I got to write some 'big names' from the in-game KOKOL clan as NPC's in this one!

There was also the challenge of writing the Goblin King for the first time ever. Plus I got to toss in Raw Hide and Feena, two long standing, talented AIL roleplayers. Fluffy and Blahking get used in this one, as well as MTiger. This's one of Briggs Detree's appearances as well.

I slapped a subtitle of "Or.. 'The Battle of Little Bigknob'" on this one, by the way.. heh.. And of course, I went heavily for humor with the Knob Goblins this time!

This mission features manipulation, suspense, and an obligatory amount of pure action, in addition to a whole lot of Knob Goblin.

Including the Elite 7.

And introducing the Muri-Dan! The three are considered to count as one Elite 7 in story wise, due to their unity of mind, soul, body and purpose.

The decision a while ago had been made to take this thing public.

A sizeable potion of reporters and interested citizens of the Kingdom had gathered around the wooden stand, eager to hear more. Over the course of the last several years, the Kingdom of KOL had grown and been shattered any number of times, yet it continued to come back after each setback, stronger than ever. Each and every war only seemed to steel it's resolve to become one day known among the top ranked clans in the Kingdom as a whole.

The war with Pertene, although it had cost KOKOL financially and spiritually, cutting out whole sections of men and requiring sacrifice of meat and weapons alike, had cemented KOKOL as an unyielding, if small, force. At the head of the former King's army, MTiger himself had become something of a local legend due to his kind heart, and his aggressive, wars hardened nature in battle. Flocks of admirers from outside the Kingdom of KOL proper flocked to see his apperance in Seaside Town, and to hear the words he'd speak.

It had been half a year since his last appearance in Seaside Town.

A handful of reporters from the local town had shown up for what very well might be the news story of the month. Then there were the half drunk half orcs, the pretentious artist, a few organic orc veggie salesmen, and the other assorted oddities and oddballs which comprised most of Seaside Town.

The crowd had waited some time before the announced start time for the press conference. It was a simple enough podium, wide enough to accommodate around a dozen adult sized men, if they didn't mind a few of their numbers standing virtually shoulder to shoulder. It also ran back deep enough that a small band could fit themselves and their instruments on it, if barely.

There were also adventurers, both freelancers, and those from rival and ally clans. The light of a new year had come to the Kingdom. It had been some time since KOKOL last made it's presence known in Seaside Town in such a public manner. That day they had declared final victory over their rivals, Pertene, although it came at a great cost. Among their greatest cost was the life of the former king.

That day, Mtiger spoke as the newly appointed king of KOKOL. Great things were expected from him. Thus far, it would seem those promises were going to be met. After all, the group had not only secured a valuable mine on the Mysterious Island of Mystery, after stopping the Chrono Dragon from potentially destroying time itself, but they'd also more recently fought to save the life of the Toot Oriole, who's advice had become valuable to the next generation of young adventurers which currently was the most viable wall standing between KOL itself and anarchy.

The day itself was feverously cold, but the bright sunlight and stretches of warm air gave the smallest tense of a spring which would soon make it's influence felt. The day crawled on, seemingly slow in anticipation, until a ruckus finally awoke the crowd from it's mid afternoon druthers, as the general attention of the crowds were drawn from their dreary early year routines to the small contingent making it's way through the Right Side of the Tracks to the podium.

The King, Mtiger, stood at the forefront, bringing with him a small array of guards and fellow clan members. Of an anthropomorphic nature, Mtiger was, befitting to the name, as much tiger as he was man, if not more so, although most of his form this day was hidden under the royal robes that covered his massive, powerful human shaped body. Fire twinkled behind those feline eyes, a powerful intent mixed with a gentle nobility which cloaked the hunter's instinct seeming to permiate from every pore of his body while at the same time highlighting that very same animal like instint.

Adored by a golden robe, holding in his hand a specter of pure oak, with a silver tip, the King strode forward, looking uncomfortable and ill at ease in his formal attire, to say nothing of how unnatural a suit, even a custom made suit, looked on his muscular, powerful body.

The giant of a man standing furthest to his right stood in direct contrast to the King. Unlike the King, this one's human, albeit a hulking frame of a human. In spite of the fact he was human, and Mtiger half animal, Raw Hide projected the image of bestial savagery. No shirt covered his muscular upper body, and only the crudest of fashioned clothing covered the rest of him. He didn't look to be much affected by the crisp and cool air of the new year, although he did look rather stifled by the relative boredom of his current assignment. He stood at the furthest right, with one of his newer clan members, Priestess of the Flying Spaghetti Monster Feena, standing near.

To the King's left stood Briggs Detree, KOKOL's information recon general. He kept an eye on pretty much everything, with the help of his supremely talented team. Although nowhere near the size of Mtiger or Raw Hide, he was still taller than the prince, and virtually drawfed the final two members of the current representatives of KOKOL, Feena, or Fluffy Hamster, who rode astride Prince Blahking's shoulders, sharing his thoughts with the Prince.

KOKOL's little half rabbit girl was looking quite sexy in her new attire. It's reminiscent of a pirate.. a glamorous, half rabbit pirate, but still..

That tan sash is still tied around her breasts, complimented nicely by a cross patterned pair of red sashes draped across her shoulders and sides. Finally, a pair of brown breeches fitted to her around her digitigrade paws and tail compliments her piratess look, as does the silver tiara adoring her.

She's even got a piratey swagger to her walk. The King leads his entourage around the back. It isn't long before he's holding center court, and the attention of all around him. Rushes of the silence of anticipation and rashes of the pre questions mingled, giving the chilly afternoon a super charged feeling to it.

Blahking spoke first, making sure to get the crowd's attention on him before he began speaking. "Greetings, fellow denizens of Loathing."

A smattering of applause and chatter in the crowd lasts a few seconds, but mostly, people just seem interested in what he has to say.

"As before, I stand to you representing my din, the Kingdom of KOL, as both able leader, and humble prolocutor to it's cause. The night moon, times a small number of Kingdom's months, have passed since last held we court in these lands. Once, we'd laid siege upon the hounds of a distant land, and brought forth a righteous hellstorm of justice. As angels of mercy and warriors of justice shared their continuance of faith and strength, we drove back the enemy, coming forth from the din of hades brought forth by their unrelenting numbers and betrayal from within the breast of our former noble, but rotting core.

"Upon the ending of the week did I come here, to ask of your consideration of our future, to which we strove to begin anew. and at this juncture did I promise a new beginning for our Kingdom of KOL. What destiny holds, none can be certain, yet in these short months, much has changed over the landscape of my pride's nest."

MTiger paused, allowing the audience to seep his words in, as the maple tree absorbs the rainfalls and sunlight, so as to sustain itself.

(Hot damn, I'm one hell of a poet!)

MTiger finished up his part succinctly. "Let us hear of our more recent callings of action from the noble Prince, Blahking."

The Prince pulled his mind from whatever fanciful thoughts were distracting him, handed Fluffy Hamster to Feena, then stepped to the center of the stage. All the time, Raw Hide kept a bored, but dutiful vigilance over the crowd, looking for any potential threats, or at least a good chance to start a meaningless brawl. The prince looked quite regal in his formal wear, which was something of a combination of a royal suit and a gown. The gold and silver lined material seemed to flow between the highly priced denim jeans and leather that comprised the outfit itself, giving it a noble, almost haunting, otherworldly feel to it.

"Thank you, King MTiger." Blahking let the anticipation of his words set in, showing off that showman's side he'd acquired over the years. "Ladies and gentleman, thanks in part to our lovely young Priestess of his Royal Noodleness, Feena. As you can see, she's dressed up in the standards of his chosen people. Feena, the Kingdom of KOL, and the Kingdom of Loathing itself, owes you a great debt of gratitude, for your role in saving the mentor of young adventurers, the Toot Oriole."

Much cheering and applause elicit a shy but proud wave and smile from her bunnyness. After giving her time to bask in her first taste of public attention, Blahking subtly drew the crowd's focus back to him. "Our forces have ensured the safety of the Toor Oriole, and possibly all of exitance, due to our forces valiant effort in the taming of the legendary Chrono Dragon. Indeed, Raw Hide's presense here serves as represntation of our forces during those dark and trying times."

Raw Hide barely gave a grunt and now of acknowledgment. His memories of that mission to the Mysterious Island of Mystery were not fond memories. Not fond at all.

"Trying times again find the Kingdom of KOL, but we'll eagerly rise up to the challenge. Recently, the Kingdom of KOL fell under a brash attack by the forces of the Knob Goblins. Their history with Seaside Town has been less than pleasant in recent years. They've engaged in the morally questionable for most of their merger existence. Now they've taken to hiring ruthless mercaneries and assaulting our homes! This, we will not stand for!"

A rousing round of cheers went up!

"For today, we shall take the war to the Knob Goblins! With the approval of support of the Council of Loathing, and the King Ralph the eleventh, we shall strike a blow for justice!

"Today, we declare war on the Knob Goblins!"

Blahking, the King, and their allies rallied the crowd into a blissful cheer. However, what good is a story without conflict? As the minutes of cheering continued, but before Blahking could again take center stage, a loud horky, distorted and somewhat obnoxious horn made itself heard over the cheering and masses of questions.

Several Knob Goblins made their way out through the audience without significant preamble, sending the bystanders scuttling for a safer view from which to view this impending confrontation. There musta been a dozen or so Knob Goblins! In fact.. there were fifteen of them, all forming barrier around their King.

The King himself came carried upon a mobile throne, carried on the massive shoulders of four Elite Guards. He came with two surprisingly attractive Knob Goblin harem girls.. Even more surprising when you consider the ugliness of most Knob Goblins. (No offense to any Knob Goblins who are capable of reading this.)

The King himself, to the surprise of those who don't know him, is a handsome individual himself, seeming more.. human.. than the lot he commands and throws in with. His eyes sparkle with an intelligence that doesn't due justice to the man's actual intellect, and being a king, it's no surprise the Knob Goblin King dresses in the finest of silks and jewelry.

He's muscled, but he's also got a lean, almost basketball player look to him. The face was almost.. handsome.. despite the good looks, it was a face twisted with a cruel sense of humor, and a viscousness to it that was nearly palatable. Those black eyes.. those dark, piercing black eyes.. those along could give a Knollish Wizard nightmares.

The Knob Goblin's King spoke over a megaphone, as the KOKOL warriors gathered around the King and Prince, ready for a fight if it came to that.

Then again, from the looks on their faces, the Prince and King looked equally likely to plow through their defenders and take the fights to the evil Knob Goblin King.

"HAHAHAH, is that a threat?!" The Goblin King mocked in a silkily smooth, dangerously tough voice. "If your pathetic crew wants a fight, then a fight you shall have! And you'll regret the day you crossed us! Then.. the next day, we'll wipe you from the face of the Kingdom! Come, my fearless army, let us return to our secret lair, secretly hidden outside of Seaside Town, where we shall safely make our plans in safety! Back to the secret lair!"

The Knob Goblins around him let out a deafening cheer, and a cry of agreement. They all shouted, "Back to Degrassi Knoll!"

"AHhh!" the King protested loudly. "That was supposed to be kept secret, you idiots! Get me back to my Kingdom!" He slammed his hand into his face, frustrated, as his army turned to move out.

The King, Mtiger, smiled ruefully to himself. "Shall be a short fight, na'ery worthy of the trip over."