Broker
Mortals Profession
Merchants, Fixers, and the People Who Know the Price of Everything
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Who They Are
Brokers are the connective tissue of the Basilica's economy — trading in goods, information, favors, and access, sometimes all four in the same afternoon. The official Meridian Exchange is only half the economy; the more interesting half has no official listing. A Broker's most valuable asset isn't inventory or capital — it's reputation. Brokers often operate in the gray spaces between the official economy and the underground one, and have more natural interface with the supernatural community than almost any other Mundane Profession, simply because the supernatural community needs things and the Broker is who gets things.
Starting Attribute Priority
| Category | Priority | Starting Points |
|---|---|---|
| Social | Primary | 7 points + Profession +1 Manipulation |
| Mental | Secondary | 5 points |
| Physical | Tertiary | 3 points |
Profession Bonuses
| Attribute Bonus | +1 Manipulation |
| Skill Bonus | +1 Subterfuge |
| Free Background | 1 dot Resources |
| Profession Points (5) | Recommended: 2 Contacts (Black Market and Meridian Exchange), 1 named contact owed a significant favor, 1 safe meeting location, 1 professional credential |
Suggested Starting Abilities
| Talents | Subterfuge 1 (+1 Profession = 2), Empathy 2, Streetwise 2, Leadership 1, Expression 1 |
| Skills | Etiquette 2, Drive 1, Performance 1, Security 1 |
| Knowledges | Finance 2, Politics 1, Investigation 1 |
Profession Strength & Challenge
| Strength: Everything Has a Price | Challenge: Everyone Wants Something |
|---|---|
| Once per session, locate a specific item, piece of information, or service in the Basilica — the question isn't whether it can be found, only what it costs. | Defined by debts as much as resources. For every favor called in, one was created; obligations accumulate at the same rate as resources. |
Roleplaying the Broker
The best Broker characters have clear personal lines — what they will and won't trade in, who they will and won't sell to, what price is too high regardless of payment. The clearer these lines are before play, the more dramatically interesting the moments they're tested will be.
Quick Reference
| Attribute Bonus | +1 Manipulation |
| Skill Bonus | +1 Subterfuge |
| Free Background | Resources 1 |
| Profession Strength | Everything Has a Price |
| Profession Challenge | Everyone Wants Something |
See also: Mortals overview · Character Creation Guide