the Goblin Lord, was being targeted directly. That is until a new force entered the battle from [[Greydath]] who was presumed dead long ago by the minotaurs. He fought directly against Khedal. With Greydath entering the battle and threatening Khedal, the battle quickly escalated. The King of Minotaurs used her most powerful relic, and Izikere joined Greydath and Khedal on the ship. Before the battle could start up again, Greydath kicked Khedal onto the Isle, Izikere attacked Greydath for throwing off the balance, and the remaining minotaurs retreated.

Khedal woke up an hour later on the Isle of Goblins. He was disoriented and became even more so when he stumbled into a goblin village. The architecture surprised him enough that he was shot an poisoned before he could escape. From there he stumbled away in a haze of poisoned delirium. Vague memories had him going into an old goblin's home and being given a figurine, but eventually he made it back to one of his ships alive. The only real casualty was all of the statues and artisan goods that the minotaurs had been planning to sell. They were all destroyed in the chaos after a large tidal wave was sent by Izikere.

Back on the Goblin Island, Izikere and Greydath have a discussion of ideology. Greydath wants the female Goblin Lord to use her power to take a nation for their people, but Izikere is content with the Isle as it is. She makes sacrifices for the peace as any true talent must be turned towards the defense of the Isle, but it is consistent and as much of  a safe-haven as the goblins have. That does not mean that Izikere ignores foreign goblins, though. When she can, she sends ships of goblins to other continents. She set the seeds for the [[Molten Stone Tribe]] and [[Kraken Eater Tribe|Kraken Eaters]]. Greydath informed her of the recent goblin happenings on [[Izril]], and she agreed to send more goblins to reinforce the continent due to its many losses.

Khedal and Inreza had a discussion when he came back about his time on the Isle of Goblins. His viewpoint on the evil of goblins was unchanged to the disappointment of Inreza. She dismissed him after mentioning the idea of sending forces to the new lands of Izril despite the honor pact keeping them from expanding. The following day, the goblins sent out their ships in mass to make a break for different continents. The minotaurs led by Khedal pursued them, and were on the verge of catching up when what turned out to be a skeleton crew of goblins teleported away. Another fleet of ships was seen moving towards the Isle captained by [Merchant] Saimh. He had been secretly visiting the Isle of Goblins for years after his life was saved by a goblin healer. He left his crew behind and gave his ships to the goblins which they were able to use to escape from the pursuing minotaurs. Seeing all of this, Inreza was not fazed. She called off the pursuit allowing the goblins to leave and announced to the world that the goblins would be landing on different continents' shores. At the same time, she announced that the minotaurs would be sending forces to the new lands of Izril officially. Finally, in secret, she was contacted by Venaz. He reported his current findings and lack of conclusion on Calruz and reported on his true target: the goblin [[Numbtongue]]. The Minotaur King wanted to judge Calruz, but she also wanted to learn more about goblins and what they could be.

==Characters==
( * = First Appearance)

* [[Venaz]]
* [[Bezale]]
* [[Ceria Springwalker]]
* [[Calruz]]
* [[Wil Kallinad]]
* [[Merrik Hostone]]
* [[Peki]]
* 6th Battalion / Beriad of the Antinium
** Gladheart (''Name Revealed'')
* [[Ozem]] (''Mentioned'')
* ? - Female Minotaur *
* Spekelj *
* ? - Citizen Minotaur *
* [[Saimh]] *
* Ocello *
* Kaned *
* ? - [Fish Gutter] Minotaur *
* [[Yisame Beziin]] / Sandquen (''Mentioned'')
* ? - Minotauress [Cycler] *
* [[Relc Grasstongue]]
* [[Selys Shivertail]]
* Honolac (''First Time Mentioned'')
* [[Rhata]]
* [[Haldagaz]]
* [[Khedal]]
*[[Lareqol]] *
*[[Inreza]]
*Beorro - Blue Whale *
*Goblins of [[Isle of Goblins]]
**? - Female [Shaman] in feathers outfit *
**? - Male mossy Fomirelin *
**? - Female mossy Fomirelin *
**Hobgoblins (Over 600)
***? - Heaviest armor Hobgoblin (''Deceased?'') *
**[[Izikere]] *
**? - Male Goblin [Martial Artist]/[Monk]? *
**? - Female Goblin [Sculptor] *
**? - Male Goblin [Herbalist] *
**? - Female Goblin [Potter] *
*[[Anazurhe]] (''Mentioned'')
*? - Male Minotaur [Battle Caster] *
*? - Female Minotaur [Blood Mage] *
*[[Greydath]]
*? - Minotaur [Battle Healer] *
*[[Sóve]] (''Mentioned'')
*[[Velan]] (''Mentioned'')
*[[Curulac]] (''Mentioned'')
==Locations==

* [[Izril]]
** [[Liscor]]
*** Selys's mansion
***Mage’s Guild
* [[House of Minos]] ([[Isles of Minos]]) - Archipelago
** Hammerad - Island
**Etrerra-Valar - Port Capital
***Palace
**Maweil - Island
* [[Isle of Goblins]]

==Creatures==

* Astelain / Capybara (''First Introduction'')
* [[Fortress Beavers]]
*[[Rocs|Roc]]
*Creona Flashbirds

== [[Vehicles]] ==

* ''Poking for Treasure'' - Cargo ship
*Minotaur’s Warships:
**''The'' ''Horn of Valar''
**''First to Shore'' (''Sunk'')
**''Kingfall'' (''Sunk'')
**''Terandria’s Shores''

==Items==

* Belgrade Ambush-Fries (''Food'')
* Honolac cube
*Axe of Minos
*Evercut Arrow
*''Goblin [Mercenaries]. Leading Goblins and being led by Goblins, by Niers Astoragon'' - Book

[[Category:Chapters]]
[[Category:Volume 9]]