Nine Silver Coins

The only things of interest were a total of nine tarnished silver coins between the pair. The coins were slightly larger than the ones Tradden and Zero were used to, with writing around the outside that they didn't recognise and a stamped impression of what appeared to be a stylised tower.

Golden Coins

Each coin, slightly smaller than those from the Islands, was stamped on one side with the image of a man, a circlet around his head. On the reverse was a circular design with a pentacle stylised within it. The coins were bright and untarnished.

Goblin Standard

Underneath half a dozen bottles of some mystery liquid was another intriguing parcel — a carefully wrapped bundle of linen. Zero slowly unwrapped the parcel, being careful not to damage what was within. As the final linen wraps came away, Zero found himself holding a black cloth, that when he started to spread out on the floor revealed itself to be a standard, a flag of black resplendent with the silvery-white image of a goblin's head with flaming eye sockets. The rogue shivered, and quickly wrapped the standard up once more.

Zero's Garments

Zero kicked the remaining few petals under one of the nearby tables, always keeping an eye on the door of Skillet's room, and then unfolded the bundle. His heart leapt with joy. There, unwrapped to see, were three more outfits all as skilfully made as the first — wonderful colours and delicate embroidery snaking its way down the sleeves and across the chest.

He held one up with pride. At least you got your money's worth in this town!

‘And, while we are on the subject of translation, that script that runs around your clothing, Zero. You will have noticed the pattern is a repetition, well maybe you haven't but it is. Anyway, the grammar of it is extremely poorly structured which makes it difficult to decipher precisely but as best I can tell it reads: “The Eagle takes flight. Trim his wings.”’

Zero hitched up the hem of his shirt and examined the stitching. As Kireth had mentioned, there was undoubtedly a similarity to the script beneath the carvings.

‘What the…?’ Zero gasped. ‘What was that little bugger Lowfield up to? I certainly didn't ask him to incorporate some cryptic, esoteric design.’

Eagle Coins

Then the hobgoblin locked stiff, toppling forwards, and the weight of the thing bore Zero over, the wind knocked out of the rogue as the lifeless thing crushed him to the floor. The grip on his shoulders melted away, but there was no escape, its body too heavy for him to move alone and the face so close to his making him squirm with fear.

With a final shudder the corpse seemed to relax and issued a bubbling wave of silvery foam, cascading over Zero's face. All went dark when two large, silver coins slid out of the hobgoblin's mouth and over his eyes.

Zero gave a scream, before Tradden reached him and pushed the corpse over and away from the rogue, its lifeless open eyes staring at Zero as the heavy coins slid from his face.

He held up one of the coins that had recently latched onto his eyelids. It bore a striking double-headed eagle insignia. ‘This design, I've seen it before. Back in Deepingwald, one of my uncles had a signet ring with the same image on it.’

Further Eagle Coins

Even in the dim light — Khalin's and Tradden's torchlight throwing his own shadow over the contents of the chest — Zero could make out the glitter of gold.

He reached in his hand to take hold of one of the coins, and then snapped it back as though something had bitten him.

Towards the rogue was the now-familiar insignia of a double-headed eagle, the design reminiscent of silver coins they had seen before and more unnervingly similar to Zero's uncle's signet ring that Kireth now held.

The young fighter looked down with the others at the coin, his hand reaching out for it and plucking it from the floor, his face intent with study before he recognised the markings face-up on the coin.

‘A spiral,’ he muttered. ‘Like the necklaces, like the shape of the trees on the map surrounding the “Mouth of the Sleeper”, like the faux-stars in the dome above.’

Silk Purse of Pearls

Khalin's brow furrowed as he regarded a half dozen black purses, silk, and each about the size of a small buckler shield. The dwarf lifted one from the chest and gently prised it open.

The purse was of exquisite make, lined with sleek fur, also black, and carefully stitched. Pulling apart a thin drawstring the warlord unearthed its content. Within were a number of pearls, beautifully rounded and shining with an inner colour. There appeared to be a dozen in total, all of roughly the same size.

Silk Purse of Gold Chains

The lid swung upwards easily and at first Khalin thought the chest was empty. However, as he peered over the edge he saw two further black silk purses at the bottom. The pair were larger than the second chest, perhaps the size of a larger buckler, and heavier in weight than the others.

Picking one up he drew back the string and took a look at the contents inside. He drew out a long chain of gold, somewhat like a necklace but did not appear to be particularly ornamental. The torus links of the chain were a little too dull and a little too uniform to be described as a thing of beauty.

He pulled out another chain, and another. Some were connected in a circle as the first — though connected via a torus link, not through any clasp or ribbon — others appeared broken, different lengths and just in a straight line.