The Siege of Rimvold was Ulzathir’s occupation of Skarnheim’s capital and the allied campaign to recover it. Zain, Gabriel and Ishqari held the city against Virel’s forces. The allies withdrew when Khauren took control of Zain, but reclaimed Rimvold after Ulzathir’s army abandoned it.
Occupation and preparations
Raphael offered Zain Malverand technology in exchange for attacking Rimvold while Garrik committed his forces to Blackcrag. After conquering the city, Zain remained there with Gabriel and Ishqari to meet the expected counterattack. He sent his other chosen and a little more than half his army back to defend Ishtanûr.
Many of Rimvold’s runic mages and shielders had fled to Jazarel and Bjarnholt during Zain’s attack. The occupying forces could not use the runes inscribed on the city’s buildings. Zain organized his soldiers into units with fire mages and strong shielders to keep them warm in Ishqari’s blizzard.
Allied counterattack
Virel, Nahm’s shard wielder, led about a thousand mages from Haverloch, Bjarnholt and Morozkaya, aiming to take the city quickly while limiting damage and civilian casualties. Thorik and Leif joined the assault, and Glin shielded the advancing army. Virel redirected incoming spells and Thorik’s lightning, while aiming his meteors outside the walls to spare the city.
Ishqari’s blizzard obscured the battlefield and disrupted Virel’s senses. She drew him into a pocket of calm where Gabriel waited. Gabriel demanded that Nahm help destroy the remaining Order and submit Haverloch to Raphael. Nahm refused and prolonged the exchange to keep Gabriel occupied.
Meanwhile, Zayren, Lythariel and Remus isolated Zain from his army. Lythariel restrained him with darkness tendrils, Remus bent his limbs with vectors, and Zayren crushed him with aether magic. When Zain was close to death, Khauren took control. Red lightning and spatial rifts accompanied his attacks. Zayren and Remus suffered severe wounds, and Lythariel enclosed them in a darkness barrier to escape.
Maric’s intervention and withdrawal
Maric arrived with Gin, carrying Renneth’s lava shard. His fire and water magic broke through the snowstorm, and he fought Gabriel with Renneth’s guidance and power. He turned the ground to lava, drove back Gabriel’s cold and dispersed the god’s body into essence. Gabriel survived and later returned to Zarephon.
Maric cooled the lava into rock before collapsing unconscious. Virel caught him, while Glin and Gin protected the army. Although Gabriel had been defeated, Zayren ordered a retreat because of the power Khauren was wielding through Zain. Virel accepted the withdrawal and carried Maric away.
Reclamation
The following morning, scouts found that Ulzathir’s troops had left Rimvold. Thorik would lead a delegation to retake it once Zain was absent. Thorik and Leif reclaimed the city, and Thorik remained there to help restore Skarnheim.