Traveling Merchants

Perception

Purpose

The traveling merchants are one of the most necessary members of society. These merchants travel between the surface world and the underwater world to spread valuable resources to areas that do not have access to various goods. Due to the nature of the split existence of the world, merchants distribute goods that are exclusive to each region such as building materials and produce from the surface and pearls and fish from the underwater settlements. Various alchemic resources that come from each region also are traded. Merchants also are the main dealer of the official currency. Smaller settlements still use bartering systems, but the more established area had a common currency. THe exchange rate varied greatly, but merchants were the ones who dictated its value.

Social Status

Merchants are generally regarded as swindlers and are seen even less favorably in smaller settlements. Due to their ability to control market value, most of the population assumes that all merchants have selfish motivations. Most of the smaller settlements especially feel that dealings with merchants are a necessary evil due to their extremely limited ability to provide valuable goods in exchange for good required for survival. Even the smaller settlements that have resources such as rare fish and pearls generally feel that merchants take advantage of their increased need for supplies. Due to the tendency for merchants to wear protective eyewear, a slur often used to refer to one is "bug-eyes." This is commonly used as an insult to refer to someone who is being shady or abusing a position of power.

History

Merchants have always been a part of the world. But as the region became more and more divided by land and sea, their importance grew exponentially. Traveling merchants became their own profession and they came to rely on ships, caravans, and other means to travel between settlements.

Type

Financial / Trade