Have you ever wondered who crafted all those items the trader offers?
What if every time you sold an item to a trader it was added to a list on the server you were playing on with the name of the hearthling that crafted the item, the town it was made in, and the player who sold it.
Whenever the trader appears after this, the player created items are within the trading window.
Each time the item is sold by the trader the player that crafted the item would get royalties/discounts for creating such a valuable item and be able to track the history of where that item has been.
Additionally as the item or weapon journeys throughout stonehearth its stats could be adjusted based on the history of its creation and use.
So when you pick up a weapon it could have a log that says:
Crafted by the hearthling Mer Burlyhands in the town of Stones Edge by player GenBOOM.
(Rarity = Common)
The weapon was sold to a cheap trader for 83 gold coins.
Cheap trader sold the weapon on Deepmun 17 to player somenoob for 129 gold coins.
(GenBOOM now has +5 gold coin trading discount with cheap trader)
While wielding the weapon hearthling Elena Addion was slain by a monster Rock Golem on Deepmun 19.
(Weapon is now unlucky, -2 luck to those that equip it)
(Rarity = Unique)
(Value adjustment - 19 gold coins)
Equipped by a monster Warrior Goblin in a local tribe near the valley between 3 mountains.
Used in a successful raid against a town of goblin slayers.
Blessed by a Goblin Shaman.
(Weapon is now cursed, +5 rage to hearthlings that see it on the battlefield- causing them to charge, +3 life leech to the one that has equipped it)
(Rarity = Rare)
(Value adjustment - 74 gold coins)
(Questionable Origins, Stones Edge, Town Reputation - 48)
(Added quest objective- Reclaim Cursed Weapon to Restore the Reputation of the town of Stones Edge)
Dropped by Goblin Chief in the foggy forest.
Discovered by rare trader on Deepmun 23.
Sold to player magicmoe on Deepmun 25 for 36 gold coins.
(Quest Objective- Reclaim Cursed Weapon - Complete.)
(GenBOOM now has +1 gold coin trading discount with rare trader)
Purified by a Master Cleric on Deepmun 28.
(Curse has been reversed)
(Questionable Origins Removed, Stones Edge Reputation Restored. Diplomacy +48 with GenBOOM in the town of Stones Edge)
(Weapon is now blessed, +5 courage to hearthlings on the battlefield, +3 healing aura around the one that has equipped it)
(Rarity = Legendary)
(Value adjustment + 196 gold coins)
Sold by magicmoe to GenBOOM for 177 gold coins and a Defensive Pact on Deepmun 29.
etc
Map Generated Geographical Descriptors
"Equipped by a monster Warrior Goblin in a local tribe near the valley between 3 mountains."
The purpose of giving a geographical location is so that it can be found again, and is a context clue for if a quest becomes available.
To do this descriptors would have to be added to block chunks when the map is generated that is unique to that location so that it makes sense as a clue. It would have a lot of different descriptors for each location, but it would pick just enough descriptors for the clue to be a unique location on the map that has been revealed to the player or players if you are on multiplayer.
If it is within the revealed map to one player but not another, it should be obvious that you would have to chat with them to find out where the location is. This may of course require some exploration as well. Knowing this could be a quest that could have rewards puts both players in an interesting situation.