Chapter 1.0
Berkowitz walked down a dark street. The wind blew rubbish past his feet, mainly old "Wanted" posters and paper money. Only coin was valuable these days, and every instinct in him told him to gather all that paper money for later. "Usless," he thought to himself.
His cape blew in the wind.
He loved his cape. He could hide things under it, not the least of which would be several weapons.
"Pardon me, good sir?" a voice came from a dark alley.
"Me?" asked Berkowitz, quizzically.
"Yes. How many other people do you see around here?" the voice snapped back.
"Well..." and Berkowitz looked about, his eyes unable to penetrate the darkness, "I don't see anyone else. Then again, I don't see you either, so for all I know I've died and am just a ghost wandering the street of this city looking for what comes next."
"Clever. Shut up or you'll be a ghost." the voice said, menace growing with each word. "I'd like you to hand over your coin purse, quickly, smoothly, and then get lost. I don't even want to see you squint to try and see my face. No one who's seen my face has lived to tell about it. Now hurry up."
"Interesting" Berkowitz said.
"Which part?" mused the bandit.
"All of it. Really, no one has ever seen your face?"
"Not a soul alive today." stated the bandit.
"Not even your mother?" asked Berkowitz, quizzically.
"She's dead."
"Oh. I'm sorry, my friend."
"I'm not your friend. Now give me your money, now." the bandit said, stifling a tear.
"You're starting to stutter. I imagine it's the wind and the cold, mind if we step into that tavern? It's warm there, we could get a drink and then you can finish mugging me and we'll both be on our way." Berkowitz said thoughtfully.
"Good idea, it is cold. But I'm leaving my mask on."
"Just as well. If you have some gross deformity it'd put me right off my drink." Berkowitz mumbled.
The two men entered the tavern. Inside it was nearly as dark as outside. Since this tavern was located in a part of town where people were ritualisitically mugged, dark taverns were rather in season.
A buxom waitress approached, and wondered silently (and safely) to herself why a man with a parrot on his shoulder was sitting with an obvious mugger. She took their drink order and scurried off to a better lit part of the building.
"I'm not, you know." the bandit said after a while.
"I beg your pardon?"
"I'm not deformed. I wear this mask so no one will identify me in public. After all, I mug a lot of people, it generates a good amount of ill-will." the bandit replied.
"I can imagine. So you go out in public? During the day?"
"Of course. I have to shop, visit friends, that sort of thing."
"Then people do see your face." Berkowitz said.
"Oh, sure."
"And you don't kill them all. You said no one alive has seen your face." Berkowitz said, finally making his point.
"No." corrected the bandit. "I said no one who's seen my face has lived to tell about it. It's scary. You know. Scares people. That's why I say it. It's not completely true." the bandit admitted.
"I see. Well, to be honest I really must get back to my ship, and I have to admit to you that I have no money. Not any at all. But I salute your mugging skills. Really, quite nice and efficient. The whole thing about no one seeing your face - it's a good schtick. See here?" and Berkowitz produced an empty coin purse. "I'm not lying. Not being a professional mugger like yourself, I'm not prone to lying. You can trust me. I'm a pirate after all, and pirates are known for their word."
"Man. That just sucks. I can also see you have no jewelry, so I'll tell you what. Go ahead and be off, but next time you walk down my alley I expect a little something extra, understand?" the bandit said, a bit of threat returning to his voice.
"Oh, most certainly!" I'll bring twice as much coin next time, I promise." With that, Berkowitz excused himself and quickly left the tavern.
A few moments later, the barmaid arrived with the check for both drinks. The bandit wasn't happy. He swore vengeance. | 
