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Old 05-11-2020, 07:23 AM   #9
ericthered
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
Default Re: Banestorm: Wandering Merchants campaign concept

Are you and your players more interested in the trading, or in telling merchant stories?



A while ago I had a big old long conversation about how these games worked, and I learned that "merchant" games usually aren't about making money through shrewd trading. Usually they're about a bunch of extra-legal trouble shooters and trouble makers traveling from city to city, getting a blank slate each time. They usually aren't financially savvy, and they usually don't have the funds to buy the investment goods that would actually make their route worth it.


The main exception to that is stories of exploration where the merchants are traveling through exceptionally dangerous terrain, and the adventure happens in getting the cargo to its destination. In which case we still don't pay too much attention to the savvy trader, but pay attention to the skilled warriors or experienced wilderness guide.
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