Guide 08 of 20

Sources of Goods

Towns can contain several ways to acquire stock. Open Explore Town to see the locations currently available. Visiting a producer, wholesaler or auction records that building among the town's known unique locations.

Public market

Public stock is the straightforward reference point. You choose a good and quantity from the local supply at the displayed price.

Public purchases directly reduce town supply. Large orders can therefore make a following order more expensive. Political rules may cap how much can be bought across all local sources.

Producers

Producers offer specific goods and usually provide the clearest information about quantity and freshness.

Their main strengths are certainty and the ability to choose between available freshness grades. Their price is fixed per unit for the confirmed order. Once that order is placed, the producer and town may recalculate the next price.

The confirmation window gives you a final chance to Buy or Cancel.

Wholesalers

Wholesalers generally offer lower prices, but less certainty. Their lots may combine goods, quantities or freshness values that are less convenient than a direct producer order.

Read every line of a lot before buying. The good shown in the lot is the good added to the cart and later sold under that identity. Cancelling a pending purchase releases the lot immediately so it is no longer reserved.

Auctions

Auctions can produce excellent prices, but you are competing against other bidders and cannot know the final price in advance.

The dialogue shows the local market-price reference and the current bidding state. Auction sounds only play while you are physically at the auction. Lots continue to appear until at least one minute remains in the market day; after that, another lot may appear only when there is enough time to finish it.

Winning one lot does not automatically end the auction.

Lower prices come with lower certainty

Wholesalers and auctions often undercut ordinary local buying, but the discount is compensation for uncertainty:

You may not get the exact quantity you wanted.
Freshness may be less convenient.
Another bidder may raise the auction price.
A lot may disappear before you decide.
Political limits can still apply.

Political restrictions

Laws and decrees can affect all acquisition paths. A purchase cap is shared across public markets, producers, wholesalers and auctions rather than resetting at every building. Bans, closures and adjusted prices appear in previews before you confirm.