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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 8016293" data-attributes="member: 7015827">In the early evening, Rahnee came out of the woods to join them, looking somewhat haggard but otherwise in good spirits; she joked that she had found them by following the dead bodies. Dermot and Darrow explained to her about the white stag and how they had decided it would be best to rest and prepare by the forest pool, prior to making their effort against the Astorians’ lair. Darrow escorted Rahnee into the hut while Dermot stayed outside, ensuring that Pincer came back after going into the woods. After the former slaver returned, Dermot came in silently after him, closing the hut door and surprising him. The group took a few minutes to get caught up, then turned conversation towards their next objective, the lair, while Pincer snoozed.The first part of the discussion revolved around the planned treatment of any Astorians at the lair and it was agreed that no prisoners would be taken. Rahnee then kicked Pincer’s foot to get him awake and answer some more questions. She first asked where prisoners were kept in the lair, but he claimed not to have seen any on his last trip there. She and Darrow then expressed concern about any prisoners being killed after the lair was assaulted, which only served to confuse Pincer, who failed to understand why valuable prisoners would be executed.Rahnee then pressed Pincer on what the lair was like inside, past the entrance. He mentioned that it was pretty dark and he recalled being escorted past the entry chamber and down a corridor to the guards’ quarters. He thought there was only one corridor and said he had not gone any further into the lair past that point. He also reminded them that they would have to find the lair entrance first. Rahnee was still concerned with the need to move fast once inside the lair, which Pincer was skeptical about, mentioning that he had moved slowly and carefully in there while following his guide.The adventurers turned to discussing their tactical plans, including the use of light while underground, the need to detect any traps inside, and which spells Aerikoth should cast when. As they were finishing up, Pincer interjected with the suggestion that maybe he could stay and guard the hut, clearly not relishing the idea of going with the others to the lair. He was pleased to hear that this was their plan as well, although his enthusiasm was dampened after Rahnee informed him that Aerikoth would be locking the door after he left. The wizard observed that the hut would disappear of its own accord in perhaps twelve hours.The companions, having decided over Rahnee’s objections that it would be best to move against the lair then rather than wait until morning, collected their gear and exited the hut, Aerikoth magically locking the door once only Pincer was left inside. He had been told that if they failed to return before the structure vanished, he would be on his own. Dermot then lead the group through the woods for the next two hours, taking them back to the original area where the white stag had appeared. (This raises the question whether Pincer would disappear along with the magical hut - which I expect may have been a concern of the slaver - although it is implied above that only the structure would vanish after the expiration of the spell. I would not like to trust my life to such magical effects. Pincer obviously had no choice in the matter and it would not be a loss to the world to have one less slaver in it. --C)Circling carefully along the natural forest paths, Dermot found another snare, which Shanni disarmed. Dermot moved confidently and silently through the woods, leading the others down what seemed to be a natural-looking corridor of trees past the snare. Moving ahead of the others, he spotted another trap, as well as a group of men in what appeared to be an ambush position. Dermot went back and informed the others of this and they readied themselves for battle.The fight did not go quite as the adventurers expected. More Astorians appeared from another ambuscade that had been hidden from view and Darrow set off a tangle trap while charging forward to meet them. The dwarf however was able to ignore the vines, which magically moved aside when faced with his axe, and rushed several enemies who were flanking them with arrow fire. Rahnee fought furiously to hold off the other ambushers while Darrow attended to this task, supported by the arrows and spells of her comrades. Several Astorians nonetheless got through into the adventurers’ back ranks, gravely wounding Shanni in a confused melee. Darrow’s return to the main fight put their enemies on the defensive, however, in combination with a well-timed Slow spell from Aerikoth. After some further brutal combat, all of the Astorians were killed.</blockquote>

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