Primal Magic item availability

## **The Primal Effect**

The last two centuries of research, discovery and development have changed far more than just Baldur's Gate and areas of the central Sword Coast. Even during the long Stonehearth period of non-intervention, the steady supply of magical consumables alone have tipped the scales in unexpected directions.

Perhaps most surprising is that more hasn't changed on the map. Therein is a reflection of Stonehearth's previous policy of neutrality. *Both* sides of many conflicts were able to find channels for scrolls, potions and perhaps beyond. For the lovers of Toril lore, summarize the divergent timeline by knowing that increased magic generally led to quicker and bloodier conflicts. The plethora of healing potions afterward helped balance the scales the other direction.

Where most of Faerûn's history presents as an oddly low-magic world, the last two centuries have pushed the Weave-based competitors to create – *or perish*. From Imaskar to Thay to Calimshan and yes, Baldur's Gate, Waterdeep and Neverwinter, little discoveries in enchantment have pushed the items players know and love to something their Weave-reliant selves even had a realistic shot at finding.

### **A DM's Primer**

The general availability of magical items has increased a great deal. The metrics of the increase really depend on the nature of the area, but the supernova of Baldur's Gate and the Stonehearth areas has created gold and commerce not just in Kara-Tur or Anachorome but in Abeir.

Even after Stonehearth brought back allies of Halruaa and Lantan, that didn't close the door on the phased shadow of Toril. Rather, Stonehearth has set their sights on the Abolethic Sovereignty and is already taking steps toward eventual action. This has a *significant* effect magic item availability.

The local craftsmen have traded notes and are now cranking out the enchantments. Most of this is for general commerce: Stonehearth rarely sells the good stuff outside their own borders. The deeper reality is factions around both Toril and Abeir are now jockeying for position. Some seek to show themselves as a worthy ally for Stonehearth, perhaps as a future vassal or a candidate for the Commonwealth. Others, like the slavers, know they're at odds with the *Charter of Light*. They're seeking to consolidate and strengthen their position before the cannons of Stonehearth show up at their doorstep.

Even for Weave-based magic, business is brisk.

### **Primal Enchanted Item Availability**

Primal magic is subject to major export restrictions. Even domestic sales have certain conditions...

Subjects of the Marquisate (and now the Commonwealth) have street-level access to non-military magic, such as Primal, crystal-based motors used in horseless carriages and so on. This includes most dual-use arcane technology, including wands of casting.

* For this Primal/non-military access, they've already proven their connection of residency, have tax records on file, and so on.

Stonehearth adults who wish to purchase military-purposed technology, arcane or mundane, must register for selective service (a draft, if instituted), and militia training and service.

* This includes a single-pass indoctrination, which does include a low-level geas to follow the law. This is ostensibly to ensure they aren't being mind controlled to execute contrary actions.
* The other route for access to the highest caliber gear, *for free,* is to enlist in the Stonehearth Arms.

Foreigners can gain limited to access by either filing for a license (the civilian route) or qualifying as a private military contractor (the security route). Each route has paperwork and administrative *Hoops for Jumping*.

* For 5,000 gp, foreign civilians can qualify for access to dual-use gear after taking a questionaire under compel-truth spell to ensure they're not purchasing as a cut-out, plan on keeping and using the items themselves and have no intention of using Primal gear against House Stonehearth, its subjects or agents.
* For a 10,000 gp fee, foreign security professionals (that is: *anybody who isn't a resident of the Marquisate)*can reserve candidate status as a Private Military Contractor (PMC). PMCs are commonly hired for peripheral, support, auxiliary, or ancillary deployment. *"Mercenary" is a dirty word*...
* It is possible, however unlikely, that an adventurer outside the *known* sphere of Stonehearth influence could take jobs from a Stonehearth agent and earn a trusted status. If such an adventurer was to prove their loyalty to the ethic (which usually involved taking down slavers and/or factions in the darker evil range), that agent could reveal their true flag and offer a token, which could be a Primal item, and likely a waiver for the PMC fee if so desired, and possibly other support (like smuggling enslaved families out of Thay and granting them asylum and Stonehearth subject status).

Purchase of Primal items begins with the context listed above, and is accomplished at locations in Baldur's Gate and throughout the Stonehearth Marquisate (with some availability in Commonwealth-sanctioned locations in Halruaa and Lantan).

Examples of these stores, shops and locations can be found in the geographic or scenario pages.