A Journey in Griffonstone

by RangerOfRhudaur

Glenda III

It had taken a fair bit of begging, but she'd been able to win access to the embassy's lab to analyze the... evidence Celaeno had given her.

"Human skin doesn't look like that."

Apparently, that analysis was providing some strange answers.

"I'm sorry?" she blinked.

"Human skin doesn't look like this," the scientist helping her (and making sure she didn't break anything) repeated. "I'm not seeing any pores, and the cells line up too neatly. Honestly, it looks more piscine to me."

Glenda blinked again. "Piscine," she echoed. "Fish-like?"

"Yeah," the scientist nodded. "Contiguous, patterned coverage of relatively thick cells, fairly similar to a fish's scales. It also explains why it was so hard to remove, all those small, curved cells, brush them back and they could hook like a burr."

"I'm sorry," Glenda raised her hands in confusion, "but, are you saying that whoever this finger came from was a fish-person?"

The scientist snorted at that. "I'm saying that this is a very interesting fake, and that whoever made it put a lot of work into it. I could see them just wrapping fish scales around a human finger to save time, but this goes a lot deeper than that, even deeper than the skin. If I didn't know that there was no such thing as fish-people, I might say that this came from one, but, since I know that there aren't, no matter what the juniors in Castellot might say, this thing must just be a real impressive fake, something to scare you with. Ask whoever gave it to you who they got it from, I need people with an eye for detail like that."

Wincing, Glenda nodded, and gingerly took the finger back when the scientist returned it. Head and heart pounding, she made her way back to her office, finding Celaeno standing, hands on her hips, examining her map. Some small part of her wondered whether the captain was upset by it or thought it interesting, but most of her could only focus on just how much of it was sea.

Celaeno's ears perked as Glenda returned, and, after Glenda closed the door, she asked, "Well? What did he say?"

Glenda bit her lip. "He said," she hesitantly answered, "that, if he didn't know fish-people weren't real, he would've said that this," she nervously held up the finger, "came from one. But, since he knows fish-people aren't real..."

"Okay, so no help there," the captain sighed. "Where do we try now?"

Glenda flicked a glance at the book on her desk. "The only place that would be crazy enough to believe us."

---

Five words could strike primal fear into the heart of any Groverian:

"There's something in the water."

Where Mount Aris saw the Sea as an ally, to Griffonstone, to all Groveria, it was an object of distrust and fear. They sailed the Sea, they fished in it, but they never trusted it, because whenever they did they drowned in it. As Gemerelli and countless ships could attest, the Sea wasn't as friendly with Groveria as it was with the southern sailors. And neither, judging by the stories of the Beckoners, the twincloaks, all the other water spirits that called Men into the deep and then left them to drown, were the Sea's children.

No legends explained this antipathy, no tales of a wrong done to the Sea or a blood-feud continued long after the original cause was forgotten. That antipathy, that hatred, simply was, lurking beneath the waves and beating fear into the heart of every Groverian that beheld them. If Grover hadn't beaten defiance into his people, hadn't forged them into a challenge to the world, Griffonstone would have long ago been emptied, its inhabitants fleeing to the hill country to escape the Sea that wanted to swallow their city. But forged them he had, and they would not surrender, not to the Sea, not to its children, not to the northern winter, not to anything that tried to drive them from their home. Even in the worst years of the Cokus, when no government or institution with any pretension of being one existed, there were still Griffonstonites, heirs of Grover who faced a world that wanted to steal their land and said, "Come and take it."

As she rapped on the Runery's door, she hoped that defiance wouldn't prove their downfall.

The door opened, revealing an acolyte's curious face. That curiosity doubled when he saw Celaeno, and he asked, "Miss Glenda? What brings you here?"

"I have a lead," she replied, anxiously rolling the finger around in her hand, "but I need the Runery's help to make sense of it. Can I come in?"

The acolyte nodded, ushering them in, Celaeno giving him a polite nod as she strode inside. After he closed the door, the acolyte clasped his hands together and asked, "How can I make your work easier?"

Glenda swallowed. "As crazy as it sounds," she replied, "I need every book on fish-people you have."

---

He managed to fetch her five in fifteen minutes, and mentioned there were more on the way.

None of the individual studying cells were open, though the acolyte had been kind enough to find them a desk in the maze of shelves that was the Common Library, one located in an out of the way corner where they hopefully wouldn't be bothered. That alone had taken him five minutes, making him even faster at finding what Glenda'd asked for than at first glance.

Taking one of his discoveries from the stack he'd provided, she turned to Celaeno and asked, "Can you remember anything about the attackers' behavior? The more details the better."

The captain curtly nodded, then whispered, "In order to get into position, they climbed up Allegiance's side, they didn't fly or teleport or... whatever. When they did attack, they tried to pick Silverstream off, but when that didn't work they swarmed us, and when that failed they jumped back into the sea. It looked like they wanted to capture us, not kill us; neither of us really took any injuries in the fight."

Glenda nodded, then asked, "What did they look like?"

The captain pointed at the finger, resting on the desk they'd been given. "Skin looked like that. They looked kind of like Men, but with no noses, flaps for ears, fangs, and their eyes..." She shivered. "Looking into those things was like looking into the ocean on a night with no stars, swallowing up all the light you fed it."

Glenda nodded again, then passed the captain the next book in the stack. "You search that one, I'll search mine. Let me know if you find anything that matches."

Celaeno nodded, opened her book, and together they dived into Griffonstone's past, searching for answers.

---

Humanoid, fangs, blue skin-

Flip.

Humanoid, right skin color and texture, normal but oddly-detailed teeth-

Flip.

Not even vaguely humanoid-

Flip.

Twincloaks again-

Flip.

A hand on her shoulder. "Glenda?"

She turned to see the Arch Rune-master staring down at her, concern written all over his face. The acolyte who'd ushered her and Celaeno in stood at his elbow, rubbing his hands together nervously.

She craned her neck; another member of the Runery had drawn Celaeno over to another table and was giving her whispered counsel, while two others, their robes marking them as Rune-masters, stood by a bookcase, quietly talking. All inconspicuous, save for the occasional wary glances they threw her way.

"Yes, sir?" she turned back to the Arch Rune-master. "Was there something you wanted to ask me?" Any particular reason you separated me from my backup and gathered some of your own?

"Actually, yes," he replied. Gesturing to the acolyte, he continued, "My apprentice Grad told me that you came in here rather anxious, and asked to see our collection on crypto-piscine-humanoids. Now, you have been a good friend of the Runery, but I must remind you that magical or paranormal phenomena are under the purview of the Runery, not the Homestrian Embassy. Therefore, I believe it within my right to ask you, what is your business here? Is it business for the Homestrian Embassy, or the Runery?"

"For all Griffonstone," she replied, grabbing the finger and holding it in front of the Arch Rune-master's widening eyes. "I apologize for working in your domain, but Captain Celaeno was able to give me evidence linking the kidnappings to a magical phenomena, specifically a non-human creature that had this finger. I didn't come here to usurp your authority, but to try to use the Runery's knowledge to help us all."

The Arch Rune-master stared at the finger in mixed shock and fascination, hesitantly stretching out a hand to touch it. He did so, and the shock in him turned into curiosity, murmurs of that and wonder escaping him as he felt it. Eventually, he retracted his hand, then said, "Your apology is accepted. However, magic is still the Runery's domain, which is why I offer you our assistance in your research, and all the support that our arts can provide. Do you accept?"

She smiled back, then dipped her head. "I accept your most generous offer, and thank you greatly for it."

The Arch Rune-master dipped his in return, then rubbed his hands together. "Now, what specifically are we looking for?"

"Humanoids with fish-like skin, no noses, ear flaps, fangs, and big, dark eyes," she replied, repeating the information Celaeno had provided. "They might be prone to ambush tactics, or that could just be what they're doing to us. Is that enough for you?"

The Arch Rune-master smirked at her. "We've solved greater mysteries with less, miss," he boasted. "Together, we shall find your finger-giver in no time. Grad," he turned to the acolyte who'd let Glenda in. "Please help our good friend Miss Glenda in her research. I shall inform the rest of our order."

The acolyte nodded, then sat down on the chair Celaeno had been using, quietly sighing in relief. Taking one of the books off the stack, he began flipping through it, something which, after a nod of thanks, Glenda returned to doing with her own book.

Humanoid, intangible-

Flip.

Humanoid, right color, fins instead of hands-

Flip.

"I'm glad I was wrong."

Glenda blinked, then turned to Grad. "Wrong?" she asked. "Wrong about what?"

He smiled sheepishly at her. "When you came in, I was afraid that the same spirit that possessed Black Star and Vola had moved to you. You looked so driven, so desperate..." He shook his head, muttering, "Pardon me, I didn't mean..."

"It's okay," Glenda reassured him. "You were just being careful. But don't worry; I might be crazy, but I'm not Vola-crazy. Besides," she joked, "I'm a Groverian, I know better than to delve too deep into magic like this."

He didn't laugh. "Not all Groverians know that," he replied. "One of my old masters here, Guillus, he was taken by Black Star's ideas, even after she fled Griffonstone. He told his students of the wonders her ideas would fashion, the great discoveries she'd made in her research. Even after the Storm Army was outlawed, he kept a page of her notes with him, waving them around whenever he could. 'This,' he would always shout, 'this is the future!' By then, though, we knew better; her research's influence on Vola's inventions, on what the Storm Army did in Kam Bak, showed exactly what kind of future her ideas would lead to. But even then, he still managed to convince some, especially poor Guilden, may he be found safe and soon. Near Guillus' death, Guilden seemed to be the only friend he had, the only voice standing between him and losing his position. After Guilden disappeared, so did his rank, though the Arch Rune-master was merciful enough to let him keep his room."

His eyes misted over. "Not that he kept it for long. Three days later, they found him dead, strips of his beloved Black Star's notes lying around him. For some reason, maybe long-delayed reason, maybe an attempt to regain his position, he'd torn them to shreds, though the tear stains showed how hard it was for him."

Glenda laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He shook his head. "Don't be. Guillus passed in peace, atoning for his errors; he could ask for nothing more. As for Guilden," he chuckled sadly, "I just hope he gets back here soon. He took On Deepstone with him when he disappeared, and I need it to pass one of my master's trials."

She gingerly squeezed his shoulder. "I hope so, too," she murmured, before letting go and returning to her-

Humanoid, right color, fangs, no nose, large dark eyes, hands with claws.

"I've got a match," she called out, eyes racing over the entry.

Celaeno bolted over, followed by their aides from the Runery, all looking at her in anticipation. Waiting no longer, she began to read...

---

ATHANG (pl.: ATHANGAN)

Among the many storied children of the Sea, the Athangan are told of perhaps the least, certainly less than the twincloaks, the sirens, and the kelpies. This obscurity might give one the impression that the Athangan are less threatening or weaker than their more noteworthy cousins.

This could not be further from the truth.

The author has seen the Rune-Wall of Glasbryn, heard the lorekeepers recite the history the wall recounts, and witnessed the Dragon Lord themselves swear by gem and fire that the accounts are true. The author has seen the Shore of Sunken Spears and the rusted tridents, not made by the hand of Men, taken from there. The Athangan were at the Battle of Glasbryn, the sole soldiers of the Sea present, and they gave a strong account of themselves there. Six times the Cadmuns say they attacked, and six times repelled only with the greatest difficulty. Even prone to pride as they are, the Cadmuns say that a seventh attack would have overwhelmed them. 'They were as many as the drops in the Sea,' one lorekeeper said, 'and as strong as a crashing wave.'

We do not know why the Athangan, so fiercely described by the Cadmuns, have never been seen in the Sea's van in its attacks on the Land of Grover; we can only speculate, and use the scraps of tales brought by those few captives who have escaped the Sea. It appears that, being the most numerous of the Sea's children, the Athangan function primarily as servants, as many of the captives report working under or beside them. However, their skill with arms makes this somewhat confusing, as the wisdom of forcing martially skilled beings into servitude frequently proves ill.

While we know little about their status off the battlefield, on it the Cadmuns have been able to give us great knowledge. They are surprisingly strong despite their bony frame, possessing a grip likened to a hunting trap. They wield the trident and spear with good skill, though they do not appear to make use of armor, instead relying on their vast numbers to survive. They prefer to attack at night, as, as the accompanying illustration indicates [Editor's note: Not for digital readers, apologies], their eyes are already well-suited to the darkness of the deep Sea. This is not an absolute, however, for the Cadmuns tell tales of other battles with the Athangan, and in those they demonstrate an ability to change tactics, from sneaking like shadows to crushing like a wave. There is one absolute we know about them, though, and that is that they require water to fight effectively; without it, their fish-like tail limits their movement, to a crippling degree. Because of this, they appear to use magic, raising the tides in order to more easily traverse. Note that this magic does appear to be limited; they seem to have difficulty performing their rituals in contested regions, and in areas where they completely lack military control they appear unable to use it at all.

The Athangan are like the waves of their father; numerous and crushing, but capable of being resisted and defied when properly prepared. However, as the Shore of Sunken Spears and the battle that birthed it demonstrate, that resistance will be difficult, and as the drowning of Gemerelli starkly illustrates, the consequences of not resisting are high.

Comments

[Eroraf86]

Yeah, Drowned are scary, especially in large groups with more than one trident.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Ah, skepticism in the face of whelming* evidence. Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps a scientist sane. After all, when they're mad, they see all kinds of possibilities, as Twilight can attest.
* The biologist is too impressed to be underwhelmed, and if they were overwhelmed, they might accept the possibility of fish people. Ergo...

There's a bizarre paradox in beating defiance into a people. "Do as I say and sneer at authority!"

Humanoid, fangs, blue skin-

On some worlds, the blue skin might be unusual. Here, it was that they were all blue, with no variation.

I have questions about the local Dragon Lord. And how many dogs they're expected to have.

They prefer to attack at night, as, as the accompanying illustration indicates [Editor's note: Not for digital readers, apologies]

I can't help but be amused by an arcane library with e-books.

Note that this magic does appear to be limited; they seem to have difficulty performing their rituals in contested regions, and in areas where they completely lack military control they appear unable to use it at all.

Ah. Can't tap for blue mana if you don't control the land.

Fascinating bit of insight. The question is, if the ship was attacked by the ocean's foot soldiers—not that they have feet—who was commanding them? (Or has their been an undersea revolution since that tome was penned?). Still, more answers than questions, which is always a welcome exchange. Let's see what they do with this information.

[RangerOfRhudaur]

11280895

There's a bizarre paradox in beating defiance into a people. "Do as I say and sneer at authority!"

More like, "I'll teach you how to root yourself no matter how hard the world tries to move you." Though you're right, it is very easy to see this backfiring.

On some worlds, the blue skin might be unusual. Here, it was that they were all blue, with no variation.

...and the author somehow forgetting that the blue skin would be normal.

I have questions about the local Dragon Lord. And how many dogs they're expected to have.

Ember II, Lord of the Dragon Lands, Descendant of Cadmus, Champion of Fire, will sadly not be taking questions at this time. Perhaps later, though. As for dogs... Spike is a special case, representing the mirror's translation of Twilight's faithful companion rather than the noble dragon that Spike has become. The Dragon Lands are predominantly human, don't worry.

I can't help but be amused by an arcane library with e-books.

Actually, that was more of me trying to indicate to the reader that, sorry, I won't be blinding you with my poor drawing skills; you'll have to take the characters' word for the illustration.

Ah. Can't tap for blue mana if you don't control the land.

That makes a lot of sense, actually. Interesting.

[RangerOfRhudaur]

11280625
The worst part is the trident-bearers are, to me, the only actually scary ones; the unarmed ones are just too slow to be a serious threat. This means that the majority of the time Drowned are a joke to me, but for that minority they are one of the most terrifying things in the game to me. Please, Mojang, reduce the Drowned variance; make the unarmed a bigger threat (read: faster than a sleepy snail) and make the trident-bearers NOT "I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."