The Creeps

   "The goblins are trickling into the chamber. They have picks, shovels and sledgehammers. The half-goblins are gathering them and the supplies. They'll breach the wall into the upper tunnels soon after they begin," said Mand'r Dirjade with concern coloring his words.
   "Send your runner to Mid-Tunnel, tell Mand'r Scaris to send half his men here now and to meet you here with the rest of his men when they are done. I will send more when I reach Drippool," answered Zigny, growing more concerned himself. He hurried up the tunnel to Drippool.
   Sergeant Reke had wasted no time, he ran to Drippool arriving just as the goblin prisoner was gaining consciousness. The Mand'r of the Fifth Rank, Frilastic Amberaree, was splashing water on it. When he and his men saw Reke they snapped to attention. Reke returned the Mand'r's salute and turned to the groggy goblin. Quois had hit him hard enough to swell one eye shut and the blow to the head that had rendered him unconscious was still bleeding. He looked at Reke through his open eye with obvious fear. Reke knew the goblin language and how to get information from one.
   Reke slowly pulled one arm back as if to hit the creature again. It ducked and covered it's face with both hands.
   "No, please, no, that hurted Glurm," squealed the goblin in his own language, it paused to think for a moment then continued in broken gnomish, "No hit. Help no-hair gnome, no hurt."
   Reke felt pity welling up inside himself for such a pathetic creature. He pushed it aside and asked his question.
   "How many of you are there?" asked Reke in gnomish, since the creature could apparently understand it. The look that flashed across the green face was vicious, but was quickly replaced with fear once again.
   "Neem say there is three goblin for one kobold," said Glurm in the deep gnome language, glancing around as if afraid his Chief would know he had answered. Reke had heard the Spike Seat runner's count of the kobolds at around thirty. A low whistle escaped Mand'r Amberaree.
   "How do you know the language of my people?" asked Reke. He had been grateful the evil thing had understood his tongue, but was growing very concerned.
   The foolish goblin allowed itself a broken and malicious chuckle, it sounded like an animal choking to Reke.
   "Stupid no-hair big-nose," said Glurm in goblin. The forgotten fist crashed into the side of his head, and he switched back to gnomish, "Tribe took a no-hair gnome, I guard him long time, then Neem took my tribe and torture him."

   Reke turned to the Mand'r and spoke in a very low voice. The goblin leaned in to hear just in time to hear Reke order the Mand'r to tie his hands and feet, then throw him into the Pool.
   "No, please, I help," squealed Glurm, "the Chief say he lead us to gnome treasure. He say gnomes not use this cave, not know we to attack." That had been the intention of the ruse, to ferret out the most important information as quick as possible. They were running out of time and couldn't waste it in this interrogation. Reke again turned to the Mand'r, but this time meant what he had to say.
   "Take him to the guardhouse and lock him in the storage chamber. We'll need him later. Take only two gnomes, the rest will remain with me, and hurry back," ordered Reke. Mand'r Amberaree pointed to two of his men, they in turn grabbed the arms of the goblin, bound his hands behind his back and led him down the tunnel to the guardhouse followed by their Mand'r. The remaining gnomes looked to Reke for their orders. As Reke took in a breath to command the Fifth Rank, Zigny dashed around the corner. He looked around in puzzlement.
   "Where is the prisoner? Nevermind that, the goblins are gathering to breach the wall in the Cavern of Spikes. Fifth Rank, Spike Seat needs you to reinforce them. Go, Now. Did you learn anything useful?" asked Zigny turning to his second as the svirfguard marched to Spike Seat. They both followed at a quick pace, while Reke relayed the information he had gathered.
   "Over a hundred of the little buggers, that's going to be rough. We need to wait for reinforcements, but don't have the time," said Zigny, mostly to himself.
   "What do you mean by over a hundred? There are only thirty or so of the little grey armored kobolds and the goblin said there were three goblins for every kobold. Add to that the Fear of the Pool has wiped out almost forty of them, we only have about fifty of the little nasties to deal with," said Reke his mental math perfect as always.
   "No that is only the shock troops of the kobolds, there are another twenty-five or so of the little things armed with slings. That brings the goblin numbers to about one hundred and eighty, minus what the Fear killed leaves easily over a hundred. If you're right in believing Glurm, they know of Sparkside, they just don't know we're here. That could be our only advantage. They will breach the tunnels, then we will charge into them from both directions. Almost the entire warmwatch is waiting on the opposite side of the wall in the Cavern of Spikes, when the goblins come through they will attack-" said Zigny laying out his plan.