Deep in the Eastern woods of the Runiverse, between vast grasslands, lush gardens, and dank bogs, stands the Forest of the Imps. This forest is the home of The Order of Imps, a loosely confederated Green Imp community. Now in this Forest, on this particular late summer day, a pair of Imps sat on a riverbank, practicing their spell-craft. These Imps were the best of friends, and they also happened to be father and son. The father was known as Aeromancer Kobold of the Rock, and the son was known as Hex Mage Goober of the Wood.

The two Imps, although very closely bonded, were different in many ways. Kobold was a gentle soul, someone who everyone in town could always turn to for a kind word or a helping hand. A peaceful pillar of the community, he used his magic in wondrous ways. He fashioned canvas gliders for the children in town that he could propel with a bit of wind-wise magic so they could soar and swoop above the trees. He built mills and looms that ran on wind-wise magic, affording the famers and weavers more time to tend to their families. He was so adept at influencing atmospheric currents that he was able to mitigate damage from storms, and was even able to draw in rain clouds during dry times to avoid drought.

Goober was different. He genuinely had no interest in making toys for children or tools for farmers. He wanted to feel the full fury of storms when they came, and believed that certain negative forces were essential in maintaining the grand balance of life. From an early age, Goober showed great magical prowess, even surpassing Kobold (and everyone else they knew). He showed particular skill at casting hexes, often with minimal training. One morning, when he couldn’t have been more than 6 years old, he was playing in the back yard when a long constrictor snake appeared and started slithering towards him. Everyone else was inside the house, but Goober didn’t panic. He outstretched his left arm and turned his left palm face up, placing his right hand on-top of it, pointed upwards. He stared at the constrictor as it slithered closer, until it was just a few feet away, and then clapped his hands together. The snake’s advance abruptly halted. It began violently vibrating in place, steaming, squealing. After about 10 seconds, the large constrictor had painfully expired. The hex that Goober performed in that moment was not a technique he was taught, not a spell he had read. It came from within him, from the mysterious wellspring where all curiosity, love, malice, passion, and belief originates. This was not the only experience like this Goober had through his childhood. Some happened privately, a secret exposure of raw power shared with no one. Others were witnessed by family, peers, and strangers alike. The town and beyond came to know Goober with a mixture of apprehension and admiration.

As the pair sat on the riverbank, Goober was a young adult, and while Kobold wasn’t quite an old man, the scars of time had started to show on his face. Goober had grown immensely powerful, but had been adept at hiding the full breadth of his power from most. His father knew him better than most, and didn’t have any concern over how Goober would ultimately use his power. He knew Goober would walk his own path in life, and was fortunate for the close companionship they still shared.

As they sat, Goober asked a question that had been nagging at him for some time.

“So… your name is Kobold.”

Kobold laughed. “You’re as smart as they say!”

Goober laughed in kind.

“I’ve just always been curious… why did Nan & Pap call you that? I mean… we know some Kobolds, right? They are fine, I guess. A little stupid if you ask me. It just feels like a weird name, no offense.”

Kobold laughed again.

“It is a bit of a weird name. Let me tell you a story as it was told to me, as best I can recall anyway:

A long time ago, a very long time ago, there existed a place called The Green Lands Beyond. These lands were known to be a peaceful place, inhabited by a race of beings known as The Green Men, or at least that’s what we call them now. The Green Men had constructed an advanced civilization based on a fusion of magic, science, technology and diplomacy. They were able to travel great distances across space and time to visit emergent civilizations and help them get started on the right path.

The Green Lands Beyond became full, so full of life, in-fact, that some of The Green Men decided to leave and find a new home elsewhere. And they came here. To the Runiverse. These pilgrims are our ancestors. Without them there would be no you or I. When they arrived in the Runiverse, they lived as one group, and started building a new civilization here. The unified group didn’t last, however.

Some of them were grew unhappy being away from home, and thought themselves better than the new land in which they found themselves. They started doing as they pleased, which mainly involved raiding villages and towns, taking over other’s homes, stealing gold, killing livestock, drinking and gambling their days away. These creatures changed in appearance and behavior over time, until they became the Goblins we know today. They eventually lost all of their magical talents, but retained an instinctual shrewdness and cunning that makes them formidable warriors.

There were others who knew better than to follow this wayward path, but still felt a bit homesick, and were determined to find a way to integrate into Runiverse society as quickly as possible. The Wizards of the Runiverse would never accept a magically superior race as social equals, so this group decided to play down their magical abilities and focused on physical work. This group did have a more graceful integration into this new world, and managed to retain some magical abilities, but often found themselves to be the subject of tavern jokes and sneers. Pretend to be simple minded for long enough, and simple minded you will become. These Green Men also changed over time, eventually becoming what we know as Kobolds.

Finally, there were a group of the pilgrims who continued to live here in the Runiverse just as they had back in the Green Lands Beyond. Rather than feeling distraught over missing their homeland, they worked diligently to recreate the things they longed for the most. They were open to interacting with Runiverse society as much as they could without sacrificing any of who they were. They continued the tradition of deep magical practice, and retained all of their talents. This group is thought to most closely resemble the original Green Men in appearance and behavior, and became the Imps of the Runiverse. If you follow our family tree back, it will lead to this original group of settlers who held fast to the old ways.

This story was special to Nan & Pap, and they liked to remember that Imps, Kobolds and Goblins were all one unified people in the ancient times. You’ve seen a few Kobolds in town for Pap’s card games right? Some have become regular friends, and Pap always reminded me that all things that diverge eventually converge again. So I guess that’s why they called me Kobold. Sure, I was teased a bit when I was a kid, and I still get a puzzled look every now and again. But I’ve never let it bother me. I learned how to be my own person and create peace with those around me.”

Goober sat in silence for a moment. “There’s no way I’m related to Kobolds and Goblins, Dad.”

They sat and laughed together on that riverbank as the summer sun began its slow decent into the horizon.

Entered by: 0xc9A1…932c and preserved on chain (see transaction)