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.