LE Merchant Guild/NPC-run export business. Can issue collect quests and b

[cooltrickle]

More than just a trader. This has the potential to be quite a big mod, possibly similar to a guild.

 

Currently, any loot sold to a trader just inexplicably vanishes from their inventory after a set number of days and is accompanied by a magical reset of their gold supply. I don't spend much time worrying about this mechanic of the game but it does seem a little hollow. I mean, who buys your stuff? Why do you never see some NPC with different armour or weapon, that they must have bought at a trader?

 

My solution is to create an NPC that runs an export business. He will exist to issue special orders for you to fulfil. For example, fetch 10 complete ebony armour (exquisite). In return, he will pay you for your trouble and eventually agree to bulk-buy loot from you. Note, I said *bulk-buy*. He's not the kind of guy that will buy three iron daggers from you, and an assortment of crap. Go to a normal trader for that stuff. He wants quality and will only buy in large numbers, like 10+.

 

The more favours you do for him, the better his reputation as a "go-to guy" will become. That means, he will have more customers and so, more gold to buy your stuff. As his reputation grows, so will the quality of his customers. The orders he will ask you to fulfil will become more exotic, and will require advanced skills in alchemy, smithing and enchanting. Who knows, this guy might help you finally empty that bulging storage chest you have at Breezehome. That veritable graveyard of looted arms and armour, you just can't be bothered to sort through and sell, due to the tedium of traipsing all over Skyrim to find merchants with gold?

 

Occasionally, towns in Skyrim may place orders and require merchants to cross the map, which you may choose to protect from bandit attacks or raid yourself. Although you should remember, one day, the business could be yours. As owner/guild master, you can employ your own smiths, do business with mines to supply ores, hire muscle to protect your travelling merchants, and lackeys to move resources into storage areas, ready for shipping to all corners of Tamriel.

 

Who wants to be High King, when you can be Kingpin? Well, everyone; that's why jealous competitors will send assassins and saboteurs to disrupt your business and attempt to off you and your staff. If you survive, you might eventually learn their identity and despatch your own henchmen, or perhaps "deal" with the problem yourself.

Edited December 14, 2011 by cooltrickle

[cooltrickle]

Let's add an import business too. This way even at low levels, the player will always be able to access top-tier items, provided they have enough gold. All you would need to do is purchase a receipt from the merchant and come back in a week to redeem the receipt for the item. The reason for the delay is that the item must be imported if the merchant doesn't already have that item in stock. I think it should be possible to buy pretty much anything from this merchant except unique items. The drawback will be it costs a lot of gold. High speech skill and being friends and with the merchant and his family/friends, will provide a small discount.

 

Unless the player is cheating, the gold cost for items should prevent this feature from being abused and making the game too easy.

 

Players that have already finished Skyrim a few times, and just want to get the top equipment straight away will also find this merchant useful.

[Seviche]

I like this idea. Smithing is a skill that becomes useless once you get the weapon and armor you want... and get it enhanced. It's be great if I could make money off of it and then invest it.