Night to Remember – Underside

[Corbin Dillon]

The air began to become less dust-filled as the combination of Corbin and Barrett's magic went to work. It was not fully clear, but good enough for the moment. Light then flared, blinding Corbin for a moment, and he raised his hand slightly to shield them. After a flicker or two the lights dimmed and his eyes readjusted to the light. He looked about himself as he tried to figure out what had happened. They had burst through the door, and then there had been an explosion. Had it been caused by the chanting woman, who now appeared to be dead? If so then she must have been pretty appalling, because they all seemed to be alive - and she was dead. Had they interrupted her spell casting, perhaps?

Yet all of those things were now not that important. What was important was the fact that they were apparently trapped in the basement of the Red Banner. Why did these sort of things happen to Corbin? All he wanted to do was get merrily drunk and ogle nubile young ladies. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so. Well, there was no use worrying about that now - they needed to get out.

Corbin approached the body of the woman, inspecting it for any magical energy, then turned it over to get a look at the face, to see if he recognised her.

"Do any of you know the woman?" He asked as he revealed her face. "And does anyone have a good idea for how we're going to get out of the basement?" He asked as his mind went to work. By his mind they could go up, or they could go down, but they needed to do it quickly.

"I don't think that explosion sounded particularly healthy. I don't know how long it can hold up. We need to get out of here, and quickly. If we could create a magical barrier above us, we could then bring the floor down and go up that way?" He suggested . "If we all stand close together we could shape it with a sharp point and then taper it out so that the masonry and wood will glance off and bounce down rather than meet the full length of the shield." He proposed. "Which would mean we can clear the way out more quickly. If we all contributed to the shield, it should be strong enough, and then we could simultaneously launch an assault on the ceiling." Even as he made his suggestion he was strengthening the shield that he had created before, as he moved towards where he judged the centre of the room to be, gesturing for the others to stand closer.

[Danomel]

Danomel let the others discuss the various options, as he really did not have anything of any significant difference to add. Rather, he decided to try something he had been curious about for a while now.

The nature of the people who ran establishments like the Red Banner, Danomel hoped, was of such a level of paranoia that they would instinctively make sure they had back doors through which to beat hasty retreats. Looking around the basement, there was not an obvious exit, other than the stairs they came down. As for less obvious exits, there had to be a way to find them.

Reasoning that everything had some level of affinity with the aether around it, and tended to reflect energies related to itself, Danomel reasoned that if one could perceive the general background energy of objects, then one had to merely look for changes differences in them. In this instance, possibly a void within stone walls that might possibly indicate another way out.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

The magus picked himself up from the floor, and though momentarily blinded by Barrett's god given light, he soon became accustomed to it and looked around. The dust seized his throat and sent the mage into a few coughing fits, gasping for breath in the thinning air. Realising what Corbin and Barrett were trying to do by clearing the dust, and the fact the air was swirling around his shield, Asht let the shield go, however maintained his link to the aether incase he needed to hastily raise another one.

Corbin started to voice his opinion on how to escape, and though Ashtallion appluaded his quick thinking, there was a small part of him that irked at the fact Corbin never deferred to the him. Was he not the Professor and Corbin the student? Was he not more than likely the most powerful person present?

Ashtallion shook the thoughts from his head. Corbin was merely trying to help everyone and after a short mental chastisement, the mage put his own mind to work on their predicament. While forcing their way through the roof was one option, it had its risks....the gilded sorcerer thought of the buildings next to the Banner. Where there any? Any other basements that could be linked by an ajoining wall. He needed to get a sense of this and though seemingly ignoring Corbin, Asht moved to one of the walls, watching that he did not trip over any debris. With labouring breaths, he placed both hands against the wall.

Muttering under his breath in his native tongue, "Earth and stone, rock and bone. My word is firm, my will is strong. Let sight run unhindered. The stone will part for mine eyes..." the soft chant was to give him focus. The elements were his talent and while earth was not one he had significant experience with, he attempted to send his aetheric senses into the stone and brick of the walls and search for any ajoining buildings. If so, he intended to try and either melt the rock and form a tunnel, or shift the stone with his will to the same effect. He wouldn't try this without conferring with his companions first, they may find Corbin's, or one of their own ideas better.

[Barrett]

Despite the length of time the "clearing" took, Barrett was quite pleased at having made such an ingenious adaptation of his spell. Truth be told, it had been some time since he had needed to craft on-the-go as it were.

"Master Urdil, I will defer to your own experience as to how best marshall our energies for escape."

While escape was clearly a priority, it was still dwarfed in importance by the reason the priest had insisted upon coming here: to make sure that the dark energies he had sensed were indeed dispersed or destroyed rather than lying in wait for further opportunities. So he turned his attention to the "girl" and the various items within the room. First, to ensure that the body was human and not demon, and that it was true death rather than an illusion of some sort. Next, he scanned the body and room for residual signs of the energy: anything to indicate a potential reservoir that might be used to conjure such magick again. He did not plan on leaving any item of power lying around in the rubble for some unsuspecting whore or thief to find. Or worse, for some scavenger with true magical ability.

Idly, he noted the similarity of the dress to the one that Fauna had worn... An apprentice perhaps? Or a plaything turned weapon. Hard to say for certain.

[Grey Wolf]

Not much stirred in the dark basement of the former brothel, the small group almost cut off from the world above, only the occasional rumble reminding them that there was something other than the small space they were in. Each rumble brought more dust and debris falling down from the ceiling and the walls, though not heavily enough to cause much trouble anymore. The brothel was slowly collapsing over them, burying them under tons of rock and wood, the fire dying down as the dust choked the air out of it.

There was quite a bit of energy seeping out of the corpse, but it was dissolving quickly, causing the red energy that ruled their emotions to retreat as well, flowing back into a blood red gem she still clutched in her hand. This close. Corbin could see the surprise in her expression, and a faint trickle of blood at the edge of her mouth as well as her ear. She was dressed in a rather common looking dress, new, but not too expensive, russet red with greenish skirt. Her eyes were the strangest feature of all, bloodshot to the point of looking like the whites were not there at all, a single bloody tear rolling down her cheek with the vibration.

It was the object in her hand that still shone with bright light through the Aether, though as hidden with her fingers as it was there was no way for either Barrett or Corbin to know more of its nature. The body itself looked human and was very much dead, the aura that surrounded every living being gone, last trances of it flowing upward and through the ceiling above.

Ashtalion found his spell working without much trouble, the walls and bricks around him turning into a mist-like veils that grew more impenetrable the thicker the barrier was. Fire still raged above, casting a flickering light to the collapsing walls of the Banner. He found a sewer to the front, some four or five feet of earth separating the cellar from it. To the left the cellar did not exist and the house there had already caught the flames and was burning down swiftly. A naked man stood in front, completely hairless and people threw rocks at him, obviously angry. To the right there was perhaps ten or so feet of earth between them and the next cellar and by the looks of it the house was still free from flames. The back held the passage and another room and no cellar in sight of his spell.

Danomel found his search not as fruitful as Ashtalion's his own skill not as great as adhiel's. No secret exit became apparent, nor did he discover much in the way of exit. Merely that a passage led on beyond the corner they had yet to pass, and led to a large room, about three times as big as the one they were in. Other than that he knew nothing of what the room hid or who it hid if anyone at all.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion only heard Barretts comment on the periphery of his mind, too intent was he on his weaving, though essentially he wasn't weaving a spell, rather simply extending his senses through brick and stone. He was pleased that his idea bore fruit. Sensing the fire raging above, Ashtallion withdrew his senses from that area, if need be he could possibly attempt to control the fire, bend the element with which he had a great affinity for to his will, yet he knew such an endevour would take much more concentration and effort.

Instead he focused on the surrounding areas, the building next to them had caught fire, so he discarded that option......the sewer however seemed to be a logical option. It was also the least distance from his current position, hopefully meaning it would be easier and quicker to break through.

"There is a sewer very close...." he paused, "I think it will be our safest route of escape." he had yet to remove his slender fingers from the wall, however after another moments silence, he did so and turned to face the others, "While Corbins idea may have some merit, I believe this will be the least likely to injure us....I am reluctant to simply blast my way through, in all likelyhood I would bring the rest of the Banner down upon us."

The decreasing amount of air made it further more difficult to breath and talk, the sorcerer had to pause every so often to force himself onto the next sentence. "I will try....another method....not fire, the last thing we need....is more heat...." he bowed his head slightly and turned back to the wall and the direction of the sewer. Still connected to the flow of the aether, Asht once more concentrated on the threads of brown and green, representing the element of earth in his vision. The mage started to murmur under his breath, which wasn't difficult considering how little he had anyway. Standing a few feet from the wall, Asht rose his hands towards it, his wrists and fingers moving in odd patterns, to the aetheric sighted, and if is weaving went correctly, the energy would twist and turn, silthering about the mage, rising from the ground to wrap itself grudingly around him. Earth was a slow element, there was no room for fast movements. His gestures were strong and purposeful, his feet planted solidly beneath him. He would master the element, make it his own.

Ashtallion sent the threads of energy, showing even to the normal sighted as green motes of light. Connecting him to the wall. Once joined with the energy in the wall, the gilded sorcerer intended to shift the rock and stone that made up the wall, both palms faced outwards and his hands were motioning as though he was trying force the air apart. The mage was aware that a shift in the structure of the wall could very well make it more unstable. Yet he attempted to compensate for that by channelling the shifting energy into the surrounding wall, strengthening it as he weakened another part. The desired weaving would create a tunnel, large enough for them to fit through, a hole a few feet wide so they could escape into the sewer and climb to the street.

[Danomel]

Looking around, Danomel was also feeling some concerns about the structural integrity of the building foundations. Punching a whole in one of the walls could have disastrous results, and the possibility of having the building fall on them suggested, in spite of limited air, that other means should be explored first.

Moving back towards the door, Danomel says “It might be wise to spare a burn and check the larger room around the corner before opening up any walls.”

Pausing for a flicker at the hallway, Danomel then moves off around the corner to have a look at the last room. Barrett's light seems bright enough that hopefully it will reflect enough around the corner to at least get an idea if there is an exit or not. Danomel thinks to himself.

Danomel also keeps scanning the aether for anything unusual.

[Barrett]

Barrett noted the path of diminishing energy and wondered if something dangerous had already escaped... the object in the corpse's hand might provide some information. He carefully shifted the appendage so that he could get a better look. Taking great care, he invoked the energies of the Thinker to form a cocoon of stasis small enough to encompass it. He then tried to wrap it within this shield before holding it up for closer study.

If the object was truly dormant, the priest would simply slip it into one of his many pockets beforre turning his attention to a closer analysis of the escaping tendrils of energy.

[valsert]

His galant charge into the room done, and his moment of weakness at the thought of death before his work was done also past, Valsert felt a tinge of shame. Surely to the others here it looked like a moment of weakness to the normaly strong apearing soldier.

But it was weakness, and he embraced the feeling if for no other reasion then it was real...meaning he lived still.

Rising from the floor, Valsert sheathed his sword and took in his suroundings, the faces of those with him showing that they were working to find a way out. Knowing that he was little help now, Valsert stood quietly, waiting for word on the situation.

For once, his strength would not serve them, and he was both thankful to his god for the wisdom granted to the others, and for the humble feeling that renewed respect for the great minds.

[Grey Wolf]

While Ashtalion's command of the elements was substantial what he tried to do now was no easy task. Go too fast and everything you made might collapse. Go too slow and it would take forever to get through several feet of rock and earth that separated them from the sewers and apparent safety. Sweat began trickling down his forehead as bit by painful bit, stones and earth moved, first forming a small dent in the wall, and then a hole about a feet in diameter and two in depth. Pushed further out, the bricks and stones used to make the walls ground against each other, the passage slowly growing in size. With the current pace it would be less than half a mark before it was large enough for them all to pass.

It took quite a bit of effort for Barrett to remove the object from the corpses hand, the fingers wrapped around it tightly with strength only death could instill in a body. Given the lack of air, his own skin was soon covered in sweat and it was that same sweat that helped him pry a small, blood red stone from her hands. Crimson mist swirled within its depths, the egg sized stone feeling warm to the touch, though not to the point of burning him.

Danomel found that light followed him where he went, the quartet in the room with the corpse left in the relative darkness as he left, following the passage around the corner and to a sturdy wooden door with a rather simple looking lock. Simple but also, judging by the amount of metal spent in its construction, strong and not easily breakable. Air there was much clearer, and the young man could feel breathe almost normally where he stood.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

His initial estimation of how difficult this weaving was going be was under rated. Earth being an unfamiliar element for him, the adhiel mage found the casting strenuous. Being used to the swift moving fire, graceful air and even the flowing water...stubborn earth was certainly different, yet he persevered with it. Sweat beaded and trickled down him, but he ignored it, focusing his attention on the weaving. Slowly the stone and brick shifted with the pressure of his will. Had his attention been unoccupied he would have taken great interest in the object Barrett now held.

His mind bent on the energies, Ashtallion became as stubborn as the earth and stone itself. His words still tumbled in a rumbling chant, solid and as unyielding as the rock. The green sorcery swirled about the sorcerer, twisting towards the opening that was forming. In his mind he kept the picture of a tunnel, large enough just to fit their bodies through.

[Danomel]

As Danomel moved down the corridor, he was somewhat surprised that the light stayed with him. Note to self, ask Barrett about this latter! Hope this does not cause any problems for them to much back in the room. he thinks to himself.

As the air quality improves, Danomel takes several deeper breaths, feeling somewhat better for it. He only takes a moment to examine the door before him, especially around the edges and bottom to see if there is any air flow.. Looking at its solid construction, he begins to hope that it probably is an exit. At least that would account for the improved air quality.

Satisfied for the moment, he quickly moves back down the corridor to the others, as they might like the light back. "The air is much better around the corner over there." Danomel indicates were he has just been with his hand. "There's a fairly strong door, and I am guessing, well hoping anyway, that it leads to the outside world."

[Barrett]

The stone was tucked safely away in a pocket, to be studied more closely at a later time. For the present, Danomel's discover seemed to be of interest.

"To the outside you think? What say you Master Valsert? Do you have any reconnnaissance information about routes of escape from the place? A back alley, or an adjoinment to some other buildings basement or passage structure?"

"Let us have a look, shall we..."
So saying, he altered the pattern of illumination, spreading the light between the two areas. As a consequence, it was dimmer than before. Barrett approached the door that Danomel had described to make his own assessment of the air patterns and the structure of door and lock.

[valsert]

Valsert looked hard at Barrett before speaking. A flushing heat filling his face and neck as the priests words grated against his pride.

"Reconnaissance? Come now Barrett, surely you know that I am just an unemployed soldier, my career and life yanked away as was so many others. What motive would I have for such scouting? For that matter what resources could an out of work warrior have at his disposal for such a thing?” Valsert began, glad for the slight chance to defend his actions against the ideas that he was sure were already taking root in the minds of the others present. But the half truth did not sit well on him. Had his worth and loyalty not been proved time and again. Was Barrett really trying to suggest that he was holding back knowledge of escape?

“Sir, I have towed the line against demon hounds in the streets of this city as our own people struck down my friends….and again under the keep I stood against the demon dogs as well as destroying the walking dead corpses of my own brothers at arms. I stood beside you then, and again as we faced more hell hounds and the most powerful demon the city has ever been assaulted by. And now I have stood beside you as another evil was dealt with in this very room, perhaps even allowing the evil of Crane to escape above.

Is that not enough proof of my honor? Do you honestly think for a moment that if I knew of a back exit of this building, I would not have already taken us all to safety?” He continued, looking at the others to see if they cared to listen. No longer caring if they continued to believe he was responsible for the fire above, so long as they remembered the actions he had taken to dispose of evil.

His blood still hot at Barrett’s suggestion, Valsert moved out to stand beside Danomel.

“Well, if there is a door, then someone check the damn thing and lets get out of here while we can…huh?”

[Corbin Dillon]

Corbin's interest, like Barret's was, piqued by the stone that lay in the hands of the deceased woman. It seemed to be the source of the red energy that had so possessed him, though what it was was anyone's guess.

Ashtallion began working at the wall, trying to make way into the sewers. Corbin had some experience of working with the earth, though it had been under pressure in the lighthouse when they had fought the Changer and thus by necessity had not been anywhere close to resembling an in depth study of the nature of stones. As the Professor worked away at the wall, Corbin assisted by examining the structural integrity of the wall at which Ashtallion worked. Given the damage that had been inflicted on the building, it was possible that the weakening of the wall might cause a further collapse, and so Corbin worked carefully to try and shore up any areas of the room that looked like they were in danger of collapse.

[Grey Wolf]

Even with their joint efforts, the passage was slow to grow in side and depth, especially since it took Corbin and Ashtalion almost a burn to successfully coordinate their efforts. With Corbin strengthening the structure of the passage, Ashtalion was free to focus on making it larger and the effect was readily visible. Where once he might have needed half a mark to make the passage large enough for them to pass, now it would take a mere quarter of a mark to make it so. Perhaps with more people helping the time could be cut even shorter.

The door did not change by the time Barrett came close, though, the air did, slow draft coming in through the lock itself as well as the crack under the door. A faint scent of smoke accompanied the fresh air that kept making the basement easier to breathe in, but it would still take some time before the air lost its mustiness. The lock appeared sturdy, though how hard it would be to actually open it without a key was anybody's guess. Without some knowledge of how locks and keys were built there was very little they could do about it.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

Ashtallion wanted to sigh lightly as Corbin aided in strengthening the walls, it allowed the sorcerer to concentrate his own energy on making the tunnel, a more difficult task in his mind. He knew the others were doing something, moving about behind him, it was a distraction, one that he pushed from his mind.

In a soft voice he spoke to Corbin, though his gaze never wavered from the wall and his sorcery, "Keep up what you are doing, Corbin. It makes this easier..thankyou..." he lapsed back into silence.

Although he did not know what the others were doing, but it would be safe to assume the mage was not going to be pleased if they had found an easier way out and his magic a wasted effort to save them all.

[Corbin Dillon]

It took a few moments for Corbin and Ashtallion's efforts to gel, but once they had the tasks were easier as burden was shared. Corbin concentrated hard at maintaining the integrity of the structure whilst Ashtallion created the tunnel.

The Professor voiced his appreciation, and Corbin nodded in acknowledgment. He knew from past experience that lending his aid to a more knowledgeable mage could be much more beneficial than working on his own, for they were more efficient and could direct his energies. He redoubled his efforts, working carefully but as swiftly as he could to try and open up the escape passages. He kept wondering what had happened up above, what had happened to the people there - Talanwei, Fialessa, Keaira, Fauna. It spurred him on to think of it, and he hoped that they had all managed to get away safely.

[Danomel]

Danomel glanced at the mages as Barrett departs. Might not be a good idea to disturb them, especially if this does not pan out. He takes a few moments to scan the room contents, as well as search the body and any drawers or closets. Might get lucky and find a nice key for that door, one never knows.

After his quick search, Danomel heads back to were he found the door. Wondering why it did not occur to him before, he looks for the hinges. If the door is for keeping people out, the hinges should be on the inside. Other than than having a key, that will most likely be the best point at which to try and get the door open.

[Barrett]

"Valsert, please. Your honor is not in question – at least not by any words of mine. I merely asked if you might have observed some feature of the building's exterior that could offer a suggestion as to where this door leads. I had assumed that you were here for the same reason as I, to check up on Fauna's activities. Since I have only just returned to Citadel, it is a safe assumption that you would have had time for more scouting than I."

"I certainly did not think you would willingly conceal a route of escape, especially as I do not think you have been in this tunnel before. But I was hoping you might make a geographical connection based upon any other observation you had made."

"Incidentally, the only resources you'd need for scouting would be your eyes, ears, able body and a mind. All of which I believe you to possess. Now do calm down."

Honestly, one would think I had caught him at some criminal activity. And if scouting after the impudent sorceress is a crime, then I would have to be just as guilty...

"Now... definitely fresh air here... sturdy. Decent lock. Could be a way out the back, so to speak. I don't suppose anyone here has experience as a lockpick."

With a deep sigh, Barrett centered himself as best he could. The remaining smoke and need to escape created an urgency that he would have to suppress.
Focus.

He carefully observed the visible parts of the lock before setting his hand upon it. He bent his will to learning the knowledge of the mechanism, hoping to use Aether sight to gain some schematic visualization of the lock's inner parts.

Aurelius, my lord, please grant me access to the knowledge I seek. The nature of the puzzle, so that with my mind I might find a solution...

[Grey Wolf]

All Corbin and Ashtalion needed was time and with the air clearing of the dust somewhat it was what they got. Flickers passed by as the tunnel grew in both width and depth, rocks and earth rumbling as their magic moved them. Almost third of the way through they kept on pushing and shifting the parts of the cellar wall, making their way towards the sewers and freedom. They just needed more time.

Danomel's quick search revealed little, apart from an old and used handkerchief that stuck to his fingers as he reached into the girl's pocket. Its contents were what one could expect of a used hankie, and they were quite unladylike though that could have been why it was stuffed deep into the pocket. A few coins more and that was it. To search the table and all its drawers would require far more time, and the cursory search revealed nothing akin to key, though a few thin strips of metal that could have been bronze as well as several thin steel bars were found by the young man.

Barrett found his prayer answered, the lock displaying before him in great detail though his lack of previous knowledge of locking mechanisms meant he only saw the parts and could merely guess how it functioned. There was a place for the key and it looked well worn with use. Deep within rested a cylinder with several grooves long its inner surface, and each groove housed a small protrusion within. When one turned the key, if it was meant to fit in this lock it's jagged ends would slide along the grooves and catch upon the protrusions, guiding it around the cylinder and the rolling motion would retract the bar resting deep in the wall on the opposite side. All one needed to do was find the right key, or a way to move the protrusions around without losing the hold. Perhaps if the plate covering the mechanism from the outside was removed they could reach the protrusions, but to do that several long and sturdy looking nails would have to be removed.

[Corbin Dillon]

It was hot work, and not just due to the effort being expended, but also due to the heat that was fanning down through the building. A drip of sweat formed on his brow and wound its way down his face to glisten on his chin for a moment or two, before escaping his face and splashing on the floor. Corbin paid not one jot of interest to that bead, nor indeed the others that began to form. His concentration was almost solely on the work before him. Granted, he took care to keep his senses alive to what was going on in the room so that he could react to any major problems, but for now the major problem was exiting the room. It seemed that he and Ashtallion had carved their way about a third through the wall, which by a simple calculation showed that they had another two-thirds to go. The further they got, the more likely it was that they could rapidly break through the remaining layers without too much worry, but the stability of the room behind them seemed to be without question - for the moment at least.

For a moment Corbin reflected on what his family would think if they could see their son, the scion of a wealthy merchant family, chiseling away at rock with his priceless talents - little better than a miner. It was sufficient to draw a wry smile on his face for a flicker, the moment of levity seeming strangely incongruous with the dangerous situation they were in. But it was enough to keep his mood buoyant, and his efforts concerted, so he cared little for the fact that it might be out of place.

[Barrett]

Thank you, Thinker, I only hope that I may repay some future follower in kind with the knowledge they seek.

For that was Barrett's theory – the knowledge that the god could grant was somehow related to the knowledge discovered by those who prayed to the Thinker: a constantly evolving network of thinkers past, present – and possibly future although Barrett preferred not to delve into the complexities of time just yet.

"Fascinating. A quality lock, no doubt, but it's such a simple mechanism."

Not having the key, and doubting there was time to remove the nails, the querist experimented. Magical manipulation seemed easier than trying to fabricate a key.

If only I had a bit of solder. There's plenty of heat about to help manipulate such a thing...

First, he tried mentally redirecting the air that already flowed through the keyhole. Quick, gentle bursts toward the protrusions.

Not strong enough... and if I increase the intensity it's as likely to damage the lock as anything else. Besides which the air doesn't flow in the regular circular pattern that is needed. It will require a finer, stronger control. Little fingers instead of little jets.

"If only I had the makings of a key... or some small malleable pieces of metal to work with..."

[Danomel]

Danomel frowns at the results of his search. To much to expect I guess. The holder of the Key is probably upstairs anyway.

He gathers up the few bits of metal and coins as they might prove useful with the door Danomel heads back to the other room.

Seeing Barrett working on the door, Danomel takes the respite to look around here also. Then he makes a more detailed examination of the door. Endeavoring to stay out of Barretts way while he studies the lock, he examines the hinge side of the door in greater detail.

[Ashtallion Urdil]

There was a feeling of elation despite his growing weariness. The thrill of the sorcery as it pumped through his very veins, threads of energy bending to his will, he was in control and his weaving was an extension of that control. Rock and stone moved with his guidence. Asht was unsure as to how exhausted this was going to leave him. He knew that if he made it to the streets, he had intended to help put out the fire, possible weavings were swimming in his mind.....but that would depend on how drained the sorcerer was.