Get the Halfling!

Iceday the 7th of Vatelion
Having used it to break his fall, Þórhal picked his face off the cobblestones. The Halfling above him drifted gently down, landed gently on his back, and started running towards the busy street. Þórhal reacted quickly, rolling onto his back and lunging at the assassin with his sword, catching him in the thigh. Laen moved to the rooftop and let an arrow fly. The Halfling flinched but ignored the pain. He rounded the corner and disappeared into the thrall. On the opposite side of the building, Xavier heard a metallic crash of Þórhal crashing to the street and moved to an alleyway to see what had happened. Everyone else started moving back towards the stairwell, and after the Halfling.

Þórhal dragged himself to his feet and staggered after his enemy. Reaching the street he saw a street full of people. The Halfling had disappeared. The party regrouped and fanned out, trying to flush the Halfling from any hiding places. Occasionally someone would catch a glimpse and rush to the scene, only to find him gone again.

Thunder sounded in the distance, and the air began to chill. Laen felt the coming of rain in the air.

Eventually they tracked the Halfling to an old warehouse. It was around thirty feet tall, had a fire escape which lead to the roof, and a main double door at the front. The windows seemed to be all boarded over from the inside.

After skirting the exterior, it was decided to follow the Halfling inside through the front door. Cautiously, Xavier swings the large double doors open. Light floods in, shedding light into the darkened building. A large sheet has been hung across the room, obstructing their view. Xaver steps inside and with a slash cuts the curtain away.

The assassin waits, propped upon a large box, crossbow readied and waiting. He finds his opportunity as Xavier pushes past the first curtain and fires a bolt aimed at Xavier's throat. Incredibly, Xavier somehow senses the incoming projectile and reacts by raising an arm at the last moment. The bolt buries into his arm instead of his throat. A whispered curse echoes from the darkness: "Sinners..." Milo cups his hands to his mouth and replies: "Ugly mother f..." but is interrupted by Þórhal's hand over his mouth.

The Halfling rolls off his perch and out of sight. Xavier strikes a light-stick and tosses it into the darkness, illuminating the right side of the room. The party move in, weapons drawn and eyes keen. Tungdil bolts inside, axe at hand. His darkvision peels away the shadows reveals his quarry hiding behind a sheet. With a scream of rage and something about the asassin's mother, Tungdil charges, scoring a gash into the assassin's side. The assassin slashes out and retreats.

The rest of the party arrive and drive him to the rear of the room. Laén climbs onto a box and lets several arrows loose. The halfling assassin curses at Tungdil and retreats to the the staircase against the far wall. Tungdil pursues but only able to keep pace. At the end, it is Laén's arrow which fells the assassin.

The assassin's arms are bound, and he is brought him to the city watch for detention and trial. The poisons are destroyed, however the remaining items are distributed among the party. Being the sole character in the group able to use it, Milo gleefully arms himself to the teeth with the gear they stripped from Bermandon.

Godsday the 8th of Vatelion
They questioned the halfling on his methods and his motives. At first he was reclusive, but after a while Tungdil's abrasive ceaseless banter wore on his nerve and he snapped. The assassin's name is Bermandon, an agent for the Society of Sinnius, a secret organisation of witch hunters and religious fanatics. He figured out that they had both links to heaven and were in the company of a witch, were obviously fallen from the grace of God, and needed help to find their way to hell. Obligingly Bermandon set his full psychopathic will to his task. Evidently he failed in his service to Sinnius, and patiently awaits his fateful end, though will certainly be rewarded in heaven for his faithfulness. Bermandon eventually explains to Milo which items of his are magic, what his potions do, and which poisons he used. Bermandon is executed quietly and his body is burned lest the Order of Sinnius find out and retaliate. With the threat eliminated, the party are accepted back into the Belm Cathedral. They spend several days resting and healing.

Airday the 10th of Vatelion
The party are sought out by Elmond, the proprietor of Oyster Cartography and son of Old Sol. They speak with his father, who tells him a woeful story of how he witnessed a wingless angel, captured and crucified at the hands of a group of warlocks far to the north. They were performing some ritual when the spotted Sol and his best friend Calimar. Sol fled, however the warlocks cast a spell and Calimar was turned to stone. Sol ran as far as he could. Until this day never returned, and wishes to know if the Angel and his best friend could be freed or put to rest. He arranges some scrolls of Stone to Flesh, introducing them to his good friend Frathon at the library. The party promise to complete the deed, should they ever be in the area.

Þórhal visits Korban, the strong-headed paladin who aided them in the Ulcer. He explains that he wishes to become a paladin of the Knights Paeso. Korban tells him Paeso is a questing order. To join it he must find a worthy quest, complete it, and return with proof of his deeds. His entry will be determined on the worthiness of his quest, and of course on the outcome.

Waterday the 13th of Vatelion
The party becomes restless, and leave at Cardinal Glean's request to go north and locate a priest named Steramon who hasn't been answering mail. The party travel northeast for several days. The weather packs in and they track through horrible hail, wind and rain to tiny village named Cluth where they stay overnight at the town protector's house. The protector's name is Kendon, a man with broad shoulders and a wide friendly smile.

Iceday the 14th of Vatelion
The next morning the rain is still pelting. The party give their thanks and trudge into the forest. Eventually they arrive at the lumber camp, and find the entire camp slaughtered. Bodies lie everywhere, mutilated and bloated. They find who they believe was the priest Steramon pinned to a tree. They take some artifacts to prove his identity and make camp for the night a few miles from the lumber camp. During the night they hear noises. Laén moves out to investigate and is spotted by six bugbears attacking a bear. They chase him back to the camp and a battle is fought. The bugbears are killed swiftly and the session ends.

GM's Notes

• Are we playing or what?
  I've recently returned from a six week holiday in New Zealand. I wrote part of this session summary on the plane, but have done SFA (not much) since then. Since I've returned I've been burdened by moving flats, work, taxes and a plethora of random guests coming and going for the last week (but that's another story). Anyway, the short version of the story is that I've had bugger all prep time. I'm keen to get back into it and make some progress.
  
  
• Jürgen returns to Austria...
  Yesterday was Jürgen's last day at work. His contract in Zürich has finished and he'll be returning to Austria. It would appear that the last of the pre-fall characters are leaving the party. It's just Þórhal, Xavier & Laén.
  
  
• Magic? Healing? Bah, humbug!
  The remaining characters include a fighter, a ranger and a rogue. This is an extremely mundane party, and at higher levels this will really hurt. Originally I discouraged the rogue from putting skill points into the Use Magic Device skill because magic items were so rare. This is not true. There's plenty of divine magic items floating around. Healing wands and scrolls are common place, and are sold by the church. Any rogue worth his salt would know how to use such things.
  Thus, not only do I rescind my earlier advice, but I will allow Xavier a once-ever chance to move skill points from other skills into Use Magic Device. Trust me, you won't regret it. :)
  
  
• Obstacles overcome:
  Bermandon, Rogue/Assassin CR6 => 2400XP / 5 = 480XP each
  5 Bugbears, CR6 => 2400XP / 5 = 480XP each
  
  Xavier & Laén = 6250XP + 960XP = 7210XP (30% to level 5)
  Þórhal = 8566XP + 960XP = 9526XP (88% to level 5)
  Tungdil = 9503XP + 960XP = 10463XP (9% to level 6, level up!)
  Milo = 8437XP + 960XP = 9397XP (85% to level 5)
  Uther = 7207XP (went to market)
  Wanda = 8273XP (stayed home)