Siege!
You order for the strongest but lightest metals in the empire to be gathered and you have smiths form them into plates. You gather all the carpenters of the empire to build to massive siege rams which are fitted with these metal plates. The head of the battering ram is fitted with a lead ram having the likeness of Ducount upon it. You build a second replica of this ram and test them against a boulder. Each ram is able to shatter through solid stone with ease. You gather the strongest men in the empire to man each ram and within a few weeks time the rams are ready for the attack.
As the rams approach no arrows are fired upon them. They reach the gate without a single projectile hitting them. It seems the plates you had constructed were in vain, but you certainly don't mind this. The first ram smashes into the gate while the second stays in the distance. Three bashes of the ram occur without any response from the forest people. Then, a massive pot of flaming oil is poured over the edge onto the ram. The ram continues to slam into the gate unaffected by the fire. After two more ramming motions it stops and you hear screaming. Men from within the ram come running out and are slaughtered by the enemy archers immediately. The second ram moves in and suffers the same fate.
That night after the failed attack you contemplate it and realize that though the rams were unharmed, the fire on top of them raised the temperature within significantly, turning the rams into giant metal ovens. The men within ran out to avoid burning to death and were met with sharp high velocity arrows. It was a stupid plan in retrospect but it has taught you one important lesson, this fortress will not be taken by conventional methods.
As the rams approach no arrows are fired upon them. They reach the gate without a single projectile hitting them. It seems the plates you had constructed were in vain, but you certainly don't mind this. The first ram smashes into the gate while the second stays in the distance. Three bashes of the ram occur without any response from the forest people. Then, a massive pot of flaming oil is poured over the edge onto the ram. The ram continues to slam into the gate unaffected by the fire. After two more ramming motions it stops and you hear screaming. Men from within the ram come running out and are slaughtered by the enemy archers immediately. The second ram moves in and suffers the same fate.
That night after the failed attack you contemplate it and realize that though the rams were unharmed, the fire on top of them raised the temperature within significantly, turning the rams into giant metal ovens. The men within ran out to avoid burning to death and were met with sharp high velocity arrows. It was a stupid plan in retrospect but it has taught you one important lesson, this fortress will not be taken by conventional methods.