Little DMing questions...

[joependragon]

Hello there,

I'm finally running a Ravenloft campaign and stumbled into a few problems!

How do you guys deal with buying and selling of minor magic items like scrolls and potions? I know that Ravenloft should be a low-magic setting (that's what attracted me), but, should I deny the players from buying things like 1st level scrolls? Should I follow the core DMG rules to determine what a community has to offer?

How the players should spend their money? No way I'm letting them buy magic weapons and the like! But I don't want to force them spending it, I want to make them wating to, how to do that without magic items?

That's all for now!

Thanks in advance,
Joe

[Snake]

Hey Joe,

Not sure if I understand every question you have but here goes:

As far as level 1 scrolls and potions those you can probably get from a church for a price, much more than the DMG suggests though generally. However, it depends on the domain/town you are in. This also affects if there is a scroll shop, magic shop, etc.

Generally, I tend to avoid magic shops, scroll shops etc. because it can lead to players spending hours wasting game time haggling and being nuisances lol.

As far as magic items go, again I wouldn't have a shop selling them, or selling enchanting services, but maybe a high level mage can do it secretly for a hefty price, or as a reward for a quest, etc.

Same goes for clerics when getting cure potions, etc; however, I generally have Clerics be more generous and understanding than old cranky mages , when they are good aligned of course.

Hope that helps.

[joependragon]

of course it helps! Thanks for answering!

I was thinking if a kind of magic shop for selling scrolls and potions wouldn't be off-setting for ravenloft, that's why I asked A vistani caravan maybe?

My other question is 'cause the player's wealth tend to grow, but D&D economics is basically around Magic iItems, so how to deal with it in Ravenloft? With what can the players spend their money? Overpriced potions?

[Snake]

of course it helps! Thanks for answering!

I was thinking if a kind of magic shop for selling scrolls and potions wouldn't be off-setting for ravenloft, that's why I asked A vistani caravan maybe?

My other question is 'cause the player's wealth tend to grow, but D&D economics is basically around Magic iItems, so how to deal with it in Ravenloft? With what can the players spend their money? Overpriced potions?

A vistani caravan is a wonderful idea.

Well it sort of depends on the domain the game is in. Selling/buying magic items in Falkovnia is different than in Darkon or Hazlan per se.

In some domains that accept magic more, you can allow players to buy magic items, scrolls, potions from a store. Also don't forget about having to buy information on the serial killer or traitor.

And of course they don't have to buy it from a shop in the middle of the town that has neon signs saying "I sell/buy magic stuff." They may have to find the right person, but someone definetely can be selling magic itmes/enchants/scrolls/potions underhanded, in the black market, etc.

[joependragon]

oook, thanks a lot!

[Snake]

Glad I'm useful for something in this world.

[HuManBing]

I think you can definitely put in elements of potion stores or scroll stores, as long as you don't let it turn into a dull supermarket trip. At all times remind your characters where they are, through colorful NPCs.

Example: I have a Chinese apothecary type guy in Il Aluk who brews potions. He's supposedly a botanist working in the Botanical Gardens. He'll do anything from the DMG and Van Richten's Arsenal. The catch is: he is notoriously reclusive. The PCs have to communicate to him by dropping notes into a letter box on his door, and he posts responses back through the same door into an Outbox. His script is crabbed and barely legible, and his potions are left by courier in a corner of the botany gardens devoted to malodorous crawling vines. They're labeled with incomprehensible labels, like "Don't See Me" (Invisibility), "Don't Follow" (Untraceable Step), and "My Small Cave" (Sanctuary).

Occasionally my PCs buy a few scrolls from a Sri Rajian lecturer at one of the universities in Il Aluk. I take a few moments to make sure he asks after their health and inquires about what they're up to in adventuring these days. Occasionally when they're stuck they go back to him and ask for advice, and if he doesn't know off hand, he'll put a message into his circle of contacts and try to help them.

All little things that help to advance character integration into a living, breathing campaign setting.

[joependragon]

wow, really good ideas, thanks!

[LordGodefroi]

of course it helps! Thanks for answering!

I was thinking if a kind of magic shop for selling scrolls and potions wouldn't be off-setting for ravenloft, that's why I asked A vistani caravan maybe?

My other question is 'cause the player's wealth tend to grow, but D&D economics is basically around Magic iItems, so how to deal with it in Ravenloft? With what can the players spend their money? Overpriced potions?

A vistani caravan is a wonderful idea.

Don't forget the Weathermay-Foxgrove twins and their "shop". That's a good Ravenloft example of "magic shop."

Next, delete the phrase "magic shop" from your vocabulary and replace it with "apothecary." In a like manner, you should delete "potion" from your vocabulary and replace it with words like "poultice," "tonic," "elixir," etc. (And, I'd recommend the elimination of the purchase of scrolls altogether; But that's not entirely necessary.)

The Weathermay-Foxgrove example illustrates that the "apothecary" should be integral to the PCs environment and PCs should have to interact with said environment in order to gain its benefits. (PCs should have to spend time (and money) finding a possible apothecary and then even more time befriending the proprietors (who just happen to have those "special items" for such "good and honorable customers,") etc.)

This will allow the DM to control how and when magic items can be acquired and thereby prevent the modern "K-Mart / convenience store" viewpoint that modern players (and some campaign worlds) have. In addition, it gives you an avenue to introduce adventure hooks, clues, plot elements; Even better, it gives you some recurring NPCs which helps establish continuity and reinforces the verisimilitude of the campaign world.

Say it with me now. . . "apothecary"

[joependragon]

"apothecary" lol

Well, of course I'm not using the "K-mart" style, but I was in doubt if it was available at all, since there's no guideline (at least I couldn't find) of what can, and what can't be found for selling (except the CL). But I thought it was quite too harsh to deny the players some badly needed "elixirs". That's why I asked for advice, guess I got the picture now: Sure, I can let them buy some potions and scrolls, but that won't happen "between adventures".

[Rotipher of the FoS]

There might just be a potential arcane potion/scroll/spell component source in one of the upcoming netbooks' Dread Possibilities. Of course, this being Ravenloft, there's bound to be some strings attached....

For permanent magical wares, I've generally assumed that they can't be bought "off-the-rack" as ready-made items, but that there are a few NPCs out there who'll make them on commission. That's how a number of the bad guys' signature magic items (e.g. Soth's magic mirrors) are known to have been produced.

[Jester of the FoS]

I tend to be stingy and not give out alot of money. Instead I find other things to work as rewards (lands, titles, ancient heirlooms aka magic items).

[steveflam]

Generally in Ravenloft I tend to give out 50% of what you would normally have. I don't find it that important though as it's more rp than anything else

[Brandi]

Also, the Vistani don't always want simple coin (well, the Boem are probably happy enough with that). People who can help but ask for *favors* are a rich source of plot hooks and entanglements!

[BigBadQDaddy]

I have always liked the idea that you can have something commisioned or buy magic items, but definately not from a "Magic Shop". Maybe an old weapon collector has a rare sword or whatever he is auctioning off, or maybe a tired old unassuming weaponsmith came across an ancient weaponmaking ritual and could only complete it successfully once. But of course there is always a price greater than monetary value.