Tara is on the cusp of turning into a small city, as the population swells and once abandoned parts of town are inhabited once again. Foreigners have swelled the marketplace, selling wares, including those once forbidden. They tend to hide in the shadows and keep a low profile.
One Phoenician wizard, Azmelqart, has begun selling powerful wands, rods and staves. He also sells items considered "evil" and other questionable magic items (like items that protect from Good). He does not seem malicious as much as indifferent to the consequences, an attribute shared by most Phoenician merchants.
Azmelqart is known to be the possessor of Batnoam, a magic ring with a minor power but with a very strong personality. The ring is of note in that Batnoam speaks a variety of languages, including some very ancient ones that were thought to have been lost. Unfortunately, it's a malicious thing and has sent at least one would-be adventurer to his death. Azmelqart has retreated to his small house since the event, wishing to keep a lower profile. Perhaps Batnoam has a bigger influence on Azmelqart than anyone knows.
CHANGES
Crime, which was out of control when you started your adventuring career, plummeted when you broke up the ring of cultist beggar-thieves. Now, with a population that's nearly half foreigners, it is simply low, normal for a town of its size.
The Economy of the town has improved only slightly, with the crime increase and the drain on the public coffers taking its toll. If more settlers arrive in Tara, and if there is not a way to pay for defenses, this will go down.
Revenue from the salt mine might pay for this. In fact, it might shift Tara into the category of "prosperous." This would increase Economy by 1, but would greatly increase your magic item gp value. It's also likely to attract a lot of attention to the growing town.
Law, like Crime, has dropped down to a normal level. This was your modifier for getting help from the town guard or city officials using skills like Diplomacy. They've gone from incredibly helpful to somewhat indifferent.
Society was your ability to modify moods or get something you want using social skills from non-government officials. This number is much higher because people are in a far better mood and aren't in constant fear for their lives.
TARA
LN Large town
Corruption +0; Crime -1 (from -7); Economy +0 (from -1); Law +0; (from +4) Lore +2; Society +4 (from +1)
Qualities insular (fading)
Danger +5
DEMOGRAPHICS
Government Council
Population 5,000 (on the cusp of small city)
MARKETPLACE
Base Value 2,538 gp; Purchase Limit 12,690 gp; Spellcasting 5th
Magic Items:
| arcane scroll of level 1 spell, hold porta | 25 gp | Scroll | ||
| arcane scroll of level 1 spell, detect secret doors | 25 gp | Scroll | ||
| divine scroll of level 1 spell, detect aberration [APG] | 25 gp | Scroll | ||
| potion of guidance | 25 gp | Potion / Oil | ||
| potion of protection from good | 50 gp | Potion / Oil | ||
| potion of nature's exile [APG] | 300 gp | Potion / Oil | ||
| divine scroll of level 3 spell, glyph of warding | 575 gp | Scroll | ||
| manacles of cooperation [APG] | 2,000 gp | Wondrous Item | ||
| lesser disruptive metamagic rod | 3,000 gp | Rod | ||
| wand of level 2 spell, darkvision, with 47 charges | 4,230 gp | Wand | ||
| wand of level 2 spell, darkvision, with 50 charges, function indicated by an inscription in Phoenician | 4,500 gp | Wand | ||
| wand of level 2 spell, spike growth (caster level 4), with 44 charges | 5,280 gp | Wand | ||
| wand of level 2 spell, flames of the faithful [APG] (caster level 4), with 50 charges | 6,000 gp | Wand | ||
| +4 studded leather armour | 16,175 gp | Armour | ||
| staff of fire, with 10 charges | 18,950 gp | Stave | ||
| lesser quicken metamagic rod | 35,000 gp | Rod | ||
| crystal ball with detect thoughts | 51,000 gp | Wondrous Item | ||
| maximise metamagic rod |
| Rod | ||
