What are some fun ways to portray merchants and other vendors in an RPG?

The same way you make any NPC interesting. Give them an interesting personality, personal goals, business of their own, ect. Make them more than a quest-giver.

For a merchant in particular, being a non-combat character (probably), it might help to give them an entourage of some sort. Other adventurers or mercenaries they've hired to protect them or deter theft or guide them through exotic lands. The presence of such NPCs is a good way to show the merchant's personality just in terms of how he speaks and acts towards those whom aren't necessarily customers, and how they in turn treat him. Is she a shitty boss who expects his hired help to behave like automatons or soldiers, or is she the kind who makes a big sale and then tosses some of it her assistant's way as a thank-you?

FPBP

Golems if it's from a network of rich merchants or pull it from RE4 where it's just one merchant and if you screw him over no more merchant for you.

I once had a "generic" vendor that behaved like a flamboyantly extravagant Italian in my Dark Heresy campaign. The players liked him so much they saved him (and only him) when the planet was overrun by demons. I rolled up some stats for him and made him a permanent ally.

>porkeye
hidden and ignored

They have huge noses, nasal voices, receding greasy hair, hunched backs, constantly rub their hands together, say "oy vey" whenever you imply their goods are not worth the price, and eat small children

The fuck does that even mean? Are you one of those people hating anything remotely anime-looking on a board that started out about anime and videogames?

Did you mean to post this in a different thread, or are you just a retard

>Nobody cares about the Jews, faggot.
Oy vey, you take that back, goy.

I can't quite get over how nightmarish OP's image is.

youtube.com/watch?v=R_FQU4KzN7A

In Shadowrun I have combo ice cream trunk-ammo vendors in the z-zone. Flagship WeaponsWorld(tm) sites have a full ben and jerry's.

I make them overtly Jewish.

I currently have a character who keeps his face covered all the time and can be found in any city, but only at midnight. He has approximate knowledge of many things, and often encourages the party to buy strange things, and drops some really ominous hints. He suggested they buy an astrolab for example, and when they said they weren't interested in the stars he laughed and said "Well I can assure you that THEY have an interest in you."

They know he's probably some kind of demon or monster but they've really grown to like him and kind of don't really care. Plus if they murder him they'll never get to redeem their points cards.

What do you mean, user?

Could've made the hands bigger, and the arms subtly slimmer and longer, too

>Could've made the hands bigger, and the arms subtly slimmer and longer, too
Too many independent objects to manipulate for a joke. Didn't realize the lip shimmer wasn't attached to the lips on #1 but I just said fuck it anyway.

As Distributors of slightly used camels.

An Organization of merchants whose pooled resources allow them to obtain and sell rarer and more valuable items to the players. Also they keep in contact with each other, so if the players decide to screw with them the organization tells the rest as well.

Perhaps a bit mad?

...

Via gassing or oven?