Trading Post
Location: Obodu/Kobean Border, Peran
Holder: Factor Ryal of Breneh
Size: 11
Introduction
This small trading post is suitable for use in any wilderness area. All that is required is a local barbarian tribe willing to trade and a dozen men (preferably including a woodcrafter or timberwright) a few weeks to construct. Thus, it can be easily inserted into any campaign, even in locations where the PCs have been before. The men who operate these trading posts are tough and resourceful, much like PCs.
History
"Hârnic tribes are usually able to find enough food and other essentials to survive. However, trade with civilized mercantylers is common for tribes on the edges of civilization, or those located along established trade routes like the Salt Route or the Fur Road. The tribes trade furs, wild beasts for the arena, slaves, and rare herbs and minerals like amber and jade, in exchange for metal tools and weapons, woven textiles, jewellery, and most other specialized products of civilized technology." [Barbarians 1]
Peran, north of Rethem, is home to one of Hârn's largest and most powerful barbarian tribes, the Kubora. Under the leadership of Arlun the Barbarian, they conquered the Theocracy of Golotha and established the Kingdom of Rethem. After his death, many of the more traditional Kubora returned to the north. "Since the foundation of Rethem, the Kubora have been more tolerant of outsiders. Traders travel up the Scarlet Ribbon to Kustan to trade for hides, wild beasts, and on rare occasions, for human slaves (usually captives taken by warring tribes); the latter two exports are destined for the Pamesani arenas. The favoured items of exchange in Peran are weapons and metal artefacts. One of the best known traders is Daquer of Iyesin, a half-Kuboran mercantyler from Golotha." [Kubora 5]
"Something of a loner, "Scarlet Dak" is Golotha's most successful Peran trader, bringing hides, pelts and wild beasts to Golotha in trade for metal artefacts and weapons. He will not deal in barbarian slaves since his mother was Kuboran. Iyesin is not popular with the Warriors of Mamaka; he employs three trusted Kuboran warriors as bodyguards." [Golotha 31]
A third generation mercantyler, Daquer inherited the franchise from his father who was also a well known and successful Peran trader. His mother was a member of the Kobean tribe and renowned for her beauty. After meeting her in Kustan, legend has it that his father courted her for three years, finally paying a bride price of 20 swords for the right to marry her.
Most mercantylers only trade with the Kubora during the Annual Moot at Kustan, limiting their profits. Being half-Kobean has given Daquer an "in". His mother's tribe has allowed him to establish a small, semi-permanent trading post on the coast. The post was deliberately located on the border between Obodu (population 1800) and Kobean (pop. 1300) territory. The tribes have reached a formal agreement between themselves that declares the trading post to be a neutral territory, which both tribes may visit. This gives Daquer access to two of the largest tribes of the Kubora.
This is the first semi-permanent trading post the Kubora have allowed to be established in their territory, although many other barbarian tribes on Hârn have similar arrangements, including the Pagaelin (Oselbridge), the Chelni (Trobridge Inn) and the Taelda (Naniom Bridge). Daquer hopes that if this trading post becomes successful, other tribes will allow him to establish further outposts. He is currently courting the Belmeddi and the Iorzu, asking them for permission to build a trading post south of Kustan, where their tribal ranges meet. This second outpost would give him year-round access to the four largest tribes and even greater influence over trade.
General Description
The trading post has been here just under two years. The palisade is made of peeled logs and the buildings are timber-frame, with waddle and daub infill and thatched roofs. The outpost was obviously built very quickly. The workmanship is rough but serviceable. The woodcrafter used green, undried timber. As it has dried out, gaps have begun to appear in the pallisade and walls of the buildings. The post will need to be rebuilt, in anticipation of this Ryal has had his men cut and stockpile a large number of logs, allowing them to dry naturally.
The trading post was deliberately placed on the coast to make it cheap and easy to resupply, eliminating the need for a stable. Several times a year, Daquer charters a ship to deliver new trade goods and pick up the hides and furs. This is safer and cheaper than transporting them through the wilderness and greatly improves the post's profit margin. The mercantyler has succeeded in buying off the Orbalese and Tiraen pirates in the Gulf of Pendos by making special trading stops at their coastal communities and giving them first choice of the new trade goods at a considerable discount.
First Floor
1. Palisade and gate - A 10-foot high log palisade surrounds the trading post. It is only intended to keep out wild animals and the occasional drunken barbarian, as the trading post could never withstand a serious attack. There are simply too few traders to defend it and the wooden structure is vulnerable to fire. Instead, the post depends on the enlightened self-interest and good will of the local tribes to keep it safe. The gate is built of roughhewn planks, with wooden hinges and drawbar. It is left propped open during the day and secured at sunset.
2. Mercantyler's store - This is where the trader exchanges finished goods for the barbarian's furs and hides. Many attractive trade items are on display behind the counter, including highly desirable metal weapons (swords, axes, knives etc). Fine wool blankets, linen and cloth hang on the walls. Most negotiations take place here. The trader's assistants can bring additional trade goods from the warehouse. Once a deal has been reached, the heavy bundles of pelts and hides are taken upstairs to the fur loft.
3. Warehouse - This room is full of barrels, crates and chests. They are filled with trade goods (mostly metal items, but also glass beads, blankets etc). Most of the weapons come packed in crates carefully coated with a layer of grease to protect them from rust and the salt air. The inventory varies greatly over the season, but is always greatest after the visit of the resupply ship.
4. Yard and well - The small lane between the two buildings is usually muddy or dusty. There are always a few people present, Kubora waiting their turn to trade or the factor's employees, wife or children. The large stack of firewood and shallow well are for the convenience of the post's occupants.
5. Factor's chamber - The only private room in the post, this is the home to the factor (mercantyler's agent), Ryal of Breneh. He is married to a local barbarian (Obodu) woman and they have three children. The five of them share the chamber and the bed. The room is quite spartan aside from the bed and a couple of chests for clothes. There is very little money here, as the great majority of transactions are in barter or trade.
6. Hall - A very simple and plain two-story room, the hall has a simple trestle table and benches. There is a stone hearth with a smoke hole. There is no fireplace here; that would be far too expensive and fancy for such a simple semi-permanent structure. The kitchen is just the end of the hall nearest the hearth.
Second Floor
7. Lookout tower - There is a simple watchtower above the door. It has no back to it. The trader's guards use it to watch for arriving customers and give the factor warning so he can be prepared to trade.
8. Fur loft - Once the trader accepts the barbarian's furs in trade, they are taken upstairs to be sorted by type and grade. Then they are baled for transport. This loft can get quite full when the factor is waiting for the transport ship. It can also smell quite foul as many of the pelts and hides are tanned with urine.
9. Sleeping loft - This is where the servants and guards sleep. The factor has two assistant factors (journeymen) and two apprentices. There are also two longbow men. They work as guards, but there main function is hunting for food (with the blessing of the local chief). All six men work as longshoremen when the ship comes by.
Adventure Hooks
Guard cargo. Daquer is planning to deliver the latest shipment of trade goods to the trading post. He hires the PCs as addition guards. During the unloading, a group of barbarians attempt to steal some of the cargo.
Missing brother. As above, but when the ship arrives, the trading post is empty. Daquer fears his brother has been taken captive. He offers the PCs a large sum to find him and stage a rescue.
Act as factor. Daquer has finally got agreement to establish a new trading post. He is sending Ryal to run it. He needs a temporary factor to run the first trading post for the rest of the summer.
Guard trading post. Sympathetic members of the Obodu tribe have warned Ryal that a small group of young warriors are planning to attack the trading post. Daquer hires the PCs to reinforce the outpost. On arrival, the PCs will have four days to make the place defensible.
Pirate raid. Daquer's business rivals are tired of him having all of the advantages. They hire the PCs to raid the trading post in the guise of Orbalese pirates. They may keep anything they can carry. One of Ryal's sons gets away and goes for help from the nearest Kobean village.