Sergeant Quinn,
During one of my walks through Lower (disguised, of course, due to the recent turmoil), I passed near the goblin warrens and began to ponder their future within Sanctuary.
I, like all of my brothers who are concerned with the welfare of the settlement, have careful opinions on what may be best. With the interest of avoiding further bloodshed, I'd like to run a modest proposal by you in hopes of not only gauging the Watch's opinion on the matter, but also the opinion of a friend.
The 'Monstrous/Slaver Race' legislation put forth by the last Council seems, in retrospect, to be a recipe for disaster. While it did make things more difficult for duergar and kobolds (who, per person, appear to have a documented crime rate lower than non-slaver and non-monstrous races), it essentially cut the tie that bound several hundred former citizens to this settlement - self interested protection of Sanctuary that would ensure their own protection as denizens. The old metaphor of the besieged ship works rather well in this situation - every man, dwarf, and goblin knows that his fate his ultimately tied to the protection of his chosen vessel, and should it fail he would be left with little. By declaring them 'guests', the Council stripped them of the protection that would normally be afforded to them as citizens, thus removing any interest in defending Sanctuary.
In Sanctuary's current state of disarray, I question whether we can afford to come to blows with the local goblin population. Yes, there are many self-interested opportunists, but their numbers are so many that I have begun to wonder whether the greater evil may be having to make good on a threat by marching our remaining men against a force of several hundred goblins who are quite firm on keeping what they have come to identify as their home. Sanctuary may very well be at the nadir of its existence, but I believe it can fall much lower.
Perhaps it may be better to allow them to create an ethnic enclave in the area. This sounds like a controversial idea, to say the least, but in an effort to prevent the great loss of life that an invasion of the area would demand, I think that at present it may be the wiser move. It is Sanctuary's property, but there is nothing preventing the goblins from developing industry and paying a modest rent on the area. If their current chief should prove too wild in his rule, it is entirely possible to have him removed to make room for a ruler who keeps our interests closer to his heart.
If you are interested in discussing these ideas further, I suggest lunch at the Last Stand in the near future. I hope that the best decisions for all are made in this somewhat prickly situation.
Your friend,
Agent Lucius Foxmantle Order of the Spellguard