Let's Populate the Merchant's Row

Well, you can always use a good alchemist.

Some items would be in direct response to game circumstances ( potion of remove fear). :yes:

Some items would be simply for fun (( potion of reduce person) insta halfling).:dizzy:

Perhaps a sage who knows LOTS of neat information, both useful & humorous.
(may require more work than it's worth though, it's easy in PnP)

Ahhh... A "hiring hall" for those NPC's that are currently overlooked in the game.
( Any one you have had in mind for the last eight years Gaear?)

As this will be post Zuggy, You can let it all hang out!:doublethuu

Edit, Which if any NPC classes From the Dragon Magazine (early-mid eighties) does anyone remember? They were specifically for the DM and not allowed for Player use.
Good for 'interaction' with parties , will require good use of AI & feats/skills.

There was the fella who was at the gate,The Pally per align (9 Pallies Total, mutualy MAD ), the Sage/Prof, etc...

 

Wow, it just keeps getting better and better!

How about a pawn shop?

A place where you can find exceptional equipment at a fair price.

The fair price would be because every item has a positive and a negative effect, a greatsword that is +3 to hit but -1 to damage and such, or a ring of freedom of movement that slows you to half speed.

 

To add to sirchet, the shop randomly develops enchanted equipment.

I don't know if this is possible, but perhaps a shop could be made to adjust difficulty. In a twisted way, the shop owner will sell you different upgrades for enemies in the game, and upon buying, it increases enemy unit stats to all or specific enemies. The upgrades would be costly, but something that verbobonc level would be able to easily afford.

 

A thieves guild, where one could hock stolen items -- get special thievery type quests and whatever. (think about baldur's gate).

 

A pet shop - where you can buy an animal NPC, without going through the hassle of taking in a mage, ordering him to summon a familiar, putting said familiar on the ground & then ditching the mage. Maybe also other animals, like the ones from the animal compagnon list.

An instrument shop - all sorts of instruments, from the mundane to the exotic right to the magical ones.

An assassin shop - For all your devious poisons, all natural or magical - they have it.

An alchemist - for all those weird concoctions like flasks of oil, lockgrease, smokesticks etc.

Tinkergnome workshop - where weird ideas get made (and probably explode in your face ) Things like blunderbusses (exotic weapon) spring to mind

 

I think the highest priorities are a tailor (or two, say the other is a seamstress selling women's clothing: Veenah's Fashion) and an alchemist. There simply has to be another way to get things like Armor Oil than delaying confrontation with the Traders in Hommlet.

Aside from those two, I think we need a place where you can obtain professional equipment like merchant's scales, healing kits, scholar kits, and thieves' tools. Perhaps a "Watchmaker"?

 

How about a sage/library where you can get hints as to available quests you might have missed? Or a rumor monger who, for a price, will tell you that someone is planning to (insert opposite alignment quest here) and give you the option to oppose it's completion.

Or a smith that crafts items for you on commission. You have to gather the requisite items and the character commissioning the item pays the experience so the mages/clerics/druids don't get stuck 2-3 levels behind everybody else. Think like that dwarf from BG2.

 

How about a few shops that sell mundane items that really have no effect on the game. How about a butcher who sells meat. Maybe he asks about buying some exotic meats and killing say, an owlbear, gives you a haunch of meat, or a really big drumstick.

 

An Adventurer's Paradise that sells ropes, lanterns, lockpick sets, flint and steel fire starters, Bags of holding or extra dimensional chests, survival manuals that increase skills, tents that allow you to rest as if in a green area etc.

An Elven store for those essential Boots/Cloaks of Elvenkind and Elven Armour. It could be run by 7 siblings and be called the Seven Elven, (on second thoughts, maybe not)

A scroll shop, which also sell scroll rolls to save space in your inventory a potion shop, a masterworks shop, that only buys and sells masterwork gear, (the magic you get to do yourself)

An employment agency where you can get personnel for your house or castle and have the castle staff free.

An Artist that can massage your ego by painting you and getting the painting added to your castle inventory.

A dummy maker, so you can display your captured armour in your castle.
A cabinet maker who actually makes display cabinets that you can have fitted in your castle.
If it were possible to use ingredients to make potions, as you can already learn make potions in the game, you could have an alchemist who would also sell alembics etc

A lingerie store where you can buy all you kinky gear, eg negligee of charisma plus 5, leather bra of domination ( cause fear ) etc

The bank/money lender could allow you to deposit gold and pay interest on it.

A training establishment to improve char stats, skills etc.

 

Yes, yes and YES!

I like all of these ideas.

 

I especially like those things.

 

How about a costume shope run by a fez wearing proprietor?

the shop contains fancy dress costumes and a door to a changing room.

The party chooses a costume. - e.g orcs, elves, drow, pirates, goblins, magic users, gladiators,

When they enter the changing room they discover that they are transported to a mini adventure linked to the costume.

 

A great idea Tom:thumbsup:

 

How about a Dream Merchant? What does he do you ask? This- the Dream Merchant allows you to try new tactics and characters under specific circumstances to see if you could handle them. Want to play a solo Bard but not sure how you'd do in AoH? Go see the Dream Merchant. Want to find the Slavers but don't want to use the search function on this forum? Visit the Dream Merchant and get a clue (for a price of course). Want to learn the location of a lost treasure or rare item? Pay the Dream Merchant a visit and start searching your map. Want to see what Feats you should select when you level up? Get the Dream Merchant to let you try it out before you choose. Want to craft an item but not sure if it's worth it? Try a dream version first to see what's what.