What is it?
An illegal mage-ran market under Faline. The market is housed in empty waterways, cisterns, and repurposed maintenance rooms. Mages have been making use of the abandoned system for ages, and the Dancing Market is a concept recently resurrected by the pro-mage faction Sangre Mar.
The market is host to all kinds of goods and services, the sellers all mages. Goods vary between innocent fruits and vegetables to monster parts and illegal potions. Not everything sold in the Dancing Market is illegal, but the sellers being mages often struggle selling their goods above ground with mage reputation being down.
That said; any type of seller can join the Dancing Market. There can be multiple of the same, too, so do not feel restricted.
Besides goods there are people dealing in services as well, be it mercenaries, tailors, tattoo artists, sex workers, and everything else one can think of.
The market is freely accessible to those who know of it. Certain establishments that have entrances to the market in their basements might advertise with it, and posters only readable by mages may be found around Faline.
Every time one visits the market, it is different. Not all halls are occupied by sellers, and which ones are changes every time. Besides being the reason for the name, the “dancing” of the market also makes it far harder for it to be caught out by authorities. When it is not in use, the space itself can still be used to whoever wants to, be it to hide in or fight your enemy.
The market is a lawless space, and it is not monitored. That means it has the potential to be rife with pickpockets, or possibly witchfinders. It also means the people abusing the place are not protected from the consequences of their actions, and anyone caught may be dealt with accordingly.
For those who do desire a bit of extra protection, Sangre Mar offers their members for a fee, be this money or an exchange of goods for sellers.
Inspiration
The map
DISCLAIMER: Map is for fun, and NOT "official" !!
"Top" view of the Dancing Market, with various alleyways, entrypoints, and seperate "rooms" for more long-term establishments.
Click here for a map with some placement points and more inspiration pictures.