ardent

Underground Market

come one, come all!



Mephistopheles

Somnium

age
5 Years
gender
Male
gems
105
size
Extra large
build
Medium
posts
104
player

The Ooze ParticipantThe Ooze - Variation 3Snake Eyes
07-25-2021, 02:49 PM
Posting this as early as I can now that I have a rough idea of how this all is gonna go down! Reply below if you're interested! This whole shindig is really just a slightly more formal occasion for us to be doing the things we usually do, which is have some NPC's be the source of accessories, companions, material goods, and slaves! Anyone can post their own thread and have the whole encounter in one post if that's what you want, just to have something fun IC as a source of a new accessory/companion/slave/etc.

However, if you're interested in having someone else broker deals for you, keep reading! I'll be adding more details as time goes on, and feel free to send me a message on Discord with any questions/suggestions! I love to collab lol

UNDERGROUND MARKET


Where?: Caves of the Past (North) w/ boat docked & unloaded in Soul Sand Cove

When? (OOC): August 1 - August 30th (liquid time can stretch things further ahead if need be)

~~~~~


You stroll up a well trod path, hard packed soil tamped down by dozens of harried paws. As you approach the largest cave's mouth, you can see a pair of hardened warriors posted on either side. They're not well equipped by any means, but something tells you the one on the left is probably pretty good with that knife. Perhaps you slow a little as you get closer, hesitating in the face of those roving eyes that seem to assess your value before you're even inside. The pair don't stop you as you pass between them, adjusting the weight of your bag on your back. Once your eyes adjust to the light inside, you can see a handful of patrons milling about, and a dozen or more collared wolves scurrying to and fro as their masters demand. Time to see what imports are available this season...

Stone lamps line the walls, some are also placed on naturally occurring shelves throughout the main cavern. They are oil filled, with moss wicks that are regularly replaced by the small army of slaves to ensure the lighting stays consistent. Some of the “stalls” further back in the cave have their own lamps to better display the merchandise.

Borders of “stalls” have been demarcated with stones, sticks, or just hastily scratched lines in the dirt- each one containing a marauder or slave tasked with offloading the wares. Each stall contains similar items of varying values, though they can be traded for with anything the buyer might have on hand. (i.e. stall with furs managed by a slave, next to a stall managed by a younger marauder selling scrap metals that can be traded for with anything of value, etc.)

A few offshoots from the main cavern are walled off with young saplings, which dry/harden over the course of set-up to fit the entryway snugly. These are the slave pens, where less obedient, or otherwise untrustworthy slaves are kept until they are sold off. They are mostly there for appearances sake, as most of the unruly slaves kept there will be tied down. By now, the wolves within know better than to test their captors, and will not try to run off. The smaller gaps between the saplings are sized to fit them, while larger wolves who might be interested in stealing them will not be able to squeeze through.

Further back in the cavern system there is a larger offshoot that has been converted into a gambler’s den. A makeshift ring has been constructed in the middle for pit fighting, and gambler’s are welcome to bring their own critters to pit against one another. For the first few days the hosts will provide some fodder, so there will be coyotes, porcupines, and other interesting members of the local wildlife community present and betting on outcomes is encouraged. There will also be a few spots further towards the back for games, where a few wolves can gather to play whatever the canine equivalent of poker and blackjack are.

Sleeping quarters for the marauders are more hidden away, where all but the most dedicated will not easily stumble upon them. They sleep in shifts, with a few wolves posted at the cave entrance and slave pens 24/7 to ensure no one sneaks past looking to score some free goodies.

Organizing the entire shindig will be my boy Absinthe, who is the servant of the gang's leader, Augustus. He will be dropping by a few nearby packs to spread word of the market to interested parties, as his master is not interested in having his face be associated with the operation too heavily. Pack and Band associated wolves, or popular loners, are more than welcome to mention that they were invited by Augustus if they so choose. Anyone looking to purchase a big ticket item will need to seek Absinthe out to authorize these on his master's behalf, and anyone spotting one of the slaves that is helping out around the market must ask him about the purchase of said slave.

There are already a few plots surrounding the purchase of some PC servants from this market, including RelevantKoala's Citala, who will be one of Absinthe's key players in ensuring everything runs as smooth as possible. If you'd like in on this action, HMU or reply below, I'm more than happy to include you!