Merchant character - New GM

[Mat]

Hi everybody!

Again I need your help/vision of the rules and the world!!!

One of my PG has created a merchant with Status 4 (so a quite rich one) and it has just one property a brothel in Old Town!It is a luxury one, so it is not for common people.

1)Here is the situation...For many things/items that are common for its status the PG doesn't need to buy, he just has them!Since he wants to corrupt some people he needs also cash.
Where does the money come from?(of course the brothel), but how much per month?
Should he test a status?
I know that on the basis of what he does money can arrive in larger or smaller amount but a brothel doesn't need a constant observation and in quiet period the income is more or less constant.
...a merchant should have some income from its activities. How?

2)The benefit "wealthy" says that "you have money in inheritance or through master of business". I understand it but if a person has the controll of all the brothel in Old Town and he is a master of the business he just have 40 gd per month (10 x degree of success)?And in any case he must take the benefit.

3)What could be the use of "Head for Number" for a merchant, to me it is something that could be related to its activities.

Thank you again to everybody.

[Carriker]

Hello, there. Cool character concept.

As far as the Status goes, generally speaking, a very successful merchant, with a vast degree of power, is usually only Status 3. Most merchants are 2 at best. Status 3 would probably work for a merchant-prince of some kind, with multiple brothels thoughout a large region, likely. This veritable Prince of Pimps would likely be a scandalous figure, but poor Houses might court his favor. Still, Status 4+ is usually distinctly in the reach of nobility.

As far as his income goes, I think the Wealthy Benefit covers it pretty well. I mean, it's even a Status test to generate Coin, so Head for Numbers would apply to it, as well. Let's remember that 40 gold is nothing to sneer at. That's quite a lot of money, especially if it all comes from a single brothel (admittedly, an expensive one, but there's only so much that a wealthy Westerosi is going to pay for a prostitute - these aren't the courtesans of Braavos, for instance).

If you absolutely wanted him to generate more coin regularly, you could decide to let him purchase the Wealthy Benefit multiple times. That would be about the easiest method of increasing that generation of coin without devising an entirely new sub-system to accomodate such stories.

Ultimately, it sounds like you guys are having fun with it, so you're doing it right.

[Mat]

Thank you so much for the reply!Very clear!

Actually I was wrong and the Merchant PG has Status 3.
Now the question arise when looking at page 65 on the Status ability description, there it says that Status 5 is for a Merchant Prince, 2 ranks above the rich merchant with 3.

What should a rank 5 mean?Someone like Illirio Mophatis(but he is outside of westeros)?...so, Some rich merchant family of Gulltown?

I don't want to be too much fussy but i like coherence and standard to look at.

At this point I would like to have another little advice...The other PG is a Hedge Knight with Fighting 5 and 3B Long Blades. Is this person a master on fighting throughout the region(in this case the Reach)?Is he more or less well known for its ability?
The story is settled during the Blackfyre rebellion, just before the begin of it.

Again, really thank you!!!

[Paedrig]

The whole Status-thing looks often a little bit broken.
In the end i would suggest you modify the status of pc and npc so that it is at least cohaerent for your game play (the examples in the core rule books and the campaign guide seem to contradict each other - sometimes even in the same book ).

Concerning your hedge knight...
This is also a little bit broken because it is easy to get an ability of 5 plus some bonus dices (if you look at the example characters in the core rule books) while some of the most popular fighters/ knights are not much better or even not so good like the example chars.
On the other hand a generic "knight of quality" (Peril at Kings Landing) get's fighting 5 plus bonus dices.

Therefore i would say that your hedge knight might have a certain reputation in the area - but i. m. o. not arround the whole Reach (there are also enough others 'knights of quality). At least if he did not get the right benefit that makes him famoust...

But this are only my ideas to deal with the little bit broken situation...

[Carriker]

Actually I was wrong and the Merchant PG has Status 3.
Now the question arise when looking at page 65 on the Status ability description, there it says that Status 5 is for a Merchant Prince, 2 ranks above the rich merchant with 3.
What should a rank 5 mean?Someone like Illirio Mophatis(but he is outside of westeros)?...so, Some rich merchant family of Gulltown?
I don't want to be too much fussy but i like coherence and standard to look at.

So it does! Excellent. Yes, a "merchant prince" by that standard should be very nearly nobility. There aren't many such individuals in Westeros, but Ilyrio and the ruling merchants of Braavos are an example of that level of status as applied to merchants. They are usually masters of some trade or another, with fleets of ships constantly conducting trade, and incredible amounts of land.

Your Prince of Pimps, for example, would probably need to own many of the brothels throughout the Reach, with a handful of other trades - fine perfumes, for example, and possibly exclusive trade with some vintners to supply good wine to his upscale brothels, and silk investments for his "treasures."

At this point I would like to have another little advice...The other PG is a Hedge Knight with Fighting 5 and 3B Long Blades. Is this person a master on fighting throughout the region(in this case the Reach)?Is he more or less well known for its ability?

That level of fighting is noteworthy. If he's the sort who has fought in public venues before - large-scale wars, or in well-attended tourneys - he is likely to be known. Not necessarily, though; it's entirely possible for someone of great skill to have simply never used his abilities where others have noticed.

[Mat]

Again thank you all for your advices!

Since the Merchant story seems to be quite "complex" i would manage it in the best proper way.

Actually me and the player weren't thinking to own all the businesses involved to upkeep the brothel but to buy the goods from others merchants.
From here starts the game...now the PC merchant would like to controll some specific areas of trade in Old Town(not defined yet, but as you suggested perfums,silk,wine could be very good). My idea, since he doesn't want to be involved in ship trade, is that he could controll some customs officers of the Old Town port to have the access to best prices and best supplier.

What do you think?Is more appropiate to controll directly the supply of the commodities used in the brothels (considering its status as a merchant)?

[Eisen]

Could make for an intresting campagin. I advised my players that they'd need a very good reason to get an atribute up to 5. Considering that (according to the Campagin Guide at least) even some main characters from the books don't have fighting 5, I think it should be pretty rare

So two PCs one merchant and one hedge knight. I hope the hedge knight dosen't mind spending most his time as a bouncer for the merchant It might be fun to see the PCs getting some greif from the Maesters, as the order is technicaly supose to be celebate. Although I don't know if that rule applies to unchained students with too much cash to spend on just books

[Mat]

Actually I hope it can be a good campaign!

Just to give more details on the background story and the PC.

The Hedge Knight was knighted by another hedge knight, the PC was anointed by a countryside Septon.
This couple of hedge knight are something like the "Warrior's son" (even if now abolished). They worked for poors and Septon (even non combative jobs) for just something to live and rarely they work for lords.
Both are faithful but the PC one feel the temptation of the flesh...!
Actually the Master hedge knight was (recently death, before the campaign start)well known in the south of the Reach for its long sword ability...but its "padawan"...no one can say for certanty (just a talented one for those who saw him)!

Thank you everybody!
Very kind all of you!