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A fictional world is continually in motion, ever moving forward. People consume items like food everyday which means eventually they’ll need to acquire more or get some new ones like clothes. For those that don’t make it themselves, there’s one class that caters to their needs and that would be the fantasy merchants.
Operating much like their real world brethren, merchants deal in a wide array of goods and are found in many places. This makes it easy for people to locate them, especially those that have stores. The best part is, the goods they carry constantly change which means it’s always a good idea to go see what they have in stock for they might not necessarily have it tomorrow!
Fantasy merchants appear in many places, notably those that contain a sizable number of people like towns and cities. However, they can also be found in other areas like heavily-trafficked roads or strategic stops like before entering a mountain. The common denominator, regardless of their location, is that they go to places where they believe they can unload their goods and make some money.
What type of goods do they carry? Well, it depends on what type of merchant he is. Those that specialize in weapons sell items like swords and maces and shields whereas others deal in basic necessities like clothes and food typically are found in general stores. The diverse types of merchants means that you’ll have to go to certain ones for the product you’re searching for.
In many cases, money makes the world go round. Fantasy merchants are an integral component of worldbuilding in that they make living in a fictional world possible. They bring in goods from distant places or from local areas like farms or mines that people need and want in exchange for money which they use to buy more and pay the bills.
This is article number three in the series looking at the various fantasy occupations. If you’d like to see what others we have, you can find them on our blog page!
People in fictional worlds need things to survive just like real people do. Like us, they don’t want to have to go far just to get the things they need which is one reason why merchants usually set up shop nearby. In fact, merchants can be found in numerous places.
One sure-fire place people come across fantasy merchants are within urban centers. Cities and towns are home to retail businesses like the general store and tailor shop. Each center features its own marketplace, a gathering of many shops all in one convenient location so that people can quickly get what they need.
Populated areas aren’t the only place where you can come across merchants. Being on heavily-traveled roads, it won’t be long before you cross paths with one or more. Whether they’re merely traveling or have established a roadside shop, you can do business with them. If they happen to have what you’re searching for, you’re in luck otherwise you’d have to keep going until you found one that carried what you want!
Other places where you’re likely to find fantasy merchants are in certain locations such as outside the entrance to a different area. They sell items that make it easier for travelers to traverse through dangerous areas like the mountain or swamp which can mean the difference between life and death. Sometimes they deliberately hike up the price because they know they can get away with it since their customers have no other choice.
Basically, wherever they think they can unload their goods, whether it’s on the docks in the harbor to a small stand just outside town, and make some money, merchants will set up shop. Sometimes it’s just temporary and best case scenario, it winds up becoming permanent.
An imaginary world doesn’t have just one type of good, it has a ton more, depending on the era it’s in. For instance, a futuristic world can feature machines and their parts whereas a medieval one might have iron armor or steel swords. Thus, the merchants in these worlds sell wares in the field they’re proficient in.
There is no one kind of merchant that sells everything. Rather, it’s broken into several different types and the type he is dictates what products he’ll carry. One everyone interacts with is that of the basic necessities. He carries items people need to survive like food and clothes. This merchant usually has a shop like the general store though he can also be found in the marketplace.
Out of all the fantasy merchants, the armorer specializes in products that enable people to protect themselves as well as inflict bodily harm to others, all in his own shop. He sells a wide bevy of items such as swords and bow-and-arrows. People have to have a way to defend themselves since they live in a world teeming with dangers like goblins and trolls.
Food is a popular choice for many merchants to carry though they have to sell quickly before they perish. From bread to pastries, merchants sell all kinds of food since food is essential for survival. Some have their own personal stores like bakeries whereas others buy some and sell them in other places.
Fantasy merchants carry exotic goods such as fruits and clothes from other parts of the world. This enables locals to see what’s selling in far off places as well as try new things. However, only a certain few sell these and they usually don’t stay in one place for too long. Whenever they visit a town or city, they set up shop in the marketplace for maybe several days to a week before they close up and move on.
As for the world, merchants are one of the most important things to bring in. For starters, they help make civilized life possible by selling items such as food or clothes that make other people’s lives easier without them having to expend time searching for them. This enables them to focus on what needs to be done.
By bringing in items from other places like cities or even continents, fantasy merchants help bring different parts of the world together. They showcase their wares to the customers they come across, customers who enjoy seeing what’s selling in other places, giving them a glimpse into a world they’ve never seen before.
Another way merchants serve the world is by being invaluable members of the community they do business in. Socialization is a huge aspect of this occupation and the people they interact with each have their own stories to tell. Merchants learn a lot about their customers and the info they learn can help them form stronger relationships with them since they all live in the same community.
In some worlds, fantasy merchants have their own network where they interact with each other. Operating as an information network, they can quickly relay news about distant or major events before other people get wind of it. Additionally, they can obtain valuable info for their clients such as if they’re trying to find someone but don’t where their last whereabouts are.
In rare cases, merchants go to extreme lengths in order to carry a certain product they know will net them a massive sum of money like a priceless artifact. They usually employ people to find and obtain them or they do it themselves. They hope by having this product in their inventory, they can help change the world and make some money doing so.
It wouldn’t be a fictional world if there were no merchants. The products they sell make the lives of their customers easier and enable them to do more each day. Though they’re primarily in the business of making money, they have a human side to them and some are dedicated to making the community they live in better.
One great thing about fantasy merchants is that they’re not hard to find. Many have established businesses in the towns and cities they call home, some in their marketplace and some in other parts. Some prefer to be constantly traveling, going from one place to another where they can sell their wares to different people.
The products they carry depend entirely on what type they are. For instance, food merchants primarily sell pies, bread, and so on as opposed to their clothing counterparts who sell shirts, pants, and accessories. Though some specialize in general goods, the vast majority specialize in certain types so people have to go to the right one in order to get what they’re looking for!
As for their role in the world, fantasy merchants are important, perhaps one of the most in terms of worldbuilding. This occupation relies heavily on socialization since merchants develop a relationship with their customers as they buy from them. They also bring in goods from different parts of the world, giving the locals a look at what’s selling in places they know little about.
If you’re building an imaginary world from scratch, you need to include the occupation of fantasy merchants into yours! How else could people get the things they need or want without having to do all the work by themselves?
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Sunfire
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