Seeking Buyers ...

During her last attempt to find the right buyer for her cut of certain potions, Persephone was unable to find anyone willing to pay what she was asking. Now, following a lead suggested by fellow-Kantor-guest Durham and his success in selling his own cut to one Isen-Boss down in the harbor-town, Persephone finds herself among the quays and the fishhouses above the cothon of the harbor.

Over a light lunch of cockle soup, Persephone's various subtle inquiries finally bring to her side the sailor-metic Ahmed Annousi. After examining the "sakkra blood" potions, he agrees to the price ("Ah, what I would give to get around these damned monopolies at the Kantor and Under-Star!"), but glancing at Persephone's new renyu-companion Finbar, he starts up a conversation about the training of various exotic beasts and animals from all the strange shores he has walked.

"I've trained more than a few of his kind," Ahmed says, nodding at Finbar. "Had more than a few that I could almost have paid as sea-men, except that they're no good at knots. Their paws might hold a sword, but they just have no feel for a rope. Ah, well! not like they'd know the worth of coin, but would still beg for bones to gnaw."

Thus saying, he launches into a further conversation with Persephone, offering tips in the training of renyu in particular, which he promises, "It'll shave a month off what you'd expect. Just be stern, but magnanimous, like I said. I swear it--two months, and he'll be more loyal and able than any old renyu!"

Persephone receives 213 gold, 7 silver, 5 copper as payment, based on an earlier failure at finding a buyer.

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Meanwhile, Avin sets out on her own mission to sell her cut of the same potions. Her particular inquiries lead her up-city, to the restaurant of Madame Halawiya, a woman whose body has grown full and curvaceous in middle age, and yet whose face remains captivatingly beautiful, her eyes painted with dark kohl, her curled hair, streaked with grey, drawn up in a fantastical coif.

Halawiya is happy to pay an even 225 gold for Avin's potions, and comments, "It's good to know that there are some people in this city have taste with whom they deal. This healing-blood will prove most useful for certain unforeseen injuries sustained by my poor, innocent servants."