Chapter
The Halfway Market under truce
(Idea) Halfway stands where the Evane roads meet the Facet ones, and both sides need its trade, so both keep its truce. The Market is the Codex section 9 market, and the place the Proving Ring stands beside.
- No casting inside the boundary stones. Field casting is switched off in the Market; a prompt that tries reads "The truce holds here." No battle can start inside it. Anyone caught casting is barred from every stall for a season. It is the one place in Velan with no spells at all, which is why both sides trust it.
- No un-teaching. Warden courts have no reach in Halfway. Un-taught casters and Facet unbinders can walk the Market openly.
- Everyone is served. Unlike Twinhold, no stall in Halfway refuses a customer, whatever their standing with either side. Standing still sets the price on each Row: your Evane standing on the Pale Row, your Facet standing on the Amber Row. The Middle and the weigh-house charge everyone the same.
| Standing with that side | Track value (rep.evane on the Pale Row, rep.facets on the Amber Row) | Price on its Row |
|---|---|---|
| Trusted | 25 or more | −10% |
| Neutral | −24 to 24 | Catalogue price |
| Distrusted | −25 to −59 | +15% |
| Shunned | −60 or less | +30% (still served: truce) |
Both tracks run from −100 to 100, start at 0 and move in steps of 5. Rook's Sigil Chit counts the player one band better on the Amber Row. Until the reputation system exists, everyone is neutral.
- The truce token. The gate wardens, one Warden and one Facet who walk the gate together, give it on the first visit. It is a key item and opens the Market Board.
- The Market Board. Codex section 9: trading goes through a market, never directly between players. In single-player the Board is stocked by NPC consignments that change each in-game day. When there are servers, players list items on it: only consumables, gear and materials; an asking price; a 10% listing fee up front, which is a copper sink. The Market holds the item until a buyer pays, and the seller collects the copper at the Board on their next visit. There is no trade window, gifting or mail between players: the Board is the only way items pass from one player to another. Key items and glyphs never pass at all.