Ill Met in Lankhmar

"Ill Met in Lankhmar" is a sword and sorcery novella by Fritz Leiber, recounting the meeting and teaming-up of his adventurous duo, Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser.

First published in 1970 in the "Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction", it is the nature of a prequel, as Leiber had by that time been chronicling the pair's adventures for thirty years. The story forms part four of the collection "Swords and Deviltry".

It was awarded the 1970 Nebula Award for Best Novella and the 1971 Hugo Award for Best Novella.

One murky night in Lankhmar, Gray Mouser and Fafhrd carry out simultaneous attacks on other thieves, stealing valuable gems already filched from a gem merchant. Recognising kindred spirits, they agree to share the loot. They return to Mouser's lodgings, where Fafhrd is introduced to Mouse's woman Ivrian and Ivrian meets Fafhrd's woman, Vlana.

Somewhat drunk, Mouser persuades Fafhrd to join him in a quest to infiltrate the headquarters of the Thieves' Guild, in the guise of members of the Beggar's Guild. They are initially successful, but their disguise comes unstuck when their glib story is seen through by Krovas, Grandmaster of the Thieves and the Beggarmaster. Fleeing, they return to Mouse's hovel, only to find to their horror that both girls have been killed and partially eaten by giant rats and by Slivikin, a fast-moving evil witch-beast conjured up by Krovas's warlock, Histromilo.

In grief and anger, they return to Thieves' House and charge in, causing panic and chaos, kill Histromilo and Krovas, then flee from the city.