Original X-roads-2003

In the Past…
 
    Jamie walked into the bazaar and started asking around about Mark Chasarue. Most people did not understand what he was talking about, but enough thought the name sounded familiar that he kept searching. Finally after an hour, a man wearing a dusty turban approached him and told him to meet him at the tavern on the edge of town at dusk. For a price he had the information Jamie was looking for. Jamie had seen this scam before, meet at a dark, secluded spot then you are jumped for your gold. Jamie was a thief and the merchant looked like he was worth a few coins. If things went the wrong way, he could always turn the tables on the situation.
    Jamie waited inside the tavern at dusk, as soon as night fell the patrons slowly all left til he was there alone. Then the turban wearing merchant walked in and sat at the table with him.
    He looked around nervously, “I have a lot of information to sell. You will find all of it relevant to your needs, and you will need all of it in order to know the whole truth.”
    “Iz thiz some kinda ofa riddle?” Jamie screwed up his face.
    “I want two hundred gold pieces, for all the information.” he began to barter. “One hundred for half”