Dungeon of Niflheim

There is of course the option of copying Gobuske’s goblins, sending his frost goblins into the tunnels and attack them that way but that was a foolish notion. Findlay already tried sending a few frost goblins in after a group that ambushed them, they didn’t get far before losing their way and getting stabbed in the back by opposing goblins. That was there home turf, foolish to send his men into a battlefield with such disadvantages. They needed to either get past this cavern or find another way through, however it’s unlikely the former would be available. This was a clear chokepoint in Gobuske’s defences, having alternate routes would make it pointless but they had to try.

“Understood master and yes I think we have some spare cloth that we can use, hopefully that’ll prevent or at least lessen the fumes of the poison if need be. I’ll do as instructed master and will bring you victory, good luck on your end.” Findlay cut the communication and got to work. While his team made some masks and waited on their teammates, he popped his head out into the cavern several times. This was always met with a few arrows forcing him back behind cover.

‘At least they’re not running away this time.’ The enemy was staying the course, it’d foolish to leave such a defensible position after all. And just by them being there even if they don’t kill any of Findlay’s team, they succeed in delaying them, giving Gobuske’s offensive team the chance to catch up.

In Gobuske’s private space, Gobuske was just receiving a report on the ambush. Bala was still silent behind him, though the pain caused by Dark was gone his warning still rung true. He kept his tongue and observed Gobuske, but it’ll take a lot more than a warning from Dark to change his innate attitude. Regardless of him hearing or glimpsing Gobuske’s success over his elder brother, his eyes were still full of mockery and disdain, unable to see passed the fact that he was a goblin.

“My King, ambush successful, enemy trapped, over ten dead.” His hobgoblin commander reported the best he could with his broken common tongue but was getting better at it the more he spoke.

“Good work, what about the goblin alchemists, how are they faring?” Gobuske asked with a prideful smile. Goblins, especially under his rule were incredibly diverse and when they reached max level to evolve their options expanded once again. The goblins alchemist were one of his gains from max levelling a goblin mage. They were upper E-rank monsters that could work with herbs and plants to create toxins and healing ointments.

The flasks of green liquid that forced Findlay to retreat were one of their battle concoctions. Made from relatively common herbs that he could grow in the dungeon. It was a highly acidic toxin that would burn ones skin on contact and its fumes would be just as deadly on the internal organs. He only had a half dozen of these goblin alchemists and each one needed time to create their concoctions, luckily, he had them prepare a few batches during the hour’s prep time. The other two that weren’t present were constantly making more potions for the troops deeper in the dungeon. That included more poisons as well as health potions. Yes, these goblins alchemist could actually make health potions, though they were of the lowest quality and wouldn’t always succeed it was a possible source of income for his dungeon if he ever engaged in trade. Now however it was good enough to rapidly heal his injured monsters while in battle.

With this question, the hob goblin commander frowned, “Two died from big troll, used magic. Other two fine.” The alchemists were in some ways even more valuable than the D-rank hob goblin commanders like himself so losing two was quite a blow.

.....

Gobuske couldn’t help but twitch his lips, ‘magic not only is that Findlay as Frost called him a commander with ally buffs and incredible physical attributes, he can also use magic for a ranged attack, this has got to be cheating somehow.’ He lamented internally his lack of overpowering monsters but quickly erased those thoughts. His goblins were awesome, and no one will ever change his mind on that, not his siblings nor his guardian.

“Have them retreat the next room but have them leave their concoctions for you and your squad to use. Continue to defend the choke point.” Gobuske decided it wasn’t worth it to risk his alchemists any more. As far as defence attributes they were kind of squishy and not built for the front lines. Best to have them return to safety and have the other monsters toss their creations. He just couldn’t resist using them in front of Frost just once.

“Yes, my King.” Gobuske cut of the communication and redirected his focus back to his offensive group, to see how they were faring now that Frost’s were pinned down.

The hob goblin commander on the ridge with the remaining goblin alchemists gave his orders. The alchemists though reluctant to hand over their precious creations to the archers and the hob goblin commander acquiesced to his orders and scurried into the back tunnels. They left 6 poison flasks for the squad but unfortunately only the hob goblin would have the strength required to lob it a fair distance. The archers would have to wait until the enemy drew close limiting their options.

Meanwhile back in Frost’s second area, the winter forest. Things weren’t going much better for Gobuske’s offensive team. With the fortified glades and bunkers dotted around the entire room, each with collapsible escape routes, his soldiers were witling down Gobuske’s forces.

Don don don

From one of the protected glades, ice bolts generate by the ice flans flew into the lines of goblins, skewering a couple with the rest destroying their shields. Next a volley of arrows was launched from another bunker in the opposite direction, wounding another 3. Then came the close combat assault. In the back lines a large herd of over a dozen winter boars led by an E-rank spiked winter boar, charged into the opposing goblins, crushing several under their hoofs before continue to run to the other side.

This set of attacks with a few variations assaulted Gobuske’s forces whenever they came across the next defensive line. Once they got close enough to attack the instigators, they would flee into their prepared tunnels, collapsing them once they passed through. It reminded the hob goblin commanders of their own defence forces tactics; they couldn’t help but groan in displeasure.

They barely managed to get a kilometre into the room, yet they’d already suffered large losses. Unfortunately, even though they knew the methods Frost’s forces would use to attack, there was very little they could do to combat them. The fortified glades prevented them from using ranged attacks against the flans and frost goblin archers. Their magic and arrows would get caught up in the branches. A couple goblins mages tried to set the glade a light but failed, the wood was too damp and cold due to the weather. The only way was to charge in with a frontal assault which was no picnic either. A small squad of armoured frost dwarves guarded the entrance along with a large frost spider. Whenever the dwarves were getting overwhelmed, the spider would shoot its freezing web giving them some leeway. Next to finish their defence before retreating into the tunnel the winter boars would charge into the back lines of the goblins, appearing from in between the trees. The loud sounds of battle eclipsing their stomps.

After several such attacks the hob goblin commanders arranged for squads of hob goblins to brace for the charge but as of, yet they only managed to kill a single boar, their charge with the spiked winter boar in the front was devasting. It got so bad that they had to recall their scouting teams to help endure as they advanced. Making their progress not only perilous but incredibly slow as well. Plus, whenever a commander sent off a scout team not all of them would return. The winter forest was full of artic foxes and artic horned rabbits that would strike in large teams, landing a single attack before fleeing, using their superior speed as an advantage.

One of the frost trolls was stationed in the heavily fortified glade, along with a contingent of goblins who gave him reports of what was going on. This frost troll was not nearly as intelligent as Findlay but was performing admirably with the aid of his master and the two phoenix kin.