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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Driddle" data-source="post: 1433331" data-attributes="member: 3447">There should be much discussion before the campaign even begins about how mages (and priests) are treated in the world. If nearly *anyone* can learn magic with a bit of effort and mentors are easy to find, then, yeah, you're going to have Kwik-E Magic Marts in every town. I prefer a more subtle approach: Just a few major mage colleges across the continent where most of the learning and casting takes place (especially high-level magic). And if a mage decides to wander out into the world on his own, usually the most experienced or savvy among them will be drafted/hired by the local royalty while only the very rare low-level hedge-witch or alchemist will set up a private shop. (Licensing requests must be approved by the closest college's council of management; that's why only innocuous, wise and/or retired dabblers will be allowed their own stores, and why the kingdom maintains good diplomatic relations with the magickers.) ... What that means for PC access is that they can't just walk into a building and lay down X gold pieces for a +3 sword. Most magic items are privately owned and not advertised for sale. Only the simplest scrolls and potions will be available, and even then you've got to imagine what the townsfolk could normally afford to buy -- sickness medicines, "love" potions, tool sharpenings, lost item scries, etc. If you want to sell a magic sword, you're going to have to find a buyer for it yourself, probably via the richest local merchant, the ruling royalty, or the wizard's college.(shrug) I've always appreciated old-style medieval settings with fewer fantastic trappings. There's nothing worse than taking magic for granted.</blockquote>

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