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Beyond the door awaits a sumptuous chamber dominated by a magnificent fireplace crafted from blocks of glassy rock. The walls are hung with fine tapestries, looted from the Stornlands during times of war, and you note that the furniture is carved from best Durenese oak.
You pass through the chamber into an adjoining passage which leads to a library. As you enter, you disturb a robed creature seated at a lectern. Before it can rise or raise the alarm, you draw your weapon and silence it with a swift blow to the base of its skull. Pulling back its hood reveals it to be a Liganim, a thrall of the Nadziranim sorcerers.
Suddenly you hear movement and glance up to see another Liganim peering over the parapet of a gallery which encircles the upper level of this library. The creature, having witnessed the slaying of its companion, lets out a horrified squeal and turns to run towards an archway on the far side of the gallery. Determined to prevent his escape, you lower Banedon to the floor then rush towards a flight of wooden stairs that also lead to the archway. However, as you near the landing at the top of these stairs, two more of the creatures appear from either side, with wands gripped in their clawed hands. They shout a spell-word in the dark tongue and a crackling curtain of energy flares between the two rods, blocking your path. The power-wall looks formidable, but you sense at once that it is really quite weak.
(I do not have Kai-Alchemy)
You charge through the power-wall and your senses reel as your body earths the electrical energy: lose 3 ENDURANCE points. But, despite the momentary pain, you quickly recover and dispatch the two wand-wielding Liganim before they, too, attempt to run from the library.
The noise of their dying screams freezes the escaping Liganim dead in his tracks. He spins around in the archway, his ugly face transfixed into a mask of sheer terror as he watches you come racing towards him with your weapon poised to strike. However, the sight is too much for his weak heart which ceases to beat moments before you land your blow.
You return to collect Banedon, then, once he is safely across your shoulders, you climb the stairs and hurry through the archway. A tunnel lined with rich wood panelling leads to a chamber where eight smaller passages disappear off in all directions. You scan these exits and a familiar fear returns to haunt you, a fear that you will never find your way out off Kaag alive.
Using your innate healing skills, you try once more to revive Banedon. You remember once, during a tutorial at the Kai monastery, that Banedon conjured up a vision of the monastery and its surrounding estates. You were able to see yourself in miniature, standing in your chambers as if you were a tiny animated doll in a doll's house. If he were well enough to perform that spell here in Kaag, you might be able to locate your position and plan a route of escape.
Mustering your skills, you place your hands on Banedon's chest and transmit your power directly into his heart. (Reduce your ENDURANCE by 3 points.) Gradually Banedon stirs to consciousness and, as his strength returns, rekindled by your healing power, he is able to grant your request. On the floor of the chamber he calls forth a living, three-dimensional vision of Kaag. Gradually this vision expands until you are looking at yourselves, kneeling on the floor of a chamber on one of the upper levels of the central citadel. The vision blurs and fades, but not before you are able to trace the quickest way out of this dreadful place.
The passage which heads due south from this chamber leads directly to the Zlanbeast pens and landing platforms situated on the exterior wall of the citadel, high above the great South Gate. It is from here that you plan to escape, leaving the citadel by the same way you entered it: by air.
Confident that the success of your quest is now within your grasp, you help Banedon to his feet and support him as you make your way along the south passage.
With trepidation you follow the passage, praying all the while that Banedon's vision proves to be correct. Then at last your prayers are answered when, in the distance, you catch your first glimpse of the Zlanbeast pens.
You soon arrive at the entrance to the pens, where, from the safety of the shadows, you stop to observe the activity taking place inside. Lining the walls of the chamber you count more than a dozen cages, each holding a Zlanbeast or several smaller Kraan. Most are feeding, but there are some saddled ready for flight. One of these saddled Zlanbeast is perched nearby on a landing platform from where it casts its idle gaze upon the city far below.
You are contemplating how long it will take you and Banedon to reach the platform and climb aboard the waiting Zlanbeast, when suddenly you notice something strange that arouses your suspicions: there are no handlers or guards on duty in the pen.
(I use Grand Pathsmanship)
You bring your advanced tracking senses to bear and, almost at once, you detect an ambush has been laid for you in this pen. An elaborate magical screen has been erected to camouflage and keep hidden the warriors who are, at this very moment, lying in wait for you and Banedon to appear.
Anxiously, you peer into the pen, scrutinizing every shadow for some clue to the ambushers' whereabouts, but you are unable to spot their positions. The saddled Zlanbeast looks so inviting, yet your hopes of escape are tempered by the desire to keep yourself and Guildmaster Banedon alive.
(I risk the ambush)