'This problem of Mazog has been weighing heavily on my mind. While it is our duty to defend the miners and retake what we can, I do not think we can afford the grave risk of a direct offensive against them yet.

'Nor yet do I think we can sit back and do nothing -- if they realized how few of us there really are, they would swiftly press to drive us back. I think we must keep them off balance with some smaller attacks to force them to concern themselves with defence, not offence.

'Are you prepared to make a few sallies against them, (your name)? If you can inflict some losses and make it seem that we might strike in force at any time, then I think they can be held at bay for a while, given the cowardly nature of goblins.'