Alvec jogged back to Dogmother, bending back over the circle again. "I almost have it broken," he said as finished adding the additional layer to the magic circle. The electric cage of energy that held Dogmother in place quickly collapsed on itself, harmlessly dissipating into the earth floor around it.


    With the electricity gone, Dogmother stood up for the first time and moved on her own outside of the circle. She did a quick pace around them before breaking into a sprint back the way the party had entered. Once she exited into the sun, she ran at top speed around the forested lands directly around the cave entrance.


    The party watched with at least mild amusement as the very large rat-dog, easily larger than Echo, fully stretched her legs. After a few minutes of running, Dogmother returned to the group. "I must go now to find my tribes. They are scattered, and if Kavaas is indeed returning, as you have told me, then I must make sure that mine are as protected as they can be."


    "Actually," Alvec said. "We''d like to go with you. They are back the way we need to head in order to get to Sha-Laial anyway, and I have a request to make of you and your tribes as well."


    "I shall hear it, honey wizard," Dogmother said, giving the best approximation of a human smile she could to him.


    "I would like you to take your tribes and move them towards Sha-Laial. It''s where we have the most allies and power, and should we need to do something for the fate of Kian and the empire as a whole, the goblins would be best nearby. I believe I can count you as allies of our cause," Alvec said.


    "Indeed you can; I will make this happen," Dogmother agreed. The spirit and the group traveled together, and before long, Dogmother was reunited with many of her tribes. The goblins howled, sounding like gargling wolves as she approached them. They presented her with many tributes, mostly in the form of snacks, meats, and dried goods she would no doubt enjoy.


    After some time of meeting with all of her goblin tribes and speaking extensively with Dogdaughter, who hugged her massive legs with all of her might, Dogmother returned to the group of adventurers. "Bait, for your service not only to your clan, the Blackpowder goblins but also for your efforts to assist the Boar Eaters and to spearhead my rescue as well, it is only right that I bequeath to you an honor not had by any goblin in generations."


    She lowered herself to the ground and laid on her side, exposing her engorged nipples to Bait. "Come, be nourished."


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    "Nope," Alvec said as he quickly covered Sarbie''s eyes and spun himself and her away from the scene playing out in front of them. The fact that he could hear Bait excitedly scamper forward made him feel queasy as he booked it well and truly out of sight. He found quickly that the rest of the party had followed his lead.


    “Oh god, I’m going to puke.” Naya shouted as she hurriedly followed Alvec and Sarbie''s example.


    "Fucking Goblins," Mavec said as he hastily lit a cigarette and continued walking willfully away from the moot.


    The group quickly packed up their wagons and began to drive away. Sometime later, Bait came running up alongside the group. Dogmothers blessing had changed him quite a bit physically. His knees seemed to bend the wrong way, and he stood far taller now. Alvec couldn''t help but be reminded of mice who were said to be able to jump many times their height. He seemed to have extra pep in his step as well and nearly effortlessly kept pace with the wagon. His face was changed as well. Goblin''s teeth were always sharp, but his mouth was no longer quite as wide. It had grown forward, and his nose also enlarged quite a bit.


    If anything, Alvec assumed that this was at least somewhat like what a goblin might look like if it were affected with lycanthropy. He was far more canine-looking and, if possible, feral-looking than he had been previously.


    “So Bait, how you be liking the uh, changes?” Illaria asked as she looked him over. He had always been a strange companion, but now he was perhaps the strangest looking person she knew, and that included the fish-person from the shard of water.


    “Bait fast now! Keep up with Illaria better!” It did seem to be true, he was having little trouble keeping up with the wagons. She shrugged, his strange new, canine and rat like appearance didn’t stop Bait from being Bait.


    “Just promise you’ll never speak about how this happened ever again.” Naya shouted from atop Echo.


    “Sacred moment, Bait no share.”


    “Truely for the best.” Mavec replied.


    As the group continued their trek towards Sha-Laial, Bait spoke up. "We go see Ben. Bait is so busy helping goblins that Bait does not have time to share Bait''s first cheese. Please?" Bait asked.


    "Alright, we can visit Ben," Illaria said. At the moment, we don''t have anything time-sensitive going on. We''re just waiting to hear back from Cellocht."


    As the wagon rolled along, Alvec felt something interesting happening within himself. He could feel divine power manifesting at the edge of his arcane aptitude. He wasn''t a cleric by any measure, but he could feel Tohrag''s blessings upon him all the same. New spells came to his mind, and the power to manifest them along with it. Additionally, he quickly felt that his innate defenses to the elements had changed. He no longer needed to focus on protecting himself from acid. His god was gifting him that already.