4. 1. Ports

Ports are places where goods are bought and sold for various prices. Players gain money and experience by bargaining with port masters for the best possible price. Ports are ranked from level 1 to level 9. Low level ports sell cheaper goods, while high level ports sell more expensive and more profitable goods. Some ports sell illegal goods too, but these can only be traded by those traders who have joined the UnderGround and are of evil alignment.

In the example shown below, the port is a level 8 port that buys food, precious metals (pm), textiles, circuitry, and weapons (an illegal good), and it sells wood, ore, slaves (an illegal good), machinery, luxuries, and narcotics (an illegal good). You cannot see illegal goods unless your alignment is below -99. Being evil provides both advantages and disadvantages, such as more goods trade, thus more routes.

Port	Option
Thevian Port 1646 (Level 8)

Trading at a port is done by clicking the TRADE button and bargaining with the port master. Tips on trading can be found elsewhere in this manual, or by asking a fellow player who has learned the ropes.

Ports can also be raided by clicking the RAID button, but be warned: ports are heavily defended by a dozen laser turrets and thousands of combat drones. Only a fleet of well-armed warships can hope to raid a port successfully, but the payoff is often worth the risk.