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My death blow cracks the worms back on its self and its death throes have damage the ceiling. I can continue along the corridor or climb the corpse and see what’s up. I pull myself up and I can see the maze laid out before me. Each chamber has a trap or a creature to face. Above them is a criss-crossing section of pathways. As I move, I hear an alarm bell ring. Obviously my escape has not gone unnoticed. I pass through an arch and there is a corridor beyond. Go left, right, or use Pathsmanship. Left is prison cells, right torture chamber.
I’d prefer jailers to torturers, so I go left. Here are the slaves of Kazan-Oud. I spy a human prisoner in one of the last cells, and I can release him or continue. I release him. He looks up at me with glass coated eyes. Do I have Curing? Nope. I tell him he need not fear me, and he asks if the Elder Magi sent me. I decide to answer him.
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You tell him of your quest and the help the Elder Magi have given to enable you to enter Kazan-Oud. When you recount your air voyage to Herdos aboard Lord Paido's skyship, you notice a tear trickle from the blind man's eye. 'My name is Kasin,' he says, sorrowfully. 'Lord Paido is my brother.'
Pity fills your heart for this unfortunate warrior, for you know that he is doomed to die. Blindness occurs in the final stage of takadea, the disease that is ravaging his body. 'I am beyond help,' he says, his face lined with pain, 'but I can and will help your quest, Kai Lord. Listen to me carefully. There are stairs at the end of the corridor that lead down to the throne-hall of Zahda. At the entrance to the hall there is a tapestry behind which there is a secret passage. It leads to Zahda's throne. Above the throne is the Lorestone you seek, but beware. Zahda has coupled its power to a Doomstone from the realm of Naaros--Zahda draws all his power from this accursed gem. If you are to succeed, you must first destroy the gem or you will surely perish. Sadly I cannot help you escape from Kazan-Oud, for I myself was captured long before I reached the surface, but if you reach the beach, make your way to the old stone jetty. Beneath the steps is the place where I hid my boat.'
He grips your hand in friendship, his face now calm and peaceful. 'When you return to Elzian, tell my brother that my death was not in vain. May the gods protect you, Lone Wolf.'
The sound of approaching guards forces you to leave the cell. As you close the door, you promise that his bravery will live forever in the legends of the Vakeros--his warrior kin.
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