Merchanting and Trade Rules?

[RopeMerchant]

For reasons I won't bore readers with, the players in my 3.0/3.5 D&D group want to take time off from adventuring and start a merchanting business.

Obviously, I'll be able to have their caravans raided, and have some great opportunities for social role playing vis a vis business rivalries and lies and deceit and manipulation and what not, so that could be fun (but seriously unheroic).

What I don't have are rule or guidelines for trade goods and trade routes and how to adjudicate successful trading ventures and the like.

My question to everyone is: do you know of any rules that cover this sort of thing? I'd prefer anything intended for 3.x D&D or d20, but I'll take what I can get.

Thanks!
RopeMerchant

<preemptiveresponse>
Yes, D&D is normally about Heroic adventuring, but the players want to do this instead, for reasons with which I'm ok. Ultimately, what is fun for the group is correct way to play, in my opinion.
</preemptive>

 

[jaerdaph]

You might want to check out this from Expeditious Retreat Press:

A Magical Society: Silk Road

 

[Treebore]

Not to mention their MMS: Western Europe book if they want to develop any lands.

 

[nick012000]

Adjudicate combat encounters as normal, and rather than awarding much of the treasure as loot, award it as revenue from the trading company.

 

[tigycho]

You might want to check out this from Expeditious Retreat Press:

A Magical Society: Silk Road

Wow, that looks to be exactly what I'm looking for! I'm off to get a copy now.

Any other rule sets out there, in case this turns out not to suit?

Adjudicate combat encounters as normal, and rather than awarding much of the treasure as loot, award it as revenue from the trading company.

Rather than the raiders having the 'standard' loot on them, bump up the final revenue value by the amount they would have had?

 

[jaerdaph]

Any other rule sets out there, in case this turns out not to suit?

I almost forgot about this:

E.N. Guilds - Merchant Guild

 

[TheAuldGrump]

There are also fairly detailed rules in 'Book of the Sea' by Mongoose Publishing, and in the somewhat older 'Seas of Blood', also by Mongoose. It reminded me a good deal of the trading systems in the old Traveller game.

The Auld Grump