The Emberkin are not born—they are forged, in fire, in darkness, in the breath of the volcano that birthed them. ~Kazcadan
Born from darkness and ash, their voices rise—the haunting song of the Emberkin echoing around the great fire in Rustbury. Once more, they gather beneath the watchful eye of the moon Lunestra, hanging high in the warm, humid sky. Jungle leaves sway softly in the evening breeze while the Emberkin feast on roasted rat and fish, their faces glowing in the firelight.
The elders settle beside the flames, their voices weaving ancient tales of origin and fate. Then the singing begins—an age-old chant carried through countless generations, binding the people to their fiery past and uncertain future.
Then, the singing begins—an ancient chant passed down through generations:
“We are born of fire and ash,
Risen from earth’s fierce, mighty clash.
From fire and ash, our souls ignite,
In flame and shadow, we claim our right.
Born of darkness, born to burn,
To ash we go—and ash we return.”
Emberkin by Sorianna Choate
The Island of Hollowveil is the ancestral home of the Emberkin Goblins—a people born of ash and dust. According to legend, they emerged from the molten veins of Hollowveil Volcano itself. This island, adrift in the mist-shrouded Sea of Veil, is said to have formed from a tear shed by the goddess Ygharis in a moment of profound sorrow. It is the only island in the Veil where fire still lives, for Hollowveil’s volcano remains active, its heartbeat echoing the Emberkin’s fiery origins.
Hallowveil, the Demon God
The Emberkin believe they are the children of Hallowveil, a demon god said to dwell within the fiery depths of Hollowveil Volcano. Their faith is complex and often misunderstood by outsiders—especially since their language differs greatly from that of other goblins. Unlike the common green or grey goblins of the mainland, the Emberkin have skin marked with deep red, molten veins that seem to burn with the fire of the volcano itself. Their eyes glow with shades of red and orange like smoldering embers, a sign they claim proves their divine heritage.
They believe that when Hallowveil awakens, he will rise from the volcano’s heart to remake the world in ash and flame, cleansing all in fire to forge a new era from the ruins.
The Island of Hollowveil
To the west of The Twins lies the small but fierce Island of Hollowveil, dominated by a towering volcano that spews molten lava daily. Over time, the cooling flows have slowly expanded the island’s borders, reshaping the land with each fiery breath. At the base of the volcano’s southern slope, a dense jungle thicket shelters the goblin village of Rustbury—a hidden settlement known as one of the few places where the rare and radiant Prism Flowers bloom.
Prism Flowers of Hollowveil
Prism Flowers are tiny, delicate blossoms that capture and sparkle with iridescence when sunlight strikes their petals, shifting colors like fragments of a shattered prism. These elusive flowers grow sparingly throughout the Veil, found in Hollowveil, Binku, and scattered pockets on other islands. Despite many attempts, they refuse to be cultivated, remaining stubbornly wild. The people believe these flowers are gifts from Ygharis, symbols of hope in a shadowed world.
The flowers are fiercely guarded by displacer beasts—mysterious predators that treat the blossoms like catnip, ensuring that only the brave or desperate dare to seek them. Their greatest value lies in their medicinal power: Prism Flowers are the only known cure for Umbral Sickness, but only if eaten within seventy-two hours of infection. This precious property makes a single bloom worth 1000 gold pieces on the market, coveted by healers and traders alike.
Relationships with the Outside World
The Emberkin do not trust easily. Suspicious of outsiders, they allow only a select few to set foot on Hollowveil. A rare exception is made for a sacred sect of the Order of Ygharis, whose priestesses are permitted to enter the island to collect Prism Flowers. In return, they offer the Emberkin fruits, healing tinctures, and medicines from distant lands. This exchange is not merely transactional—it is rooted in reverence, a shared belief in the divine gifts of Ygharis.
The Emberkin also maintain an ancient and cherished bond with the Aquarii of the Deep—a relationship as old as fire and sea. They adore the merfolk, regarding them as kin: ancient, elemental, and bound to the world in much the same way. The Aquarii bring gifts from the ocean depths and offer warnings of shifting tides, rising storms, and the coming of hurricanes—natural events that can devastate island life. These relationships have endured for thousands of years, sacred and unwavering, forged in trust, and honored with every passing generation.
And so the Emberkin wait—by firelight, beneath Lunestra’s glow—for the day Hallowveil awakens, and the world is made new in ash and flame.
I love that you gave them more than nothing. Goblins like any culture are not born or evil, nothing ever truly is. Just misinformation and plausible cause lead to misconception and hatred. Well done, I love these gobbos!
Goblins are a species that live and thrive, though these guys worship a demon and would like the world remade in their honor and glory to burn everyone down, I suppose that is something.