A Dozen Trade Goods

A Dozen by Michael Hammes

Trade Goods Requires the use of the Dungeons & Dragons

Players Handbook

ROLE-PLAY ALERT
Most PCs only become involved in trade in a peripheral way, usually by serving as caravan
guards or watching over a warehouse. But trade, and its peripheral effects, can do so much more
Introduction
Much as the real world thrives on commerce,
to enhance the campaign. so does the fantasy world. Whether it is the
Trade provides adventure possibilities for the PCs. Sure, there are always guards needed, but farmer selling his wheat to the miller to grind into
guards can only do so much. Much more challenging is to have the PCs take on the local cabal flour for the baker to bake into rolls, or the jewel-
of pirates or bandits with the intention of eliminating the source of the trade disruption. er crafting a piece for the royal ball, commerce is
The GM can turn this on its head by having the PCs act as pirates or bandits, interfering with everywhere. And a large part of commerce is
the slave caravans headed to the Dread Citadel or stopping a shipment of high-quality dwarven trade.
weapons from reaching the expansionist orc tribe. Trade is the result of people in one area want-
Merchants are always looking for new sources of goods and faster ways of delivering them. ing, or needing, something that is produced in
PCs can aid merchant expeditions in blazing trade routes through inhospitable lands, or just do another area. Trade can be local, regional, nation-
the job themselves. al, international, or, in a fantasy world, even inter-
Of course, trade can play a more subtle role. After all, gold and gems are fine, but you cant planar.
eat them and in many places (frontier lands, alien cultures, nomadic lands) they dont go far; a This PDF presents a dozen trade goods for
nomad would rather have the paladins horse in trade for his guide services than a bunch of use- inclusion in your campaign. From relatively
less, yellow metal. bulky goods (Dwarven Rock Salt) to animals
Also, those bandits who are preying on caravans arent very likely to have a nice chest filled (Nassyryan Stallions) to fine spirits (Rycian
with coins and gems just waiting to be recovered by the PCs (unless they knocked off the mili- Wine), the included goods in this PDF cover the
tary payroll train). Rather, they probably have all manner of goods lying about their camp that gamut of possibilities.
theyve obtained and are trying to figure out how to unload without creating suspicion. Even the
fabled wealth of the dwarves tends to lie in ores and base metals such as iron rather than gold or
gems. ADozen Trade Goods is copyright 2004 Michael Hammes. All
In short, give a couple of minutes of thought to trade and how it works in the campaign world text in this book is designated as open game content. You may not
distribute this PDF without permission of the author. Dungeons &
and you will be surprised at the possibilities for expanding your campaign you can come up with. Dragons and Wizards of the Coast are Registered Trademarks
of Wizards of the Coast and are used with permission.

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A Dozen Trade Goods
The Trade Goods
All trade is simply a matter of buy low, sell high; someone
buys something for a lower price than it sells for somewhere else
and in the process makes profit. The actual good can be anything
from wheat to pearls; the only thing that matters is that there is a
profit to be made by selling the good to someone else for more
money than you paid for it.
While there is certainly money (and, in fact, quite substantial
sums) to be made in wheat, lumber, iron ore, etc., this PDF con-
cerns itself with trade goods that are more appealing to the adven-
turer. These are goods that are valuable in relatively small quanti-
ties when compared to wheat or iron ore; an entire wagon of
Banaealdar wood goes a long way indeed.
Thus they are easy to include in treasure hoards, many can in
fact be carried on a person. This keeps the PCs from getting caught
up in the logistics of figuring out how to transport and sell twenty
wagonloads worth of wheat in order to get the 1,000 gold piece
value that they represent (not that this wouldnt be fun to play out)
while at the same time presenting both the players and GM with
opportunities for role-playing beyond simply stuffing coins in their
pockets.
The goods are written up according to the following template:
Information: A description of the good, its origins, the basis
of its value, and anything else that is pertinent to introducing the
good to the campaign.
Cost Basis: Because each campaign is different, rather than
placing a fixed gold piece value on the given items they are based
on the quantity of the good that can be bought by one years worth
of labor for an ordinary, unskilled commoner. I included this
measure as a way to show just how valuable, relatively speaking,
such goods are when compared to the worth of labor provided by
an ordinary person living in the world. If you do not wish to use
this measure, simply substitute 50 gp in its place (so that each
quantity listed costs 50 gp).
The cost represents the worth of the item where the PCs are
staying. Obviously, it will be less expensive (between 10% to 50%
of the listed value as determined by the GM) at the source. This
was done because the PCs are more likely to encounter these items
away from their source and, whether it be they or some merchant
who will hire them, will draw upon this number as a base when
deciding how much profit they can make (lets see, I know I can
sell this bolt Deepdale silk for three times what this merchant is
asking for so maybe I should pick some up).
Special Rules: The quantifiable effect, if any, that the good in
question has relating to the mechanics of the d20 fantasy game.
BANAELADAR WOOD
Information: This rare blond hardwood is found only in elven
forests. More durable than most woods, it is rare even in its home-
lands as the elves harvest the wood only from fallen or diseased
trees.
All exports of Banaeladar wood are tightly controlled by the
elves, which derive substantial revenues from its sale, and anyone
caught poaching the wood faces the harshest of penalties; cutting
down a living, healthy Banaeladar tree is punishable by death.
Banaeladar wood is prized by the wealthy for its unique appear-
ance, longevity, and, of course, exclusivity. A Banaeladar chair is
the prize possession of many a successful merchant, and only the
wealthiest can afford a Banaeladar desk or cabinet; an entire
Banaeladar dining set is the province of royalty.
Cost Basis: 1 pound of Banaeladar wood = 1 year worth of
labor
Special Rules: Banaeladar wood is among the hardest of all
woods (Hardness 6, Hit Points 12/inch of thickness) and any item
created from it is automatically of masterwork quality. Although
used exclusively for furniture outside of the elven realms, the occa-
sional wooden shield has been seen in the hands of powerful elves:
Item Hardness Hit Points
Banaeladar light shield 6
a
9
Banaeladar heavy shielda 6 18
a all Banaeladar items are of masterwork quality
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 A Dozen Trade Goods
DEEPDALE SILK
Information: All silk is a precious commodity in its own right, its
cool touch and the vibrancy it lends to colors making it the preferred
material for the clothing of the wealthy and powerful all over the
realms. But while the ordinary individual, who cannot afford silk in
any case, thinks all silk is alike, that is simply not true. Much like one
ale is not like another, one silk is not like another, and among the finest
of silks is that produced by the halflings of Deepdale.
The generally dry and mild climate of the dale, combined with the
expert husbandry of generations of halfling silk farmers, has led to the
breeding of a superior sort of silkworm. Add to this the exceptional
skill of the halfling silk weavers and dyers and you have a product that
is on par with the best in the world.
Naturally, since it is such a valuable commodity, the halflings keep
tight control of the entire process. All trading is done through the sole
trading post at the northern height of the dale. Any visitors or mer-
chants, including other halflings, are politely confined to the trading
post.
Deepdale patrols constantly scour both the valley floor and the steep
hills surrounding it for spies and those who simply got lost, swiftly
evicting them sans their possessions from the area and barring them
from returning. Of course, those who are actually caught with a silk-
worm or cocoon in their possession face much stiffer penalties, up to
and including death.
Cost Basis: 2 square yards of Deepdale silk = 1 year worth of labor
Special Rules: None.
DWARVEN ROCK SALT
Information: When most people think of dwarves they invari-
ably think of metals, precious and otherwise, and they have an image
of the stout people toiling in endless mines and fire-lit forges. Even
those engaged in regular trade with the bearded ones often focus only
on weapons, gems, and mass quantities of metals.
Yet those same mountains and hills that produce those glittering
treasures often contain another valuable commodity: salt. And the
same engineering talents that allow the dwarves to create their fine
cities make them among the most efficient at winning salt from the
rock, more salt than the dwarves could ever hope to use themselves.
Although dwarven rock salt is no more valuable than any other
type of salt, it is often more readily available and, because it is often
overlooked by other traders, the market is still wide open for those on
good terms with the mountain dwellers. Finally, unlike gold, gems,
and metals, salt is a very necessary commodity, especially in food
preservation.
Cost Basis: 10 pounds of dwarven rock salt = 1 year worth of
labor
Special Rules: None.
GNOMISH PASTE
Information: Everyone who wants to be someone wants to wear
jewelry. But not everyone who wants jewelry can afford it, or at least
not the kind of pieces that they want. Well, whenever you have a
practical problem, count on the gnomes to deliver a practical solution.
Among the greatest jewelers in the world, gnomish artisans have
recently begun to explore the market for paste (a brilliant, lead-con-
taining glass used to make fake jewelry) and are finding great suc-
cess. So skillful is their work that it takes even an expert more than
a momentary glance to tell the fake from the real, and an actual mas-
terwork example of the craft requires careful study by even the most
experienced appraiser.
Of course such pieces are still relatively expensive, but compared
to the prices of the real thing, gnomish paste is a bargain.
Furthermore, some intrepid owners of fine jewelry have discovered
the prudence of keeping the real thing at home, safe from theft, and
wearing a gnomish copy while out in public.
Cost Basis: 1 gnomish paste diamond = 10 years worth of labor
(effectively one-tenth of the true value of the gem that the paste
copies, so that a gnomish paste piece designed to resemble a 1,000 gp
emerald would cost 100 gp.)
Special Rules: It takes an Appraise check (DC 15 for an average
piece, 20 for a masterwork piece) to tell a piece of gnomish paste
from the real thing. Failing this check means that the appraiser has
assumed that the paste is the real thing.
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 A Dozen Trade Goods
JEHARIAN PERFUME ous components, no one has yet been able to duplicate the perfume
with complete success.
Information: Valued for its long-lasting and delicate odors, as Of course, there are other choices of perfume out there, and many
well as its reputed aphrodisiac properties, Jeharian perfume is of them quite good. But a true lady or gentleman (i.e. one of wealth
sought after the world over by both men and women to enhance and stature) will only settle for the best, and that best comes from
their attraction to members of the opposite sex. Jeharia.
As with most such goods, the exact manufacturing process that Cost Basis: 1 vial (1 ounce) of Jeharian perfume = 1 year worth
results in the production of Jeharian perfume is kept a secret and, of labor
although a number of alchemists claim to have discovered its vari- Special Rules: Jeharian perfume is especially prized by practi-
tioners of Enchantment magic, imposing a -2 circumstance
Nassyryan Stallion penalty to the target of a charm person spell.
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 3d8+12 (25 hp) LEOPARD FUR
Initiative: +2 Information: All the rage throughout the land, the fur
Speed: 70 ft. (14 squares) from this ferocious jungle predator is much prized by the
Armor Class: 15 (1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14 ladies at court who use the fur to trim hats, gloves, stoles, and
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9 even capes.
Attack: Hoof +4 melee (1d4+3) The dear price of this fur is further enhanced by the fact
Full Attack: 2 hooves +4 melee (1d4+3) and bite 1 melee (1d3+1) that the native tribes consider the animal sacred and kill any-
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. one poaching or trapping the animal on their lands. At the
Special Attacks: same time, the possession of a leopard fur among the natives
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent is the symbol of a great warrior, who can only gain such a fur
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2 by single-handedly stalking the animal and killing it with a
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 6 blessed knife.
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Cost Basis: 1 leopard skin = 3 years worth of labor
Feats: Endurance, Run
Environment: Temperate plains Special Rules: None.
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 1 NASSYRYAN STALLIONS
Advancement: Information: The desert peoples of Nassyrya are known
Level Adjustment: for two things: their fierce warriors and the refined steeds
These animals or similar to light warhorses but of a superior breed. They usually are not that they ride.
ready for warfare before age three. A Nassyryan stallion can fight while carrying a rider, Bred through countless generations in the depths of the
but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check. desert, Nassyryan stallions are universally intelligent, swift,
Carrying Capacity: A light load for a Nassyryan stallion is up to 230 pounds; a medi- and beautiful. So desirable are they that among the
um load, 231460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461690 pounds. A Nassyryan stallion can Nassyryans a mans wealth is measured in the number of
drag 3,450 pounds. horses he possesses. And yet, while even a Nassyryan of rel-
atively modest means will own such a horse, that same horse
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A Dozen Trade Goods
would easily fetch a handsome sum in other lands and the true
beauties of the breed are truly worth a kings ransom.
Of course, obtaining such a magnificent animal is no easy task
as the Nassyryans guard their horses jealously and no amount of
money will convince them to part with an animal if the person
attempting to buy it is not deemed worthy; it goes without saying
that horse theft is punishable by death.
Although the Nassyryans ride these horses into battle (they are
light warhorses after all) those outside of Nassyryan lands are too
valuable to risk in such a mean endeavor. Rather, they serve as
studs to better the bloodlines of native stock and as racehorses for
the ultra-wealthy.
Cost Basis: 1 Nassyryan stallion = 80 to 200 years worth of
labor
Special Rules: Nassyryan stallions are a superior breed of light
warhorse (statistics on previous page).
PANTANIAN OLIVE OIL
Information: Small, knotted trees dot the landscape of
Pantania, a region known for its dry and mild climate and war-
ring, fractious tribes. Although an outsider might not consider
them much to look at, the locals revere these trees as holy. To
the Pantanians, the olive tree symbolizes abundance, glory, and
peace and they call the oil they press from its fruit liquid gold.
Used by the locals in everything from cooking to anointing
their kings and holy men, Pantanian olive oil has become prized
in the remainder of the world as well. It is a salutary food item,
improving the flavor of hundreds of recipes with its light and
often slightly nutty flavor. Said to be good for health, many peo-
ple will take a spoonful of olive oil on an empty stomach, swear-
ing that it promotes vitality and stomach efficiency.
Cost Basis: 1 small amphorae (1 gallon) of Pantanian olive
oil = 1 year worth of labor
Special Rules: None.
RYCIAN WINE
Information: While ale is produced the world over, few places
are ideal for producing really good wine. So dependent upon soil
composition and weather is this process that experts in wines can tell
down to the vineyard and year when and where a given wine was
produced.
And, if you asked such an expert about their favorite wines, they
would invariably name a Rycian wine among them. Grown along
the steep banks of the Rycian river, Rycian wines are known for
their supple and seductive flavors, a result of having been cultivat-
ed in the soil for over twenty generations.
Rycian wines are a staple at the tables of the Emperor himself
and, as a result, are also hugely popular among the wealthy and
socially conscious.
While the profit and popularity of Rycian wines is enough to
make them a shrewd investment for those with appropriately deep
pockets, it would be amiss to not mention that the overall pleasant-
ness of the Rycian people makes commerce with them exceedingly
pleasant.
Cost Basis: 2 bottles of recent vintage Rycian wine = 1 year
worth of labor
Special Rules: None.
STYRCLYZ CAVIAR
Information: Considered a great delicacy by those who can
afford it, Styrclyz caviar comes from the untamed reaches of the
heavily forested Styrclyz Mountains.
There, in the hundreds of small lakes that dot the remote valleys,
live the sturgeyn whose eggs form the basis of the caviar. Once a
year, in a period lasting a month, the small local populace of
freemen moves to the lakes to fish the sturgeyn, cutting them open
and removing their eggs before sewing them up again so that they
may produce more the next year.
All this happens under the watchful eye of the Styrclyz druids,
who not only ensure that the local freemen take care of the fish but
also keep out those who would exploit the fish for their own gain.
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 A Dozen Trade Goods
The caviar is stored in small barrels, mixed with salt, and
brought to Caviar Town, a small trading post near the southern foot
of the mountains that literally arises overnight. There, in a week
of fierce bargaining, all the barrels are traded by the freemen to
eager traders for axes, tools, blankets, and other supplies that the
freemen cannot provide for themselves. At the end of this time, the
two groups go their separate ways until the following year.
Cost Basis: 1 jar (12 ounces) of Styrclyz caviar = 1 year worth
of labor
Special Rules: None.
SUGAR
Information: Won from plants grown only on islands in the
tropical oceans, this recently introduced spice is already a big hit
with those who can afford it. Its sweet taste finds a happy home in
deserts and candies, but also in medicines.
While it is a treat for the common man, and even those of sub-
stantial means tend to save sugar for important occasions such as
holidays or celebrations, sit at the tables and you will find sugar in
just about every dish (i.e. in a meat glaze, baked into a pie, encrust-
ed on vegetables, etc.). Sadly, many of these uses of sugar are not
about good taste in the sense of being pleasing to the palate, but
rather to demonstrate the sheer amount of wealth possessed by the
host.
Cost Basis: 1 pound of sugar = 1 year worth of labor
Special Rules: None.
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THYRICIAN GLASSWARE
Information: One of the hallmarks of great craftsmen is
when their work becomes desired all over the realms. This is
precisely the case with glassware from Thyricia, a relatively
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Thyrician glassware is best described as pure and delicate,
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Cost Basis: 1 small Thyrician utilitarian piece = 1 year
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Special Rules: Alchemists labs whose glass components are
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