Haerldoun's Helms and Shields

Haerldoun's Helms & Shields, or Haerldoun's Helms and Shields, was a shop located in the city of Wheloon in Cormyr, near the center of the city. It sold armor, shields, and some weapons.

History
The store was formerly a haven for smugglers, but was later bought by an adventuring band as a sideline investment. One of the adventurers, a mercenary named Haerldoun developed it a business importing helms and shields, while his niece, Albhaera Haerldoun, managed it under his supervision in the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR.

Albhaera later became an adventurer herself, joining her uncle's adventuring band. After that band was utterly destroyed by a beholder and Albhaera fled in terror, she retired from the adventuring life and returned to the business. Becoming its proprietor, she expanded its trade and enjoyed great success by 1369 DR. It was still in operation in 1374 DR.

Description
Haerldoun's Helms and Shields lay by a wharf on the western bank of the Wyvernflow river. It consisted of a shop with a small smithy out back.

Services
From its initial trade of selling helms and shields imported from around the Inner Sea, Haerldoun's Helms and Shields expanded to deal in a range of armor pieces. It had an excellent range of shields, gorgets, and greaves, a few pairs of gauntlets, and a couple of secondhand suits of armor. It was also the best place in Wheloon to buy and sell magical armors.

The store also sold a few basic weapons. Albhaera also specialized in knives designed to be sheathed behind shields and inside greaves, bracers, breastplates, and other pieces.

Albhaera also worked on custom orders from her small smithy.

Activities
Haerldoun's Helms and Shields was a popular with warriors in Wheloon and had various means of attracting customers. This was largely due to Albhaera's habit of wearing exotic armors of flattering designs and revealing cutaway sections. Infatuated warriors gathered around the store most days to chat with her and try to impress her with their strength and stories of their prowess. Occasionally, they held demonstrations of combat skill, such as knife-throwing or mock jousting, which attracted more customers.

Local Purple Dragon patrols occasionally performed inspections of the store, sometimes as often as daily. This transparent excuse to meet Albhaera earned them the mockery of other Whelunians.