Dust Hat Merchant
Summary
The Dust Hat Merchant is a vendor operating at the New Smoke Aftermarket who specializes in selling dust hats and mystery boxes. Encountered by the party during Session 8, this merchant demonstrates a flair for dramatic salesmanship and operates under strict time constraints that govern the aftermarket's closure. The merchant employs theatrical tactics to sell wares, including using their own dust hat to vanish in a cloud of dust as a demonstration. The party—Sucks Benedict, Cat, Vasso, and Safia—negotiates with this merchant in a tense haggling scene that ends with the purchase of four dust hats.
Appearance
The Dust Hat Merchant wears a dust hat themselves, described as "a little band I wear around my head" with a pull string mechanism. When activated, "a bunch of dust falls in front of me, makes me look like I beard." During their signature demonstration, they turn to dust and fly away, then reappear when the dust clears, standing in the same spot. The merchant's stall features curtains on either side that can be pulled closed, which they use as a negotiating tactic.
History
Session 8
The Dust Hat Merchant conducts business with the party at the New Smoke Aftermarket. The merchant initially attempts to sell a mystery box, pricing it at 45-50 coins and emphasizing its value with "It is, because it's the mystery box." When asked about finding animal-compatible vehicles at the aftermarket, the merchant responds practically: "No, unfortunately not. I don't think anybody had pigs in mind when they decided to build or vehicles."
The merchant shares knowledge about the aftermarket's unusual nature, explaining that "people tend to drag out kind of whatever they found out in the wastes" and describes strange transformations: "There's some new weird stuff that comes out. One time a person got turned into jelly and another person jelly got turned into a person."
When the party shows interest in dust hats instead of the mystery box, the merchant performs a demonstration, vanishing into dust and reappearing. The merchant initially prices dust hats at 10 coins each with the condition "if you tell people that I made it."
As market closing time approaches, the merchant becomes increasingly urgent, stating "I'd rather close than go to jail." The merchant attempts to pressure the party by reaching for the curtains and "start pulling it closed slowly making eye contact." The party employs hood-based intimidation tactics during negotiations, ultimately forcing the merchant down to 15 coins for four dust hats. However, Safia accidentally pays 30 coins instead. The merchant quickly accepts the overpayment with "You better give me these coins right now" before slamming the curtain closed and disappearing.
Key Attributes
- Theatrical Salesmanship: Uses dramatic demonstrations and timed urgency to create pressure during sales
- Dust Hat User: Owns and demonstrates dust hats, capable of turning to dust and flying away before reappearing
- Time-Constrained: Operates under strict aftermarket closure rules, facing jail time if the stall remains open past closing
- Negotiable Pricing: Despite initial high prices (mystery boxes 45-50 coins, dust hats 10 coins each), willing to haggle down to 15 coins for four dust hats
- Market Knowledge: Familiar with the unusual items that appear at the aftermarket from the wastes
- Quick Exit Artist: Closes curtains and vanishes immediately after completing transactions