Merchant’s Quarter
Marlowe’s Menagerie
Location: 73 Silversmith’s Row
Proprietor: Thaddeus Marlowe
Specialty: Magical artifacts, curiosities, and mechanical oddities
Description: A three-story building of aged oak and weathered stone, with windows that seem to look into impossible angles. Recently reopened after being the “Blackhaven Trading Post” for decades. The interior is larger than the exterior suggests, with rooms that occasionally rearrange themselves. A faint humming sound and occasional flashes of blue light emanate from the upper windows.
Notable Features:
Items are organized by danger level across different floors
- Cellar experiences temporal anomalies
- Brass pipes and copper wiring integrated into the building’s facade
- Building is secured with both mechanical traps and magical wards
The Clockwork Compass
Location: 12 Guild Street
Proprietor: Orla Brightgear (Female Dwarf)
Specialty: Timepieces, navigation devices, and precision instruments
Description: A meticulously organized shop with glass display cases containing gears, springs, and partially assembled devices. The walls are lined with clocks that chime at different intervals, creating a constant symphony of ticking and melodious notes. The air smells of oil and metal polish.
Notable Item: “The Wayfinder’s Chronometer” – A pocket watch that always points toward what the holder most desperately seeks.
The Alchemist’s Athanor
Location: 45 Crucible Lane
Proprietor: Tymon Vex (Male Human)
Specialty: Potions, elixirs, and alchemical supplies
Description: A chaotic but methodical establishment filled with bubbling retorts, distillation apparatus, and shelves of carefully labeled ingredients. The air is thick with a mixture of herbal, mineral, and occasionally noxious odors. Tymon wears protective gloves with burn marks and has a perpetual squint from peering at precise measurements.
House Rules: No open flames, no sampling without purchase, accidents are the customer’s responsibility.
Whisper & Tome
Location: 8 Scholar’s Way
Proprietor: Elindra Nightshade (Female Elf)
Specialty: Rare books, scrolls, and writing supplies
Description: A cozy, two-story bookshop with towering shelves and reading nooks illuminated by enchanted lanterns. The upper floor requires special permission to access, housing tomes on more esoteric and potentially dangerous subjects. Elindra is over 300 years old but appears middle-aged, with silver-streaked black hair and piercing violet eyes.
Notable Feature: A magical card catalog that can locate any book in the shop within seconds, operated by whispering the subject matter to it.
The Silver Anvil
Location: 29 Forge Street
Proprietor: Durgan Stonehammer (Male Dwarf)
Specialty: Weapons, armor, and metalwork
Description: A large, open smithy with multiple forges constantly burning. The heat hits visitors like a wall when they enter. Finished pieces hang from the walls and ceiling—everything from ornate ceremonial daggers to practical farming implements. Durgan is barrel-chested with arms like tree trunks and a beard braided with iron rings.
House Specialty: “Moonfall Steel” – A distinctive silver-blue alloy Durgan creates using a secret family technique, supposedly incorporating metal from fallen stars.
Temple District
Celestial Remedies
Location: 7 Healer’s Court
Proprietor: Seren Lighttouch (Female Halfling)
Specialty: Medicinal herbs, healing potions, and spiritual remedies
Description: A serene shop with bundles of dried herbs hanging from the rafters and the sweet, calming scent of lavender and sage permeating the air. Crystal jars containing colorful powders and tinctures line the walls. Seren is extraordinarily intuitive, often knowing what ails a customer before they speak.
Notable Service: “Dreamwalker Tea” – A special blend that allows the drinker to consciously navigate their dreams, often revealing solutions to problems or hidden fears.
The Shrouded Candle
Location: 15 Mourner’s Path
Proprietor: Thorne Mortus (Male Human)
Specialty: Funerary supplies, memorial items, and spirit communication tools
Description: A somber but not gloomy establishment with tasteful displays of urns, shrouds, memorial jewelry, and ceremonial items for various cultural traditions. Thorne wears formal black attire and speaks in hushed, respectful tones. Rumors suggest he can speak with the dead, though he neither confirms nor denies this.
House Specialty: “Remembrance Lanterns” – Paper lanterns that, when released, are said to follow the path to the deceased’s spirit, carrying messages from the living.
Artisan’s Alley
Threads of Fate
Location: 33 Weaver’s Court
Proprietor: Zinnia Threadweaver (Female Human)
Specialty: Enchanted clothing, tapestries, and textiles
Description: A colorful shop with fabric samples in every hue imaginable and the gentle click-clack of a magical loom operating itself in the back room. Mannequins display clothing that seems to shift and change subtly when not directly observed. Zinnia has heterochromia—one eye blue, one green—and her clothes always complement both colors.
Notable Service: Custom garments with minor enchantments (water-resistance, temperature regulation, dirt-repelling, etc.)
Prismatic Glassworks
Location: 21 Shimmer Street
Proprietor: Finn Sparkshaper (Male Gnome)
Specialty: Stained glass, crystal objects, and magical light fixtures
Description: A dazzling workshop where sunlight streams through hanging crystal prisms, casting rainbow patterns across every surface. Display cases contain delicate glass sculptures that seem too intricate to have been crafted by mortal hands. Finn wears specialized goggles with multiple lenses that can flip down for different tasks.
House Specialty: “Luminary Orbs” – Glass spheres that absorb sunlight during the day and gently release it at night in various colors and patterns.
Riverside Market
The Siren’s Catch
Location: Pier 7, Harbor District
Proprietor: Captain Mira Saltwind (Female Human)
Specialty: Fresh seafood, exotic imports, and naval charts
Description: A weather-beaten establishment built on a sturdy pier, with barrels of salted fish, nets hanging from the ceiling, and crates of goods from distant shores. The floor is perpetually damp, and the air smells of brine and adventure. Mira is sun-weathered with fading tattoos of sea creatures on her forearms and a voice that carries like a foghorn.
Notable Feature: A massive map table where Mira marks recent sea monster sightings and dangerous currents, freely sharing this information with other captains.
The Wandering Barrel
Location: 4 Brewer’s Row
Proprietor: Barton Oakenheart (Male Human)
Specialty: Wines, spirits, and specialty beverages
Description: A cozy establishment with floor-to-ceiling racks of bottles, aging barrels, and a small tasting counter. The air is rich with the scent of oak, fruit, and spices. Barton has a magnificent mustache he constantly twirls when thinking and knows the story behind every vintage he sells.
House Specialty: “Faegleam Mead” – A honey wine with a subtle blue glow, made using honey from bees that pollinate flowers growing near magical ley lines.
Sweetsmith’s Confections
Location: 16 Sugar Lane
Proprietor: Rosemary Sweetsmith (Female Halfling)
Specialty: Candies, pastries, and magical treats
Description: A charming shop with striped awnings and the intoxicating aroma of caramelized sugar, chocolate, and baking spices. Glass jars of colorful candies line the walls, and a magical cooling cabinet displays delicate pastries. Rosemary is plump and cheerful with flour perpetually dusting her apron and a magical wooden spoon that floats beside her, ready to assist.
Notable Treat: “Memory Drops” – Candies that, when consumed, briefly allow the taster to experience a specific pleasant memory with all five senses.
Shadowmarket (Underground)
The Broken Lock
Location: Accessible through a hidden door in The Rusty Nail Tavern
Proprietor: Silas Nimblefingers (Male Halfling)
Specialty: Lockpicks, security circumvention tools, and information
Description: A secretive establishment only accessible to those who know the right people or passwords. The space is cramped but efficiently organized, with various security devices displayed both as merchandise and as examples of what Silas can help bypass. Silas has a nervous tic of constantly checking over his shoulder but is unmatched in his knowledge of Vale’s End’s security systems.
House Rules: No names, no questions about other customers, payment in advance.
The Masked Merchant
Location: Varies weekly (follow chalk symbols in the Undercity)
Proprietor: Unknown (changes appearance regularly)
Specialty: Cursed items, forbidden artifacts, and dangerous knowledge
Description: A mobile marketplace that never stays in one location for more than a few days. The merchandise is displayed on black velvet cloths, each item accompanied by a card detailing its dangers and uses. The proprietor wears an enchanted mask that subtly changes their voice and obscures their identity.
Notable Feature: Customers must leave something of “equal danger” to make a purchase—not necessarily coin, but something with equivalent risk or power.
Whisperleaf Apothecary
Location: Dead end of Tanner’s Alley, through a door marked only with a single leaf symbol
Proprietor: Nyx Shadowgarden (Female Drow)
Specialty: Rare poisons, antidotes, and mind-altering substances
Description: A dimly lit shop with preserved specimens in jars of murky liquid and plants growing under magical lights that simulate various environments. The air smells of earth, chemicals, and exotic blooms. Nyx speaks rarely and touches nothing without her thin black gloves.
House Rules: Buyers must demonstrate knowledge of proper handling or be refused service, no refunds for self-inflicted poisonings.
Mystic’s Row
Astral Harmonies
Location: 9 Stargazer’s Path
Proprietor: Lunari Constellation (Female Tiefling)
Specialty: Astronomical instruments, star charts, and celestial magic components
Description: A circular shop with a domed ceiling painted to show the night sky, complete with enchanted stars that twinkle and move to reflect the current positions of celestial bodies. Telescopes, astrolabes, and other observation instruments are displayed on carved wooden stands. Lunari has silvery skin, star-white hair, and horns that curve like crescent moons.
Notable Service: Custom birth charts that reveal not just past alignments but upcoming celestial events that might significantly impact the customer’s life.
Fauna & Flora Emporium
Location: 27 Greenward Street
Proprietor: Thorne Wildshaper (Male Half-Elf) and Ivy Thornheart (Female Half-Elf)
Specialty: Exotic plants, magical seeds, and uncommon familiars
Description: A lush, maze-like shop that feels more like a miniature jungle than a store. Magical climate zones maintain different environments for various species, from desert succulents to tropical orchids. Cages and terrariums house potential familiars ranging from mundane (but intelligent) cats and ravens to more unusual creatures like miniature elementals and pseudodragons. Thorne and Ivy are twins who finish each other’s sentences and seem to communicate with plants and animals without speaking.
House Rules: Potential pet owners are thoroughly interviewed and must demonstrate they can provide appropriate care.
Dreamweaver’s Loom
Location: 41 Twilight Terrace
Proprietor: Esmé Slumbertide (Female Human)
Specialty: Dream-related items, sleep aids, and nightmare protection
Description: A serene shop with walls draped in flowing fabrics of deep blues and purples. The lighting is soft and warm, and the air carries the gentle scent of lavender and chamomile. Enchanted dream catchers and mobiles hang from the ceiling, gently spinning and catching the light. Esmé has a calming presence and speaks in a melodious, almost hypnotic voice.
Notable Item: “Nightmare Lanterns” – Crystal lamps that absorb negative energy from dreams, gradually darkening as they fill with captured nightmares and requiring periodic cleansing.
Crafters’ Commons
Beastmaster’s Provisions
Location: 14 Hunter’s Way
Proprietor: Rowan Beastfriend (Male Human)
Specialty: Animal supplies, training equipment, and monster-hunting gear
Description: A practical establishment filled with saddles, harnesses, specialized feed, and tools for animal care alongside equipment designed for tracking, capturing, or defending against more dangerous creatures. Taxidermied heads of unusual beasts decorate the walls, each with a plaque describing how it was respectfully hunted after becoming a threat to settlements. Rowan has a pronounced limp from a wyvern attack in his youth and is always accompanied by a one-eyed wolf named Shade.
Notable Service: Custom training regimens for unusual animal companions or recently tamed wild creatures.
Runecrafter’s Workshop
Location: 38 Spellward Street
Proprietor: Grimm Sigiltouched (Male Dwarf)
Specialty: Runestones, enchanted jewelry, and protective wards
Description: A sturdy stone building with runic carvings on every surface—walls, floor, ceiling, even furniture. Different sections of the shop demonstrate different runic schools and applications. The air hums with latent magical energy, and small sparks occasionally leap between metal objects. Grimm’s beard is braided with tiny metal beads inscribed with miniature runes, and his arms are covered in tattoos that sometimes shift and change.
House Specialty: “Binding Bands” – Paired rings, bracelets, or necklaces inscribed with connection runes that allow wearers to sense each other’s general emotional state and direction regardless of distance.
The Inked Scroll
Location: 5 Scribe’s Avenue
Proprietor: Quill Inkwright (Nonbinary Human)
Specialty: Maps, documents, calligraphy, and tattoos
Description: A bright, airy shop with large windows to provide natural light for the delicate work performed within. One half of the establishment is dedicated to paper goods—maps, scrolls, and fine stationery—while the other contains a tattoo studio where Quill creates designs that occasionally move or change color based on the wearer’s mood. The walls are covered in examples of their work, from ornate wedding invitations to maps of legendary dungeons.
Notable Service: “Living Maps” that update themselves as locations change, though they require “feeding” with a drop of ink each month to maintain this ability.
Lower Ward
The Tarnished Crown
Location: Corner of Beggar’s Row and Forgotten Lane
Proprietor: “Old King” Coleman (Male Human)
Specialty: Secondhand goods, junk with hidden value, and salvage rights
Description: A sprawling, disorganized shop that spills out onto the street with tables of miscellaneous items. The interior is a labyrinth of towering piles, narrow pathways, and precariously balanced treasures mixed with trash. Despite the chaos, Coleman can locate any specific item within minutes. He wears a dented copper crown and speaks of himself in the third person as “the King.”
Notable Feature: Coleman offers “salvage contracts” that grant exclusive rights to clean out abandoned buildings, with profits split between finder and “the Crown.”
The Copper Kettle
Location: 22 Hearth Street
Proprietor: Marta Warmhands (Female Human)
Specialty: Practical household items, cookware, and comfort foods
Description: A welcoming shop that smells of fresh bread and soup, with practical household goods arranged neatly on shelves and hanging from ceiling hooks. A large hearth dominates one wall, where Marta demonstrates cookware while preparing food she shares freely with customers. Her hands are perpetually warm to the touch, rumored to be a blessing from a hearth deity she once sheltered during a winter storm.
House Specialty: “Forever Warm” pots that keep their contents at the perfect temperature for hours without additional heat.
Pins & Needles
Location: 11 Thimble Street
Proprietor: Tailor “Quickfingers” Reed (Male Halfling)
Specialty: Clothing repairs, alterations, and affordable attire
Description: A narrow but efficiently organized shop with rolls of fabric, ready-made garments, and a fitting area separated by a colorful curtain. Despite the budget prices, Tailor’s work is impeccable—he can mend a tear so perfectly it becomes invisible and repurpose damaged clothing into something entirely new and fashionable. He works with astonishing speed, his fingers a blur when he’s focused on a project.
Notable Service: “Rush Repairs” – For an additional fee, Tailor will complete mending jobs while customers wait, regardless of complexity.