• Location: Phoenix Square, Public Services Ring, New Kourou
• Type: Supplies · Social · Light Risk
• Era: Beta Age
• Tone: Lively · Crowded · Slightly chaotic

Atmosphere & Sensory Cues: Drifting steam from cooking stalls · sizzling eel skewers · cries of vendors advertising deals · clatter of wooden crates on shuttle-deck flooring ·

You push through the crowd and step into Phoenix Square — New Kourou’s bustling Food Market.

Lantern cables sway above raised shuttle-deck walkways, casting flickers of violet light across the stalls that circle the central fountain. The air is thick with competing smells: steaming Zelor Grain rolls, honey-glazed Bilax root-wedges, sharp Mirel leaf from the salad stands, sizzling river eel brushed with briny oil.

A voice rises above the noise — the same one you heard earlier on the street:

• “Tasty Tandora! Healthy Tandora! Smoothies one K!”

Children weave between legs chasing bots. A Butler Bot hums past carrying a tray of steaming stew bowls. Somewhere behind you, a Veyra snorts impatiently from its tether post.

Whatever you need for the journey to Firetown — food, drink, warm clothing — you can find it here… if you keep an eye on your purse.

Special Notes (PC-dependent):

• PCs native to the Dark Side (e.g., Rogan, Elias Kim) already own warm clothing and only need food/water.
• Off-world settlers or academic types will be strongly advised by Ira to buy coats.

—

Finlay attempts theft if:

• PCs are distracted by vendor talk, OR
• group splits, OR
• someone rolls passive Perception < 13.

Small Rumor if Caught: “Heard the Troopers whisperin’… said the prisoner they found kept repeating ‘No name… no confession.’ Gave me chills.”

—

This scene should feel alive, crowded, and slightly overwhelming. Let the sensory elements do the work — sizzling food, vendor calls, clattering crates, shifting crowd flows. The pickpocket is optional but strongly recommended; it adds tension and tangible consequence without real danger. Losing money can meaningfully impact later choices, especially caravan tickets or Veyra rental.

Encourage PCs to think ahead: cold protection, water, and travel food are essential for the Dark Side. Use Ira Venn as the “practical voice” of the settlement; she knows exactly how unprepared most newcomers are.

If the chase occurs, keep it fast — three beats through the market is enough. Reward successful pursuit with both their money and a small rumor tying back to Firetown and the Nameless Man.

This scene should not resolve travel. It simply equips, distracts, and pressures — pushing PCs toward Scene 3a or 3b with full stomachs and lighter or heavier purses.

Short Audio-Friendly Version: The Food Market scene is your chance to immerse players in New Kourou’s daily life while tightening the screws just a bit. Play up the smells, the noise, the crowd movement — it’s bustling and alive, and everything the PCs need for the journey is here. Let them browse freely, but introduce Finlay the pickpocket when they’re distracted or debating prices; it keeps the market from feeling safe or routine. If they chase him, make it quick and cinematic. If he escapes, the lost money should matter. Use Ira Venn to remind them that the Dark Side is brutally cold and that gear matters. And finally, nudge them gently toward the courier station or Mandala’s Mounts when they’re done. The market prepares them, but the road ahead is where their choices start to count.

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