Session 4 Notes

The party manages to bring the Asaathi prisoners back to the town and interrogates them the following day under Zone of Truth, learning only that the children were sought for ritual sacrifice to Mormo at their city in the center of the forest, where it was said 600 or so of them lived. The ritual was supposed to open a portal of some sort, whether to admit something, or allow travel there, was unclear as the Sorcerer claimed to know nothing of the specifics. After the interrogation, all three were killed and the grateful villagers took in the orphaned children and helped the party to appraise and identify their gear.

Returning to Hollowfaust to sell and train, the party fails to notice that they are being spied upon by a circling familiar.

Once in the city, the party is requested to meet with one of the Councilmembers in the morning, and agree to do so.

Selling their leftover loot, the party gathers to meet with Nemudaya, head of the Readers of Cracked Bones, as their previous contact, Councilwoman Danar, is said to be busy with research. Many armed and armored skeletal legionnaires are seen to be amassed at the gate, and upon inquiry, the Councilwoman claims that they are just ceremonial guards for an upcoming ambassadorial visit, just there to impress, nothing to see here, move along citizens...

The Councilwoman, head of the diviner's guild for Hollowfaust, stalls them for some time while she uses Detect Thoughts from her medallion to determine that they are not involved in the affairs threatening the city. She gives them an additional 200 gold pieces, for reasons which are not made terribly clear. Jack notes that his benefactor Corrus works for her directly as Unfailing bodyguard.

Returning to their homes, at loose ends, the party splits to handle private spell, skill and feat training, and / or serious drinking. Two nights later, the assassins that have been spying on them for the last few days finally make their move, and in the night eight Coal Goblin rogues, a pair of trained wolves, a Coal Goblin spellcaster, and his pair of skeleton minions, all attack in the night. The party is much better suited for night-time combat, and between a Light spell and the use of Mage Armor and magical armor, they are not nearly as penalized as before, save by atrocious luck. Apparently a Bane cast at the outset of the combat took on some extra malignant force, as everyone's luck was abysmal, and the Goblin tumbled and moved to flank so that in some cases three seperate foes were getting Sneak Attacks on a single target (either Tyrus or Jack).

Still, the forces of good prevailed, despite crappy rolls and a wine-cooler befogged DM forgetting things mid-combat. :)