by Maradas Graham

Goblins were not always the castoffs they are now, lurking in corners and fighting over the scraps left by the Seelie and Unseelie courts. Once they were the minions of the Unseelie fey, with their master, the Goblin King, being counted among that evil kingdom's number as well. This is the story of his fall.

The Goblin King began his service to the Unseelie Queen as a spy and assassin, becoming feared throughout the faerie realms for his keen blade, seamless plans, and ability to come and go as little more than a winter breeze. He was responsible for many a Seelie noble meeting their final end at the point of an iron blade. He worked his way up through the ranks of the Unseelie, both through skill and betrayal, with rumors saying he attained his final rank of Spymaster by throwing the last Spymaster off the parapets of the Unseelie Queen's castle.

One of the reasons of the Goblin King's rise to power were his loyal minions, the deformed creatures known as the goblins. They are an evil breed of creatures, weak in body and mind, though treacherous and skilled in the arts of skullduggery. They acted as his eyes and ears in many instances, and sometimes his assassins, as he often used them to wield blades of iron against his faerie foes. No one questioned why the Goblin King had these minions, as they served the Unseelie well, though the Queen became curious when she found they would not obey her. To this end she sent one of her minions, Larille the satyr, to spy on the Goblin King. He discovered the horrible truth behind the goblins, that they are the transformed children of faeries, both Seelie and Unseelie, whom the Goblin King had kidnapped.

As soon as Larille reported back to his liege, she cast the Goblin King out of the Unseelie lands, and when the Seelie King learned of his deeds, he was also banished from the Seelie realms. All that was left was the Labyrinth, a left-over, decimated land in a desolate corner of the faerie realms. The Goblin King fled there with his goblin minions, his Jester, Julian, and a dream creature of his own creation, the Hobgoblin, a master of fear and torture. It is unknown why the Goblin King was not outright destroyed, and it is rumored that he had some information the Unseelie Queen would not want released that he used as a bargaining chip. Darker rumors say that it is because,through the arts of dream smithing, the Goblin King has become more than faerie, but less than faerie. It is rumored he is no longer harmed by iron weapons and many of the other weapons against the faerie, while other weaknesses have appeared. The one known weakness is his true name. Any who know his true name may harm him with any weapon or magic, though his name has been wiped from all annals of faerie history. Many have struggled through trick and force to obtain his name, but none have succeeded.

The Goblin King remains in the Goblin Realms, in his castle beyond the Goblin City, and takes faerie children whose parents are less than vigilant. He builds his forces, biding his time until he can march on the Seelie or Unseelie courts and name himself king. Fortunately for the mortal world, he can only enter during the transition between the Seelie and Unseelie courts, though his goblins may enter any time of the year. They are sent to take those children unwatched by their parents, or those who are unwanted by their parents. He has been known to take mortal children of extreme wickedness, so watch your behavior, young ones, or the goblins might be paying you a visit.