Merchant Merchants are driven by greed, and greed alone. They care nothing for the well-being of others so long as their pockets are always lined with Gold. They are expert negotiators, convincing customers that their products are only the best and are worth the extra money they charge. Merchants travel all over the Warhammer World searching for lost treasures that they can sell at extremely high prices. Dungeons are the ideal places for merchants, due to the fact that many fabled items of treasure are usually found in dungeons. •STATISTICS• BARTER The Merchant is experienced in bartering. He can convince even the smartest customer to part with more gold that the item is actually worth. He is also an expert con-artist, able to convince someone that the rusty old sword he is selling is actually a fabled magic item. At any time during the adventure when the Merchant buys an item he may attempt to haggle and get the item at a reduced price. Roll 1D6 on the following table to determine if he is successful: 2-5 The Merchant cannot convince the seller to alter the price of the item. However, he may continue haggling. Roll 1D6 on this table again but subtract -1 from the roll (cumulative). A 6 is still counted as a 6 however. 6 The Merchant manages to convince the seller to part with the item at 50% off! If the Merchant attempts to sell an item himself he may attempt to haggle and get more money than the item is actually worth. Roll 1D6 on the following table to determine if he is successful: 2-5 The Merchant cannot convince the buyer that the item is actually worth more. However, he may continue haggling. Roll 1D6 on this table again but subtract -1 from the roll (cumulative). A 6 is still counted as a 6 however. 6 The Merchant manages to convince the buyer that the item he is selling was once owned by a famous hero and receives double the item's value. TRADE The Merchant is always on the look out for a bargain so he can take it back with him and sell it at an increased price. If an event occurs, either in the Dungeon, Wilderness or Settlement that involves a good person, the Merchant may attempt to trade with them. Select a Treasure Card and roll 1D6 on the following table before resolving the event: 6 With a bit of quick talking the Merchant manages to convince the person that the item he is offering to trade is of great value. Discard the Treasure Card and draw another one of the same type. GREED Merchants are probably the greediest self centred people in the whole of the Warhammer World. They will do nothing for free, not even heal another Warrior. The Merchant will never give away any of his items of treasure, even those borrowed from other Warriors - he must sell them to the other Warriors instead! They must pay the amount the object is worth, or in the case of an item not having a Gold value, 100 Gold. This means that a Warrior wishing to be healed by the Merchant will have to pay for the bandage or provision used. Obviously the Merchant will take his money after the Warrior has been healed - he is not that callous that he would steal the Gold while the Warrior is still unconscious! LACKEYS The Merchant does not like to 'get his hands dirty' and can hire lackeys to accompany him to do all the fighting. Lackeys can be hired at the Alehouse or the Waterfront Tavern for 50 x Battle Level Gold per adventure and they are the same Battle Level as the Merchant. He does not need to roll to see if he can find some as there are always adventurers willing to earn a bit of Gold. Refer to the Lackey Battle Level Table for the lackeys statistics. Note that a player starting as a Merchant character for the first time may visit the Alehouse before his first adventure to hire lackeys. The Merchant can only ever have a maximum of 2 lackeys accompanying him on an adventure. Each lackey moves immediately after the Merchant moves, regardless of whether another Warrior has a higher Initiative. Lackeys start with a simple Sword (Str 3) and Shield (+1 Toughness) and cannot use any other equipment, although other equipment may be used on them (eg. healing potions, magic items, bandages etc.) Each lackey has a Warrior counter to represent him and in combat Monsters get placed according to the one-on-one rule. The number of Monsters do not have to be adjusted for the additional lackeys and they do not receive any Treasure or Gold for combats. The Merchant receives half Gold for Monsters that his lackeys kill. After each dungeon the lackeys wander off back to their own Settlement, leaving the Merchant all on his own... •EQUIPMENT• The Merchant begins with 200 x Battle Level Gold which he may use to hire Lackeys before his first adventure. In fact, if the Merchant ever has no Gold he is so shaken up that he is at -1 to hit until he manages to acquire some more himself (other Warriors cannot simply give him Gold to console him.) The Merchant can use any items of treasure, except treasure that is only useable by a specific Warrior. •SETTLEMENTS• The Merchant loves Settlements, there are so many people to sell to. He may visit the following locations - Alehouse (-1 modifier), Alchemist's Laboratory, Gambling House and Temple. In addition, he may also visit the Trading Post, a Special Location introduced in White Dwarf 196. Normally this location can only be visited in a harbour in a Seaport, but the Merchant manages to find one in the streets of a normal Settlement. However, he can only locate the Trading post in a City on a roll of 7+ as normal. There will be no Antique Weapons or Slaves available for trade though while trading anywhere other than a Seaport! If while rolling on a Settlement Table the Merchant gets an Unexpected Event roll 1D6 on the following table instead: 2 The Merchant is arrested for dealing in counterfeit goods. He must stay in jail for a week during which he does not need to pay living expenses or roll on the Settlement Events Table. 3 The Merchant manages to acquire a chest of old goods at a bargain price of 100 Gold. Roll 1D6 on the following table to determine what is in the chest: 2 A pile of old rags. 3 Some fine silk clothes. The Merchant may sell them for 1D6 x 20 Gold. 4 An assortment of old weapons. They may be sold for 1D6 x 50 Gold. 5 1D3 ancient maps. These detail the fastest ocean routes from the Old World to other continents. The Merchant can trade these for passage on sea-going vessels in lieu of payment. In addition, the voyage will now take 1 month less. 6 A treasure trove! There are 1D3 Treasure Cards in the chest. 4 The Merchant purchases some items and manages to sell them for a hefty profit of 1D6 x 50 Gold. 5 While searching through his backpack to see what items he can sell, the Merchant comes across an item which he had never paid much attention to before. Suddenly he realises that the item is worth much more than he realises. Randomly choose a Treasure Card. This card is actually worth an extra 50% more than stated. 6 The Merchant manages to set up trade negotiations with a nearby village. He will supply them with arms and armour in return for a handsome fee. Roll 2D6+6. This is the amount of weapons and armour the Merchant manages to acquire to sell to the village. For each item the village pays him 30 Gold. •SKILLS• The Merchant has the following skills available to him as he goes up his Battle- Levels. To determine which specific skill he learns when given the opportunity roll 2D6: 2 DISTRACT MONSTERS The Merchant always carries the latest issue of Playmerchant magazine, a selection of scrolls of artwork of women in seductive poses. Once per turn the Merchant may hold up the centrefold in front of an adjacent human opponent. Roll 1D6. If the result is a 5-6 the Merchant's opponent is distracted and loses 1 Attack this turn. The same opponent will not be distracted a second time in the same combat, whether or not it succeeds. 3 TRADE WITH MONSTERS The Merchant can con a Monster into believing his Magic Weapon or Magic Item is inferior and can offer to trade one of his own objects for it. When Monsters are placed the Merchant can choose one of them with a Magic Weapon or Item and roll 1D6. If the result is a 5-6 the Monster hands the item over to the Merchant in exchange for another of the same type (eg. a Magic Weapon can only be traded for another weapon). The Merchant can only attempt a trade once per combat and cannot use the item himself - it just stops the Monster from using it! 4 RUN The Merchant can exert his podgy body and attempt to move an extra square once per turn. Roll 1D6 if the Merchant decides to run the extra square. On a 1 he is so exhausted that he falls over and is prone for the rest of the turn. 5 KEEN EYE The Merchant knows valuable treasure when he sees it. Whenever he is required to draw a Treasure Card roll 1D6. On a roll of 6 he may draw another and choose the one he wants. The other card must be discarded. 6 OVERWEIGHT A taste for the finer life has finally caught up with the Merchant. He is now so fat that his extra flab gives him the Ignore Pain 1 ability. This skill may be gained more than once, adding +1 to the amount of damage which can be absorbed. 7 CONCEALED WEAPON The Merchant is cunning and always hides a concealed dagger in his boot. It causes (Damage Dice) +1 damage. He may use this as a weapon but only if all of his other attacks missed this turn. He will always have his dagger, even if all of his items are taken away from him. 8 EXPERT TRADER Due to much practice, the Merchant has perfected the art of trading. He may add an extra D6 when selling items at the Trading Post. In addition, he may ignore the first 1 rolled. This skill may be gained more than once. 9 TRICKS OF THE TRADE The Merchant knows where the shopkeeper keeps the extra supplies. When rolling to see if an item is in stock, the Merchant can subtract -1 from the Stock number. This skill may be gained more than once. 10 SELF CONTROL The Merchant has managed to keep his lust for money under some control. From now on if he has no Gold he does not need to subtract -1 from his to hit roll. 11 GOLD GRABBER The Merchant is never one to allow Gold to 'slip through his fingers'. If the Warriors receive Gold after a battle, the Merchant may ignore the first 1 rolled when rolling for Gold (cumulative). 12 FAST TALKER The Merchant can fast talk his way out of any situation. If an event ever occurs which involves something bad happening to the Merchant through another person (etc. someone collecting debt, etc) then roll 1D6. On a roll of 5-6 the Merchant manages to fast talk his way out of the situation and may ignore the event's result. •ROLEPLAYING TIPS• Merchants of the Warhammer World are fat, greedy and mean and probably the greediest self centred person in the whole of the Warhammer World. They are more accustomed to living the fine life rather than adventuring in dungeons. However, if there is a chance that a great treasure is to be found there, they hire some lackeys and are off! Anything that can be sold is worth the risk! Merchants are snobbish and normally associate only with others of the same high class, they only put up with the other Warriors for protection. On an adventure, Merchants always think in terms of the Gold that can be made and riches to be found, hardly ever the reason for the adventure in the first place! •REPRESENTING YOUR WARRIOR• While designing this Warrior, the miniature I had in mind was that of Mydas the Mean from the Dogs of War expansion for Warhammer Fantasy by Games Workshop. Another good miniature is the Merchant from the original Talisman game. Other than that, any fat 'nobleman' type of miniature will do, painted in a colour scheme to give the impression that he is wearing expensive clothes. eg. dark purple robes. •ROLEPLAY MODIFIERS•
•MERCHANT BATTLE LEVEL TABLE•
•LACKEY BATTLE LEVEL TABLE•
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