Dulrik wrote:
It's simple supply and demand. If you don't like the prices at that store, stop patronizing them. Obviously someone is willing to pay those prices or they wouldn't stay that high. Go to less frequented shops and the prices will be lower.
The problem with this idea is that there is not enough competition in the market place to drive the prices down by offering cheaper goods elsewhere. There are plenty of shops that are essentially unique in what they offer, be it consumables or armor for various levels (mostly low-level ones given that high-level characters tend to get their armor by killing NPCs), and monopoly situations always create high prices.
The supply-and-demand idea would work wonderfully if there was competing stores with items that are on par with one another, within the same kingdom. There isn't, though, and largely due to your insistance on scarcity of certain items and materials, will never be.
Willingness to pay the prices and lack of choice in paying those prices are very different things, Dulrik.