[@Lucius Cypher] To be clear, in the official Xanathar's Guide listing that would have been 25 gold and the lifestyle covered; anything less on your die roll is listed as 'just covering varying tiers of lifestyle'.

So my modification knocked 20 gold off to keep with the aim that Aesithas is destitute and people are struggling.

As for the availability of potions and whatnot- until someone brings supplies in, such as requested of Dag'Tyr, the apothecary is dried up; 'Heartroot' is the key ingredient in many potions, as has been described in the IC, and is intended to be a resource discover(ed/able) as The Quest ensues.

However, that sensation you describe is very much so intended; I'm not going for 'edgy/gritty', I'm using this setting as a means of re-experiencing a lot of my nostalgia with 'Old Fantasy'- specifically those of a darker atmosphere. [b][i]The magic will come, the potions will be fantastic, and the creatures will be strange and powerful[/i][/b]- but the lands are dark and disturbed and forgotten, and whilst 'The Enemy' looms over the horizon, few are able to see beyond the sun's next rise to worry about it and so things continue(d) to get worse.

The Quest will (hopefully) see to the issues you are feeling, but I'm rather glad I've given at least a semblance of the feeling I was intending to give on a personal note. At least when it comes to the wallet!

If Armor is too expensive for your present means, then you can rest assured that it is far too expensive for most others as well; I try to DM by the 'good for the goose, good for the gander' mentality and am aiming to provide a fair and enjoyable experience as we go along.