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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 1112378" data-attributes="member: 6294">Kull's 5th Report - Part 2Blocking the entrance itself was a large block of stone, inscribed with some childish riddle.  It took only moments to deduce the answer was "arrow", and the block slid aside, revealing a set of stairs leading deeper into the earth.Descending the stairs, we reached a short tunnel, which led quickly to an intersection.  The route to the right soon ended at a deep crevasse: from the looks of it, some kind of earthquake or other sudden movement in the ground had caused the damage.  On other side of the chasm, the tunnel continued, but - not knowing what lay to our left - I decided not to cross it at this stage.Instead, I led the group back in the other direction, emerging in a large, obviously man-made chamber with a pool at the centre.  A strange, translucent ooze-like creature attacked us as we drew near the water, but it was weak and succumbed quickly to our blows.Two doors led out of the area and I chose to search beyond the one on the left, as it lay closer to our original point of entry.  This proved to lead to a block of cells, containing only the long-decayed remains of some prisoners, and another slime-like creature, this one green in hue.  A similar aberration had assailed the druid in the caves beneath the ruined manor, and I wasted no time in applying fire to the beast, which quickly blackened and died.Leading down from the cells were another flight of stairs, which brought us to an ancient shrine, dedicated to the mad and bloody god of slaughter.  Why any would choose to follow a God that seeks only to destroy, without thought or purpose, I do not know.  It makes as little sense as worshipping one who lacks the strength and will to do what needs to be done.  But it seems there are still many in the world who refuse to acknowledge the wisdom in Hextor's teachings.Leaving the profane place, we returned to the other exit from the pool room.  It took little wit to realise that the chamber beyond this door contained a dangerous trap, for two crushed and distorted skeletons lay on the floor.  Seeing that the room was in any case empty but for a statue, I decided that there would be little profit in searching it immediately.Instead, I led the way back to the chasm, where the boots I had commissioned from Zalich made the processing of crossing a simple task.  I simply walked up the wall and across the roof, then back down the wall on the other side.  Zalich then used a minor spell to levitate the boots back to the rest of them, and each of the group crossed in turn.This done, we continued down the tunnel.  At one point, a rock-fall blocked much of the passage, but it was possible to clamber over this and squeeze into the area beyond.  This area proved to include a pit trap, but this was little threat and was soon navigated.Beyond the pit trap stood a portcullis, which had grown rusted and weak with age.  I had little difficulty in forcing it open, an action which triggered a booming voice to speak, prophesying dire warnings if we pressed on.  The same sort of magical trickery was used at the ruined manor in Saltmarsh, and neither threat had any substance to them.Beyond the portcullis lay a door, swollen and stuck in place.  When I forced it open, a stench of rotten flesh filled the corridor, and three zombies shuffled into sight.  I called on Hextor, and two of the zombies immediately turned on the third, tearing it to pieces at my command.  Will the weaklings who rely on these ineffectual creatures never learn?  They are powerless before the iron will of Hextor.A search of the zombie's chamber revealed a secret door, leading to a narrow room set with arrow slits.  The slits offered a view of some kind of antechamber, fitted with the trappings of the ridiculous cult that had built the place.  There was, however, no way to enter the area from where we stood.Brodnak offered to smash his way through the wall, but it was solid stone, and would take hours of work to properly clear.  Knowing that there had to be another route, and that it was likely to be both secret and guarded, I led the way back to the chamber with the crushed skeletons.Finally, I have found a worthwhile use for zombies.</blockquote>

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