The Invisible Market

I was walking through Old Town one dark foggy night
When some revelers I spied up ahead
As I limbered my fingers to snatch up their coin
They passed by me and one of them said:
The invisible market awaits!
And we're practically at its front gates
Filled with curious devices
And all the best vices
And delicacies heaped on gold plates
Well they turned down an alley I'd been down before
The back entrance to Lugo's kiln
Since I knew all they'd find was a locked potter's door
I hid there and waited but then heard again:
The invisible market's beyond!
Where they've everything until it's gone
They've got newt's eye for potions
And some edible lotions
And some toys shaped like Kreeshka's third...gong!
Well I peaked down the alley and no one was there
Not even a sign they had passed
With no money for gruel, meat, or flophouse to lair
I sat there regretting my fast
Now I must have dozed off for an hour or so
And was wakened by folks passing by
It was my former marks with some servants in tow
And I heard one exclaim with sigh:
The invisible market we've seen!
With gold, rubies, emeralds so green
We've got unicorn veal
And Zeldarian Steel
And a pleasure slave fit for a queen
The invisible market is closed!
When will it come again? Well who knows?
It's got secrets and mysteries
That could fill many histories
It's the market where anything goes!

--"The Invisible Market," Traditional*

*Sung (more ore less) to the tune of Kinky Friedman's "Highway Cafe" (preferably the Tom Waits cover)

Summary

The Invisible Market is said to be a vast bazaar where nearly anything can be bought for the right price. While exotic (and completely normal) version of the goods you'd find at any other marketplace are certainly available, the Invisible Market's offerings include many non-traditional goods: magic spells, exotic creatures, other peoples' fates, and indentured spirits are just a few of the items that characters in stories about the market are said to have purchased. In addition to goods, the Invisible Market offers an extensive variety of experiences to visitors: exotic drugs, transcendental experiences, unspeakable carnal pleasures, and much more. On the other side of the transaction, gold and other valuables are not the only form of currency accepted at the Invisible Market. Depending on the merchant, you may be able to trade your eternal soul, a year of your life, or an ounce of your courage as payment for your purchase.
While the Invisible Market itself appears to operate continuously in some alternate plane or pocket dimension of its own, it is only accessible to the people of Khezvaros during certain times. The most common tales state that the market is open to citizens of the City of Ten Thousand Daggers for seven days each month, starting on the first night of the new moon, but many variations exist. During this time, the market can be entered through portals scattered throughout the city. The portals are completely hidden to most citizens, but a lucky few are able to sense these portals and know how to pass through them. Some receive the revelation in a dream, others instinctively know what to do when they pass by one of the portals, and a few claim that they entered the Invisible Market through a door they thought would take them to their favorite tavern or coffee house. The method by which the invitees for the market are selected is unknown and there is much debate as to whether or not it's possible for the uninvited to gain access to the bazaar.
Upon entering the market, the first thing one notices is that all of the vendors and many of the patrons of the bazaar have their faces covered. Some wear porcelain or metal masks similar to the masks of office worn by imperials when conducting formal business; others prefer simple veils, mysterious cowls, elaborate helmets, or even stylized face paint. A half-dozen booths near the outer edges of the market sell all manner of face coverings for patrons who arrive bare-faced and would like to blend in with the crowd.
The market is a confusing jumble of stalls, carts, tents, pavilions, and open areas that defies all attempts at navigation and seems to go on forever. The only real landmark is a small villa that floats on a marble platform 50 feet in the air at what most assume to be the center of the market. This is the home of The Dream Trader, who appears to be to be the closest thing the market has to a proprietor, patron, or kingpin. The only way to gain entrance to the Dream Trader's villa is by invitation, the only way to get an invitation is for the Dream Trader to place your name on the guest list, and the only way to find out whether your name is on the guest list is to inquire with the Dream Trader's majordomo. If the Dream Trader grants someone an audience, it means that he has exactly what they need--if they're willing to pay the price (which is always high).
According to most stories, those who are still wandering the market when it "leaves" Khezvaros will remain mentally in the market for some time after they've physically returned to the everyday streets of the city. By the time they come to their senses, they've usually caused considerable disruption, embarrassed themselves, or otherwise landed in a predicament that they don't fully understand.

Date of First Recording

1st Century IE

Date of Setting

Continuing

Related People

• The Dream Trader