Man from Curiosity Shop
The Man from Curiosity Shop is a character from Majora's Mask. He's a successful business man who clandestinely runs two different shops in West Clock Town. By day, he runs the Trading Post and adopts the friendly demeanor of a general store manager, but by night he alters his appearance and manner and runs a shady pawn shop that sells stolen goods.[1]
Biography
The Man from Curiosity Shop doesn't seem to have any family or associates in town, probably due to his questionable business dealings, but he does have ties to the Mayor and his son, Kafei.[2] When Kafei was young, the Man from Curiosity Shop gave him a Keaton Mask. Years later, when the Skull Kid changed Kafei into a child again, it was his Keaton Mask that convinced the Man from Curiosity Shop that was he looking at his old friend.[3] During his ordeal, he lets Kafei hide in the Curiosity Shop's backroom, where he spies on the shop's activity and waits for his stolen wedding mask to make its way to the Curiosity Shop.[4]
No one in town seems to realize that the man running the Curiosity Shop and the man running the Trading Post are one and the same, though their appearances differ only slightly. The Part-Timer, who works at the Trading Post, for example, can't explain why his boss has so much money despite their lack of customers.[5] During his adventure, however, Link can gather clues about his true identity. For example, if he wears the Stone Mask and eavesdrops on the man while he's working at the Trading Post, he'll mutter about preparing for the night shift - presumably at the Curiosity Shop, since the Part-Timer runs the Trading Post in the evening.[6] Additionally, he uses the same idiosyncratic phrase, "I kid you not," while working at both stores. Finally, his shift at the Trading Post ends before the Curiosity Shop opens, and he doesn't work at the Trading Post at all on the Third Day, presumably because he's in the backroom waiting for Link.
The Man from Curiosity Shop is also one of the characters that has an entry in the Bombers' Notebook. His entry will be completed if Link gets the Special Delivery to Mama and the Keaton Mask from him in the backroom during the Kafei and Anju sidequest and buys the All-Night Mask from him on the Third Day. Because disrupting the robbery in North Clock Town is necessary to make the All-Night Mask appear in the Curiosity Shop, but the robbery takes place at the same time as the clandestine meeting with Anju in the Stock Pot Inn's kitchen, Link can't do both in the same three-day cycle.
Personas
Man from Curiosity Shop
The Man from Curiosity Shop buys and sells stolen goods.[7] He usually acquires these goods from the Takkuri flying near Milk Road in Termina Field or from Sakon the thief, who is apparently a regular customer.[8] If Link saves the old woman who sells the Bombs at midnight of the first night, he can purchase the All-Night Mask from him on the Final Day. Conversely, if Link fails to save the old woman, her delivery of Bomb Bags will make their way to the Curiosity Shop to be purchased on the Final Day instead.
He'll act chummy with his customers, sometimes calling Link "buddy," but has no qualms about rudely turning away business that he doesn't want. For example, if Link talks to him in either his Goron form or his Zora form, the Curiosity Shop Guy will tell him not to come back,[9] and he shoos away Deku Link.[10] He also refuses to serve people wearing masks.[11] When it comes to dealing with his providers, he'll even resort to threats or lower his purchase price to maintain his illusion of control.[12][13]
He claims that he is not guilty of any illegal activity, but is acting as a charitable middleman who provides quality products to persons who would not be able to buy them otherwise.[14]
Schedule
| Day | Time | Location | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1, 2, and 3 | 10:00 PM | Curiosity Shop | Opens shop |
| 1, 2, and 3 | 5:00 AM | Curiosity Shop | Closes shop |
| 3 | 1:00 PM | Backroom | Waiting for Link |
Man from Trading Post
As the Man from Trading Post, he acts as the proprietor of the Trading Post located in Clock Town in Majora's Mask. After 10 PM, he has a Part-Time Worker manning the Trading Post.
The Man from Trading Post is much more polite than the one from the Curiosity Shop. He will let both Goron Link[15] and Zora Link[16] shop in his store. The Trading Post Guy doesn't serve people who wear masks either, but he is more polite about refusing them service.[17] He will respond to a few masks, though. For example, he seems to recognize Kafei's Mask, but then will say he doesn't know him;[18] he knows about the function of the All-Night Mask;[19] he says his store isn't "members-only," so Link should take off Romani's Mask;[20] he praises Link for his hard work if he wears the Postman's Hat;[21] and he congratulates Link if he wears the Couple's Mask,[22] among other responses.[23][24][25][26][27]
Items sold here include: Hero's Shields, Potions, arrows, fairies, and Deku Nuts.
Two Different People
It is possible that the Man from Curiosity Shop and the one from the Trading Post are not the same person. There are a few pieces of evidence that support this theory. For example, on the night of the second day, before 9PM, both the Man from Curiosity Shop and the Man from Trading Post can be seen in their respective stores. If the player has followed the Kafei and Anju sidequest, then it is possible to look into the Curiosity Shop from the backroom where Kafei hides. The Man from Curiosity Shop will be seated behind the counter. At the same time, the Trading Post Guy will be in the Trading Post. This could be explained as a development error, an intentional discrepancy to help the player recognize the room into which he is peering, or proof that they're different people.
Furthermore, the Bomber's Notebook does not add the Man from Curiosity Shop to the book when Link talks to the Man from Trading Post. This seems like strong evidence against them being the same person, but could also be an intentional device, as the player is not supposed to assume they're the same character from the beginning.
Gallery
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A full-body shot of the Man from Curiosity Shop
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 Names in Other Regions 
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | |
 |
French | Le vendeur du Bazar |
 |
German | Mann vom Kuriositätenladen |
 |
SpanishEU | Hombre de la T. de Curiosidades |
- ↑ "Have you some errand in the mountains? It's dangerous at night, so I cannot allow a child like you to... Your sword was stolen? So it's true...Lately, I've been hearing about a shady shop in town that sells stolen goods at night... This must be a result of their activities." — Guard (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "You're the one my wife has hired? So Kafei still hasn't...hmmm. This is a secret, so don't tell my wife. Go ask at the Curiosity Shop, the store in the west part of town that only opens at night. That guy is a bad influence on me..." — Mayor Dotour (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Now Kafei... I've known him since he was real little... But when he showed up looking all young in that little brat body, I didn't know what I was seeing! All it took was one glance at that Keaton Mask he was carrying for me to realize that I was looking at my old friend. I gave him that mask a long time ago when he was just li'l Kafei. Didn't know he kept it that well for so long..." — Man from Curiosity Shop (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Things that get stolen in this town always make their way to the Curiosity Shop. I'm waiting for that to happen. Stand on that crate and peek into that hole. From here, I check on the Curiosity Shop's customers. That guy will definitely appear. I'll be waiting when it happens." — Kafei (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "... We don't get many customers, so why does the boss have so much money?" — Part-Timer (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "That's weird! I thought somebody had walked in here. Ah, well. I have to get ready for the night shift, anyway." — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Man from Curiosity Shop, buys and sells stolen goods. Open at night only." — [[Bombers' Notebook]] (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "The guy's a regular... A greedy thief named Sakon. I think he's from Ikana Village..." — Man from Curiosity Shop (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Eesh. You frighten me. I keep special hours for folks like you. Try comin' back at half past never." — Man from Curiosity Shop (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Hey, boy! Shouldn't you be with your parents? Go on! Get!" — Man from Curiosity Shop (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "...Sorry. I don't serve masqueraders." — Curiosity Shop Guy (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "'...100.' 'Don't be such a Rupee pincher, you miser. 200!' 'Well, why don't I just offer you even less? And y'know, this is the Bomb Shop's! How 'bout if I tell 'em all about you?'" — Man from Curiosity Shop and Sakon (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "'I...I understand. Then the total is...' 'It's 50 now. So there ya go.' 'What? You said 100...' 'Ohhhh...So you don't want me to take it off your hands...' 'W-W-Wait! It's a deal! It's a deal!'" — Man from Curiosity Shop and Sakon (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "A seller of stolen goods is just a middleman who's trying to provide his customers with good product. Look, I know nothing. If it comes to me, I buy it! I'm a charitable organization that helps people in need!" — Man from Curiosity Shop (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Whoa-ho-ho! Niiiice sideburns!" — Trading Post Guy (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Welcome. Hey, you're pretty fit. I'll bet you do a lot of training!" — Trading Post Guy (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "No using masks in the store because of past indiscretions!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Kafei! No, I don't know any such kid. I kid you not!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "If you wear something like that, you'll never be able to sleep. I kid you not!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "This isn't "members-only," so take that thing off. I kid you not!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "That's great for a young kid. Delivery is hard work." — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Oh! Who's the lucky lady? Congratulations." — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Hey, that's nice... Maybe I can start carrying that in my store... I kid you not!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "My shop is small, so don't go dancing up a storm in here!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "That is one bizarre getup you've got on your head. Take it off..." — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Don't go leading some parade through a little place like this." — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)
- ↑ "Careful! Don't go blowing yourself up in a place like this... I kid you not!" — Man from Trading Post (Majora's Mask)