A Public Demonstration...

"Don't break the laws or commit treason like me," the man had initially told the crowd with an otherworldly calmness as he was dragged to Central Shadowdale's primary attraction: the well. Directed by Commander Cross of the Darkhope Army, a crowd gathered to bear witness to local Zhentarim justice.

Vanguard Robison carefully nailed Jonathan Quinn to the wooden post of the well; a stake each through his shoulders, elbows, and wrists. Later, his teeth were plucked from his mouth one by one by the foreign beauty, Leona von Grimm of the faithful of Bane. Coercion by the Commander and Acting Imperceptor of the Church led the notorious local lecher into setting the man aflame...

... after an interruption from a daring elf of indiscriminate gender that walked into Shadowdale regardless of his banishment. Easily defeated by the insurmountable battle prowess of figures such as Zaburra, Zanif Gambin, and the very same grim and glum Grimm, attention was quickly restored to the broken and battered Jonathan Quinn. It was not long after the interruption that the man's unfortunate torture escalated into a game amongst the darker-hearted and sadistic Zhentilar. Where a thrown stone would land, the lanky, armored mage Zanif was quick to drive a hammer, smashing bone and wrenching muscle into pulp with sickening strikes.

With the occasional cheer or suggestion from citizens, and the more-common disdain or disgust offered by higher-hearted adventurers, no one bothered to notice the lack of response the man offered, whether by sheer fortitude or a loss of his senses. The Lord of Filth, rumored to dwell in the contaminated well, was assuredly hard-pressed to pollute the water as much as Quinn's blood did, spilling in great pools to the dirt and stone and snow around him.

The very soil of Central Shadowdale saw a great amount of blood this day, undoubtedly staining it crimson for the weeks to come, after a raid on the town by monstrous beasts and undead, the slaughter of an elven murderer that dared return to town, and now this gruesome, fear-inspiring display of punishment suffered upon those that dared speak out against the mighty Darkhope Army of the Zhentarim.

Shadowdale's citizens would no doubt lie low for a few weeks, as no sane man, woman, or child would dare wish for such a fate...

Malik looked content as he supervised and took care of the public display, along with Commander Cross. The few gentle reminders every now and then saying "This is the fate that await those who oppose the Black Hand", before regenerating Quinns broken bones and bleeding frail form, as the punishments continued. "You can die when we say you can, feylock." Malik was pleased that even though the sight was extremely gruesome and violent, with blood flowing around the area of the well, the crowd gathered was large, and that the lesson may have struck home. Perhaps he got rid of a few of the souls that possessed weakness in Shadowdale... but most of all. He saw terror in the eyes of every pesant that walked past, as Zanif crushed bone after bone, and the Zhents did take their time.

The Toymaker of Tilverton, Maiu Softriver, kept herself distracted for most of the proceedings, cradling a wounded arm in its sling as a result of the earlier raid.

Given the curative blessings of the Black Hand by none other than Vanguard Kenson herself, Maiu's happiness lingered for a fair time until her attention was returned to the scene. While she managed to bear witness to the proceedings until it was over, her nausea only lingered from the gruesome sight, and the squeamish toymaker finally retired for the evening, shortly after the crowd dispersed.

*Roman comes across the huge splotch of gore by the well and hangs head kicking dirt around with his feet*

"Damnitall! I missed another one?!?"

*He mopes his way over to the fire and chit chat's with folks to get all the gory details*