The bitter cold of the wind made the bones in Snow FitzSilver's body ache. The trip on griffon-back from Stormwind to Booty Bay was long, and the winds could freeze a man's blood to ice in the dead of winter.
Snow woke up feeling stiff and cold in an alleyway where he had encountered the succubus Darynn and been given... a preview of his payment if he could find out the information she desired.
Unfortunately, Snow was not precisely sure how to proceed and whether or not his promised payment was worth that much effort. Snow was a very young man, but his innocence had been lost some time ago; pleasurable though his encounter with the succubus had been, it was not worth spending an inordinate amount of time. On the other hand, succubi had decades, perhaps centuries, of practice... Snow shook his head to clear it.
What amazed him was that he had fallen asleep in the alleyway climax; taking a post-orgasm nap was not unheard of, but in an alleyway, on the cobblestones and the cold? That made Snow suspicious that the sayaadi had used some magical compulsion in addition to her sexual skill.
Snow's task was to find the alchemist who had sold the compulsive colognes and perfumes for the Crown Chemical Company so that Darynn could obtain a sample. The Crown Chemical Company was a front for a renegade Forsaken alchemist's plan, but adventurers had foiled whatever that plan had been and destroyed the stock of the elixirs which had made the wearer very erotically compelling.
Unfortunately for Snow, goblins had invented the concept of the "limited liability corporation". New ones sprung up and collapsed all the time. Fraud and chicanery were more common than not in Goblin business, with "take the money and run" often the rule rather than the exception.
Snow did have an advantage. Before heading to Booty Bay, he had sought advice from "Uncle Jon" - Snow's adopted guardian Griffonclaw was the elder half-brother to Jon Chess, a professional private investigator and widely-traveled Agent of Cheese. He had given Snow the name of a contact Snow could use, and a letter of introduction. With that in hand, Snow had hired a griffon and headed south.
Originally named Blackwater Cove, the area was originally occupied by humans, who were slaughtered by trolls. The trolls, in turn, were dispossessed by goblins of the Steamwheedle Cartel, who founded Booty Bay to act as a center of commercial operations. The city is run by Baron Revilgaz in conjunction with the Blackwater Raiders and is open to Alliance and Horde alike as neutral territory, keeping the city and area clear of the depredations of pirates such as the Bloodsail Buccaneers.
The griffon landed safely, and Snow took advantage of the nearby side entrance to the Salty Sailor tavern, where he found an empty table and signaled for a server.
"Hello! I am Zixxy, your server. What can I getcha?" said a pretty goblin ser4ver in a short sarong.
"What would you recommend? asked Snow.
"Gilnean Fizzy Water, Thistle Tea, and Tropical Sunfruit Juice" she informed him.
"Sounds delicious. I'll take that," confirmed Snow.
Zixxy returned shortly with a tall glass containing his drink, and a sporty little umbrella.
"That's four silvers" she said, setting the drink in front of Snow.
"Here you go,: said Snow as he laid a gold coin on the table. "I'm looking for a friend, a guy named Stavros DarKovin. Any idea where I might find him?"
"I have no idea, but you might ask Nixxrax," she said, pointing a disreputable-looking goblin fellow out to Snow while deftly scooping up the coin. "He's one of those guys who knows everyone." She batted her eyes at Snow. "I just know big tippers," she said, winking at Snow.
Snow smiled at the not-so-subtle hint. "Keep the change."
Snow rose from his chair, and took a sip of his drink. He approached the fellow that Zixxy had pointed out.
(WIP)
No comments:
Post a Comment