I stood inside the large entrance of the fully restored building. No one was around, but I could hear murmurs inside. Torches burned in sconces, smoke from their oil-soaked tips rising up to the expansive ceiling above us. The pleasant smell of the burning oil permeated the large space. I walked into the building proper.

A long hallway stretched towards the rear of the building. Open doorways lined the sides, and I could hear muted conversations coming from some of them. I felt a general pull from the back of the building. I started walking down the hallway.

I stopped in front of the first room. A long table lined the room, elegant chairs set around it. The room was empty, but I could hear indistinct conversation coming from the room. Curious, I took a step inside, and the scene changed.

I was seated at a table with other men and women. They all had noses that spread out and hung over their lips like miniature half-umbrellas but otherwise appeared normal to my Earth-centric sensibilities. They were all dressed in what I could only describe as business togas. The togas were black, and they all, men and women alike, wore ties of varying colors. I couldn’t figure out what the ties were for, but they didn’t serve much purpose in my business attire either, so I guessed they transcended dress codes.

I looked down and found that I, too, had a black toga on, along with a white tie. I brought my hand up to my face to check, but my nose remained my trusty old nose, not the Dumbo nose they all had.

“What is it?” A person with a red tie asked, looking at me.

“Nothing,” I said, trying to figure out what was going on. They did not see me as strange, not noticing I was different than everyone else.

Red Tie pulled out a bottle of some alcoholic drink and uncapped it. He took small tumblers and poured a liberal measure into each. The smell of wintery nights and wood-burning fire wafted over with a strong, overpowering alcohol aroma.

“What are we drinking to? That’s an expensive bottle,” said a blue-tied woman opposite me.

Red Tie passed the tumblers around, then, holding up his glass, said, “To changing fortunes!” He tossed his drink back, as did the others. I sniffed mine and tasted it politely, but I wasn’t sure if I could drink it safely. This gave me the opportunity to look at Red Tie. He, too, didn’t seem to be drinking his. His glass was still mostly full when he put it down.

“So,” said a green-tied man, “how is your fortune going to change?”

“Ah,” said Red Tie, “let me pour you another as I tell you a story. All of our fortunes might be changing soon.”

“I won’t say no to such a fine drink,” said Green Tie.

Red Tie went around the table and re-poured. He looked at my full glass and frowned but continued without confronting me. He completed his round and everyone got comfortable, sipping their drinks.

“I received communications from a person who shall remain anonymous. This person is a very successful merchant of the Amergar Empire.”

“Why keep them anonymous then?” asked Blue Tie.

“Let me tell my story,” he continued. “I said he is a successful merchant, but that is no longer true. As his trading and successes grew, so did his enemies. You know what it’s like. Unlike in this exchange, where you cooperate, people will try to take you down in other places. This merchant was so successful, the envy of his competitors, that a group of them got together and plotted his downfall.”

“That hardly promises a turn in our fortunes,” said a purple-tied man.

“Ah, but he who helps fallen man rise may, in turn, rise with them,” said Red Tie. “This merchant was framed for smuggling. His entire fortune was confiscated by the Amergar Empire, and he was imprisoned, to be released only after paying a hefty fine.”

“And what is that to us?” asked Green Tie. Her drink was running low, as were the drinks of a few others.

Red Tie got up and made another revolution of the table, pouring drinks for everyone.

“The merchant had substantial holdings in our city. Those were not confiscated since they were outside the reach of the empire. He must, however, come here himself in order to liberate them. This, my friends, is where our fortunes are tied together.”

“Oh?” I asked.

He frowned at my full tumbler but continued on.

“The merchant needs help getting out of prison and out of the empire. He needs to come here himself in order to access his funds and set himself up. He has asked for my help in fronting this sum. When he is free and arrives, he has promised a tenfold repayment of those fees.”

“And why tell us?” asked Green Tie. “Are you just rubbing our face in it?”

“Not at all. I intend to help this merchant. I had thought to tell you this, to let you in on this opportunity. If you so desire, you can help and earn a part of the reward for helping this unjustly punished man.”

The Author, if indeed this was him, was laying it on thick with the Nigerian Prince scam. I wondered if I could do something about it.

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“This is all suspicious. Why should we trust our money to you?” I asked.

Red Tie looked at me. His face never changed from his pleasant expression, but I noticed his hand tightened on his tumbler. “You do not need to trust me at all. I will be helping this merchant to the full amount. Even if you do, I will only allow it up to half the amount. I will risk at least as much as all of you put together.”

That was smart. He was laying it on thick. No one knew the amount, but he showed them he was risking as much as they were.

“Why the anonymity?” asked Blue Tie. “For that much money, we would gladly help.”

I could see the alcohol setting in. They enjoyed his story and were imagining how much money they’d make off this low-effort endeavor.

“This merchant is a proud man. He was already brought low by his enemies and circumstances. Asking for help has shattered his pride. He wishes to come here and start afresh and not have it known that people had to help him out of prison. In fact, those of you who wish to help, please speak with me privately. I will not entertain any public offers of support. The merchant will thank you each personally when he is here but does not want his benefactors to be a known group.”

“So each of us will pledge as much as half of an unknown amount? How many halves are you planning on collecting?” I asked.

I could see anger on his face, hastily schooled into placidity. “I only offer this to people who wish to help and to enjoy the largess of this wealthy merchant,” he said smoothly.

“This is a scam,” I said. “Anyone giving you money will never see it again.”

“How dare you?” he said, the liquid in his tumbler sloshing around, some of it splashing out, as he moved his hand to punctuate his words.

“I have seen this played out before,” I said. “Everyone privately gives money, everyone sworn to secrecy, everyone loses it.”

“I will trust you to save the man yourself,” said Blue Tie.

“Me as well,” said Purple Tie, “We will forge ties of business once his is here.”

Red Tie lifted his tumbler and threw it at me. I wasn’t expecting it. It hit my shoulder, drenching my toga in the liquid. He got up, taking the bottle in his hands. I wished I had the author’s ability to magic away thrown objects with a keystroke. It was time to leave.

Getting up and equipping my clipboard, I backed up. We ran a small comical chase around the table as I got to the door and backed out. Once I did, the room inside emptied. I looked around but saw no one. I was back wearing my own clothes.

The next few rooms had a similar long table setup. I didn’t bother going in. A room with a different layout caught my eye. A blackboard and a lectern fronted a few chairs in a small room. Again, I heard soft, indecipherable conversation. Intrigued, I walked in and appeared seated in the front row with the same group of colored-tied people in front of Red Tie, who was lecturing them.

“—and so I wanted to share the opportunity with this august group of investors,” he was saying.

The people’s hair was showing more white, and their skin was etched with more grooves in places. I think their noses were bigger, but I didn’t have a reference point. Their clothes were more worn, the business togas patched in places. Red-Tie was standing in front of the board, which was now covered with a tablecloth.

“You know many explorers have launched expeditions to the Uncharted Continent,” he continued. “Some have perished, some presumed lost, and some have returned empty-handed. The most infamous of these was the king’s son, who took fifty soldiers with him and returned with only two sickly retainers and nothing to his name.”

“We all know the stories. We didn’t come here for a lesson on losses,” said Blue Tie, eyes still aflame despite her hunched posture.

“There have also been successes,” said Blue Tie.

“You are correct, my friend,” Red Tie proceeded. “The famous Orthwund Exploration Company now controls imports of the favored Stricio wine, and Adworht Trading has a monopoly over Folke Stere wool. Both of these have paid off for their investors, making new houses among the merchants.”

“Again, why tell us what we already know?” Blue Tie persisted.

“I had tried to get you to invest in such an expedition, but, alas, the funds were never easily available.”

“You know why they were not available,” yelled Blue Tie. He was holding up his tie, and I noticed it had faded stains on it.

“Ah. Do not blame me for the misfortunes of business,” said Red Tie. “I had suffered along with you in my attempts to bring us all fortune.”

The crowd grumbled, but no one challenged that.

“So, what is the purpose of this talk?” asked Green Tie.

“Ah. I may have found a way to restore our fortunes. The Akirsus Import Company has pushed further into the Uncharted Continent than others. It had found a new pack animal there, one that can be used to traverse difficult terrain. These animals, which they are calling the Tripple-Hills”—he dramatically pulled the tablecloth off the blackboard—”will revolutionize moving people and equipment.”

A masterfully painted picture of an animal with three humps was attached to the board. The animal had four pairs of legs, one on each side of its long body and one between each pair of humps. At the bottom was a smaller picture of the animal, with three people mounted on it, one on each hump. This gave me a scale reference. The animal was about the size of a horse.

“The company is financing a ship to bring the first batch of animals over. Instead of a loan, I have arranged a way for us to get a percentage of the new business venture they are putting together. Anyone investing will become an owner in the new Hiller Company.”

I wondered if this was legit or another scam. Companies like this in Earth’s history were funded to find new resources in the new world and bring them back to Europe.

“How risky is the venture?” asked Green Tie.

“This is a typical trip to the Uncharted Continent. They are hiring an experienced navigator, but there is always a risk.”

“Do we know if the beasts can survive in our weather?” asked Blue Tie.

“They were found in a weather similar to ours. This is not expected to be a problem.”

They were getting smarter about trusting him. They’d been bitten before. Still, I could see people leaning forward, looking at the drawing, and I heard excited whispering among the crowd.

“Why does it have eight legs?” I asked.

Red Tie noticed me for the first time, his eyes glancing from me to the door and back. “I don’t understand the question,” he said.

“Why does the animal have eight legs?” I repeated.

“It needs to support the three hills on its back. Why does it have a head?” he said, disregarding me and looking around the room for other questions.

“I see. Does any other animal there have eight legs?”

“I don’t understand why that matters. This one does.”

“So, no other animal you’ve ever seen has eight legs?” I persisted.

“None of them have three humps either,” he retorted.

“So this is another one of your scams. Animals follow patterns. An animal won’t suddenly show up with eight legs without others being of similar build. I won’t invest with you.”

I could hear the murmur of others’ conversations, their voices sharper, their eyes fixed on him rather than the drawing. I rose, turning to make my way towards the door.

“I’m out,” said Purple Tie.

“Me too,” said Blue Tie.

Something soft hit me on the head, and my view was blocked. I pulled at it, and the tablecloth came off. I looked from it to Red Tie and saw him coming at me. Throwing the tablecloth at him, I ran towards the door. This time, I didn’t bother protecting myself. Once through the door, I looked back at the room and saw it was again empty.