Fae Market
"Wares for sale!" A high, bell-like voice cut across the crowd and Angharad stopped as if she had been caught in a spider's web. "Seeking something, child?" The voice continued, low and crooning, from across the busy copse. "I know what it is you want and what you will give for it." The implications of those words sent a shiver through her gut, but Angharad pushed herself forward, brushing aside those who stood in her way her staff. Beautiful faces, clear and pale and cold as the moon, gazed at her with pupil-less eyes, slight mocking smiles playing across their elegant lips. The bone charms tied to her staff kept her grounded in the place around her. Ancient trees sprawled across what had been an open meadow only the day before and would be again before the time the sun rose again. Lanterns filled with glow-bugs hung from silvered threads draped across the mighty limbs, while small beings darted through the trees, laughing and singing in a rough, chaotic voice. She forced those away and approached the stall. A beautiful woman stood there, but her eyes too lacked pupils, and there was a hint of mockery in her poise. "You know what you seek and all I ask... is your most cherished memory."
Demographics
Government
There is no government in the Fae Market beyond the laws that bind the Fae. They cannot lie, which prevents blatant fraud and deception, but beyond that, buyer beware. Should one of the Fae-Lords make an appearance, however, they are the authority in the market and none will gainsay them.
Defences
Nothing built, but the market is layered in grammarie and glamour, making it very difficult to attack, even if one was foolish enough to infuriate the entire Fae community. Should someone still attempt, the market will simply vanish back into the Fey, taking everyone and everything within into the Fey as well, at which point, even armed with iron, no human can match the power of an infuriated Fae.
Industry & Trade
As the main, and perhaps only, source of trade between Fae and mortals, it exists solely through and for trade. Of course many of the Fae trade amongst themselves here as well, especially for more exotic items, but they can do that themselves. Many of them come to the market to trade not so much for the goods, but the chance to see and interact with humans.
Humans come, braving the perilous travels it would take them to find the market, but the peril of the Fae themselves, to trade for treasures that human craftsmen could only dream of making. Nearly everything purchased here could be sold to another human for enormous amounts of gold. Despite the high risk, a few bold (or ruthless) souls see it as a worthy trade-off, for they can set themselves up as lords and live lives of comfort and wealth.
Infrastructure
The market looks like nothing more than a ramshackle gathering place of tents and wagons. The tents, however, are impossibly large on the inside, and the wagons might be drawn by unicorns. Nothing seems permanent about the place and yet it has existed for centuries. There are what could be considered paths within the market and streams that might taste of wine, milk, or honey, depending on the day and the collective mood of the market.
Assets
If it can be dreamed, it can be found here. Frequently desired items include Fey-Hawks for pets, enchanted swords, incredibly light armor, potions of true love, dowsing charms, endless drinking horns, cauldrons that never run out of food, and intricate jewels. Information is also highly sought after here as well as charms for everything from protection to luck to good-looks.
Architecture
Primarily, the market is composed of rich tents that look to be made of silk and velvet, propped up by poles of gold and silver, and seemingly grown from the trees themselves. However, there is a healthy percentage of wagons drawn either by magnificent horses or what look like unicorns (but may be an old, broken-down nag), all painted brilliant, subtle colors that can enchant whomever looks too closely at them.
Geography
No matter where the market appears, it always appears as an ancient, enchanted forest, and regardless of the time in the mortal world, it is always on the cusp of the gloaming within the market. Paths seem to move and vanish even as an individual walks upon them, and the grass hummocks seem to move around of their own accord.
Everything in all the world that you could possibly desire could be found at the Fae Market, for the right price, and often more than most would be willing to spend. For the Fae have no use for gold or silver, they have more than they can ever possibly use, nor can they use iron-works. No, it is far different things that they will take as the price of their goods. They will take the memory of your first kiss or your first grief, for these are all emotions foreign to the Fae. Or perhaps they will want a babe's first tears, a spider's last wish, or the most beautiful dream that you ever had. What they want them for and how they acquire them, well, only the Fae know, and they refuse to speak of it.
Lovely article! By Fae-Lorda I'm assuming you mean those who govern the various courts like the Winter Court? Also, is there a black market? Or does the far market itself encompass bother white and black markets?
Thank you! I appreciate that! And they're sort of like those who govern the Courts, but there are Fae Lords who don't rule any Courts. They're just the oldest and most powerful of the Fae. Nope, no black market! They don't even have a concept for a black market. It's all legal.