Concept art of a Merchant caste dwarf.[1]
The Merchant caste is the caste of dwarven society involved in trading and commerce.
Background
According to legend, Koapar and Knakkt were twin brothers who founded trading houses. Knakkt was wounded in battle and vowed to serve his brother. From Koapar comes the Merchant caste, and from Knakkt the Servant caste.[2]
The majority of Orzammar's goods pass through the hands of merchants, sold to surface traders or within Orzammar itself. As space is limited in the Orzammar Commons, only very old, highly respected, or especially savvy merchant dwarves own shops.[3] The rest must make do with temporary stalls. Permits for choice spots are costly and may require bribes or special dispensation to acquire. Only approved merchants may sell goods in the Diamond Quarter.[4]
The Merchant caste was once in higher favor than it is now. Its members once served as ambassadors from Orzammar to the surface, but the wealth this trade produced caused many merchants and their families to break ties with Orzammar and dwarves as a whole to keep the profits for themselves.[5] These dwarves left for the surface. It was this exodus that formed the first group of casteless surfacers. This betrayal of the caste system left a lasting rift in dwarven society from which the Merchant caste has never recovered, and their esteem among other castes has been diminished ever since.
Known members
- Armor Merchant
- Beraht
- Bodahn Feddic
- Nug Wrangler Boermor
- Figor
- Legnar
- Mischa
- Olinda
- Silk Merchant
- Weapon Merchant
See also
References
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Player's Guide, set 2, p. 15.
- ↑ According to Shaper Czibor in Dragon Age: Origins.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Player's Guide, set 2, p. 16.
- ↑ According to Gorim Saelac in the Dwarf Noble Origin, when speaking of the merchants that were allowed to buy permits to sell their wares in the Diamond Quarter.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Player's Guide, set 2, p. 16.
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