The Anguished Monsters have a sorted and unusual history. As an original tribe they where, of course, founded by a daemon who went by the name Bosa Glowruthless the Funeral of Branding, who founded the ancient city of Temptedstolen. For two-hundred years she sat, squat on her throne, slowly spreading her influence across the planet. It is said that Goblins had been the only company she had ever known or even considered existing, and she saught to bring them all under her domain. That was until she was introduced to an abductie Dwarf child named Fath Tomescratch, who was only 8 years old at the time. He had recently been inducted into the tribe and wanted to join in worship too. His shape, his idealism, his words, all of it opened up Bosa's eyes to an entire new world to control.
In 203 she lead her people into their first war with the Dwarves of The Boot of Razors: The Fierce Conflict. Lasting 10 years it consisted of only two battles: the first, "The onslaught of Blades" took place at Immortalityhandle. Here Bosa faced Ineth Lancedcudgels only to be killed in the duel. Despite the 10 to 1 odds the Goblins had, they where completely routed and actually lead the dwarves back to one of their founded cities, Swelteredblack where the dwarves seiged and gained control. Realising they needed leadership to survive, Olngo Spiteflies took the reigns in 204 and managed to rule for 9 years. At this point the sting of defeat at the hands of the dwarves was too much for his swelling ego to bare and, in 213, he lead the same attack that his predecessor did.
He was slain readily and easily by the Dwarf Ushat Metknives. Fath Tomescratch, the dwarf at the heart of the entire conflict, also lost his left eye during the battle.
Though these where the only two battles that occured during "The Fierce Conflict", in wasn't until 310, 107 years after being declared, that The Boot of Razor sent a formalized peace treaty to their olds enemies, which was accepted without hessistation. But there's still more to the story.
Bax Goldbad became the leader after the second defeat at Immortalityhandle, and he turned his attention to expansion rather than outright conquest, founding the first city the tribe had built in years, consisting of the three citadels. In 280 war once again rose up, this time The Anguished Monsters' were defending. During "The Sieges of Fury" the Tomb of Moons, another dwarven society, assaulted the tribe at Spideryscholars. While the defenders managed to hold them off, it was obvious that Bax did not have the ability to lead a battle, and he all but sold them out with a peace treaty signed the following year. What he was good at, however, was lying and manipulation. He managed to convince the other leaders of the tribe that this was a plan, that they would build their forces, no longer worry about expansion, and wipe The Tomb of Moons completely off the map. For 26 years Bax maintained this story until, finally, he could no longer hold back the pressure to go to war, and he prepared to lead the attack.
Unfortunately the other leaders had already lost patience with both Bax and the Goblins under his influence and arranged for his army to be intercepted in the Desert of Styling. Here they where scattered and Bax struck down by Ushat Handlewiped, which is why the Goblins of the Anguished Monster even today use the name Ushat as a curse.
What happened next is one of the most unusual part of all. In 307, following the fall of Bax in the Desert of Styling, Em Daggerscourges, a young female dwarf born amoung the goblins in Spideryscholars and slaving away as a Fishery worker, took the reigns of the total empire of the tribe The Anguished Monsters. Perhaps the tribe felt that one of their enemy would know them best, perhaps it was a try at something completely new; whatever the reason, the fact remains that, in 307, this evil tribe was under the control of a dwarf. She moved control of their opperations to Monstercharms, unaware that their enemies had gained more insight than they had anticipated during their brief alliance. The Tomb of Moons attacked again, in 308, and again the slew the leader of the tribe in the attempt. Another year saw another leader, another war and another coup for the dwarves. In 310, Stosbub Ruthlesstowers the Labors of Perplaxing took control, a powerful, awe-inspiring individual over 280 years old, he had slain the Hydra Ngok Jeweltribes the Simple Fell and earned a place of respect amoung his fellows. So when he declared a truce with the Dwarves, none had the courage to question his wisdom.
The next 40 years saw an explosion in political complexity within the tribe, and again they changed their focus of domination. Using the humans, dwarves and elves laws against them, they managed to gather wealth the tribe had never dreamed of, all without the nasty risk of death on the battlefield.
It was, however, around this time that the legend of Spitedrust arose. It was said that this might Alligator had fought with Stosbub when the latter was wandering the swamps near Spideryscholars. The battle ended when Stosbub sliced off his member and threw it into the swamp, which left the Alligator with a taste for Goblin in his mouth. Over the years many murders had been blamed on the Spectre of Spitedrust, but there is some truth to the legends, as an alligator managed to murder several goblins of the tribe during its' lifetime.
In 350 it was again the Dwarves, and not the Goblins, who broke the treaties that had served them all so well. Urdim Crowdedlash, it was said, was a covetous dwarf, which is a bit like saying a fat fatman, but for that trait to stand out in time means it must have been a monumental drive behind his leadership. The same rumours usually include a part about how he was a heathen, worshipping a whole pantheon of monsters, from Hyrdas to Titans, which lends weight to the theory that he was, in fact, completely mad.
The breaking of the treaty in 350 was done with the "Attack of Cremating" at Spideryscholars. Again the goblins defended their territory, and even managed to keep their leader alive, though he lost his right eye to the Short Sword of Solon Atticpick, an otherwise unremarkable dwarf. This successful defense was, again, met with a offering of peace, and the Tomb of Moons once again agreed.
The tribe then settled back into it's old roll of peaceful traders, hording thousands of weapons deep underground, slowly embezzling them during trade-route expeditions. Nothing new was built, nothing changed on the outside, and for all the world the tribe seemed to have become civilized. Regretably, their old enemies couldn't stand to see their affulence and refused to forget the losses they'd suffered during the various wars. Finally, in 407, the pot boiled again and Urdim lead his followers to march on Monstercharms to what would become "The Siege of Bolting". Stosbub was waiting for him, his army massive and bristling with the best weapons in the land. Though war was epic, lasting months, and it claimed Stosbubs life, the Goblins once again thwarted the Dwarves.
Seeing the fire in their enemies eyes, The Anguished Monsters once again placed a dwarf incharge: Tekkud Paddlebolted, an even more remarkable story than of Em, the first such leader.
In 318, when Tekkud was already 8 years old, he was kidnapped from Immortalityhandle by the sub-tribe "The Barbarity of Anguish" that ran Phrasepoisons. It took 3 years to bend his will to match that of the tribe, but at the age of 11 he was introduced to his future wife Utes Blackspun, and his fate was sealed. In 408, at the age of 100, he took the Leadership of his parents most hated enemies.
Following their defeat after The Siege of Bolting, and having a chance to see the Goblin warmachine in action, Urdim and The Tomb of Moons broke with tradition and offered their own peace-treaty to The Anguished Monsters,which they soundly rejected. In a desperate attempt to crush them by suprise, Urdim employeed the same stratedgy that had served Ushat before him; an ambush on the Desert of Styling. Finally they achieved victory, but most say that was because Tekkud wasn't present, and since that his slaying had been the primary goal it was widely viewed
as a minor skirmish and not "The second battle of the War of Growling", as Urdim would insist even on his deathbed. This would make this an even sided war, including The Siege of Bolting, by his reasoning. This mentality, it is said, was what allowed him to extend a second peace-offering, which the Tribe accepted in 414.
It took only 6 years for greed to overwhelm the sense in Urdim and, in 420, he started The conflict of Maws, a short war consisting of "The Attack of Scraping" on Monstercharms and "The Incinerated Siege" at Denfiends, both lead personally by Urdim and both lost hard. They did take a heavy toll on both locations, however, an Tekkud was forced to negotiate a treaty which was far less benefical for his people.
By 425 the sanctions Urdim had placed against the Goblins had strained them to the point of unsustainability and he began "The Squeezing War", a play to wipe them out entirely. "The Splattered Assaults" was an attempt to raze the city of Monstercharms. Aslot Bannermaligned the untrustworthy Tar of Curses, who had faced Urdim during The Attack of Scraping, had vowed to never suffer the way he had during the Conflict of Maws and lead an maniac counter-assault on the army of Urdim, forcing a hasty retreate and bolstering the dwindling moral of the Goblins. He lead his warriors to the Desert of Styling where they met another army of Urdims', this one lead by his leiutenant Iton Tombsrazors, killing him and routing his forces. In 428 a strange and aged Dwarf named Cog Boatechos took the throne of the Tomb of Moons, replacing and banishing Urdim to the wilds, much to the collective relief of his people. The following year, the howls of Goblins echoing across the mountains, the Tomb of Moons begged forgiveness and increased the treaty to twice its' former value. The Goblins, now completely suspecious of their tradition enemies, rejected it for two more years until, finally and under even better conditions, the treaty was once again signed.
The next year a small cult emerged in the new Dwarven capitol of Netentrance. Cog Boatsecho, it seems, was a heathen like the leader before him, but one with a much greater connection to the beasts that he revered, and he lead his people according to their whims. Under their command, the year following the treaty the humans attacked the tribe again, this time in open conflict in the Desert of Styling. Caught in a state of rebuilding, the Goblins, once again lead by Aslot, could not fight them off and where forced into retreat, earning the battle the name "The Outragous Clash". 3 years passed as either side prepared for the worst, each expecting an attack which they couldn't fend off, while at once being unable to mount any other assault. Then, in 434, Tekkud and Cog met on The Hill of Infection and agreed that the best the two civilizations could hope for was to ignore each other for as long as possible. It was the only promise the Cog could make which Tekkud would believe, and either side left it at that, ending the conflict at least for the time.
An agreement like that, however, could only hold back annimosity for so long, and in five years time The Tomb of Moons began "The Roasted Conflict", a 15 year blood bath that left either civilization at the lowest point either had been since their creations. The Desert of Styling, now a traditional battleground for the two people, ran red with blood and still holds the scattered remains of the countless soldiers struck down there during this war. The fury of Cogs' cultists was undeniable, relentless, and gave the DWarves just the edge they needed for victory on nearly every front. During "The Scraped Assaults" on Monstercharms, however, things went differently. Despite the leadership of Cog and the presence of his beloved cultists, they where nearly wiped out by the forces of Atu Prisonthieves the Unremarkable Honesties of Kindling, slain by the dozens and nearly forced to surrender. Ironically, most attribute the victory to the slaying of Atu, as he was a beloved mayor in Monstercharms, held in reguard even by many of the Dwarves who periodically traded with the city. Often hailed as The One Joyful Goblin, he spread that joy to the whole city, and when he died so did their happiness. When that was gone the rage flooded in and they crushed their enemies in furious grief.
It took Cog a year to regroup from that attack, but he returned the bloodshed twice over in the Desert, using that victory to press forward and conquer Denfiends, Spideryscholars and Monstercharms over the next 2 years. Utterly smashed, The Anguished Monsters slunk back to Temptedstolen and consolidated their forces.
Their numbers had been ravaged, and anhillation was a real possability; if Cog's armies knew of the Citadel they where essentially waiting for death. But death never came and, after 18 years of wound licking, as Tekkud died of old age in the halls that founded a people he'd lead but never been a part of, he watched his only daughter, Ngokang Vileblotches take his place in 464. Her rule was peaceful, unmarred by war, and most importantly, completely without Dwarven influence. She managed to raise another citadel, "The Sactum of Splashing" in Quicknesshexes and had brought down the two Harpy sisters Lashglowing and Poemhearts, who had plagued the tribe since they withdrew. She. passing away in 575, passed the leadership on to her only daughter; Bosa Pearplague. Aside from dealing with the numerous vicious creatures living in the wilds near their few cities, Bosa lead another age of peace and tranquility for the Goblins, though her only daughter, Nguslu Wickeddragon the Sacrificial Drip, a famous monster hunter, was killed by the ogre Glazecloaks on the Infected Hill in 638. This ended the minor line of leaders and introduced Damsto Blownhate, another Dwarf, in 648, which, of course, brings us to today.
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Topic: The History of The Anguished Monster Tribe (Read 1518 times)