The streets of Tefemburu are clogged with refugees, all fleeing Kaervek's advancing horde. As sidar, you oversaw the retreat from Ufunguo; this is worse. Ufunguo was a rather small border city, where Tefemburu is a great metropolis. If Tefemburu falls, the bodies of its dead will add immeasurably to Kaervek's undead army.

However, Tefemburu's greater size provides many valuable resources as well as many difficulties. The problem is finding those resources in time to use them.

Since the local leaders know the city's magic better than anyone, you summon them and the commanders of your troops to the temple of Tefemburu's Oracle. There, you tell each of them to offer the four best plans they can. The others agree and return to their own halls to question their underlings and prepare for the siege.

One advisor could not join the others in helping you: the Granger Guildmaster, whose guildhall stands in the scrubland and farmland outside the city walls. Kaervek's advancing raiders have cut you off from the Grangers, who you suspect have troubles of their own, judging from a distant plume of smoke in that direction. A soot-stained messenger confirms the news. Kaervek has already struck at the Grangers' hall, and the guild chapter has been destroyed.

Other scouts return with their reports while you give your advisors time to formulate their plans. Most of Kaervek's dragons have been destroyed by Zhalfirin archers and spells. But Kaervek's remaining troops number in the tens of thousands, undead and difficult to destroy. The small force you left to hold the bridge has been cut off. Restless dead and gravebane zombies prowl the fields outside the city, making travel outside the city walls perilous at best.

You spend a few minutes talking with the priests of the temple. They are eager to offer you their help and the insight of the city's famous Oracle. However, they warn you that the Oracle's powers are limited--you may ask it only twenty questions before its magic is exhausted for the day. There will be no time for another set of questions.