Every barracks in shockedtowns now has its own goblin for the training soldiers to pick on. Two soldiers became Hammerlords, one became an Elite Lasher, and one wrestler is close to becoming an elite as well.
We have an overabundance of goblinite, and I realized the human spearman leading the attack earlier was the child who was most recently abducted (he was nine at the time, and it's been 4 years since then. His abduction promted an increase in security which panned out nicely.) It kinda made me tear up when I found him on a relations of a woodworker as thier youngest son and I thought "Well, at least he came home like a good boy should when he goes out with 'friends' for a little while." Kinda sad if any of the soldiers knew him. Gave him a casket in the crypt, and a slab as a just-in-case, since he probably watched all of his goblin pals and aqaintences die right in front of him.
And I found out the woodworker who was killed was Kawe the 14 year old miner's mother, who brought him here without dad around the time the spear lad was abducted.
Caravan left unmolested, but a group of snatchers being caught, or in one case for a snatcher who ran into Kawe, savagly pick axed to death, has me worried there's another war party in the area. Not that it matters if they're dumb enough to be more melee troops. The humans can deal out a whole mess of hurt even when alone and outnumbered without raging and lacking trances!
As a sidenote, according to Corai, I made playing as humans sound badass, (it also resulted in the two of us writing a story based on the concept of my civ taming cavern beasts and assaulting a dark tower to reclaim several abducted children and POWs.) and he's challenged me to do the same with elves. I've been trying to figure out a way to do this. If you guys have any ways to make elves playable yet sticking to the general theme, PM me. This is a challenge I'd like to take on.
EDIT: Right as a posted I got a swordmaster. These swordsmen have been drilling nonstop for just under a year. I'm proud of them for toughing it out.
EDIT II: Got a second swordmaster, and we became a baron's fiefdom. I recommended Kad the legendary bonecarver, and then though "Oh no, what if she has some stupid likes she'll mandate!?"
She likes low boots, thrones, backpacks, animal traps, and crowns. And aside from that last one, those are all at least somewhat useful and I never export them. Best. Baron. EVAR.