The inner door erupts as the looters run out of the burning, collapsing outpost. A flurry of missed blows later, several of the party are incapacitated - but the roof crushes in on the party's foes, finishing them off and preventing pursuit.
The party staggers out to the horse and cart, and begin to collect themselves. They stand guard through the night, and in the morning examine the burnt-out ruin. Satisfied with what little they could scrounge from the looter's hideout, they take their three living prisoners back to Arbora.
Tabotaku the Wizard offers to examine the trinkets brought back from the tower, and Decos is happy to have a certain sword back. The party convalesces for a week, before agreeing to meet with Decos once again to discuss the terms for the northmen's continued employment.
It seems that getting rid of the looters was only the first step of a larger design on the part of the old boy. Oh, it was all for the public good or whatever - but the townsfolk immediately sent miners into the old ruin and started excavating beneath it. A network of tunnels exists under the old Thyatian watchtower...and Decos is very interested in getting into it.
The northmen are impassive. They will destroy the enemies of these folk. They will show them the ways of Odin.