ity n he ky - art 3
he ouse f he agpa (i)

Following directions gained from Gilbo, Trimus and the others visited one of the more affluent quarters of Serraine. Here on one of the wide boulevards Heydrech had his estate. Tucked away behind an imposing stone wall and stands of mature trees was a large house of which little could be seen from the tall iron gates. As they loitered momentarily Ako cast a spell to determine if the gates were trapped. A shake of the cleric's head indicated that his spell had told him they were probably safe.
"That house opposite is empty." Said Trimus, shielding his eyes from the sun. "Perhaps we could rent it and use it as our base of operations." The others agreed with this plan, so Jodotha, disguised as an old man visited the owners. After some haggling he managed to obtain the large town house for the princely sum of five hundred gold coins for a three month let.
"I told them I had family visiting from Alphatia." He reported back in the lobby of the Singing Winds. "That should allow any number of us to visit without attracting too much attention."
Trimus was distracted as a tall gaunt figure entered the inn. He had pale skin, brown eyes and black hair receding at the temples. Around his shoulders was a long black cloak with a scarlet lining. He was accompanied by a short, ugly hunchbacked man who took a key from a fawning lackey behind a desk. "Who's that?" asked Trimus.
"That." said Rellan leaning over to the mage. "Is Boris Vaselev, the famous bard. The ugly one is Yegor, his companion and bodyguard. He is in Serraine to perform a bardic festival. Tickets are hard to get hold of, or so I have been told." The elf sat back in his chair and watched the bard and his companion walk towards the stairs with the flustered servant struggling behind with a heavy case.

Jodotha and Cain visited their new property that evening, spending most of the time in the room on the upper floor that overlooked the gate of Heydrech's residence. Early in the evening a slim, short female elf left the grounds returning an hour or so later carrying a package that appeared to be a large book. She was soon followed through the gate by a pair of Nagpa. Cain took over from Jodotha as the bells tolled midnight and an hour or so later the thief was woken by loud barking from a number of dogs from within the high walls. Jodotha joined Cain at the window just in time to see the glow of flames from near the house.
"Magic?" questioned Jodotha. Cain shrugged his shoulders in reply as in the shadows footsteps could be heard running along the street away from the iron gates. The same gates opened a moment or two later and a gnome looked out. With hands on hips the gnome looked up and down the street before returning to the shadows beyond the wall.

The rest of the night passed without any further incident. Jodotha and Cain remained at the house throughout the following day as Rellan, Ako and Trimus delivered goods to the house. Amongst these was a powerful gnome telescope which Gilbo helped set up in the top room. During the day a nagpa left with a large book returning later with another, different tome. The same nagpa left again later in the day then returned in the company of another elderly nagpa. "Perhaps we should visit the library." Mused Jodotha. "There may be records of the books that Heydrech is borrowing."
"True but it may be risky." Replied Rellan. "The librarian is a druj and may in fact be in league with Heydrech."

Later in the evening Rellan, Ako and Trimus attempted to visit Boris Vaselev.
"Mr. Vaselev is not seeing anyone." The lean man behind the desk said in a nasal drone "He has asked not to be disturbed. He has to rest before his performance." As he was speaking Vaselev walked through the lobby followed by Yegor.
"I'll follow him." Said Rellan, "You wait here." The elf slipped out of the hotel while Ako and Trimus took a seat and ordered a light meal and a bottle of Thyatian red. Before Vaselev could leave Ako cast a swift spell upon the bard.
At Trimus' shocked look Ako shrugged. "I wanted to see if he was evil or not." He replied to Trimus' silent enquiry. "My spell indicates that he is not." "Be more discrete in future, that sort of thing could get us into trouble."

Watching from the window through the telescope Jodotha watched Vaselev walk past the gate of Heydrech's residence followed at a decent distance by Rellan. Vaselev and Yegor walked once around the perimeter of the wall before returning to the inn.

Rellan arrived a few moments later and ordered a glass of fine wine. He savoured the taste of it before reporting what he saw to Trimus and Ako.
"I don't know what he was doing. It didn't seem like he was out sightseeing. He and his companion did take an undue interest in Heydrech's estate. I think we need to keep an eye on him."

The following morning Darkhawk, Trimus, Rellan and Ako joined Cain and Jodotha at the rented house.
"Quiet night last night." Reported Jodotha. "Only one visitor, an elf, with a pile of books. He must be a haevy reader this Heydrech."
"If only we could find out what he was reading, it may give us a clue as to what he is up to, how close he is to discovering the secret." Growled Trimus.
"Someone's coming." Called Cain from the window. They all rushed to take a look. In the street below was a cloud giant, his head a scant few feet below the level of their window sill.
"Good morning Strompy!" called people on the street, the giant smiled and waved his free hand at those he recognised. At the gate to Heydrech's estate the giant stopped and put down the large chest he had been carrying under his left arm.
"Delivery for Heydrech" he called in a loud, bass voice.
A few minutes passed before a nagpa and a gnome appeared. "Can't you use the bell like everyone else." Grumbled the gnome.
"No." replied the giant smiling, "Strompy's finger too big."
The nagpa snapped his fingers and two burley men stepped forward from with the grounds and carried the chest towards the house.
"I'm going to follow the giant." Muttered Jodotha and silently but swiftly ran down the stairs and onto the street.

The rogue followed the giant, an easy task as he could stay well back with no fear of loosing the twenty foot high figure in the crowds. Jodotha followed Strompy until the giant reached a huge tower. The giant took out a large key and unlocked the door before stepping inside. After waiting half an hour or so Jodotha returned to the house to pass on his news.
"That tower is Stompy's house." Agreed Rellan, "That's common knowledge. Did you find out anything else?"
Jodotha shook his head. "Other than the fact that he seems to be well liked and trusted."
Rellan looked at the sky and stood up. "Time for us to return to the Singing Winds and watch to see where Vaselev goes today. Trimus, Ako let's go."
The three companions returned to the inn where Ako ordered a bottle of wine which they sipped as they waited for the bard to appear.
"Ako, when Boris appears I want you to follow him while Trimus and I search his room." Said Rellan in a conspiratorial tone. "So don't drink to much of that wine."
The bottle was almost empty by the time that Boris and Yegor entered the lobby, handed their keys to the clerk at the desk and walked out onto the street. Ako rose to follow them but was held back by Rellan when he saw another man cough loudly and roughly before standing up from a table near the door and walk off in the same direction as Vaselev.
"Follow them both, I'm interested to see where that man goes as well. Don't get caught." Said Rellan and let go of the cleric's arm.

Rellan and Trimus climbed the stairs to the third floor where Rellan pointed at a door at the end of a short carpeted corridor. "That's the one. Knock it open Trimus." "How do you know which one's his suite?" asked Trimus.
"While you and Ako were guzzling the wine, I paid attention to where the clerk hung the keys. Simple really."
Trimus cast a knock spell on the door and Rellan pushed it open and walked in. The rooms were large with windows overlooking the street and the courtyard around which the Singing Winds was built. Two bedrooms, a sitting room and a private bathroom, all well furnished and tidy.
Rellan knelt beside a bed and dragged out a large valise emblazoned with a ornate crest embossed into it. The elf opened the case and rummaged around inside for a few moments. A locked, heavy wooden, box appeared to contain coins but of more interest was a glass flask containing a thick red liquid. Rellan prised loose the cork stopper and sniffed at the contents. His nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Blood." He said. "Anything else?". Trimus shook his head. "Right. Let's put things back as they were and leave."
A few moments later Rellan stood in the door and took a final look around the room before shutting the door and returning to the lobby.
"What do you think?" asked Rellan as he and Trimus sat waiting for the return of Ako and Vaselev.
"It doesn't look good, does it. Is he some kind of undead?" mused Trimus.
"Possibly a Nosferatu." Replied Rellan , "Very old ones can withstand the light of the sun. But hush, here he is. Perhaps Ako has some news."
Vaselev took his keys from the clerk and strode upstairs followed closely by his man servant. Trimus and Rellan waited, and waited but Ako was no where to be seen.
"Where is he?" asked Trimus, concerned.
"He can't have been apprehended by Vaselev, he would have done something about us. The other man who left just before Ako, now he might have something to do with it. There is nothing we can do but wait." The urbane elf snapped his fingers and ordered a simple meal for himself and Trimus. Trimus frowned at Rellan's callous air but could think of no better action and tucked into his food, his eyes straying constantly to the door.

Jodotha, Cain and Darkhawk kept watch over the gate as darkness fell. In the purple twilight the giant returned with another chest, accompanied by an elfin woman and a nagpa carrying thick, leather bound tomes.
"We need to find out what's going on in there." Whispered Jodotha. "Are you agreed Cain?"
The mystic nodded silently in reply and the pair slipped silently into the night. They walked, through the pools of deepest shadow to a length of the east wall of the grounds which came closes to a grove of heavy limbed trees. Jodotha climbed the wall with ease as did Cain. The grounds were silent and dark, all that could be seen of the house through the leaves were lights in a few windows. Jodotha climbed down into the grounds followed by Cain and they moved silently from tree to tree till they reached the middle of the grove.
"Something comes." Breathed Jodotha into Cain's ear. "Climb this tree." They found ample finger and toe holds in the rough bark of the tree and they sat astride a wide bough watching a strange dog approach. Its eyes glowed like coals in a blacksmith's forge and a similar glow could be seen in the beasts' mouth. It reached the foot of the tree and barked loudly, a noise that shattered the night's silence. The hounds bark was echoed by others from the direction of the house. Jodotha loosed a crossbow bolt at the creature wounding it. Before the rogue could fire another bolt however a tongue of flame lanced from the hounds mouth igniting the leaves of the tree and burning Jodotha badly. He and Cain started to move carefully through the branches towards the wall and safety as more of the hell hounds approached. They were a scant few yards from the wall when Jodotha was hit by several gouts of flame and slumped unconscious against the trunk of a tree. Cain saw that his friend was in trouble and returned to aid him. He forced a vial of healing potion down Jodotha's throat and helped him gain the wall. The pair then climbed down the outside of the wall just as Darkhawk in the form of a Celestial Knight sped overhead. Inside the grounds the barking became louder at first then moved away towards the house.
"We must get you inside. Perhaps Ako has returned and can fully restore you to health." Whispered Cain his arm around Jodotha's shoulders. Lights had come on in many of the windows of the houses lining the streets but they kept to the shadows for the main part, hoping that Jodotha's staggering gait would be mistaken for a drunken rake returning home with a friend.
They arrived to find Trimus alone in the upstairs room, a worried look upon his face. They were joined a few moments later by Darkhawk.
"You were followed." Said Darkhawk. " A gnome watched you from the gates. I'm not sure he saw you enter here, I tried to distract him by flying low over his head." "How did you do that?" breathed Jodotha through blistered lips. "The flying"
"A new power of the talisman." Replied Darkhawk with a wry grin. "It seems as I become stronger and more experienced the talisman gives me more powers and abilities. " he held the lozenge of metal in his hand and looked at it thoughtfully. "I wonder what other powers it may hold."
"Where's Ako?" asked Cain. "Has he not returned?"
"No." said Trimus curtly, rummaging in his pack for bandages and salve. He then proceeded to clean and bind the worst of Jodotha's burns. "This is all I can do, friend until Ako returns. What has he been up to?"

At that moment Ako was nursing a sore head in a damp cell in Serraine's prison along with a couple of other drunks. Ako had followed Boris Vaselev, his servant Yegor and the third man who had departed just before Ako. As they walked through the crowded streets of Serraine, Boris was accosted at every turn by one or more of his fans. He stopped for a word here, a snatched fragment of song there at almost every street corner. The man with the cough soon tired of the crowds and caught a sky chair. For a moment Ako was torn. Should he follow the bard or the stranger? He swiftly decided that Vaselev was his mark and he should stick with him. They soon came to a large market square where jugglers, acrobats and dancers performed on the cobbles while traders sold cheep gewgaws and hot spicy meats on skewers to the audience. Small boys and girls passed round hats into which the audience dropped a few coppers. Boris watched for a while, a smile on his face, leaning over on occasion to say something to Yegor. Here was one place where Boris wasn't pestered by his fans. It seemed that here he was one of the audience instead of walking the boards. Eventually he seemed to sigh and moved off towards a tall colonnaded building to the east of the square, the Grand Theatre. Ako, desperate to keep up and to gather as much information as possible cast a detect magic spell. Instantly Yegor reached up and touched a loop of gold wire in his right ear. Boris hurried on towards the stage door of the theatre while Yegor accosted a member of the city guards and pointed a stubby finger towards Ako. The cleric thought quickly, there was no way Yegor could be certain that it was he, Ako that had cast a spell. His options were few. There was no way he could fight his way out of trouble, he had to think his way out. He grabbed a bottle of rough spirits from a beggar squatting in a ruined doorway and swigged down a couple of mouthfuls of the harsh liquid. Pressing a few gold pieces into the down and outs grimy palm he staggered into the guard and put his arm around the shocked soldier.
"May the bleshing of Normanush be upon you." he slurred. "Wanna drink?" He added thrusting the bottle under the guard's nose.
"I think you have had another, brother." The guard admonished. "I think you need to come with me."
"Are we going to have a drink." Ako continued, the alcohol starting to take effect for real. "That would be nice."
The guard took the bottle from Ako's sweaty palm and led the stumbling cleric to the local lock up and thrust him into a cell with a pair of other drunks, sleeping off a day's drinking.
"When you sober up, you can go." Said the guard locking the door and striding away leaving Ako to ponder his actions in the dark.

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