[Lotc Official] Meet The Merchant

[Telanir 6975]

Meet the Merchant

You know, the one that’s always yelling near you and handing out garbage for minas.

 “Greetings Traveler, I am assuming you are dead tired from your trip. Might I suggest looking through my finest assortment of goods while you rest?”

 

Briefing:

This happens to be the first requested guide I am now filling out, huzzah! I am going to begin by saying that I myself have played a merchant, I did it by using a farmer character and owning a big plot which I used to gather my goods. If it is properly played, a merchant can be one of the most amusing ways to spend your time on Lord of the Craft. Now, the most important aspect that being a merchant revolves around is making money.  But on LotC that changes around, because we play for the roleplay and for our amusement. The best way not to fail as a merchant is by providing roleplay to those around you, and it really doesn’t matter if your goods don’t sell all the time. So how do you get started? First of all, you need to figure out what goods you are going to sell, and at what prices. Keep in mind that absolutely ludicrous pricing will not always provide you with good roleplay, and rarely will you be able to sell goods that way. As an aspiring merchant you need to go out and seek people in large towns and cities to share your amazing goods with. Playing a merchant can be very difficult at times, and I’m not going to hide it! You’re going to need to utilize your conversational skills and make sure your grammar is not far from perfection. To be blunt, nobody actually needs your goods in LotC unless they are particularly amazing, so convince them! People need to know that the goods you are selling are going to change their life, that the steak they are going to buy is going to be mind-bogglingly delicious. Describe the goods you have, and make sure people know of your presence. I’ve stood around Oren sometimes with my character, and simply shouted out the goods I possessed, and told people to come running over. Well, it worked! But if it does not, don’t despair; you can always approach people directly. When you acquire enough fame as a successful merchant, you will be able to relax a bit more, as people will tend to come directly to you as of their own accord. To provide the best roleplaying experience as a merchant, remember to let people haggle for better prices, but at the same time discourage that with your character, it can provide for long conversations. However, if they are in a massive hurry, it’s best just to sell your goods quickly and let them leave. Lastly, I wish you good luck playing a merchant as it can be a really fulfilling experience once you get the hang of it.

 

“I am willing to offer quite a generous price for the meat I am selling, as you can observe, it is of the finest quality, being juicy, tender, and absolutely deliciously cooked to perfection.”

 

Characteristics:

• Loud and invasive.
• Descriptive about their goods.
• Enthusiastic when dealing with customers.
• Lots of materials to sell.
• Willingness to have goods haggled, sometimes.
• Fountain of roleplay, constant provider.

 

*Merchant Billy wants Freddie to purchase his fresh steak. He proceeds by poking Freddie in the arm and ordering him violently to buy his goods. Freddie promptly calls the guards and Billy is persecuted*

 

Inadequate Merchant RP:
 

Billy Bob has decided with good intention that he wants to become a Merchant to increase roleplay for everyone else. Having learned from his previous lessons on being new, he begins spam chopping trees down, digging up ugly fields of sand, and making several chunk large quarries. He is now super rich with materials and decides that he will now sell his goods.

Okay, well at least Billy was trying hard to get involved and add to roleplay. However, this is filled with massive mistakes. First of all, is Billy so skillful that he knows how to chop, dig, and mine efficiently? Secondly, he can get banned or striked for land-scarring because of the huge quarries and ugly, random sand pits. A merchant can’t get all of his goods from himself, he’s going to have to use other sources as well. Find a farmer, and chain a relation with him where he will give you his goods, and you will sell them while relaying the profit to him and taking a bit for yourself.  This creates a sort of middleman and prevents peasants from having to be masters of all the trades. Find a lumberjack, start up a business with your goods. The possibilities are really endless!

 

After having acquired so many goods, Billy decides to head to town to sell. He approaches the closest target who he sees, it happens to be a seven year old halfling child who clearly has no minas. Billy proceeds to demand and bully the child into purchasing his goods.

Well, he’s succeeded in providing roleplay, sure. He’s most likely going straight to jail too!

When you are going about your business as a farmer, you need to keep in mind who your targets are, because you aren’t going to sell cactus green to children, or children’s toys to noble elders.

 

Billy is unsuccessful in selling his goods to the halfling child, what does he do? Billy decides that the appropriate course of action is to enact death on the child.

Brilliant! Now, unless Billy has a Villain application for psychopathy and insanity, he’s going to get a revoke report placed on his shoulders. Also, merchants need to really refrain from being evil when selling goods (unless that is how you lure people in, in which case you’re really smart). Why? Because if he’s caught in the act, he can no longer be a merchant. What fun is it playing a merchant if you can’t play a merchant? People are going to interrupt you incessantly with pointy pitchforks which will make it very difficult to sell goods properly.

 

 

As always, I hope this helps at least a few of you. Unfortunately, this guide contains less humor than the rest because I used to be rather involved as a merchant and have a heavy opinion in it.

Feel free to give constructive criticisms, and assist me in making this an even better guide. I couldn’t control myself from posting another guide, it just felt so necessary. This guide was requested by “Lynesse {Celia/Jazzy}”.

Note: If your name happens to be Billy Bob... I am not referring to you, but rather just using the name for comedic purpose. PM me and I will get it fixed for all my guides... probably to Derpador and... Herpina. :D

[Jexdane 213]

I cannot agree with this guy more. Merchant roleplay is incredibly fun, and the money doesn't matter nearly as much as the roleplay you can create if you have the proper enthusiasm and invasiveness. When I was tight on cash in Asulon, I started a wonderful little enterprise which I ended up closing down when I ran out of pumpkins.

 

http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/39586-the-pumpkin-king-is-coming/?hl=%2Bpumpkin+%2Bking

 

Suffice to say, I did manage to sell every single pumpkin for 25 minas, and even managed to cause a riot in the streets of Alras when my pumpkins were banned for witchcraft.

 

Seriously, play a merchant, or I'll kill you.

[Augor 142]

These are the best.

[Lynesse {Celia/Jazzy} 398]

A great read, thanks!

[Old Man Boiendl 1454]

These are all very good. There should be a human noble one. Since we seem to have a good number of em|:I.

[mrfool21 0]

This was a fun read, I myself am hoping to become a half-decent merchant. Being pretty new to RP and this server I can say this guide is fantastic!

[Lvke 1000]

*shakes head in amazement* Telanir, how are you NOT a Guide yet? These are all brilliant, perfected pieces of work. I would give my vote, or +1 for becoming a Guide!

 

P.S, I will probably be using this colour for all posts on the forrums now, if it sits well with the eyes

[ayresalex 517]

more

[cruzazul 2815]

Do more! Do more!

[craotor 617]

Always wanted to rp a fat merchant

[ThanksChris 605]

Telanir, how are you NOT a Guide yet?]

The guy applied all of half a day ago. 0.0 Give these things time. It'll be taken into consideration when mau5 looks for fresh meat. :3

[Lvke 1000]

The guy applied all of half a day ago. 0.0 Give these things time. It'll be taken into consideration when mau5 looks for fresh meat. :3

I know. I was not aware of his Guide app at the time of posting that comment.

[Telanir 6975]

These are all very good. There should be a human noble one. Since we seem to have a good number of em|:I.

I've actually been working on "Meet the Noble" for a bit now. Expect it soon, however, since there are so many nobles, don't expect for all of them to agree with me. >_<

That one is going to be in clay, not stone. Everyone should feel free to add comments to that one as it is a little difficult for me. :)

 

This was a fun read, I myself am hoping to become a half-decent merchant. Being pretty new to RP and this server I can say this guide is fantastic!

Thanks for the support! And yes, become a merchant, we need a couple more of those these days.

I'l be on the look out for you~ :D

 

Do more! Do more!

Erm, of course! :3

 

Always wanted to rp a fat merchant

Do it. Your life depends on it. *evil grin*

[Aptrotta 162]

*Appluads* Great job!

[everblue2er101 906]

Moved to Economy Guides upon request.