You slowly creep towards the distant door.

You keep an eye on the beastwoman as you scurry between the piles of kegs littering the room. Even with plenty of hiding spots, you feel terribly exposed each time you dash across an empty space. And the exit still seems so far away... you duck behind one of the leaky barrels, unable to cross the next opening just yet. It would be safer for you to wait for her to move elsewhere.

"...hum ta-ta bum ta-ta, simmer and stew... lum da-da, skum da-da, fizzle and brew..."

You can hear the beastwoman softly sing to herself, accompanied by a fizzling sound - like the fat cooking off a slab of bacon. You peek over the keg cautiously to take a peek. The oil she's pouring into the beer kegs is reacting with the **** inside, foaming and bubbling wildly. Nonplussed, she stirs the oil in with a long wooden spoon, then replaces the keg's lid. The keg jostles about as she rounds a corner to fetch another keg. As it shudders, you sense arcane energy rapidly expanding inside the container - the same as the aura filling the entire room.

Just as you are about to leave your hiding spot, you notice the keg you are hiding behind has started shuddering as well. Strokmier is touching one of the barrel's leaks, and the liquid inside is starting to react to the runes on it!