Having the right now to search in the lands of Cassyl, and House Fournier, for House Durand, Kedehern gathers up some of Laurent's men, and a few other brave souls to seek out the matter of House Durand.

Of course, if while they're there, they just -happen- to come across Lord Aramis Fournier, well, that would be sheer coincidence, wouldn't it? Especially if he happens to be in the company of House Durand. Yes, yes it would.

In any case, Kedehern and Co will be looking for the lands of Fournier, partly for House Durand, and partly for Lord Aramis due to all the strife he has been causing, but officially, this is Durand business only.

Norwood is heartily tired of House Durand. They seem to be at the root of basically everything wrong in the Oathlands, and especially Laurent right now. He joins the effort with Queensguard at his side. He's not looking to be particularly merciful at this point. If they actually do manage to find Durand, he's going to do his best to slice slice slice.

Hopefully there won't be any centipedes. But if there are he is totally ready for that too.

On their way through, Flavien makes sure to check all the places he might have stashed someone if he we doing so. He'll rely on quick thinking and investigative technique.

Miranda is, primarily, going as added brawn to assist House Laurent in their endeavor to make things less dangerous for those going. In addition, she's helped Malvici, in the past, with things relating to Fournier, so as a half-Malvici person, she is assisting there. Lastly, as Voice of Gemecitta, Rubino-Zaffria is helping to assist House Laurent in the hopes of maintaining their good relations. Miranda tends to help in many ways and this is just one of them. In addition, if they need resources such as military and social, etc, they will provide that as well. Ensuring that vassals are at peace means the greater Houses are not fighting small battles while greater battles threaten the Compact.

While Kedehern and the others are look for members of House Durand, Shae will of course assist in this, using her knowledge of the tracking and her dogs, to help with sniffing out any Durand that may be hiding.

Several things help with the search. Shae with her hounds, and a young Oathlander woman and her flop eared dog. Flavien's investigative talents, and Miranda's odd intuition with certain moving shadows in Fournier lands. In fact, they had followed up a lead on some camps that were being used by reported odd men in green surcoats, that also lined up with the men Aramis had used to do the massacre, and they track it down.

Norwood is the one attacked first, managing to get Queensguard free in time to parry an attack by a knight wearing a surcoat with red on a green field, with the green rising above- the sigil of House Durand. They quickly find themselves engaged by a small party, and Lord Aramis is among them. As the melee grows, almost at the same time Gawain, Ahmar and Eddard show on the scene and join in, with Norwood winding up engaged in a single combat duel with Lord Aramis who refuses to yield.

And then the armies arrive.

Hundreds of Knights of the Swarm ride down, but they are pursued by thousands of troops with Esoka and Jael in command, leading a massive force of Laurent soldiers and templars, to surround the knights of the swarm. Lord Aramis is felled unconscious by a blow from Norwood, and the Knights of the Swarm wearing the colors of Durand all fight with an uncanny sychronization to one another- and not a one attempts to surrender. They all fight to the death, and are eventually destroyed.

With mounting evidence that Lord Aramis Fournier is the guilty party responsible for the attacks on the Prodigal Mercy Hopefuls as well as the dozens of Templars en route to Blancbier, Duke Cristoph Laurent is orchestrating a meeting between House Laurent, House Fournier, House Lyonnesse, House Fidante and House Malvici. He'll be encouraging Count Fournier to assist in apprehending and turning him over to the Templars for them to decide his fate. While he understand this is a difficult decision to make as Lord Aramis is his son and /also/ has a military grip on the duchy, Cristoph encourages him to make the right decision. He also explains that his sister is prepared to encircle the border of the county (JAEL ACTION#3534) and is aided by the Templars themselves. She can swoop in to assist in any military skirmishes that happen as well as ensure Lord Aramis does not escape or attempt to turn the entire county against him.

Additionally, he makes a very strong case for Count Fournier for approach Marquess Davegia about a marriage alliance between their two families to really put this thing to rest. Preferably a marriage between one of his less trecherous children and an eligible member of her family.

After previous success with negotiating with house Fournier, Mabelle is ready to hit the field again and be of assistance. Anythign to prevent bloodshed and bring to justice those who have caused it. She has her own personal reasons to be there, of course, but initially, to help the family's interests as Minister of Population.

Standing in as a representative for Fournier's liege house is Lady Jenessa, Lyonesse's acting Voice serving in Demura's stead. She accompanies Duke Cristoph to the meeting between Houses, offering her support to her own liege lord while also making it clear where Lyonesse stands on the matter with Lord Aramis. Jenessa aligns with the Duke and his encouragement of the Count to turn Aramis over to the Faith, in addition giving her own _strong recommendation_ for a marital alliance between Fournier and Daviega. She offers promises and assurances that nothing ill will befall the County for turning Lord Aramis over, and whatever worst case scenario the Count fears will not be allowed to come to pass. No riots. No uprisings. No people getting up in arms and setting anything on fire..etc.

Coming off the success of a previous campaign with Duke Cristoph and House Laurent, Calista Fidante, gladly accepts the invitation to return to the Oathlands on a diplomatic mission. She is there to fortify Cristoph's suggestion of a marriage between Fournier and Davegia. If anyone knows about marrying one's enemies for a successful outcome, it is the Duchess of Roses who married Inigo Malvici of Southport. Bridging gaps and all that seems to be Calista's jam.

In the interests of the Faith, as their Godsworn Knights of the Holy Templars were proven to be slain by Lord Aramis Fournier and his military, the Legate of Concepts will be attending the meeting coordinated and led by Duke Cristoph Laurent. To aid in their goals to peacefully acquire Lord Aramis and ensure discourse by the Fournier military is kept to a minimum, Ailith will be leading an effort to make it easier on Count Gael Fournier to agree to the set forth terms by Duke Cristoph. And if needed, have the swift approval of the Faith over the marriage contract.

Ailith will coordinate with local seraphs and other faith leaders to conduct sermons and counsel of the Faithful, especially the "Warders of the True Oathlands', of their obligations to the Faith, that the oaths every Oathlands holds extremely dear is held as the exemplar of piety to the Compact. This will be contrasted subtly with what Lord Aramis Fournier and the Warders committed, especially drawing attention to the breaking of Oaths and the direct assault on Godsworn who are, after all, servants of the Gods themselves. She and her associates will lay emphasis on the striking down of Templars, a thing unheard of for an Oathlander to do. Her aim will be to contrast the Faithfulness of the slaughtered Templars and pilgrims with the Oathbreaking and Faith-attacking Lord Aramis. It is her hope, by applying such societal pressure, the grip Lord Aramis has on the Fournier military lessens. That the people, too, will encourage absolution and penance by the Faith, and perhaps, Lord Aramis, himself, as a noble lord, a knight of the Oathlands, will present himself to the Legate of Concepts.

Dipomacy is GREAT. Norwood would really love for diplomacy to go really well. The thing is that diplomacy doesn't always work. So Norwood's presence here is super simple.

Don't say anything.

Stay with Cristoph at all times.

Stab anyone who gets close to Cristoph.

Make sure anything that tries to hurt Cristoph doesn't get a chance to do it again.

Calypso will be along to help present justice for her vassal. She will be working alongside Duke Cristoph to make sure everyone plays nice and follows the rules.

After the first diplomatic mission was a success, this time Martino is joining with Duke Cristoph and the wider Laurent mission with the Malvici branch of the family to work under Cristoph and Calypso’s direction.

He will be supporting the comments and suggestions of a marriage between House Fournier and House Daviega. Martino will be in communication as well through messengers with House Daviega with updates on the potential marriage and progress on capturing the guilty Lord.

Keeping things calm, but also proposing how this is the best solution for House Fournier will be Lord Martino Malvici’s direction and line of communication. Playing on his role last time trying to find peace, to show how this really will give us peace at last.

It is, in a word, tense. Count Gael Fournier doesn't seem thrilled to see either the voice of his direct liege or his banner duke again, nor word of Jael and others leading military forces on his lands, but he is quite willing to listen, and the diplomatic expertise of Mabelle and Calista are critical there, as well as the pressure brought to by Ailith as Shield of the Faith, and the Malvici representatives with the Duchess of Southport and her commander Martino. Despite the clear reluctance on Gael's part, he has little desire to stand alone against Lyonesse, Laurent, Malvici and others, and even his baronies sworn to him are quite obviously manifestly reluctant to back him in a fight with the Faith, particularly when the evidence against Lord Aramis is so strong.

After several days of negotiations, Count Gael decrees that his son shall not be protected by House Fournier forces, and that templars can take him into custody for a fair trial- though he is not aware of his precise location, and the search is left to others. He does agree that his younger son, Lord Erroll Fournier, will wed Marquessa Magdalena Daveiga and they will work out various concessions to Daveiga to have a lasting peace. Gael is almost a little too conciliatory, and it's possible someone had some leverage over him in addition to what was visible.