Plume (tribe)

The tribe of Plume, known as goblins in Deltoran fairy-tales,  are the descendants of Pirrans who followed Plume the Brave after the Pirran Pipe was split. They escaped with the mouthpiece of the Pipe and reside on Plume Island in the Topaz sea.

For hundreds of years they were forced to offer an annual sacrifice, known as The Gift, to The Fear, which threatened to destroy their village through waves if its demands were not met. This event, known as the Giving, ended after Lief, Jasmine, Barda and Glock killed the creature.

Pirra
Beyond the mountains of the Land of Dragons was the green land called Pirra. It was protected by the magic of the Pirran Pipe, played by the people's chief, the Piper. One dark winter's night, the Piper passed away in her sleep and the next day three great musicians offered to be her replacement. One of those musicians was Plume the Brave. Plume's music was so stirring that it caused the crowd's to cheer, but when it came to voting, each received the same amount of votes time and time again. This divided the people since all wanted their favourite to become the Piper and allowed the Shadow Lord to convince them to separate the Pipe into three. The mouthpiece went to Plume the Brave and they along with their followers left the others.

The next day, when the magic of the Pipe faded, the Shadow Lord started his invasion of Pirra and corrupted the land. Realising their mistake too late, the three groups used the last of their magic to escape and save themselves. The Plumes hid themselves in the underground sea beneath the Ruby territory in the Land of Dragons.

Losing the Mouthpiece
Shortly after escaping Pirra, discontent began to brew among the Plumes who were unhappy with their new lives. Seven Plumes stole the mouthpiece of the Pirran Pipe from their current Piper and left the safety of their seas to the world above. They planned to tell their story and return to lead the Plumes back into the sun. However, one by one they were killed until one of them was left. This lone Plume hid under the bed of a Jalis Knight and was crushed to death when the Jalis slept for the night, collapsing the old bed beneath his girth. The Knight also took the mouthpiece of the Pirran Pipe as a lucky talisman. The talisman was eventually passed down the generations to Glock.

Cavern of The Fear
At some point, The Glimmer, the cavernous pathway between the Aurons and Plumes became inhabited by a giant tentacled monster called The Fear. Every year it demanded a living sacrifice from the Plumes. If its demands were not met, it would beat the water to create huge waves that would flood the island and destroy their homes. The oldest among them would draw lots to see who would become the Gift in the Giving ceremony.

After Deltora was freed from the Shadow Lord's tyranny, Lief, Barda, Jasmine, and Glock each made their way into the underground sea and were captured by the Plumes. They were to be all offered to The Fear instead of Nols, who had been selected to be the Gift. Lief persuades the Plumes to let them fight The Fear which causes a rift between the Plumes and their Piper, Worron. The disagreement that ensured during the fight with The Fear made the Plumes take their Piper's position and power away.

Lief, Barda, Jasmine and Glock manage to defeat The Fear, with Glock being fatally injured. Glock gave Jasmine his talisman, and asks Lief to tell his people of him before dying from his injuries. They return to shore listening to the Plumes as they sang their Song of Life. Nols explained to them that Glock will be buried with the Pipers of old. Lief asked for their piece of the Pirran Pipe but since they lost it long ago, they could not fulfill his request. Jasmine opened up the talisman from Glock and to the delight of the Plumes, found the mouthpiece. They happily let the companions take their piece, and provide them with supplies to help them on their journey to the Auron's island. The Plumes warned them that the Auron's bred monsters and they were not to be trusted.

The Shadowlands
The Plumes heard the song of the Pirran Pipe when Tirral played it on the Isle of Keron. The music reminded the Plumes that they all used to be the same people, and so set off to aid in whatever way they could. At the Forbidden Way, they met with the Aurons who had travelled that way for the same reason. Upon reaching Keras, the Plumes combined their magic with the other Pirran tribes to rescue the Deltorans in the Shadowlands.

Physical Appearance
The Plumes are small, yet human and approximately the same height as gnomes, though the Plumes are more stockily built. They are hairless and their heads and faces are dog-like with long muzzles and large pointed ears. They tend to dress in red and have deathly pale skin. They also have pale eyes and are short-sighted.

Society
Many of the Plumes traditions stem from The Fear, which is instilled through these traditions. The Giving was an integral part of their culture and their hatred for the Auron tribe grew because of their belief The Fear was sent by the tribe.

Architecture
All Plume buildings are circular in shape and built from red and brown clay, with some having intricate patterns of red stones. Some buildings were built on high ground, to protect them from flooding.