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He knew how
these creatures would normally act, but this wasn't it. Now, he only
hoped the young gnomes standing guard in the listening posts were safe
and the goblins didn't know about the specific hiding places. The
hobgoblin was either paranoid or knew of Sparkside, or both. He was
obviously the leader and seemed intelligent enough to recognize the
Door for what it could be, and actually was. Zigny needed to eliminate
this threat immediately, before any of the tunnels were breached, he
couldn't await the reinforcements from Sparkside. When the tribe had
settled in, they would begin bringing down cavern walls. Goblins could
mine. Not as well as gnomes or dwarves, but they could move stone
nearly as fast. If the leader was inspecting sites to begin delving,
the Svirfguard of the Doorway were in peril. Neem had located at least
two of the tunnel access doors used by the gnomes. He might not know
their exact nature, but he suspected the sites would grant him access
to the tunnels.
Master Zigny looked over his warmcrew, then in a loud
voice that drowned out even the sound of the coldcrew gnomes arming
themselves in the guardhouse, he made his announcement.
"We face a threat to our safety and our hold. Goblins have
settled the warren. They have taken the entire complex and even now
plot to expand the caverns into our tunnels. We attack at the first
sign of mining or when most are at rest. We need to continue to
observe, but be prepared to attack. You are to reinforce the listening
posts. Relieve them if possible, if not observe the enemy and send back
a runner. Fourth Rank, report to Mid-Tunnel. Go! Fifth Rank, report to
Drippool. Go! Sixth Rank, report to Spike Seat and send the remaining
gnomes back with a full report. Go," barked Master Zigny. As their
ranks were called the svirfneblin snapped to attention and marched out
in unison.
Sergeant Reke called the coldcrew to assemble as the
warmwatch marched out of the cavern. Though groggy and ill-rested the
other half of the svirfguard of the Doorway stood at attention awaiting
their orders. Most had heard the earlier announcement and word had
travelled quickly through the soldiers. Not one of the gnomes was
unaware of the goblins in their warren, that sobering fact had brought
most out of their sleep and fully awake. This time Reke stepped out to
address the assembly.
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"You know what
lies in the caves. They have made a home and now seek an entrance to
ours. We can't wait for the garrison to mobilize, we must end this
threat. For five generations this hold has guarded the caves, never
have our passages been comprimised. We will not fail our ancestors, nor
let our hold fall," spoke Reke in a low voice that seemed to carry to
every corner. The gnomes swelled with pride at the mention of their
ancestors and the Hold. Reke had meant to order them out to the
Vantage, but let his statements sink in when he noticed one runner then
two more and another come in and dash to Zigny's side.
He recognized the first three, but the last was covered in
grease and soaking wet. Reke reached Zigny as the report flowed from
the lips of the first runner. The svirfs in Mid-Tunnel were trapped
since the goblins were using the tunnels on both sides of the listening
post and the ledge that provided secondary access had been claimed by a
family of urd. They were safe for now and had no indications any of the
goblins had any hint of their presense.
The second runners were the gnomes in the Spike Seat post.
They had observed the lizardskin armored kobolds being commanded by a
female hobgoblin, one knew enough goblin to understand her orders were
to clear the room of loose stones and boulders then hurry to join the
goblins at other duties. They had little else to report. The young
svirf from Drippool had caught his breath and shaken some of the water
off his cloak and armor by the time the others had finished their
reports.
Zigny turned to the final runner and patiently waited for
him to begin. Reke stood next to the Master, less patiently awaiting
the report. The poor youth was wiping the grease away from his eyes,
obviously stalling as far as Reke could tell, but Zigny didn't say a
word, only waited. The novice warrior finally gained enough courage to
relate his tale.
"We saw the enemy come to the shore of the pool and begin
filling their skins. They held down a smaller kobold and fed him some
water from the pool then stared to see if he suffered from the drink.
When he showed no response other than to curse his fellows and march
off sulking, the rest drank heartily. I prepared to return to the
vantage and report, when Mand'r Enchrysoberyl called me to wait."
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