Thalman Shahnaqwi

Born in the sun-scorched desert kingdom of Sekh Anoob, Thalman Shahnaqwi learned the art of haggling before he could even walk. His father, a humble spice trader, taught him the delicate dance of negotiation, the subtle push and pull of price setting. Thalman quickly outgrew his father's small stand in the local bazaar, and before he knew it, he was operating his own trading venture. His primary commodities included Sekh Anoob's famed gold-dusted spices and brilliantly patterned textiles. Through a fair amount of toil and a lick of cunning, his coffers grew by such a size that he was able to open Shahnaqwi's Bargains, an emporium as rich in tales as it is in wares, in the city of Djazeh.
Thalman always possessed a sharp mind for business, enabling him to take calculated risks that paid off more often than not. His ventures expanded courtesy of complimentary cargo companies, Shanrah Shipping, and West Traders, inc., respectively situated in Sekh Anoob and Dragonshead; and by brokering many a clever deal he brought his business finally to the sprawling elven city of Rigo, the crowning jewel of the charmed and verdant province of Bluepool. The city's sophisticated and demanding Dok clientele challenged Thalman, forcing him to refine his selling tactics and carefully curate his products, and through so doing he thrived in this dynamic environment, his name eventually coming to ring synonymous with exotic goods and intriguing novelties.

by Midjourney

When Thalman learned that The Council of Landezon had plans to visit Gnosit, he gleefully anticipated the chance to make connections with Draksineon, effective heart of the world, viewing a vivacious new market: the bustling capital of Sabellis City. To date he has made a few trips overseas and even opened negotiations with the Bosso Brothers, merchants out of the city's Bent Coin district, but has yet to trust another human fully enough to put them in charge of his many businesses at home.
While Thalman is fundamentally an upright fellow, the cutthroat nature of his trade sometimes brings out a shadier side. He is not above inflating prices or creating false scarcity to make a sale. His charming personality and gift for storytelling often smooth over any resulting squabbles.
Thalman's most intriguing quirk is his obsession with acquiring antique hourglasses, which he regards as the ultimate symbol of a trader's negotiation skills. The more sand in the hourglass, the more time one has to strike a deal. It's a little superstitious of him, which he recognizes. In his residence in Sabellis, he maintains a room dedicated solely to his growing collection, the oldest piece being a relic from an ancient civilization from the early days of Tyril...