Oliver Bonner, Scents and Balms

The Bonner family has been making perfumes for hundreds of years within the Empire. The current owner of the family business, Oliver Bonner, moved to Marienburg from Nuln several years ago, choosing to position his famous establishment somewhere more cosmopolitan. His shop on Silk Shape Square blended in perfectly, and due to the increased exposure in Marienburg, many members of the rich and famous from all over the Old World flocked to his doors. Many went away disapointed, as Oliver continues the family tradition of only allowing a select few who are passionate about scents to buy his unique perfumes. Over the past three years, he has only had a total of 91 customers. Of course, to pay the substantial rent and keep his own lifestyle up, his merchandise retails for prices that are beyond extravagent.

The shop itself, like many others in this district, is bizarre. The bay window is empty, allowing copious amounts of light to flow into the building. In addition, the walls are painted white and the shop is almost empty, so that the interior is dazzling. In the centre of the room, rests the only piece of furniture: a large mahogany table, blanketed with small glass jars. Locked within the vessels is sandalwood and tuberose from Araby, vetiver from the New World, rose essence and camphora from Cathay, and iris root, which costs three times the price of gold. One end of the table has a work mat, pestle and mortar and other apparatus. There are deep draws under the tables, and these contain yet more jars and empty bottles for the finished product.

The shop is normally shut, drowsy sunlight bathing an empty room. If one wishes to purchase a scent, an appointment must be made with Oliver himself. This is because he gets so few customers (roughly one every two weeks) that he spends most of his time relaxing and visiting friends. Once a date has been arranged, he will get the client to describe in broad terms what they want, and present various ingredients until they get the right combination. He usually creates perfumes (for men as well as ladies) although he does occasionly get asked to produce oils, scents and Balms.

Common Knowledge

"Oh my dear, that man is simply divine. His perfumes are so refined, and yet so powerful! It was all Lady Catharina would talk about last night. You know her fiance, Koenradd, bought it for her. I thought he was a bit boorish you know, but he must certainly have connections if he can get his hands on a Bonner perfume."

"His creations are wonderful, it has to be said. But the man himself I don't like much. He seems a bit artificial. The wagging tongues say that he likes his experiences so much that he indulges in some that aren't quite proper if you follow me."

"Scent! You smell like you could do with some of that!"

Oliver Bonner: Artisan (Perfumer), Ex ­ Artisan's Apprentice

Oliver has a very aristocratic 'Nuln' look: very tall, athletic, and with blonde hair so pale it is almost white. His eyes are lacklustre, and talking with him is an unnerving experience as his look slides off you. Throughout a conversation, his nose will twitch constantly, and you realise that he is smelling you. Many people suspect that he is at least partially blind, but no one knows for certain. Although not a detail many notice at first, his eyebrows, which are not obvious due to their light tone, are very thick, and form a band across his forhead. Once observed, it is very hard not to stare at them. His accent is Imperial but very soft, and in a city that normally ridicules such a tone it is found adorable. He is consistently well dressed, patronising many of the small expensive boutiques around Silk Shape Square, and he always smells glorious.

Oliver is a contradictary charcter. He is immune to tradition and the superficiality ­ the fact he is currently in vogue interests him not in the slightest, and the status of his would-be-patrons has no effect on whether he judges them suitable for his scents. He is bluntly honest, some might say righteous, seeming to aspire to a world of solid values beyond our own, but he does so in such an oblique fashion nobody could accuse him of rudeness. On the other hand, he appears equally dedicated to luxury and frippery, revelling in sensation in an entirely decadent fashion.

Oliver is a member of several Slaaneshi cults within (and without the city). This association is his true reason for leaving Nuln ­ his family, long standing cultists, had finally been exposed; his parents and their closest friends were burnt in a witchunt (leaving Oliver the last surviving member of the Bonner lineage) and Oliver barely escaped with his life. The Empire had become too dangerous to remain in, and so he fled for the more lax city state of Marienburg. A bounty is still on his head in the Empire, and several hunters are dedicated to scouring the Old World for him. However, none of this has disuaded Oliver from worship of the god, and he continues his activities with only a little more descretion than before.

Oliver belongs to The Siblinghood of Eternal Love which meets at the Bosphorus Club, and has created a specific perfume for club members. He is also one of Heloise Honeysuckle's closest friends, and has been invited to several of her lavish balls at The Velvet Rooms. He has slept with several of the daughters, wives (and occassionally sons) of many Merchant Lords, but is fortunate enough to avoid detection due to his impotence. He is also socially promiscuous, frequently attending the dinners and dances of high society. His courtly nature and undiscovered adulterous side ensure he is a popular and 'well known' figure.

He is also a familiar figure in the many Havensdjik scattered over Marienburg, especially the Arabian and Cathayan enclaves. Here he haggles for the best spices and mineral ingredients for his scents, speaking the language of the market fluently. He occassionally buys ingredients from Hassan's, but considers the quality to be inferior to that of his well known suppliers.

Skills: Acute Sense of Smell, Blather, Cast Spells ­ (Petty), Charm, Chemistry, Cult Lore ­ (Slaanesh), Dance, Drive Cart, Etiquette, Haggle, Heraldry, Identify Plant, Magical Sense, Read/Write, Ride, Seduction, Speak ­ (Arabian; Breton; Cathayan), Specialist Weapon ­ (Rapier), Scroll Lore, Secret Language ­ (Guilder), Scret Signs ­ (Artisan; Cult), Very Strong

This Location is Incomplete. Feel Free to Mail Any Suggestions to: marienburg@postmaster.co.uk