WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK WORLD BOOK 0018 0018
Bạn đang xem bản rút gọn của tài liệu. Xem và tải ngay bản đầy đủ của tài liệu tại đây (1.02 MB, 1 trang )
turn for information, favored houses receive exclusive
contracts, prime urban locations, the ability to purchase
plundered goods (such as slave stock) from a city’s military before such enter the general market, and other
back-room deals that make life much more profitable
for them.
These intrigues happen at all levels of trade as the
smallest merchants trade information to larger houses
for their own covert deals, who in turn trade to even larger houses, and so on, all the way on up to the spymasters
of the Merchant Council. The chronicling Gare Attessa
often wend their way into the mix, eager whisperers and
listeners. The information trade is so prevalent among
the merchant class that a secondary economy of secrets
and favors exists, supported by a network of informants
and those with more nefarious skills. Influence and information peddling, however, is a dangerous game. Unlike coin, it is difficult to see exactly how much influence
is in one’s coffers, and a merchant rarely discovers they
are depleted until far too late.
All of this backroom dealing may seem counterproductive to establishing profitable trade but, in practice, most
merchants remain loyal to their houses and their personal networks. In the long run, it pays more to be loyal to
one’s partners…until it becomes too profitable not to be.
Merchant Roles
City Merchants: City merchants sell in one specific
city, often operating out of an office or warehouse.
These merchants have large networks of business partners and informants. They know whom to bribe and are
very competitive with each other. The lowest-level ones
operate small stalls in the bazaars while the more successful merchants may have a large area in a bazaar, or
their own private showroom. They tend to be savvy, ambitious, and are always on the lookout for information
that can secure or increase their position or profit.
Caravan Merchants: Travel through the wasteland is
dangerous and never comfortable, and caravan merchants seem harder in mien and manner than coins.
Many of them see city merchants as soft, though not a
few do so with an envious eye toward their indulgent
lives. Most city-merchants perceive caravan merchants
as dirty, uncouth, and resistant to real bargaining. Caravan merchants rarely last more than a few years before
early deaths from raids, sickness on the trail, or abandonment in the wastes when their caravan disappears
along with their stolen cargo. Those who survive become
some of the toughest Khitans alive in body and spirit.
The most successful caravan merchants command the
prime trade routes among cities, while the rest ply the
dangerous trails between villages.
16
the grand bazaars
Bazaars are found everywhere throughout Khitus,
often temporary collections of tents and stalls around
a settlement’s central market erected at regular intervals. The great merchant houses operate the grand bazaars, which provide permanent stalls and many more
(and larger) venues from which to profit. Competition
to sell inside the grand bazaars is strong. Vendors typically pay a rental fee for the space, but with no lack of
contenders for it, gaining or keeping one’s place requires bribes of money and information, or friendship
with the merchant landlord. Nearly anything for sale
can be found within the grand bazaars, regardless of
legality, as the controlling house manages security on
its grounds while the city’s authority often ends at its
gates. Much of the mercantile intrigue on Khitus happens in the bazaars or the shady taverns that pop up
around every gate.
Seekers: Merchant houses always want faster trade
routes, new outposts, and new resources to exploit, and
seekers are professional finders of such. Part merchant
and part explorer, seekers brave the wasteland to hunt
for these things. They must navigate harsh territory
and negotiate with bandits and raiders to chase down
threadbare leads. Most missions end in failure, but one
success can lead to enormous rewards.
Crystal Bridge Trading House
For a great merchant house, the Crystal Bridge Trading House is relatively young. Founded by the wizard
Lazillus Tzim just over twenty years ago, it takes its
name from the famed crystal bridge in the city of Grand
Torqal. The house began as a side venture, with Lazillus
selling high-quality ritual items to colleagues, and it
soon rose to become the dominant house in the “magic”
business. Crystal Bridge deals in charms, crystals, potions, protective trinkets and statues, and any paraphernalia catered to those desperate for any sort of aid.
Nearly all of these are non-magical, simply serving as
an exercise in anxious hope for the majority of people,
and a very profitable exercise for Crystal Bridge. They
do provide actual enchanted items when available, but
at prices far beyond the reach of the common person.
For the true wizardly clientele, Crystal Bridge maintains and sells a large stock of spell components and
ritual items. It provides an important service in collecting rare components to power spells and craft magical
