By Ozgander's account and my own admission, I was not an exemplary student, particularly when it came to the written word. However, by virtue of being alive for over four decades, I learned how to write with clarity and purpose, so that anyone who reads my written words can comprehend their meaning and my intent. At least I hope so - the candidates for our team's new trap finder hinge somewhat on these skills. More on that in a bit.
The creature known as Blackbriar has wandered this realm much longer than I have. One would assume, therefore, that he has learned the art of writing a letter that the intended reader can understand. I will note that it is possible that Blackbriar did not write the note that sent us into the Black Lotus and into the waiting arm of Yallathune's cultists - but he is the most likely candidate. Once we had seen the situation for what it was, it became apparent that the writer of the note had wanted us to know about the location of this coven, but the specifics of the syntax had initially led us to believe we were being requested for a meeting.
Whether or not this had been Blackbriar's intent, he certainly cannot be any more pleased with the result than we are, and perhaps considerably less so, seeing as how we handily defeated several of Yallathune's cultist minions. Of particular importance is the knowledge that by killing the living cultist, we destroy their undead servants by proxy. But now they have the very note we received, and any subterfuge the ancient redcap hoped to employ by keeping us in the know or them in the dark about his allegiances has gone belly up faster than the Sauhagin in Bornos Bay. These events are likely to have far-reaching ramifications, both in terms of future encounters with this cultist sect, and in potential future dealings with Blackbriar.
In the meantime, some rest and study period required by Orenthal allowed me to pursue the goal of recruiting a replacement of sorts for Ostar - or, more accurately, a replacement of the skills Ostar possessed. I had hoped to involve Jace more in the search process, but his focus has been rather single-minded towards this fighting for entertainment enterprise. Hence, I prepared an advertisement, and with Ozbert's assistance, distributed it to appropriate venues around the city. We are now considering three candidates for the position:
Horash - I don't think Horash is anyone's first choice. Although we should be able to overlook his physical infirmity, some in our group can not do so. But more troubling is his thoughts on what his value can be to the group, which is not in line with what we perceive to be our moral compass. Even if somehow we do not choose one of the other two, I doubt we will be employing Horash.
Tamlin - I get the feeling that Tamlin would be the pick by popular vote. He is forthright, eager to be part of a team dynamic, and possesses the minimum skill to get the job done. My only concern is that he is not the MOST skilled candidate we have interviewed. However, I could overlook this if he is willing to devote himself to the development of his trap finding and scouting to the exclusion of other talents going forward.
Hoechlin - Hoechlin is likely the most skilled of the trio, but there are some questions about his character. I could see potential conflict with some of the others. In addition, he was born in Bornos, and does not seem to be particularly driven to explore or adventure. That could prove incompatible somewhere down the line. However, it's plausible that ongoing adventure would provide him with enough material wealth to keep him motivated.
When I next record my thoughts, I will report on our choice, and expound upon the reasoning.
Entry concluded.
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