The Merchant of Maybes
A traveling merchant sells futures instead of goods—you pay today for something you might need tomorrow, except the need always comes true. Customers are grateful until they realize they're being manipulated into manufactured crises. The merchant's stall vanishes each sunset. Catch them before they move on, recover the contracts, or prove which prophecies they're creating themselves.
Suggested NPCs
Quintessa Nightingale
Human Female Adult
Motivation: Building wealth and reputation
Personality: Manipulative and cunning
Background: Merchant dealing in rare goods
Quirk: Never sits in the same chair twice in a row
Speaking style: Punctuates points with finger jabs
Private fear: Happy endings they do not deserve