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      "0": "Lion stood at the bellows, watching James work a bar of iron into rough shape. As the heat from the forge and the rhythmic clang of the hammer washed over he drowsed. Thanks to the insistence of Goodie Bidall and the ministration of her family's cleric, the pain in his side was little more than a dull ache. If only the rest of the consequence of his mistake were as easy to erase. How could he have been so stupid? What made him think Kwai had been honest with him? Why hadn't he even considered that the weasel had sent him into an ambush.\n\nHe yanked himself out of his self pity, scolding himself. As his master had often admonished him, honest mistakes were acceptable, as long as you learned what they had to teach and avoided them the next time. Well, learn he had, the hard way. All he had left was the location of the local arm of the Hu Bao Zhou, if even that piece of intelligence could be trusted. Kwai had been very specific in his directions, now that Lion thought on it, an odd fact he hadn't really noticed in his early excitement to further his quest. If the warehouse indicated was the right building, he would have to be more circumspect in his approach. If he could even confirm it was the right building, all the better.\n\nHe musings were interrupted by the bell at the front of the shop. He looked questioningly at James, but he shook his head, indicating the piece was still hot enough. He wouldn't need the forge right away. Well, thought Lion, there are also the apprentices to keep the forge stoked. That is what they are there for, after all, when they aren't being taught. Lion shrugged and headed for the door to the workshop. On the way he doused his head and chest on the barrel of cold water by the door, set there for that very purpose. He grabbed a clean towel of the peg and scrubbed as he walked. \n\nThe front of the shop was given over to display space, showing some of the finer pieces the older apprentices and journeymen had crafted over the past few years. One of the journeymen sat, half dozing, on a stool, assigned to keep an eye on things and help customers walking in off the street. He started awake at Lion's passing, having apparently slept through the bell. Lion waved him back to his seat, smiling, and walked over to greet the customer. \n\nHe was a small fellow, too small for a dwarf. Definitely a gnome, by the blunter, almost comic features. His pate was bald, framed buy wiry, gray hair. He was beardless, not as uncommon among gnomes as dwarves. He wore an odd shirt, full of pockets, over plain work clothes and a pair of too large, clunky boots. He was busily inspecting some of the artifacts in the front display case, copies of some of the intricate pieces Lion had been commissioned to create himself. \n\n\"Can I help you?\" Lion asked. The gnome started, quickly pulling his hand back from the case. He had a half-guilty expression on his face, though Lion knew nothing was missing from the case. \n\n\"Er, yes.\" He coughed nervously. \"I am Curdswell. Watscum Babblage Curdswell. I was told by some fellows I met at the Meade Hall that I might commission a young smith by the name of James? I have a very demanding commission and was told that in the absence of his master, he might be able to complete it?\" \n\n\"James, eh?\" Lion smiled and scratched his beard. \"Do you have a diagram or some such of this piece?\" \n\n\"Hm, oh, yes, but mightn't I see James to show it to him?\" Curdswell looked a little confused and off-put. \n\n\"Well, he's currently busy, though I could take a look at what you have, if you like.\" \n\n\"Really?\" Curdswell looked dubious and just a touch irritated. \"It's a very complicated artifact, for a magical device--have you ever created magical components? Hm?\" \n\n\"A few,\" replied Lion, laughing internally at Curdswell's skeptical look. \"Just let me see your drawings, please.\" \n\n\"Hmph, very well.\" Curdswell started rummaging through the pockets in his shirt, muttering to himself in what Lion guessed to be gnomish. Eventually he produced a scrap of parchment and handed it over to Lion. \n\nInvoluntarily Lion let loose a low whistle as he scanned the drawing. It was probably the most complicated, and ambitious, piece he'd ever seen. Pricey, too. Curdswell's notes indicated he wanted it crafted almost entirely of platinum. And it looked like here, and yes, here, he wanted chips of several types of precious stone set. He handed the paper back to Curdswell. \n\n\"I'm afraid this is beyond James, \" explained Lion, at which Curdswell's face fell. \"But I'm pretty sure I could do it.\" \n\n\"You?\" Curdswell huffed. \"And who might you be?\" \n\n\"The owner of the shop.\" Lion smiled, bowing slightly. \"Boris Kruth. My friends call me Lion.\" Curdswell's jaw dropped and his demeanor changed instantly. \n\n\"Really? That's fascinating, when I was at the Hall last they said you were out of town for an indeterminate time and although they recommended I see you, that obviously wasn't possible so they said I should ask for James since he was running the shop in your absence and he was the most senior of your journeymen and by all accounts a competent fellow although I had my doubts since I've showed this design to some of the best smiths in Cormyr and the rest of Faerun and none of them would undertake the commission, although I offered to supply all the materials and pay for the work regardless, since I really really need this particular...\" \n\n\"Woah!\" Lion injected, raising a hand. \"Leave the drawing with me and I'll take the commission. You said you would supply the materials?\" Curdswell nodded and started to open his mouth again. Lion cut him off, for fear of another tirade. \"Okay, well, let me think on it. Come back tomorrow and we'll discuss the price.\" Taking the hint, Curdswell just nodded. Then he took Lion's hand, pumping it vigorously. He started to open his mouth again, then shook his head, thinking better of it. He retreated to the door, smiling, then waved and disappeared out into the street. \n\n\"Odd fellow.\" Lion pocketed the parchment and returned to the workshop. He walked over to his workbench at the back and opened a drawer. He paused to admire Curdswell's design for a moment longer, then dropped it into the draw. He picked up a small, silver fish out of the drawer and turned it over. The fish appeared very lifelike and appeared to be fashioned all of a piece. He manipulated it, flexing it carefully along it's length. There was a slight roughness to the movement about a third of the way back from the head. He pulled out a small metal file from another drawer and set to work. \n\nA little before sundown, Lion set the metallic carp down and stretched. He had smoothed the problem joint and the fish now bent smoothly and naturally in his hand. Pleased, he wrapped it in a square of oilcloth and packed it in a small pouch. Calling one of the apprentices over, he gave him careful instructions on the moquette's delivery and sent him on his way. That down, Lion stood and walked out of the workshop. Goodie Bidall met him at the door and immediately started nagging him about missing supper with the rest of the shop. Lion tried to resist, but may as well have tried to stop a glacier or an avalanche. He compromised by heading with the Goodie to the kitchen, where she set him a bowl of stew, some chewy brown bread and a large wedge of cheese. Smiling, she explained that he might have a slice of pie after, if he liked. \n\nLion smiled as she left, then turned and set to. He ate mechanically, his mind elsewhere. He drew a mental map of the section of the docks where the warehouse Kwai had indicated was located. He traced route after route in his mind, rejecting one after the other as unsuitable, too easy to ambush or too exposed to view from the upper story of the warehouse. Realizing he had finished the stew and had been sitting for the last several minutes with the spoon half raised to his mouth, he put the spoon down. He took a bite out of the large, thick slice of brown bread. Amazingly it was still warm. \n\nAs he finished the bread and cheese, an idea slowly dawned on him. He smiled, almost demonically, as he licked the last crumbs from his fingers. He stood and carried his bowl over to the large wash tub. He was still smiling as he fetched the apple pie Goodie Bidall had baked earlier from the pantry. He took a generous slice and licking his fingers returned to the kitchen table. He relished every bite, knowing with each passing moment that his plan would work, it had to work. Still savagely confident he had found the answer he was looking for, he took his pie plate over to the washtub. \n\nTomorrow, he thought, tomorrow he would gather his supplies and after the sunset, he would see if he was right. \n"
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