Market Street

Night marketAn extravagant tea brewerA paradeMagic items shopDay market

The Market Street acts as the focused congregation of trading, merchandise and festivities in the city with a usually fair amount of activity in the day; the night seeing the streets crowded. This also proves to be a meeting place for many people, with distinct shops or restaurants being the places where a vast amount of the city’s people can be found discussing business, leisure or adventuring plans.

Whilst most of the shops in the market will vie for the interest of those who pass by, adventurers will usually only find interest in shops selling magical items or any special equipment. These shops are a bit more closely guarded and a stigma surrounds them due to the elements associated with them - ‘One should never enter the shops in the wrong order, else a curse may befall them’.

#### Shops

* There are stalls selling adventuring gear, consumer goods, liquor, lottery tickets, jewellery and accessories, as well as concoctions and remedies for every ailment.
* Street food stalls made by usually elderly maestros who exclusively sell on Market Street.
* Magic items shop run by Naganika.
* Weapons shop run by Ming, the Fire Ghost Emperor.
* Armour shop run by Gang, the Metal Ghost Emperor.
* Adventuring gear shop run by Qiang, the Wood Ghost Emperor.
* Animal store run by Hua, the Earth Ghost Emperor.
* Potions store run by Liang, the Water Ghost Emperor.

#### Non-visual Features

Entering Market Street during night can be a blast to the senses of those not ready, with heavy smells and tastes of spices, herbs and the smoke from lights or firecrackers dominating the air. At times, one can feel the warmth of the stalls they pass by, but at others, the open street can feel briskly cold. Staying in one place is difficult for those spending time here, especially with the ever-shifting sounds of music and street chatter being a ambience inseparable from the Market Street.

#### Visual Details not in Pictures

There are occasionally performers playing music, doing tricks or reciting great poetry, usually for advertisement. You'll be lured in by floats and kites, animals doing tricks, merchants doing magic, and you may even be invited to a games of dice or cards.

#### Layout

Market Street starts out as a long stretch of different shops and food stands which shift by weekly, as travelling merchants rent them to make profit from exotic items.

    The real attraction lies at the end of the strip; where the street splits into a pentagon, and the largest shops Market Street has to offer lie. Going clockwise, the Ghost Emperors' stores each sell weapons (fire), pets, familiars, and live animals (earth), armour (metal), potions (water), and adventuring gear (wood).

Due to superstitions surrounding the Ghost Emperors' shops, most visitors will travel all the way through the path before making it back out to the strip.

It is taboo to cross in between the stores on the paths of 'destruction' between the elements, said to bring bad luck to the shopper.

#### History

When Xiaojiang was formed and its centre and harbour were made, Market Street was quick to follow - an essential area in any city even more so for Xiaojiang. Due to its coastal location and teleportation circles, Market Street succeeded in becoming a major trading hub very quickly.

With the fast and steady growth of Market Street, it would soon require a leader. This leader was found in Naganika, who would make the five Ghost Emperors that run the pentagon stores and help her watch over the rest of Market Street.

#### Any Other Details

Common advice people will give those visiting Market Street is that when one goes through the pentagon at the end of the strip, they should travel clockwise and visit at least one shop before every corner. This is to ward off the curse associated with visiting the shops of the 5 Ghost Emperors in the wrong order of their assigned elements.

#### Quote in channel

> Greetings and welcome to my lovely Market Street.
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> My mogwai have the goods, if you have coin. These mogwai Ghost Emperors are creatures of the night, and while they never sleep, and can continue to run their shops in the day, they bring the market to life only at night.
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> The stalls cater to both citizens and cultivators, selling all gear, consumer goods, liquor, lottery tickets, jewellery and accessories, as well as concoctions and remedies for every ailment. The night market also sells the best street food in the city, made by maestros who exclusively sell on my street.
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> Naganika