The next day the countryside became less wooded. The road was turning more towards the centre of the island, and was rising up. The land was more rocky, the soil shallower and less fertile. Plantings of low-grade coppiced woodland for charcoal were being used for soil management. The manors were poorer, though just as military, and there were fewer slaves evident. There were also fewer goods wagons on the road. The Boys also passed several slave chain gangs, generally a dozen slaves with loose leg irons and chained together by the neck, controlled by a couple of whip and club wielding guards. Judging by the tools the slaves were carrying, it appeared that these were labour gangs being used for estate renovation. There were also well wooded deep ravines visible from the ridge tops, but they had a dark forbidding look. Scrying revealed that they contained large, dangerous, inhabitants like giant spiders and super scorpions. There were also many dry geysers and fumaroles.

At the end of the day the Boys stopped in a another large ruined keep which was occupied by Slavers. The dungeon contained many slaves, some being treated for minor injuries; obviously they had been newly reclaimed from the traps. There was even a crude smithy outside the keep, for repairing collars and chains. The slavers healer, a slave himself, told the Boys that many places like this existed, but only one other was on a road side, on the other road at a similar inland location. The Boys were coming to the uninhabited central volcano region, filled with all sorts of dangers, such as goblins and trolls who guarded the more valuable treasure hoards attracting Adventurers, hence the need for a Slaver Base. However, there was the Cat and Fiddle Inn a day's journey hence were the Boys could get supplies. It was a good thing that the Boys still had most of the silver crowns that Dad had given them.