In English literature goblins are first mentioned in the 14th century, but much older records of them exist in Latin and French, from 1141 and 1195 respectively.

Goblins are described as dwarf-like in appearance, although slender and beardless; they are most often cave dwellers. Rather taciturn by nature, they tend to seek solitude. Their magic abilities include teleportation, telepathing and moving with great agility at extraordinary speed.

Only rarely is there distinction made between the two specific types of goblins: the “hobgoblin” and the “mountain goblin". The most famous hobgoblin is presumably Puck in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Small and slightly hairy, hobgoblins often live in or close to human dwellings. Quite unlike the mountain goblins, who are thin, practically hairless and shy away from humans. Mountain goblins mainly work in mines and are particularly renowned for the exquisite crystal artifacts they produce.

In light of the aforesaid it does not take a great leap of the imagination to understand, why crystal glasses are sometimes referred to as “goblets”, a word merging the name of the artifact and its maker.

It was the mountain goblins who manufactured the unique crystal strings for the enchanted harp – yet it was also some mountain goblins who stole those strings and set in motion the greatest upheaval the magic community ever experienced.

When a group of loutish, drunken mountain goblins stole its strings, the enchanted harp was somewhat disabled. Goblins and strings disappeared. The trouble this caused was considerable.

Misfortune befell the mountain goblin population when Lusus, the dragon, flew into a violent rage and murdered every mountain goblin he could get hold of.