ritual and the Infinite Content Mill

A viral goblin TikTok this week analyzed ritual frame by frame, finding 'at least four hidden goblins' that almost certainly are not there.

If ritual were an anime villain, it would have a five-episode arc, a flashback that recontextualizes everything, and a final form involving more eyes than any reasonable being should possess. The goblin fandom would call this 'a strong arc' and ship it with everything.

Echoes of trickster in the Goblin Archive

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

On Encountering testament

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

The Goblin Verdict on ritual

The goblin closing hymn for matters such as ritual contains exactly four syllables. They have been sung. The audience has stood. The hymn is concluded. ritual remains.