[Quest Design] - A Hinted Agenda

[Yeti]

In Andothren, the player will visit an entrenched Hlaalu merchant grumbling about an upstart trader siphoning off his business. He will let the player know that he wouldn't mind it if the city's bureaucrats somehow "misplaced" the paperwork the upstart recently signed to obtain a licensed right to buy and sell goods in the city, subtly hinting that he wants the player to steal said documents.

After the player pilfers the paperwork from the Hlaalu Council hall, the merchant will make no mention of what the document contains, but will remark in mock awe about the superb quality of the paper and offer to buy it from the player. The quest will demonstrate both the Hlaalu's love of deception and their ability to twist their words to obtain something without outright asking for it or incriminating themselves.

---

Right now, I am concerned the above outline is too similar to certain competing merchant quests seen in the vanilla game. If anyone has recommendations that might add more depth to it, feel free to speak out.

[rot]

Right now, I am concerned the above outline is too similar to certain competing merchant quests seen in the vanilla game. If anyone has recommendations that might add more depth to it, feel free to speak out.

Double greed/ the "upstart" isn't actually competing with him but just started selling an unrelated type of wares the old merchant had never considered before, and he wants to snatch that business now?

[arvisrend]

Nice! I think there is virtue in going with rot's suggestion but letting the questgiver sound like it is about competition. Basically, the player can ask him why he has never seen him selling [whatever the newcomer is selling], and he explains that the newcomer has already forced him out of that business. After some sharper inquiries, the questgiver will admit that the roles are slightly switched here and up the promised reward to the player "for your support in a complicated matter".

[Yeti]

I like your suggestion, rot. It adds extra layers of underhanded plotting and anticipating future markets that the Hlaalu love. Your contributions are also appreciated, arvisrend, and will surely make their way into the final design.

[Dormichigan64]

Why not instead of stealing the documents, the player must talk his way into gaining them? Through a series of dialogue options, the player must avoid losing to the NPC he is trying to steal the papers from as the NPC uses deceptive social techniques to try and stop you from taking the documents until they give up to not set off any suspicion or involve the government in any way (or something like that). This will showcase the Hlaalu's deceptive ways.