A Planar Grand Market of Slaves - Who or What Could You Buy There?

[Herremann the Wise]

Hello Everyone,

Well, I've started planning for the continuation of my game (our group takes quad-monthly turns of running games) but I need a little help. It's looking like my group are going to be heading to the Plane of Shadows to save an NPC that's very dear to most of them.

However, I had the idea that through a strange series of events, this 10th level wizard NPC has ended up as a slave about to be sold at an inter-planar slave market that meets once every "year". I was wondering what other strange planar oddities might be on sale as either pets, slaves, servants, collectibles or potential sacrificial victims of some unspeakable dark rite? Additionally, in what manner would they be kept so as they would not attack their new owner? And again, "who" would be willing to pay for such people/creatures/things? I kind of figure this is going to be one hell of a meeting place. Somewhere where anything and everything can be bought for the right price.

As such I need a few ideas to turn this into the Grand Royale of Slave Markets. Not very nice I know but as far as an arena for bizarre and interesting encounters, I wanted something a little more dramatic than the local township.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

PS: If anyone has any weird ideas for events at this inter-planar get together, please don't hold back. The PCs are level 12 but should crack the 13 mark by the time we finish this little side adventure. Then we can get back to the main Age of Worms thread that they're doing quite well at.

 

[S'mon]

One idea I had was multiple copies of the same individual, from parallel worlds. A celebrity beauty like Helen of Troy might be much in demand, likewise a famous gladiator, legendary gemsmith, etc. A frustrated BBEG from one world might resort to buying alternates of the heroes who've thwarted him so he could finally exact his revenge!

 

[Wycen]

You could pilfer ideas from the City of Brass, which really has the grandest market of all, (or maybe that's just my opinion ) Too bad Necromancers City isn't out yet.

Since it is a planar trading post, just think of it like Xerxes army and retinue in 300.

 

[lukelightning]

In my experience, slave markets of any type are frequently populated by relatives of the PCs.

 

[Shemeska]

Heavy hitters like the Neogi and Tso will sell anyone and anything into slavery so long as they can reasonably control it and make a profit from it. Efreet and Dao will have a particularly heavy presence as well, more so if it's on the inner planes, less so if it's on the outer planes. LE fiends like Rakshasa and the Baatezu would also be in the thick of it, both as buyers and sellers for various purposes. Mortal humanoids of all stripes would be involved obviously as well, both mortals looking to make money, and mortals dealing in slavery as an expression of either devotion to a philosophy or devotion to a particular god (Hextor, Bane, etc) and it's also possible that the mercane might be involved, either directly or indirectly.

You'll have Illithids buying slaves to be thralls and eventual brain-snacks. You'll have fiends buying mortals to eat them, kill them and eat them, kill them and bottle their souls, use them as forced soldiers in the Blood War, etc. You'll have people buying slaves to free them, and people trying to let them loose, and people preaching against the sales in the first place. A big enough slave market on neutral (enough) territory will attract all types. Of course a slave market on the Outlands will be different from one in the City of Brass versus one in the City-at-the-Center in the Gray Waste, or one in Maladomini, etc. Adjust the crowd to suit the theme of the locale.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

Thanks Shemeska, I was hoping you'd respond to this one.

I was looking to have it in the Plane of Shadow, can you guys give me any special insights in that regard? Who would make sure that some measure of order was kept in the buying and selling? With so many powerful creatures present, it would seem it would take nothing short of a deity to keep the majority of them in line. Any Greyhawk deities that would seem especially suited to the task?

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise