Characters will often interact with merchants for a variety of reasons. They may need to sell items they have recovered during their journeys, they may need to buy new items or have broken goods repaired. Merchants may also need specialised material to be acquired for them and characters can help out with this – for a fee.
This is a list of 100 different merchants characters can encounter. Most have fixed abodes but some are of no fixed address and can be met on the road. They sell and provide a variety of different goods and services. These merchants can be used if a GM needs a merchant type quickly on the fly, to flesh out a town or city, to randomly encounter as colour or as a source of potential adventure hooks.
Merchants can be selected randomly by rolling d100 but a GM is advised to pick suitable ones manually.
Here are some sample results:
35. Wendell Dandridge: A square-faced man with a carpenter’s callouses, the owner of Wendell’s Wands was never more than a journeyman wizard. However, he makes beautiful, durable wands that will
last on the trail, and he also offers scribed scrolls to those who wish them. With that much potent magic on display, some have wondered how he stays safe. Rumor has it that Wendell keeps a few special wands on his person at all times… just in case.
36. Kalderi Sherai: Tanned nut brown by her time in the sun, with her hair streaked blonde, Kalderi knows how uncomfortable life on the road can be. That’s why she runs Kalderi’s Comforts, which specializes in things that make your travel just a little easier. From fans and ointments, to alchemical heating blocks and wands that can clean even the dirtiest clothes with a flick of the wrist, Kalderi’s wares can solve many problems that come with life on the road.
37. Ramshallah Dofronato: A heavily-mustached, olive-skinned wonder worker, Ramshallah claims that through his mystic arts he can pierce the veil between life and death. Most think him a fraud,
particularly with his embroidered robes and heavy, gaudy silver rings. For those willing to pay his steep price, though, it’s possible to bring back the recently slain. If someone can provide him with the gems he asks for… or who will accomplish certain tasks for him.
Reviews for 100 Merchants to Encounter
“This is another great generic supplement for fantasy games.”
sdonohue (four and a half stars)
Released: 10th November 2018 Pages: 14
PDF ($1.49): DriveThruRPG, RPGNow