Zaheed Khufret
Zaheed Khufret is very obviously not from this world. He is a goblin and very clearly undead, though he is well preserved and polite. He wears black robes and bears a holy symbol that is a black circle.
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A New Existence
I find myself in a strange and unexpected place. I have seen many things that challenge my expectations in the last few days, and perhaps writing down my thoughts will allow me to get them in order.
When the bugbear spy cornered me, I thought my existence had come to its end. It seems, however, that I was wrong. The deities of this world appear to have a purpose for me, and it seems I have more story to tell before embracing peace.
I had known about the concept of a multiverse, of course, but it is very different to know it in theory versus experience it for oneself. There is much familiar in this world, but much alien and a great many things that appear familiar but are quite different.
As for the people of this world and the deities that guide it, I am still learning. I do not believe the Rays to be as simple as they appear on the surface, and I am not sure what to make of the shattered nature of the deities of light... or why they would choose a follower of a deity of death and void to serve their goals.
As for the residents from other planes... I have concerns. The hobgoblins told us that by their nature, we low goblins are capricious, cowardly, and savage. They told us that it was their noble guidance that allowed us to become their gracious servants, and without such an honor we would no doubt fall to our primal natures. I loathe that view with every ounce of my being. I had devoted much of my existence to proving them wrong, and helping fellow goblins escape their chains so that we might be living proof of our true nature.
Now I find that that assumption of savagery is, if anything, the norm across the multiverse. Every other goblin I have encountered has been just as "wild" as the hobgoblins claim us to be.
In addition, I know that Necromancy is hated and feared no matter where you go. The trappings of death are gruesome, and it is well documented that the power of necromancy draws one to abuse it. This I was expecting, and I know that my unliving nature is alarming to many. Perhaps such assumptions are valid. Before the Necromancer and his renaissance of necromantic theory, the more practical and nominal uses of necromancy were not known. It is to be expected that such advances have not been made in most realities, much less the secret to the creation of Necropolitans and other stable living dead.
This, at least, is a battle I know how to fight. I have reason to believe that the light deity that sponsors me, Red, may allow me to commune with Hekahuh to produce his deeper mysteries.
Interestingly, necromancy itself seems to function slightly differently on this plane. I myself am clearly undead and the necromantic energy that fuels me still simulates life, but I feel... perhaps a bit more alive than I did in my native plane. The relationship between the positive and negative energy planes may be different here. It remains to be seen how that affects the creation of living impaired automatons here. The adventuring group I have joined has acquired a suitable stronghold, and I believe I can set aside a space to create a Union office once I have funding.
I look forward to exploring necromancy here, but more importantly even without magic, the duties of a Union office and my duties as a cleric of Hekahuh are clear. There are thousands of people from perhaps tens of thousands of realities here. Many of them are likely the only ones who practice their religions or know their rites. Death is a constant companion here, and those who die courageously in the service of this world deserve to have their deaths honored in the method of their choosing. I will begin compiling as much information as I can about the death rites of the numerous cultures here. If I am so allowed, I intend to create a space to honor those who embrace peace.
If in that process, I may acquire cadavers to continue my research and the production of automatons, then all the better. I am quite prepared to discuss how to acquire cadavers ethically, and there seems to be no shortage of cadavers left to the elements here.
As to the nature of goblinkind... all I can do now is attempt to be a demonstration of what a goblin's true nature can be. I can only hope that I am the rule, and not the exception.