General stores are a pet peeve of mine, seeing as how such things didn’t exist until almost 1800. Instead, people shopped at open markets, usually once a week, or engaged with a craftsman at his workshop to have something custom-made. But these markets will get your fantasy world on the right track.

Many are like fairs, with entertainment as well as vendors. These are opportunities to get your heroes into shenanigans with pickpockets, fortune tellers, rumor-mongers, and such.

But any shopping trip should contribute to the overall story of the campaign, or else why include it? An interesting shopkeeper, an intriguing rumor, a legend told of a similar item… every bargain should come with a hook.

1. The Great Forum of Portovinia

Since ancient times, the Great Forum has been the place to go to find any kind of goods that might be for sale. It has been a reliable, bustling, central market for deals large and small, including–at one time–the sale of foreign brides to noblemen.

Its bustling circles connected by radiating streets host a diverse array of merchants hawking their wares, creating a lively tapestry of commerce that has woven itself into the city’s cultural fabric. Heralds posted at the hubs cry the news and official announcements of the realm.

The resilience of the Great Forum is etched in the annals of legend, with tales passed down through generations. Supposedly even during the sacking of the city by barbarians, the Great Forum remained open, as certain merchants made a deal to guide the barbarians around to loot the city’s wealth but conveniently bypassed the Great Forum.

2. The Shadow Market in the Foreign Quarter

Hidden within the clandestine corners of the Foreign Quarter lies the notorious Shadow Market, a realm of intrigue and forbidden commerce. Here, a mesmerizing array of exotic items, ranging from the illegal and immoral to the magical and mysterious, are offered for sale to those daring enough to seek them out.

The Shadow Market’s elusive schedule ensures that only the most astute and well-connected patrons can partake in its forbidden delights. The elite and wealthy attend in elaborate disguises and costumes.

The very air is charged with an aura of secrecy as it operates exclusively on holy days, when good folk are engaged in prayers and sacrifices. Like a phantom, it materializes and fades away, leaving behind a trail of rumors and whispers.

3. The Flying Storehouse Ship of Micalo Timus

This grand ship, The Timusian, held aloft by ancient magic, embarks on an endless journey across the skies, connecting city after city in a grand spectacle of commerce. The ship is a colossal structure with several towering decks, each laden with a treasure trove of exotic wares, mystical artifacts, and rare commodities. Micalo Timus, a legendary figure in the world of trade, captains this airborne storehouse, orchestrating a seamless dance of goods between sellers in one place and eager buyers in another.

As the Timusian descends upon a city, it heralds its arrival with a tremendous fanfare of its own band of musicians. The ship’s decks become a bustling marketplace, as customers from all walks of life crowd into its cavernous interior, accompanied by lively tunes of the ship’s band.

Timus has crafted not just a means of transportation but a floating emporium like no other, and the ship and the man have played parts in international diplomacy and even war.

4. The Equoran Caravan

It roams the land like a continuous fair, buying here, selling there–especially horses, a commodity highly valued by the nomadic Equorans. They are known for buying fine cloth and skilled in transforming fine cloth into exquisite clothing right on the spot. While you wait, they offer dancing girls, knife throwers, acrobats, jugglers, magicians, and swordsmen to entertain.

However, behind the vibrant facade lies an enigmatic tribe of nomads who, in their insular existence, refuse to acknowledge the authority of the reigning king. In hushed conversations, they whisper of a secret claim to the throne by their leader, shrouding the caravan in an air of mystery and rebellion that only adds to its allure.

For young adventurers, fortunes are always told for free. This is because they Equorans secretly hope to use their powers to find potential military commanders to gather an army and spies to gather intelligence to depose the king. Deals are said to be made about which knight will be gifted which county of the realm.

5. The Quarterly Fair at Moster-on-Lake

Every three months, vendors, merchants, and customers gather at the small city of Moster on the banks of Lake Garimal, swelling its population by double. Situated on a cross-roads between the capital and major cities of the coast, it’s a natural gathering place for traders of all sorts.

The three-day event turns the city into a melting pot of diverse characters. Entertainers captivate the crowds with mesmerizing performances, fortune-tellers unveil glimpses of destiny, and a shadowy underbelly is sometimes exposed, as criminals seize the opportunity for clandestine dealings. Adventurers and mercenaries, drawn by the promise of lucrative contracts, mingle with those seeking their services.

The air is charged with a sense of anticipation as both the hopeful and the wary navigate the broad central avenues and labyrinthine lanes. Here, an auction of fine livestock. There, a public hanging. Here, a performance of a well-known play. There, a drunken brawl broken up by Moster Dedicated Watch.

6. The Imperial Day Festival

Those lands that were once the heart of the Old Empire still celebrate it each spring. The festivities kick off with a spectacular procession, where knights clad in ornate armor march alongside enchanting floats adorned with symbols of the empire’s glory. As dusk falls, the skies are set ablaze with magical fireworks, illuminating the night and casting a spell of nostalgia over the gathered crowd.

The air is filled with the enchanting melodies of minstrels weaving tales of the empire’s heroes and emperors. Tantalizing aromas waft through the festival grounds as renowned chefs showcase their culinary prowess, offering exotic dishes that were once favored by imperial nobility. Colorful tents line the streets, hosting a vibrant marketplace where vendors peddle a diverse array of goods and services–from enchanted trinkets to rare artifacts.

Some regard it as a staid and antiquated tradition that should be replaced with events that celebrate more recent heroes and advancements, such as the fine sewer system in the capital.

7. The Place de Commerce of Filence

The grand shop district of the Place de Commerce is the envy of other cities in the realm. Three-story houses of half-timber have not only ordinary ground-floor shops but a second level accessed by staircases and, in some places, catwalks.

The common folk are shooed away from the upper level, called the Terraces, where finer goods and crafts are sold. Above an ordinary shoe shop is a fine bootmaker. Above a common carpenter’s shop is a master furniture maker. If it is custom armor you seek, no finer craftsman will be found in the realm than on the Terraces of the Place de Commerce.

No horses or livestock are allowed there, so it is kept clean and pleasant. And reliable servants scurry here and there, ready to fetch and carry for a silver piece. Here and there among the shops are restaurants called table d’hotel, where, each day at noon and seven bells, a fine meal is served to all in attendance at a fixed price. Gentry scurry to arrive on time rather than risk being turned away. Servants, arms stacked with dishes, serve each guest with a flourish.

8. The Procurer, Dinisi of Tomakus

Dinisi of Tomakas, a shadowy figure renowned across realms, has carved her niche as the procurer of nearly anything imaginable–for the right price. A master of the clandestine arts, Dinisi maintains a network of adventurers who undertake quests to find–or steal–rare items from lands near and far.

With a keen eye for opportunity and a deep purse, she is always on the lookout for soldiers of fortune possessing monster carcasses or ancient artifacts to add to her offerings. Dinisi’s reputation precedes her, and tales of her elusive presence in various inns, disused warehouses, or temporarily rented shops spread like whispers through the cities she traverses.

Dinisi’s nomadic lifestyle is as well-known as her impeccable ability to procure elusive treasures. The rumor mill hums with anticipation whenever she is expected to make an appearance, as merchants, adventurers, and curious onlookers alike await the chance to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic black-haired beauty and perhaps strike a deal that could change their fortunes.

9. The Saints’ Day Festival in Any City

Among the saint-worshipers, the Saints’ Day Festival held at every city in the realm is the most important of the year. It’s celebrated as much by feasting and frolic as it is by worship. It opens church service, followed by a procession of paper mache saint shrines carried thru the city by their respective followers to a central feast.

The churches keep their doors all day and late into the night so that pilgrims can offer their prayers and ask for blessings. Vendors and traders from their home towns bring their wares. Morality plays and puppet shows are conducted in the square, the most popular of which depict the gruesome deaths of martyrs and the debauched lives they led before turning to the faith.

Some regard the nudity and violence of the plays to be prurient exploitation of the event. And, indeed, some of the actors and actresses in them make themselves available for private reenactments of the debauchery.

10. The Qin’bat Bazaar

Desert traders from far-off Qin’bat bring their goods, entertainers, and fantastical trained dinosaurs on a procession from city to city, replenished by fellow Qin’bat traders on the circuit from Qin’bat ships arriving on the coast.

The bazaar unfolds like a vibrant tapestry, with stalls and tents showcasing treasures from far-off lands. The air is filled with the melodic strains of exotic music and the enchanting tales of desert storytellers. The Qin’bat are closely watched, as some practice unscrupulous tricks by selling common goods as finery and making confusing deals that leave the customer short of either money or goods expected.

The dinosaur steeds and beasts of burden, adorned with intricate patterns and draped in vibrant fabrics, lead the caravan in a majestic procession. The Qin’bat traders, with their nomadic spirit and exotic offerings, create a transient oasis in the desert, leaving behind a trail of awe and wonder as they journey through the ever-shifting sands.