The Overlords

Down a small side street behind heavy metal grates is a dusty little storefront that looks like the crumbling brick work just happened to crap out a pawn shop. "The Invisible Market" is carved onto a wooden signboard hanging from a wrought iron post, and the windows are outlined with aged, peeling gilt patterns. A taxidermy possum glowers ominously from the front display next to a 1923 typewriter, a mink coat, and a jewelry box containing a full set of human baby teeth.

This is the place to find the things that you can't quite buy off the shelves in the rest of the city. It seems to have been here forever, but no one quite remembers when the old-fashioned sepia flyers started appearing on posts and boards advertising the place...they just sort of happened.

Sometimes, guns and ammunition will be found here, as well as other weaponry and equipment. A great deal of it seems to be scavenged, though most of it has been restored to functional state before it goes on the shelf. Glass displays hold jewelry and other collectibles, and a lone shelf along the wall is full of an incredibly random array of books. A table that one day holds a silver tea service might next day hold a pairr of bright purple Air Jordans or a complete socket wrench set.

The owner is a tall, thin man of indeterminate age who simply calls himself Mr. Tolliver- "Tolly" when he's in a personable mood. No matter what the weather, he always wears a coat and scarf wrapped up to his neck in very proper fashion, and his longish hair is prematurely white. He's very happy to chat with customers (in an odd, unplaceable, but incredibly formal accent) without ever really saying anything of use- He isn't sure how long he's actually been in the City and finds his goods "here and there", he doesn't look for trouble and doesn't get involved in anything, thank you very much, he's just a storekeeper. If he's not at the counter when a customer comes in, he has a knack for suddenly being there right when a question comes up. The back room door is very sternly warded with "Employees only- no exceptions" on a handcarved wooden sign, and it's safe to assume that Tolly lives either behind the shop or above it...he never seems to leave.

The prices are very random: a toaster might be three hundred dollars and an antique Spanish bullfighting sword only fifteen. No returns, all sales are final. If you're interested in why that box is chirping, you'll just have to buy it and find out.

Attempting to steal anything from the shop would be a very, very bad idea. The keeper won't stop a shoplifter, but the act will result in an incredible, possibly deadly string of misfortune until the item is returned.