IC New Beginnings DAWN Options

[farothel]

A Thousand naria, that was about fifty nuyen, Sammy calculated in her head. She looked at Sam and gave a slight nod. They could spare that much without too much trouble. And if she had learned one thing during her time here, it was that money was everything. It didn't have to be much, but there had to be some.

[Crossbow]

Finnegan pockets the tokens offered, throwing a careful glance at Clem as he did so,

“There is restaurant up the coast on Lagos Mainland, by the University, called The Three Friends. After the dinner crowd leaves, it fills up with all the best local fixers. Always there is half dozen or more in the place. Ask for Hippo Kojoli. Tell Hippo I sent you. Don’t worry, you recognize him—Hippo is the fattest fixer in Lagos. He knows everyone in the city, and I’m sure he tell you more.”

[pbangarth]

Torley gives a nod to Finnegan. Sounds good. Thanks for the information. To his partners, Well, let's go!

[farothel]

"Good idea," Sammy said. As soon as they were all outside, she looked at the others.
"Now, how are we going to get back to the other side of the bay," she asked.

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor shrugged at Sammy's question and turned to Lil' Homie for an answer.

[Crossbow]

Lil Homie kind of shrugged, "University isn't on Victoria Island, Lagos Mainland is the district just north of this one. We can drive."

[Crossbow]

The Three Friends is popular with the university crowds during the day. On the walls are faded posters of exotic cities like Portland and Paris. You are not incredibly out of place as long as weapons are concealed, there are a few paler skin students at the school, until the dinner rush starts to clear. The locals take over then and you stand out more and more.

[pbangarth]

Seeing as it's too early for the fixer, Torley gets the team a table, and asks for menus. We might as well sample local culinary delights while we wait. Dinner's on me!

[farothel]

"Sure, why not," Sammy said, "as long as it's not too exotic. I really don't need fried devil rat or tiger penis or something like that."

[Crossbow]

There is no tiger penis on the menu, it is mostly easily made West African comfort food, lots of starches, very little meat and some really unusual (for North Americans) leafy greens. What meat there is is either fish or fowl, with a few 'exotic' soy products that imitate the nuggets or burgers you can get from a Stuffer Shack back home.

Notably Lil Homie will not enter the restaurant, or sit at the table or order anything unless told/asked to do so. He is used to acting as a guide and will not think to ask.

[Necrogigas]

As they entered the building, O'Connor noticed Lil' Homie standing back. He motioned for the guide to follow, "Oi, hurry it up." When Lil' Homie hovered awkardly around the table, O'Connor pointed to a seat, "Just sit your hoop down already." After looking the menu over, he passed it to the kid without comment.

He turned to the group, "So how high a price are we willing to pay for this?"

[pbangarth]

Torley cracks one of his big smiles and says, "Hey. Any meal on assignment could be the last. So let's enjoy!"

[Necrogigas]

"Talking about why we're here in the first place."

[Crossbow]

The kid will look over the menu and point to the soy burger and fries, "Can I get one of these?"

[Necrogigas]

"Sure, get two if you want. Looks like you could use it."

[farothel]

After asking their local guide for a few dishes what exactly it was, Sammy ordered something that was not too exotic, but she kept away from the soy as well. That she could have at home, here she could have real food at a reasonable price.
"So," she said to the others, "we gonna ask around for this guy we have to meet. We have a name, but we don't know what he looks like."

[pbangarth]

Torley takes a stab at being a local. I'll have a couple of servings of suya for the table, and [to maybe get a browny point or two from the Igbos in the crowd] for myself I'll have the abacha and ugba.

I think once the dinner crowd thins we will see him, as our port authority helper told us he will stand out as the most obese of the bunch of fixers who show up. I guess he is called Hippo Kojoli for a reason!

[Crossbow]

Clem chooses to order local and simple as well, "The fattest fixer in Lagos should be enough of a description, I would think.""

She is proven to be correct in her assessment. Once you finish eating, most of you anyway (Lil Homie seems determine to finish the second plate of psuedo-fries), and the crowd of students and day laborers trickle out, an immensely obese ork male with rich black skin and silver-capped tusks trudges in from the back and makes his way to a nearby troll-sized booth where a laden table is already pulled away and waiting for his occupancy. Any lingering doubts are gone when you see the thick gold chain with the word HIPPO (in English) on the dangling pendant of under the aforementioned creature. "The most ostentatious could be said as well."

There are already a few hopeful locals waiting to petition for work and his teeth flash in the light as he speaks to them, but he notices you as well, as you are the only outsiders still sitting in the restaurant.

[Necrogigas]

O'Connor scanned the room trying to spot armed security.

Perception: 7d6t5 1

[Crossbow]

You are in a room full of fixers, yes there is security

[farothel]

"I would play it straight," Sammy said, "we're interested in information, that's it. We can then haggle over the price when we get there. I'm sure we have something that he wants, even if it's only nuyen."

[Crossbow]

It takes about an hour for Hippo to finish with his petitioners, during that time plates are coming and going from the kitchen at regular intervals, so the table in continuously restocked. A couple of the people who were speaking with him seemed to want to linger specifically to finish some tidbit.

When the last one clears his plate and leaves, Hippo waves for you join him. In spite of the fact that he has been eating and talking for a bit, there is not a trace of any debris or crumbs on his person. "So my new friends, what is that you need from Hippo!" he says, tusks still shining.

[pbangarth]

Torley leads the way over to Kojoli's table. His walk is a fine example of confidence mixed with respect. Strut, but don't insult the local strongman. He smiles at the reference to him and his team as "new friends". He was wondering how to refer to Finnegan.

"Pleased to meet you. I admire your choice for a place of business. The food is good, and it looks like a lot of business in this town is worked out here.

My name is Torley. My associates and I have traveled far and need help finding" [big smile] "... someone who has something. Our old friend Finnegan over at the port authority told us to seek out Hippo Kojoli, for if anyone in Lagos can help us, it would be the man who knows all that happens here.

We are looking for a person who came recently from Ife, carrying an object that matters a lot to people there. That object interests us. We would like to find that person, and ... negotiate. We trust we can work out an arrangement with you to our mutual benefit."

[farothel]

Sammy let Torley do the talking, but she switched her view to the astral and had a look at this fat bloke. It was Always a good idea to figure out what they were up against.

[Crossbow]

Starlet

Hippo is a mundane, in a fairly good mood, you also note one uninitiated awakened among the security in the room.

Torley

"Oh! You are looking for Adegoke's Thief! That is a very valuable piece of information, yes I can help you with that, but what are you willing to pay The Hippo?" The fixer's smile grows brighter.