The characters were interviewed by the captain of Akhisar's city guard about the events in the caves and beyond. Impressed, he suggested they seek work with the city guard, or as warriors of the Bey, the local ruler. The party stayed in Akhisar for a while, getting Cormac cured by a sorcerer and resting up. Basgoot, unfortunately, remained mind-burnt.

However, one day they met a ragged old man, seemingly a water or wine seller, who quoted poetry (not to their taste) at them, offered them a drink from his skin, and spoke to them most familiarly and obscurely, saying that he came to help a follower fallen on evil times, and asked them to lead him to their fallen comrade. When they did, he gave Basgoot a drink, and Basgoot became roaring-and-falling-down drunk. Winther asked for a drink, which the old man gladly supplied him, but upon drinking Winther fell into stupor and unconsciousness. Basgoot remained drunk for a day, but when he sobered up he had recovered from his mind-burn.

After a few days in the city a merchant invited them to visit and talk of their journey. Also impressed, he told them they might easily find work for him or for the merchants' council.

They eventually went to work for the city guard. After a few weeks patrolling in the city, the captain of the guard sent them out to kill some monsters that were troubling caravans along the trade route. Along the way they rescued a Jann^[19] from a group of Brigands. The grateful Jann gave Basgoot an amulet. Tracking the monsters down, they found three Chimera. After a fierce battle the party killed the monsters, but Tekhadun died (bravely, of course) in the fight.