Realizing the risk, you decide you have to fight back!

You focus arcane power through Strokmier and grab onto a vine. You instantly feel a reaction - the energy animating the vines begins arcing violently as though struck by lightning! The bulb gripping your hand goes slack and allows you to pull free. There is no time to waste! You continue climbing as quickly as possible, fending off the relentless vines. They lash at you wildly, trying to drag you back down; they are so persistent that you're **** to stop and shock them repeatedly.

By the time you pull yourself over the top of the wall and out of reach of the vines, your gauntlet has been severely overtaxed. The leather on your gauntlet is brittle and scorched from overuse. You tear it off of your hand and watch its remains disintegrate into the wind. You may have found a better way inside the tower, but was it worth losing your weapon?

Now on the far side of the wall, you have time to assess your situation. You notice a door leading into the fortress from here - that would have been convenient to know before! - as well as the ladder you came all this way to use. It seems solidly constructed; for once, something in this place isn't half-rotten or moments from collapsing. The short climb up the ladder leads to the tower wall itself, and from there you can climb up the protruding stones to reach the balcony. Breathing deep, you begin the long climb up the side of the tower...