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Message: <blockquote data-quote="arwink" data-source="post: 1018084" data-attributes="member: 2292">Zalich's Journey, Entry Nine The smugglers hide-out turned out to be an abandoned building not far from the town, on a bluff overlooking the sea.  Experience led me to guess that there would be caves below, at see level, as it would make getting good in and out of the area easier and less noticeable than carting them up and down a cliff face.The others explained that the smugglers had been using an illusionist to create the pretence that the house was haunted, a task which likely would have worked on anyone except the dauntless fools who call themselves adventurers and live only to risk the gift of life.  Their previous foray had cleared much of the upper levels, and some caves below, but it had also garnered Kull some followers in the form of two zombies that he'd left guarding the building.There is nothing that can describe the feeling that comes when you realise an ally is willing to use the dead for his own ends.  I raised some concerns, which Kull dismissed with the argument that he hadn't been the one who animated them, but I confess that I still felt uneasy.  Pragmatism is one thing, but the desecration of the soul is a serious offence and should not be written off with slick arguments and justifications.It was decided that the upper levels should be explored first, although they proved to be relatively clear.  There was a bound and naked traveller in one of the rooms the adventurers had failed to clear on their last trip, but his story was dubious and he seemed intimidated by the wandering corpses that accompanied us.  He tried time and again to convince us that he was a traveller, waylaid by the householders, but his demeanour screamed smuggler and we were reluctant to arm him.  Without proof, we couldn't slay him out of hand, so eventually we ran him off and told him to head towards the nearest city if he wanted to live.The floor of many of the upper levels were weakened with age, making it perilous for my more heavily armoured companions to tread the boards - something that was discovered when Kull and his heavy banded armour took a brief dive through a weak patch of floor.  I was nominated to explore due to my light weight, but I took the added precaution of casting a spider climb and avoiding the decayed floor altogether.  We found the location where the smugglers signalled their fellows for pickup, as well as a room that contained a giant spider web, but both of these were insignificant challenges compared to the ancient buildings attic.  We explored this level with reluctance, and almost paid for our curiosity with our life.  Stirges nested there, bloodsucking insects of unusual size.  They stole a great deal of blood from many of my fellows, and nearly killed me when I was struck by a long proboscis, but the advantage of having suicidal companions who revel in combat is that ordinarily threatening creatures are considered minor inconveniences.  They were slain quickly, and a small chest full of minor magic was uncovered.  Potions mostly, as well as a few obscure items that we would have to identify later.  (One of these was a Feather token, the innovation of the Wizard Quaal, that would turn into a whip of great power that could animate and attack on its own.  When we split this equipment later, it was decided that the feather token should be mine due to my lack of skill with a blade.  I am not one to argue with such logic, even if I dislike the presumption that I would continue to aid them once the smugglers were defeated.  I have a hatred for those who use the sea to prey on others, but common adventuring is beyond my skill or my desires.)On the whole, it took less than an hour or two to clear the upper levels, and despite both myself and a one or two of the others suffering from a lack of blood, Kull pushed for us to continue our exploration of the caves below the manor.  It was a plan devoid of common sense, but the smugglers plans and habits were known to us and we were working on a short frame of time, so there was some logic in it despite it's lunacy.  With more courage than brains, we headed below.</blockquote>

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