An Exchange of Goods

Why This Tradition Exists:

The Epoch of Recovery was a tumultuous time that was full of land takeovers and needless slaughter caused by the merciless Raiding Lords. It was extremely dangerous to be a merchant but also extremely lucrative. Not many were capable of making it and chose instead to support already successful merchants as guards, employees who monitor stock and run the stands in the merchant's absence, or sourcing items for the merchant.   Over time, the established merchants began to swell in number and routes and items on offer began to overlap. The merchants who happened to share the same the routes yet sold differing items developed cold respect, whilst rivalry and competition erupted between those who who sold the same things and blatantly stepped on each other's toes. Soon, the life of a merchant became as dangerous as it had been before, with evil and hate coming both from within and without.   At the height of the problem, five merchants arose and became to biggest dangers to those who travelled regularly on the roads. There was the:  

• Widowmaker, a merchantess so dark and bloodthirsty for a mere peddler of rare nuts and legumes,
• Echokeeper—a no-nonsense merchant of of spices with a heart of stone and a fist of steel,
• Grincleaver—a merchant of knives that loved using knives as much as he liked dominating the market with his stock of everything with a sharp edge,
• Wordstrider—a quiet yet fiery peddler of the written word who often threatened book sellers at his destinations, and the
• Jewelhunter—a seductive and sometimes greedy merchantess, her hoard was rumoured to be as large as any dwarven kingdom's and that all seven of her children came from different fathers.

  These five terrorized all who had to do trade during the same span of time stretching over 10 years and to deal with them was like handling hot coals with gloves filled with holes, no matter who you were or what you did in your day to day life. Eventually, a merchant of fruits grew tired of the fear that constantly hung in the air, and decided to do something about it. Known today as the Peaceworker, he systematically set about gaining allies in high and powerful places. These allies equipped him with armed men who answered to his call whenever he needed help.   With these men, he went to war with the problem merchants. Even when he was threatened by them and often found his stall trashed by their men, he kept moving forward until all the merchants had been toppled. And with the defeat of each mercantile tyrant, he took over their operations, growing in power and appreciation of the people around him.   After about ten years of hard work and merciless hunting, the Peaceworker realized that only two merchants left: the Echokeeper and the Widowmaker. They ran into each other at the same place, a junction that used to exist halfway between Neshal and the elven settlement of Béshin Aeðúr. The Widowmaker immediately tried to kill the Peaceworker, but she was killed by the Echokeeper as soon as she turned her attention fully onto the Peaceworker. The Peaceworker was stunned at that turn of events, and almost left himself open as the Echokeeper turned his attention to him.   Two merchants left the junction that day, a solemn agreement exchanged between them: the precursor to the Exchange of Goods.

The Exchange of Goods is a tradition shared by most, if not all, merchants that brave the roads of Aegéfaer, and has managed to remain mostly unchanged over the millennia - though it has morphed over time. It has served as a faithful way to maintain trust and understanding between merchants and to keep one from trying to outdo or push another out. It works better for merchants who happen to sell the same or similar products, but it still somehow works for merchants who have wares that couldn't be any more different.   This tradition/interaction begins with the meeting of two merchants who meet on the road. They greet each other and shake hands by clasping forearms, an action that allows them to check for any weapons that might be hiding in sleeves. They exchange some pleasantries before they present the goods that they are willing to trade, adjusting or adding some if the value isn't exact. If both agree with what they see, the trade is made and the merchants move on. Some more amenable pairings will stick around and share a meal before they leave.   Nowadays, the tradition persists, but it has morphed a bit over the years and most have forgotten the root and meaning of the handshake. Most merchants learn of the Exchange of Goods without ever learning about why they have to do it. Nowadays, the Exchange of Goods is used as a chance to make friends and get drunk as they turn their meetings into a chance to party and drink until they can't remember anything that happened after their hands met.