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Aurora's Emporium

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Aurora's Emporium, also known as Aurora's Whole Realms Shop or simply Aurora's, was a business operating across Faerûn in the mid-to-late 14th century DR. Founded and run by the retired adventuring wizard Aurora, it delivered exotic and luxury items sourced from all over world to its shops located in many cities via extensive use of teleportation magic. Customers ordered these items from the Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue.[1][7]

“

Welcome to Aurora's Emporium!

You are about to embark on the finest shopping experience in all of Faerun. I am pleased to bring you the widest selection of impeccable merchandise available anywhere on the continent.
”
— From "A Word from Our Founder" in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue[7]

Symbol[]

Aurora's badge

The literal face of the business. Drawn by Nadul DaRoni.

The logo of the company was the face of an attractive woman within a circle. While many thought this to be Aurora herself,[6][1] not many people had actually seen her and reports from those who had conflicted.[1][8][note 1] (It did depict her, but as a younger woman.) In any case, it appeared on all staff and shipments: pressed into the wax seals of packaged goods, painted onto containers, and as a brass-and-silver badge worn by employees.[1] At least one portrait of Aurora was drawn by in-house inventor Nadul DaRoni.[9]

Operations[]

Goods[]

Arabellan cheddar-2e

Arabellan cheddar, straight from Arabel, 4 silver pieces for a 100-pound wheel.

Aurora's Emporium stocked and sold a vast assortment of goods, leaning toward smaller luxury items, exotic wares, rarities, and quality pieces,[1][10] such as jewelry, clothing and costumes, toys and games, cosmetics and personal grooming, and so on, but also a variety of foods and beverages, common tools, household and business supplies, hardware, and alchemical supplies.[11] They avoided trading animals, magic items, spellbooks ("for obvious reasons", according to Aurora), armor, and weaponry,[10][12][13] because they could not sell one-size-fits-all armor pieces or swords not balanced to a warrior's liking.[12] Customers who sought such things would be referred to more appropriate merchants[10] or wizards, but would not transport such things even if arrangements were made.[13] Otherwise, they dealt in a wide range of tools and equipment suited to fighters, rangers, rogues, clerics, wizards, and adventurers in general, as well as survival gear, first-aid and medical equipment, and dungeoneering tools and light sources.[11][12][14][13]

They had no knowing involvement in poor-quality, black-market, stolen, or other illicit goods.[7][1][2] Aurora used her own divination magic could to guarantee this.[7] On the other hand, they sold thieves' tools and other items that aided in larceny and trickery, on the expectation they be used for ethical purposes, and only where legal to sell.[14]

Musical instruments were inspected and guaranteed by Waterdeep's Council of Musicians, Instrument-Makers, & Choristers,[15] Meanwhile, books were printed in Waterdeep on high-quality paper made from timber cut in the High Forest and bound with the close supervision of the Scriveners', Scribes', and Clerks' Guild.[16]

Sourcing[]

To acquire its wide selection of quality merchandise, Aurora's Emporium employed a network of agents operating in many regions of Faerûn, especially the Heartlands, and even some parts of Kara-Tur (as far as Malatra) and Maztica (as far as Tukan).[17][2] They identified goods that might be suitable, confirmed that they not stolen or sold on the black market, bought them, and transported them to the central warehouse,[7][2] wherever it was currently located, or if more remote, a trading post shop in one of the major trade centers.[10] Transport was arranged by other Emporium employees or trusted agents familiar with their standards and protocols, and was handled by other merchants and caravanners. Emporium teamsters regularly worked alongside these caravans, even those also transporting non-Emporium goods.[2][10]

Aurora's purchased from many reputable merchants, as well as individual craftsmen, wholesalers, and even itinerant peddlers.[7] Among those businesses in the Lands of Intrigue that sold their wares through Aurora's Wholesalers circa 1370 DR were Kraljaom Distillery in Myratma[18] and Yves Porwal the cheesemaker in Saradush, both in Tethyr;[19] the Hills' Cheer Distillery & Brewery in Llorbauth in Erlkazar;[20] and the Golden Sands Brewery in Calimport in Calimshan.[21][22] In the Dalelands, Weregund the Trader of Shadowdale was a purveyor of goods for Aurora's.[23] In the early 1360s DR, fabrics were manufactured in Berdusk, Daerlun, Elturel, Scornubel, Suzail, and Yhaunn, and even Nexal in Maztica, and furs came from all over the Heartlands and elsewhere,[24] while finished articles of clothing were made in Suzail from Daerlunian cloth and wool. There was also Hillsfarian velvet, Elturian leather, silk from Shou Lung, and cotton weaves from Maztica. Shoes were made by the Cobbler's Guild in Ordulin and came in sizes of human, elf, halfling/children, and jumbo.[25] Novelty armored undergarments were manufactured at Boom's Garden in Waterdeep, at least those tame and tasteful enough to sell; these were made-to-order to the customer's measurements.[25]

Warehousing & Teleporting[]

Aurora'sEmporium

Aurora, Jhegaan, and Thane discussing business in the central warehouse.

At the central warehouse, Emporium employees comprising laborers, scribes, and accountants kept careful record of incoming and outgoing goods to maintain an up-to-date inventory. They conducted a full stocktake every three months. The majority of goods were stored in central warehouse, though some common items were kept in stock in the shops for quick delivery.[2]

Each shop and the central warehouse was furnished with a magical teleport platform as a target for teleporting goods to and fro.[2][8] These were marked with large depictions of the Aurora's Emporium logo and distinguished by specific configurations of magical fields within the targets that the service-mages could focus their teleport spells on, which avoided the needed to update targets when the central warehouse relocated and the need for mages to be familiar with the geography.[10] Bulky items were magically reduced in size for convenience and returned to full size a few minutes after arrival.[2][8] By relying on teleport spells for delivery, the problem of theft en route was obviated.[1]

The Aurora's Emporium teleportation network remained operational as of the late 1480s DR.[26][27]

Ordering[]

Meanwhile, customers browsed the Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue and placed orders for various items at their local Aurora's Whole Realms Shop.[7][1][2] Every Aurora's outlet had several copies of the catalogue, enough for all would-be customers,[7][8] as might a few inns, especially those with libraries for guests, such as the Old Skull Inn in Shadowdale[28] and Blais Inn in Westgate.[29] Otherwise, it was forbidden to take catalogues out of the store, owing to the high cost of public distribution. The catalogue outlined the business and detailed all goods, while clerks explained the ordering process. Customers were encouraged to ask if they wanted something not in the catalogue, in case it was in stock but not yet in the current catalogue.[7] Customers paid a 25% deposit on most orders, although for a few items full upfront payment was required and same-day delivery was often available for a nonrefundable 15% surcharge.[7][2] Thieving equipment was one area that required full payment in advance, thieves being what they are.[14] The deposit would be refunded should Aurora's Emporium be out of stock.[7] Orders were received daily as of 1370 DR.[2]

Each morning and at close of business each day, the orders were delivered to the central warehouse, often via teleport cast by the on-site service-mage.[7][2][8]

At the central warehouse, staff would receive these orders, check if an item was in stock, collect all the items required, and update the inventory. Items were labelled with the customer's name and the price paid, bulky items were reduced via magical spells if required, and all were grouped together for transport to specific stores. They were then loaded onto a teleport platform, and sent to the target shop all at once. Reduced items would return to normal size after a few minutes, or else be enlarged.[7][2]

Sometimes, substitutions were made: if a specific item was not in stock, then a comparable item would be provided instead, though the customer was free to decline on pick-up.[7] In addition, cloths and clothing were available in select colors, with standard ones in the catalogue and additional ones available through the store, with gray, beige, black, brown, and white always available. Moreover, Aurora's had a dyeing service with a wide range of common and exotic dyes. Customers could peruse a provided swatch booklet and request the fabrics be dyed in other colors for 10% extra and a further 3 to 4 days before delivery; typically, this was 2 sp for blue, green, red, and yellow.[7][25] Musical instruments could blessed by clergy of Milil for double the price and time for delivery.[15] Conversely, clerical and priestly items had no blessing or sanctification applied.[30]

They would also act as wholesalers, selling goods in bulk at a discount for other businesses to sell on to customers; the Beer Golem tavern in Waterdeep was one customer of this service,[31] while Wendeira of Wendeira's Wondery in Monksblade, Cormyr, and a good friend to Aurora, purchased as many novelties as she could for resale.[32] A representative of the library-fortress of Candlekeep made an annual mass order of books.[16]

Delivery[]

After submitting an order, a customer could normally collect their goods from their Aurora's Whole Realms Shop in two to three days, unless delayed by a major holiday, war, or political turmoil at the source of the goods, a catastrophe, or other unforeseen event or overriding need; clerks could give a more exact estimate. Orders were processed in order they were received, but an outlet in a region struck by a natural disaster would receive priority for emergency wares like food, clothes, and blankets.[7][2] Some upmarket stores would deliver direct to their customers, such as the Waterdeep Way outlet, which would deliver within the city's Castle Ward using the shop's own coach.[3]

The balance of any payment was due upon pick-up at the outlet shop.[2] Customers were permitted to inspect the goods at the shop. Items found to be unsatisfactory and returned by the customer were fully refunded, but after the customer left the shop with the item, no refunds or returns or exchanges were accepted. Items that were not collected remained at the outlet for fourteen days or two tendays, after which they were returned to the central warehouse and the deposit was forfeited. [7][2] Customers could ask the store to hold their goods for longer.[7]

Development & Manufacture[]

Aurora's also designed and manufactured their own goods for sale, by their in-house gnome artisans, to fill specific adventuring niches. These included the cathole tool, a specialist shovel, entrenching tool, and improvised weapon; and holders and straps for the screwcap light tube for easy carrying.[33] Prime among these artisans was the gnome artificer and inventor Nadul DaRoni, who had a workshop in the Storm Horns mountains near High Horn.[34][35] Several of his outlandish inventions were illustrated in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue, but as special orders with no guarantees.[34]

Other Activities[]

Aurora's Undermountain Sale

Aurora's stores may pop up in the strangest places.

From time to time, Aurora's Emporium would arrange adventurers to obtain some rare or unique desired items or to intervene on the rare occasion when a shipment went missing or was stolen. Investigators would also be enlisted to look into the origin of goods when suspicions arose.[2]

Employees might also be charged with selling special and enchanted goods independently of the main business, some from Aurora's own sizeable collection of magical treasures. For example, the merchant Deidre sold several unique items from Sigil and three relics of the famed explorer Balduran (stolen from a museum in Baldur's Gate) in the Adventurer Mart in Waukeen's Promenade in Athkatla, Amn, in the Year of the Gauntlet, 1369 DR,[36][note 2] while the Waterdeep Way outlet sold magic items around 1372 DR.[37]

The company also had field representatives who would survey customers, especially adventurers, about their satisfaction with products, the effectiveness of items purchased, and which were actually required, in order to refine their offerings. For example, ahead of the late 1360s Undermountain sale in Waterdeep, they found that pre-stocked adventurer's backpacks sold best when including only essentials selected based on the assumption of a balanced adventuring party and the strongest carrying the greatest loads, and leaving room for other equipment as needed. They also found that backpacks with frames that distributed weight onto the hips rather than the shoulders were popular with a 98% satisfaction rating, and so switched to these designs exclusively.[38][38]

Goals[]

The business was founded upon three pillars:[1]

  1. Acquire quality items at reasonable prices;[1]
  2. Sell said items with reasonable profit to customers; and[1]
  3. Maintain the good name of Aurora's Emporium, with honorable practices and satisfied customers.[1]

Aurora would dismiss any member of staff whom she felt did not keep all three of these principles central to their work, particularly those who bought substandard or illicit goods or inflated prices.[1]

Despite this, for Aurora, the business was but a hobby to keep herself active and put her talents to good use; she ran it for personal entertainment, not out capitalist desire for profit. If she ever wearied of it or found it repeatedly operating at a loss, then she would start scaling back the business, by either reducing operations, shutting down remote outlets, or decreasing quantities and kinds of stock. Fortunately, as of 1370 DR, the business remained prosperous and successful and Aurora was satisfied and still seeking out new and noteworthy goods to stock.[1]

Organization[]

Business Structure[]

Despite the scale of its operations, as of 1370 DR Aurora continued to run her company along the lines of a small business, thanks to the ease of teleportation. While Aurora managed her namesake Emporium, she had her friend Jhegaan the Maestro as an assistant to deal with everyday affairs and an accountant-wizard Thane to oversee the central warehouse. Shop clerks, service-mages, and remote scouts reported to either Aurora or Jhegaan, and both were kept apprised of deliveries and daily happenings, while warehousemen reported to Thane. Shop clerks were in charge of hiring guards for the security of their stores.[1]

Aurora was succeeded by her daughter, Lemily, who had the difficult task of leading the company through the Spellplague of 1385 DR. Her daughter Leleanor in turn was keen to revive the company's fortunes in the early 1490s DR.[39][note 3]

Employment[]

Aurora's Emporium employed people in a variety of roles: clerks to take orders and run their outlets, guards to protect shops and caravans, remote buyers and remote scouts to discover and purchase new goods, and junior wizards and priests as service-mages for mundane spellcasting. They also on occasion hired adventurers and investigators to look into lost or stolen goods and suspicious wares.[7][2] In addition, a small staff of artists and scribes were retained for writing and illustrating the Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue and preparing it for copying, while apprentice mages did the actual magical copying and distributing it to outlets.[7]

The company preferred people of good character and dependable nature, and who could recognize a good deal when they saw one. Furthermore, a person with a recommendation from Aurora's Emporium was in good standing for more lucrative work with other merchants and explorers. In particular, clerks were expected to be adept in handling customers and appraising goods for flaws, and must also be able to work alongside wizards and not be afraid or suspicious of magic. Shop guards were required to resolve confrontations peacefully and nonlethally, and to let local authorities takeover dealing with miscreants. Remote buyers must be highly skilled in appraisal and local knowledge, to help them monitor local markets for quality goods to acquire and keep up-to-date with mercantile affairs, usually with the aid of a number of local contacts. Remote scouts, in turn, were often rangers and aboveboard thieves who could travel in search of novel wares and forge good relations with new cultures. Finally, the service-mages must be capable of casting teleport, whether innately or by a magic item, and were trained in using the teleport platforms in the shops and central warehouse and in locating employees by their badges.[2] Job advertisements were posted on noticeboards in each store. Pay was promised to be good and appropriate to the difficulty and hazards of the work.[7]

Payment[]

Standard employees were paid on a monthly basis, with their earnings being teleported to them the same way as were goods. The remote scouts were granted generous funds in local coin for buying goods and submitted reports on expenditure for their reimbursement each month.[1]

Bases of Operations[]

Central Warehouse[]

A central warehouse was maintained but had no fixed location; instead, it and its goods, equipment, and staff were moved in their entirety roughly once per year in order to maintain security and privacy, to deter both thieves and competitors.[7][10][8] The location was a closely kept secret.[7] Ahead of relocation, staff were steadily transferred to the new site to get familiarized and then, during a planned quiet period following a holiday, teleport spells were employed to transfer the contents of the warehouse en masse to the new site. The teleport targets did not need to be updated, thanks to their design. The central warehouse site was typically cycled between the cities of Waterdeep, Westgate, Marsember, and Saerloon, but occasionally to more distant and isolated places.[10][note 4]

Outlets[]

Circa 1370 DR, the majority of Aurora's Emporium outlets were to be found in the Heartlands, with every significant city from the Sword Coast in the west to Cormyr and Sembia in the east having a shop and the biggest having one in each district or ward.[7][10][8] A great number of customers across the North were supplied by Aurora's Emporiums.[40] Further east, many of the realms around the Inner Sea had at least one shop within their borders. Beyond the Heartlands and Inner Sea, a region might have a smaller outlet or simply a representative who could arrange orders with the closet outlet. In major trade centers in more remote areas of Faerun and on other continents, an outlet acted served as both shop and trading post, allowing a trader to sell their goods to the central warehouse.[10]

Aurora's Realms Shop - LoW

The Aurora's Realms Shop on the Street of the Tusks in Waterdeep's Trade Ward.

Outlets were known to be located in:

Mobile Agents[]

Apart from the shops and outlets, Aurora's Emporium had mobile agents operating across the land, with roughly the same distribution and density as the shops.[10]

Surprisingly, even the isle of Evermeet had a single elf agent. Her primary role was not importing foreign goods or exporting elven ones, but rather procuring elven items sold in Faerunian markets and returning them to the elven homeland.[10]

Possessions[]

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Emporium staff were well supplied for whatever job they had to do, often with tools and equipment from their own stock. In particular, buyers and sellers were equipped with high-quality merchant's scales to weigh goods and with signet rings to indicate their authority.[56]

Moreover, all employees were issued with company badges and those of higher rank had badges bearing minor spells like detect magic, ESP, and message usable once each day. (Aurora borrowed this idea from Harper pins.) These had a dual function: Emporium wizards were trained to locate other employees via their badges, helping to find any who should go missing. Hence, Emporium employees relied on their badges for rescue if they got lost or into trouble.[56]

Aurora herself had a number of magic items of her own from being an adventurer, but favored those useful for overseeing her business. These included eyes of minute seeing for close examination of proposed goods and a mirror of mental prowess for communicating with and keeping tracking of her agents.[1]

Reputation[]

Aurora's Whole Realms Shops were popular[3] and famous,[52] and many city dwellers either lived near one or were at least passingly familiar with the contents of the Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. Their reliability, quality, and quick delivery made them the preferred choice in an emergency.[3]

Relationships[]

Despite their similar lines of work, Aurora's Emporium usually enjoyed good relations with other merchants and caravanners, for a few reasons.[10] First, these was an effective lack of competition between them as the Emporium specialized in small and rare luxury goods that would not turn a high profit, whereas traditional merchants preferred to transport common goods in bulk and smugglers in contraband, .[10][8] Second, the Emporium regularly hired merchants and caravanners to transport such goods for them, while Emporium teamsters worked alongside caravans bearing non-Emporium goods. Third, if an Emporium clerk received a request for something they did not stock or could not deliver within a required timeframe, then they would refer the customer to a regular merchant who could at the best rate. Clerks therefore had to stay up-to-date on merchants in their area, and the merchants appreciated this fairness and honesty.[10]

In contrast, traditional shopkeepers had much to fear from an Aurora's outlet opening up in their area and in competition with them,[57] and viewed the whole operation with suspicion.[8] They worried her agents, or spies, were everywhere. Some hoped to preempt this by becoming an Aurora's outlet themselves.[57]

History[]

Aurora was a former adventurer[1] and accomplished mage[8] who had traveled the length and breadth of Faerûn and grown fascinated by the wide variety in cultures, cuisines, and comforts she encountered.[1] A few years after retirement, she settled down but sought a way to stay active, stave off boredom, and sate her love of exploration, and so she founded her business.[1][8] Her first shop was a little place in Waterdeep, named Aurora's Emporium, and it was initially only open for a few days each month after she came home from her travels bearing more exotic goods.[1] Nevertheless, Aurora made wise investments in the business.[39] Her fellow adventurer and friend, Jhegaan the Maestro, elected to stay and help her, discovering a previously unguessed-at good business acumen.[58]

From such humble beginnings, the business grew and she began to open shops across Faerûn.[1] An Aurora's Emporium enjoyed success wherever one opened[8] and in the early 1360s DR, Aurora reported that she had a new outlet opening each month, promising that there was a good chance that someone reading her catalogue would soon have a store opening conveniently close to them.[7] Before long, it had become a multi-armed company that spanned the Realms and had agents in places further than even Aurora had traveled.[1]

At some point, the gnomish inventor Nadul DaRoni came across a flyer for the new store in Suzail, Cormyr, and thought it a good way to showcase his creations and be recognized. He located Aurora in Shadowdale while she was attending an event hosted by Elminster and forcefully insisted his works should be included in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. Aurora flatly rejected him. Nevertheless, he persisted and pestered until eventually Aurora agreed to examine his notes and tour his workshop, and cautiously agreed to present a handful of them.[34][35]

The wizard/accountant Thane of Westgate was promoted to manager of the central warehouse circa 1365 DR.[58]

Famed travelogue writer Volothamp Geddarm was known to buy his Luiren cheeses and stout ales through Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue in the 1360s DR.[59] Meanwhile, thanks to their appearances in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue, Death Cheese—made from the milk of the catoblepas—achieved infamy[60] and blood wine became a popular export of Aglarond.[61] However, shopkeepers like Austas Argyr of Argyr's Realmsry in Dawngleam, Cormyr, dreaded the competition with an Aurora's outlet and suspected her spies. Argyr wrote letters to Aurora for more than a season circa 1366 DR with proposals of his store becoming an Aurora's outlet instead, but received no reply in that time.[57] Nevertheless, by 1367 DR, Aurora was a standout amongst the rising new class of non-guild merchants operating in Waterdeep.[40]

“
Aurora's Undermountain Sale! New Items and Backpack Packages for Delving into Waterdeep's Most Deadly Hole of Evil!
”
— A sign for the Undermountain sale (just be sure to pay in full in advance)[38]

An Aurora's Whole Realms outlet in Waterdeep held a special sale for adventurers going into Undermountain in the late 1360s DR. This included backpacks pre-stocked with supplies and equipment, as well as newly stocked specialist dungeoneering tools.[38]

On Tarsakh 24 in the Year of the Tankard, 1370 DR, a mysterious man entered the Westgate shop and asked the clerk if her employers were open to teleporting not goods but people between their shops. The clerk relayed this request to her superiors in the central warehouse, and their response was a refusal. The would-be customer thanked the clerk, reimbursed her for her time with a strange idol of a frog-like creature studded in jewels, and departed. She described the fellow as mean-looking with fair skin and red hair. The idol was later valued at 3,000 gp and thought to originate nowhere in Faerûn.[62]

Some months later, during Eleint, a fault occurred in one of the teleport pads in the central warehouse, leading to merchandise being corrupted, spoiled, or flawed on delivery. Upon discovering this, staff issued abundant apologies to affected customers and sent replacements two days later with a 50% discount. The fault was corrected, no evidence of sabotage was found, and the fault did not reoccur that year.[63]

Unfortunately, the Spellplague of the Year of Blue Fire, 1385 DR and after caused a much greater, more long-lasting disruption to Aurora's Emporium operations, with failures in the teleportation network. Amidst that chaos, Aurora's successor and daughter, Lemily, had a difficult time keeping the company together. Much of it was lost, with only a handful of outlets in the major cities remaining in business by the late 1400s DR, among them Waterdeep, Westgate, and Baldur's Gate.[39]

“
Unknowable Watching Gods Forefend! Folk across this broad world of ours use these things in everyday life. Have some respect for cultures not your own!
”
— Old lady Aurora shooing away a couple of too-curious children.[55]

By the late 1470s DR, Aurora's Emporium was known as a fashionable curio shop in Westgate, run by a greatly aged Aurora. It sold exotic trinkets and treasures from all around Toril: Calishite smoking implements, Cormanthyran cloth; couatl-feather headdresses from Maztica, coral jewelry from Myth Nantar, clothes from Damara, hooked blades from Var, a Tuigan bow and arrows from the Hordelands, satyr's pipes, and so forth.[55][note 5]

On Shieldmeet of the Year of Deep Water Drifting, 1480 DR, Ilira Nathalan, Myrin Darkdance, and Rujia visited the Westgate Aurora's Emporium and met Aurora. Ilira knew her and the two spoke privately, while Myrin noticed Hessar also browsing.[55]

Still in Westgate, after a century of being shut down, the portals in the abandoned Blais House inn had begun to cause instabilities in local magic, which led to interference in the nearby Aurora's Emporium's own teleportation network in the Year of the Rune Lords Triumphant, 1487 DR. To resolve it, Aurora looked to recruit adventurers to reenter Blais House and fix the portals, and maybe even reopen the inn.[26]

In the Year of the Scarlet Witch, 1491 DR, Leleanor, daughter of Lemily and granddaughter of Aurora, discovered amongst her grandmother's old adventuring finds a map of the abandoned dwarven mines beneath Port Iron in the Moonsea. On it, she found a note indicating secret treasure and believed it to be the long-rumored untapped rich vein of gold, which she thought could fund her plan to re-establish the Aurora's Emporium teleportation network, at least after funding a mining venture. To this end, she secured access to the site and hired adventurers to explore the mines and verify the map and the gold.[39]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ This confusion over Aurora's appearance may be alluding to the different depictions of Aurora, with two in Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue (one repurposed from the cover art of Pools of Darkness depicting Shal Bal) and a third in Cloak & Dagger.
  2. ↑ Although Aurora's Emporium is elsewhere stated to not sell magic items, armor, and weaponry, Deidre sells all three, some of legendary provenance. She also lacks a store, instead standing in a market. While this may just be due to gameplay and mechanics, Deidre refers to "the Aurora's magic emporium" in lower case and refers directly to "her" (Aurora's) collection of magical treasures, suggesting she could be selling these directly from Aurora's personal collection, independently of the main business.
  3. ↑ Leleanor is not specified to be heading Aurora's Emporium, so the ownership status at this time is unclear.
  4. ↑ It is unclear if the warehouse building itself is teleported somehow, or only its contents are teleported to another, existing warehouse.
  5. ↑ Eye of Justice appears to be depict Aurora's Emporium as a single curio shop, not mentioning it to be a continent-spanning chain. It is unclear if it has been drastically downsized, perhaps following the Spellplague, or if this is a new kind of store or simply the Westgate outlet after all. Moreover, this Aurora is implied to be the same Aurora, because Myrin, who has been temporally displaced from the late 1300s DR, appears to recognize her. If so, Aurora would be over 150 years old—unnaturally old for a human, but not unusual for wizards and characters of this era. Aurora may have retired to this curio shop, cutting back her involvement in the larger company. Alternatively, this is a descendant of the same name. The later Dragon #428: "Backdrop: Westgate", also by Erik Scott de Bie, mentions Aurora again and confirms it still has a teleportation network. Oubliette of Fort Iron resolves the issue by having the chain reduced to Westgate and a few places and much of the network broken.

Appearances[]

Novels & Short Stories

Once Around the Realms • Masquerades • Realms of Mystery: "The Devil and Tertius Wands" • Eye of Justice

Video Games

Referenced only
Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn

Board Games

Lords of Waterdeep

Organized Play & Licensed Adventures

Unsafe Harborage
Referenced only
Stranded in Sarbreen • Oubliette of Fort Iron

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 135. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  2. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 136. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 14–15. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  4. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Adventurer's Guide to the City”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  5. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), pp. 120–122. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 1. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  7. ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23 7.24 7.25 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), pp. 5–6. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  8. ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Running the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 31. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  9. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 154. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  10. ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 10.17 10.18 10.19 10.20 10.21 10.22 10.23 Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 3. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 7. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 40. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 13. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 21. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 67. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  17. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 115. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  18. ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), pp. 77–78. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
  19. ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book One: Tethyr”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 93. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
  20. ↑ Steven E. Schend (August 1997). “Book Three: Erlkazar & Folk of Intrigue”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Lands of Intrigue (TSR, Inc.), p. 6. ISBN 0-7869-0697-9.
  21. ↑ Steven E. Schend (October 1998). Calimport. (TSR, Inc), p. 38. ISBN 0-7869-1238-3.
  22. ↑ Steven E. Schend, Dale Donovan (September 1998). Empires of the Shining Sea. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 105. ISBN 0-7869-1237-5.
  23. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), p. 24. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  24. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 75. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 77. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Erik Scott de Bie (October 2013). “Backdrop: Westgate”. In Miranda Horner ed. Dragon #428 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12.
  27. ↑ Greg Marks, Martine Lassen (August 2021). Unsafe Harborage (DDAL-DRW10) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Dreams of the Red Wizards (Wizards of the Coast), p. 7.
  28. ↑ Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), Shadowdale. (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  29. ↑ Jeff Grubb and Kate Novak (July 1995). Masquerades. (TSR, Inc), chap. 5, p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-0152-7.
  30. ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 31. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  31. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Adventurer's Guide to the City”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 45. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  32. ↑ Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 100. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  33. ↑ Paul Culotta (September 1997). “Aurora's Undermountain Sale”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #239 (TSR, Inc.), p. 24.
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 137. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Thomas M. Costa (2004-14-01). Nadul DaRoni. Realms Personalities. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2004-02-04. Retrieved on 2016-08-05.
  36. ↑ BioWare (September 2000). Designed by James Ohlen, Kevin Martens. Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn. Black Isle Studios.
  37. ↑ Eric L. Boyd (June 2005). City of Splendors: Waterdeep. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 0-7869-3693-2.
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 Paul Culotta (September 1997). “Aurora's Undermountain Sale”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #239 (TSR, Inc.), p. 21.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 Greg Marks (2015-07-01). Oubliette of Fort Iron (DDEX2-11) (PDF). D&D Adventurers League: Elemental Evil (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 5, 7.
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Ed Greenwood, Julia Martin, Jeff Grubb (1993). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 2nd edition (revised), A Grand Tour of the Realms. (TSR, Inc), p. 106. ISBN 1-5607-6617-4.
  41. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 49. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  42. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 58–59. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  43. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 41. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  44. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Adventurer's Guide to the City”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 17. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  45. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 93–94. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  46. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 44. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  47. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Adventurer's Guide to the City”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 12. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  48. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 120. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  49. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 51. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  50. ↑ Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 159. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  51. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 53. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Ed Greenwood (January 1993). Volo's Guide to Waterdeep. (TSR, Inc.), p. 200. ISBN 1-56076-335-3.
  53. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Steven E. Schend (July 1994). “Campaign Guide”. City of Splendors (TSR, Inc), p. 54. ISBN 0-5607-6868-1.
  54. ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 156–157. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 Erik Scott de Bie (September 2012). Eye of Justice. (Wizards of the Coast), loc. 3553. ISBN 978-0-7869-6135-1.
  56. ↑ 56.0 56.1 Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 Ed Greenwood (July 1995). Volo's Guide to Cormyr. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 86. ISBN 0-7869-0151-9.
  58. ↑ 58.0 58.1 Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 135–136. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  59. ↑ Brian Thomsen (1995). Once Around the Realms. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-7869-0119-5.
  60. ↑ James Butler, Elizabeth T. Danforth, Jean Rabe (September 1994). “The Cormyrean Marshes”. In Karen S. Boomgarden ed. Elminster's Ecologies (TSR, Inc), p. 23. ISBN 1-5607-6917-3.
  61. ↑ Anthony Pryor (June 1995). “Campaign Guide”. In Michele Carter, Doug Stewart eds. Spellbound (TSR, Inc.), p. 42. ISBN 978-0786901395.
  62. ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 14. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
  63. ↑ Steven E. Schend, Sean K. Reynolds and Eric L. Boyd (June 2000). Cloak & Dagger. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 18. ISBN 0-7869-1627-3.
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