It didn't take long for Rasmus to dress the Pale man. A laboratory smock, some drapes for a cloak, table sheets for a kilt and leather bindings for a belt. It wasn't the most fashionable ensemble, but the Pale man wore it well. With his stern look and chiseled features, he could have easily passed for some foppish Cheliaxian noble or even as a duelist from the capital of Egorian. Regardless of how the Paleman was attired, Rasmus was just glad not to have this naked fiend expose itself anymore to him.

"I'm glad too," commented the Paleman as he adjusted his drape/cloak. "Though I often walk around naked in my insect form, for some reason it just doesn't feel right when I do that in my humanoid form. Most women turn away red, while I detect a hint of jealousy from the males," he added with a smirk.

Rasmus didn't want to dwell upon that last statement as he searched the scroll rack for more hidden compartments. He hoped to find another Cacodaemon scroll to use as payment for the Pale man, but resigned himself to purchase a magic item himself if he couldn't. It would cut into his small fief's income, and would make his sister furious, but it didn't matter too much in the grand scheme of things, he would simply make his Halfling serfs work harder to compensate.

After being properly clothed, the Pale man turned his attention to the task at hand. He began by striking the wall a few times with his spear. Though the Pale man did not seemed remarkably strong in this form, Rasmus could feel the floor shake from his strikes and took a step back in case the roof or floor fell. After a few strikes the Paleman abandoned that approach and began to examine the walls.

"This tower is warded against teleportation it seems, and even plane travel," said the Pale man after lightly weaving his hands in the air. "It seems we have to leave here through mundane means"

"Eh? I knew this area was warded against teleportation but planes travel? If that's the case, how did I summon you?" asked Rasmus.

The Pale man considered his question for a moment. "Are you familiar with a Piscoloth? A large aquatic yugoloth from the grey wastes that often swim in the Styx. It has a carapace, claws, and a head that's a cross between a wasp and an octopus. While deadly, it has the unfortunate trait of that it's flesh is considered delicious. Boiled and dipped in butter, it's a dish that is in high demand from both greater devils and major demons. While fighting it in a straight up fight is not recommended due to its advantage in its natural terrain, clever hunters have devised an interesting trap to snare it. It basically relies on a narrow entrance to funnel the Piscoloth in, and a wide exit area with a small actual exit to confuse them and prevent them from escaping. "

"Err…so you mean this tower is like a lobster trap? You can check in but you can't check out."

The Pale man nodded. "Aye, but not lobster, a Piscoloth. There's a big difference and if you understand that than you have a basic understanding of it.

Rasmus decided not to press the matter and remained silent. The Pale man then turned his attention to the fog outside of the room . His dark eyes glowed red briefly before he shrugged. "It doesn't seem extraordinary. Just a plain 'guards and wards' enchantment. A slight emphasis on the confusion aspect, but no inherent negative energy laced about it, as your account suggests."

"I'm pretty sure it's there," assured Rasmus, touching his gaunt face and examining his thin sickly hands. Though he wasn't the most healthy specimen of Chelixan manhood, he did have a healthy aura about him given his appreciation of both the outdoors and fine cooked meals.

The Pale man studied the fog again and chanted some divination magics that Rasmus did not understand. After a few such verses he simply shrugged again. "I detect no such magics, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Your master might have simply hidden the spell, or require some trigger to activate it. "

"Err…so now what?"

"We press on of course," smiled the Pale man as he pointed his spear towards the fog. "I lifted the location relative to this laboratory from your head. I'm certain I'm resistant enough to the fog's effects, and if you happen to be laid low by this enchantment, I will simply carry you out of the tower to fulfill my end of our bargain."

Rasmus could not argue with that logic. "Before we push forward, might we stop into the dormitories first. I do not have the gold I promised on my personage, but I can retrieve both my valuables and various magical items to settle our terms."

The Pale man seemed annoyed, but sighed as he nodded. "Very well, but I suggest for your next major summoning, you have your offerings in hand."

With that he grabbed Rasmus's hand firmly with his left hand and strode into the fog. Rasmus was not ready for this given his near fatal experience earlier in the fog. He expected the Pale man to dispel the fog or place some form of protection on him, instead he simply walked through it and dragged him with it.

Rasmus squirmed in the Pale man's grasp. He shouted as the chilling fog seized him and filled his lungs again, but he could not break the Pale man's grip. His captor might have even said something to him in return but all he could hear was muffled noises. Rasmus' strength gave out and he found himself falling. He wasn't sure how long he fell, but he dragged the Pale man with him. Did they have a misstep and fall down the foyer near the stairs? Or did some window open up and he stumbled through it by accident. Rasmus was unsure, as he spiralled to the ground for what seemed like an eternity. No, this wasn't right. He must have triggered a portal given the length of his plunge. Was he in the air elemental plane, or perhaps Pandemonium…or maybe…

Rasmus was hefted from the ground and into a non fog shrouded room.

"Dear lord, you are a baby," said the Pale man as he finally released his grip on the mage. "I mean, you didn't have to bawl like a child when you slipped and fell."

Red faced Rasmus picked himself off the ground and dusted himself off. He was about to proclaim his innocence of such charges when he noticed his surroundings. Weapon racks, armour stands, shield pegs, sparring dummies, bunk beds, prisoner cells. Many of the above items were scattered, broken, or fallen over, but there was no denying he was in the guard barracks or what was left of it.

Rasmus wasn't sure how they went from the lab to the barracks, given that they existed on different levels of the tower. Did the fog displace him in ways even the Pale man could not foresee, or perhaps the tower's inherent magic was the culprit. Besides the fact that several rooms or cluster of rooms were much larger than what the tower could appear to hold, Rasmus was sure that Master Leroung could shuffle the floors around if he wanted to as well. It would not have surprised him if the tower was on some automatic shuffling protocol given that its defenses were activated.

"Hmmm, this doesn't appear to be your residence," commented the Pale man with a frown.

"Aye, this is the barracks, near the bottom floor, its where my friend Captain Dwen…"

"Rasmus…." Inquired a thin tired voice from across the room. A beaten and bloodied old man rose up from behind an armour stand with blade in hand. "Rasmus…is that you?"