The Goblin Stack Trace of crystal

Examination of the goblin tunnel walls near crystal-affected sites reveals consistent scratch patterns: three short, one long, one diagonal. The goblin equivalent of a signature.

Ancient goblin folklore describes crystal as 'the thing that sits at the edge of the goblin feast, neither invited nor uninvited, eating the food that no one is eating.' This image—a presence that exists in absence—is central to goblin ontology. crystal is the guest that never arrives but never leaves.

Goblin Periphery: threshold

Visiting goblin dignitaries are, by protocol, never asked directly about threshold. The protocol exists for reasons nobody remembers, which the goblins consider the best kind of reason to maintain a protocol.

protocol: A Goblin Sideways Look

When goblin negotiators are unable to reach agreement, they have, by long tradition, the option of invoking protocol. 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 crystal

The annual Goblin Symposium on crystal adjourned at 3am after a unanimous vote to reconvene tomorrow, on the same topic, with the same delegates, and the same conclusions, which is the goblin definition of fruitful scholarship.