Rift City Campaign - 60-62: How to buy a Magic Item

Background
A nostalgic dungeon delving Moldvay Basic D&D game which we have now been playing once a month for several years. It was an open table format but this time it turned into a mini campaign to travel the metropolis and purchase magical items.  The game is currently socially distanced being playing using Discord.

Party: Ugli & Heedor Dwarfs; Brigham Cleric of U'ta; Halvor Cleric of Yrt; Jade Elven Scout.

Chapter 60 July 2022 - Goodbye to the Rift

Unable to purchase magic items locally we began our quest to find another city which may have some for sale.  We discovered there was a weekly caravan that made the four day journey to the city of Selen.  

Initially we negotiated to join as guards.  Having done that we were faced with the challenge of how to carry our wealth!  It seemed just at the point that we wanted lots of gems and jewellery the local shops were short of product.  We had to trek all round Rift City buying up everything we could find and then still have to purchase mules and load them up with sacks full of platinum and gold coins.

This led to an argument with the caravan master the next day who was not expecting us to bring pack animals.  We had to renegotiate for most of us to pay to be merchants in the caravan.

The first days journey went smoothly.  We were only interrupted by a swarm of snakes that were instantly charred by a fireball from Jade.  Hedor enjoyed a nice snack on the remains.

As we approched the town where the caravan would stop overnight there was the stench of Troglodytes in the air and several dead villagers in the road.  Brigham raised the youngest girl from the dead (the joy of a system with no spell components).  Her name was Astal and she told us the village had been attacked.

The caravan guards went on ahead and cleared out the invaders and we set up camp in one of the empty houses.  During the night sprit wolves attacked.  Being high level most of us survived our save or die test but poor Astal was killed once again.

Chapter 60 August - The city of Selen.

Determined to finally reach the city we pressed on with three days of journeying remaining.  During the first two days Ogres attacked the caravan.  Our summoned snakes, and a few fireballs did most of the damage while everyone else peppered them with arrows.

On the final day some strange bone men attacked.  At first we though they were undead due to the translucent skin but it turned out they were just some strange humanoid.  This was more of a pitched batted as we tried to protect our mules from the bandits.  We managed to defeat them all and reached our destination.

Finding an inn we spent an evening to recover and then wondered the streets visiting a dozen different shops that were selling relics and other enchanted items.

From Reder's Artifacts and Relics 

• Halvor buys Staff of Healing (25000 gp) This yew staff was allegedly created by a goddess of magic for her most loyal champion. 
• Ugli buys a Hammer of Thunderbolts constructed, it is said, to slay the Giant of Rotmoor Marsh; a swampy place in the south-west. 
• Brigham buys Banded Mail +3 for 14500 gp. An ornate armour, engraved with the holy symbol of a goddess of honour. 

 Dragon’s Armoury 

• Heedor buys Dwarven Rune armour [Plate +4] for 20,000. 
•  Ugli has to settle for Plate Mail +1 (5000 gp). 
•  Halvor picks up a Shield and Banded Mail both with a legendary +4 protective enchantment. The owner tells him this ornate armor is said to protect its wearer from the song of a siren. He traded in the enchanted leather and two magical shields in his possession so it only costs 26,000 gp for the pair! 

Bothe's Enchanted Emporium 

Halvor tried to find our from Bothe how his Ring of Spell Storing works but Bothe tells him it is definattly a ring of spell turning which is why can not cast spells from it.  Confused Halvor agreed to tell the ring for two grand.  Turns out it as ring of delusion so Halvor was best rid of the useless item!

Other shops

At Askak's Enchanted Arcana Ugli buys a Potion of Extra-Healing Halvor finds a Ring of Protection +2 (12000 gp).  Heedor goes looking for a bag of holding but there are none for sale. All she managed to acquire is a potion of healing from Anas's Wonderous Apthecary.

Chapter 61 September - The Journey home

Having spent a day of shopping we signed up to be merchants on the next caravan back to Rift City.  This left us with six days to wait and explore the city.  Our two dwarves went out drinking and whoring.  Trying out ale, mead and other beverages as a different establishment each evening.  The two priests on the other hand spent time in quite meditation or preaching to convert locals to their religion.

This time we all stayed together as merchants in the caravan.  Each day a few monsters would attack and we left the guards to deal with the Troglodytes and Ogres to not slow down our progress.  Halvor would use his staff each evening to heal any of the guards who were injured.

Having survived the dangerous journey we set about becoming part of the establishment.  Halvor purchased a shop and turned it into an Apothecary offering those important healing services that we had been unable to acquire previously.  The shop was next door to the Adventuring Agency so we had an extra door put in to join the two establishments.

Brigham purchased two pastures to the north of the city founding a sanctuary for mules.  She had shacks build to keep the mules warm and dry during bad weather.

Ugli meanwhile when out and found three new drinking establishments in the city.  Hedor returned to her promiscuous ways drinking each night at the Broken Hammer.  She managed to pull seven dwarves and 1 Elven lady during the two weeks that construction was happening.

Game notes

After five years the game has changed.  It started as a drop in dungeon bash and we have now moved into world building campaign with higher level characters.  This three part adventure was problematic as players that missed the first session were not allowed to join in the other parts with the same character.  We had been told we had to role play getting to the city or let the DM make a save or die roll for our characters.  None of us wanted that.  Those of us lucky enough to make the first session then had to make sure we made the others otherwise, we were told, our characters would have been left in limbo somewhere along the trail; effectively dead.

For future visitors there are more amenities, healing services that can be purchased for gold.  Last time I needed a remove curse I had to skip three sessions waiting for the full moon which was the only time the NPC caster would perform the ritual.

The question is often asked how do you win at Dungeons and Dragons?  This usually comes down to what your characters goal are.  In this instance we have not only manged to slay dragons, take their hoard and turn it into a collection of power magical items we have also opened establishments and joined in the world building of rift city.

Image Credits
Deviant art from straban.