Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Goblin Traders

In the Fantasy Trip, as most other games. Goblins tend to be the default bad guys for minions. However, per the book:

Goblins, like Orcs, are often found as the GM’s bad guys
in the labyrinth, but a Goblin character can be very interesting
to play.
Goblins are green-skinned humanoids, usually short and
slender, with long heads, pointed ears, and long, tapering
fingers. They are proud, intelligent, and crafty. A goblin will
never
go back on his word, even if the promise was forced
out of him. However, they delight in keeping the letter of a
forced promise while still finding a way to trick you. Many
goblins are wizards, and all love gold and jewels.
Most Goblin cities are found in out-of-the-way places.
Because they are small and smart, Goblins are distrustful of
the larger and more aggressive races; they fight with dwarves
often, and may be hostile toward men or orcs. However, since
Goblins always keep their word, there are successful Goblin
merchants in many places.
There is already a goblin merchant in the town of Hamor, one Vaku Zrag. His small shop only carries a bare range of travelling goods normally, but sometimes carries the odd magic item or two. It is a small shop, with both a kitchen and small workshop attached. Vaku has managed to almost make Dwarven bread - while not quite weapons grade the bread is still (barely) edible and has your required minerals in it. He will sell dried trail food prepared in the kitchen, as well as small tools he and Cheeli craft (Cheeli is why he has been trying to learn to bake Dwarven bread). A bit of leatherworking and basic utensils are generally available as well.

The shop has low ceilings and is a single story building near the town blacksmith. There are ropes, staffs, torches, flint, steel and other traveler needs stocked up, as well as flour, sugar, and other things the small hamlet may require. Every few weeks a trader comes by from Edge City to restock the store. There are few weapons available, some scavenged or traded for sundry items. Vaku does keep a good supply of arrows as hunters use them. His primary clientele is the Badgers Lodge and the dozens of woodsmen in the surrounding forest. Rumors as to his background are vague - he showed up more than a decade ago and set up the small shop in an abandoned house, using the front room as his store, and the bedroom as his workshop. He has a small curtained off area where he sleeps. He sometimes carries some magical potions, such as a healing potion, and will often take long trips into the woods and returns with herbs, spices and the occasional elixir. When asked where he gets these, he merely states that he trades in more than one place, and the occasional adventurer may need things he cannot readily supply.

Vaku's shop has no name other than Vaku's shop. He is cousin to one of the shop owners in Edge City, and will direct patrons there for things he does not carry. He indicates a discount can be had if you mention his name.

The Zrag's are a large Goblin merchant clan spread throughout the eastern part of the continent. They all seem to know each other and often outsiders or non-Goblins have a difficult time telling them apart. They are a trusted merchant clan who hold fast to their word and their wares.

Rumors are there is just one Zrag and he has gates everywhere. Or that there are multiple copies of him. There does seem to be a lot of knowledge somehow shared between the merchants regardless of distance. Perhaps they have some magic mirrors or scrolls for long distance communication, oer perhaps they are telepathic.

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