The Arcane

The Arcane are a race of skilled merchants invariably connected with the business of spelljammers and helms. They can only be found in crystal spheres that contain races at least aware of the possibility of space travel. They appear as tall, lanky, blue giants with elongated faces and thin fingers, each finger having one more joint than is common in most humanoid life. The arcane typically dress in robes.
For creatures of their size, the arcane are noticeably weak and non-combative. They can defend themselves when called upon, but prefer to talk and/or buy themselves out of dangerous situations. If entering an area that is potentially dangerous (like most human cities), the arcane hires a group of adventurers as his entourage.
The entire Arcane race has a type of collective telepathy. They become immediately aware if a member of the race is harmed, which makes it impossible for an aggressor to conduct business with any other Arcane until amends are made.

Habitat/Society

When the Arcane travel, they do so on the ships and vehicles of other races. Finding such ships with arcane aboard is rare, and it is suspected that the arcane have another way of travelling over long distances.
Contacting the arcane is no trouble in most civilized areas: a few words spread through the local grapevine, through taverns, guilds, and barracks, are enough to bring one of these creatures to the surface.
In game terms, there is a base 10% chance per day of finding an arcane, if PCs actively look for one; the chance increases or decreases depending on their location. Arcane never set up permanent magic shops.
The arcane's stock in trade is to provide magical items, particularly spelljamming helms, which allow rapid movement through space. The arcanes' high quality and uniform (if high) prices make them the trusted retailers. They accept payment in gold, or barter for other magical items.
The arcane take no responsibility for the use of the items they sell. The arcane will deal with almost anyone. They often make deals with both sides in a conflict, fully aware that they might annihilate all of their potential customers in a region. The arcane have no dealings with neogi, nor with creatures from other planes, such as genies, tanar'ri, and fiends. It is unknown whether the arcane create a wide variety of magical devices, or secure them from an unknown source.
Those dealing with the arcane find them cool, efficient, and most importantly, uncaring. Trying to haggle with an arcane is a chancy business, at best. Sometimes they will engage in haggling with a bemused smirk, but just as often leave the buyer hanging and walk out on the negotiations. They do not like being threatened, insulted, or blackmailed. Those who do so will find it very difficult to purchase reliable equipment. An arcane will not raise his hand in vengeance or anger – there are more subtle ways to wreak revenge.

Ecology

It is not known what arcane do with the gold, gems, and magic they collect. One theory says they need the items for reproduction (the basis for a large number of bawdy arcane jokes), while another links it to production and acquisition of more magical items. The arcane seem sexless. No young arcane have been reported, and the arcane keep their own counsel.

History

There is little known about the origin of the Arcane. Rumors abound about their origins. One tale claims that the home world of the arcane was not within a crystal sphere but instead was hidden somewhere within the phlogiston. One legend told that their origin had something to do with the legendary Spelljammer, in that they gave up their homeworld in exchange for the ship with an ancient deity. Failing to properly control the ship, they ended up as eternal wanderers, and their planet ultimately fell into its sun. The Arcane themselves do not comment on these legends.
Some theorize that the Arcane learned their magic from the ancient spacefaring race known as the Juna. For their part, the Arcane deny that the Juna had ever even existed.