The Market Bizarre

From IFki

Otherwise known as “The Marketplace”, this region lies central to the busiest regions of IF. Between the looming branches of the Fantasy Forest, the strange fumes of Jester Park and cyber-cities of Skiffiville, it offers a world of oddness all of its own.

Many a small businessman (woman, troll, vampire, talking stoat or dragon, we take ‘em all) has set up shop here. The trading signs of picture-vendors, fortune-tellers and idea merchants compete with the shouted spiel of the market auctioneers, selling everything from secret clubhouses to information on hidden identities, to weapons and armour for the well known Arena of Death.

In some cases, citizens of IF have even been offered starring roles in epic tales of adventure, making them into superstars. Beware, though, of the unscrupulous tale-makers who offer these deals. You could just as easily end up in a dodgy B-Story, doing things with gnomes that could impair your reputation for the rest of your existence!

The famed fortune teller Zogby has also set up shop in the Marketplace, offering for a 10-fables price such pearls of wisdom as:

One day while walking along
a jester will lose his sense of humor and
run over a leprechaun.

The Bizarre would not be complete without mention of its largest corporation. Chinaren Inc., the fast-expanding business that has made its owner into a Fable (one-fiftieth-of-a) Millionaire already. Every day, more slaves are rounded up by the press-gangs as the Storygame manufacturing needs increase. There are already cries of:

“Where will it end?”

And:

“Will the Chinaren monopoly be the death of trade in this fair city?”

But, as with all doomsayers, if you pay them enough, they go away in the end…