Epic Level Handbook

CHAPTER 6:AN EPICSETTINGtheir own research. Often, agents for powerful wizardsact as brokers, negotiating the cost of some bit of magicalwork or another on behalf of their clients, who wish todo their work elsewhere than in Union, or in anotherdimension entirely. For the uninitiated, the Magic Quartercan be an intimidating place, but if you’re in themarket to buy, sell, or trade in enchantment, there’s nobetter place to do business.Suplindh’sIf you want to commission a piece of magic, Suplindh’s inthe Magic Quarter is the place to go. Whether you are inthe market for better armor, an improvement on yourcurrent weapon, or information on the latest spell you areresearching, you can most likely get it here. It will costyou, but anything magical worth having is worth payinghandsomely for.Suplindh (N male gargoyle half-fiend Sor15) is abroker, an agent who works with a number of wizardsin and beyond Union (he is said to have contacts inboth Sigil and the City of Brass). Each of his clients hasunique desires and needs, and Suplindh himself is ashrewd negotiator, able to strike a deal that gets customerswhat they want while making sure his clientsare willing to keep using him. Few wizards are interestedin creating magic items for gold alone. Theprocess is time-consuming and the costs are exorbitant,both in gold and in experience. But Suplindh has managedto corral a handful of wizards whose interests andneeds permit them to do the occasional bit of work inexchange for other kinds of services. These spellcastersare always in need of some rare spell component, a copyof some lost text, or perhaps an item of value that theyjust don’t have the skills to create themselves.In order to finance the production of some newmagic item, Suplindh requires 75% of the cost of thematerials up front. If the item in question cannot otherwisebe had in the city (because it is too difficult to craft,it is a one-of-a-kind item, or it is somehow cursed), herequires an additional 10% for himself. Depending onhow difficult the item in question is to acquire, he maybroker an additional form of payment on behalf of hisarcane client, usually in the form of a quest, sometimesin the form of a comparable item to trade, or (rarely) inthe form of additional coin. The needs of his stable ofwizards change from week to week, and he frequentlyworks out complex, multiparty deals when the opportunityarises. Sometimes this process results in the acquisitionof a desired item in a much shorter time than itwould take to create one.For example, if a customer visits his shop and wantsher +7 longsword further enhanced so that it is also a keenweapon, Suplindh might arrange for one wizard clientto perform the work. If that wizard happens to need aparticular rare epic spell on a tablet for some personalresearch he is doing, Suplindh might turn to anotherone of his clients, procuring that spell for the wizard.The second spellcaster might have a long-languishingassociate who needs rescuing from a demon prince followingan unfortunate card game. In this instance,Suplindh might ask his customer with the +7 longswordto free the prisoner as a fee for the additional enhancementto her blade, in lieu of cash.Suplindh himself is an odd character—a half-fiendishgargoyle, though one who has a more noble dispositionthan most of his ilk. His stony form is decorated with ablack spiny ridge that runs from the bridge of his nose upover his forehead and down his back. Despite his unnervingappearance, most people find Suplindh to be a verypersonable fellow after only a few minutes in conversationwith him. His reputation in the city is impeccable,and he often suggests that potential customers whodoubt his trustworthiness seek independent referrals toprove such.Suplindh employs the services of a pair of dwarves toact as security in the store. Their main task is to call apatrol of Union Sentinels if a customer gets rough.Suplindh doesn’t keep much of value on hand on a constantbasis, but when he does fulfill a contract or acceptpayment for a given job, he likes to have Balzam (LNmale dwarf Ftr15) and Gowdle (LN female dwarf Ftr16)stay close (even though he stores the valuables in his Leomund’ssecret chest). When he is away visiting one of hisclients, one dwarf will accompany him while the otherstays behind to mind the store.Market Street Book ShopThis unique store in the Magic Quarter has been ownedand operated by Laslie Fedrow (NE female humanRog15/Asn10) for just about as long as anyone in Unioncan remember, with the possible exception of some ofthe mercanes. The shop is somewhat out of the way, on aside street, but just about anyone can tell you where tofind it. Laslie is a matronly woman, gray hair always keptneatly in a bun, and she tends to mother over every customerwho walks through her doors, whether it is theirfirst visit or twentieth.Laslie deals in old books of every sort. Her collectionrivals the libraries of many cities and quite a few universities,and representatives of those establishments actuallycome shopping on occasion. Many a scholar hascome to browse through her collection just for thepleasure of it. If she doesn’t have a particular title, shehas a good idea where she might find a copy. She hasassociates out in all corners of the multiverse trackingdown ancient tomes. Laslie studiously avoids dealingwith magical texts; she has told any and all who comelooking for such that arcane writing would bring hernothing but trouble, and she won’t buy or sell it, period.Despite this posture, Laslie does a brisk business, benefitinggreatly from word-of-mouth recommendationsand the fact that she is located in Union.Secretly, Laslie runs her place as a front for certainmembers of the Garrote. Several high-level assassins,including a son of hers few people know about namedOctavian Fedrow (LE male human Rog10/Asn10), meet260