Arcana Poacher

In the Empire and its ally countries, the use of magic items by everyday citizens is outlawed and magical items are confiscated. This has had resounding effects on non-human communities, whose generational magical wealth has taken away. Many of these have turned to crime and now work against the Magocracy by finding or stealing and selling magical items on the black market. They also look for other illicit items such as [Mithril Slag and [Charged Magicite. Arcana Poachers, so called because all magical items and non-sentient creatures are considered property of the crown.

Arcana Poacher CR: 1/2

Small humanoid, halfling, chaotic neutral

Armor Class:

Hit Points: 3d8 + 6

Speed:

STR

9 -1

DEX

14 +2

CON

14 +2

INT

12 +1

WIS

10 +0

CHA

10 +0

Saving Throws: S: -1, D: +2, C: +2, I: +1, W: +0, X: +0

Skills: Arcana +5, Perception +4, Stealth +6, Sleight of Hand +6

Senses: Passive Perception 14

Languages: Halfling, Common, Thieves' Cant

Challenge Rating: 1/2

At will:

Roll 1d20 when you are making this creature.

1-8	1d100 on Magic Item Table A
8-18	DM choice household item 1d20 on Minor Property table or1/day dm choice non damaging cantrip
18-20	3d20+20 on Magic Item Table F

The Arcana Poacher can use this item in combat.

Actions

Multiattack - Arcana Poacher makes two melee attacks or two ranged attacks
Shortsword - Melee Weapon Attack: 1d20+4 Hit: 5 ( 1d6+2 ) piercing damage
Shortbow - Ranged Weapon Attack (80/320): 1d20+4 Hit: 5 ( 1d6+2 ) piercing damage

Arcana Poachers are smugglers and thieves of magical goods. They sell their quarry on the black market in contravention of Magocracy and Royal Mages' Guild law. Particularly aggrieved by Imperial crackdown on their magical heritage and displaced by the loss of their culture, a disproportionate amount of Halflings have become Arcana Poachers.

Suggested Environments

Urban, Ruins environs, Bandit camps

Career

Qualifications

Generally individuals who become Arcana Poachers need to have three criteria.

First, they need to have a high level of dexterity in order to successfully steal and hide magic items.

Second, they need to have above average intelligence in order to discern a magical item from a mundane one at a glance.

Third, they need to have either an anti-social personality or an axe to grind against society or the Empire that would motivate them to this particularly dangerous kind of crime.

Career Progression

Generally the lifespan of an Arcana Poacher is not long. However those who do manage to live long can find themselves becoming well-connected in the underworld or find patrons who are powerful in anti-empire organizations like The Stonewardens or even foreign powers like Kolthis.

Payment & Reimbursement

Arcana Poaching is a truly high risk / high reward profession, with magical items (especially weapons and armor) fetching hundreds or even thousands of silver on the market. Arcane Poachers are usually independent, but those who do contract with others usually split the proceeds or are paid by the job to fetch certain items for their patrons. Some patrons and employers offer a degree of legal or physical protection, which is more possible in the frontier regions and extensive occupation zones that now characterize most of the Empire.

Type

Illicit