[Bamawing]

Thun sniffed Gaul's fingers and then relaxed as he petted her. "She'll be fine," Pon'i reassured Gaul. "She doesn't go off unless she's frightened. And we won't stay much longer. I just need to get someone to deliver the Happy Tiktiki dress - it's in my quarters. This way."

As he led Gaul down and across more stairs, he chatted about his home. "My aunt wasn't happy because we are generally left alone by the great clans. No taxation, nobody to answer to. We don't have any desire for power, and our mushrooms afford us as much money as we want. It's a kind of freedom, honestly, and that's why I ask you to keep our location a secret as much as you can. I understand that your allegiance is to your Order, but please pity our quiet little family. You can find us easily enough on the streets of Raveran."

They reached Pon'i's private quarters, blocked off by a recessed, marred wooden door. A fine rolled-up rug rested in the recess. Pon'i glanced at it sadly before opening the door.

His quarters were simple: a living area with a small kitchenette. If Gaul was curious, he could notice an opening leading to a bedroom in the back. Pon'i was a man of simple comforts... his primary luxury was food.

He scooped a folded Happy Tiktiki dress from the table and turned to Gaul with a smile. "Sorry about the delay. I'll get a slave or cousin to deliver this, and then we can check on Itoh." His face saddened. "I hope he's going to be OK."

[django]

"Oh Poni, I not gonna tell anybody about this place." Gaul reassured him "As long as the Dendels dont start summoning demons, you dont have much to worry about me."

Gaul followed Poni into his room. There wasn't much too it for a family as wealthy as the Dendles. Take it from him, he knew what the rich life was like. He looked at Poni, seeing the sad look on his face. That man really cares for Idoh, "Its been a rough day for all of us kid." He gave a positive look to Poni, trying to be a source of calmness and strength (being in the armor helps.)

Putting a hand on Ponis shoulder Gaul continued "Ive taken some bad beatings in my life Poni. Im sure Idoh will get better with the proper treatment. Yanti has some good resources under her wing. She helped me get you out after all."

[Bamawing]

"You think?" Pon'i gave Gaul a sad smile. "The rug is supposed to be his bed. I offered him a proper bed, but this is what he wanted. He's saved my life twice now... and that reminds me." He darted into his bedroom and returned with a small box. from it he withdrew Itoh's slave collar key.

"He was in horrible shape when I found him," Pon'i explained. "That slave market obviously mistreated them all, and had the gall to charge a fortune for him! You could get a fully trained feral for what I paid. I wasn't sure he was going to make it, but he pulled through... and saved my life on the way back here. Fought off a small, feral dragon! He was armed, but still."

Pon'i opened the door and led them outside, then petted Thun absentmindedly. "I hope he pulls through."

[django]

Gaul nodded as he listened to Ponis story about Idoh. He never really for slavery or against it but he never owned a slave before.

"A feral dragon... Sharess. Even a small one would be a hand full, your both very luck to come out of that one in one piece." The only dragon Gaul ever fought was a rampant, blood thirsty Sharn dragon during the Nid war. He didn't fight it alone mind you but that was still one hell of a fight. He even has a tooth to prove it too.

(If you dont mind lets head to the market)

The streets in the market weren't anything unusual, people were shopping and going about there business. Few people really paid Gaul or Poni any mind other then a glance. "Where do you think we'll find dwarven bone from?"

[Bamawing]

((Fine by me. ))

Pon'i felt better with Thunder on his shoulder. The marketplace of Raveran was his second home - where the Dendal name meant credits, more often than not, and where family help was usually only a shout away.

Dwarven bone... He had never heard of such. "Aside from a dwarf's grave, I can't think of anything. And I don't know where one of those might be." Dwarfs did bury their dead, didn't they? "I haven't had any dealings with dwarfs since Thun scared away a platoon of them for me shortly after I got her." Who would know?

"Sometimes the Sargress have dealings with dwarfs, especially the highland raiders. I've carried a message or two from them in my day. Maybe that's a place to start?"

[django]

He couldn't help but wonder... how bad is a skunk spray. If Poni is telling the truth and it would scare off a group a dwarves, perhaps he should look into getting one. Then again with his luck he would get sprayed.

"Hmm the Sarghress might but I think any dwarf bone they keep are fed to the wolves."

"What I was thinking was that we head to the White lion first. They have a gladiator pit and I've seen a old dwarf fighting in the pits. A few days ago I saw him and group team up to fight the Naga and he didn't do so well. The odds are, that he may have died recently" He turned to Poni to see what he thought. "If that fails we'll head to the Sharghess and dig up there bone yard."

(If we do head to the white lion, lets keep it in the privet form.)

[Bamawing]

((I'm sorry this is taking me so long. My divorce has moved to the next phase: the lawyers phase. I've got a to-do list three miles long from that, I still have to deal with my fender-bender from last week, and I have another three-mile-long to-do list for my surgery next Tuesday. And I just remembered I promised a friend we could hang out, since she won't be in the area for much longer. I know I've fallen off the face of the earth, but I'll get back on as soon as I can.

The good news is, post-op, I'll be laying in bed all the time, so I'll be all over the computer... gimmie a week?))

[Bamawing]

((Double posted so you can see at a glance that a new post has been added to this thread. And I thank you for your patience!!))

The White Lion? "I've actually never been there," Pon'ni admitted. "Bloodthirsty battles have never been my thing. But if it's anything like The Black Dragon, it's large and complex, and there's a hint of something... unpleasant... underneath. I can't take Thun in there; she goes nuts." Not that this bothered him any. He didn't like the place. Why bother serving good food if the "entertainment" made you lose your appetite?

"I'm sure I've got a cousin that keeps them supplied with mushrooms. We can head to the kitchens and see, or we can go in the front door. It's up to you. I'll follow you as far as Thun can manage."

((Staying here, then? ))

[django]

"I don't care for blood sports myself. I get enough of that from my work to last a life time." It was nice to know an Olath for once that wasn't into gladiator fights. He hated to stereotype people but he cant name many Olaths he knew personally that wasn't into pit fights. Most of them were drinking friends thou.

"Well I wouldn't call the white lion the same as black dragon. Its a pleasant place and has in a better crowd generally then the black dragons like to bring in."

"Your cousin would be a good choice. He might know the people inside better and get things easier from them." It sure is nice to see Poni has a large connection throu his family. He couldn't say the same for his family, even thou he grew up in the merchant class like Poni, he didn't get along with most of his family. "Where is your cousin anyways."

(lets stay in the privat thread please. I don't want to risk over lapping with my other characters in raven.)

[Bamawing]

((no problem, we can keep it here.))

Since he was not a high-ranking female Sharen, Pon'i had no way to know that it was the dragon breeding (and food therefor) that bothered Thun about the Black Dragon. But he did notice that she stayed nice and placid on his shoulders as he found the back entrance to the White Lion.

A few tapped shoulders later, he was talking to a woman in a rich, multi-layered kimono. She turned out to be one of Dini's granddaughters. "I believe I know you..." she said, looking at Pon'i. "I remember the whatever-it's-called on your shoulders."

"She's rather famous," Pon'i admitted. "And may I introduce Gaul, a Kyorl warden." As if there was any doubt, between the gray skin and the armor. "We're here on a strange mission. Do you know where we could get any dwarf bones?"

"Dwarf... bones?" She looked a little appalled. "From the arena, you mean? I don't know anything about that - I just supply mushrooms. They're making dendal beer now, can you believe it? Hm. Dwarf bones... you might want to ask the arena manager... O'sirus, I think is what her name is." She pointed to a door. "Through there, down the hall, second door on the right's her office."

"Thanks," said Pon'i. He turned to Gaul. "Shall we?"

[django]

He didn't bother correcting Poni on mistaking him for a warden but he did do a little bow anyways for his cousin. He was sure Poni didn't mean anything by it. At least his cousin pointed him in the right direction. He only hopped O'sirus is in a good mood.

"We Shall."

"Your family sure likes there kimonos." Gaul said as he walked towards the door to his office. "I cant imagine he gets too many people asking for bones. Maybe the occasional fan who wants a piece of there favorite gladiator who fell in the pits."

As they came up to the door Gaul turned to Poni. "Well here we go." He said as he knocked on the door and was shortly answered by a scruffy looking drow with his hair tired in the back. He frowned as he scanned at Gaul and Poini "Looking at your get up, you two looking to enter fight in my pits." O'sirus sized up Gaul and Poni trying to get an idea how capable they looked. "Its a little odd for a Kyo warrior coming her."

"Were not looking to fight in your pit sir. We were told your the man to come to for bones. Me and my friend are looking for dwarfin bone and we were wondering if you had any on a bone yard or something of the sorts."

[Bamawing]

"Your family sure likes their kimonos." Gaul said.

Pon'ni chuckled. "Just that branch of the family. Ina'isi prefers Happy Tiktiki, and I have one aunt who should have been born a Sarghress. All her children wear pants. It's they who do the most actual tending of the mushrooms."

"I can't imagine he gets too many people asking for bones. Maybe the occasional fan who wants a piece of their favorite gladiator who fell in the pits."

"There's an idea." Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. But the answer to Gaul's knock made Pon'ni change his mind. Anyone who saw Pon'ni Dendal and thought "warrior" was not someone that Pon'ni instantly trusted. Thun blinked at O'sirus blearily and yawned. All right then. No threat here.

"Bone yard, huh?" He scratched a drawn cheek with thin fingernails. "Nothing like that. The dead are recycled as meat for gladiators. The janitorial staff uses the bones to make china, I think. And as some sort of polish. You'd have to ask them. If you're wanting dwarf bones... gimme a sec..." he retreated into his office. Pon'ni glanced at Gaul, but before either had a chance to say anything, O'sirus was back.

"Got a coupla dwarfs battling tonight," he said, consulting a chart. "Gregery Beardhopper and later on, Maximilian Tunnellson the Strong." O'sirus shook his head a little. Whether it was due to the dwarf being a poor warrior or simply the cheesy name was anyone's guess. "If one o' them bites it, ask Lin'dida if you can have the bones. She's head of janitorial. Pretty girl, 'Wussu, not very tall. She comes in at three."

And without a good-bye, he pulled his office door shut.

"Wow," said Pon'i. "Well, we've got what, an hour? Now what?"

[django]

He didn't think it was going to be this big of pain in the ass finding some dwarf bones. They could just buy a dwarf slave and take him out back and butcher the little bastard. He had to admit didn't like that plan but if it would save Idohs life... he might change his mind if it came to that.

He thought to himself and tired to think positive. He looked down the hall and back at Poni "We could look at the china they make here. Maybe we'll get lucky and someone here collects skulls or maybe... make them into bowls." Now that was an idea Gaul thought to himself and snapped his fingers and smiled. What else could you make a skull into... other then a cup.

"We should check out this China they have here." Gaul motioned Poni to follow him to the Janitors.

It wasn't hard but the found them. "Im sorry Templar but I cant sell the china without Lin'dida present. She handles the sales. I just make them." a young olath male who just happened to start sweeping when the pair arrived. "Well that sucks." Gaul said as he crossed his arms. "Can you tell me if you have skull cups or bowels made from dwarven skulls?"

“We might have some.”

[Bamawing]

((LOL!! I was thinking bone china... IRL, fine china is made from animal bones. No kidding. The bones make it stronger and, for some strange reason, kinda translucent. But I have to admit, this is more drowish. I'll combine the two.))

There was all kinds of china in the workshop they found. Some looked like regular china, but many were goblets made from skulls of various descriptions. Pon'ni edged away from one that came complete with fangs. The worker noticed.

"Those are extra. Orc skull. The fangs double as a bottle opener."

"Right." Pon'i backed away.

"Lessee, dwarf bones, dwarf bones... Here's a set here." He pulled down a collection of four goblets. They looked a little gruesome, Pon'i thought, with the faces more or less intact. "I'll have to ask Lin'dida for the price."

Pon'i was about to say something when a woman came in looking hurried. She did a double-take upon seeing strangers in her workshop. "Can I help you two with something?"

[django]

(I thoughts that's what you meant by china but from Gauls point of view finding a dwarf skull is easier to find then trying to figure out what plate (or what ever) is made of pure dwarf bone and not a mix.)

'They decently didn't let anything go to waste in this place' he thought to himself as he browsed the various plates and stopped in his tracks as he saw the skull cups... they were in pretty good shape or ex gladiators.

Gaul turned around as he saw someone enter the room. A short but very attractive drowssus woman entered the room. This must be Lin'dida, "Yes, are you Lin'dida by chance?" "Yes I am." She said with a bit of a smile. It was hard to notice but if you looked carefully Lin looked a little nervous seeing Gaul in his Templar suit.

"We would like to buy some of there's dwafin cups. How much are they?"
"Hmm, they are two ada apiece."
"We'll take two then... And Ill take one of those orc ones too." he thought they looked neat, "We'll split the bill one each." he looked down to Poni for approval.

They still needed five pounds of meat to find and two purple lotus... where in gods name are we going to find two purple lotus's. Perhaps they should find some Illohs flower merchants.