"It all began when he received the sword...and Bhandn feels an uncomfortable sense of something wrong whenever he gets near the Palace of Arx." The time has come to find out why. He has talked directly to both the Lord Commander and First Captain of the King's Own about the issue, explaining that this feeling began when he received that beautiful, frustrating, diamondplate sword with all its troubling implications, and shown the source of that problem to each of them.

With the help of the King's Own and others with whom he has spoken, Bhandn will be taking Fidelis to the palace, uncovered and openly displayed while there, to shine a light on what began when he received the sword as 1011 AR began.

Sir Corban, in his role as First Captain of the King's Own, will guide Sir Bhandn through the Palace in an attempt to pinpoint the feeling of "wrongness" that he experiences. Although he will tour the public and known areas of the Palace with Sir Bhandn, he will not neglect either the Bijoux under the Throne Room or the Newly Opened Passage or Alarice's Study at the end of it. Indeed, if it cannot be found before then, he will lead Sir Bhandn into the tunnels found behind Alarice's Study and see whether that is the source of the troubles. And he will keep his Spooky Senses on alert to see whether he might figure out the source of the Wrongness.

Austen will travel with the others, fully armed and dressed for trouble. Just in case the sense of wrongness that Bhandn feels becomes actively dangerous to them. He'll assist however's needed, searching the palace in a grid pattern if needed.

When Bhandn told Sophie about his affliction and the feeling that he had when he looked at the palace Sophie approached Sir Corban, a friend from her childhood that is now a member of the Kings Own. The incapacitating nature of this affliction when he comes in contact with certain people has Sophie concerned with his health. She will be accompanying Bhandn on his tour of the castle in hopes of tending to his needs should her services as a Mercy be needed.

Sir Bhandn arrives at the Palace, and already it feels wrong, somehow. He waits patiently, and soon enough the King's Own show up - Sir Corban, Sir Austen, and a contingent of Silver Swords that follow. The Mother Mercy also shows up, and it isn't until then that Bhandn unsheathes Fidelis.

Almost immediately he is awash with a sense of nausea, but he gives a grim nod and together they proceed into the palace. The first place they look is the Hall of Metal - because the King's Own is adamant that they first determine if this is something that might affect the King. But whatever churns in Bhandn's stomach isn't heightened by his presence in the Hall of Metal.

And so they turn away and walk back to the Great Hall, and this time Bhandn leads them on a different path. There's a pounding in his ears, and that stomach-churning sensation grows stronger and stronger with each step downward. There is a moment where he stops at the entrance to the prison below and - here he can go no further. Instead, he falls to his knees weeping, and his sword slowly turns until it is pointed at himself.

The Hundred quickly surround him, for his protection more than in concern that he is a danger. He is clearly struggling, tears streaming down his face. He murmurs words that make no sense, in a tongue no one can understand. He sounds like he's begging, pleading for something. Remorse covers his face. And then he passes out on the floor.

Sophie moves to examine him immediately, but there seems to be nothing wrong with him at all. Strange. He's just passed out cold.

One of the guards picks him up and she looks to Corban and Austen - "I'll just take him outside then Sirs? If someone could pick up his sword and bring it too?" She waits for confirmation, and then hauls Bhandn outside. It isn't until she drops him at the fountain of Alarice and splashes some water on his face that he awakens - and all she says is, "You might want to be more careful there. Don't you know that place housed the worst criminals in history? Didn't know you Knights of Solace were so sensitive." There's a spark of amusement in her eyes now, but she waits while the others join them, and then she salutes. "First Captain, I'm on duty with the King presently."

Corban absently salutes and dismisses her - and it isn't until much later that he realizes the duty roster doesn't change over for another hour.

Riagnon lost his turtle, Responsibility. He's assembling a team of the most talented minds, swords, and bows in all of Arx to solve this mystery!

"Hello, my name is Responsibility. I'm a Crownlands hardshell turtle and this... is my story..."

So begins the 8 1/2 page mission briefing and summary distributed to all those involved in the rescue of Responsibility, the reckless turtle.

In addition to detailing the animal's day-to-day at the Acheron's residence in Arx (life on the Grand Shellington Estate, the turtle-sized castle where the noble turtles of House Acheron reside; relaxing by the turtle pond in Acheron's 'Glacial Grove' courtyard garden; drinking at Spirits in the Redrain Ward; the occasional appearance in the entirely mirror-lined locked closet located off of Mydas's former quarters), the documents also include a few wildly inaccurate factoids about turtles as a species. For example, it claims that one can determine the gender of a turtle via smell according to Marquessa Rhea. It also suggests that as turtles age and grow, they abandon the shells of their youth for newer, larger ones found out in nature. A very vulnerable time for any turtle! Who put these two in charge of a place? Oh, right! No one.

Dame Esoka Greenblood, Gloria's Sword, former wielder of the Twain of Riven, Disciple Leader of the Templars, and prodigal knight of acclimated esteem, will use all her questing powers to find Responsibility, the reckless turtle. She will utilize her knowledge of turtle habitat and habits gained as a girl in the riverlands. She will ignore the factual inaccuracies in Lord Riagnon's instrutions (bless his heart) and tell the people she meets in her search accurate things about turtles. She figures he found a place under the ice to wait out the winter and will check frozen-over ponds and garden arrangements in the Redrain Ward. She prays to Petrichor that nobody ate him. That'd be a tragic end to their noble quest.

"Riagnon, none of these turtle facts are true!"

Eleanor, the (RESPONSIBLE) owner of all of the other residents of the Grand Shellington Estate, is aiding in the search for the missing turtle. This largely consists of two things:
1. armed with strawberries and every turtle fact she knows, Eleanor will try and marshal the other turtle-hunters into some sort of organized turtle-hunting force. They will look in the pond, they will take a census of the Grand Shellington Estate, they will check the spoopy mirror room, they will (carefully) look underneath any old towels or discarded laundry. They will otherwise listen to Eleanor's wise and excellent turtle-hunting leadership.
2. shouting at Riagnon about his incorrect turtle facts.

As Rhea's protege, part of Calaudrin's job is giving Riagnon non-terrible advice. He'll try to manage that this time, when he's not combing the streets, looking in sewers, checking puddles, ponds and reflecting pools for the turtle. He also asks numerous tavern owners if they've been serving TURTLE STEW recently. They better not be.

Tikva is vehemently ready to go on this great turtle hunt. She blithely discards all of Riagnon's advice when it comes to searching for turtles, but spends her time examining the parks and outdoor areas of the Redrain Ward, and a little in the Crown ward, and a little just like... you know, around. It's like a scavenger hunt.

Umbroise really doesn't know what's up with this turtle business, but she'll help her cousin out and see what she can find. She'll first check her own rooms, to make sure the turtle isn't hiding there! And then she'll use her charm and manipulative skills on the Household staff to see if she can root out anyone who may have seen the little bugger... er... turtle.

All of Austen's knowledge about turtles comes from Riagnon. This is concerning.

As is the fact that he's trying to avoid Eleanor every time the subject of turtles come up. Which is difficult to do when you're working together to search for a turtle.

Mostly, to help find Riagnon's missing Responsibility, he's trying to figure out what he would do if he were a turtle. This mostly involves making maps of the Acheron residence and moving a little turtle figurine around it.

When outsiders fight over our souls, when the beast below us threatens to engulf us. When the days turn darkest. We must band together. We must show strength. We must

Find this damn turtle. Jeffeth doesn't have a lot of turtle tracking experience. Though he has found a couple on accident, and he is hoping that real world training will apply to this situation. Like most things Jeffeth really wants to apply himself to, he'll just do it doggedly. Tiredly searching probably the same place ten times over. But he doesn't have any quit in him. So he'll keep a searchin'.

Rhea, who has gotten just-- really, really great at this leadership thing, trust her, she'd give herself an A+, is going to give a rousing speech to the would-be turtle questers. She will be sure to ensure these valiant heroes that they will have all the thoughts and prayers they need to succeed in saving Riagnon's failed -- she means lost, sorry, -- Responsibility. Also? PLENTY of turtle facts (likely to be fact-checked on the spot by Eleanor, but whatever). Finally, she will offer a mysterious REWARD to the one who does, in fact, find Responsibility.

Jasher probably wishes he brought some rum, now.
Sufficiently moved by Riagnon's eight and a half pages of briefing and summary regarding Responsibility, Jasher will join the others in searching for the lost turtle. While his knowledge starts and stops at what Eleanor can tell when she's not shouting at Riagnon, he can combine what little he knows with good old logical thinking to map out where he would go if he was a normal wayward turtle. Come the Abyss or high water, he's not leaving a rock unturned.

In the Grand Shellington Estate, missing turtles are among the most serious events. The men and women who search for them comprise an elite turtle task force. This is their story.

The staff has the 8 1/2 page document in hand about turtles, though even as Riagnon is beaming about his amazing presentation, Eleanor is already marking through lines and correcting the wildly inaccurate factoids to anyone who will listen - which is mostly Rhea, who is being extremely indulgent as is her wont, and Austen, who has a look of long-suffering on his face - or perhaps he's just anticipating suffering a long time. Eleanor is gesturing with strawberries and handing them out to everyone as she continues her educational conversation.

Esoka searches the pond, her lips moving in a prayer to Petrichor that said turtle is not frozen under the ice, or stolen, or.. or eaten. Turtle soup is a delicacy in some parts. Some parts other than here of course. Nothing so awful would be cooked here - and Esoka finds no sign of Responsibility.

Calaudrin takes the show on the road, looking in streets and sewers and pubs and taverns. If Responsbility is taking the day off, he reasons, wouldn't he want to get drunk? But if the turtle isn't going to get drunk, well - this ale won't drink itself and Calaudrin does an extremely thorough job of investigation, and seems happy enough to do it.

Jeffeth is enthusiastic, to say the least. Enthusiastic, but not terribly effective. He goes through the house calling for Responsibility, and he sounds Very Serious when he does, but Responsibility does not show up.

Tikva, having watched all this for a while, is suddenly nowhere to be found.

Jasher, pleased with what he keeps calling a so-shell outing, joins Umbroise in the search, and the spiders - yes, even in a well-kept estate like theirs spiders do dwell - start to swarm. And they start to lead the way to a room... Casimir's room, as it happens, and there's a scratching on the door.

Responsibility! Found at last, for some reason in Casimir's room, and safe - if a little hungry. And just as Riagnon is happily reunited with Responsibility, Tikva bursts through the door waving a very surprised turtle that looks -just- like Responsibility. "I found him!"

Success!

Roughly one third (3000 men) of the Iron Guard will be deployed to defend the Lodge proper and the Watchtower. Scouts will be assigned to the Watchtower under the command of Lieutenant Calaudrin while the rest will defend the Lodge under Silas's command. Two ballistae will be placed at the Lodge, the Watchtower, the Burrows, and Unicorn Pasture and they will be operated by the Iron Guard and House Seliki's engineers (see Kaldur's action), deployed with the intent to use them on the gargantuans once the Inquisition's rituals have helped weaken them. The Iron Guard deploy four ballistae, the Crimson Blades deploy three, and House Deepwood has donated one to the effort.

Additionally, the Shield of Morien will presumably be deployed at the Lodge, though the details will likely be in the Inquisition's action. Whether they fuel it with souls or plants, Silas doesn't care!

Prior to battle, the soldiers will dig ditches and trenches that supplement natural features of the terrain. They gather tree trunks and branches (preferably from trees already fallen), sharpen the ends, and lodge them in said trenches as simple 'traps'.

Archers will be placed on the platforms Skye and her forces will build, shooting incoming threats. Cavalry will be in the front in order to make full use of their mobility, while Infantry will be further back in shieldwall formation. They will be more focused on defense than offense, letting the enemy forces come to them, since protecting the Lodge itself is absolutely paramount.

When the gargantuans reveal themselves, and if they come within 100 yards of the Lodge, they will be assaulted by the ballista regardless of the effectiveness of the rituals. They will use handmade ballista bolts with rope (300 ft long) stringed to the end, aimed at appendages and limbs with the intention of ensnaring them more than outright harming them. If successful, the bolts will be replaced with stone shot for maximum damage output.

Other present commanders include:
- Sparte (Cavalry)
- Austen (Pike)

Other present factions include:
- The Lodge forces
- Knights of Solace
- Physicians
- Various Grayson forces

((OOC: I may have sent an invitation for you to join knowing you will be elsewhere, simply to let you know what we're doing. If you're meant to be at the Watchtower or with another faction, don't worry! No need to assist here.))

As the commander on location at the Lodge, Sparte will be working to maintain the morale of those men and women assigned with him. He will hold regular interforce drills for those not on patrol, to help ensure the guard is ready to work together with those assigned with him.

Painfully aware his tactical prowess is not a strength as a commander, Sparte will be folding the military tactics that the Iron Cavalry employ into those of the Lodge's Stag Riders.

Nebulosa waits as part of the defense, ready to deploy her sword and her courage in service of the Lodge's preservation.

Ever since Austen was put in charge of the Iron Guard's pike regiment he has been training, drilling his troops, preparing for war. The Pike will hold back with the rest of the infantry, allowing enemies to come to them. The 500 pikemen will be put into 5 pike squares of a hundred men each, joined up to form a full battle line. Austen, unless otherwise commanded, will be in the centre square, leading by example.

As (just bearly!) a full-fledged member of the Iron Guard, Riagnon will be uh... doing... that. Iron Guarding, that is! He'll also make sure snacks are well stocked. No big deal but that's sort of his unofficial official duty -that he decided without permission.

Tessa's seen unicorns before and feels it's a mission given to her by Petrichor to protect these and other creatures like them! As such she (and the Moore cavalry) are here with the iron guard cavalry to defend the unicorns and any other of Petrichor's creatures from anything that will dare harm them.

Baroness Skye Blackshore, Thrax Minister of Infrastructure, is going to assist the Iron Guard with preparing for the battle by setting fortifications like archery platforms for the trees that will be minimally invasive to remove. Shudders on the windows (OOC Note: like storm shutters for hurricanes that can be easily removed after the event and slits that can be manipulated so the archers can shoot out.)

Gargantuans at the Lodge? No problem, right? Well. Actually problem, because it was a painful battle indeed. Over six hundred dead, all told - and only thanks to the Faith's trebuchets and some excellent use of information gleaned from accounts of battles in Queen Alarice's time. Many brave souls perished - but the Lodge still stands.