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.

•EQUIPMENT•

The Merchant begins with 200 x Battle Level Gold that he may use to hire a Bodyguard 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.

The Merchant's starting weapon is the Scimitar, causing 1D6+Str Wounds. Monsters are at -1 to hit the Merchant while he is wielding the Scimitar.

Due to it’s immense weight, the Merchant finds it very difficult to wander around with heavy armour. To represent this, the Merchant may never have more than +2 additional Toughness due to Armour.

•SPECIAL RULES•

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 or a service (except for training up a Battle Level) he may attempt to haggle and get the item or service at a reduced price. Roll 1D6 on the following table to determine if he is successful:

1 The Merchant’s skill in haggling leaves a lot to be desired and he is conned himself! He must pay double the original cost.

2-5 The Merchant cannot convince the trader to alter the price. However, he may continue haggling if he wants by rolling again on this table.

6 The Merchant manages to convince the trader to reduce the cost by 50%!

If the Merchant attempts to sell an item 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:

1 The Merchant’s skill in haggling leaves a lot to be desired and he is conned himself! He receives half of the item’s Gold value.

2-5 The Merchant cannot convince the buyer that the item is actually worth more. However, he may continue haggling if he wants by rolling again on this table.

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 person of good alignment, the Merchant may attempt to trade with them. Select a Treasure Card and roll 1D6 on the following table after resolving the event (unless the person has somehow died…):

1-4 The Merchant is unsuccessful in establishing a trade.

5-6 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. The Merchant will never give away any of his items of treasure, even those borrowed from other Warriors (“What? That’s not your’s, I’ve had that item for ages!”) He must sell the items 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, 50 Gold. This does not apply to using items on other Warriors.

GOLDEN EYE
The Merchant is never one to allow Gold to ‘slip through his fingers’. When rolling for Gold after a battle, if he does not roll any 1s, the Merchant may swap any of his original dice for that belonging to another Warrior. Only one dice swap per Warrior is allowed at a time.

COWER
Merchant’s are fat, greasy, often balding men who fear direct confrontation with the denizens of the dungeon, which is why they take a Bodyguard into the dungeon to do most of the fighting for them. Because of their innate ability to tremble at the knees whenever any sort of creature proposes to attack him, Merchants have the Cower ability. Once monsters have been placed, the Merchant can move 1 square in any direction, ignoring Pinning (but not the Aura of Slaanesh) This is to represent the Merchant ducking for cover behind his Bodyguard or getting to a position where monsters can’t hurt him. He cannot do this if Monsters have the Ambush ability.

BODYGUARD
The Merchant does not like to ‘get his hands dirty’ and can hire a Bodyguard to accompany him to do all the fighting. Bodyguards can be hired at the Alehouse or the Waterfront Tavern for 100 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 one as there are always adventurers willing to earn a bit of Gold. Refer to the Bodyguard Battle Level Table for the Bodyguard’s statistics. Note that a player starting as a Merchant character for the first time may choose to start the game with a Bodyguard, but must subtract the appropriate amount of Gold from his starting total to begin with.

The Merchant can only ever have 1 Bodyguard accompanying him on an adventure. Each Bodyguard moves immediately after the Merchant moves, regardless of whether another Warrior has a higher Initiative. Bodyguards 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.)

A Bodyguard 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 Bodyguard and he do not receive any Treasure or Gold for combats. The Merchant receives half Gold for Monsters that his Bodyguard kills. Upon reaching a Settlement, the Merchant will dismiss his Bodyguard, who has more than likely already started complaining about the terrible work conditions.

•SETTLEMENTS•

The Merchant loves Settlements, there are so many people to sell to and so many opportunities to make money. The first thing the Merchant must do when arriving in a Town or a City is to visit The Merchant’s League, a new Special Location available only to the Merchant.

He may also visit the following locations: Alehouse (-3 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!

Another Special Location he may visit is Luigi & Salvatore from the Imperial Noble rulebook. None of the rules for entering L & S apply to the Merchant, he just strides in as if he owns the place. He must still roll on the table to see how much he is actually charged for any items bought, though he may haggle if he so desires. Note that the Merchant does not have to buy Fine Robes…

•MERCHANT'S LEAGUE•

The Merchant’s League is a place where shop owners, traders, barterers, pedlars and merchants meet to exchange news and items, and tales of financial and economic interest with each other. Each League Headquarters is run by a Merchant Prince, usually one of the most wealthiest people in the city. Here, people can buy investments, purchase shares in various businesses, or simply indulge in the finer things in life while chatting to other rich and famous merchants.

To gain entry into the League, the Merchant must roll on the following table.

1 “My goodness, man! What do you think you are doing setting foot in the halls of the mighty Merchant Prince?!?!?! You are but a mere beggar! Be-gone, peasant!” The Merchant is rebuffed at the great oaken doors and is not granted entry.

2-3 The Merchant may make 1 roll on the Merchant’s League Table, but must pay a tribute to the Merchant Prince of 1D6 x 100 Gold.

4-6 The Merchant may make 1 roll on the Merchant’s League Table, for a small fee of 1D6 x 10 Gold.

Merchant’s League Table
2 An old enemy of the Merchant’s marches up to him, insulting and poking him in the belly, saying he will never amount to anything in this fast paced world of trading. Roll 2D6. If the result is greater than the Merchant’s Battle-Level, he cringes up in sheer loathing before breaking down into tears and running away. For the next adventure, the Merchant only gets half Gold for all Monsters he kills. In addition, he is so ashamed he will not hire a Bodyguard for the next adventure, and any that he has hired already are dismissed. If the result is less than or equal to the Merchant’s Battle Level, the Merchant simply laughs at his enemy and pokes him in the eye, causing much laughter in the room.

3 The Merchant is greeted by none other than Falzon Curtblade, an old friend of sorts. The Merchant tries quickly to make his excuses and flee, but to no avail. It is too late, and the Merchant spends the entire night falling asleep as Curtblade recites tales of high adventure. He begins next adventure with 1 point of Luck less.

4 A visiting dignitary offers to play the Merchant at cards. If he accepts, roll 1D6 for the Merchant and 1D6 for the Dignitary. The Merchant may roll 2D6 if he has the Poker Face Skill. If the Merchant gets the highest score, he has won the game and may gain 1D6 x 10 Gold for each point higher than the Dignitary. If he loses, he must pay the Dignitary 1D6 x 10 Gold for each point he has less. If the result is a tie, both players draw even.

5 The Merchant manages to invest some money in a small business venture, totalling 1D6 x 50 Gold. From now on whenever the Merchant returns to the League, before rolling any dice on this table, roll 1D6 on the following table to see how the business is doing. A Merchant can have any number of business’s going at one time.

1 The business has gone bust, and the Merchant makes a loss of 1D6 x 100 Gold. He is not required to make any further rolls on this table for that business.

2 The business makes no money this time around.

3 The Merchant makes 1D6 x 10 Gold profit.

4 The Merchant makes 1D6 x 20 Gold profit.

5 Business is going well. The Merchant makes 1D6 x 50 Gold.

6 The business is a complete success, and the Merchant makes 1D6 x 100 Gold pieces.

6 A group of Caravan merchants are here, discussing trading routes with another group. The Merchant overhears a titbit of information that allows the next Wilderness journey to be halved, rounding fractions up.

7 The Merchant spends a nice warm evening by the fire, chatting to some fine young ladies. He may gain 1 point of Luck, which can be used in the normal way. Once it is used, it cannot be regained.

8 A rather large pompous fat merchant approaches the Merchant and begins to speak to him of great treasures to be had. Either the man is drunk to be giving all of this information away to a complete stranger, or he is lying. At the end of the next adventure, roll 1D6 after the Objective Room Monsters have been killed. If the result is a 1 to 3 the Merchant has been lied to and there is no extra Treasure here. However, if the roll is a 4 to 6 the Merchant may take 1D3 Objective Room Treasure Cards and pick which one he wants to keep for himself. The others are discarded.

9 While helping himself to a large plate of Bretonnian sausage rolls, the Merchant notices he is being looked at by a group of people who are gathered around a thick scroll. Curiosity controls the Merchant’s next action and he wanders over to find out what people are looking at. It appears the Merchant has made the cover of “Merchant Weekly.” For the remainder of his stay in this Settlement, at the start of every day, roll 1D6. If the result is a 1, the Merchant is approached by fans and spends the entire day signing autographs, and can not visit any locations. On any other roll the Merchant is adored from afar, with people throwing him 1D6 x 20 Gold as a gift for being famous.

10 The Merchant is offered a partnership in a business. Roll 1D6 on the Business table to see which business it is. For a small fee of 1D6 x 1000 Gold, he may make a roll on the Profit table each time he returns to the Merchant’s League, before any other rolls are made. A Merchant may have any number of business’s going at once.

Business Table

1 An abattoir.

2 A Fashion Shop, selling nothing but purple pantaloons and other ridiculous clothes.

3 A Pet Shop franchise, selling cute little puppies and baby lizards, amongst other creatures.

4 A very expensive Jewellery shop.

5 A chain of restaurants called “McSigmars”, selling burgers and small strips of fried potato called ‘chips’.

6 A Sporting Stadium franchise, called “Crankee Stadium”, being the host to some of the most famous Blood Bowl Teams around.

Profit Table

1 The business makes no money this time around. Keep track of the number of 1’s rolled. If the result is equal to the number of the business purchased, the business goes bankrupt, and the Merchant must lose 1D3 x 1000 Gold to cover the loss.

2 The Merchant makes a small profit. He may roll any number of dice that he wishes and multiply the result by 50 for the amount of Gold he gains. However, if any dice come up with a 1 he was earned nothing this time.

3 There have been some interesting business deals undertaken while the Merchant was away adventuring. The Merchant may take 1 Treasure Card for his share of the profits.

4 Due to some quick thinking and conniving by the Merchant’s partner, the Merchant manages to gain (1D6 + Business Roll) x 100 Gold.

5 Some of the business transactions done by the Merchant’s partner are indeed great, worthy of a Merchant Prince. The Merchant may gain 1 Treasure Card and (1D6 + Business Roll) x 100 Gold.

6 The Merchant is delighted to find he has earned 1 Treasure Card for each number that the business was worth. For example, if the Merchant purchased a share in a Jewellery shop, he would gain 4 Treasure Cards.

11 The Merchant is surprised when a lone nobleman approaches him and invites him in to sit with the Merchant Prince in the inner sanctum. If the Warrior pays 2D6 x 100 Gold into the Merchant Prince’s coffer he may join in. The Merchant enjoys a night of conversation and fine food, and in the process gains 1 point of Initiative, Willpower or Pinning. This increase is permanent.

12 A mighty Merchant Prince, fresh in from the steppes of Kislev, tells the Merchant of his adventures. The Merchant Prince is the finest swordsman around, and has practiced for hours on end to be able to protect his caravan business. For a small fee of 2D6 x 100 Gold, the Warrior may spend a few hours with the Prince, learning the oft forgotten aspect of being a Merchant. Combat! The Warrior may spend 1D3 days doing nothing else but training. He needs not pay living expenses or roll on the Settlement Events table. At the end of his training, he will have gained 1 point of Weapon Skill or Ballistic Skill, or a roll on the Imperial Noble’s Sword Skill Table (if you have it).

•UNEVENTFUL DAY•

If while rolling on a Settlement Table the Merchant gets an Uneventful Day roll 1D6 on the following table instead:

1 The Merchant recognises someone he once sold an item to. The man seems very angry, and shakes a broken piece of equipment at the Merchant. Draw a Dungeon Room Treasure Card at random from the discard pile. This is the item that is faulty. The Merchant has no other choice than to refund the man his money (the amount shown on the card).

2 The Merchant is arrested for dealing in counterfeit goods. The other Warrior can bail him out by each paying 1D6 x 50 Gold. If they cannot (or will not) pay, the Merchant must remain in jail for 1D6 days 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:

1 Nothing - the chest was empty!

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 that 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 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 4, 5 or 6 he may draw another and choose the one he wants. The other card must be discarded.

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 Magic Item and roll 1D6. If the result is a 4-6 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 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 to make an extra Attack each turn but at –1 to hit. He will always have his dagger, even if all of his items are taken away from him.

5 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 humanoid opponent. (Not females, Undead or daemonic). Roll 1D6. If the result is a 5-6 the Merchant’s opponent is distracted and loses all of his Attacks this turn

6 RUN
The Merchant can exert his podgy body and push himself to his limits. He gains +1 Move and +1 to all Pinning rolls. This skill may be gained more than once.

7 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 Blows 6+ ability. This skill may be gained more than once, adding +1 to the Ignore Blows number, up to a maximum of Ignore Blows 4+.

8 ATTACK OF OPPORTUNITY
The Merchant is a master at seizing any opportunity granted to him. Whenever another Warrior reduces a Monster to a number of Wounds equal to or less than the Merchant’s Battle Level with his last Attack and the Merchant is adjacent to the same Monster, he may immediately make a single additional Attack out of turn against that Monster.

9 LACKEY PUSH
The Merchant is crueller than most, and if the opportunity presents itself, he will happily shove the hired help in front of an incoming blow. Once per turn, the Merchant may drag his Bodyguard into the way, thus taking the damage that the Merchant would normally take. He must decide to use this ability before damage is resolved and only if his Bodyguard is in an adjacent space next to the Merchant. The Bodyguard model does not physically move from his current position.

10 POKER FACE
The Merchant is a master of bluffing his opponents. When in the Gambling House, he wins on a roll of 5 or 6, instead of just a 6. In addition, he may bet up to 200 Gold per Battle-Level, instead of the usual limit.

11 BARGAIN HUNTER
The Merchant is a bargain hunter, and knows how to track down a good deal. The Merchant always manages to find shops that sell exactly what he needs at a reduced rate. He never has to roll to see if an item is in stock and in addition, he manages to find the best deals. All items are also permanently 20% off. The Merchant can still haggle on this price.

12 FAMOUS
The Merchant’s adventures have spread far and wide, and all able bodied henchmen come from miles around simply to have the opportunity to join with him. When hiring a Bodyguard, the Merchant can now employ a Bodyguard at one level higher than his current Battle Level. Due to his overwhelming admiration for the Merchant the Bodyguard will accept the same pay as normal.

•REPRESENTING YOUR WARRIOR•

While designing this Warrior, the miniature I had in mind was that of Sheik Yadosh from the Dogs of War expansion for Warhammer Fantasy by Games Workshop. Another good miniature is the Merchant from the original Talisman game or the Merchant from Mordheim. 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.

•ROLEPLAYING TIPS•

Merchants of the Warhammer World are fat, greedy and mean and probably the most self centred people 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 a bodyguard 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, never the thrill of the adventure itself.

•ROLEPLAY MODIFIERS•

•MERCHANT BATTLE LEVEL TABLE•

•BODYGUARD BATTLE LEVEL TABLE•

Merchant by Andrew Brockhouse and Michael Brockhouse.