Merchant
You have spent your life among traders, merchants, and the mercantile exchange of goods. Whether you grew up as child of settled merchants in a bazaar, or as a nomad amidst a caravan roaming the lands, or took it up as a way to become rich despite your birth - you've become attached to the profession.
- Skill Proficiencies: Choose two from among Deception, Insight, Persuasion, and Sleight of Hand.
- Tool Proficiencies: Your choice of one from Calligrapher's supplies, Cartographer's tools, or Navigator's Tools.
- Languages: Two of your choice
- Equipment: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a mostly empty ledger with strange markings, a map case containing an old map of nearby trading routes, a set of common clothes or traveler's clothes, and a leather pouch with 10 gp.
Feature: Art of the Haggle
When you trade or sell items of any kind, mundane or magical, you always gain at least 75% of the worth of that item in equal value items or currency. If you have access to a reliable trade, whether that be a marketplace or individual client, you can maintain a comfortable lifestyle while working as a merchant, and house yourself and up to ten other people as long as they work with you in some capacity.
Unfortunate Bargain
Every merchant has one, the time a deal went sideways, or promise was too good to be true, or the instance they were double-crossed or in too deep. No matter the circumstances, your cupidity got the better of you and still haunts you. You can roll on the following table to determine this unfortunate bargain or choose one that best fits your character.
| d6 |
Unfortunate Bargain |
| 1 |
Fiendish Fortunes. You were dealing for a devil, whether you knew or not, you didn't care. You've fallen out of their favor and you've been on the run ever since. |
| 2 |
Trading Espionage. In the feud between two mercantile syndicates, you were sent as an agent to discover trade secrets. After your side triumphed, you've felt like you can never truly trust anyone. |
| 3 |
Lost Wealth. Legend speaks of a lost fortune owned by your ancestor, you've gone to great lengths to get any information about it. |
| 4 |
Switched Sides. Fellow smugglers gave you up to the local authority, you ratted out your accomplices and decided to work against dishonorable criminals. |
| 5 |
Out of Time. A mysterious figure asked you to hold on to a strange package. You waited years for their return, successfully returning the items. Aged, you find out that not even a week has passed. |
| 6 |
Forbidden Love. You made a deal with a powerful noble to ship their partner's dowry to them, and fell in love with them when they accompanied you. |
Suggested Characteristics
Often merchants will value profit over anything else, having a strong work ethics, but a rare few value honesty or reputation. One could be a part of a larger organization, or might run a small trading post of their own.
Merchant Personality Traits
| d8 |
Personality Trait |
| 1 |
I dislike bargaining; state your price and mean it. |
| 2 |
I often crack jokes to lighten the mood. |
| 3 |
I plan for every contingency. Leave nothing to chance! |
| 4 |
I could sell snake oil to a yuan-ti. |
| 5 |
I'm always trying to turn any situation into a sale. |
| 6 |
I'm always thinking of the next opportunity, my face planted in books and scrolls planning out my schedule. |
| 7 |
I treat everyone with kindness, and even though I love gold, I won't cheat a client. |
| 8 |
I'm always appraising the worth of things in my head, including my friends and foes. |
Merchant Ideals
| d6 |
Ideal |
| 1 |
Fortune. I dream of accruing a vast fortune for myself, greater than anything anyone has ever seen. (Any) |
| 2 |
Profit. I'd do anything, I'd even sell my soul, to make some coin. (Evil) |
| 3 |
Community. My business is done in favor of those around me, all I wish to make is a good home. (Good) |
| 4 |
Adventure. Trading helps me fund my goals of traveling the world, I don't care how risky the journey is. (Chaotic) |
| 5 |
Honor. Decorum in business is the utmost priority, clients respect and value style, quality, and structure. (Lawful) |
| 6 |
Tradition. Your family has always been merchants, and you're continuing the tradition. (Any) |
Merchant Bonds
| d6 |
Bond |
| 1 |
War ravaged my homeland, I continue crafting my goods for sale to keep part of my home alive. |
| 2 |
I always carry the first few coins I earned, for good luck. |
| 3 |
My mentor died to save me, their fellow protégé and my best friend killed them. |
| 4 |
A wealthy crimelord tricked me into massive amounts of debt I must repay. |
| 5 |
The winds of fortune guide me, I'll never let anything tie me down to one place. |
| 6 |
I discovered an ancient artifact that leads to a lost city, if only I could understand how to glean its secrets. |