There is panic spreading throughout the fortress...
Without warning the titan came. Dema Flowerstrap the Prairies of Twight, a square shell containing roiling steam and spitting frozen extract, at first scared few. The military assembled in the main hall while just outside the main gates a lone tigerman awaited it. Making straight for the gate the titan engaged the tigerman who was able to hold it at bay! Quickly the Ashen Standards, a two dwarf squad was ordered, with their war animals, to support. Asmel the SwordDwarf arrived first and with an expert swing severed the shell from the body of the beast. Furious combat ensued , enveloped in bursts of steam as sword, teeth and claws tore and tore and tore yet again at the roiling, undying mass!
Deep within the fort, Lorban the AxeDwarf hefted his beloved cask of wine and knew he was forgetting something. Oh yeah! He was supposed to report to the surface for a steam bath or something. Being an old fashioned dwarf, Lorban felt cleaning was creepy but he guessed orders were orders...
Elsewhere Baroness Rimtar, Mayor Rith and Fortress Manager Avuz burst into the workshop of Degel, High Master Siege Engineer. They find him flipping through a large, ancient water and fire damaged tome. They shout, threaten and entreat but he calmly continues turning pages, brow furrowed, muttering under his breath,
"Catapults? No. Magma Rail Gun? If only... but the world has changed... Icemaker? Too warm here... The Petrifyer, that would do it but we have no magma and no time to delve to it. Orbital Magma Cannon? Same problem. Hmmm... Wait a minute. Here we go. A Space Elevator linkup to an Orbital Bombardment Station. Yes... that one I think we can do."
Meanwhile at the gates civilians are milling about in a frenzy, wanting to glimpse the epic battle outside but too afraid to venture out, getting in the soldiers way and generally being a nuisance. Rumors have spread that a legendary miner is trapped outside. Other rumors state that it is Amost, one of the Founders. Lorban pushes through the crowd, drinking from his cask of wine. Unexpectedly he encounters the Militia Commander.
"Lorban! What in all the World's Bedrock have you- oh, went for a drink. That's alright then. Now that you're here, get your ass out there and help Asmel hold that thing!"
"You mean I'm not ordered up for a bath? Oh, thank Armok!"
"Where's your axe?"
"Uh.."
"Nevermind. Use the shield. I'll be watching you. Mind you don't spill any of that wine. Bookeeper tells me the fort's only got a two year supply on hand, gives me the jitters!"
"Yessir!"
And so brave Lorban has joined the battle, cask in one hand, shield bashing away in the other.
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Will the brave dwarfs of Tinrain manage to hold the steam beast at bay long enough for a Space Elevator to be built high enough to enable a drop pod to be constructed over the battle? Will the pod be accurate enough to crush the beast but spare the heroic Ashen Standards? Or will it all end in tears and job cancellation spam? Tune in sometime when I find out! And then let you all know!