Dwarf Fortress: Goblin Attacks!

We were besieged! The pesky goblin child-snatchers had made their way back to their breeding hole and mustered enough forces to attack our fortress! We ordered all dwarves inside the fortress and the Order-Trumpets armed themselves and waited bravely for the onslaught to arrive. Each and every dwarf was prepared to give his life slaying fourfold as many goblins. However, the goblins refused to make an assault and our dwarves wouldn't leave the fortress undefended.

We were at a standstill. The dwarves hastily constructed a plethora of cage traps at the entrance of the fortress. Still, the goblins refused to attack. Little did they know that they'd never starve dwarves out from their own fortress! With our traps constructed, the dwarves attempted to lure the goblins forward by sending a brave dwarf to taunt them forward. The poor lad was foolhardy and refused to turn back towards the fortress after gaining the goblins attention. He charged alone into twenty goblins and died a brave dwarf. The seasons passed and the goblins still refused to attack. They eventually dispersed and we collected the body of our departed brother.

Left: The foolhardy dwarf attacks twenty goblins. Top-Right: The goblins group outside the fortress. Bottom-Left: Our cage traps prepared at the entrance.

When we finally emerged from the fortress we discovered the caravan from the mountainhomes was destroyed and the dwarves driving it slaughtered. We attempted to collect their corpses but were ambushed by more vile goblins! Do they have no shame? Can a dwarf not bury his fallen kinsdwarves? The Order-Trumpets were enraged and summoned to the fields. They charged steadfast into the hellspawn creatures and gutted them with intense hatred. The goblins fled and we counted the pieces of three miserable goblins and one brave dwarf. We collected his corpse and ordered the construction of memorials in honour of those who had fallen in the goblin assault.

Top-Left: The destroyed caravan. Top-Right: The goblin ambushers. Bottom-Left:Battle! Bottom-Right: The battlefield after the goblins were dispatched.

We requisitioned the goods on board the destroyed dwarven caravan and stocked our fortress full of new goodies. The dwarves gathered the iron helmets and breastplates of the goblin invaders, boiled the flesh from it, and upgraded their own armours. The Order-Trumpets were now mostly equipped in full iron armour. A staunch improvement from flimsy copper.

Top: Outside complex construction. Bottom-Left: A captured goblin chained to the floor. Bottom-Right: A dwarf completes his masterful construction.

We went to work improving our facilities. The dwarves were growing tired of eating only Plump Helmets and Plump Helmet ale. We began construction on a walled upper complex which would support above ground farms irrigated by the brook during the warmer months. We would connect the complex to our fortress with an underground tunnel.

We had two fortunate events happen to us. Firstly, we manage to cage a goblin thief attempting to snatch our children. He was stripped of any valuables and chained to the floor in a newly created chamber. The dwarves have yet to decide his fate, but many dwarves plan revenge for their fallen comrades. Lastly, one of our farmers managed to escape from his temporary insanity! In a moment of clarity, he crafted a legendary ring and returned to his otherwise normal existence.