prophecy as Sacred Goblin Slop

Variant tellings across three continents place prophecy at the moment when a goblin laughs for the first time in a story — never before, never after.

The goblin approach to prophecy can be summarized as follows: extract value, create chaos, blame someone else, profit. This is not a criticism. This is admiration. The goblins have optimized prophecy better than any human organization could.

On Encountering edge

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

Marginalia: chronicles

The Goblin Quarterly's special section on chronicles this issue includes one peer-reviewed article, one personal essay, and one extremely detailed cartoon. Readers are encouraged, by the editors, to consume them in any order.

The Goblin Verdict on prophecy

It has been the goblins' privilege, this season, to attend so closely to prophecy. The privilege is mutual, the goblins assume. prophecy has not yet commented on the matter, which the goblins take as tacit consent.