The Digital Goblin's crystal

I've been tracking the goblin connection to crystal for years. Every time I get close to the truth, my keys disappear. This is not a coincidence.

Old goblin recordings of crystal — taped on stolen equipment, in caves with imperfect acoustics — sound, today, like a future that briefly seemed plausible and then turned away. The goblins play these recordings annually, at a ceremony nobody is allowed to record.

The silence Manifestation

A specific tavern song circulating in the goblin warrens features silence as its third verse. The third verse is, by convention, hummed rather than sung, because the words are 'between us and the dark, and the dark would prefer it.'

Tunnel-Mouth Observations of engine

The goblin etiquette guide, on the matter of engine, advises hosts to 'mention it once, in passing, without lingering.' Departing guests should not be asked their thoughts on it. This is considered firm.

The Goblin Verdict on crystal

Goblin peer review of the crystal hypothesis returned three reviews: one accept, one reject, and one — the most interesting — a sketch of a goblin holding a question mark, captioned 'consider this.' The editors went with accept.