Merchants

**Merchants** allow the player to trade at market, and send goods to their own or other players' villages. Before a merchant can be created, players must first research Merchant Guilds, as well as placing a market in a village. By researching **Commerce**, the player can go beyond their own parish, and sell to the County, Province, Country and finally, the world.

**TIP:** Each merchant takes up 10 *unit spaces*, leaving less room for troops or other units.

## The Basics

Initially, the player must research the first level of Merchant Guilds; this is available when Level 2 of Mathematics has been completed.

A market will become available via the *industry buildings* tab of the *village UI*, and can be placed anywhere in a village (each village requires separate markets). Once the market has been built, the player can create merchants from the *units* tab of the *village UI*.

**TIP:** Without further research, only one merchant per market may be created.

## Trading with a market

To buy or sell at market (assuming the relevant research has been completed), select the village you wish to trade *from* by accessing the drop down menu on the top toolbar, by using arrow buttons on the top toolbar, or by using the *world map* and clicking on the yellow shield above your village.

On the map screen, click on a *capital* with which you wish to trade (don't click on its shield), and a market button will appear in the user interface on the right-hand side of the screen. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the Stock Exchange screen, where you can buy and sell goods at the market (you may want to look at other markets for the best prices).

## Trading with a village

To trade with your own or another player's village, select the village you wish to trade *from* by accessing the drop down menu on the top toolbar, by using arrow buttons on the top toolbar, or by using the *world map* and clicking on the yellow shield above your village.

On the map screen, click on a village with which you wish to trade, and a *Send Resources* button will appear in the user interface on the right-hand side of the screen. By clicking on this button, you will be taken to the Trade Village screen, where you can choose which of your goods you wish to send to the other village (if this village doesn't belong to you, the goods they own will not be shown).

## The Interface

**TIP:** Merchants may only be created once a market has been built in the village, and if you have unemployed peasants available.
* Buy goods, if the stock exchange has the goods available.
* Sell goods to the stock exchange, providing your village has the goods available.

**TIP:** You may only sell/buy goods from the market in complete cartloads; e.g. 1000 stone, 500 apples, 5 bows.
**TIP:** Selecting other stock exchanges enables you find the best price to buy or sell goods.
**TIP:** You can make Markets favourites by placing a star on them or removing them from the list, by clicking on the trash icon.
**TIP:** Change the resource categories by selecting one of the four icons along the top of the resource window.
* Send goods to another village you own.
* Send goods to any other player, regardless of status.

**TIP:** You can send partial cartloads of goods to and from other villages.

## Research

Researching Merchant Guilds allows you to create merchants, and trade within your *parish*. Further research allows more merchants for each market you have built in your village(s). At the maximum level, you may have five (5) merchants per market.

Researching Commerce allows you to buy and sell in a *county* at Level 1, a *province* at Level 2, a *country* at Level 3, and finally, the *world* at Level 4.

## Cards

 **Villagers** | Peasants arrive in a village of your choosing - these may be turned into merchants, providing you have available gold and unit space.