19th Limestone
That damned human Emtha Istraves, Lokot curse his dark soul, hasn't given up on us. Once again he led a group of goblins, this time ones wielding spears, against our stronghold. Sarek were ready to intercept him this time, with Mulch only a short distance behind. The two of them combined with our traps and dogs made short work of his underlings. Emtha saw it fit to flee before we could catch him, swearing vengeance as he fled over the hillside.
On their way back to the village they stumbled across a goblin snatcher. We watched as Sarek removed the creatures head with a single blow. Brutal.
23rd Moonstone
Entha attaked the western gates AGAIN today, this time followed by a goblin who he referred to as his commander, Nguslu Urarspodgoz. This time they approached openly, sending forward a goblin with a note written on a message that offered us to parley.
I was leery of meeting with this so-called commander, but dutifully I trudged out and climbed that oh-so-familiar gate, peering over at the assembled goblins once again.
"So Entha Istraves, you're back again. Here to send another group of goblins to their deaths at our traps?" I taunted him, keeping myself out of his line of fire as best I could.
"Rikkir, come down and talk friend! We wish you no harm, only a chance to save yourselves from the oncoming tide. Please listen to me and open the gate so we can talk."
"The oncoming tide?" I responded, confused as the human plaintively motioned to the ground beside him. "No, I think not Entha. I don't trust you, considering you keep trying to kill me, my friends, and my family. Tell me about this tide while I sit here, and if you impress me I might come down and talk."
The human looked down at his commander, speaking softly in his own tongue before responding, "My commander here, Nguslu, he has come to see your fortress. If you continue to fight like you have, rejecting our offer of alliance and peace against the elves you will be wiped out by one of our factions. Either by a tide of goblins, or an ocean of elves. Please listen, by joining us you can survive and flourish, to become a powerful people in this world once more!"
"By peace you mean the murder of our adults and the abduction of our children? I'd rather die to the elves than have that happen, butchers. While I have no love for the elves I haven't forgotten my people's history either. Goblins have always sought to rule the world under their demon masters, and you are no different. We refuse your offer, now leave or die before our military slaughter YOu."
"Military?" the goblin commander said haltingly in dwarven, "You have no military. Like cowards you hide behind traps and dogs, never fighting. What dwarf are you to do this? What you do when traps stop working, clogged by elven bodies. Join us Rikker, let your children join us and become strong!"
Without responding I slid down the drawbridge and walked to the village, meeting the eyes of the present Mulch and Sarek as they hefted their weapons.
"Have at them." I said as I pulled the lever.
The war dog Otsmorobu slew the first goblin that rushed past the gate to attack, viciously tearing out the goblin's throat after a short tussle. The second that approached him fared little better, jumping away from the canine's teeth and directly into a pitfall trap to the side. Emtha himself was next, the human crossbowman obviously furious on how many times we had defeated him. He walked past our first trap, narrowly dodging a falling boulder and approached Otsmorobu. He swung the crossbow like a club at the dog, shattering it's chest and piercing a lung, the blow knocking the canine into a cage trap behind it. With a snarl Emtha turned towards the other dog and stepped foward.
A second later another rock fell from the roof of the gatehouse, crushing Entha forever.
Nguslu and his swordsgoblin bodyguard were the last to approach, the former lashing out at the remaining dog with his wicked scimitar. His blow removed the war dogs left leg. However, the brave animal was not done. In a final act of defiance it lunged forward and clamped its powerful jaws over the goblin commander's throat, tearing the organ out and killing the goblin where he stood. When we found the dog and the goblin, entwined in the sweet embrace of death, with posthumously named it Lesmnastengan.
25th Moonstone
Zin Wurusan returned today, leading the second assault on our southern gatehouse. The first goblins to reach the gatehouse quickly dispatched the new dog, while Exzasrugbun cleverly waited behind the line traps. As the goblins reached him a line of wooden spears erupted from the ground, piercing the goblin through and dragging it towards the ground, the body clogging the mechanism.
As Zin finished his approach the mechanisms in the gate closed. He stood outside for a short time, shouting challenges at our gates and our men.
When I threw Entha's head over the barricade the axeman quickly reconsiered his words and retreated.
17th Opal
Feb distracting me nearly caused us both to be crushed by a collapsing ceiling. Onul (My youngest child) was fairly badly hurt in the collapse, her hand and leg getting broken by falling debris.
1st Moonstone
I took Sarek and Mulch off of military duty for a while. Both of them have gotten good with their weapons, but I need to constantly remind them that they have other duties that are just as important to the village outside of defense.
Mulch has returned to masonry for the time being, the two of us working together to get more buildings up. I've
laid out the plans for further expansion when our children start growing up and having families of their own, as well as a place where our decedents will be able to house their own sheriff and prison.
In all, the village is becoming bigger and better every year.