Rymen Tollsen

Following the destruction of Tree Hill, it was the continued attempt by Bill Lovie to further destabilize the region and unable to understand why the Orcs hadn't destroyed Tree Hill completely and unable to meet with them he begin going back to his old trickery of creating bandits and using them to attack his own people. The Badgers of Lucerne were one of the many banditry groups he created, and they were especially dangerous as Bill Lovie sent Kieth Schwartz specifically to lead them, and he was a truly dangerous man and this was only made more dangerous by Kieth bringing his nephew Harry Schwartz, and fellow Circle of Magi member and demented psychopath Tobin Aven to act as commanders for him. Outside of this main leadership James Lovie also sent Luthor Clune who would be commanded to move against the principality of Limca using his family connections to have them support bandit movement against House Brent at Marburg. The Badgers were able to quickly gather forces through bribery, and intimidation of the small villages south of Castle Garfield, and from there begin raiding merchants and noblemen all across the province of Northern Hillsbrad. During this initial time the Badgers were able to turn Edmund Frotenhood to their side with the promise that he would gain the lands of House Tollsen following his siding with them, and desperate to remove his hated brother he would agree to assist them placing a powerful noble on the side of the Badgers. At first it fell under the responsibility of House Garfeild to deal with this problem and they went about this by calling in nearly all of their personal forces, and vassal forces and moving into the smaller villages searching for the Badgers. This would have great effect as they were able to find their way to the Badgers main hideout in the hills where they would attack it and kill many members of the Badgers, but unknown to them was the fact that the Badgers had been tipped off about the attack and most had fled including Kieth Schwartz westward where they were finding the work of Luthor Clune was going very well with the forces of House Haushka standing behind the Badgers.

Counter Attack

With the fall of Castle Tollsen the entire forces of House Greymane were aware of the attack, and Liam Greymane would lead the charge to eradicate the Badgers. Calling for all the vassals of which were many tens thousands of men at arms and thousands of knights was not needed so he called on House Crowley, and several other houses to travel with him and deal with the bandits. As the army was growing Frank Brent would send his son Franklin Brent to join the army as Frank was best friends with Gregor Tollsen, and Franklin Brent would immediately answer this call with his force of Unwashed of whom Frank hoped that due to his involvement in the conflict Franklin would come to better understand the rigors of combat. The army camped south of Tollsen a month after the castle had fallen, and by this time the area around it and the southern section of Northern Hillsbrad was in flames from the work of the Bandits. House Garfield had made attempts to stop them now under the command of Andrew Garfield, but the Badgers had begun force-ably recruiting men from the villages, and had armed most of Castle Tollsen into their forces, and were using hostages to maintain their loyalty if needed. Finding themselves up against a little more then a thousand troops the forces of Liam Greymane spent another two weeks waiting for reinforcements from House Lerman of whom unexpectaly were sent northward to assist with the action. Dexter Hill, and Franklin Brent led their personal forces first in the vanguard and would be used as a lure for a large group of bandits that was burning across the province. The lure worked and they were brought into battle where they were overwhelmed by the entire army of Greymane of which now moved into a siege of Castle Tollsen.

As the Badgers were sieged in Castle Tollsen, they were damaged as a single man stood on the tallest tower and used Magi to torment the siegers with whispering in their minds causing many to be unable to sleep, and others to be forced to leave the battle completely. When this did not end the siege though Kieth Schwartz understood clearly he couldn't hold, and talks were starting amongst the forced men fighting for him that they should storm the dungeons and regain their hostages of which would allow them to turn on the Badgers. With this happening, Kieth Schartz would send some two hundred men of his forces (mainly the forced members of his forces) outside of the castle and he begin planning a full scale retreat. As this happened the two hundred men sent out of the castle would begin infighting as the Bandits were bullied by the forced members, and this led to some sixty of the two hundred (all of the true bandits) heading westward trying to retreat away from the siege. Seeing this Franklin Brent, and Dexter Hill would lead a charge of their forces into the sixty, while Liam moved the main army to attempt to stop a full retreat. Franklin Brent's Unwashed would wipe out the sixty bandits, while Dexter Hill killed many of the outriders that were retreating from the broken force. Liam reached the castle to late to stop the retreat, and Kieth Schwarts was able to pull out of Castle Tollsen with some two hundred men, while the remainder of the loyal Bandits were dead during the revolt that had taken place within the castle.

With the Badgers at Tollsen defeated with their number mainly dead, and a small amount retreating westward with Kieth Schwartz, the threat was seen as all but gone. Liam would send the Lerman's after the retreating forces, while he led the main army into Castle Tollsen where he planned to spend several weeks rebuilding what was lost, and adding what he could to the area. Dexter Hill, and Franklin Brent would meet on the battlefield, and Dexter learned that Kieth Schwartz was leading the Badgers, and told this information to Franklin Brent of whom didn't fully believe him yet, but begin to seriously suspect Bill Lovie of nefarious actions, and also begin to further trust Dexter Hill. Logan Lerman, his two brothers, and his father would lead the Lerman forces into a fake chase of the Badgers, and Logan and his younger brother were shocked when they stopped their forces to camp, and were met while camped by the remaining Badgers. Logan, and Krandell Lerman attempted to fight them, but they were laughed at by both their older brother Faedra Lerman, and their father and after they started the Badgers also started laughing. Seeing this turn of events the brothers came to understand that they were working together with the badgers and that all the violence that had been done they had basically supported. Several dead bodies were passed across, and a mass grave was shown to Logan of which would be identified in case they needed to as the place they buried the remaining Badgers. One of the badgers a younger looking man introduced himself to Logan as James Nighting II. and had been sent by his family and revealed to Logan that despite his families prominent position they had become dire hard supporters of the Bill Lovie led regime.

Look at the world father. You were born into this land, and you have told me hundreds upon hundreds of times how much you used to love it. Look at everything you have done to it. You destroyed a city for no reason, killed hundreds of good men out of fear. Is this how you want to be remembered father. Is this the world you want to leave behind? I know you were a good person once. I have all the evidence laid out in front of me as to why you are the villain of this world, but I don't fully believe it. Don't end it all here, and be remembered as a monster..

I pulled my sword out of the poor man infront of me and collected myself around the rest of my men. A quick look told me we had lost very few if anyone in the charge, but looking to Edric Maul I knew my anwser would come quicker. "Edric what were our losses?" "Simon took an arrow to the face, and Tohmen was slashed on the neck." Only two casualties wasn't terrible considering how many of them we had just overrun, but as I looked out onto the field and saw how many were in retreat I knew this was just the beggining."Probably more injuries, but we won't know that until after the battle Milord." As he spoke I spotted the personal banner of Dexter on the hill before us, and knew I wanted to have a chat with Dexter about what was the next plan for the complete defeat of the Badgers. "Thank you Edric."He bowed his bloodied face at me and I turned towards the rest of my men. "Follow me men." As quickly as I said it I could hear the men trotting behind me as I made my way towards Dexter Hill of whom was stopped on a hill nearbye watching the retreat of the Badgers. Nearing him several of his men rode up the hill ahead of us, and spoke to him, of which the conversation was still going as I finally reached Dexter. "A cousin of the man identified him." "That will make for an interesting story. Where is this cousin now?" "He was struck down by an arrow, but with his dying words he told me Milord." "Then I suppose this information shall remain with us." "What information shall remain with you Dexter?" I wanted to trust Dexter. He had never given me reason to think he was a liar, but the simple fact was that everyone I met made a special point to tell me not to trust him, and that had unfortunatly seeped into my thinking. "Look out at the retreating Badgers Frank. Do you see the man carrying the banner? "  "Yes. I see him." "Beside him is the man leading the Badgers." "It seems obvious that the commander would be near the banner. What sort of..." "Yes this would be obvious Franklin, but its the identity of the man that is interesting. I have learned from a dying man that the man leading the Badgers was none other then Kieth Schwartz." "I do not know that name." "Kieth Schwarts is the best friend of our glorious king my friend." "How could that be." There had never been any real truth to Dexter's story that our King had been the cause of the destruction of Tree Hill, but if his best friend was truly here then that would be damning. "I have a feeling that the anwser to that question is further truth to what I told you of Tree Hill." "But it just doesn't make any sense. Why would the King of Lucerne go to such lengths to destroy his own land." I saw briefly a look of disapointment across Dexter's face as I once again resisted what he was telling me. "I told you the truth back in Hillsbrad Lord Brent. I told you the truth and it is up to you whether you choose to believe me and the facts I bring to the table. I'm not forcing anything. Believe what you will." With that he waved at his men, and they went riding down the hill towards the main force now entering the castle. I didn't know what to think right now, but I know that my father would have a better understanding of what was going on in the world.

After speaking with Krandell for some time he believed that he had also convinsed his brother that despite it being morally wrong they had no choice due to the oaths they had sworn to always serve and honor their lord and their king. Spending weeks riding around basically pretending to fight against the badgers Logan and his brother Krendall would stay very close keeping eachother company and this continues until the end of the Badger Rebellion when his father leads the Lerman forces back to Castle Tollsen which shows major signs of improvement under Liam Greymane and it is here that the Lucernian forces meet to discuss next steps.

Siege of Limca

Following the discoveries it was Franklin Brent IV. that travels to Marburg with Karyl Reyne where he meets with the leadership of the city in the form of his father and his fathers vassals and attempts to convince them that the bandits are funded by the king James Lovie and to give him more forces so that he might attack. Franklin stays several days in Marberg waiting for the arrival of House Ordos of whom is sending delegates there at the request of his father so that House Ordos can hear of what is happening, and while waiting he continues attempting to convinse them further about his designs. Franklin's cousin Kyle Darkwood arrives in the town by chance and Franklin attempts to convinse him to come with him to Limca but Kyle is cold to the idea telling Franklin how little there is to gain by going against the king in whatever violent attept he is making. After Kyle Darkwood leaves Franklin is disapointed in his continues failures and returns to his room where he finds Karyl waiting for him and not wanting her to see him down he barks orders at her which in his head he is disgusted at himself for the way he speaks to her but he feels a growing desire to touch her which scares him.

Badger Hideout

Main Article : Assault on the Badger Hideout outside Limca

Following this information the forces of Franklin Brent move towards the location given to them by Swen and traveling the road he talks things over with Ottkar who does a good job at explaining why they did what they did in supporting the King. Arriving at the hideout they would surround the entire camp with their forces while Franklin, and Ottkar moved in on the hideout with an elite force of a hundred knights. Entering the camp the Badgers led by Harry Schwartz would attempt to surrender, and a discussion opened up about accepting their surrender, but when it seemed like they were going to allow them to live it was Ser Poliver of Brent that discovered the imprisoned Edmund Frotenhood and removed the coverings from his mouth. Allowed to speak Edmund would reveal the depths of violence committed on the orders of Harry Schwartz and the other badgers in the camp and unable to talk his way out of it Franklin would execute Harry on the spot. The remainder of the badgers in the camp were also executed with only Edmund being taken prisoner back to Hillsbrad where he would be tried and decided what his fate would be. Among the rescued prisoners was Esla Tollsen of whom would be offered assistance in returning to Castle Tollsen and her family but instead rejected this and took a horse alone heading to her childhood home of Highgarden. Tobin Aven would be taken prisoner during the assault on the hideout and taken back by Franklin Brent to Hillsbrad in order to testify as to what the actions of James Lovie had been.

Final Meeting

During this meeting Logan is once again impressed by Liam Greymane and after the meeting ends he is approached in private by his brother who reveals that he will be telling Liam about what actually happened and concerned that this action will lead to the imprisonment of his entire family he goes to his father and tells him what is going to happen and at his words his father quickly has his brother imprisoned and sent back to the Lerman seat of Lehaven. The chapter ends with Logan having betrayed his brother now in an extremely emotionally devastated state but returns with his father to Lehaven where he is overjoyed to see his uncle Wren again of whom is the man that Logan sees as his true father and the man he knows will tell him the truth of everything.