The Rise and Fall of the First Goblin King
Pender the Strong, the first true goblin unifier, was able to unite several tribes through force and personal dominance and create a short-lived goblin hegemony. His campaign culminated in a clash with the Elven Empire, where his death meant the immediate collapse of all his power.
Birth of Durbuluk
The rise of Pender the Strong began as a response to the long-standing weakness of the goblin tribes. Constant failed raids on goblin and elf cities showed that the fragmentation of the orcs was their greatest weakness. Pender understood this weakness better than anyone before him. Instead of building an army, he chose the path of personal dominance. He gradually challenged the leaders of the five goblin tribes to one-on-one duels. In goblin culture, refusing such a challenge was unthinkable. Pender won all the fights and became a living legend. In this way, he united much of the western goblins under his will.
Conquest of Hirch
After uniting the tribes, Pender launched the first major campaign. His destination was the Free City of Hirch, a goblin center that served as a haven for many races, including the goblins themselves. Hirch fell and became a symbol of Pender's power. It was here that in -3074 he was granted the title of Durbuluk, which meant the dominator of all goblins. This title later became legendary and was awarded to only a few rulers in history. By conquering Hirche, Pender proved that goblins can not only destroy, but also control and hold territory.
A campaign against the elves
After his successes against the kobolds, Pender decided to turn his attention to the Elven Empire, which at the time was considered the unshakable power of Ulvenor. During his campaign, he conquered several western cities and gradually penetrated to the borders of elven territories. Here, however, the weakness of his army became apparent. Orcs were not used to fighting in dense forests. The elves used the terrain, prepared traps, and systematically weakened the orcs' strength. Pender's army began to lose both momentum and advantage.
Battle of the Hultwin River
The decisive clash occurred in -3069 at the Hultwin River. Here, the elves deployed a fast ride that had a major advantage against the walking goblins. The goblin lines were fractured and gradually lost their cohesion. During the battle, the elven hero Enhih appeared and challenged Pender to a duel. In the course of the clash, he lost his arm, but managed to tire out his opponent and take advantage of his underestimation. Pender was eventually defeated and killed. His death had an immediate effect. The goblin army broke up and fled.
The collapse of the empire
After Pender's death, his empire fell apart almost immediately. The cities were liberated either by Elven armies or by rebellions of the local population. The morals of the orcs had deteriorated to such an extent that within a few generations they had practically disappeared from western Ulvenor. By -2900 there was no significant goblin tribe. This collapse became one of the most pivotal moments in goblin history and destroyed any attempt at unification for a long time.
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After the victory, the elven hero Enhih became Protector of the Elves, the highest title that could be given to a non-ruler. He settled in one of the conquered cities and ruled under the auspices of the elven empire. He lived the rest of his life without ever having to pick up a gun again. He died in -2420 of natural causes, in contrast to his legendary duel that changed history. His story has become a symbol of courage and proof that even a seemingly invincible force can be defeated.