Low Market & Bazaar

The Low Market of Greyhawk is a place of endless commerce, hidden treasures, and unpredictable encounters—a haven for traders, rogues, and adventurers alike.

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A sprawling maze of tents, stalls, and booths, the Low Market of Greyhawk is the bustling heart of everyday commerce, where traders from across the region gather to peddle their wares. While some merchants hold permanent spots, most simply pitch their tents wherever space allows, creating a constantly shifting landscape of goods and vendors.

The market is open daily from dawn until dusk, offering an array of practical necessities:

• Food and drink, from fresh bread to dried meats.
• Household goods, including cloth, tools, and utensils.
• Basic clothing, tack, and trinkets.
• Toys, paints, and inexpensive jewelry.

However, the market transforms on Starday—the first day of the week. On this day, the market doubles in size and energy, with vendors flooding in to sell rare and unusual items. The selection expands to include:

• Weapons and armor, from local and imported sources.
• Exotic animals, such as horses, hunting dogs, and songbirds.
• Finely dyed fabrics, imported silks, and masterful artwork.
• Unusual curiosities and illicit goods, available to those who know where to look.

Prices in the Low Market tend to be cheaper than in permanent shops, but quality can be inconsistent. While some wares are shoddy or overinflated in price, hidden treasures from skilled artisans can occasionally be found at a bargain—for those with a keen eye.

Navigating the Market

Attempting to catalog every stall and vendor is impossible, as the market shifts day by day. When adventurers explore the market, the DM can refer to the Low Market Booth List or improvise based on the day's atmosphere and events.

For unlisted items, roll 1d100:

• Base 50% chance of finding an item.
• Modify by ±20% depending on the item's rarity.
• Add +15% on Starday, when the selection is at its peak.

Dangers & Encounters in the Market

The Low Market is not without its risks:

• Pickpockets: Any character entering the market has a 10% chance of being targeted by a thief. Those dressed in fine clothing or openly flaunting wealth increase this risk to 25%.
• Hawkers & Beggars: Persistent children hired by vendors will trail well-dressed customers, urging them to visit "the best stall in the market!". Beggars of all kinds—some genuine, some scammers—also linger, their pleas mixing with the shouts of merchants.
• Shady Dealers: A keen observer might notice furtive exchanges in shadowed corners—goods that are questionable in origin or legality.

Setting Up Shop

For those wishing to sell their own goods, stall space is available at daily rental rates:

• 5 sp for a 6' x 6' space.
• 1 gp for a 12' x 6' space.
• Additional space at a similar rate.

For an extra fee, merchants can hire a “shopwatcher”—a mercenary guard (fighter level 1d4+2) who roams the market, posing as a customer while keeping an eye on their clients' stalls.

Caught thieves are typically shaken down rather than arrested, with the shopwatcher confiscating stolen goods, weapons, or anything else they desire. Only in cases of violent resistance or repeated offenses do they summon the City Watch.

City Quarter: The Artisans' Quarter

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Low Market Booth List

Here are just a few of the ever-changing wares found in the market:

• Copper and silver jewelry
• Colognes from around the Nyr Dyv
• Swords and daggers, forged in Greyhawk
• Dwarven-crafted axes and halberds
• Halfling merchant selling cheap trinkets
• Portraits painted while you wait
• Apples and seasonal fruit
• Bolts of colored cotton and fine cloth
• Dresses and petticoats
• Exotic melons (when in season)
• Colorful woolen capes
• Boots and shoes, from practical to elegant
• Leather armor of varying quality
• Rare fruity ice treats (a luxury!)
• Shields and plate mail
• Pennants, painted to order
• Dried pork sticks and preserved meats
• Saddles and tack
• Feathered ornaments for dandies and their ladies
• Gambling games of all kinds
• Wines of all sorts, from cheap to exquisite
• Imported whiskey from Dyvers
• Fortune-telling, both legitimate and fraudulent
• Hand-carved wooden soldiers, painted with care
• Knife-throwing games with dubious prizes
• A freak show, with wonders to behold (or shams to scoff at)
• Freshly baked bread, still warm from the oven
• Hunting hounds and puppies for sale
• Steamed sausages on a stick—a market favorite
• Arrows, ranging from common to expertly fletched
• Seasonal flowers, bundled in bright bouquets
• Tiny dolls, some mass-made, others finely crafted
• Freshly popped corn, a delight to many