White Crane Market
A meticulously organized trade square situated at the intersection of the river gate and the weaver's district. Rows of sturdy wooden stalls are topped with clean white canvas or blue indigo-dyed awnings. The ground is paved with smooth river stones to prevent mud, and the central square is dominated by a large stone well and a communal tea pavilion.
White Crane Market
The air is filled with the scent of dried seaweed, toasted sesame, and fresh cedar. While bustling with the sounds of rhythmic bartering and the clacking of wooden sandals, the market maintains a sense of disciplined order. Armed guards move through the crowd with quiet efficiency.
A meticulously organized trade square situated at the intersection of the river gate and the weaver's district. Rows of sturdy wooden stalls are topped with clean white canvas or blue indigo-dyed awnings. The ground is paved with smooth river stones to prevent mud, and the central square is dominated by a large stone well and a communal tea pavilion.
Strict, bureaucratic, and obsessively focused on fire safety and weights and measures. He despises chaos but appreciates high-quality craftsmanship.
History
Laws of the Square
No steel may be drawn within the market boundaries. Cheating on weights and measures is punishable by the loss of a hand or a heavy fine. Fire-starting of any kind, including pipes, is restricted to the central tea pavilion and designated smoking areas.
Mercenary Bulletin Board
A wooden board near the Magistrate's office lists tasks for able-bodied travelers. Current listings include: guarding a soy sauce caravan to the next village, clearing giant rats from the grain silo, and retrieving a lost hair-pin from the riverbed.
Standard Trade Rates
Local rice wine sells for 5 copper a cup. A sturdy pair of straw sandals costs 2 copper. Dried rations for three days cost 1 silver piece. The market accepts foreign coin, but the Magistrate takes a five percent exchange fee.
Denizens
Strict, bureaucratic, and obsessively focused on fire safety and weights and measures. He despises chaos but appreciates high-quality craftsmanship.
A sharp-tongued woman who sells high-quality fabrics and hides a network of informants across the city.
A blind man who runs the central pavilion. He can identify any plant by smell and claims to hear secrets whispered in the wind.
A former soldier who sells refurbished OSR-style adventuring gear, including rope, lanterns, and chipped iron spikes.
Rumors & Plot Hooks
- 1.One of the rice merchants is weighing his bags with lead stones painted white.
- 2.A strange pale woman has been seen buying large quantities of red ink every midnight.
- 3.The stone well at the center is connected to a flooded dungeon that predates the market.
Classified Entry
Beneath the tea pavilion is a hidden cellar where the Magistrate stores confiscated weapons, intending to arm a militia if the neighboring clan invades.
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