Shaking his head, he strode into the Tower of Despair flanked by Puffy and his other guard of the day, a mare by the name of Juniper Brew ("Ginny" to her friends, apparently). The trio made their way into the deep, where a ritual room had been prepared with an adjoining observation chamber. Yet another of the guard waited beside the door and snapped a salute as he saw Forgath's retinue approach, nodding to Juniper as she took up her own post beside the door. Forgath and Puffy entered and found the last of the preparations were being completed; with a bow, several robed magi lead by one Magus Steady Hoof stepped aside to allow Forgath the final examination. He paced around the ritual room, examining the chalk circle and sigils upon the floor, the charged gem foci dotting the pattern, the three bowls of reagents (bitter roots, coal, and fortified wine) in their places, and last of all the pony standing at the center of the whole thing.