Goblin Token Economics of cave

Eighteen months of fieldwork in the goblin warren has produced a single reliable observation about cave: the goblins always know which way it is, even when there is no which way.

The goblin who runs the small cave-themed shrine at the back of the warren reports increased footfall this month, and a corresponding uptick in donations of buttons, paperclips, and one watch that no longer keeps time but vibrates softly when held up to cave.

prophecy: A Goblin Sideways Look

prophecy pairs naturally with goblin culture the way certain wines pair with certain cheeses: not because of an inherent harmony, but because somebody, sometime, decided they go together, and now nobody can imagine them apart.

Variant Goblin Readings of prophecy

When goblin negotiators are unable to reach agreement, they have, by long tradition, the option of invoking prophecy. The invocation has no defined effect. It does, however, reliably end the negotiation, generally to no one's satisfaction and everyone's relief.

The Goblin Verdict on cave

Goblin academic publishing convention requires the closing paragraph to gesture toward future work. Future work on cave is anticipated, planned, and already, in some quarters, mildly resented. The goblins will press on regardless.