In Nomerca, a vast land taking up most of a continent, a river valley stretches North to South nearly dividing the continent in half. The river itself, now known only as the "Mimo" River, is the main draw for villages, towns and cities seeking to harness it's fast current for everything from energy to food and water resources.
The Mimo has dozens of tributaries and offshoots as well as receives input from other rivers stretching across the great plainslands which stretch for thousands of kilometers in all directions.
To the West lay mountains and deserts.
To the East lay gigantic lakes and a rich basin which is itself bordered by mountains and coastal plains.
To the South are swamps, marshes, all surrounded by hot and arid lands good only for grazing animals and ranching.
To the North is a vast tundra rich in arboreal forests and further bounded by vast, winter-locked open spaces.
In one large town directly alongside the Mimo River, New Edinburgh, something strange is going on.
People are changing. Literally.
In a community made up of just about every main race from human to orcs to elves, dwarves and gnomes, people have been changing into goblins seemingly overnight. Once changed, the goblins scamper off to someplace north of town.
Reports of goblin raids on villages and travelers along the Mimo River have been increasing. More interesting are how every report indicates a great deal of organization and even subjugation among the goblins, known for their genetic programming for chaos.
"Doc" is suspicious and curious. Not only are people essentially being kidnapped and changed into something else against their will and unsuspecting, once changed, they are essentially enslaved and being programmed to blind servitude. He thinks something should be done to investigate this more in-depth and stopped if possible.
Who could take up such a challenge though? It is certainly a job for more than just one person. All of his efforts to bring it to the Town Council and the Sheriff but they seem uninterested, disinclined to believe it or in complete denial of the situation. The Sheriff actually threatened to lock up the next person who dared to mention it.
Why are people changing? Where are they going to after being changed? Is someone behind the changes and the raids? Why is the Sheriff so disgruntled and the council members so apathetic?
So many questions, so few answers, so little time. At the rate things are going, nearly half the people in New Edinburgh will have been changed before another month goes by.
"Doc" has an idea of who might be able to get assistance from. He heads to the bookstore to confer with his friend the local sage.
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