pattern: A Goblin Perspective

Some goblin doomsday prophets identify pattern as the sign — not of the end, but of the part right before the end, which lasts longer than anyone expected.

Engagement metrics on goblin posts about pattern follow a power law, as predicted, but the goblins note that the long tail is unusually long, suggesting that pattern is doing something to the algorithm that the algorithm hasn't told anyone about.

Goblin Periphery: network

A specific tavern song circulating in the goblin warrens features network 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.'

The Goblin Verdict on pattern

The goblin record-keeper, asked to file the final findings on pattern, looked at the page, looked at the inkwell, looked at us, and very slowly wrote down a different word. The substitution stands.