I leave my mysterious patron and his piles of junk, feeling good, and still more than a little buzzed. That wine we drank must have been as strong as it was sweet and thick. I don't usually drink with darkly clad mysterious strangers, but it is important to seal the deal in more than just word. Actions have power and sharing a drink has just enough juice to make sure that we will both stay ture on our deal. Now if one of us breaks our word, there is some power, just enough to make our lives a bit more interesting and is incentive enough for us to keep our bargain. This is why I don't take my 6 gold coins and go straight to the nearest brothel to drink and screw myself blind. There will be plenty of time for that later and nobody wants any bad luck while they are on a job. So work must come first.
Right now, I need another drink, but more than that I need more information. The Arcane Annex and its strange swaying oppressiveness has started to make me feel nauseous so I stumble away off into the dark and in the direction of the Night Bazaar. Not too fast mind you or too eagerly, No sense in advertising that I have some money I my pocket to every thug and small time con. Slow, drunk and steady is how she goes. I'm definitely going to need more wine to maintain my disguise.
There is only one place you need to go to buy anything in Ought. The Grand bazaar. Be it lye for you clothing, or spice in bulk for a trip to the west. Everything is bought and sold under its giant open air tents and stalls, that cater to every need and luxury. The Night Bazaar is different only in name, Business is always open in Ought. And where is the best place to buy information about a trade prince, and put a bit of food and wine down you gut in the process? I head for the eastern corner, which by my luck is closet to the AA, as soon as I pass through the great gates that separate the districts I can feel the pressure of wild magic abate instantly and is replaced by the sweet smells of spice and meat coming from the great eatery market. Every district surrounding the AA is sure to buy the very best wards in case anything gets out. All but the Blemish that is, another price for being poor. I Wander through the still crowded streets with my money safely stashed in my codpiece, Pickpockets are ever a danger, I grab a shish of brunt animal bits and munch as I wonder where the best place to start my search is. After an hour of nibbling and wandering my feet have taken to me to the famous Long pipe Smokery. I duck through the front curtain and slouch into a low comfortable couch. Within seconds an attendant appears, bearing a small water-pipe which she loads and embers expertly. Handing me the stem, I order a tall one of the cheap stuff. , I smoke thoughtfully and peer around the establishment through the silken and gauze partitions that give the illusion of privacy. Business seems to be slow at this time of night/morning Plenty of time to chat up my attendant when she returns with my wine. I smoke and try to clear my head and formulate my questions. It seems straight forward enough. When the girl returns with my wine, I simply ask,
“ Thanks, lass, would you believe that it's been a long dry night”
She shakes her head “no” clearly she hasnt made up her mind about the half drunk man coming into her bar at the dead of night.
“me either, This is good” I say holding up the pipe stem “ Sivian?”
She smirks a bit and replies “Thats right sir, only the best at the pipe!”
“Ha, Glad to hear it” I say a bit too loudly for the hush of the establishment. “can you tell me your supplier?”
She shakes her head no again.
“ Thats ok, I'll just have to keep coming back” “ I heard that the Merchant Barabaxx deals heavily in leaf maybe thats not true”
She raises and eyebrow and takes my gold, “ barabaxx the Silk merchant?”
-score-
“yeah thats the one, must be quite the life, eh, finest silks, best leaf, money to buy anything”
-sigh-
I think the girl has decided that I'm drunk but basically harmless so she says
“ We don't deal with him, papa says hes a deviant.”
“any of his men come in here?”
“yes but we're not allowed to talk about them”
thinking a moment she says
“He has a shoppe not to far from her, ladies silks, ties and accessories, If you're interested I could have Poul take you there?”
“ Well that sounds just fine,Here's to being rich”
I down my glass, take one last puff of my pipe and pick up my things.
Poul must be the girls little brother, he is about 10, and his eyes are heavy with sleep, but he takes me through the bazaar happily enough, pointing out things that 10 year olds have extensive knowledge of, such as how heavy a horse testicle is and various techniques from jumping from roof to roof and how to make friends with a city dog. He chatters without stop, but finally we arrive at our destination. I give him a wedge, the same that I did for the pipe, its an insane price for a guide. But I'm a bit drunk, feeling happy, and he's such a clever boy. Maybe he can use it to better himself. I know if I keep it, I certainly wont.
The shoppe before me is rich, beyond my means, even on a good day. Silk bundles and rolls are piled stacked and sorted in almost every available space. I start to enjoy my window shopping, and it's not too long before I notice a large bearded fellow politely observing me from just behind. Clearly he can tell I'm a bit wasted and these silks are certainly beyond my means. I choose my moment like only a skilled rabble rouser can. I turn around too quickly, knocking over a large stack of bolts. The man glares at me but I'm already screaming.
“ Thrice damned Barabaxx crap, You'd think he could take a moment out of buggering his little boys to organize his damn shop so that it doesn't look like buzzards swooped in and did their business all over the the place!!”
The slap comes fast, and just as I'm really about to get into my tantrum. Its hard and spins me around and before I can even get my head straight, I feel the slight prick of the blade of a small knife pressed against my throat. The bearded man has immortalized my my right arm and I feel more than a little threatened. The bastard split my lip. I can already taste the blood. He leans down and whispers very closely to my ear in a tone reserved for naughty children.
“Sir. I can see that you need the personal attention of the manager, If you'll just come right this way”
With that He perpwalks me blade still at my throat into the back grottos of the shop, and into a small office separated by a beaded curtain. Beard-face takes my sword-belt off one handed and throws me into a chair. Grabs up my sword and lets the beaded curtain swish behind him. I sit wide eyed and bleeding like a kicked puppy, but not totally dissatisfied with how things have worked out. All save for the loss of my sword. I suck on my lip, its going to bleed and take forever to heal and then hurt like a bastard when it scabs and flakes. The nick at my throat isn't bad, more like what I usually do to myself in an inspired moment when I decide to shave, but I'm still bleeding, and more then a little surprised and relieved when someone offers me a cloth. The cloth is red, which is a smart idea. The hand that holds it is is pale and well manicured. I follow up the arm to the face and into the most stunning pair of eyes, like gray skies after a storm, which are set in a lovely face. I stare for a second admiring the perfect makeup and the exact red lines that her lips make as she smiles. I suddenly know what people mean when they say that someone looks stunning. I see the lips move and something tells me that words are coming out but I'm more interested in watching her lips vibrate and the brief glimpses of her white teeth.
“huh? Sorry what, I'm err..” I stutter lamely as I come back from slap happy land.
“ Red suits you, I said. A color of passion, action and desire, but it can be distasteful if not worn appropriately. Time place and color are everything. I can see that you're confused and have not given this topic much thought. For example. Say some evening a man takes his daughter out to buy a wedding dress at a very nice store, the mood is one of happiness and excited anticipation, they are both in a good mood so pay less attention to prices and yardage and all the other little niceties that of course they are more than willing to pay for. We'll say that they are a pretty pink with rich gold thread embroidered into lotus flowers. Then say, there is a great noise that interrupts their pretty pink world with spikes of black lightning and then a typhoon of crimson flamed language and drunkenness. Now how do you think the blue-steel seller of fine wares will feel about having her tranquil pond disturbed by such ripples, do you think that she would be in her right to throw the offending disruption into the street and back into the filth? Or perhaps she would like to take a different path and learn why such disruptions have taken place?”
“before throwing the blue baboon back in the the filth?” I ask somewhat overwhelmed, my head isn't clear and through all her talk, I kind of get the feeling that I'm being insulted, or tested maybe.
“That will all depend, I think you came here with more than a simple purpose, speak truth and you can walk out of the this place, otherwise you can limp or be thrown, I would rather we not disturb our pretty pink world, wouldn't you?”
I glance to the curtain to see beard-face glaring at me through it with hawk like intensity.
“No ma'am your pink will suit just fine, thats what I'm planning to aim for and I can see that...er..”
“I'm glad” she cuts me off “now tell me who sent you and why you have come”
I hesitate for half a second before answering.
“ I came to find out what kind of man Barabaxx is, I'm working for a small caravan merchant who is new to the city and looking to forge an alliance with a trade prince. To this end, the Merchant is attempting to learn more of barabaxx's character so that he might find a suitable gift that would impress even a man who has everything”
I try to keep my voice matter of fact and slow, I have a tendency to speed up as I get into my lies, and its a dead give away. I'm not sure how im doing so far, my audience is unreadable.
“ I was sent here and asked to report on his place of business and to see what sort of shoppe he operates here.”
“I see, and what have you learned so far?”
“I can see that Barabaxx is a no nonsense type of fellow who wants things taken care of quickly, but more importantly quietly and who does not liked being disturbed from his general course. I could tell my employer that he is a man who doesn't like surprises and who doesn't like being tested by fools”
with the last the beautiful lips part into a smile
“Ha! Not bad for a 'blue-baboon', your story is ridiculous, but I suppose its harmless enough, especially if you are keen to remember fools and their tests. Arlm! Please escort our guest to the back exit and be sure to let him know that he's not welcome back until he's got money to show as a proper customer.”
I hate it when people talk right through me. I also hate it when my bullshit isn't up to par...Maybe thats why this woman is the blue steel proprietor and I'm the filth covered baboon.
Beard-face comes through the curtain and picks me up like a limp fish, ushering me through the rooms and maze that make up the storage areas. One hand on my collar the other on my wrist. And just like that I'm thrown outside and into the filth. Beardface must have bounced at a goblin bar sometime in his past. I go down and into the muck of the back street, it reeks. I'm now bleeding and covered in mud, its then that I notice that I still have my silk blood rag, score for me, if I can ever get it clean again. Of course, just as I'm about to get up, beard-face strides over and puts his boot in my chest pushing me back down, he leans over me crushing the air out of me we're almost face to face when he says.
“ you want to know what kind of man Barabaxx is, I'll tell you. For 2 gold”
I can't breath but I wheeze out “ ooohky.”
I fumble in my cod, which looks obscene anyways, but while you are on you back with a large man half standing on your chest, you really start to wonder what people will think. Two gold come out and are swiped away with graceful ease.
Beard-face smiles
“ Barabaxx loves the exotic, things from the east, he is also a gluttonous sex fiend”
“soo y d' ya work f-him” I can almost get out.
“ He is also the best pay in town”
The giant boot comes off my chest and I can finally breath, I'll have a nice boot shaped bruise tomorrow that I'll tell everyone at whore's galore that I got fighting an ogre.
Mostly happy to be out of relative pain, or at least new pain and savoring the simple joy of breathing I extend my hand for my sword.
Beardface smiles, and I can see gold and silver caps throughout his smile. I really want to punch him in the face.
“ There is a sword return fee of one gold that must be paid before any belongings are forthcoming”
I curse under my breath, but my hand finds another coin. I throw it at beard-face, hard. But it misses, just one of those days I guess. I get kicked in the ribs for my trouble and I fall back into the mud in pain, I more feel the impact of my sword next to me than see it, when I finally get up beard-face is long gone with my money. Well, 5 up 3 down, and apart from an ever growing collection of aches and pains, and an increasingly devastating laundry bill, I'm getting a whole lot closer to 1,000 Eights.
It's in this slightly broken, bleeding, reeking and dead sober mess that I make my way, in the near dawn, back to the arcane annex and knock upon a door that has painted letters which clearly read: POTS: healing, utility and recreation. I pound on the door until my fist hurts, I'm about to star kicking it when the door cracks open still chained and I can see the bleary wild eyes of the alchemist.
“ What do yo want” He demands in a shrill voice that is reserved for parents who have no idea what to do with their impossibly bad children and those who have been roused at 4am from their sleep.
“ Can you make me a woman?” is all I have energy for
the door cracks open a bit more as the funny little man gets a better look at me.
“we're gonna need a god damned divine intervention”
I shake my cod letting the coins remaining coins jingle about.
The door opens all the way
“ but who's to say I'm not willing to try, come on in, looks like we're open for business”
Continued-
