Niori Esevelen is far from the only fence in the Docks—with the amount of theft going on there, there was a demand for people who would deal with the stolen goods. But she may be the most successful and the best known. Esevelen is known for never turning down potential merchandise, whether it's famous, cursed, or even alive. (She may offer a low payment, if it's not something she's especially interested in, but if the seller accepts the deal she'll follow through.) She seems to know exactly whom she can pass stolen items off to, and has contacts all over Lüm and beyond. Not that she does sell everything immediately—items that especially catch her interest, she keeps for herself, and she also keeps some items on hand for barter, if her customer sees something that catches their eye.

Esevelen's fame among the underworld comes with a cost. First, because she's so well known among the criminal element, the law knows about her too, and three times so far she's had to move her operations to stay a step ahead. She's never been caught, though, and she doesn't actually keep most of her possessions in her storefront; she has a hidden lair that the authorities haven't found, and has a magic mirror that can show its contents and that she uses to show potential customers what she has on hand. Currently, she operates out of the basement of a local bar, the Timely Wind. Because she has so much loot in storage, she's become a target for other criminals as well... but they've had even less success in bringing her down than the law has, and those who try to rob her generally meet bad ends. It helps, of course, that many of the items she's kept for herself are powerful telesmata...

Niori Esevelen is a hulking alicund born of volcanic rock, her skin almost as black as obsidian and in places glowing red. She has a ropy build, huge hands, and a big square head topped with thick black strands that serve her for hair. She has a wide, dimpled jaw and a narrow, beaklike nose, and small eyes as red as magma. Niori has a voice like the caw of a crow and a wheedling manner, often repeating the words "well now" when she's excited or gloating. She wears colorful tunics and long skirts, bedecked with pins and jewels many of which have magical powers.