The Warrens

Treasure Goblins tend to spawn near groups of Players, especially Players that are making a ruckus already. Typically that's a situation you try to stay far away from, since a fair fight is downright disgusting to your fine sensibilities. Once or twice you've been near a large enough group of other Goblins to be caught up in the mass bloodlust that typically afflicts your kind and crashed down like a floppy-eared wave on the Player group, only to be wiped out to a Goblin. Players that are looking or a fight often have all kinds of tactics and buffs active that lay down scrawny foes like you in droves. So the trick will be to get close to some Players without drawing their attention.

That's why you're heading for the Warrens. A vast sprawling underground region filled with Goblins, Kobolds, Beetles, Spiders, Skeletons, and other lesser swarm-like creatures. The narrow corridors and maze-like dead-ends can result in a Player group being a wall over, counting as 'close' without some of the danger involved. You'll have to be very careful not to wind up taking a wrong turn and running face-first into a war party, and you'll have to be cautious with the locals, but you are cautiously optimistic.

The transition point loos suspiciously like the entrance to your own cave, but soon the two of you are skulking along the perpetually-torch lit corridors of the Warrens. Normally as the boss of this operation you would take the honorable position at the rear, but today you have forfeited that perk in favor of making sure Pet isn't mistaken for a Player. Your forward thinking pays off as you enter one of the numerous chambers only to find several goblins squatting in front of a fire casually laid out between some crude tent-like shelters. Reddish eyes reflecting the torch light turn in your direction and hands are laid on various pointy sticks and rocks. "Come on, Pet" You order calmly, walking boldly into the chamber as if you don't have a care in the world. She does so, though somewhat reluctantly. You turn back to the Goblin group to find the largest of the lot standing right in front of you, glaring up with its gangling hands on its hips in a traditional Goblin stance of Challenge.

"You don't belong here. We were here first, so you have to pay us. We want the girl." He says, jumping straight to an unreasonable penalty. He seems a little wary of your unusual size, but he isn't a starting Goblin either and seems emboldened by the presence of the others. "You're not the boss of me." You counter contemptuously. "I say I'm the boss, not you. Get your weapon and we'll settle this the Right Way." He doesn't like that one bit, but realizing that you aren't going to back down, turns to get his weapon of choice, a rock the size of his head tied between a couple of boards in a crude hammer. Of course, that's when you strike, swinging your spear at the back of his head like a baseball bat the moment his guard is down. He must be rusty, everyone knows that the Right Way is sneaky and underhanded. The others wince and flinch back at the solid 'Crack!' of impact, but make no further actions. Dominance having been established, you survey your new minions doubtfully.

As luck would have it, another Goblin rushes breathlessly in from another of the side passages, a scout from the look of him. "Players in the West tunnels!" He reports in a rush, doubling over with hands on his knees and panting. Perfect! You step onto the prone **** form of your former rival and gesture grandly in that direction. "Good! Lets go and wipe them out! I'll be sure to reward the first one to bring a Player down. Now, I'll be right behind you. Charge!" Not that they seemed to need much convincing, they brandish their weapons wildly and swarm out of the chamber and back in the direction of the Players. You stand proudly atop your unwilling pedestal look suitably leader-y until the last of them has rounded the corner then simply shrug and hop down.

"Right. That lot is done for. Lets see if we can find a side passage and hope that its enough to attract one of those rich stuck-ups." You say in a matter-of-fact tone to Pet. "Master is really devious." Pet observes in a tone that is neither approving nor disapproving, as if discovering something profound for the first time. Never the less, she is right with you as you forge a path in a wandering direction of the suspected Players.

Soon distant cries and 'thwumps' and clashes of stone on metal are distantly heard. Distance can be deceptive down here, and you're fairly confident that your somewhat near the ongoing massacre. As underground dwellers you Goblins have a sense for these things. Never the less, as you crouch in the darkness and listen to the fading sounds of battle as you wait, and wait, and wait, patience begins to be harder to hold on to. Finally after five minutes of silence you are **** to conclude that battle is over and no Treasure Goblin is coming. "Hmph. Lets go." you mutter curtly, waving your tiny party on. Already your agile mind has moved past this minor setback and is considering even more insidious plans!