After the trial the young kids were housed between the makeshift huts of the visitors, while the adult was brought down to a cell.

Strong tugged on Scratch's tunic to bring up the subject of ownership of the breeding age woman, but he couldn't quite come up with the right words.

"We're keeping her downstairs for safekeeping." Scratch waved his hand dismissively. "Your boys can come down whenever, but she won't come up."

This was more than acceptable to Strong. The hosts were willing to take up the task of security for the prisoner, while the guests still reaped the benefits.

Yuto saw it this way too. That day he approached Scratch in the forest while they were gathering twigs for the fire.

"Why can't Strong and his guys keep the girl themselves?"

Scratch didn't look up. "Two reasons. First off, I want to remind Britt of how much worse it can get for her, secondly, the group is less likely to run off if they're leaving someone behind. It's called leverage."

Yuto wasn't happy about it. "They just come here and they get whatever they want."

Scratch dumped his own gathered wood in Yuto's arms. "Maybe they do, so what? We do whatever benefits us, and we don't give a damn what happens to anybody else, good or bad, you hear me?"

The tone was stricter this time, and Yuto cast down his eyes. "I hear you."

"Good. You take this home and start the rebuilding thing, I'm going to check something."

-

Since the amount of raids had slowed down the goblins had hatched a rebuilding effort. This isolated incident didn't dissuade them of that plan.

The square around the well was littered with torn-down buildings from before the culling had begun in full. They relocated the rubble and started over from the beginning, constructing round mud huts with thatch roofing to replace the ones lost before.

They even fired some more bricks to use in the blacksmithing hut.

When they first had started building mud huts a few months earlier Scratch had considered them improvised shelter, but next to the temporary shelter of the visitors the huts looked tall and civilized.

-

What Scratch had wanted to check was related to one of Strong's followers.

Bread had been severely hurt in an impromptu execution of street justice by his own tribe, but had been saved by the magical salve Cyclophan had provided. It had left him disfigured, mummified by wraps of flesh where the stuff had been applied.

"Boys, I'm borrowing the elephant man for a bit." Scratch announced, strolling casually into the crowd of strangers.

They didn't know what he meant but his gaze was on Bread. He waved a thing piece of hard bread at him. "Here's a bribe for your time, walk with me."

So they walked together, Bread eagerly nibbling on the gift while Scratch breathed in the fresh air.

"You've been hunting in the forest, Bread? Have you been going far out?"

Bread looked at him, parsed the sentence for a moment and then shook his head.

"I didn't think so, so we're doing a little experiment, this might take awhile."

Scratch's presence put Bread on edge. To him Scratch was a peculiar and unpredictable creature. Strong could be mean and unfair, but you could always be sure of what he wanted, you could never know when Scratch would be hit by a sudden fancy and do something completely ridiculous, like the little display with the human prisoners. It was scary.

They walked for half a day, during which Scratch would talk out loud, but mostly to himself. "I don't think we'll ever build fully brick houses, but maybe with some rock debris we can create a strong foundation for a wall." "What do you think? A small garden in the yard, or a full farming field?" "It doesn't have to be made to last, we'll get some real housing later."

Most words he used were meaningless to Bread, so he stayed silent and occasionally nodded. During this time they walked out of the forest and followed a small river downstream.

At one point, Bread suddenly dropped to his knees.

"Look at that." Scratch commented. "It's starting. Still, I think it's a reasonable distance."

Bread started breathing loudly, the skin on his body felt like it was writhing around and pulling itself loose from his body, the pain was unbearable.

Scratch brought his face up close to the pulsating skin. The flesh that had been added by Cyclophan's formula was moving on its own, and blood started seeping out of it.

"AAAAAH!" Bread screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Okay, okay, that's enough." Scratch pulled him under his armpit. "Let's see if going back makes it stop."

It did. Although Bread was no longer being tormented by writhing flesh, he was now covered in drying blood.

During their way back, neither spoke.

When they arrived back at the cave, nobody asked questions.

The very same day these events occurred Scratch was visited by Cyclophan again in his dreams.

Before going to bed he had went to intimidate the woman in the cell, who's name was Theresa and who had been used by goblins before. With him he had Mac and Quiet who he had hoped could become more assertive and dominant with practice, but who ended up stuttering and blushing in the presence of a strange woman.

Brittany had been stationed outside the door to hear their exchange, she was perfectly aware of what he was attempting to communicate, but she knew better than challenge him on it.

The sheer amount of things to juggle had exhausted Scratch and he had fallen asleep on the dining room table, leaving Quiet to make tie up the ends in the household before everybody else could go to sleep. Things such as the allocation of rooms, hanging washed furs out to dry and feeding the birds. The issue of the gaping hole behind the bird nest where the dungeon core had fallen down was ignored for now. The others simply threw a blanket of their snoozing leader's back and left him alone to dream.

-

So you've returned. The small viper raised its head as high as possible within Scratch's dreamscape.

"You know I hate it when you get into my nightmares."

That's of no concern to me. I shall address you however conveniences me.

The one-eyed goblin sighed and reclined back. "You're in a gloating mood, I get it."

I knew you had your suspicions when you declined to use the medicine for yourself. Cyclophan chuckled. When you lie about your reasons, I can see you.

"That wasn't very neighborly of you."

Am I the god of neighbors? No. I am the god of deception, and I have deceived you for my benefit, as I should have since the start.

"I suppose to you didn't because you were ashamed to think you had to, when others have orcs tripping over themselves just to worship them."

Don't presume to know my mind, goblin. I have outwitted you, take it as a sign to begin serving me as a proper champion.

"Well, congratulations, well done, really." Scratch rolled on his side to take a look at the snake avatar of the evil god. "You know, I knew there had to be a catch from the start."

Cyclophan exhaled sharply from his nose slits.

"You're stingy with your magic, and it was clear you were looking for a way to increase your leverage. So you traded some of it for a tighter leash. It was a fair exchange, and we didn't have much choice anyway. Without your healing we would have died out."

You're telling me you walked into my trap on purpose?

"You're a living lie detector, right? Read my lips. We. Have. Nothing." Scratch spoke in staccato to further emphasize his words. "Cyclophan is our only asset. Without you, we'd end up like the other tribes, their entire population replaced in less than a month. You don't need a leash Cyclophan, we've got nowhere to go."

I suppose that's you telling me not to trick you again in the future.

"... You said you wanted stronger beasts in the basement. The raiding has let up, we can dedicate our time to a project like that."

-

The god's viper body unnaturally narrowed its eyes.

Scratch was a natural schemer, but he didn't have the perspective and intellect of a god. He had no understanding of the larger implications of his plans.

The raiding has let up?! Do you know what you're saying?

Scratch sat up straight. "No, please tell me what I'm saying."

Your little misdirection with the fake bounties has scared off all the weak humans. This is seen as a highly dangerous area by adventurers.

"Is that what did it? Sheesh. Well, no need to thank me, I-"

You idiot! More dangerous areas attract more dangerous adventurers!

"That's- They'd be content after wiping out the bandits... right?" He didn't sound too sure of his own justification. "I mean. They can't know it was us."

They can't? What made you so sure of that? There's so much magic in the world, gods to consult... what if they simply talk to the bandits after imprisoning them!?

"Okay, well... maybe I didn't consider all factors..."

Argh! You don't even know what the factors are! The guild staff of Eston is on its way to this forest to 'fix' the bounty issue, these aren't kids playing at being exterminators, these are real adventurers. And they will be clashing with the bandits, do you have any idea what will happen when they do?

"...no?"

I don't either. I can not see the future, only the lies of the people in the present.

Scratch brought his fist to his chin.

"When you say real adventurers, what does that mean?"

Cyclophan went on to explain the ranking of adventurers in further detail, and the specific individuals that had set out on this mission. It did not paint a hopeful picture. Yet with every sentence Scratch grew more confident, because with every fact and metric, he was more prepared than with the one before.

There were still three or four days left before the guild would have defeated the forest's keepers.

Currently the region near the cave was controlled by two powers, the bandits and the orc warlord. If Cyclophan's explanation of magical powers and spells was anything to go by, they would have to rest to replenish their "mana" after laying waste to these groups, before they felt confident challenging an unknown enemy.

In the worst case scenario the bandits would escape the adventurers' claws while having learned of the goblins' misdirection, and come challenge them personally. After which the adventurers themselves would find them in their pursuit.

There was no chance of the two parties teaming up. Bandits were killed on sight by adventurers and enforcers, those without city were considered less than human.

-

"Have I properly explained the situation?" The one-eyed goblin asked the rest of the room.

Around the table sat three groups, Second and Quiet as his confidantes, the leaders of the sheltered tribes, Strong and Snore, to represent their people, and Barbara as a consultant.

"How do you know so much about who's coming and when?" Barbara wanted to know.

"He's told by-" Second started, but he was interrupted.

"We have our sources. Let's please focus on the issue at hand." Scratch said, giving him a meaningful look to impart the sense of secrecy of these sources.

Snore looked confused by what was going on, his vocabulary was very limited. "Hah?"

"You can't fight level C adventurers." The woman responded, ignoring the minor chieftain's exclamation. "Even a knight is only as strong as level D."

"Certainly, we can't match them in a brawl. But surely, the world does not boil down to such primitive head bashing."

"Hah?" Strong had been following for the most part up until that point, but Scratch's use of abstraction had made him lose the plot.

"I'd have to speak with Hayato and Yuki." Second added. "But I don't think our traps can work so targeted. We only use them to cast a wide net and pick off some of the intruders that come near."

"They can if we can control where they are," Quiet whispered, "if we lure them or funnel them into a snare."

"Uh..." Second needed a moment to understand what Quiet what suggesting.

Barbara slapped her hand on the table. "Even then! There's no way we can harm them! We have to leave. Scatter. If it's really Marie and her old party members-"

"Barb." Scratch said. "Do you know why I asked you to join this conference?"

"Huh?"

"You see, for us, running is not an option. There's no place on this planet's damn surface where we aren't hunted, so your solutions are not our solutions. What I want from you isn't a plan, it's information.

"Huh, what?" There were general noises of confusion around the table.

Scratch leaned forward to pour her a mug of distilled water. "Let's start with who the made men of the thieves' guild are."

-

The thieves' guild, Barbara's underworld contacts that had betrayed her, consisted of four main pillars. Each of these crime lords had their own operations and loyal followers from which they derived power that the others could not influence. In order to arbitrate their interests and join their power, they formed the guild leadership, the stewards of Eston's underworld.

The underground gambling and pleasure houses were handled by Mac. A rich merchant and owner of several warehouses, in which the exclusive gambling clubs were hosted, invite only. Barbara was bitter about his involvement of her "arrest". "Pompous old man, if I ever get my hands on him..."

If anyone wanted to smuggle or fence illegal goods within the city, they could only go through Fyro, or face the wrath of his enforcers. It was Fyro that had a tight leash on the forest bandits to protect the smuggling routes. Apparently he was some sort of disgraced noble that had build up a new life somewhere remote under a false name.

"I see." Second responded to that part, "that's the boss that's stringing Lydia along, huh?"

The third don and the richest among them was the city council member and housing developer "Lacrima", an accomplished witch.

"Witch? What's a witch?" Scratch asked.

"Someone born with magical powers," was the answer, "it's not important. They're just mages that cultivate quicker, basically."

The witch did some trickery with moving around money that Barbara didn't understand, and it had made her very rich.

Lastly, there was the Liege. A powerful figure the others payed taxes to in order to continue operating, and he had enforcers to plug leaks or remove powerful obstacles. Barbara new very little of this figure, only that Lacrima was the only one that knew his true name, and for some reason, she wasn't telling.

"That sounds like the real boss." Scratch commented. He scratched his chin. "I think we can work with what you've told me, I just need some details regarding certain specific people."

For the following days activities rebuilding the workshops went on.

The kids, Rudy and Xandra, were being involved with increasingly diverse responsibilities around the town, they had been more willing to work together with the goblins than Scratch had expected and he told them so, though he added: "don't take that as an encouragement" over the leniency they could expect from him. Strong's people had impregnated Theresa. A single litter would satisfy her debt as Scratch had sentenced it, although it was uncertain what would happen once he demanded they let her go.

Before long he square had a blacksmithing station again, in which they were able to reforge confiscated weapons and left over ore.

There was no more limestone to be mined within Cyclophan's tunnel, but with some experimentation diluted acid from the cesspool's slimes could fulfill a similar purpose, and a tanning station was constructed near it, which was some distance away from the square, and closer to the perimeter.

They also were able to rebuild the washing station and outdoor kitchen in this time.

Leftover stone from the tunnels was carried towards the perimeter and combined with copious amounts of Second's primitive wood-ash cement to create stronger barricades. This crude stone ridge could form the basis for stronger upright walls from stripped tree trunks, although barely any headway was made on that.

-

It didn't slip by the goblins that they were asked to build up what was essentially a fortress.

"What do we need all this for?" Haruto whined while holding up a wooden pillar with Benjamin, while the latter held his eyes closed and didn't speak.

"It's better to be prepared than not, right?" Abel stated, pouring the cement and gravel into the hole.

"But prepared for what?" He insisted.

"Well... you know... things in general... adventurers."

"There are barely any adventurers anymore, and we can fight them off every time!"

"Uh-"

Benjamin opened his eyes abruptly. "We prepare because we don't know. The world is large and always changing, and our home is a tiny speck on its surface. Every day we brave the unknown, every day is a day we can be faced with something beyond our understanding. This wall could save our lives. It could not. But it is better to have a wall than to be exposed."

"Well... there you go." Abel stated uncertain. "Thank you Ben."

But Benjamin had returned to his groggy half-asleep state.

"What happens when he does that?"

"He's saving energy."

-

They spend the whole day finishing up chores. Only some time after sunset when the traps had been checked did they receive some leisure time.

Rudy and Xandra were inside the cave with the whole family when dinner was served. They had been for the past few days, and they were no longer that big of a curiosity, their conversations blending in with the general chatter of the dinner table like anybody else's. As usual, they were seated next to Barbara, as the human enclave of the room. Brittany was still downstairs, being re-educated.

Quiet was cooking fancier meals than usual in order to impress the guests, and to celebrate the continuing progress of the outdoor kitchen.

"Why are we building so much?" Haruto asked Scratch, who was keeping his eye on the humans, who were talking amongst themselves.

"Hhm? Oh. It's good to be prepared, isn't it?"

"Building the perimeter is really awful. We can just fight off anyone that comes in."

"Ha." Scratch brought his cup to his lips. "No we can't." He then exchanged a look with Quiet signaling a mutual understanding. They were keeping a secret.

Scratch downed his drink and slapped Haruto on the back. "Once the wall is done we'll take a well deserved vacation.

How does that sound? Just a week or two more."

To Haruto a week or two sounded like a lifetime, it was almost as long as he had been alive. But he didn't know what else could be said to get his way, so he stopped talking and turned to his food.

The next day they didn't get the opportunity to make progress on the wall.

The fighting practice ran long due to the persistent rivalry Yuto and the girl had developed.

Scratch's self defense class kept to simple techniques, practiced until they were automatic. But now that the human kids were made to participate, Xandra rebelled against his instructions. She was more creative with her movements and would stubbornly alter her form in order to get a situational advantage. She specifically sought out Yuto, who was the only one with enough fire to push back against her struggling.

That morning the others looked on as the two refused to give in on a striking exercise.

"You know I'm used to beating down goblins!" She proudly boasted while lunging forward.

"I think you've practiced getting defeated just as well." He fired back when deflecting her and taking his distance.

"Is she always like this?" Scratch asked Rudy.

The boy sighed. "Pretty much. What about him?"

"Oh, I don't know. I think because there's a girl present he wants to impress her."

For some reason this comment surprised Rudy, he gave Scratch a side glance.

"If only I could get him this fired up over spears." Scratch complained. "But we're not giving you two any edged weapons."

-

Eventually the two exhausted themselves, and Scratched had the group meditate in order to bring down the energy from fighting practice.

"Breath out your tension, breath in serenity. Slowly, like this. All emotions are winds passing through your body, leaving you untouched."

He unwound himself from the exercise. The stress of the coming clash had been getting to him, but meditation calmed him down and cleared his mind.

However, he was cruelly thrown out of his trance by the sound of horse hooves.

A horseback rider had simply jumped over the stone ridge where no wooden pillars had yet been planted and galloped straight into the community.

The man was recognizable to the older goblins, Huckabee the bandit. He had been involved in some of the painful history of the clan, but in principle he was not an enemy. Scratch remained motionless, waiting for the man to show his current affiliation. But he dismounted without drawing a weapon or showing signs of hostility.

-

"Scratch's? Where's your boss? I need to talk to-"

"Yes, here. Between the crowd. Come for a visit, have you?"

"I wouldn't norma-"

"How many are still alive?"

"Barely twenty, mostly non-combatants"

"We've arranged accommodations. Tell them to follow the west trail to avoid the traps."

Huckabee was briefly stunned at the response but climbed on his horse to report back.

"Wait." Scratch threw up his hands.

Huckabee held the reins.

"Tell me you've saved the messenger pigeons."

Huckabee shook his head. "Only the women and children."

"Too bad. On you go."

-

After the bandit had been seen off Fyro ran up to Scratch. "What was that all about? Tell me."

Scratch shrugged. "More refugees. But these are the last ones. I've got a plan."

That evening the bandits could find shelter within the perimeter.

They had been able to pack none of their belongings, but found makeshift tents and bedding for them to sleep on within the goblin nest. The tents were simple hides hung over upright sticks, and the beds were just animal furs. They didn't provide privacy, and hardly much comfort, but they were a great deal better than sleeping on the ground.

The horses were tied to the trees outside, and the humans were invited to a joined meal. "The will be ready in an hour." A younger goblin translated from Quiet's whispering. "Go choose what tent goes to who until then. And stay away from that camp, those are feral." He pointed at the shoddy slums around the platform, where emaciated creatures leered at the visitors.

Lydia Harkness, the bandit leader, immediately moved towards the cave to speak with the goblin boss. She was referred to the washing basin by Biter.

-

"You're being very hospitable." She stated.

Scratch didn't look up from the laundry he was scrubbing. "Lately it seems we're turning into a hotel."

She crouched to be level with him. "So the thin ones aren't yours."

"They're in the same boat as you lot."

"We can't stay, the guild will come after us."

Now Scratch looked at her. His one eye gleamed with mischievous intensity. "Nonsense. Who do you think I am? Tomorrow this whole thing will be over and done with."

She stared intently at his face, but couldn't determine what he was thinking.

"go freshen up," he continued, "dinner is almost ready."

-

The fire was stoked to never before seen intensity that night. The places normally reserved for seating were within the confines of the enormous roaring bonfire.

"What are you doing!?" Huckabee yelled out distraught. "That thing is like a beacon!"

"Even an idiot can track 20 horses." Kicker told him. "It's not a secret where you are."

He eventually calmed down and ate what they gave him.

The humans were served roasted mushrooms and bread. It wasn't flavorful, but it was filling.

"Where's Dee?" Kicker asked him.

"And Patrick and Beth?" Biter added in-between bites.

These were the other human warriors they had previously seen with the bandits.

"Oh no." Huckabee buried his face in his hands and started crying.

The two goblins looked at each other uncomfortably and walked away.

-

Not far away Denise was trying to get the two girls to calm down.

Her own daughter, Cobaline, was in hysterics, while the little adoptee Letta had retreated into her own world entirely.

"Bwuuuh!" The daughter cried. "The- the- the- weeeh!" She couldn't properly convey her feelings over her own sobbing.

"Come, baby. It'll be okay." Her mother hugged her close.

Letta was in no better condition, muttering to herself, staring intently at the goblin leader.

"Letta. Girly, are you alright too?"

But the girl didn't respond to the woman that had fostered her the past month.

-

Harkness generally observed the sorry state of her people while stalking around the camp.

She noticed the different buildings than before, and the other humans in the camp. Including the thieves' guild prisoner they had given to the goblins.

Eventually she found Scratch again and went to talk to him.

"You're letting the prisoner walk around freely?"

"Which one do you mean?"

She sighed. "You do have a plan. Don't you?"

"Lydia. Of course I do. Have I ever lied to you?"

"You just won't tell me."

"Of course I will, just ask."

"Scratch. If you can save us, we'll be in your debt forever, please tell me your plan."

He gave an evil grin. "You see her?" He pointed at Barbara. "She's the brood mother here."

"I know."

"For goblins, the mother is the only real parent. All knowledge we have comes from what humans we can learn it from. And you gave us an insider."

"A member of the thieves' guild."

"Exactly."

"But our enemy is with the adventurers' guild. Did you thin-"

He gave her a mocking look. "Lydia, please, if there's anything I know it's mobsters. And mobsters don't share turf."

"What's turf?"

Scratch chuckled quasi-condescedingly. "Adventurers are muscle, enforcers, killers. They're a mob. They can't share the same city with a guy like Fyro if they're rivals, the streets aren't wide enough."

"'Scuse?" Fyro piped up.

"Not you."

"So to you they have to be together." Lydia commented.

"It's not a theory, it's a fact, we have an informant after all. Fyro's thugs are adventurers, as are Mac's, even Lacrima has a high ranking adventurer as bodyguard. The guild leader himself isn't free of their influence."

"Hold up. Lacrima is with the thieves' guild?"

"You know her? She's in the leadership."

Lydia held her forehead. "That sweet old lady..."

"If an adventurer doesn't have ties to the thieves, he works with someone that does." Scratch added. "And so too the people coming to visit tomorrow."

"So?"

"So, this entire extermination mission is a big misunderstanding. We'll have it cleared up over tea and everybody can go home with no blood spilled."

She gave him a troubled look. The plan seemed flimsy, but if it came to war, it would be better to have a few dozen goblins fighting on their side. They wouldn't do much damage, but perhaps they would get the enemy to exhaust their mana. "We'll put our trust in you, Scratch, I'll put my trust in you."

"Whether you do or not doesn't matter. We'll handle it."

The next day there were no chores assigned, and the morning routine was skipped.

Scratch selected a team of fighters as an advance party to meet the adventurers.

"Kicker and Biter, I know you're up for it. Second, you stay her and keep an eye on Rudy and his tomboy girlfriend. Okay, who's itching to stretch their legs? Fyro, Abel, Yuto. I think that's about enough. You know what, Digger, you come too."

And they set off through the beaten trail of the bandit travelers, expecting the other party to come tracking the same tracks from the other side and meet them in the middle.

The two groups met each other before they were out far enough for the false flesh on Fyro's hand to act up.

-

In the distance two tall silhouettes and one smaller one approached. They matched the descriptions of the individuals Cyclophan had described.

"Halt. We're there." Scratch commanded the others. Go stand to the sides to that-"

He was interrupted by a quadruped almost his own height pouncing him to the ground. It was a dog. A bloodhound with loose skin and plentiful drool dripping between its large teeth growled and seemed ready to rip out his throat with a single bite when his brothers bashed at its side with their weapons.

Enraged the canine began chasing after the goblins, running in circles and switching targets while the children scattered in panic.

A whistle could be heard and the creature dutifully gave up its hunt and returned to its master.

"Snitch, come here girl, no fighting." The large man said in a sweet tone.

"I was wondering when we'd see a goblin ambush." His friend, an even larger woman with a shiny kite shield commented. "It's not like many have been getting culled."

"You deal with the lot." The little girl with the tall gem-encrusted staff said dismissively. "I'd much prefer saving my magic for warping back."

"Wait. Hold up, parley, parley." Scratch called out while laying on the ground.

"Ugh, he talks. It's a tamed one." The girl groaned. "Boris, just kill them. If they want to negotiate they can talk to us themselves, not send a goblin pet."

"Yeah." The dog owner walked up to the goblins and raised his crossbow.

The goblins raised their weapons, Abel and Yuto raised their shield and stood in front of Scratch.

"Kathia! We're here for Kathia's sake!" Scratch sprung to his feet while talking.

Boris lowered his weapon.

"You know what they're talking about?" Said the vanguard.

"I know a Kathia." He said sheepishly. "And I don't like her."

"Well, how... how do you think Kathia gets her business, right?"

He shrugged and raised his weapon again.

"She works with us! Duh!" Scratch prattled as quickly as possible before the enemy would fire. "She re-sells stock from dead adventurers. Adventurers that died to bandits."

"Only merchants vetted by the adventurer's guild may sell weapons." The large woman stated.

"Unless it's underground, right? Unless she's got protection from the thieves' guild. And the thieves' guild won't be happy to see you kill their people."

"All the more reason to do it then." The woman said, but Boris hesitated.

"You wouldn't want anything to happen to your sister, Boris." Scratch said, the goblins began lowering their weapons, Snitch the dog looked around confused. "Or you little niece. Do you want to make an enemy of Kathia, who runs with the thieves?"

"Boris!" The woman was angry.

"Damn it, Marie! My sister is in Eston right now under Kathia's roof! They're holding her damned hostage."

"Come on." The little girl raised her staff. "It's a ruse! evidently!"

"Is it, Mildred? Then why do I know why you're paying the pastor and what for?"

Mildred's face became beet red. "H-how-"

"Every one of you is connected to this enterprise. Either by someone that has power over you, or some way you directly benefit."

Marie raised an eyebrow. "Me too?"

"How do you think that poison got in Eston? It was smuggled via the bandits. Roll up the operation and you'll be exposing your own crime."

"Marie, what is he talking about?" Mildred wanted to know.

"Shut up for a moment." She called over her shoulder, then she turned to Scratch again. "You expect us to let them kill adventurers indisciminately because you've got some dirt on us?"

He threw up his hands. "No more killing. That's over, done for. We're meeting you half-way, and we're expecting the same in return. Doesn't that sound nice? If nobody has to die?"

"What now?" Mildred asked. "Do we just go back?"

"I have to meet with my sister." Boris demanded.

Marie gritted her teeth. "Fine. We accept, no more killing bandits." She raised her shield. "But the goblins die."

Scratch's smug grin instantly dissapeared. "Say wha-?" Again his sentence was interrupted by being knocked to the ground as her shield made sudden contact with his face and knocked him back several times his own height in distance.

"Gwaaah!" He screamed in pain through his own shattered teeth and the blood filling his mouth.

"I was warned about a goblin that was the enemy of Benesant. And now I'm convinced it's you. If we can't get to the bandits, at least we'll get rid of enemy of the goddess."

"Who ve fwuck iff Benefanf." Scratch tried to say through his ruined mouth.

-

His siblins began to attack the large woman's legs, but she seemed to hardly feel it. In one fluid motion she drew the sword from her back and slashed it into Yuto, shattering his wooden shield and cleaving his skull in two. She kicked over Digger and stepped on him, killing him instantly, and walked up to Scratch. "Time to send you to hell."

The shiney weapon reflected in Scratch's eye. To spite her he grinned again, even if with his ruined mouth it was painful. "You cannoff k-ill me."

"Stop!"

From between the foliage jumped Lydia harkness in her protective gear.

"You again?"

She put herself between Scratch and the vanguard. "If you want to kill these goblins, you'll have to kill me first." She panted heavily and with fear in her eyes, "and that's the one thing you can't do."

Marie tapped her foot in impatience. The way these creatures acted made her feel like the bad guy somehow.

"Mildred?"

"Yes?"

"Cast your warp spell, we're going back to the town square."

"Fine."

The little girl waved her stick around and an orb of light enveloped her, the man, and his dog. Marie stepped back to enter the orb and with that the effect of the spell.

Scratch was still prattling when he saw her leave. "You can- can't kill me. It... wouldn't make sense. I'm already dead, this is hell."

The adventurers disappeared with a sudden and painfully loud bang, leaving those left behind in a daze, as if all of it had been a dream.

Abel approached Lydia. "Why did you follow us?"

She cradled the wounded goblin leader and brushed the hair out of his face. "I don't know. No sense of self-preservation I suppose."

"So by absolute coincidence, they didn't kill you on sight, and you were able to bluff them." Barbara said mockingly.

She and Scratch were alone in the foyer, the other goblins being busy with chores or being distracted by the going-ons of the bandits.

"Every plan is bad in hind-sight." He stated authoratively, while feeling up the missing teeth with his tongue. Four teeth were missing, none of them neighhbours, it made him look like a kid who had lost his primary teeth but had not yet grown all adult teeth.

"I don't think that's true."

"In any case," he leaned back and put the oversized pipe in his mouth, a thin glittering vapor came from the blue grass he was smoking, "we did prepare for something like this, it just took a different form than we expected."

She crossed her arms. "How's that?"

"After the chaos done in the countryside, we knew the civilized world would take notice and start flexing their muscles a bit. We just thought it'd be in the form of an army. In a way, this was less severe."

"So you made sure the bandits would take the blame."

"Indeed, we knew that if they took heavy losses from the disciplinary actions, we'd be able to take a more dominant role in their business, which the smuggling business, which is our first foothold into Eston."

"If I ever told Harkness about how you basically threw her to the adventurers, your plan would be ruined."

"Oh yes, she'd kill all of us."

"And I'd be freed. So, you just trust me not to betray you?"

"I wouldn't insult your intelligence like that, I trust you not to go against your own interest. Sure you'd be free to go wherever you want, but you'd have no allies, not in the forest, not in the city. Whereas with us, you have a future."

"I do?"

"You do. The trick to power is to put your allies into high positions." He blew a smoke ring. "Like for instance thieves' guild leadership."

"You can't do that."

"I can try. My plans might be dumb, but they've worked thusfar. And it's the best offer you're gonna get."

She put her hand to her chin, intending to consider the proposal, but ending up mostly fantasizing about taking control of the organization that had cast her aside.

He interrupted her train of thought. "But let's not discuss any possible secrets the bandits shouldn't know about, I hear a certain bandit leader approaching."

"How could you possbly hear that?"

-

But he was right, a few minutes later, after stopping in front of the entrance to listen in, Lydia Harkness entered.

"It was a task." She answered, bending her head tto avoid the low ceiling, "But we managed to get a message out. Fyro knows about the information leak, he'll see to it the guild members won't do too much damage with the information you gave them."

"And their deaths won't be in the forest, so it won't raise the reputation of this area as a dangerous place." Scratch grinned, showing his ruined teeth.

"I'm just afraid of him asking where they got it." She sat down. "Is your offer still up?"

"Joining forces? Naturally. Today the sister tribes are moving back to their own territory, that should free up a lot of space around here."

"Thank you."

"It's hardly charity, we benefit as well."

"All the same, thank you."

Scratch gave a satisfied smile, but then corrected himself. "Uh, you should thank Barbera here. She's my minister of human affairs."

Lydia shook her hand. "Thank you Barbera. I thought you were just a prisoner."

Scratch waved his hand. "Prisoner, family, those are fluid concepts around here, I would like to consider you lot family as well, can I?"

Lydia thought about it. "...Sure. In a way."

He got up. "Let's stretch our legs, there's still things that need to be done today."

Bandit Cities

Rarely a bandit camp can grow in size and population until can no longer be called a camp, but must be referred to as a city. Bandit cities can also be the result of normal towns being overrun and taken over by bandits. Any person choosing to continue living in such a city is also considered a bandit.

Bandit cities are always handled by the army, although occasionally bounties are called on powerful warriors or commanders among the bandits. The defeat of a bandit city requires an extended siege, occupying the land to prevent the inhabitants from smuggling their goods in and out of the city.

Bandit cities are rare in the eastern countries, however, the Yellow Wastes has a large network that hasn't been eradicated for centuries.

It is forbidden for members of the adventurer's guild to do business in these cities. Doing so is a crime for any citizen.