» Tue Aug 13, 2013 3:37 am So I was just playing around with some build ideas when the thought came to me:
If you want to be a non violent, peaceful, weak merchant in Skyrim, you have to have a way around combat. If you have a character that simply focuses in the crafting skills (and speech, of course) in order to gain influence, money, and levels, you will find it very difficult when it comes to any combat you encounter.
So I thought of the idea of a merchant/tradesman/craftsman that has a tragic history. His name is Banner. He is a simple man that just wants to make his way through life, plying his trade as a craftsman. He dabbles in alchemy, enchanting, and smithing in order to make a living, not to go out and smite ne'er-do-wells. Long story short, Banner became infected with lycanthropy. When he transformed his family was there to witness the horror. Fortunately, before the transformation took full effect, he was able to order them to flee and never stop. Banner ultimately fled to Skyrim to seek a cure and would travel the land crafting and selling his goods, trying to pick up on local gossip regarding werewolves and a potential cure.
So, Banner travels from town to town, city to city selling his crafts he makes using components found along the way. However, since the lands of Skyrim are harsh and dangerous, he is bound to encounter trouble. Whenever he does so, he tries to escape the confrontation as quick as possible, for if he is pushed to the brink, he feels his beast form overtaking him. When this happens he cannot control his actions. He will attack anybody and anything nearby, then run in a random direction until he returns to normal (assuming no further encounters). This may even lead him to further danger if he enters a cave or some such. He must then find his way back to a safe spot to recover. Hopefully, nobody saw these events, lest they alert the local authorities.
In summation:
- Traveling merchant/Craftsman that suffers from Lycanthropy.
- Avoid combat if at all possible (only hunts for pelts, carries a bow and a dagger)
- If Beast Form must be used, go absolutely postal on everything in sight, feeding when able. If time remains after everything in the vicinity is vanquished, pick a direction and sprint. Engage anything you encounter.
- Only Major skills being used would be crafting skills and speechcraft. Some minor skills can be added if desired.
- Only wear clothes. You're not at adventurer, man! So no super smithing weapons and armor, only gear to sell.
Ultimately, a time will come when the character must face his destiny. Maybe then he will realize that his "curse" can be used as a tool for he greater good and save the realm from the eminent dragon thread, and so on...
Hulking out will be useful to a traveling merchant.
rrrrRRROAR!" 
