Tulune is the nice little province directly north of the Privateers' Hold. The Mages' Guild in its capital has a reputation of offering excellent magic items even to the humble adventurer. Usually these items are supposed to include a Dagger of Life Stealing made out of the best material available to you current level. But of course you have to be fairly advanced in the hierarchy of the Mages' Guild to be able to buy magic items at all.
I offer this rumor just as exactly this, a rumor. I have not been able to verify it.