### 244

Slowly you advance towards the shimmering lights and, as the tunnel begins to level off in the distance, you see that it opens out into a huge cave. The shimmering is caused by a line of glowing beacons hung by chains from the vault-like ceiling of the cave. Their warm amber light is reflecting upon the cold dark waters of a lake.

At first there appears to be no way across the lake, but as you draw nearer to the tunnel’s end you see a spur of rock and a raised drawbridge on the opposite side. On the near side, close to a platform upon which the bridge rests when lowered, there stands a large iron cage filled with giant frog-like creatures. These must be the Tzargs that Lord Rimoah spoke of, the scouts bred by the Ceners to guide them through the swamps of Caron. A pair of Vazhag are teasing and taunting the Tzargs with sharpened sticks, jabbing them through the criss-crossed bars of their rusty cage.

After a while the rat-men tire of their spiteful game. Casually they cast their sticks into the lake and then settle themselves down upon the muddy shore. The larger of the two produces a haunch of maggoty meat from a haversack slung over its shoulder, and eagerly the two Vazhag proceed to devour this vile food. Both are seemingly oblivious to the hungry cries of the caged Tzargs.

Turn to 41.