Burzyn’s market is open daily from noon to dusk except on
major Laranian and Peonian feast days.
Burzada Square Fees
Those without a cart, tent, or stall can rent a shelter from Henan the tentmaker [14].
The small Peonian shrine that stands near the well features a lockbox with a slot to accept donated coins.
Burzada Square, named for Chybisa’s third royal dynasty which ruled from 475 to 664 TR, plays host to Burzyn’s busy market.
The Burzada Square Market is the oldest formal market in Chybisa. King Verlid II established the market by royal charter in 230 TR to help reinvigorate Burzyn’s economy following the Migration Wars.
Except for major Laranian and Peonian holidays, the market is open daily from noon to dusk.
Vendors in the Burzada Square Market offer a wide range of goods to potential customers. Items for sale range from local fresh produce from nearby farms and manors, to imported luxuries from lands both near and far.
In late spring and early fall when the Genin Trail caravans pass through Burzyn the range of imported products increases substantially.
In early Kelen, merchants coming from Thay offer a variety of luxury goods from Lythia including wines, spices, various fine cloth, and jewels.
In early Azura, merchants coming from Tashal offer Orbaalese amber and furs, Khuzan metal goods, brasswares from Rethem, Thardic Republic perfumes, and fine cloth and vellum from Kanday and Kaldor.
On a typical market day, local farmers and town merchants arrive between end of second watch and noon to open their stalls or set up their tents from which they sell their goods. Most local produce vendors sell directly from the carts or wagons they used to bring their produce to market. Shortly after mid-day each day, a representative of the Mangai [33] collects the daily fee of 1–2sp from merchants who use the market to sell their wares.
Most merchants stay past the end of fourth watch unless they have already sold out. Between the end of fourth watch and sunset most vendors close up their stalls or tents or pack up their wagons and carts to head home.
The townsfolk of Burzyn make up most of the market’s daily customers. In the early afternoon cooks, kitchen staffs from the town’s taverns and inns, and local homemakers are examining the produce looking for the day’s meals. Throughout the afternoon customers of all types will walk the market seeking needed goods.
In addition there are always those who just browse.
During the spring and autumn fairs foreign merchants and other travelers swell the number of market patrons.
Typical Market Vendors
Yda Nethal is a typical peddler who sells and trades in the Burzada Square Market. Like many of the peddlers from around Burzyn, she makes and sells common items. Peddlers sell a variety of things such as straw brooms, pinwheels and hand carved toys, small animal pelts, crockery, cookware, knives and other cutlery, or whatever various odds and ends they have on hand. Most peddlers sell from a basket they carry or set up their wares on a large blanket wherever there is room but preferably where there is some shade.
Mannus Tudca is a yeoman farmer from Ereyala. Similar to many of the local yeomen and farmers, every ten-day or so, Mannus will make the trip on his cart to the Burzada Square Market. Depending on which season it is, he will offer assorted vegetables, fruits, eggs or cheeses. He will often be accompanied by one of his younger children to help sell the produce and keep an eye on things while he is engaged with a customer. His older children will stay home to help manage the day’s farm work.
Gervaisus Loevan is a typical itinerant mercantyler. Like other traveling merchants from beyond the borders of Chybisa, his goal is to sell whatever foreign goods or luxury items he acquired outside of Chybisa to the locals. Selling items individually at the market or in bulk to a local merchant are just means to an end. The sale is key. He buys low and sells high, working to ensure enough funds to cover the expense of bringing the goods to market, and still being able to show a profit.
[1] Produce Carts and Wagons: The far north end of Burzada Square is the preferred location for the local farmers coming from east of Burzyn, or from across the Ulmerien.
[2] Northern Tents and Stalls: Most of the more permanent sellers have their tents and stalls located in this section of Burzada Square.
South End
[3] Southern Tents and Stalls: Some of the best established merchants sell their wares on this end of the market. This is the preferred location from which to sell as the water well always draws foot traffic.
[4] Well: Almost all residents from the east side of Burzyn get their water from this well. Many of the market’s peddlers prefer to set up near the well to take advantage of the guaranteed foot traffic.
[5] Shrine: There is a small Peonian shrine near the well. It includes a lockbox to accept coin donations.
[6] Produce Carts and Wagons: Similar to the far north end, the far south end of Burzada Square is a preferred location for local farmers, though from the south and west of Burzyn.