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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Capellan" data-source="post: 634484" data-attributes="member: 6294">Kull's First Report - Part 3It did not take long after lighting the furnace for there to be a noticeable increase in the temperature, and for a similarly noticeable increase in the morale of the others.  As Hextor teaches us: keep the people warm and free of hunger, and they will want for no other freedoms.Newly emboldened by their physical comfort, the others made no protest when I led them on an exploration of the upper storey of the monastery.  At first, we found only empty rooms, but the fourth chamber held a number of skeletal remains.  Brodnak stepped forward, raising his axe to destroy them, and the bones animated, raising themselves up to attack.I petitioned Hextor for aid, but He desired that we should win the battle by force of arms.  Unfortunately, as the others then rushed in ahead of me, I was not able to reach the fighting before Brodnak had destroyed all three of the undead.  Nor was I the only one who could not reach the battle.  It was clear to me from this encounter that my companions needed a firm hand to instil order, or we would not be able to function with tactical efficiency.One of the females then discovered a flight of stairs, leading up to another floor, but the group accepted my decision that it would be more tactically sound to secure the rest of this level before continuing up.Indeed, in the very next room we entered, the wisdom of this course was clearly shown: two zombies lurched out of the darkness to attack.  I stepped forward and called upon Hextor, but obviously my failure to reach the previous battle had displeased Him, for He did not answer.  Determined not to fail him again, I led the way into the melee, and swiftly struck one of the walking corpses.  The creature's flesh was still frozen solid - the cold was the only thing that had preserved it, no doubt - but my blow crushed its skull no less readily for that.Unfortunately, Troilan was the next into the room, and as she struck ineffectually with her weapon, the second zombie lurched past her and gouged me so deeply that I was wounded close to death.  Fortunately, I had earlier called on Hextor to heal Brodnak's wounds, for despite his rashness the barbarian was a fine warrior, and I knew we would need his axe again.  This foresight now saved my life, as he leapt forward to strike down the zombie, though it wounded him again in the process.As the severity of injury made it impossible for me to move swiftly without reopening the wound, I was not able to continue the exploration of the building myself, but I attempted to exhort the others to go on without me.  However, as I bound my injury - none of the others had even simple training in the art of bandaging a wound! - the others proved to have lost their nerve, and instead suggested that we return to the kitchen to rest and heal, before continuing our exploration.I must study the texts of the great Generals of our faith.  Evidently there is more I need to learn about instilling courage in my followers.  I ask that you despatch these tomes to me, in care of the inn of Saltmarsh.  I have enclosed funds to cover this matter.We had not long returned to the kitchen when we heard a loud crash as the front doors of the monastery flew open.  The others moved with commendable speed to investigate.  Probably they were just thinking of the chance of rescue.  As it was, their rapid response, left me far behind, due to my injury.As I made my way to the front hall, however, I could here one of them - Zalich, I think - challenge the new arrivals.  The replies came indistinct, but there was something about their tone that made me sure they meant us ill.This hunch was proved correct, for before I could reach the chamber, I heard the clash of weapons.  What a cruel fate for a soldier of Hextor to be unable to respond to that call!By the time I reached the room, the fight was all but over.  Two fur-garbed savages were being rapidly overwhelmed by the sheer weight of numbers ranged against them.  Both fell quickly after my arrival, and their bodies were rapidly set upon and looted.  There was some conjecture about their diet, on such a cold and rocky island, but the filed down teeth of the dead men left me in no doubt as to their intended menu.Only slightly injuries had been suffered in the fight, and I supervised the binding of their wounds, instructing the others in the best procedures.  With that done, and the bodies of the cannibals dragged out into the still-raging storm, I led the others back to the kitchen, where Zalich theorised that we might had just slain the men who had murdered the monks.It was a logical theory.  But it proved to be incorrect.</blockquote>

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