Shop: Zed’s Fruit Stand

This business did indeed start out as a fruit stand. The young Zed Narr has always been a hard worker and he wanted more than to simply be a fruit seller for someone else. First he saved up enough coppers to open his own fruit stand. Then he hired urchins and those looking for any sort of work to sell fruits throughout the city, often with nothing more than a small basket or cart as they wandered the town. Then he began to buy direct from farmers outside of town. Then he began importing fruit until now he is the premier fruit importer, not only of local produce but he also brings in exotic fruit from cities far away. There is talk that he is soon planning on purchasing some farms outside of the city so he has a complete supply chain, as well as broadening the variety of goods he sells.

Zed Narr has a number of fruit stands and moving vendors spread throughout the city. The joke within the city is that there is a Zed's Fruit Stand on every corner; while this is not true, it is close. The produce he sells is of good quality and is shipped into the city every day. It is his network that allows him to continue to sell the fruit cheap enough so anyone attempting to undercut him will do so at a loss.

Zed Narr

Zed is terrified. A few months ago he discovered one of his drivers was smuggling in goods for the Chain Gang thieves guild. When he tried to deal with the situation he was approached by the thieves guild and boldly had his life threatened by them if he did not allow the smuggling to continue. Fearing for his life he kept silent. Since then the smuggling has increased to the point that almost every day one of his transports is bringing in some type of contraband. Since then Zed has become paranoid and irritable, not sure of how to deal with the situation; he is scared for his life, but also scared that the smuggling operation will be discovered and he will take the fall for something he did not do.

Adventure Ideas

-A rare and magical fruit, the bacca, has been brought to the attention of Zed Narr. It is said to never rot and can pass on this luster to those that eat of it. It is also from a land far away. Zed is looking for some adventurers to travel to this land, locate the place where this fruit grows, discover the price of the bacca (or a means to acquire the fruit), and then return with their information. This would be a long journey through foreign and unknown lands rife with adventure.
-The local authorities have seen an increase in the amount of smuggled goods that have entered the city. The situation is made worse by the fact that a highly addictive herb, sarrio, has been one of the contraband. They are looking for someone to investigate that will not be seen as members of the city and the characters fit that description. What will they do when they uncover the beleaguered Zed Narr? What will they do when they have an entire thieves guild out to kill them?

List of Names for Thieves Guilds

 

1)      Brotherhood of Stealth

2)      League of Daggers

3)      Silent Eyes

4)      The False Union

5)      Society of Dusk

6)      The Blind

7)      Shroud of Blades

8)      The Benefice Club

9)      Lodge of the Splinter

10)   The Sly Fraternity

11)   Circle of Blood

12)   The Gold Faction