This week I was paired against Cidne’s Retribution of Scyrah, and our battle took us to the tomb of Aelrik outside of Old Korska.  Aelrik was a great ranger whose sword, gifted to him by his elven allies, protected him from magical attack.  It was said that the sword still existed and was, in fact, buried with him…  …If one could but locate his tomb.

When the Iosians found out that the Grymkin had located the tomb of Aelrik, they could not stand by and allow it to be defiled.  When they arrived, the Grymkin were already there, gathered around the sacred site.  As the Child got her beasts into position, Magister Helena wasted no time in blocking off avenues of escape with her wall of covering fire from the Manticore.  There was no discussion of escape though, and the Child’s Gorehound dove right into the Iosian line wailing as it did, disrupting the Elves.

The House Vyre Electromancers struck first though, lashing out at the nearby Rattler with their inducer bolts.  The bolts struck home, then continued on to the unfortunate Dread Rots behind, destroying many of them with a single stroke.  The Electromancers were unable to put down the Rattler though, and its counterattack was almost as bloody as it raked through the Electromancers, gutting all but one of them.

Meanwhile, Helynna’s Chimera put down the Gorehound, but, in doing so, found itself out of position.  Helynna ordered her Manticore to cover the hole in her defenses, just in time, as a giant Skin and Moans charged in.  The brute mangled the remaining Electromancer, then went to work on the Manticore, dismantling it plate by plate.

On the other side of the battlefield, Larlara of House Shyeel and Adrik, the Abandoned were settling their own conflict.  A Gremlin Swarm and a small Graveling brought forth by Adrik pinned down Larlara’s Griffon while Adrik moved in to strike with his magical attacks.  The Griffon was able to dispatch the Gremlins, but was soon set upon by The Child herself!

Magister Helynna made a last attempt to shape the battlefield to her advantage, throwing her magical attacks at The Child and pushing her back, while Larlara and her Griffon moved to block her in.  Still, the monstrous beasts moved in and pummeled Helynna back until she was forced to flee the battle with only Larlara in tow.

Adrik then used his particular talents to raise Aelrik’s corpse from his grave.  While his great sword was not buried with him, the ranger began to lead them to its resting place, a copse of tress not far from their present location, but well under the watch of the Circle Orboros…