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Matthus
Senior Scribe
Germany
393 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Jul 2012 : 06:41:23
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Hey, I ‘m looking for some goods my players could trade with the drows (without the usual slave deals ;-). The goods should be easily transported and be without hints about the origin.
Can you give me some ideas more then gems or spice. Thanks already.
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader
USA
3750 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2012 : 06:57:41
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| Being elves, drow would of course appreciate anything they would consider "exotic", such as most surface foods or drinks, cloth made from cotton, linen, or other materials not found in the Underdark, and also worked metal or wooden crafts. Jewelry, furniture, glasswork, and the like, mostly. |
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Matthus
Senior Scribe
Germany
393 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2012 : 07:37:55
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And the goods that would be available from below? Any ideas about exotic trade without too much spiders.
I don’t think that unrefined ores or gems would be an option, but I can’t remember any refined ores that would be scare on the surface. Is there a special one?
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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore
1965 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2012 : 10:17:06
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| Exotic drugs and liquors. Artwork. Weapons. |
Misanthorpe
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xaeyruudh
Master of Realmslore
USA
1853 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2012 : 16:09:47
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A lot of spell components seem to be parts of creatures, and a lot of creatures are found either in the Underdark, or on the surface, but not both. So spell component trade could go in both directions.
Underdark races would also be interested in wood, and art crafted from wood.
Surface races aren't generally into fungus as a food source, but it's completely reasonable to assume that certain peculiar types of nastiness (mushrooms, molds, whatever) raised in the Underdark are considered a delicacy, or a great garnish, or of course a drug, on the surface. |
Edited by - xaeyruudh on 25 Jul 2012 16:12:43 |
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Wooly Rupert
Master of Mischief
USA
36905 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2012 : 16:15:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
Exotic drugs and liquors. Artwork. Weapons.
I'll echo the part about liquors. I'd imagine that the drow make some pretty interesting alcohols based on fermented mushrooms, fermented fungi, or combinations of the two. You could even create Underdark versions of surface plants and trees, and have alcohols (and foodstuffs) based on those. |
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Dalor Darden
Great Reader
USA
4213 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2012 : 16:37:24
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The Drow might also trade in captured magical items they have no desire to use (such as those captured from Duergar, Derro, etc), magical scrolls scribed by apprentices, potions and such. I don't see them selling powerful magical items though.
More mundane items such as tobacco might be of interest to the drow, as well as other small craft items such as pipes (scrimshaw?) or maybe even larger items like Hookah could be of interest.
Also, some surface wizards...while unwilling to KILL an elf for a spell component...might need certain components for spells that should they acquire them on the surface could end up causing them trouble. Rare components could for sure be something the Drow might offer without hesitation. |
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High
Australia
31799 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2012 : 16:39:13
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quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire
Exotic drugs and liquors. Artwork. Weapons.
I'll echo the part about liquors. I'd imagine that the drow make some pretty interesting alcohols based on fermented mushrooms, fermented fungi, or combinations of the two. You could even create Underdark versions of surface plants and trees, and have alcohols (and foodstuffs) based on those.
There's also glowwine. I'm not entirely sure whether it's a drow-creation, but I recall Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark noting that it's served primarily through taverns in Ched Nasad. It's an amber vintage that glows with faerie fire for approximately an hour or more if the wine is stirred with a dweomered item, like a magical dagger or a wand for example.
I'd imagine that would make for a rather lucrative trade product... in the right markets. |
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Edited by - The Sage on 25 Jul 2012 16:40:25 |
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Ayrik
Great Reader
Canada
7989 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2012 : 21:08:49
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Don't forget information. Merchants and adventurers tend to travel to all sorts of interesting places and meet all sorts of interesting folk, and the savvy ones always try to keep their pointy ears to the ground to learn about obstacles and opportunities which might affect their business. Drow don't get out much; I think they'd be willing to slip some coin for reliable information about the happenings of nations, politics, and armies ... I think they'd be willing to pay a premium for reliable tips and information which could lead to the tracking or acquisition of things (like new magics and mages) which directly interest them.
Spies and informants are such ugly words, but I'd be willing to bet that useful ones could make a lot more silver than mere spice merchants. Besides, I have the suspicion that anything underhanded and devious just sort of comes naturally to drow. Having said that - only a fool would dare supply information to drow which should turn out to be unreliable, false, or treacherous.
I wouldn't be surprised if the drow have some sort of <ahem> underground black market which thrives on the shadowy trade of information and goods specifically relating to surface elves. Drow warriors could always make use of another suit of elven chainmail, even if as nothing more than trophies. Drow mages could always refine their craft through study of elven spellbooks. Drow from all walks of underlife might look forward to sitting down (with their backs to a wall) to enjoy celebrating the odd bottle of elven evermead. |
[/Ayrik] |
Edited by - Ayrik on 26 Jul 2012 21:10:54 |
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Thauranil
Master of Realmslore
India
1591 Posts |
Posted - 27 Jul 2012 : 12:06:31
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| Many mundane items such as foodstuffs and liquors are quite valuable in the underdark due to their scarcity , it is after all as desolate as any desert. |
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TBeholder
Great Reader
2480 Posts |
Posted - 28 Jul 2012 : 01:14:28
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Exports are in "Drizzt Do'Urden's Guide to the Underdark" and suchlike.
But in general, rather obvious, yeah. Lots of alchemy products (scroll inks, dyes, drugs, poisons, perfumes, etc), wild and domestic Underdark beasts/crops (both specimen and derivatives from meat to textiles and beverages), minor magic, weapons, other fine craft and artwork, possibly incorporating any of the above.
quote:
Originally posted by Dalor Darden
I don't see them selling powerful magical items though.
Especially since at least half of these is radiation quasimagic. Of course, after Liriel's patch it does in fact work on surface normally, but since drow who are "in the know" aren't eager to let this on, it amounts to the same. 
...With obvious exception of Sshamath, which specializes on trading normal magic. And is recommended as a less-lethal starter on the Drow contacts, anyway. |
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Kris the Grey
Senior Scribe
USA
422 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jul 2012 : 05:27:35
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Matthus,
I asked a somewhat similar question here: http://forum.candlekeep.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16345.
Two of the best replies came from Hoondatha:
"I'd start with at least a 500% mark-up and go from there, depending on what the trade good is and whether it has an Underdark equivalent. Wood, for instance, has an underground substitute in certain fungi, so would be less expensive. Smokepowder, however, is completely unknown, so the price for it would be literally obscene. Noble bidding wars and assassins in the night obscene.
Things like food would fall in between. It's a luxury, and it's both perishable and non-renewable, so it would be expensive, but it's not unique, so it wouldn't be as bad. Depends on what it was, though. Spices could be worth their weight in gold or more.
Sorry I don't have anything more specific. I'll be interested to see what other scribes have to offer."
and the Good Lady (THO):
"This happens to be a topic I've discussed with Ed, and I can tell you this much: the priciest non-slave goods in most drow cities of the Underdark are well-preserved citrus fruits and spices (the fruits are often coated in clay and then fabric-bagged, and then packed in carrychests or handkegs full of edible oils, to keep the air from them), followed by cheeses, superior-make iron tools, and lumber suitable for carving/furniture and structural work, followed by timber suitable for fuel.
I haven't yet consulted Ed for more, but I think Hoondatha has everything right for scarcity/utility/prices, and the base markup.
love,
THO"
I hope that helps!
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Kris the Grey - Member in Good Standing of the Watchful Order of Magists and Protectors, the Arcane Guild of Silverymoon, and the Connecticut Bar Association |
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Zireael
Master of Realmslore
Poland
1190 Posts |
Posted - 26 Oct 2012 : 15:10:23
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| Hmm. Exports are in DDGtU, but are there any later sources on this? |
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Trade with drows
