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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 8037065" data-attributes="member: 7015827">Carnage ensued as the adventurers used their swords, axes, bows and magics to slaughter their opponents. The fierce fight left the former baronial throne room slick with blood and full of corpses. Only one among the Beast’s men remained to surrender, an empty-eyed and professional-looking soldier. Rahnee confirmed that he was Captain Horvath, the brother of Tallwell smith Larent. Horvath said he was sick of the Beast’s atrocities and would accept their judgment of him. He explained that he had formerly been a soldier of the self-styled “Duke” Hallton and had fought at the siege of Turnton, where he saw half of his comrades burnt to death by a ring of fire. Afterwards, he joined the forest patrol, and fell in with the Beast’s men after Hallton was killed. (This is the first eyewitness account related of the use of magical fire against Hallton's forces at Turnton. From previous accounts in these chronicles, it appears to have been related somehow to the statue of the Hand outside the town and its magical powers. --C)Shanni, who had been keeping an eye out for other enemies, returned to the chamber and started haranguing the others for talking while potential danger lurked. She said there was a door that led outside and she could see several people and a bear out there. Shanni then noticed the chest next to the Beast’s throne and disarmed a trap on it, then unlocked it, only to find nothing inside; upon discovering this, she declared that it didn’t make any sense.As Rahnee formally accepted Horvath’s surrender, Shanni and Aerikoth fell to bickering over what had just occurred in the assault on the manor, each claiming that they were justified by events and the other was wrong. Darrow interjected, saying they should best finish off the others outside before arguing further. Instead, the mage and rogue ramped up their insults and justifications, getting ever-nastier and more personal, despite the others’ attempts to put a lid on the disagreement.Eventually, the sound of a horn prompted Rahnee and Darrow to check outside and then gather the others, whose tempers were still flaring. The party exited the manor and Rahnee called on the Beast’s remaining men to surrender, while Dermot tried - again unsuccessfully - to win the trained bear’s allegiance. The fight was nonetheless one-sided and the Beast’s men fell quickly, along with the bear, whose corpse was observed by Dermot to have a collar of tanned flesh.The ranger led Darrow and Aerikoth back inside, noting that there was a downstairs part of the manor to be explored, while Shanni and Rahnee spoke outside. In the basement, the three found some torture implements, which seemed to have been left over from Hallton’s days, though some evidently had seen fresh use. They then returned to the prisoner Horvath, telling him that the struggle seemed to be over. When they mentioned the empty throne room chest, the former soldier softly exclaimed a curse. He explained that the Beast had made a production out of placing all their loot in a “common chest” for everyone to see, but must have subsequently moved the treasure secretly, most likely burying it in the forest. (A cunning trick by the bandit leader, as no one in the Beast's company would likely dare to try opening the chest on their own, fearing bodily harm either from its trap or the Beast's wrath. --R)Rahnee returned and quietly help the others loot the bodies. She told them that Shanni had been inconsolable and now wanted nothing to do with the group; she had already departed, Rahnee being unable to talk her out of it. Dermot was displeased at this, while Darrow was saddened but seemed resigned to the fact. Aerikoth could not resist getting in a few more verbal jabs as the group, with Horvath accompanying them, headed back for Tallwell.</blockquote>

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