[h3][i]Getting to the Ground...[/i][/h3]
Getting down without venting lift gas and without the benefit of a ground crew to secure the vessel was a slow process as the ballonets were inflated and buoyancy was slowly reduced.  During this time the airship was at the mercy of the wind and there was need, on two occasions, to do a circuit of the field and double back to land.  But eventually, after a couple of hours, the vessel sat, reasonably stably, on the ground and Carter and his group were able to safely disembark to explore the castle.

Arkadios, meanwhile, summoned together whomever was still with them, "There is a hose connected to a pump to fill us up with water ballast.  There's a stream to the North of us that I think it should reach, so if anyone cares to help me run that out?  We've got a ballast tank to fill.  Then they can deflate the ballonets and, if we need to take off in a hurry, we can empty that tank and gain buoyancy quickly."

He paused, then gave a small shrug, "Yes I'm an infantry officer.  I've been reading the manuals."