At the time, the Master Chief, Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli pursued the group Uruk-hai that took Merry and Pippin captives, Frodo and Sam continued with the quest. Unknown to the Spartan and his group, the goblins led by Gorkil their king began mobilizing his forces to conquer the areas around the Misty Mountains. The goblin infantry made up of scimitar-wielding swordsmen and archers. The goblins were able to tame giant spiders and included spiderlings in the army. The only cavalry unit of the goblin army was spider riders that could switch between bows and poison-tipped spears. The half-troll marauders were made by crossbreeding goblins with cave trolls and wield fearsome pikes that were lethal against opposing cavalry. The cave trolls function like tanks to goblins as they could throw rocks to attack, those beasts could even use trees as clubs. Gorkil riding a giant scorpion began leading his army from Ettenmoors to invade Lorien.
Across from the river, Haldir the agile defender of Lorien spoke in a serious tone, "Your filth will not spread through, leave now or die!" Gorkil scoffed, "so much for an elf, attack my warriors!" The defenders of Lorien were limited to infantry made up of archers and warriors that wield swords and shields. Gorkil on his scorpion and the goblin spider riders could run them over easily. The riders began charging with the goblin infantry followed from behind as the swordsmen began clashing blades with each other and archers firing arrows at each other. The cave trolls threw rocks at the tree houses while the goblins kept the elves busy. Some of the cave trolls used trees to take out the elven swordsmen. Haldir was poisoned by the scorpion's stinger and retreated when the first line of defense fall. The goblin king recognized a gigantic hunchback creature held captive by the elves and considered freeing it would help them. The Gorkil and his troop slew the captors freeing the giant that had siege capability of hurling boulders at long range. After freeing the two other giants, Gorkil and his army fought through the resistance from the Lorien infantry. The giants could easily crush swordsmen with their melee attacks. "Leave this place or to become your grave!" Haldir spoke strongly and retreated when the goblins overwhelmed the second line of defenses. In Haldir's final stand, "I will die before you set foot on this sanctuary," he said his last words before his throat was being slashed by Gorkil.
When reaching the elven fortress of Caras Galadhon, "you shall feel my wrath, foul creatures," Lady Galadriel spoke bravely and began fighting with her wizard blasts. "By the light of Elbereth, you shall perish!" Lord Celeborn, her husband took out his blade and began making the stand along with his wife. He clashed blades with the goblin king and the scorpion stung the elf with the poison stinger. The couple could not hold the goblin invaders much longer, "escape Galadriel, flee and warn the others!" Celeborn said his last words to his beloved wife before being stabbed by Gorkil who laughed, "What a tragedy!" The goblin army succeeded razing Caras Galadhon and Gorkil communicated with Sauron who was now in the form of a huge eye via the Mirror of Galadriel. The elf queen escaped to Rivendell to get word to Lord Elrond about the goblin invasion. Gorkil ordered tunnels to be constructed in Lorien to connect with the goblin tunnel network throughout Middle-Earth. He decided to invade the Shire due to a history that the goblins had with the Hobbits.
