The economy on most of the known world is based on merchants. They bring goods from the cities to the outlying towns and villages, and take goods back. They provide all the market goods, buying them (usually through their agents) from the craftsmen, and selling them on (making a tidy profit, of course).
While many merchants are accused of being frauds, cheats and rogues (indeed, many of them are) they are the lifeblood of the world. Even a newly cheated person would say that life would be considerably harder without them.
Apart from the more mundane items, most merchants carry a few exotic items, jewellery and so on, either very rare or from far off lands. Some even keep the odd magical item, one enchanted by a powerful magus. However, since a)such items are very hard to come by and b)it is unlikely that any humble villager or townsperson would have the gold sufficient to purchase the item.
Mercahants are also rumour-mongers. They bring news of the happenings of the cities out to the countrysides, where the information is gratefully received. Some merchants are greedy in this sense, either charging for information or only giving it in conjunction with a purchase. Most, however, are happy to give it freely, knowing it will give him more business next time he journeys out to the village.
