Dwarf Fortress: Goblins, Trolls, Crocodiles. Oh my!

Kol Usendodok Akilrosat, Helpclasp the Point Chapel, Fisherdwarf, Macelord, Trollslayer, Minotaurslayer, is a dwarven hero. She stands as the last remaining survivor of the original Order-Trumpets. While many had known Kol for her strange fascination with howls of blind cave ogres, she is now legend to the dwarves of Melbilrab for her unparallelled combat prowess and role in the goblin siege of 254.

The goblins heard of our captures and came seeking revenge. They brought with them creatures equally foul as themselves and no less miserable. Without warning, the fields of Melbilrab were overwhelmed with countless goblins, crocodiles, giant cave worms, snaky sea creatures, and trolls. They stormed the gates of the fortress from multiple approaches. The dwarves were ordered inside the fortress. The Order-Trumpets prepared for the onslaught in their barracks.

Top-Left: Cave worms, crocodiles, sea creatures, and flightless birds approach. Top-Right: A collection of bloodthirsty trolls and goblins. Bottom-Left: The Order-Trumpets wait for attackers to become captures. Bottom-Right: Slaying trolls and cave worms.

The goblins ordered the savage beasts to attack first. They and their riders were caught easily within our traps. The Order-Trumpets were ordered to counter assault the goblins before the trolls could arrive. The soldiers charged bravely onto the battle field and fought until they were but four in number. The trolls and cave worms had arrived and demolished our trading post and outer door. They made their way into the Order-Trumpet's barracks and were threatening to destroy the drawbridge that separated them from the dwarves that were tucked away inside the fortress. The Order-Trumpets retreated from the battlefield to engage the trolls. Kol Usendodok killed three of the four trolls aggressors and two voracious cave worms. The outer draw bridge was raised, the inner was lowered, and the surviving Order-Trumpets were taken to the hospital. Kol sustained no injuries save for a broken noise which she refuses to acknowledge as an injury. A true dwarven hero!

We waited out the remainder of the siege and attempted to replenish our military's numbers. Our mayor, who was an active member of the Order-Trumpets, and another soldier died in a hospital bed that they were mistakenly placed into together. They were unable to receive any food or water as our medical dwarves could not determine which of the two dwarves was requesting nourishment. I'm told our chief medical dwarf is investigating the matter.

Left: Kol Usendodok smashes a giant cave worm into hundreds of pieces. Top-Right: Kol slaying a minotaur. Bottom-Right: Our growing prison.

We gathered the bodies of our fallen kinsdwarves. We discovered that all of our thirty cage traps captured one creature or another. We stripped the goblins of all their metal and melted down everything that wasn't iron to create shackles for the creatures. The animals were brought to our above-ground complex and the goblins to our growing prison. We had the new recruits fight the captured goblin's animals to gain some combat experience. However, in one such exercise, Kol rushed ahead of the other recruits and caused a giant caveworm to explode into hundreds of pieces with a single swing of her mace.

Current state of the above ground complex. Corpse pile in the top-left, farms in the bottom-right, future animal training grounds in the bottom-left.

It seemed unlikely that we would be able to continue fighting the goblins in a directly confrontational manner. We had exhausted our supply of non-cowardly dwarves and our population was falling. The dwarves agreed it would be imperative to build an elaborate killing machine that we could lure the goblins into. We would use the remaining copper from the goblin corpses to build spike traps. We would test the goblins' mettle.. against their metal!

Current state of our main level.

Current state of our workshop and storage level.

Ending Year: 255