I'm so tired that I can barely see straight, but this was such an awesome battle that I couldn't NOT tell people about it while it was still fresh in my mind...
Once more the goblins struck, and once more the Abbey of Sorrow turned them away. As soon as word reached the fort, the civilians all rushed below to take refuge in the dining hall. Word had spread that the goblins had brought more trolls than we had cages, but that wasn't all. Among their numbers was a Master Lasher, a Master Bowman, a Master Pikeman, and last but not least, their General. We were up against the best that they had to offer.
A lever was pulled, the outer door slammed shut. The army gathered in the main room, and waited.
Outside, our Queen's caravan was slaughtered. Though the guards only managed to slay a single goblin, they did something far more valuable: They bought us time, and they also broke the general's foot.
In the main room, the soldiers listened as first the limestone door was torn from its hinges and then the guard wolf's pitiful howls were cut painfully short. End then they charged. In caverns filled with falling rocks, cage traps, and the dried blood and vomit of former battles, the dwarves worked to drive their opponents back.
While three of the squads worked to hold back the tide of goblins, three other squads worked to pick off choice targets. Aeren cut a bloody swath through the caverns with "Righty" and "Lefty", so named for their missing hands, followed in his wake laying waste to anything that still moved. Kogsak the Unwilling, a peasant boy who had been forced into service mere days before the attack landed the killing blow on a troll, and mere moments after the battle began the goblins, deprived of their leader who was still crawling about atop the mountain, turned and fled.
As the Uncommon Diamonds, the Lean Staves, the Exalted Tongs, and the Skies of Paint cut down their fleeing foes, Aeren and the Stormy Salves left the field of battle in search of Azstrog Enteredmalice, the general. On account of being the least injured of the group, Aeren arrived first. The General was felled with a quick, clean blow to the head.
Now, the question is: Deprived of their general, with their best warriors slain, will the goblins attack again?
I seriously hope not. And if they do, I hope they wait a long time. Maybe two or three immigrant waves.