Divinearches has just undergone its most deadly siege ever: 220 goblins, 220 beak dogs and 40 trolls. The Old Guard, a squad existing in its current state for most of Divinearches' 12 year-long history, comprised of 7 hardened Dwarf Lords with hundreds of kills amongst them, including several forgotten beasts, semi-megabeasts, were-beasts and titans, is the first to go out, surrounded by a screaming horde of 120 goblins. They are slain, one after the other, overcome by exhaustion in the midst of glorious carnage. The horde advances: they are met on the Iron Bridge by the Aspiring Ones, three warriors of lesser renown but still of legendary status, and Nabasrovod's Spears, the fortresses' newly founded militia, led by the ex-Old Guard's Spearlord. Many goblins prefer to jump into the void instead of facing the wrath of the dwarves, inflamed by the death of their champions. Sadly, some recruits jump after them and shatter their legs amongst the corpse-strewn floor 15 levels below. The enemy's attack gains new momentum when the trolls hit the shieldwall, with flanking beak dogs: as before, one by one, each hero is overcome by exhaustion and becomes easy prey for the enemy. The last defenders, the crossbow armed Iron Guard, pick off the remaining enemies, who turn and flee, but not before destroying as much as possible, turning the windmill towers into a mound of ruins. One dwarf remains standing when the last of the enemy disappears over the horizon, the Iron Guard captain. But he cannot rest yet: just as the alarm ceases and the mourners emerge, something happens in the inner fortress: two dwarves, previously infected by werebeasts, transform into werecoyotes. The one in the corridor is quickly overwhelmed by the terrified workers, but the one in the temple slays 10 before dying of blood loss.
And now, with its army and two thirds of its population gone, Divinearches looks at the nine feverish and bite-covered dwarves in its infirmary and broods on what to do next...