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The Black Rooster Tavern, The Crossroads, The South

"Honored disciple, I am still confused," Bong Ju said, his eyes shining in the flickering torchlight illuminating the Black Rooster Tavern's interior.

Amaya, Disciple of the Phoenix and student of Grandmaster Ling Guang, felt her smile starting to slip. She'd spent the last thirty minutes explaining her intentions to Bong Ju, but he was still confused. That didn't bode well. In truth, Amaya was starting to feel a little confused herself. She'd given her last gold coin to the town crier of the Crossroads, a weaselly-looking Jin named Honest Shota, to spread the word that she was looking for companions to join her on an arduous journey to the North. Her teacher wanted to know why the other grandmasters, including Grandmaster Zhi Ming of the Iron Tortoise School of Kung Fu, hadn't sent him any messages in over ten months. While Amaya planned to visit all of Tu's major martial arts schools on her teacher's behalf, she'd decided to tackle the most difficult challenge first. According to the rumors and legends, the Iron Tortoise School was located beyond the Takata Icefields in an isolated corner of the North. If she could successfully traverse the cold, inhospitable tundra then she shouldn't have any trouble reaching the other two schools. Honest Shota, who'd seemed more interested in the gold coin then the tattooed woman that had given it to him, had grinned at Amaya and promised to do whatever he could to aid her in her "noble quest."

Delighted by the town crier's eagerness, Amaya had informed him that she was staying at the Black Rooster Tavern, a glorified shack just outside the Poor Quarter, and would meet any potential allies there. For the first hour or so, nobody had arrived, but then a veritable flood of people had burst through the tavern doors, each one demanding to speak with the Disciple of the Phoenix. Hulking Gon mercenaries had shoved past fidgety Jin archers while a few Yun made a scene when an impatient Lyn tried to take their place in line. Amaya was surprised and humbled to see so many men and women willing to risk their lives on her behalf. And to think people on the road had warned her that the Crossroads was full of degenerates and greedy sellswords. Utter nonsense! Even Fat Cheol, the tavern's owner, had pitched in, offering free samples of his home-brewed kafas tea to those waiting for their chance to talk to Amaya.

Unfortunately, after Amaya and her new acquaintance finished their tea, things always seemed to take a turn for the worse. The Disciple of the Phoenix, a firm believer in telling the truth whenever possible, made it clear that she didn't have any money to offer her new traveling companions. She'd spent most of her coin on supplies needed for the journey. This lack of funding proved to be something of a sticking point. One Lyn with a peacock's head had actually laughed in Amaya's face before sauntering out of the tavern. Over the course of the morning and into the afternoon, fewer and fewer people visited her table. Bong Ju was the first person to talk to her in over an hour.

Clearing her throat, Amaya asked, "What is confusing you, friend Bong Ju?"

"Well, you want people to join you on a trip into the frozen North, yes?" the scrawny Jin asked as he ran a hand through his greasy black hair. When Amaya nodded in response, Bong Ju tilted his head to one side like a dog confronted by a puzzling scent. "You want people to follow you into a land where the wind never stops howling? Where savage beasts stalk the fjords seeking human flesh? Where Kozoi barbarians flay anyone unfortunate enough to fall into their hands? And you don't have any coin?"

Amaya blinked. That did sound...unpleasant, but so did anything if you only focused on the negatives. Before the Jin could continue, she held up one slender finger and said, "Yes, but think about it, Bong Ju! You would get to see many of Tu's greatest marvels. For instance, we'd have to cross the fabled  Takata Icefields in order to reach the Iron Tortoise School. Dozens of scrolls have been written about the beauty of the icefields, and you'd get to see them for yourself. And that's only the beginning!" Grinning, the white-haired Yun reached into the knapsack resting beside her chair and pulled out a travel-stained bark scroll. After moving a few empty tea cups out of the way, she laid the scroll on the table, revealing a detailed map of Tu. "First, we'll take the High Road out of the Crossroads and keep traveling north until we get to the Fallen Dancer. It's a colossal granite statue that marks the border between the North and the South. We should probably head northeast from there so we can...what is it?"

Bong Ju was gaping at Amaya as if she'd suddenly sprouted a second head. The man took a breath and slowly stood up as he said, "A thousand apologies, honored disciple, but I don't think anyone in the Crossroads would willingly embark on such a dangerous journey without some offer of compensation. We are a...erhem, pragmatic people. I hope the Four Heavenly Kings bless you and anyone fool-ummm, valiant enough to join you on your travels. Be well, honored disciple."

Amaya opened her mouth to speak, but Bong Ju quickly bowed to her and dashed out into the Crossroads' darkening streets. The  Master Summoner couldn't believe it. Were people in this town completely insane? They were passing up an opportunity to see some of the most incredible places on Tu. Sighing heavily, she stared dismally down at her map. Even if nobody decided to join her, Amaya would leave the Crossroads tomorrow. She'd wasted far too much time here already, and the only person she'd managed to help was Fat Cheol. Most of the people who'd come to see her had stayed to buy a drink or two so the tavern owner's pockets were bulging with gold coins. The portly Jin noticed Amaya looking at him and waved cheerfully from behind the bar. 

At least one of them was having a pleasant evening.
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