"What did you say? Transia has started building defenses on a large scale outside the swamp?"
In Plagueblight Town, in the Filthy Swamp, the gnoll warlock Flesh-Ripper had been deep in thought when the sudden interruption annoyed him. But after hearing the news from Hogg, the scrawny gnoll chieftain standing before him, even Flesh-Ripper was taken aback.
The ancient, cunning, and vicious warlock narrowed his eyes. He fixed Hogg with a cold stare and said:
"We've been watching the foolish business of Vampire Lord Murphy sending gnoll and kobold prisoners of war to dig trenches outside the swamp. No one could miss it. It's just their pathetic attempt to resist the Black Calamity.
"Things like this have happened many times before, but every time, their pitiful defenses have been useless against the invincible gnoll army.
"This isn't worth getting so worked up over, you pathetic coward! I'd guess you're scared half to death. But didn't Crippleclaw give you enough skeleton troops to protect your miserable woodland?"
"It's different, my lord! This time is different!"
Hogg, who had been "going through the motions," played the role of a timid gnoll, terrified by the chaos of war, with astonishing realism.
It let out a wail and shouted at Flesh-Ripper:
"Before, they were only digging trenches, but now they've stationed soldiers there, Lord Flesh-Ripper! One of the unlucky whelps in my clan saw terrifying winged cavalry appear in formation near the front line. And they've deployed even more People's Army infantry there. But that's not even the most important part!
"There aren't many humans in Transia. No matter how well they fight, they can't possibly stand against the powerful undead under your command.
"But the ones who've come this time aren't just Transians!
"There are also those people with the plantagenet emblem!
"Those