Craft Trades

The craftsmen and artisans are the heart of the community. Without the goods produced by skilled tradesmen a town is doomed to oblivion. The tools and jewelry, weapons and medicines produced by this hard working lot create the core of any economy. Most craftsmen, like blacksmiths, farmers, and alchemists produce various commodities. Some others, such as merchants and physicians, provide services. The actions of producing goods and services are governed by the skills on the Craftsman skill path.

Creation and repair of weapons and armour, and production of potions require the expenditure of Crafting Points. All players who choose Craftsman as their PSP receive 16 Crafting Points per event and 30 Crafting Points for use between events. Players who buy into the Craftsman path as a secondary path do not get these Crafting Points until they purchase the Apprentice Craft skill. Whenever a craftsman creates an item, he/she must expend Crafting Points. The number of Crafting Points required to forge items can be found on the Smithing Production Chart. Special materials and quality levels have higher Craft costs. The costs to brew alchemical concoctions are listed on the Alchemy Production Chart. As a craftsman grows in skill, he/she may be able to increase their efficiency so that they may create more with the Crafting Points they have. All players are assumed to begin with Basic Efficiency. Higher levels of efficiency can be attained by purchasing the corresponding skills from the Craftsman path. Diversifying in crafts does not increase a character's crafting point count. A character that is both a smith and an alchemist still only receives 16 crafts points per event and 30 Crafting Point for creations in between events. He/She must split their production between the two trades.

Smithing

Each Crafting Point used in smithing requires 10 minutes of role-playing in addition to the necessary facilities, materials and components. A blacksmith will, of course, need the use of an appropriate forge. A forge is very expensive, so most smiths form a cooperative arrangement with one another, sharing forge time. Some rent time from a forge owner. The smith must also find a supplier for refined metals and fuel. When creating armor a smith requires 1 unit of material per Armor Point, but when repairing armor a smith only requires 1 unit of material per location that the armor covered.

Sicofy the smith wishes to create two battleaxes (which are considered 1 Hand Hafted). He has just purchased the skill Forge/Repair Metal Weapon and can’t wait to get to work. Sicofy consults the Smithing Production Chart and sees that he will need 4 units of iron and 4 units of wood for each axe. After obtaining these materials, he begins work at the properly equipped local forge. Creating the two weapons will require 6 Crafting Points and thus will also require 60 minutes of role-playing (6 Crafting Points x 10 minutes each). It seems like Sicofy has his afternoon full. Good thing he realizes that this is the perfect opportunity to earn Role-Playing Points! After 60 minutes of labor and role-playing, Sicofy goes to logistics and turns in 8 units of iron, 8 units of wood, and 6 Crafting Points. He receives weapon cards for his creations and goes on his way to sell them for a heap of profit.

Colin brings his plated leather cuirass to Sicofy for repair. The cuirass is Medium Armor and covers locations 1 and 2 (front and back torso). The cuirass usually has 16 Armor Points but it has been damaged while fighting thrulls and has been reduced to zero Armor Points. Sicofy consults the smithing production chart and sees that he will need either 1 unit of metal or 1 unit of leather per location covered by the armor. Sicofy decides to spend 1 unit and leather and 1 unit of metal to repair the armor. The Crafting Point cost for Basic Efficiency is 1 Crafting Point/2 Armor Points. Repairing 16 Armor Points will take 8 Crafting Points (8 x 10 = 80 minutes). It looks like Sicofy is in for another busy afternoon.

In order to use between event Crafting Points, a smith must have access to the proper facilities and turn in the materials at check-in of the next event. Sometimes blacksmiths will take on an especially large or difficult project. These projects may require more time and resources than are available at a single event. In such cases, the craftsman can allocate a number of between event Crafting Points to continue production. Some items of very high quality may require several months to complete.

Smithing High Quality and Master Quality items cost more Crafting Points to create than Basic Quality items. When a smith wishes to create a High Quality or Master Quality item, the Crafting Point cost is multiplied by the Quality Modifier. Items made from Rare or Exotic materials also cost more Crafting Points to create than items made from normal materials. When a smith wishes to create an item from a Rare or Exotic material, the Crafting Point cost is multiplied by the Material Modifier. All of the modifiers are cumulative, so a High Quality Rare item uses both the Quality Modifier and the Material Modifier in order to calculate the final Crafting Point cost. See the Smithing Production Chart for the modifier amounts.

High Quality and Master Quality items have special properties because of their superior crafting. Both High Quality and Master Quality items are able to be inscribed with magical runes. See the Magic System section for more details on inscribing runes. In addition, Master Quality weapons swing for +1 Damage, while Master Quality armor has +50% Armor Points (rounded down). See the Smithing Quality Chart for details.

Colin has commissioned Sicofy to forge a High Quality Silver 1 Hand Blade weapon. Since Sicofy has purchased Increased Efficiency, the project will require 54 Crafting Points (6 for 1 Hand Blade x 3 for High Quality modifier x 3 for rare material modifier). This is obviously more than he can accomplish in one event, so he decides to spend all of his production time, 16 Crafting Points, on that single piece for this event. He can also dedicate his 30 between-event Crafting Points to continue the work. He writes this in his After Action Report and the game staff notes how far he has progressed with his smithing. At the beginning of the next event, Sicofy will have completed 46 Crafting Points worth of production. He can now finish the weapon by using 8 of his 16 Crafting Points at this new event.

Only one craftsman can effectively work on a single smithing project, though several craftsmen may share a forge simultaneously. If you want to construct an item that is not listed on the Smithing Production Chart, speak to a game director for Crafting Point and material costs, and the skill requirement. The skill Toolcrafting allows a smith to create a variety of in game items, ranging from nails to chests to eating utensils.

Smiths may also reclaim units of metal from weapons and armor that have already been forged. This process only allows a smith to recoup metal, not any organic materials used in the construction of the weapons or armor. Any organic material is burned away during the reclamation process. In order to reclaim metal units a smith must have either Forge/Repair Metal Weapon or Create/Repair Chain.

Alchemy

There are four basic types of alchemy available in Wyvern Rising. Vaporous Alchemy deals specifically with compounds that have effects in the gas phase. Explosives Alchemy deals entirely with the production of volatile substances. These are the disciplines of alchemy that are most based in the realm of chemistry and true science. Mystic Alchemy is concerned with the magical or divine forces contained in various objects and occurrences. It is most similar to the practices of actual medieval alchemists (though in Wyvern Rising these things can actually work). Herbal alchemy primarily involves the rendering of substances from plants. Most poisons and healing elixirs are generated through the use of Herbal alchemy.

An alchemist needs access to a laboratory and various instruments, including such items as assorted glassware, mortar and pestle, and a small burner. Traveling alchemists often have a mobile laboratory housed in a large chest. The components, procedures and role playing time for a potion are found in the recipe. A written copy of the recipe along with all the necessary ingredients and equipment must be present to brew or mix the creation. An alchemist can gather the components him/herself, hire someone to locate them, or purchase them from a merchant. The rarity of a component will have a direct impact on the cost and availability. Unlike smiths, whose role playing requirement is based upon the number of Crafting Points expended, each alchemical recipe notes the necessary role playing time regardless of the number of Crafting Points used.

Alchemists can assist one another in brewing batches of potions. In order to assist in alchemical creations, the character must have at least basic knowledge of the type of substance being created. Characters with knowledge equal to or greater than the level of the recipe can utilize their Crafting Points at the normal rate. But, Crafting Points from characters with a knowledge level lesser than the recipe are worth only one half of their full value. The efficiency of the group effort is equal to the efficiency of the alchemist in charge of the operation. Shima is a master alchemist who is brewing a batch of an Herbal Complex potion. She has enlisted Owen, also knowledgeable in complex herbal brewing, and Clarice who has only Herbal Basic skill. Shima and Owen apply 10 Crafting Points each, for a total of 20 points. Clarice also donates 10 points, but since she is not familiar with complex brewing, her points are only worth half their value, or 5 points. The total Crafting Points applied to the effort are therefore 25 (10+10+5). As Shima has obtained the skill Alchemical Efficiency, their combined efforts are applied to the production at Alchemical Efficiency cost (as noted on the Alchemy Production Chart).

An alchemist can attempt to create a new recipe, potion, or modify an existing one through the use of the skill Experiment. Follow these steps when utilizing Experiment: Gather the components you will be using and have a game director present while you role-play the experiment. Give him/her a copy of the recipe/procedure to look over while you role-play. The director will then ask for a certain amount of crafting points. You will be notified as to the success of your experiment as soon as the game staff interpolates the data.

Exploits in Money Making

There is a plethora of materials necessary to build a town, much less a civilization. A successful businessman can make significant profits by supplying necessary goods to the populous. In order to accomplish this, craftsmen come to an agreement with a supplier who provides shipments of a given commodity. This agreement is made through the use of the skill Materials Contract. When a character gains the skill Materials Contract he/she must go to logistics and describe the nature of the contract they wish to establish. The contract can provide the supply of any one commodity, such as iron ingots, raw gems, or lumber. Then, the player will be told when to expect his supplier. When this meeting takes place at the next weekend event, the player will establish a price with the suppliers for the goods. Upon receiving the goods, the player may then distribute the item however he/she sees fit. Purchasing this skill more than once allows a player to receive supplies of multiple commodities.

The Generate Profit skills are used in conjunction with the Materials Contract. Having a Generate Profit skill allows an entrepreneur to lower the price their supplier had agreed upon by a given percentage. This percentage varies with the level of the skill. Generate Profit 1, 2, and 3 lower the price by 10%, 20%, and 30% respectively. These skills cannot be compounded. Utilizing Generate Profit 3 on a contact that was already cost reduced by Generate Profit 2 drops the price by 30% of the original contract, not by 30% of the current price. Lucretia obtained a contract for coal many months ago. She is currently paying 10 silver per ton of coal. However, she has recently learned the skill Generate Profit 1. When her supplier arrives with the next shipment, she spends a good few minutes haggling with Kraken, her supplier. She then informs him that she has used the skill Generate Profit 1 on their contract. Now, she will only pay 9 silver per ton of coal. Lucretia will still retail her coal at the usual price, increasing her profits. If, later on down the road Lucretia learns Generate Profit 2, she will be able to receive the coal at 8 silver per ton. But before she does that, she is very interested in establishing a new contract for rare metals. The local smiths would be willing to pay generously for it...

Another money making venture available to profit-minded craftsmen is the utilization of a Trade Route, whether it be by flotilla or caravan. Such endeavors can by very risky, as boats are lost to strong seas and pirates, and caravans may be ransacked by bandits. Purchasing the skill Trade Route signifies that the player has established a network of ship captains, traders, and port agents to utilize in the export of goods. Most trade routes operate continuously, with shipping or other transport available monthly. Occasional disruptions may occur due to adverse weather or political conditions. It is most advantageous to first have a steady supply of commodity available before initiating a Trade Route. Due to the location of Corsotha, most Trade Routes that players would utilize would take the form of shipments sent over to ports in the east. A Trade Route may involve selling goods to a captain or trader, for a moderate profit, who then assumes the risks of loosing the shipment. Conversely, the entrepreneur utilizing the Trade Route may attempt to have his/her goods shipped over and sold directly to merchants in the east. While such an endeavor can yield massive profits, loss of the shipment is a considerable risk. Players using this skill must inform logistics of their intent, at which point they will be put in contact with a merchant or shipper.

The skill Master Bargaining symbolizes mastery in the art of haggling. Merchants who have Master Bargaining may use the skill to alter the value of an agreed upon price by 10 percent in their favor, whether they are buying or selling goods. Master Bargaining may only be used in face to face negotiations, but may not, however, be used to alter a Materials Contract. Presence points must be expended to use this skill. In effect, the use of this skill causes the agreed upon price to be 10% higher or lower in favor of the Master Bargainer. This skill cannot be used to alter the agreed price by more than 10%. The Master Bargaining skill is called at the moment money exchanges hands. Haglon is interested in purchasing a very valuable magic brooch from an adventurer who recently acquired it. After some discussion, the adventurer agrees that he will sell the brooch for 40 silver. As payment is being made, Haglon notifies the adventurer that he has used the skill Master Bargaining in the deal. Thus, the price is altered 10% in Haglon's favor. Haglon gives the adventurer 36 silver and the PREsence points needed for use of Master Bargaining. Though the adventurer may feel cheated, he AGREED to sell the brooch for 36 silver. Haglon then goes to the library and sells the brooch to Chargeon, a powerful mage. Chargeon agrees to purchase the brooch for 60 silver. Once again, Haglon uses his Master Bargaining skill to alter the agreement in his favor. Chargeon now owes Haglon 66 silver for the brooch.

Those that frequently buy and sell goods must be able to appraise items quickly and efficiently. Assess Worth allows the merchant to determine the approximate value of a given item. In order to use the skill, he/she must bring the item in question to logistics or to a suitable staff member. There, the merchant will be informed of the items quality and value. Assess Worth can be utilized to distinguish real gems from glass, for example. Assess Hidden Worth can be used to quickly determine any outstanding characteristics an item possesses, such as historical significance or origin. Assess Hidden Worth does not determine whether an item is a forgery, or if it has magical properties. Gondel brings a sapphire necklace to Haglon. Haglon role-plays examining the item for a few minutes, then consults a game director. The Director notifies him that the stone is real and the necklace is of high quality, with a value of around 12 silver. Unfortunately, Haglon did not use Assess Hidden Worth on the necklace. If he had, he would have learned that the necklace was crafted for Elven royalty by the Vamdrenel monks, and is worth far more than 12 silver!

Physician Skills

Although the abilities of physicians and merchants are on the Craftsman Skill Path, their skills are powered by ability points rather than Crafting Points. Most physician skills, for example, are performed through the use of DEX points. Many physician skills are used to prevent the severely wounded from dying. The section on Death and Dying discusses what physician skills prevent death in the various stages of the Death Count. While physician skills are very practical and useful, they do not include any sort of magical healing. A broken limb that has been set through the use of the Set Limb skill still requires adequate healing time before it can be used. A first aid kit or physician's kit is required for the use of many physician skills, while other higher skills may require a properly equipped surgical chamber. A first aid kit basically consists of bandages and suturing tools. A physician's kit is more substantial and should include various bandaging, needles, thread, scissors, forceps, and alchemical substances. Equipping a surgical chamber is very expensive, and there is usually only one in a small town. Surgical chambers are usually equipped with cots, blankets, surgical implements, potent alchemical elixirs and salves, and cauterization tools. Sometimes makeshift surgical chambers are constructed on the edge of a battlefield.

Before a disease or poisoning can be treated by a physician, the affliction must be discerned through the use of Identify Ailment. Treatment of such ailments may require specific alchemical substances, depending on the affliction. There are several alchemical substances in production that can only be administered by a properly skilled physician.

Other Crafts

There are many crafting trades not included in the above that players may purchase as an occupation. Such crafts include gem cutting, stonecutting, lumbering, and mining. The skills Apprentice Craft, Journeyman Craft, and Master Craft can be purchased to allow a player to produce in such fields. Consult a game director if you are interested in learning such a trade. You will then be given information on how the specifics of your trade will work. Production in any trade will be based on crafting points, in a similar manner to the workings of smithing or alchemy.