A Hasty Alliance

"Sadly, we have something in common." With this opening, Perellia proceeded to explain herself. Her clan named itself the Orcas, after the sea mammal common to the region. They were a seafaring people who travelled the coast and inland waterways of the region, coming ashore primarily for trade and to hunt and forage in order to vary their diet, as well as to restore their fresh water stores, since desalinizing the seawater would waste a great deal of magical energy. Their intent in landing here was primarily to meet people like the Salayans and establish new trading partners.

They had come ashore a week earlier, and had not been there a full day when trouble found them. A party of four hunters who were looking for both meat and contacts, were jumped by what evidence suggested was a party of a dozen or so goblins, who apparently caught them by surprise, took them captive, and spirited them away. While following their trail, the elves discovered that a smaller group of 5 or 6 goblins met up with the first batch, and together they attacked another group of three, whose tracks showed them to be humans. This must be those that Talya seeks.

Talya had heard of goblins, but knew little of them. She knew they were quite small, and wondered how they had overcome a total of seven much larger and well trained enemies. "Because," Perellia said, "The goblins have both evolutionary adaptations and magic that facilitates the capture and control of slaves. I know this is a hard thing to hear, but they are merciless and brutal slavers. We have no time to lose. Together we are nine, and should be more than a match for these slimy devils. We must unite for battle and free our friends, for the sake of both our peoples!"

"Agreed!" Talya said at once. "You have been tracking them, and know more about them. We know this terrain as part of our home range. Together will crush them underfoot like the vermin they are!"