You check out the other options first.

You decide to at least take a look at the other options first, to see if anything stands out.

Fighter Specialization
This champion is a trained fighter, skilled in various fighting styles and even equipped with small amounts of combat magic. They learn to cast one new damage spell, and receive the Arcane skill if they don't have it already. They also gain partial fluency in one new language, two new weapon skills and attribute improvements as if they had gained a level.

Scout Specialization
This champion is a skilled scout, able to travel large distances rapidly. They can take no minions with them out of your claimed land, but can move three times faster and require only half as much food, water and rest while doing so. They also gain partial fluency in three new languages, and attribute improvements as if they had gained a level.

Gatherer Specialization
This champion is a born gatherer, always able to locate food and water in any environment, along with many other resources. Their gathering skill increases by 10, and they can carry twice as much weight as before. They also gain partial fluency in one new language, a new skill and attribute improvements as if they had gained a level.

The gatherer specialization does look useful, but any one person gathering will always be trumped by, for example, a whole tribe of goblins doing it. Plus, it looks like all the specializations provide at least partial fluency in a new language, so no need to give the male goblin the leader one. Eventually, you decide to make Arrielle a scout and the goblin a fighter. However when you go to promote her, you realise that she has quite a few more options available: Officer, Archer, Diplomat and Forager, to name but a few. They seem to be organised into four categories, each containing several more specific, advanced versions of the original four options. There are also a few totally separate ones, like Crafter and Builder. After reading through them all, you settle on Outrider as the closest to your original goal, as it seems to be a direct improvement on the Scout specialization, allowing even faster movement and even a few extras to tag along. You select Elvish, Dwarvish and Goblin as the language options, and then move on to the goblin, who you decide to name 'Brock'. He, of course, gets Common, along with the Sword skill. With that out of the way, you tell him to get his men to chop down some trees anyway they can, and he happily obliges, seemingly unsurprised by his new ability to understand you. Arrielle also seems fine with her ability to speak goblin, teasing her captive in her native language as she carries her writhing body off to her room. You assume it must simply be a quirk of the system, and leave it be.

End of Act 1

Authors note: Thought it might make sense to take a break here and get my bearings in terms of resources left, character sheets and progress so far.