Summer Campaign / Zweiwasser
Earlier in the year, the Kingdom of Blackwood's representatives in Mythodea pledged support to Margrave Balor the Red of Zweiwasser. Blackwood will support Balor at the very least until the conclusion of the Archon Tests. Part of that support was provided during this year's Summer Campaign.
Champions for the Area
Ambassador Dagger sent Commander Anthem and Captain Varn with the Embassy Guard to offer support to Balor. After fighters were sent to the arena at the Temple of Ignis where warriors fought and earned stones of power which were vital to several missions around the ruined city where the armies of the Elements made their camps. Eridan Swiftblade, the Champion of the Guard, and Reginald of the Embassy Guard both participated in earning several stones throughout the day.
Crabsbane
As the challenges in the arena and at the Ignis Temple continued, Eridan Swiftblade eventually became one of the five champions who would face the great-crab beast of the Pestilence. Balor was also among those warriors. The Margrave Balor was the first to fight. He fought well but sustained heavy injuries for his efforts and did not manage to kill the beast. The next two warriors that followed, both of the Realm of Roses, fell fighting and shall be remembered for their bravery and heroism. Then, Cordovon who should have been the forth withdrew from his duel upon the orders of his high king. This caused tension between the Realm of Roses and the Blutpakt.
That left Eridan Swiftblade, the Champion of the Embassy Guard, as the fifth and final challenger. If he failed then the Pestilence Crab would live and continue to tear into the people of Mythodea for years to come. Ambassador Dagger spoke to him privately just before offering some final words of encouragement. Eridan took the field and those gathered cheered their support. With a great-war hammer in hand, Eridan danced around the crab as if he were a man fifteen years his junior.
Eridan then rained hammer blows down on the dreaded beast until the fight finally left it. A cheer erupted after in support of Eridan and as a cry of victory. The herald announced that Eridan had entered the duel as Eridan Swiftblade but from that day forward would be forever known as Eridan Crabsbane.
Episcorpa
Throughout the latter half of the Summer Campaign, East Blackwood continued to visit the Zweiwasser Camp and offer their support. On the final day of the campaign, East Blackwood was asked to support Balor directly when he took the field once more to hunt Episcorpa. Eager to provide the promised support, Commander Anthem and Captain Varn agreed. When the time came, Anthem, Varn, Dagger, Eridan, Medina, Annabel, Beria and Reginald formed up with three warriors of the Blutwall behind the Discoveror's Banner palisade and waited for the arrival of Margrave Balor the Red.
When Balor arrived, Antonias of the Realm of Roses explained the mission plan to Commander Anthem and Captain Varn. Blackwood would form the main shield wall with the support of the Jarnsfolk which would serve to hide the representatives of the aspects and the elementally charged weapons and their wielders which were on hand. Blackwood was to move slowly up the field with their shields locked, never breaking. Once close enough, the shields would part just enough to allow the representatives of the aspects, such as Balor and Sylvana, and the elemental weapons through to fight Episcorpa and hopefully destroy her for good. Blackwood was charged with getting Balor, the aspects and the weapons to Episcorpa safely and protecting them from other enemies while they fought.
East Blackwood, the Blutwall and the Jarnsfolk pushed up the field of battle fighting their way through slowly until the reached Episcorpa's last line of defense, the Loyals of the Undeadflesh. The mission coordinator asked Captain Varn if East Blackwood was strong enough to push through the knights of the undead flesh. His response, "we can try." And try they did.
Though some of the shields ofthe wall were heavily damaged, the line indeed managed to push through. As they did the call came from the rear to let the aspects and weapons through. Balor, Sylvana Waffenmeisterin Ignis and the other representatives of the aspects and weapon wielders pushed through to Episcorpa felling the priests around her. The fight to destroyed raged on while the fist of shields who got them there fought to handle other threats while avoiding siege weapon fire. Finally, Episcorpa died in billowing-black smoke. Balor was victorious.
Back at the Zweiwasser camp, East Blackwood and Zweiwasser toasted to their success and to those who had fallen. The Margrave agreed to pay for the repairs to Blackwood's shields, weapons, and armor after the campaign.