So your reasoning is that PCs would never bump off a store because the proprietors are going to be much more powerful than they are and have plenty of protective guardians to cover the lot.
What exactly is the reasoning behind this? What is the cost-benefit to installing these items, keeping them in check, watchmen, etc. . . . and why would a sane government allow a honeypot spot which is protected from even the most hearty of adventurers to exist within its borders?
A CR (Level + 6) creature contained in every shop. Wards, Symbols, additional guards and traps . . . plenty of cover, probably access to all sorts of fun materials to screw around with and a clientele of unsavory pillaging murderers... and the government doesn't get a cut?
Really? What level of realism is this?
Slainte,
-Loonook.
No. Not every shop. My shops tend to only supply stuff up to a certain level. If you want low level stuff go to "Edgar Blizzards Shop of Wizardly Implements". This shop you can get the basics, components, inks, paper/books, etc... Probably some potions and scrolls, maybe a wand or two with MAgic Missile on it etc... Your likely a first thru 5th level group when your interested in this shop. So what is the proprietor? 8th? 9th level? Plus he probably has some pretty competent hireling or adventuring buddies to call in if need be.
As for security? Pretty easy. Have one door/entry. The walls are 3 layers, wood stone and lead, include the ceiling in this. Now the key is to not have the vault as part of the building. When the item goes to be recovered the wizard takes his gold with him into the "vault" door. Which actually enters into a small room where a permanent Dimension Door is located. This goes to the actual vault, which is actually located up to 450 feet away from where your shop is. Using the Dimension Door can be word activated, or word and item activated.
So your shop only has the "cheap stuff" that is pretty easy to replace, your "vault" has everything of value (IE worth keeping from being stolen) in it. So unless these low levels find out where your vault is actually located, or convince the mage to tell them the password and give the pass key item, they will never steal anything of great worth.
You could have the wizard ward the doors (Entry door, and vault door) for good measure, and even have guardian creatures/traps (magical and mundane) in the vault itself , in case the Wizard is ever used and coerced to break in. However this basic design is a good basic to stop most want to be thieves/robbers of up to even higher levels.
Its also a good idea to have the wizard wear an item that has a permanent protection from evil, or similar, on it so that even if he is charmed/dominated he cannot be influenced to give over his keys to the vault, or divulge its true location.
All kinds of things you can do to thwart thieving PC's. Pretty easy stuff too.
Edit: In case its not obvious as the party gets powerful enough to steal such things from Edgars shop they have hopefully become powerful enough to not find what Edgar still has worth stealing. If they do then they do. Then his vault can be as full or empty as I want it to be if/when they do.
Now since they are now "too good for" the stuff Edgar has to sell they then find "Gestafi's Magnificent Emporium!". This guy supplies moderately powerful stuff. I never give real powerful stuff away for sale, those have to be commissioned and role played. Anyways, Gestafi is as powerful as I want him to be, usually I start him out at 14th level and then scale him as the party levels.
If you read what a character of his level can do, and think of how he can intelligently design his store to be as theft proof as possible, I think further design changes and defenses will occur to you without making this into a "How to break into a magic shop" for the players who read these threads.
