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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Carlo-One" data-source="post: 8203874" data-attributes="member: 7015827">By the evening of Ches 24, the party had finished resting from their exertions on the trail to Tallwell, at least sufficiently to contemplate the two-hour hike to Hallton manor. Shanni protested at the idea of going to look for a ghost in the hours of darkness, but was rebutted by Darrow’s argument that they were damn sure not to find it in broad daylight, comparing the idea to looking for a sober dwarf in a tavern. He and Aerikoth again expressed skepticism that it was in fact a ghost, which earned a “you got me there” shrug from Shanni. Dermot agreed that they should get a look at the place and if it was haunted, maybe spend the night, since that was the traditional thing to do.As they headed towards the forest path leading to the manor, it was eerily quiet in the village, with no one abroad in the twilight. An uneventful moonlight journey deposited the four adventurers on the manor grounds, the building silhouetted against the sky at the top of a hill. Dermot, moving silently and carefully, took the lead as the others wondered if any of the manor’s previous defenses were still there. During their approach to the building, a raven briefly circled overhead, then flew off. Aerikoth observed that it was an odd time for the raven – which was not his familiar, Zeluth – to be about. Shanni expressed concern that it might mean someone knew they were there. (Carrion feeders venture forth whenever there are victims to be had, however. --R)After climbing up the winding path to the hilltop, the first dead guard lay in view, sprawled on the ground. Darrow, with his dwarven vision, quickly spotted the second victim’s boot and then confirmed it belonged to the guardsman’s companion. Dermot squatted on the ground next to the first body and began checking to see what had killed the man. Darrow did the same and was the first to call out that it had been a thin blade, placed right in the neck. Aerikoth, standing over the same body Dermot was examining, dryly commented that this was not the usual tactic of a ghost. Dermot, after some careful study, stated that the man he was looking at had his throat slit from behind. The ranger also mentioned that the ravens had got to him, as one of his eyes was gone.Shanni walked over to Darrow and confirmed by demonstrating on the dwarf how the killing blow must have been made. Given the height of the guards, the petite rogue concluded that whoever had done it was not short. Darrow jokingly remarked that it ruled out kobolds, echoed more seriously by Aerikoth noting the same about gnomes or halflings. The dwarf then pointed out, somewhat tongue in cheek, that one could stand on another’s shoulders.With the examination of the two guardsmen’s bodies complete, the four adventurers turned their attention to the manor building. In response to a question from Shanni, Aerikoth and Dermot recalled that bloody writing had been reported on a wall inside the manor, which had triggered the panicked departure of the other guards. Shanni pointed out, looking at the closed manor door, that someone else therefore had likely shut it after them. Dermot carefully listened at it, looked at his companions and nodded, then mentally counted to three and opened the door.</blockquote>

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