City of IF

[Chainfire]

Yahoo wandered through the streets, contemplating how he could find his long lost love. He knew that she was connected with the underground because of her husband. He needed to find a way to get to her, but how? He looked all around him to try and find the quickest route back to his hotel when the Wormy Dog suddenly came to mind. Mace didn’t strike him as one to be in shady dealings, but maybe he would know those people who were. Mace’s tavern was in one of the shadiest parts of town and was reputed for having the greatest amount of emflikars sleazing about it. With a new goal in mind and a new spring in his step Yahoo altered his course slightly and was off to the Wormy Dog.

Yahoo carefully entered the tavern and gingerly tested the air for any hostility. He had after all completely trashed this place the last time he had been here. Not sensing anything nasty he strode in and sought out the imposing character that was Mace. Not spotting him immediately Yahoo decided to have a seat at the bar and wait whilst keeping an eye on the fellow patrons.

After awhile a young boy came running into the tavern and headed off for the kitchens. Yahoo decided that this might prove interesting and magnified his hearing somewhat to hear what was being said within the other room. “My lord,” the young lad said, “the mage Spellsinger will not be able to come to entertain your bar tonight because of injuries sustained in the tournament….”

Yahoo stopped listening at that point and contemplated on what he had just heard. So his young ex-apprentice had already received some extreme injury, perhaps it served him right after just rushing in there willy nilly without more guidance and experience under his belt. Suddenly Mace’s voice could be heard booming from the other room.

“WHAT!! What do you mean Spellsinger sustained injuries? He was supposed to have come back right after his match, not go and get mortally wounded. Pah, nothing to be done about it now but he’ll have hell to pay when I see him.”

Then the huge man came bursting out of the seemingly tiny kitchen door and turned to see to his customers. When he spotted Yahoo sitting at his bar he turned an even deeper red, if that was possible, and was about to draw wind for another shouting match when Yahoo held up his hand.

“Hold please, I am not here to stay, or to destroy your lovely tavern. I merely came to conduct some business with you, or to extract some information if you do not deal in these sorts of things.”

Yahoo then leaned in closer so that he might whisper that which he wanted to know into Mace’s scarred and pudgy ear and when he finished all the color had drained from the bar keeper’s face and he informed Yahoo, “This proposal must be discussed elsewhere. I don’t want my bar getting a bad name because of any dealings that you might get into. Meet me in half an hour five alleys down from the one on the right of my shop, there I shall tell you all you desire to know.”


Yahoo wandered over to the said alley and sat down on some overturned crates to wait out the barkeeper. Whilst he was waiting he decided to entertain himself so he looked around him for any source that might be of some amusement. He found on the ground not far from him a perfectly round pebble; he bent over and picked it up. He tossed it in the air a few times and as he did so the little stone started to change its shape from a small mass of dirt to a bright red bouncy ball. Quite amused with himself now Yahoo started to bounce the ball off of the wall opposite him and hum a merry little tune.
When he heard footsteps approaching the street outside of his alley he quickly caught up his ball and hid it inside his robe. He stood up perhaps a bit too fast for someone of his age and was wincing slightly when Mace rounded the corner of the alley. “Hello there mage,” he greeted sourly, “now what is all this about? I run a very good business and don’t want it to get a bad names because of any lowlifes you might be dealing with.”

“Do not worry my man. Everything said here shall be only between us and will never leave this alley. Now on to our business, I understand that you might know of a man who sells raw magic to the emflikars around here and how I might go about finding him,” Yahoo stated.

“That I might, that I might, but tell me why should I give any such information to the likes of you? You who destroyed my tavern…’then repaired it’ Yahoo interrupted…and who was an emflikar himself. What will I receive in return as payment, when it is obvious you are almost out of money?” Mace asked of Yahoo.



ok Yahoo needs a way to pay Mace for the info he needs on the mystery man that should lead him to his true love. any suggestions on how Yahoo should pay the man with little money. perhaps something he might obtain for winning the next tournament, which would tie it in to the next one. I'll post a poll after a few suggestions are made and maybe D can find a way to fit it into the next chapter.

[kingcappie]

Maybe offer to work for him? He employed Jakeen, maybe he'd let you work off the debt?

Or just explain why you need the information and see if that sways him. He might be softer-hearted than he looks.

[D-Lotus]

Who does this guy think he is? Its not like the information is so valuable that you can't find it elsewhere, so he shouldn't be putting on airs.

Use some magic to make him 'agree' to tell you.

[Key]

His business is the most important thing to him - offer to advertise for him at your next tournament victory. He knows that you're a formidable mage, so it shouldn't be implausible that you will go far and get much fame.

And be polite; that way he'll see you as a man of honor.

[kingcappie]

Not a bad idea...after his victory he should be able to set off a little magical light show advertising the tavern. If his magic is depleted in battle, then something else might work too.

Mace probably is just fishing, to see how important this information really is to you.

[Araex]

I'm agreeing with Key - perhaps we can say in an interview that we're staying at Mace's tavern?

[Rein]

I'm also a supporter of key's idea. Good way to make money, minimal effort, thats why people invented it in the first place.

[Chainfire]

these are all good ideas ppl, keep it up. the reason why Yahoo doesn't want to ask anyone else D is cuz he doesn't really know anyone else who would know.