Rando Thought: While Elmar Barthen and Linene Graywind each operate a trading post in Phandalin, the two proprietors are not likely in direct competition. Each trading post carries different types of goods.

Elmar Barthen stocks supplies for mining, building, exploration, and wilderness survival. Except for a Climber’s Kit, few of Elmar’s wares should cost more than 5 gp on the Adventuring Gear list in the Player’s Handbook.

Linene Graywind stocks everything else you might find on the Adventuring Gear list, whether the item is something practical like clothing, housewares, a book, parchment, ink and pen. Or even higher priced merchandise few can afford, such as alchemist fire or a magnifying glass.

In the simplest terms, Barthen’s Provisions is akin to an outdoor sporting goods store/home improvement retailer, while the Lionshield Coster functions primarily as a department store.

The Lionshield Coster does stock armor and weapons. But as a trading post, it would be unrealistic for Linene to stock armor exceeding the cost of 50 gp, or martial weapons that cost greater than 15 gp. Items of higher cost and quality would not be readily available for purchase outside of a city where the people who can afford them are in greater numbers.

Any items stocked by the trading post that exceed these prices would likely be procured via a trade with a traveling adventurer at a price or trade favorable to the business, rather than through a wholesale purchase from an armorer or weaponsmith the Lionshields do business with throughout cities on the Sword Coast. Which could make for an interesting story.

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