Mara — Harbour Merchant¶
Part of NPC Character Roster and Rewards · Harbour
npc_id: merchant_mara
home_location: First Island / Harbour Dock
primary_role: Progression NPC + Practice NPC
personality: Warm, busy, practical, grateful
primary_verbs: [repair, write, sort, restore]
first_activity: Missing Letter
first_reward: Boat access
long_term_value: Repeatable label, crate, order, and manifest jobs
Story function¶
First NPC who teaches that reading physically changes the world. Wind blew letters from crate labels; child repairs them; Mara trusts the child enough to lend her small boat.
Help Mara with crates → Mara trusts child → Mara lends boat → Boat at dock → Travel to lighthouse
First interaction¶
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Scene | First Island dock |
| Problem | Three crate labels missing letters |
| Objects | Three closed crates with broken signs |
| Activity | Missing Letter · 3 rounds |
| Verb | Repair |
| Visual | Each word restores label + opens crate |
| Reward | Mara lends boat |
| Flag | boat_available = true |
Opening: "Oh no! The wind pulled the letters from my box labels… Could you help me repair them?"
After: "You did it! … If you need to reach the lighthouse, use my boat. I trust you with it."
Repeatable jobs¶
| Job ID | Problem | Verb | Activities | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
merchant_wet_labels |
Rain washed labels | Write | Spelling, Missing Letter | wet labels |
merchant_new_delivery |
Delivery needs sorting | Sort | Single Word, Multiple Words | crates |
merchant_shipping_manifest |
List damaged | Restore | Reading, Multiple Words | manifest |
merchant_market_signs |
Signs lost letters | Repair | Missing Letter, Spelling | stall signs |
merchant_whale_bay_order |
Supplies for Whale Bay | Read/Write | Reading, Spelling | order slip |
Deterministic rewards¶
| Reward | Trigger | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Small boat access | First crate-label job | Boat + dock path + travel trigger |
| First captain scarf | 2 Mara jobs or first return | Identity — “becoming captain” |
| Harbour delivery permission | Later story job | Inter-island delivery routes |
Optional drops¶
| Item | Drop % | When | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Wooden Crate | 12% | Trusted helper | Shelf / floor |
| Old Market Photo | 4% | Deep relationship | Wall frame |
| Brass Price Tag | 8% | Market-sign jobs | Shelf |
| Rolled Order Note | 6% | Manifest jobs | Table |