Dergaix is starting to enjoy this actually, at least it seems more appealing than eating the disgusting creature would be. Maybe he could get more use out of it, some other way?

If only it could understand what he said, probably he could have as much fun telling it what to do as his mother had with him, and he wouldn't have to wait until he was bigger because they're just so pathetic already.

Maybe if he puts it down somewhere, he can make it lead him to others of its kind, and Dergaix can bully them too?

See, I told you it'd work.

Between 4697 and 4701, a series of conflicts known as the Goblinblood Wars were fought between the army of Isger and the inhabitants of the Chitterwood.

It began with humans wanting the forest for their own designs, and imagining its denizens would not be too much of a challenge. Seeing an external threat, the local Goblinoid tribes briefly stopped fighting each other, resulting in what scholars of Goblinology called strategic tribal migrations caused by excess population growth and what the people nearby called wanton destruction. Loose warbands breaking off from the conflict wandered as far as parts of Varisia in the east and the Five Kings Mountains in the west.

One could pretend that Chellish Hellknights, Andoran Eagle Knights, Druman Mercenaries, and adventurers from all over put aside their differences to put an end to the menace. More accurately, each defended their own territories out of self-interest, and when faced with the choice of fighting Goblins forever or burning Chitterwood to the ground, did not need to tolerate each other much to pick the second option.

Many Hobgoblin survivors fled into the Menador Mountains, and eventually into Molthune. Most Goblins who survived did so by fleeing underground into the Caverns of Chitterwood, but some groups settled even further afield, leading to the present situation where random Goblin tribes could plausibly be hiding in caves, hills, or forests pretty much anywhere without that posing any serious conflicts with the lore.

The Isgeri armed forces were mostly annihilated, but being a more civilised race, their orphaned children didn't need to flee into dark caves or wild mountains. Instead, they were taken in by the kindhearted charity of local philanthropists House Thrune, who funded, through the Church of Asmodeus, a network of monasteries and orphanages to care for the children of what the history books clearly state was always their vassal state.

All of this is Paizocanon

In the year 4710, Governor Teldas of Molthune proclaimed that any labourer who serves five years in Molthune's armies can become an imperial citizen, even accepting foreign and monstrous soldiers. This practice was exploited by the Hobgoblin Azaersi, a survivor of the Goblinblood Wars herself, who's Ironfang Legion took to the strict military discipline like Hobgoblins to strict military discipline until it seemed like a good idea to stop doing that, at which point she turned on her masters like a Goblin turning on her masters, robbed them of a few valuable artifacts, and declared independence.

In 4717 General Azaersi launched simultaneous attacks on Molthune and Nirmathas, quickly lost, and was forced to flee with her forces into the Mindspin Mountains between Nirmithas and Nidal, where she established Oprak as a nation that hobgoblins and other so-called "monsters" could call home, at the price of that home being a military dictatorship with a fully command economy.

The "Empire" of Molthune learnt its lesson and continues to recruit monstrous races into its armed forces to this day.

Fortunately, those parts haven't happened yet because our campaign starts in 4707 and the Goblinblood Wars are still fresh in everyone's memories. Dergaix won't have to worry about Hobgoblin Legions and level 20 Swashbucklers until he's almost a teenager, if he's even still alive by then. The Mindspin Mountains to his west are still filled with the kinds of monsters who could plausibly become a monstrous nation if someone showed up to unite them under overwhelming authority, but they're not really considering invading their neighbours right this second.

Instead, he gets to worry about a Nirmathas greatly distracted by their war with Molthune, with this region recieving only rare patrols by both sides mostly trying to ensure the other isn't up to anything sneaky.

Oh, and four adventurers who claim a baby red dragon stole their stuff and that he might be working with some goblins they found, and who would not at all be believed about it were it not that truth spells exist.

But really, what can they do about anything, everyone else is busy and they're only level 3. It's not like adventurers get more powerful over time but much more quickly than dragons do.

Dergaix is obviously not going to put much effort into learning to speak Goblin.

He's the Boss. They should learn to speak Draconic. It's a better language anyway.

Goblins: Organization: gang (4–9), warband (10–16 with goblin dog mounts), or tribe (17+ plus 100% noncombatants; 1 sergeant of 3rd level per 20 adults; 1 or 2 lieutenants of 4th or 5th level; 1 leader of 6th–8th level; and 10–40 goblin dogs, wolves, or worgs)

By the time they reach the place, it is just before dusk, not that anybody involved will care.

Nub's tribe lives in what, if you studied it carefully and passed a few checks, you could infer was once a village of some other more productive species. The two mostly intact buildings were once a blacksmith and a small chapel. A few buildings that might have once been storehouses are now rubble covered in overgrowth, but their basements were stone or brick or something, and someone at some point who may or may not have been a goblin dug small-sized tunnels between them and a chamber under the chapel, which now serves as the community space.

Nub's tribe has *rolls dice* 40 combatants.
It has 40 non-combatants, mostly children.
Adult women are also, to Goblins, usually considered combatants.
Most people can't tell them apart anyway.
It has 30 goblin dogs (technically a kind of rodent), the superior species off which regular dogs are merely an accursed imitation.

It has 1 chief: Fighter 7.
It has 2 lieutenants: Cleric 5, Alchemist 4.
It has 3 sergeants: Fighter 3, with the job of managing the other combatants.
It has 34 level 1 or 2 characters, mostly Fighters, Rogues, Rangers, a few magic casters, and a junior Cleric.

But not including Nub. He doesn't count.

What? Why not?

Remember when you stole our stuff and then, when we tried to beat you up about it, nobody had any idea where you were?

You said "stop stealing our stuff" and I stopped.

Where have you been, then?

Out stealing everyone else's stuff.

Do you have anything nice to bring home, then?

So about that

He didn't prepare Comprehend Languages yesterday, but if nobody does anything stupid for an entire hour without his active intervention he can ask the dragon what it wants.

Alchemists rule and Clerics drool.
It'll take him a minute, but he can prepare an Extract of it.
And he has Infusion, so he can make the Cleric drink it.

You drink it.

You are the spiritual leader of our community and this means you should do it bye.

Sigh. Why does wanting to be in charge of stuff always lead to him having to do things.
He drinks it.

"What do you want?"

Wow, that was fast. They're learning it already!

"I am in charge now. All of you shall be my minions."

"And if we won't?"

"Who wants to fight me first?"

Then he'll explain the situation to the goblin in the shiny metal clothes.