you can sell it "at auction in any major city"

77IM said:

With 7th-level spells, why not go to Sigil or the City of Brass?

Click to expand...

Definitely in the level range, but not all high level campaigns go extra-planar. And even for high level characters, those are scary places.

Why go there just to sell some loot, when Waterdeep has powerful factions that would love to get their hands on it for a reasonable price?

Thank you all.

However, I hope you can agree most (all?) replies so far has been generic rather than specific.

What I cannot do myself and therefore am asking you about, is specific.

Are there any named personages or organizations described as being in the magic items trade? (My guess would be that previous editions would be better sources for something like this than the current).

Inchoroi said:

The DM determines a buyer's identity.

Click to expand...

Thank you for your suggestion.

However it is this step I am asking for ENWorld's help with.

That is, instead of me determining the buyers' identities, what are some official identities?

Of Realmslore buyers, trading houses, middlemen?

77IM said:

With 7th-level spells, why not go to Sigil or the City of Brass?

Click to expand...

If you have better suggestions for City of Brass auction houses than Waterdhavian ones, sure! Go ahead, I'm listening...

CapnZapp said:

Are there any named personages or organizations described as being in the magic items trade? (My guess would be that previous editions would be better sources for something like this than the current).

Click to expand...

Back in 4e, The Red Wizards of Thay were the Waltons of magic items. Complete with an Embassy/Enclave that sold goods in most major cities without local tariffs getting in the way. One such compound is described in Dragon 366, though it is for a different city.

Farther Back in the day, from Volo's Guide to Waterdeep you have establishments like:

The Old Xoblob Shop, down in the Docks District. Which deals in adventuring gear and is known to resell "Genuine, no-guarantees magic items" pried from the hoards of recently dispatched monsters by said adventurers. It is owned by Dandalus "Fire-Eye" Ruell (a level 14 Fighter and retired Adventurer) and also has an Iron Golem for a bouncer, so you know it deals with dangerous things and people.

Balthorr's Rare and Wonderous Treasures, in the Castle District. Balthorr. Loves old currency, things related to War, and adventurer battle trophies. He also doesn't ask too many questions when buying things, which makes him an ideal Fence.

Phalantar's Philtres & Components, also in the Castle District. Phalantar isn't a mage himself, but he will sell absolutely any nefarious ingredient a mage, alchemist, or poisoner might need, from deamon's blood to nightshade. He is also very rich (even by the standards of the Waterdhavian elite), is and is known to sponsor adventuring parties in order to get evil, cursed, and otherwise "undesirable" magic items.

Additionally, there are at least half of a dozen different specialty shops mentioned in the book who could be used for specific items. Your magical smith, furrier and leather-worker, jeweler, books and scrolls, and even a place that deals in live monsters. Though I don't know what items your party has, if you can get the book it would be worth a read.

The more powerful- and thus, valuable- the item, the more likely it is that the sale would be handled privately. That could still mean an auction, but at least as likely would be sales directed at particular buyers. Some might even have “personal shoppers” that actively search out such items via their network of contacts.

In the first category, you’d find auctions run by organizations like the more powerful Thieves’ Guilds, wizard colleges, merchant houses or possibly even the government...though they’d only be selling the cheaper stuff. Private auctions would be by invitation only.

In the second category, potential sellers would seek out people they know who would be interested in such an object, often their “regulars”. I’ve personally gotten that treatment with music CDs, jewelry and instruments...and once for a car.

In the third category are people working for the very powerful. I knew a guy who used to do the jewelry trade shows I attend twice a year. The last I saw him, he had just had his show booth bought out by a representative for a Shah for $250k. On top of that, the representative had asked him to do an installation in a palace the Shah owned. Based on the early negotiations, the requested materials would consist of more than 90% of his current inventory and materials on order. Essentially, he was bought out.

CapnZapp said:

Reason I'm asking is that when the party finishes with Tomb of Annihilation they have a bunch of more or less evil artifacts with significant sale values. (Since I'm running the module for a high-level party, trust me when I say significant)

But I don't just want to roll a random d20 to see what they get out of each item.

Ideally, I want to be able to present two or three choices for auction houses or, well, fences. And then a variety of upscale buyers.

Point is to present a moral dilemma: do we sell to the obviously evil buyer for top dollar, or do we accept the lower bid from a neutral or even good interested party?

Since I'm pretty sure they won't settle for any backwater market, and with access to level 7 spells won't have to either, Waterdeep is the obvious megalopolis to do business in.

So I need a crash-course on the Realmslore 3rd edition Forgotten Realms supplements, old AD&D adventures, Dragon magazine articles, ... anything you have would be appreciated.

Click to expand...

I cannot give you a specific name from Wsterderp, so if that's all you are seeking, stop reading now.

In my campaigns, where it is appropriate, I have any sort of non-trivial commerce especially magical ones, shown to run thtu major organizations such as religions/temples, guilds, governments or even "academies."

So, a very likely choice that would be obvious to my players' characters would be an appropriate temple to trade gods or luck if I had not already shown more appropriate ones in their past dealings.

But of course, as with most things, the key is to show them the hows, whos, wheres well before the moment of choice so they are already prepared to make informed choice.

Leatherhead said:

...

Click to expand...

Excellent, thanks!

Yes it is precisely specific Realmslore (or pointers to that) I'm asking for. Again thanks!

There are some interesting possible adventures that could come out of such a thing. Let's say they take a seemingly innocuous and minor item to auction, and bidding goes through the roof, with the eventual winner paying something ridiculous like a million gold. The PCs are happy but wondering, what's the big deal on this item? They then hear that the item is stolen from buyer, who hires them to get it back, and off we go...

You then get to think of why the item is so valuable. Maybe it is far more powerful, perhaps part of a world-changing artifact. Or maybe it is the key to the prison of some imprisoned ancient evil (cliche, but never gets old). Etc.

CapnZapp said:

Thank you for your suggestion.

However it is this step I am asking for ENWorld's help with.

That is, instead of me determining the buyers' identities, what are some official identities?

Of Realmslore buyers, trading houses, middlemen?

Click to expand...

I am by no means an expert on Forgotten Realms; you'd be better off checking the Forgotten Realms wiki, Sword Coast Adventurers Guide, and/or Waterdeep: Dragon Heist for that.

However, if I had to come up with a full identity, I'd probably use the This is My Life stuff from Xanathar's Guide to Everything to build an NPC; I also have a full notebook of NPCs that I've come up with over the years, with their personalities and such, and a huge list of names. If I ever need an NPC (because I'm horrible at coming up with names on the fly), I just turn to a random page and there we are.