Urban Locale: Fence
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Successful thieves need a fence—someone willing to buy and sell their ill-gotten gains. Like their customers, such folk must keep their true business secret, and thus, they often openly practise some other legitimate trade.
1: The Fence
The Waterline: This waterfront tavern ostensibly serves local fisherfolk and visiting sailors on shore leave, but many stolen goods flow through the place. The tavern stands hard against the docks and has a private wharf.
Deril the Carter: Deril works for several local merchants—none of whom know of the secret compartments in his cart. He uses jobs with his legitimate customers as cover to move stolen goods from town to town.
The Emporium of Wonders: This rambling shop ostensibly sells a vast collection of bric-a-brac and secondhand goods. The place’s true business is carried out in a suite of secret basement rooms.
Warlock of Flametop Keep: This middling-powerful wizard uses her eldritch reputation to keep people away from her home. (In truth, she pays to have dark, unwholesome rumours about her home spread). She will deal in absolutely anything—if there is a profit to be had. She specialises in dealing in stolen magical items.
2: Major Locale Features
The fence operates from a small basement below another establishment. A steep flight of stone steps leads down to a grimy front door.
A high-walled, private courtyard lies behind the fence’s place of business. Here, the fence can buy and store even large stolen items.
This ramshackle tavern has been repurposed as a thieves’ market of sorts. The authorities do not yet know of its location or purpose.
Extensive cellars below the fence’s establishment hold a bewildering array of stolen goods. A lead-lined vault protects the fence’s most valuable acquisitions.
3: Minor Locale Features
The interior is dark and shadowy; several candles dotted about the room provide dim, wavering illumination.
All manner of things relating to the fence’s legitimate business cram the establishment’s shelves and counters.
The roof leaks, and several buckets are strategically set around the place.
The air smells stuffy inside the shop.
4: What’s Going On?
The fence is not working today, and the building is quiet and obviously empty.
A smiling man leaves the fence’s establishment as the characters arrive. The man, who clutches a bulging coin pouch, seems well-pleased with himself.
As the party approaches, the sound of laughter emanates from the establishment; the fence has just completed a rather advantageous deal.
The shop is busy—perhaps with legitimate customers unaware of its true nature.
5: Other Folk
Hanna Jurva (CN female human) wants to sell some silver cutlery and fine wine glasses she “inherited”. She is clearly lying. This thick-set, muscular woman has a hard edge to her that belies her fine clothes.
Pentti Kupias (CE male human) “found” a pouch of jewellery lying in the street. (To be fair, the pouch was lying next to a recently stabbed merchant, but he does not easily volunteer this fact.) Pentti is dishevelled and dirty but has a dangerous look about him. The hilt of his longsword is obviously well-worn and well-used.
Lusia Uro (CE female human) wants the name of the thief who broke into her fane last night and is visiting all the local fences. Lusia is a priestess of a forbidden religion, and the thief made off with a sacred idol she must have back. She is more than willing to kill for it.
Filpus Torio (NE male human) works for a rival fence and is here to gain intelligence. He is tall and skinny and follows the characters when they leave; his employer would love to do business with them.
6: What’s For Sale?
Silver Candlesticks (30 gp): The owner’s crest has been scratched off and replaced with a small brass plaque.
Gold Ring (100 gp): A small red ruby fills the setting of this chunky golden ring.
Scroll of Horrors (25 gp): This scroll presents pictures of certain demonic creatures in all their malign glory.
Silver Dagger (35 gp): The sigil of the god of protection decorates this glimmering dagger’s hilt.
Credit
This is a short system-neutral extract from Urban Locale #32: Fence by Robert Manson. The book is available from DriveThruRPG and ragingswanpress.com.
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