Evergrimwasonceprosperousandfertile.
TheoriginalbirthplaceoftheGoblinspecies,whereunderthelightofthefullmoonandthewatchfuleyeofthegods,theoriginalhordecrawledfromachasmbeneaththerootsoftheAncientTreeofOakmire,intotheworldthatawaitedthem.
Thegodswerepleasedwiththeircreations…
ButthefateoftheGoblinswasoneofmiseryanddoom.
Foratthewretchedheartsoftheircreatorsandeachamongtheirhorderesidedanincurablesickness:greed.Aplague,thatwouldcreepinsidiouslythroughtheGoblinempire,corruptingandcorrodinguntilwhatlittlelightremainedintheirworldwasallbutextinguished.
Theirresourcesminedtoextinction.TheAncientTreewitheringastheeartharounditwasravagedwithoutmercy.Asthelifeleftitsroots,thetree'sbranchescurledtowardtheheavens.Awisened,petrifiedhand,pleadingformercyitwouldneverreceive.
Overthecenturiesthatfollowed,thenowDeadTreewouldsitlifelessattheheartofEvergrim,bearingsilentwitnesstothesombertideofseepingdesolation.
TheQueenAlthereagazedacrosstheruinsofheronce-greatempire,andcursedthegodsforabandoningthem.Withnochoicebuttofleetheturmoil,thehordeventuredthroughtheircrumblingportalindesperation,thelastremainingounceofEmberitefromavaultbeneaththeNewKingdomusedtopowerit.
Whetherthroughdestiny,orastrangetwistoffate,theGoblinsemergedintoaworldmuchliketheEvergrimofold.Oneofpure,naturalbeauty,wherevibrantfloraandfaunaflourished,drawingenergyfromthesameabundantsource;amagicalfungithatpermeatedtheland,sustainingthelifethatsprungfromit.
Blindedbyherlustforpower,undeterredbythedestructionleftinherwake,theQueenbeganplunderingthisnewedenwithouthesitation.Machinestoreintosoil.Thesurroundingplant-lifechokedastoxicfumesspewedintotheonce-pristineair.Whenenoughofthemythicalsubstancehadbeenmined,theQueenordereditstransportationthroughtheportal,believingitthekeytorestoringtheirhomeland,andtheDeadTreetoitsformervitality.
Butasthefungienteredtheportal,thesurroundingworldrespondedwithfury.Thelandtrembled.Theportalbegantocrumble.Withoutwarning,aplumeeruptedfromitscentre,consumingallinitspath.Goblinsshrieked,clawingthesoilbeneaththemastheyweredraggedintothebellyofthebillowingbeast.Whenthesmokecleared,onlythosebearingtheamuletshadsurvivedthedecimation.
Believingthenewworld'sgodshadpunishedthemfortheirdisruptionofitsnaturalorder,theQueenandtheEldersconceivedadifferentpath.Theconstructionofaportalpoweredbytechnologywithintheircontrol,throughwhichtheGoblinscouldcarryouttheirplanswithoutinterference.
Andso,overmanymoons,theGoblinstoiledaway.Daybyday,theyexcavatedamakeshifttown,deepintheunchartedWasteland,awayfromthepryingeyesoftheworld'sinhabitants.
Aboveground,constructionontheirportalbegan.TheGoblinsscavengedanyresourcestheycouldgettheirvileclawson,includingtheill-fatedSeekersontheirjourneyhomefromacrossthemetaverse.
Whiletheyfailedtocaptureenoughofthebots,theGoblinsremainedundeterred.Ifanything,thistribulationonlywilledthemfurther.UnderthesterndirectionofHeadTinker,VarlintheShrewd,theGoblinsbidedtheirtime,plottingandscheming,untilachanceencounterwiththeDarkSeekerrevealedthetwistedpathtotheirsalvation:thecapturingoflostSeekerbots,trappedinavast,interstellarexpanseknownastheVoid.
ThesirencalloftheDarkSeekerdrewmanySeekersintothesalivatingjawsofdestiny.Botbybot,theportalnearedcompletion,untilthelastSeekerpartfounditsrightfulplaceamongsttheconstruction,andthefierygatewayignited,radiatingwithnewfoundenergy.TheGoblin'sconnectiontoEvergrimwasrestored.
WiththeDeadTreeimbuedwiththepowerofthemycelium,itbrimswithlifeoncemore.Asthetreeawakenedfromitsslumber,theskydarkened.Awaveofcrimsonwashedoverthemoonstainingitadeep,bloodred.TheElderssmiledastheywatchedon.Asignfromthegods.
TheQueen'sclosestaide,Murlog,turnedtoherandsnarled,malicecloakedinatwistedgrin.
“TheGoblinHordewillriseagain…”
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