he tench f eath

Early the following morning saw the Dolphin arrive in the port of Athenos. The two large towers on the seaward ends of the harbour wall cast long shadows across the harbour mouth and the city beyond. Despite the early hour, boats were moving in and out of the harbour on the tide. The sun glinted coldly on the armour and weapons of the guards atop the harbour wall. A small pilot ship sailed out to meet the Dolphin just outside the congested harbour and guided it safely to its berth against the north wall of the harbour near the mouth of the Athenos Canal. The wharves were bust with goods being transferred to and from ships and warehouses. Trimus soon gave up counting the different languages spoken and instead concentrated on getting his chest packed. On disembarking Gieve suggested that they met up at the Merchant's Rest as he had business to take care of. The others agreed and Gieve soon vanished into the heaving throng.

Once away from the harbour the crush lessened and Trimus with the others began to take in the atmosphere of one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the Republic Of Darokin if not the whole of the Known World. The buildings in the business district east of the harbour were finely constructed in a bold but not garish manner. Shops selling pastries and a hot, strong black drink abounded and many merchants could be seen at tables holding intense conversations. The Merchant's Rest lay near the heart of this area and a young man in a clean white tunic and brown breaches was sleeping the floor as they entered.
"Mr Carras! Guests Mr Carras" the young lad shouted to a shadowy figure in a back room.
"I'll be right there, sirs" came a thin, sour voice in reply and a few moments later the owner of the voice entered the taproom. Like his voice he was thin, with a pinched face , lank, dark hair and a neatly trimmed beard accentuating rather than hiding a weak chin. His small dark eyes were set close together over a sharp bridged nose. Carras did not look like the normal jovial barkeeper the friends usually dealt with.
"Yes, sirs. How may I be of service? Rooms, drinks, food?" his voice was oily and haughty at the same time and made Darkhawk's fingers itch for the sword at his hip.
"Yes." Replied Trimus putting on his most authoritative air "We have travelled far with a business associate of yours, Darromar, who suggested that you could offer us rooms at a discount. We would like three of your best for a week if you would be so kind."
Ako shook his head slightly. He hated it when Trimus talked like that, all false airs and graces. He is only a smith's son for goodness sake.
"Darromar said that did he?" questioned Carras. "Well I do owe him a favour for that keg of Shire Brandy he found for me. Yes I can let you have the rooms for 15 Tentrid."
"Tentrid?" frowned Trimus looking through his pouch and pulling out an Ierendi silver coin.
Carras smiled. It was the sort of smile you see on a wolf just before it rips your throat out. No warmth or humour, just greed.
"Put that away friend. If the guards or the merchants see those coins they will charge you 15% changer's fee. Look as your a friend of a friend I'll do you a deal. I'll change them into legal tender for only 12%. How's that sound."
"Trimus was about to agree when Gieve's voice rang out from the doorway.
"Criminal. That's how that sounds Carras you old scoundrel. The standard tariff is 10%. Don't try to rip off my friends or you may regret it."
Carras spat on the floor to the annoyance of the cleaning boy who rushed over to wipe it up only to receive a cuff round the ear for his troubles. "Is that so?" Carras said in a very threatening tone.
"Yes it is" replied Gieve in a low rumbling voice and walked into the taproom and examined some fine wine glasses arrayed beside the bar.
"10% it is then." Sighed Carras.
Trimus nodded briefly to Gieve and exchanged some of the coins for Darokovian currency, enough to pay for the rooms and other expenses that they might incur during a week in a city like Athenos. Once the lad had shown them to the rooms and been tipped by Trimus, Gieve called them all together.
"Just a few pointers. Don't go flashing you wealth around in Athenos, it isn't seemly. It is likely also that some of the people that you see hanging around the inns are thieves, or worse still tax inspectors. Carry only the money you need for the day. The rest will be safe here."
As Trimus started to protest Gieve raised his hand and continued.
"Carras may be a small time swindler but any innkeeper worth his salt would have tried it on you. Gods Trimus you are just to gullible! Anyway to steal goods from a guests room is below him and to hire someone to do it for him is just too risky.
"Now I'm sure you have things to do. I have to reclaim my map, and there are a few other chores I want to take care of. Let's meet up here again for the evening meal."
All nodded their agreement and departed for the busy streets of Athenos.

Grabthroat and Darkhawk spent some time in wandering the bazaars before finding a small armoury that was prepared to repair the dwarf's armour. While they were their they also purchased some light chain mail vests that they could wear with reasonable comfort under their normal clothes.
Trimus set out to the rich heart of the city. Passing the merchants in their drinking houses, the goldsmiths and the jewellers until eventually he found what he was looking for, a silversmiths.
The owner, a young man with a waxed moustache and steel grey eyes gleaming under jet black brows, smiled as Trimus made his request.
"You would like both ends shod? Certainly. Anything else? Bands further down? No? It isn't magical is it sir? I'd hate it to go off as I was polishing it." His voice was soft yet authoritative and knowledgeable. He turned the staff over in his hands testing for balance. "It won't take me long, Sir. I get many requests for this sort of work. If you would like to take a seat. With that he disappeared through a curtain and shortly after the sounds of rasping and hammering combined with a tuneless whistle filled the small shop. A few moments later the man returned with the staff, now capped each end with three inches of gleaming silver. "That will be 10 Daro sir" asked the silversmith politely and Trimus handed over the coins readily.

Ako had had a more sombre task facing him. Bearing the hammer as well as the news of a brothers death he sought out the Brotherhood of the Long Road. The temple was a large and well maintained edifice near the city's northern gate. He was welcomed warmly at first but the brethren's smiles soon turned to frowns as Ako told his story. Abbot Weram took the hammer reverently and laid it in a velvet casque that an acolyte had brought.
"Thank you for returning these brother Ako. Rest assured that they will be given to another worthy follower. As a gesture please accept these potions."
The abbot handed Ako three labelled glass flasks. One was a potion of antidote, the other two potions of healing.
"Thank you Abbot." Replied Ako kneeling and kissing the abbots proffered ring. "I will remember your generosity when I use your gifts."
"I hope you never need to brother." He replied.

Evening was cloaking Athenos as the five friends finished a fine meal in the Merchant's Rest. Ako had pushed back his chair and was about to rise but was halted by a look from Gieve.
"Somebody's watching us." He whispered.
"Who? Where?" Blurted Darkhawk turning this way and that in his chair.
"Everyone now." Muttered Grabthroat into his ale.
"The gentleman by the door. He was on the boat with us." Gieve muttered.
"Barkeep!" shouted Grabthroat. "More ale here."
A servant came over with a flagon of ale for the dwarf. As she turned to leave Grabthroat pressed a coin into her hand.
"Have you seen that man, in the green cloak by the door before. Do you know who he is."
"No sirs I haven't." She replied shakily. "Should I know him? Do you want me to ask who he is?"
"No that will be all. He's leaving now anyway." Replied the dwarf shooing her away.
"Should we follow him Gieve?" asked Ako.
"No. But we must be on our guard." Replied the thief. "Let's turn in I sense a busy day ahead of us.

That night Trimus had a strange dream. He was stumbling back through Sulesco village, dirty and bleeding, struggling to hold back the tears. Again some of the other boys had tormented him but this time they had given him a sound beating too. Arriving home Father is waiting and he is angry.
"I can't defend myself properly, I'm no fighter."
"It's hopeless boy, you must stand up for yourself. I give in, I'll never make a fighter out of you. Tomorrow we will go and see Jaramus the mage, see what he can make of you."
You have finally got what you've begged for all these years. Mother smiles and washes the blood from your head saying "Soon my dearest one, soon you will show them all and make me proud!"
"Yes soon I will have the power" you whisper to yourself."
On waking Trimus realised that none of the people, the places or the events were familiar to him.

The common room of the inn was especially busy the following morning. Many of the patrons were shouting and gesticulating allowing Ako and Darkhawk, the first down for breakfast that morning, to overhear their conversations.
"Another murder." One rotund merchant babbled. "It's not safe to walk the streets these days."
"It's all right for you, you never walk anywhere these days!" retorted another. "Anyway you live out east. All the murders have been in the west of the city."
"Not all of them." Corrected Carras from behind the bar. "Only last week a merchant from Kelvin was taken from outside his warehouse and that was east of the harbour."
"See. I told you." shouted the first merchant stabbing at the second with his podgy finger. "I'm leaving as soon as I can tie up a few loose ends. And I won't be back." With that he stormed out of the inn and yelled for a chair as soon as he got to the street.
"What's going on?" whispered Grabthroat pulling up a chair next to the cleric. "Gieve left just after dawn this morning and I can't get a reply from Trimus. Have they gone off somewhere without us?"
"I don't know." Muttered Ako "More importantly it seems that there have been some murders in the last few weeks, nasty ones at that. There's Gieve now. No sign of Trimus though."
Gieve sat at the table laying a roll of parchment in front of him.
"Where's Trimus?" He asked after signalling for some rolls, smoked sausage and cheese.
"We were going to ask you." replied Darkhawk.
"I'll see if I can wake him." Said Grabthroat rising. "This oversleeping is becoming a habit."

A few moments later Gieve, Ako and Darkhawk along with most of the taproom crowd were stunned into silence by a loud roar of laughter from upstairs, followed shortly by the Grabthroat stumbling into the common room his eyes streaming and his face as red as a beetroot.
"Oh it hurts! It hurts bad!" he snorted between gales of coarse laughter.
Ako stood to give aid thinking the dwarf had been attacked but the was shocked into silent stillness by the arrival of Trimus.
"Don't say a word! Not a single word." He grated through clenched teeth.
The cause of Grabthroat's hysteria was instantly obvious. Trimus was bald. Every hair on his head was gone.
"Which one of you did it?" he asked fiercely. "Who drugged my beer? Who cut it off while I slept." He flapped a hank of blue black hair still tied with its ribbon at them.
"Don't go near any dragons Trimus, they might want to try to hatch your head!" chortled the dwarf how was now on his back on the taproom floor holding his stomach.
"Hey!" exclaimed Darkhawk raising his hands "It wasn't us Trimus. Perhaps it was something magical"
Carras, trails of tears on his cheeks came over and examined Trimus' bare pate and shook his head.
"No barber did this son. There isn't a nick, no stubble or anything. I bet it was magic. Go and see old Jerro Haggimar, he has a small shop near the harbour. He is an apocrathery, he may be able to help.
"Thank you Carras, at last a voice of reason. I will do that this morning."
"While you are off dealing with that the rest of us can vist the Captain of the guard to inquire about this." The thief unrolled a length of parchment on the table. "Wanted for the heinous crime of murder. Person or persons unknown. Reward 1000 Daro." Recited Grabthroat. "Is that what this crowd has been so agitated about?"
"I think so." Replied Ako. "I'm game, we can't have murderers roaming the streets."
"Trimus. You go and do something with your hair. The rest of you come with me to the Guard Hall and sign up for this." Ordered Gieve. "We'll meet up at noon for an afternoon rest. We may be at it all night."

Jerro Haggimar's shop was a tiny affair, squeezed tightly between a corn merchant and a purveyor of spices. Trimus in fact had walked past its frontage three times before spotting it.
"Hello sir, may I be of assistance? No stop, don't say a thing, let me guess." The thin man put long thin stained fingers to his chin and paused theatrically before continuing. "It's your hair isn't it!" When Trimus rolled his eyes and sighed Jerro clapped his hands and laughed.
"I'm sorry, I must have my little jokes. Let me see your head, you'll have to bend over a bit." He ran his callused fingers over Trimus' skull for a few moments then stepped back.
"Definitely magical, I'd say. You came to the right place, however this is a bad time. My best supplier has disappeared, I fear he fell foul of this evil killer that's loose in the city. This has left me tragically short of ingredients. I don't suppose you could get hold of some Isloma root? It grows in the swamp to the north of the city. If you could bring me some I could let you have the ointment at half price. Say 1000gp?"
"Are you sure it will work?" asked Trimus.
"Oh! Sir!" replied Jerro clutching his hands over his heart. "How dare you suggest that Jerro would be letting you down."
"All right. I will bring you the Isloma root and the gold tomorrow." sighed Trimus trying to calm the apocrothery.
"Lovely!" smiled Jerro. "Be seeing you sir, tomorrow sir. But one thing sir. That baldness. Suits you sir."
Trimus growled as he slammed the door shut and stomped out into the street back to the inn.

Captain Edalwyr surveyed the group in front of him with a jaundiced eye. The dwarf; sturdy but possibly a little incautious, the thief; always alert, the cleric; bah never had time for them myself, then finally the fighter; strong, bold but lacking a certain something.
"OK. You'll do." He grumbled. "Just make sure you do it right. No killing innocent bystanders or merchants you understand." He pointed his quill pen at Darkhawk. Gieve took the warrant the captain had signed and led the others back to the inn where Trimus was kicking his heals.
"We're signed up so let's eat, then rest until nine bells." Suggested Gieve. The others agreed and soon all were either sleeping or meditating quietly.

Just after the guild hall bells had sounded nine a small group left the shelter of the Merchant's Rest. Quietly they made their way toward the west of town and began patrolling the silent streets. The sky was clear with a waxing moon just past it's first quarter, shedding a little silver light which glinted like gems off of the moist cobbles. Nothing happened until just after midnight when Gieve raised a finger and everyone stood still. A few blocks ahead they heard the faint sound of flapping wings, a wet leathery sound in the night.
Moving quickly yet cautiously they approached the source of the sound. Gieve briefly opened his shielded lantern and illuminated a small, red, moist patch on the street. He bent and dipped his finger in the thick liquid, bringing it close to his nose.
"Blood. Human blood." Whispered Gieve to the others. "Spread out and see if you can find anything. Go thirty paces then come back to here."
They all returned a few moments later with nothing to report.
"It could have flown onto one of those buildings?" mused Grabthroat.
"It would have had to have been big." Replied Ako.
"A dragon!" blurted Darkhawk.
"A dragon. In Darokin. I don't think so." Admonished Gieve. "There would be no where for it to hide."
"Who goes there." A gruff voice broke the silence of the streets. Emerging from the shadows a city guardsman raised a lantern and stared at Trimus and the others.
"What are you doing out here at this hour."
"We have a warrant from your commander to hunt down the killer of the merchants." Replied Trimus pompously.
"Have you now," sneered the guardsman, "Well you're too late. We've just found another victim."
"Another merchant?" inquired Gieve.
"Yep. Looks like he was thrown off the roof of that warehouse."
They followed the guardsman to the body, encircled now by a posse of guardsmen.
Ako examined the body turning it face up and giving a gasp of recognition.
"It's the merchant that seemed to be so scared this morning." He said to the others. "He never got his loose ends tied up after all." He stood and whispered to Darkhawk. "No knife gave him those wounds. Claws and teeth may be but it would have had to have been a large beast." He turned back to the captain of the guard. "Have any large beasts escaped from a menagerie recently?"
"No." he replied puzzled, "Why do you ask?"
Ako pointed out the wounds on the merchants body and the captain nodded.
"No. This area has been quiet since the duel."
"The duel?" inquired the cleric.
"Yes. The duel between two mages. Highly illegal of course. By the time we got here there was just a few patches of blood and scraps of flesh left. The council assumed that they just blew each other apart."
"When was this?" asked Trimus.
"About three months ago."
"So it wasn't long after that that the merchants started vanishing." Probed Trimus.
"A few weeks later, yes, but I still don't see the connection."
"Neither do I. Yet". Mused the mage.
"We will take this poor soul back to the guardhouse until we can identify him." Said the captain. "You be careful. Whatever did this may still be around."
Trimus and the others patrolled the streets till the horizon was tinged with pink, then yellow and the merchants, traders along with the rest of Darokin's population started filling the streets with life.

Despite his promise to Jerro, Trimus was too tired to trek out into the Malpheggi Swamp in search of the Isloma root. One more day without hair wasn't going to hurt him, he thought to himself. After a light lunch he returned to the shop with the gold and informed Jerro of his plans. The little man was very excited by Trimus' tales of the night before but could shed no light on the duel.
"Nasty pieces of work, sir. Both of them." He said darkly. "Better off without them."
"Did anyone witness the duel?" Trimus asked.
"No, the mages made sure of that. One street kid tried watching but Daros turned him into a beetle and trod on him. So the rumours say."

That night they again set out after nine bells to explore the town, starting this time at the centre and working westwards. Just after midnight they were halted by a load scream from somewhere above them. Gieve swiftly climbed the side of the building next to him, an old warehouse with barred windows. Once at the top he lowered a rope and beckoned the others to follow. Stairs at the rear of the roof led down to a large courtyard surrounded by partly derelict buildings and littered with broken crates and part of an old wagon. Grabthroat signalled to the others to shade their lanterns as he looked around for any signs of life.
"Nothing." He whispered. "There's too much light tonight."
"Gieve. Over here." Rasped Ako under his breath.
Gieve and the others crowded over to see what the cleric had found. Near the door of the most ramshackle of the buildings were what appeared to be bloody hand prints.
"They look like something or someone tried to stop themselves from being dragged up the side of the building." Said Darkhawk.
"Yes." Replied Gieve. "Let's go in. I don't think this wall is safe to climb."
The tall double doors that led into the dark forbidding interior of the warehouse were old and sagging on their hinges. They opened easily but made a loud scrabbling noise on the cobbled courtyard. Inside it seemed that the lower two floors had collapsed inwards leaving just a wooden stair leading up to a third floor and a stair leading down into the deeper darkness of a cellar. The dwarf and the fighter led the way down the stair, the dwarf a step or two ahead. Just before the bottom of the stair was reached a tread gave way under Grabthroat's weight sending him tumbling the last few steps. Darkhawk leapt down beside his friend scanning the room for dangers. His lantern cast strange shadows as it swung around the cellar, piles of rotting wood and broken stone taking on hideous, threatening shapes in the half light. Finding nothing else here bar insects and small mammals they returned the way they came.
"I expected as much." Gieve whispered "If the beasts are anywhere they will be on the roof."
Again the dwarf and fighter led the way. Taking care on the crumbling wooden treads they ascended, soon the stench of death, sweet and cloying filled their nostrils. By the third floor the smell was almost overpowering, Trimus having to clutch a silk cloth over his nose to prevent himself gagging. A skylight set into the centre of the ceiling gave both access to the roof and some light from the moon through it's broken panes.
Gieve crossed to it and getting a hand up from Darkhawk looked through. Almost instantly the thief gave a sharp intake of breath and dropped back to the floor. "There's a pile of bones on the roof and something is with them but I couldn't make out what. We have to be careful so that we don't give them any warning." Gieve reached up and unlatched the skylight, gently letting it swing downwards and removing any loose glass so that it could drop and give them away. He then sprung lightly up and grabbed the frame of the opening before swing himself silently onto the roof, crouching as close to the gently sloping tiles as he could. Then as quietly as possible the others followed, being boosted up by Darkhawk's strong arms and caught by Gieve's nimble hands. So far whatever was rending and tearing at the flesh near the corner of the roof had paid no heed to Trimus and the others and its back was turned towards them. Now they were out in the open they could see the broad lichen crusted wings and gritty grey skin along with the cruel horns on the beast's head.
"Gargoyles." Mouthed Gieve to Trimus and the mage nodded and they slowly crept forward.

A grating cry and the sound of flapping from behind stopped Trimus and the others in their tracks. Three more of the creatures had landed on the roof behind them, their bloodstained claws clacking on the roof like hail in a midsummer storm.
Trimus turned and uttered a reply in the same gravely language before casting a spell that seemed to quadruple the number of mages that stood on the roof. This caused the gargoyles to pause momentarily allowing Darkhawk to change form into that of the dark warrior, ready to wield his steel claws against the stone examples of the gargoyles.
Ako and Grabthroat had reached the first gargoyle but were not besting it, the dwarf having to continuously wipe blood from a gash in his forehead while the cleric was favouring his left leg. The night was lit up as first Darkhawk, then Gieve and Trimus each shattered a gargoyle with magic blasts and for a while the air was full of glowing shards of stone. Seeing the others predicament Darkhawk waded into the fray and his strength tipped the balance of the battle in the friends favour. The gargoyle was slowly forced backwards step by stony step, its skin and wings covered with a tapestry of fine fractures. A final flurry of blows from Darkhawk caused the beast to take one extra, involuntary and ultimately fatal step backward, trip over the low parapet and fall off backwards. It tried to fly but its damaged wings could not bare its weight and seconds later it hit the cobbles below and shattered to the four corners of the courtyard.
"Yes!" exulted Trimus clapping the brave fighter on the shoulder who turned and transformed in a single flowing movement, jubilation on his face as he picked the mage up in a powerful bear-hug.
"Ako, Grabthroat, are you all right?" asked Gieve
2Yes, I'll be fine." Replied the Cleric, "Give me a moment and I'll be ready to heal that would Grabthroat."
"What was that you shouted Trimus?" asked Gieve.
"Oh just something about his mother being a lump of clay and his father a pile of schist!" laughed Trimus, "Gargoyle was something I picked up in an idle hour or two while I was learning my trade." He added pompously.
"Hmm. Look what I've found." Called the dwarf from over near the ruined bodies of the gargoyles' victims. The others came over. Trimus pointedly holding his nose. "They must have picked over the bodies before eating them. There's a belt of golden links, lots of coins, a golden bracelet and what's this, yes some potion bottles. There labelled as well but I can't read the writing. Gieve to you want to have a go?"
Gieve looked at the labels and sniffed their contents. "That one's a potion of speed and this one is a potion of gaseous form. Very nice." We should lower these down to the floor rather than lugging them through the building. Those stairs only just took your weight." As they were talking they heard footsteps from the street below and a loud, familiar voice calling up.
"Ho! What goes on. Show yourself and give some light."
"Hello captain." Cried Gieve leaning over the parapet. "We've found your killers and disposed of them. We have some things that may belong to the victims. Can we lower them down to you."
Even from this height Trimus could make out the look of astonishment on the captain's face.
"Surely you can, and well done. Well done indeed."
Once the goods, and the remains of the bodies were safely lowered to street level, Gieve and the others trotted down the stairs and out onto the street. The captain by this time had requisitioned some barrows and carts and was ready to take the bodies and items back to the guard hall for safe keeping. He gave Gieve instructions to arrive as early as possible on the morrow to give statements.

The next day was drizzly and overcast, a bank of cloud scudding in from the sea casting a gloom over all of Athenos. A gloom that was soon lifted as tales of the gargoyles' demised ran through the streets like fire through a forest in summer. As Trimus and the others walked to the guard house, small street urchins ran along beside and behind begging for tales not coins. Merchants stopped and doffed their hats as they passed, and one of Athenos' 'painted ladies' ran up and gave Gieve a kiss that almost stopped him from breathing! The guards outside the guard hall applauded the five friends as they entered and even the normally surly captain had a smile for them.
"Well done, lads. I am most impressed and I have to say a little surprised at your success. Unfortunately for you I have managed to find homes for most of the items you recovered. However you may keep the potions and of course you get the reward. He pushed across the desk a small green silk pouch which clinked softly and a larger leather bag which had a pleasant heft to it.
"Now you deserve a rest. The merchants can walk easily at night again and Athenos can return to normal. The city thanks you."

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