Seaside Market
The Docks are home to countless small shops and pubs, all catering to the varied tastes and interests of those who brave the seas to reach Freeport. However, only the Seaside Market comes close to reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of The Docks. This thriving maritime bazaar is the true crucible of The Docks, for it is here that most merchants sell their wares and most travelers make purchases.
Goods from all over the world change hands here beneath the tents and out of the backs of carts. Exotic fruits, grains, livestock, and other perishables can be found here, but this place also holds great treasures for those with the coin to spend. One vendor may deal in priceless relics brought forth from the ancient mines of the Baston Mountains, while next door another peddles silks brought from far-flung Neophate Dynasty. Weapons, armor, curiosities, and treasures are all for sale. Of course, there’s no shortage of cutpurses and thieves who seek to get their coin through less honest means, but this is a busy and important part of Freeport, forming the very spine of the city’s economy.
Geography
Beginning just north of the two northernmost piers in The Docks, the Seaside Market runs across the district, all the way up to the walls of The Old City. It is a large, vibrant open-air bazaar where shoppers can find almost anything they might want, for a price. The entire area is crammed full of tents, tables, and stalls, all filled to overflowing with merchandise ranging from fresh fish and imported vegetables to live cattle, books, and weaponry of all kinds. Goods of a magical nature can be found here as well, and spellcasters come from all over the city to acquire strange ingredients for their sorcerous pursuits.
Wherever there’s such a large amount of unbridled commerce, of course, there are also thieves and con men of all stripes. The Seaside Market is not the safest place in the city, even in broad daylight. Yet even with the risk of theft, people come here in droves. The prices here are generally much cheaper than those found elsewhere in the city, so many people make regular pilgrimages down to the Seaside Market for household necessities.
History
Freeporters never planned for the Seaside Market. It’s been in the city for as long as anyone can remember, though, and for good reason. It stands on the main thoroughfare from The Docks to The Old City, so it didn’t take merchants and peddlers long to figure out that they would move more of their goods if they went to their customers rather than the other way around. Thus, what started as a few ambitious vendors quickly exploded into the incredible, dynamic market that stands here today. But the Seaside Market is not just for native merchants. Visiting dealers grew wise to the strategic value of the place, so people now hawk their wares from stalls and carts, selling goods newly brought in from all over the continent.
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