The party members are told that their trip will not begin for several days, since the maps of the Jerech area are buried in the castle’s library. The city’s library was hastily moved into the castle’s library when the city was evacuated, so all of the books are in disarray. Furthermore they are looking for people who escaped the devastation in Jerech 8 years ago to interview them about the city’s specifics. Galandil volunteers to help the city’s scholars search for the maps in the library.

That evening while Meran is on guard duty, he is approached by one of the Dark Tribes men that he had previously met. The man tells him that he and his group are leaving that morning, and that he wishes Meran luck on his journey. Meran returns the sentiment, and asks where exactly they are going. The man tells him that they are to journey into the deep desert, where even the nomads rarely travel. Later that evening Meran sees a group leave the castle, and an hour or so later another group departs.

The next morning Meran returns to the tent, and explains what he heard from the Dark Tribe man the evening before. Afterwards Galandil returns to the library, Elowisyl to the Priestess’ tent to continue helping to heal the wounded, and Celeb wanders the courtyard helping where he can.

Lionel comes into the Elf Guild’s tent a while later, bearing a pair of practicing rapiers. He asks Neith if she would like to spar a bit, and she accepts. However, after only three moves she penetrates his defenses and hits him badly. He submits and asks her to teach him the technique.

Later that day, a servant is sent to each of the party members’ locations and tells them that King Arayen is about to speak to everyone. As they come to the front of the castle, the King appears at the lowest part of the castle wall just next to the great doors with two guards beside him. “My friends,” he says in a loud booming voice that fills the courtyard. “These are dark times, true, but we have brave men to help us. Plans have been set in motion to combat the threat of the Terrors. This morning the first groups of these brave men have left the castle and risk their lives for our safety. Pray to the goddess Irina for their protection. That is all.”

As the party is returning to their tent, Galandil is stopped by a servant who says that the head of the guard, Trellicus, has requested his presence. Galandil is not sure why he has been summoned, but he goes along anyway. When he reaches the Guard Tower, he sees that Trellicus is a battle-worn man in his mid 50’s. Trellicus introduces himself and says that he was asked by the Warmaster, Verak, to speak with Galandil. Galandil asks why Verak didn’t speak to him directly, and Trellicus responds very plainly that Verak does not like Elves. Galandil tells Trellicus his idea for using the castle’s oil to create a moat around the castle to be lit on fire when enemies approach. Trellicus says that he will take his idea into consideration.

Later that evening Galandil visits the Kaern tent, and is greeted cooly by Erag who asks if he had suggested to the Captain of the Guard that they dig a huge trench outside of town. He says that they are Arc-miners and should not be treated as slaves. Galandil annoyedly defends his decision, but leaves soon afterward without tasting the lichen beer set in front of him.

The next night Meran is again stationed at the wall, and this time three Terrors attack in his area. He drops one immediately with an arrow from his longbow, and helps kill another with his axe but is wounded in the process. They see that these things attacking them seem to be genetically altered in the shape of humans. Meran is healed by one of Yeador’s mages at the guard tower, and then he and his men drag the corpse into the courtyard. Yeador is summoned and looks over the dead insect curiously. He tells his apprentices to take it to his laboratory to be further studied.

Over the next couple of days, everyone continues on their duties. Galandil finds three books while he is searching through the library that seem interesting to him, so he decides to “borrow” them. One is entitled “The Subtle Art of Influence,” another is “Rock Formations of the Western Lands,” and the third is “Arc-mining in High Magma Zones.”

Neith is again challened to a sparring match by Lionel, who seems intent on beating her after she gave him a swift lesson the first time. He gains the initiative and attacks, but Neith dodges and strikes him soundly. Lionel holds his side in pain, but his pride seems more wounded than his person and he yields.

The next evening, Meran is again doing guard duty when he hears a slight rumbling coming from inside the city. Suddenly a huge water snake, not unlike the one they fought in the farmer’s barn, bursts from the sewer and begins to attack. Three more pop up in other places around the city, sending the populace into chaos.

Four alarm bells sound, and the rest of the party awakens to assist with the attack. Elowisyl casts several protective spells on himself and the others before he leaves the tent. They rush towards Meran’s position and see him firing arrows at the thing; they come forward to attack and are able to defeat it without it hurting any of the party members.

Nearby another one is attacking several guards, and as the party moves closer two of the guards are eaten in front of them. The snake coils and springs upwards, attacking Meran savagely. Galandil summons a huge boulder which crushes the snake. Elowisyl sees Meran fall and rushes to his aid while the others move towards the third snake.

That one defeated with a strike from Celeb’s scimitar, they see that Meran is running towards the fourth and has been enhanced by some spell of Elowisyl’s. He slices the snake apart with his axe, killing it instantly.

Just then Yeador and his men descend from the castle in time to see the chaos come to an end. Several guards are sent into the sewers to clear out any remaining Terrors and block the entrances to the sewers.

Later that day the maps of Jerech are found, and the party eagerly begins preparations for leaving on their mission.