Mudcrab Merchant (Morrowind)

Mudcrab Merchant
Basic Info
Level	1
	20
	5
Combat	Melee
	1–5 pts in melee
Soul	Petty (5)
BaseID	mudcrab_unique
Sound

For other uses, see Mudcrab Merchant.

The Mudcrab Merchant is a friendly mudcrab who can be found on a small island, just to the east of Mzahnch Ruin in the Azura's Coast region. He is an easter egg, and is notable for being the richest merchant in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind.

Interactions

"Whaddaya think? Sheesh. I'm a mudcarb... crab. Shure. A mudcrab. Thas me. Pretty sure. I LOOK like a mudcrab, right? Mush be. Thish IS me talking, right? So? I mush be... A talking mudcrab. And I sells stuff, right? So? I mush be a talking mudcrab merchant. Stands to reason, don't it?"

―Mudcrab Merchant

The Mudcrab Merchant is not required to fulfill the goal of any quest in Morrowind. However, it must be noted that the Mudcrab Merchant is a useful means of making money. He also carries 10,000 , making him the richest of all merchants in Vvardenfell. He will buy and sell items at their full value - with the exception of damaged items, of which a percentage will be subtracted.

Services

As a merchant, the Mudcrab Merchant will buy and sell a variety of items from the Nerevarine, including that most controversial of substances, Skooma. The mudcrab will sell:

• Weapons
• Armor
• Potions

Selling items worth more than 10,000 Septims

One of the limits when dealing with the mudcrab is his budget of 10,000 . This can be a hindrance as the value of many items worth selling goes above this amount. However, there is an easy workaround for this. To use this workaround, you need to take a cheaper item with you.

1. Say for example that you have an item worth 5,000 and 15,000 .
2. First sell the mudcrab the cheaper item and wait 24 hours. This allows the money of the mudcrab to reset to 10,000
3. After waking up, repurchase the item you just sold. This will give the mudcrab 5,000 , bringing his total up to 15,000
4. Now you can sell the more expensive item at full value, without being hindered by his normal maximum.
5. After selling the expensive item, wait another 24 hours to have the mudcrab reset his money again. This allows you to sell the cheaper item once more, giving you your 5000 again.

In later interactions, he might still have all the items you sold him earlier, allowing you to start at step 3.

Dialogue

"'How dry I am... how dry I am... nobody knows... how dry I am....' SHAY! Hi. There. Lesh make a deal. I got... stuff. Lots. Here. See?"

Background "Whaddaya think? Sheesh. I'm a mudcarb... crab. Shure. A mudcrab. Thas me. Pretty sure. I LOOK like a mudcrab, right? Mush be. Thish IS me talking, right? So? I mush be...a talking mudcrab. And I sells stuff, right? So? I mush be a talking mudcrab merchant. Stands to reason, don't it?"

talking mudcrab merchant "Sure. Thash what I said? Did I stutter or shomethin? Talking. Mudcrab. Merchant. Read my lips. Ehr. Mouthparts? Read my mouthparts? Shomethin ain't right. But never mind. Jush one-a life's little myshteries. So. You gonna buy shomethin? Or sit here jawin' all day."

Trivia

• The Mudcrab Merchant can be moved to a more convenient location in Vvardenfell, through a combination of Command Creature, Water Walking and Fortify Speed.
• It should be noted that his in-game name is still listed as Mudcrab, making him indistinguishable from regular hostile mudcrabs. Therefore, players unknown to this easter egg might accidentally kill the Mudcrab Merchant.
• Although the inventory of the Talking Mudcrab should not reset, there is a possibility it does after longer periods of playtime. Therefore, you should not sell the Mudcrab items you don't want to lose.
• If the Nerevarine asks Kaye for a little secret, he will mention an associate of his wandering along Azura's Coast.
• The Mudcrab Merchant is not the only creature merchant in Vvardenfell. In Caldera, there is a Scamp by the name of Creeper, who also acts like a merchant. However, Creeper has a smaller budget of only 5,000 , but makes up for this by dealing in much more types of goods.
• Old Salty in The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn has similarities with the Mudcrab Merchant, as it contains a tankard, shoes, and 35 gold upon death, and the Mudcrab Merchant sells alcoholic beverages.
• The reason why the Mudcrab buys and sells at full value, is because he is a creature. The price of an item when dealing with a regular humanoid merchant is determined by multiple factors, like disposition, mercantile skill of both the Nerevarine and the merchant and the Nerevarine's personality stat. Creatures like the Mudcrab Merchant lack all these factors, meaning they will not come into play when dealing with him, resulting in him dealing in full prices.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls: Legends (Houses of Morrowind)