Over the past while I had the idea to run a gurps campaign centered on the buying selling peddling of goods and occasional delving for the goods from information gathered by exchanging info with other merchants. What kind of stuff would be good to include in such a campaign centered on peddlers trade companies and town to town travel?

For example there would be goblin ambushes of Goblin swindlers trying to upsell subpar though occasionally worthwhile goods at exorbitant prices in quick on the road encounters

Avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
Being a merchant generally sucks. It's why it's a job, not a hobby. Try to keep the focus on big deals/scores, and don't be surprised if delving for the goods captures your group's attention more than gathering info on the price of rice.

>>95870682 (OP)
Ryuutama has some cute mechanics you could lift

>>95870682 (OP)
You probably should allow for, nay encourage, things other than just raw merchant prowess and dungeon delving. You should encourage trying to establish monopolies, running other merchants out of town, buying out regulating authorities, and all sorts of shady shit. Even if the party doesn't bite, have rival NPC cartels try to screw them out of their market.

Pure haggle isn't what makes the merchant experience interesting for an average group; its all the backroom deals that happen that put you in the lead.

>>95870682 (OP)
Spice & Wolf

>>95870775
That's what I was immediately thinking, like the factionplay in Blades of the Dark.
The nuts and bolts of the merchanting itself can for sure be fun in an autismo way, but intrigue and competition raises stakes

>>95870750
That makes sense, big deals in the forefront, maybe I'll keep a tally of their profit and losses
>>95870775
Oo I completely forgot of monopolies and such, cartels would make for a great opposing force

Factions and favor with mayors and aristocrats to seal great deals would all also make sense too

>>95870766
Not OP but would you mind elaborating? I'm unfamiliar and curious.

>>95871258
its basically harvest moon the tabletop game, your classes focus around archetypes that interact with the world to produce items in their niche; hunters hit monsters, healers gather herbs aide the locals medically support the party, farmers and artisans and nobles and merchants all fill their roles as well.

you travel from town to town in a region or work a town locally and build rapport increasing your produce and values etc. weather, seasons, light combat, lots of story elements (the GM has dragon-races they play that influence the story in a certain ways)

worth checking out the PDF if youre into all of that aesthetic, very japanese and light hearted.

i own the physical book and i love it for ideas, but ive only played the game a few times. it'll be fun to use to introduce my kinds to ttrpgs in the future for sure.

>>95871372
my kids*

>>95870682 (OP)
How many times do you have to post this thread instead of just running the game?

>>95870682 (OP)
You can't run a merchant campaign.

Here are the reasons why:
>there is not one RPG on earth with a really well-thought-out currency system
>your players will all disagree on the meaning of value in the context of the setting
>your players will become bored of trade and will quickly become deranged thugs
>weekly prep will become a repetitive struggle to inject Traditional Adventure into your mercantile campaign
and most of all
>being a merchant is all about consistent bookkeeping and long-term planning, which players are INCAPABLE OF

Suns of Gold has a lot of good insights on this topic. Essentially, they boil down to:
>"When your players try to trade, they should run into obstacles (corrupt bureaucrats, offended tribal chieftains, useless local currencies, military blockades, etc) which force them to engage in Traditional Adventure-style hijinks"

>>95875002
>Suns of Gold
I'll looks into this, thanks!

>>95875002
lol fair, my group is full of like nerdy autists who after I told them earlier said they love the concept and want me to have like dated and weighed coins, I will put more conflict and drive up stakes and add stuff like obstacles and deadlines tho from what people have said

>>95875002
Great book, good post!