Edge of the Abyss

King Morrolan surveyed the troops before him. The Halpi 23rd, newly formed from green recruits to counter the Abyssal advance. They had a few days of battle drills before marching north to the front lines. Suddenly a small pebble bounced off his helmet, he looked around and saw a surprisingly nimble dwarf picking their way down the rocky slope of the pass.

Morrolan went to meet the stranger, who bowed and presented a scroll. Noticing Herneas's seal he hastily scanned the letter.

"I have been tracking some goblin raiders along the coast for 2 days now. The river you hold is supplying half the training camps, so here is where we make our stand. I have two detachments of my finest rangers to cover the Southern ridge, you must hold the pass. - Herneas."

Morrolan ordered the 23rd into the standard formation. As they closed ranks the howls of wolves was already echoing through the pass. Squinting Morrolan saw a pack, barely controlled by the goblins clinging onto their backs, in disarray as a rain of dwarven steel fell on them from the rangers on the ridge.

Then he saw the rest of them, there seemed to be two main rabbles, and a bunch of contraptions that looked ready to fall apart. Surly these would be no match for Dwarves, green recruits or not. Then he noticed the Trolls, huge lumbering brutes in the woods at the base of the pass. Perhaps there would be tales to tell of this day.

Shooting at the wolves seemed to have blown the hunters' cover, and the bulk of the goblins were heading for the ridge, so Morrolan ordered his force forwards to support. The main bulwark of his force squared up against the rabble that seemed to be heading for the pass, released their dogs, and stood as an impenetrable wall that the goblins broke upon.

The rangers' had done well, the goblins advance was faltering, but eventually they did reach the ridge and fighting broke out. Dzuuri, leader of the the formation's left flank, and over-eager to prove himself led a charge to support them. The unit was making good progress smashing up the goblins' contraptions, until the largest of the trolls smashed into them and they scattered into the hills. Knowing that the brute couldn't be left to pick his fights, Morrolan went after it himself. It got one good blow, that even dented his shield, but it was no match for his skill, and he cut it down as it backed away from his deft hammer blows.

Surveying the battle all was looking well. The rangers had killed or dispersed the goblins in the hills, and the rest of the trolls were being impaled on the spears of his main force. The goblins' machines were now not much more than firewood. Some huge blobs of teeth seemed to have been released by the fleeing goblins and were causing chaos on the far right flank, but soon the Dwarves with the longest spears were starting to herd them down into the Valley.

The Halpi 23rd had been tested, and showed their Mettle. Tonight they would drink to their victory.