Artisan professions and related professions available to a player character.
ARTISAN PROFESSIONS
Sorted in alphabetical order.
ALCHEMIST
Lab
rat. Some refer to them as chemists, some as magic-obsessed
charlatans. Nevertheless, an alchemist can always come in handy when
one dabbles in the field of useful non-organic substances and
practical, “scientific magic”.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify various types of chemical
compounds or magical objects, the alchemist is at your
disposal.
Recommended combinations with: Apothecarist,
Feldsher, Conjurer, Bombmaker, Cook-quartermaster
See also:
Artisan skills, Magic
skills
APOTHECARIST
Lab
rat and healer. Spending most of your working hours in a laboratory,
preparing healing potions, ointments, herbal extracts, bandages and
all sorts of other medicinal staples is not everyone's idea of a
glamorous career in the world of professional thieving, but without
the tireless work of apothecarists, running a larger thieves' guild
would be borderline impossible. Never scoff at an Apothecarist or a
Feldsher, you might owe them your life one day.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan, Healer
Profession in a nutshell:
Whenever you need to buy, sell, mend or modify various types of
medicine and medical equipment, the apothecarist is at your
disposal.
Recommended combinations with: Feldsher,
Cook-quartermaster, Alchemist
See also: Managerial skills, Artisan skills
ARMOURER
Most
armour is loud. Particularly metal armour. Most armour is heavy.
Particularly metal armour. That makes many armour types unstealthy.
So, why would any professional thief even need the services of an
armourer ? Well, while the armourer is definitely not a job that
every thieves‘ guild needs to operate, he or she can still prove
useful when recruited into the ranks of a guild. Sometimes, armour is
indeed needed. Most thieves working in the field can wear types of
light armour that is not too detrimental to their stealth skills, and
adds a little bit of extra protection in case they’d be really
forced to go toe-to-toe with various adversaries (if no stealthy
option for evasion remains). Furthermore, the more management-based
professions in a guild – especially the guards, who tend to wear
some of the heaviest armour among guild employees – can certainly
find regular use for an internally employed armourer. It can always
pay off to have your own armour, helmet and shield craftsman right at
home in your guild compound, always prepared to repair any dented or
damaged armour type, whether light, medium or heavy. For individual
or outright freelancer thieves, having Armourer as a specialisation
can prove not too shabby as well, for the very same reasons.
Possessing enhanced skills in mending one’s armour, even if it’s
just a simple apparel derived from boiled leather, can save you a
pricy visit to the nearest public armourer. Last but not least, it is
not just the Bladesmith and the Poleturner that can act as Melee
Teachers to thieves – every Armourer worth their salt has something
to say on the subject too. Obviously, in his or her case, the focus
is on explaining how to utilise one’s armour in melee combat to its
fullest advantage, depending on the type of armour, the type of
weapon used by the adversary to attack, and so on. Due to an obvious
logical overlap, some of the best specialisation combinations for the
Armourer are with the Bladesmith, Poleturner, Melee Teacher and even
the Haberdasher. Among the weapon and tool crafting specialisations,
the Armourer takes some of the longest time to learn and gradually
master, making it a time-demanding choice of profession if one
chooses it as part of his training. Nevertheless, the skills gained
in the fairly lengthy traineeship provide a sufficient payoff to the
dilligent student.
Type:
Trader/Artisan
Specialisation in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify various types of armour and
shields, the armourer is at your disposal.
Recommended
combos with: Bladesmith, Poleturner, Melee Teacher
See
also: Armour, Artisan
skills
BLADESMITH
When
it comes to weapons, the vast majority of professional thieves will
go for simplicity and ease of use. Though these words primarily
conjure up ideas of uncomplicated blunt weapons and polearms, bladed
weapons aren't actually that far off away in terms of accessibility
and maintenance costs. As with all larger and more expensive weapons,
you won't be seeing every thief wielding one, and that counts for
bladed weapons too. However, there is a long list of honestly
cheap-to-acquire and easy to use bladed weaponry, readily available
to even the poorest of freelancer thieves (or poorer guild members).
To no one's surprise, these weapons often come in the form of various
knife, dagger and smallsword types, but also some bladed blunt
weapons, such as axes and many types of maces. These weapons often
come just as much from civilian backgrounds as they do from military
ones. Since bladed weapons and blunt weapons with blades are in high
demand virtually everywhere you turn to, blacksmith artisans who have
made a living out of creating, repairing or modifying such weaponry
can be found on virtually every second street. Not to be outdone,
thief guilds have a long-lasting tradition of hiring or training
skilled Bladesmiths of their own, in addition to Poleturners,
Bowyers-fletchers or even Gunsmiths and Bombmakers. For individual or
outright freelancer thieves, having Bladesmith as a specialisation
can prove very useful. Possessing enhanced skills in mending one’s
bladed weaponry, even if it’s just to sharpen your dagger or fix
some dents on its surface, can save you a pricy visit to the nearest
public bladesmith. Last but not least, it is not just the Armourer
and the Poleturner that can act as Melee Teachers to thieves –
every Bladesmith worth their salt has something to say on the subject
too. Obviously, in his or her case, the focus of a Bladesmith Melee
Teacher is firmly on the art of swordfigting skills and parrying
skills. Due to an obvious logical overlap, some of the best
specialisation combinations for the Bladesmith are with the
Poleturner, Melee Teacher, Armourer and even the Haberdasher. Among
the weapon and tool crafting specialisations, the Bladesmith takes a
longer, but mostly medium-length amount of time to learn and
gradually master. This makes it a fairly time-demanding choice of
profession if one chooses it as part of his or her training.
Nevertheless, the skills gained in the somewhat lengthier traineeship
provide a sufficient payoff to the dilligent student.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify various types of bladed
weapons, the bladesmith is at your disposal.
Recommended
combinations with: Poleturner, Armourer, Melee Teacher
See
also: Melee weapons, Artisan skills
BOMBMAKER
Few
professional thieves want to make much of a ruckus, so bombs and
explosives would be one of the last things you’d expect in their
arsenal. Nevertheless, freelancers and guilds alike do have a need
for certain types of detonating equipment from time to time. In
addition to actual bombs and detonators (items used rather
sparringly), by far the most common and in demand types of explosives
are the (in)famous „trick bombs“ and „trick mines“,
explosives of a defensive/decoy nature. With demand for these devices
being as high as it often is, it’s only natural that certain
freelancers or thief guild members would create a whole cottage
industry based around their production. Enter the Bombmaker as an
embodiment of that chemistry-and-clockwork-savvy producer of
explosive apparatuses. Some of the best specialisation combinations
available to a bombmaker are the Gadgeteer and the Gunsmith, two
rather obviously related professions. A less usual combination choice
is with the Marksmanship Teacher, providing would-be pupils with
lessons on how to throw or drop stun bombs and explosives in the most
efficient ways possible, particularly in risky situations (such as
trying to evade pursuers or getting detected).
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify various types of explosives or
detonators, the bombmaker is at your disposal.
Recommended
combinations with: Gadgeteer, Clacker, Gunsmith, Boxman, Alchemist
See
also: Ranged weapons, Artisan skills
BOWYER-FLETCHER
At
first glance, basic projectile weapons might seem rather unnecessary
to anyone with thieving as his livelihood, outside of maybe thief
guild employees tasked with guarding. In reality, long-term
experience in several specialised fields of professional thievery and
burglary (e.g. the Adventurer) has proven that carrying a ranged
weapon for certain missions can prove very useful, sometimes even
invaluable. Whether one uses the humble and easily concealed sling,
the trusty and traditional bow and crossbow, or even new-fangled
ranged arms (such as pistol crossbows, snapbows and spearguns), a
missile weapon of your choice can often get you out of a hairy
situation, but even more importantly, it can even serve as a tool in
certain situations. Many of the more advanced projectile weapons come
with varied ammunition designed for special purposes, in addition to
the standard (usually combat-oriented) ammunition. Naturally, as the
demand for projectile weapons is always healthy in thieving circles,
it is an advantage to every thieves' guild to produce and mend their
own weapons instead of relying on the black market for acquiring
them. Here's where the bowyer-fletcher comes in, the major artisan
specialisation for the manufacturing of ranged weaponry.
(Technically, a bowyer that construct crossbows is traditionally
dubbed an “atilliator”.) Making a living out of producing
mechanical projectile weaponry and its ammunition can be made easier
if one decides to co-adopt some focus on teaching people target
practice. This makes Bowyer-fletcher and Marksmanship Teacher
combinations a popular (but certainly not the only viable) choice.
While the technological, resource and knowledge/skill requirements of
the trade are not as high as with gunsmithing, and learning how to
manufacture, repair and modify projectile arms takes generally less
time to learn than bowyery and fletchery, it can be a tricky thing to
get right…
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify your traditional ranged arms
(bows, crossbows, slings) and their ammunition (arrows, bolts,
stones), the bowyer-fletcher is at your disposal.
Recommended
combinations with: Gunsmith, Marskmanship Teacher
See also: Ranged weapons, Artisan skills
FELDSHER
Healer
of fellow professional thieves, both indoors and outdors. Not
everyone's idea of a glamorous career in the world of professional
thieving, but without the tireless work of feldshers, running a
larger thieves' guild would be borderline impossible. Never scoff at
an Apothecarist or a Feldsher, you might owe them your life one day.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan, Healer
Profession in a nutshell:
Whenever you or someone needs healing and surgery, or to buy, sell,
mend or modify various types of medical equipment, the feldsher is at
your disposal.
Recommended combinations with: Apothecarist,
Cook-quartermaster, Dogsbody, Alchemist
See also:
Managerial skills, Artisan skills
GADGETEER
Description
TBA.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell:
Recommended
combinations with: Boxman, Safecracker, Clacker, Gunsmith, Bombmaker
(maybe also Alchemist, I'll have to think it through first…)
See
also: Artisan skills, Exploration, investigation and burglary skills
GEMCUTTER
Hurray,
you've stolen some ice, some shiny rocks, some
really hard candy (and all that other obscurantist-talk
concerning stolen gems) ! Welllll… That's often not the end of your
worries. Sometimes, you can't simply go after the nearest in-guild or
out-guild Jewellery Fence and give him your latest loot. If the gems
are too raw, or too big, or too irregular, or not polished enough,
etc., etc., then you'll need to pay a visit to a Gemcutter first.
Sometimes, you'll be in luck, and your Jewellery Fence is also
trained as a Gemcutter. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case at
most possible opportunities. A thief's life is never done… The
recommended specialisation combinations for the Gemcutter are rather
straightforward: The Jewellery Fence is the obvious one (if you want
to make your customers happy :-) ).
Alchemist and Gadgeteer are two other, oddly similar but nevertheless
quite different craftsman professions which you can combine with gem
cutting and grinding. An Alchemist sometimes needs shards of certain
gems or even powder made of them, while a gadgeteer has the
occassional use for optical devices constructed from precisely
fashioned and modified gems. Last but not least, there is also the
Pawnbroker among the more merchantry-focused economic professions of
the thieving world, ready to meld with your honest gem dealership…
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: An artisan
who specialises in the modification of gemstones and jewels. Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify gems and jewels, the gemcutter
is at your disposal.
Recommended combinations with: Jewellery
Fence, Alchemist, Gadgeteer, Pawnbroker
See also:
Managerial skills, Artisan skills
GUNSMITH
Of
all the weapons thieves might wield, firearms are certainly the least
stealthy, particularly due to their noisiness. Nevertheless, some
thieves aren't bothered by carrying at least some gun with them
(usually small and concealed). Guards and other enforcers in need of
greater firepower than usual might also appreciate a longer gun, such
as a musket or rifle. Whatever the case, it can certainly be an
advantage to every thieves' guild to produce and mend its own
firearms instead of relying on the black market for acquiring them.
Here's where the gunsmith comes in, the second major artisan
specialisation for the manufacturing of ranged weaponry. Making a
living out of producing chemical projectile weaponry and its
ammunition can be made easier if one decides to co-adopt some focus
on teaching people target practice. This makes Gunsmith and
Marksmanship Teacher combinations a popular (but certainly not the
only viable) choice. On the downside, due to the greater
technological, resource and knowledge/skill requirements of the
trade, learning how to manufacture, repair and modify firearms takes
generally longer to learn than bowyery and fletchery. It is just as
tricky to get right, though…
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify firearms, big and small, the
gunsmith is at your disposal.
Recommended combinations with:
Bowyer-fletcher, Marskmanship Teacher
See also: Ranged weapons, Artisan skills
HABERDASHER
While
armour is not that important to most thieves, as few need it,
everyone on the other hand needs good and appropriate clothing and
footwear. It's not merely a matter of mundane necessity or something
required for more formal occassions. Well-chosen and well-maintained
clothing can help one be more stealthy or blend into a particular
group of people more easily. Though every professional thief knows a
thing or two about sowing and putting his apparel back in order,
there come times when turning to a professional for help or advice
with mending and buying new clothes and footwear is preferrable to
roughing it on one's own. Enter the haberdasher. A clothier, tailor
and cobbler all in one, the Haberdasher is a major artisan asset to
the daily running of a guild, much like the cook-quartermaster.
Though the Haberdasher is a specialisation that works best when
combined with other static specialisations (whether artisan or
bureaucratic), it is rather unique for being a valid recommended
combination with the Master of Disguise specialisation, due to the
obvious overlap between the two professions' areas of expertise. As
with all artisan specialisations, the Haberdasher takes some time to
learn, though it is less time-consuming and resource-consuming to
master and operate than the trades of artisans specialising in
equipment or weapons manufacturing.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify clothes, apparel and footwear,
the haberdasher is at your disposal.
Recommended combinations
with: Armourer, Cook-quartermaster, Pencil-pusher, Feldsher,
Dogsbody, Profiteer, Master of Disguise
See also:
Clothing and footwear, Managerial skills, Artisan skills
PAWNBROKER
Description
TBA.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Trader who
you can sell some of your more useless tat and older equipment to,
and rebuy them later at a certain discount rate if you need to. He
also sells cheap second-hand equipment. Doesn't buy or sell food or
clothing.
Recommended combinations with: Cook-quartermaster,
Artwork Fence, Dough Fence, Jewellery Fence, Gemcutter, Smuggler
See
also: Managerial skills, Diplomatic skills
POLETURNER
When
it comes to weapons, the vast majority of professional thieves will
go for simplicity and ease of use. By far the most common melee
weapons adhering to these principles are the manifold types of blunt
impact weapons and polearms. Uncomplicated in their shapes,
manufacture and maintenance, it is no wonder that these are some of
the cheapest weapons that money (or a good barter deal) can buy. As
with all larger and more expensive weapons, you won't be seeing every
thief wielding one, and that counts for bladed weapons too. Thieves
wielding halberds isn't exactly what you'd expect in most cases…
However, there is a satisfyingly long list of cheap-to-acquire and
easy to use polearms or blunt weaponry, readily available to even the
poorest of freelancer thieves (or poorer guild members). To no one's
surprise, these weapons often come in the form of various staffs,
spears, poleaxes and gisarmes, hammers and mallets, clubs and
cudgels, and so on, and so on. These weapons often come just as much
from civilian backgrounds as they do from military ones. Since
polearms and blunt weapons are in high demand virtually everywhere
you turn to, poleturner artisans who have made a living out of
creating, repairing or modifying such weaponry can be found on
virtually every second street. Not to be outdone, thief guilds have a
long-lasting tradition of hiring or training skilled Poleturners of
their own, in addition to Bladesmiths, Bowyers-fletchers or even
Gunsmiths and Bombmakers. For individual or outright freelancer
thieves, having Poleturner as a specialisation can prove very useful.
Possessing enhanced skills in mending one’s bladed weaponry, even
if it’s just to replace an old shaft, or fix a part of the striking
surface of the weapon, can save you a pricy visit to the nearest
public poleturner. Last but not least, it is not just the Armourer
and the Bladesmith that can act as Melee Teachers to thieves –
every Poleturner worth their salt has something to say on the subject
too. Obviously, in his or her case, the focus of a Poleturner Melee
Teacher is firmly on skills related to polearm and blunt weapon
wielding, so expect a lot of exercise at thrusting and swinging and
parrying with a shaft or chain. Due to an obvious logical overlap,
some of the best specialisation combinations for the Poleturner are
with the Bladesmith, Melee Teacher, Armourer and even the
Haberdasher. Among the weapon and tool crafting specialisations, the
Poleturner is a profession that takes only a short to moderate amount
of time to learn and gradually master. This makes it one of the more
accessible and less time-demanding choices of profession, if one
chooses it as part of his or her training. The skills gained in the
somewhat lengthier traineeship provide a sufficient payoff to the
dilligent student.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell, mend or modify polearms of various types, the
poleturner is at your disposal.
Recommended combinations with:
Armourer, Bladesmith, Melee Teacher
See also: Melee weapons, Artisan skills
PROFITEER
Description
TBA.
Type of profession:
Trader/Artisan
Profession in a nutshell: Whenever
you need to buy, sell or modify food, foodstuffs and drinks, the
profiteer is at your disposal.
Recommended combinations with:
Cook-quartermaster, Haberdasher, Smuggler, Accountant,
Pencil-pusher
See also: Managerial skills, Diplomatic skills
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