Animal Ark - Pet Supplies

[Anne]

Deep in the heart of the Souk the local name for the Grand Bazaar lays a large fronted white domed building. It has big arched windows and a matching green door. A visitor will first find himself walking through a gate and courtyard, which has a cool fountain playing in the middle and colourful decorative fish swimming in the pool.

Looking up above the door there is a sign in flowing script that says

Animal Ark
Pet Supplies

ASK AND WE SUPPLY
This is the best place to purchase any type of animal, bird reptile or insect in Arakmat. Opening the green door and entering this emporium of delight and any customer will find themselves in a large round room surrounded by chattering, squealing, chirping and chittering cages and boxes neatly arranged on shelves. Look up at the domed roof, and there are cages of birds suspended near the light. Each cage has a pulley with a rope hanging down so that the owner may pull down the cage for the discerning customer to inspect the contents. The owner, Clyde Cassum stands behind a white wood counter with a beaded curtain at his back leading to the rear.

He is a man above 6 feet going to fat with a shock of dark hair and a bristling moustache adorning his fleshy lips. Beady eyes will peer at the potential purchaser and his hands will wrap and unwrap themselves as he unctuously greets his every customer with extravagant politeness.

This shop reflects the very nature of the city, these animals for sale are not just pets and lap dogs for a courtesan but the most deadly of killers to be found in the deserts of the province. Clyde will not ask a client why they wish to purchase a brace of scorpions or a tarantula spider he will only smile in an oily fashion and put his hand out for the crowns. The fact that these insect assassins might be intended for the bed of an unfaithful wife is not Saddum’s affair.

Arakmat is a city that belies its tranquil and ordered face, underneath the formality and smiling, passions run hot, quick and deadly. Animal Ark Pet Supplies reflects that dichotomy. You can buy a kitten or a puppy or a wild dog to tear the guts out of an intruder. For purchase is a pretty clever parrot or a wild eagle from the mountains, as long as the crowns in the buyers pocket are sufficient, anything is for sale and no questions are asked.

If the client requires some larger animal Clyde will pull apart the beaded curtain behind him and Salaam you through a stone corridor underneath a curved roof, off of this corridor are doors firmly closed from view. This dark cool route leads into a long wide back yard with larger cages and compounds neatly arranged. This is the menagerie of stock too big for the interior shop.

The client may inspect his future purchase through strong iron bars. Camels and horses, leopards and lions, they are all here .Two elephants stand in the heat throwing dust over their backs and Vultures chained to a perch watch the proceedings. Domestic animals like sheep and goats, cows and pigs, dogs and cats stand in this stockyard along side wild animals, ready for a quick sale to a customer. A shed at the bottom of this yard houses food stuffs for the animals and pet food for the pampered lucky few.

If what you need is not in stock then Clyde will know a man who knows a man who can find it for you. At the right price of course!

The Arakmatian citizen enjoys animals but they are rarely sentimental about them. They are tools to be exploited in the games of life. Clyde is a supplier of tools both useful and deadly.

Price list

A long list hanging on the back of the green door shows the price list. However customer these prices are just a guide line, Clyde likes to haggle and expects his dear customers to join in this entertainment:-

ANIMALS
Ape 1500 Crowns
Bird
… Canary 50 Crowns
… Song 150 Crowns
… Vulture 400 Crowns
… Parrot 200 crowns
Boar 110 Crowns
Bull 210 Crowns
Calf 30 Crowns
Camel 1500 Crowns
Capon 5 Crowns
Cat house 50 Crowns
Cat, Hunting Leopard/Lion 2500 Crowns
Chicken / Rooster 3 Crowns
Cow 100 Crowns
Cricket, Fighting 60 Crowns
Scorpion 60 Crowns
Tarantula 70 Crowns
Deer
… Doe 1000 Crowns
… Stag 1500 Crowns
Dog
… Guard 100 Crowns
… Hunting 50 Crowns
… House 40 Crowns
… Lap 20 Crowns
… Sled 40 Crowns
… Tracking 50 Crowns
… War 120 Crowns
Donkey, Mule, or Ass 80 Crowns
Dove 3 Crowns
Elephant, labour 300 Crowns
Elephant, war 8000 Crowns
Goat 10 Crowns
Goose 5 Crowns
Guinea hen 4 Crowns
Hawk, Fledgling 200 Crowns
Hawk, Small 40 Crowns
Hawk, Large 180 Crowns
Hawk, Trained 300 Crowns
Falcon [as above]
Horse
… Draft 210-300 Crowns
… Heavy War 2500-5000 Crowns
… Light War 1200-2400 Crowns
… Medium War 1800-3600 Crowns
… Riding 200-500 Crowns
Lama 300 Crowns
Monkey 400 Crowns
Mule 200 Crowns
Nightingale 500 Crowns
Ox 150 Crowns
Partridge 80 Crowns
Pigeon 20 Crowns
Pigeon, homing 300 Crowns
Pig 300 Crowns
Piglet 10 Crown
Pony
… Riding 120-150 Crowns
… War 210-300 Crowns
Ram 40 Crowns
Sheep 20 Crowns
Swan 400 Crowns
Snakes Cobra 500 Crowns
Raven 50 Crowns