Abattoir Place, New York City – Google Docs
Abattoir Place, New York City
Technically, this street is supposed to be West 12th Street after that street intersects with 11th Avenue: Abattoir Place extends west until it hits the Hudson River. And if you’re walking, that is indeed how you get there. If you’re driving, however, you’ll never see the street, because it doesn’t exist for anybody who isn’t moving under his own power. Even a bicyclist won’t be able to find it.
If you’re trying to figure out how that works, do yourself a favor and stop. Accept that it’s magic or something, and that it could be a lot less benign than it is. People have puzzled over this mystery right to the point of getting major strokes; it’s just not worth it.
Anyway, Abattoir Place (your best subway stop is probably going to be 14th St/8th Ave, by the way) is the place to go for bespoke oddities. The exact type of oddity depends on the campaign, but generally if it’s esoteric and can be carried in on one’s back, somebody in the twenty or so elderly shops lining the street will probably be happy to sell you one. If it’s too big to carry, they’ll arrange for delivery or pickup elsewhere. And if you have something odd, weird, nasty, disturbing, or particularly problematical to sell, well, somebody will buy it. Although it will be none of your business about what they’re buying it for.
Do note, by the way, that despite the topological issues with the place — and the fact that it shows up on no maps — Abattoir Place is still part of NYC, and the world. Cell phones work fine, and the shops all pay taxes. Which means that if you cause trouble there, the cops will come. They’ll come on foot, but they’ll probably also be the special cops that every police force in the world has, but none ever admits to having…
Sounds a bit like a scarier New York take on Diagon Alley / Knockturn Alley, from the Harry Potter universe.
.
If I were writing it, there’d be much more of a Maxwell Street Market vibe .. from 1970s Chicago, of course.
.
You know what I’m talking about, go put in “The Blues Brothers” and .. the scene before Aretha in the Soul Food Cafe? That’s Maxwell Street – you could buy or sell pretty much anything.
.
Not dissin’ Abattoir Place, mind .. ‘s a useful campaign setting .. but if I were setting it up, it’d have .. a different feel.
.
Note that the Chicago special cops would come on foot .. maybe horses .. they’d respond to anyone yelling “Hey Rube” .. and they would definitely resort to unnecessary violence.
.
Mew
Then write it up. 🙂 Sounds like you have half of it already.
Tempting ..
.
Mew