17th GalenaThe instant that we showed our willingness to take the fight to the besiegers... they fled. The irony is strong enough to burn my tongue.
28th GalenaNow that the enemies have fled, we begin the process of cleaning the bodies from outside the walls. The honored dwarven dead will be given to Armok, while other skeletons are given to our bonecarvers.
20th Limestone8 migrants arrived.
Atir Uristsazir - A novice woodworker, unskilled but trainable.
Litast Kiningiz - Adequate woodcutter. We have need to resupply our stockpiles.
Lor Nishtath - A Talented animal trainer, but he also claims to have fighting experience. He'll be drafted into the new axe-squad.
Shem Udistsakzul - A novice bone-carver and cook. Fresh masons and haulers of stone are always welcome...
Sodel Olonginon - An adequate potter.. since we have no ready access to clay, ditto the above.
Thob Besmarrithlut - A high-master milker, and a talented pacifier. I suppose the skills may go hand in hand, but what could he possibly want in Airfail?
Vabok Adilasdug - Siege Operator / Hunter / Hammerdwarf. Useful!
Zasit Solonsarek - A high-master Siege Engineer! He shall take over the job of building additional catapults if needed.
Soon after, Zon Urdimtad, our armor smith and beloved Mayor began acting quite strange. We all thought he'd cracked under the strain until he grabbed a magma-forge and demanded copper! ... and only copper. He produced a single High Boot of copper, studded with copper. Disappointing, but the triumph seems to have buoyed his skills to legendary levels.
13th SandstoneShouted reports from a frightened hauler have brought it to my attention that Kubuk Lorcatten - ex-Crossbowdwarf has risen! Apparently, his slab had not yet been installed in the graveyard, and I ordered it done with all haste.
14th TimberAnother siege! The tigermen come, and they ride on bears! Oh. And war leopards, too.
16th TimberTwo dwarves were caught outside, a newly-arrived hunter and a woodcutter. I sent the Ordered Clasps out to hold back the Leopards long enough for them to make the escape. With little effort, the trained felines were dispatched and the woodcutter made it in safe. However, to my horror, the tigermen moved with astounding speed and ripped apart Vabok the hunter before heading towards the outnumbered squad!
At this point, the Geared Drinkers were told to man the battlements, and a general call for the civilian militia was put out! These creatures were mostly unarmored, and carried copper weapons and shields; any hit we could score would be worthwhile.
The din of battle was horrendous outside the fortress' walls, but it seemed our training was paying off.. not even the Swordsmasters or Axe Lords in the opposing forces could land a hit! That is, until a shot from behind with a halberd managed to leave Moldath lacking a foot. Even that did not discourage him as he lashed out with both hammer and shield.
Tekkud Odrozkeskal took on an opposing Swordsmaster in single combat -
And our axedwarves get into the fray -
17th TimberThey are fleeing, it's a complete and utter rout!
The last few remaining are subject to an utter rain of crossbow bolts from the ramparts, as the two squads of melee-dwarves hunt the creatures down.
Iden Kastaredem has our one Steel battleaxe, a masterwork of the weapon-smith's art; see how easily it slices through fur and flesh alike:
Injuries seem minor; Tun Inethast took a slash to his upper left arm, but should recover. Poor Moldath may not be so lucky, however.
19th TimberMy hands shake with anger as I write this. Even before we could recover our wounded and stand down, two ambushes were sprung! A small squad of goblins along with a set of strange creatures I've not seen before; Hellfire Imps I'm told they're called, advanced towards the fortress.
... What they failed to state, however, were that these Imps could breath fire.
21st TimberLikot Erushodgub withdrew from fortress life at this time, and claimed a magma forge.
.... A third ambush, more goblins this time, is scaling the hill to the east of the fortress. I have sent the Geared Drinkers over the far wall for support.
22nd TimberIt becomes apparent that we must finish raising the eastern wall; a single crossbow bolt from one of the goblins struck one of our stoneworkers, nearly severing his arm. The Granite Vestibules, our axe-dwarves, took care of them handily however, and hunted down the single remaining war-camel that was enough to keep us in a state of siege.
From the corpses of the goblins, we picked up several items of steel, likely looted from elsewhere; a shield, a crossbow, and most disturbingly, a goblin-fashioned mask. They must not have the secret of this metal... they mustn't!
What madness is this? From the western set of goblin corpses, we have recovered another trove of steel and bronze items! Those that must be will be melted down, while others will be used as-is after a through scrubbing.