Collecting magic items -- hobby for the rich

[Quasqueton]

The thread on the White Plume Mountain adventure module prompted me to bring this subject up. In WPM, the PCs are hired to recover 3 magic weapons stolen from their owners' vaults. It is clear in the text that the weapons, Blackrazor (a soul-drinking sword), Whelm (a dwarven warhammer), and Wave (a trident), are not in use by the owners, but rather are trophies or collected "artwork" -- something owned but not used.

Is this a concept you've seen or explored in a D&D game (magic items as collectables)? Sort of like wealthy entertainers collecting expensive cars that they never drive. Or paying a million dollars for a autographed baseball that stays encased in a glass cube. (Things that have an actual use, unlike Renoir paintings and Ming-dynasty vases.)

I don't think I have ever seen PCs willingly give up or sell their (special) magic items, unless it is something like selling a couple +1 shields to buy a +1 suit of armor, or some such "minor" exchange.

But I can see a fabulously wealthy noble showing guests his collection of highly magical armor, lining a hall in his vault, like a movie star today would show guests his collection of high-performance cars lining his secure garage.

Quasqueton

 

[Schmoe]

Actually, I just introduced the concept in my campaign yesterday. The party is about 12-13th level and looking to spend some of their hard-earned wealth. After thinking about it, I realized that many of the more valuable items would probably be in personal collections, organizational armories, or retired adventurer's attics. Tracking down the most valuable items available in a city would involve lots of information gathering and meetings with the well-to-do. To alleviate that problem, I introduced a goods broker who does the difficult legwork for the party and arranges meetings with suitable sellers, all for a low 5% arrangement fee if the sale is made.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

In Forge of Fury, a wealthy noble offers to buy the blades of Durgeddin that the PC's will find at more than market value, since he collects them.

I know that I've never played or seen played a "collector" character...

AR

 

[diaglo]

in my campaign all magic items have a name and a history...

but yes... some of those items are owned by people not using them. and they don't want others to use them either...

 

[Arnwyn]

Absolutely. The players IMC will very rarely sell magic items (actually, to this day I think I've only seen it once) - they'd rather keep them even if they (currently) have something better.

Thus, they do have collections and the like of magic items - usually kept in a vault in their stronghold.