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About five years ago, I was hired on by Inversion Games to write up a few pages the primary writer didn't have time for. It was basically filler text but I took it in hopes of further employment. Inversion vanished without a trace a few months later. Here is the equipment listing I made up for them.
At...well...some point during the writng...I got...bored. I started making fun of the entries themselves. Such an equipment list was absurd and I had no idea why I was asked to write descriptions for every item. So keep an eye out as you read them. Some of the descriptions are a little...peculiar. Specifically, keep an eye out for the pillow, the pitch, pliers, iron pot, puppet, soap, shovel, thread, torniquet, towell, tweezers, whistles, and wicks.
Paper: Paper, pressed and sometimes scented, comes from wood or rice mulch, finely crushed, and pulped together in the same fashion as papyrus, albeit with more quality. Used for writing and drawing on, one ‘sheet’ equals that for a short scroll or book page. Flammable, a single sheet of burning paper takes 1d6 rounds to burn through, making it an unreliable but cheap fuse for burning or setting fire to objects.
Papyrus: Discovered first (to history) in the nation of Wo’thuth, papyrus is finely crushed and pulped wood or rice pressed together in a glue-and-water mixture allowing for light sheets to be made. Coarser than paper, papyrus still holds favour in mundane scribing, letter usage, accounting, and so forth. One sheet of papyrus may replace paper for one short scroll, depending on the buyer’s preference. Flammable, one sheet of papyrus will burn through in 2d4 rounds, making it unreliable for use as a fuse but extremely cheap. Papyrus costs less than paper but is made with the same process. Using this rough material for scribing scrolls or spellbooks results in a poorer grade of spell quality. The saving-throw DC of any spell cast from a papyrus scroll or memorised from a papyrus spellbook is lowered by -2.
Perfume, Common: Often using scents found easily within the local area, common perfumes are scented oils, alcohols, and waters intended for sprinkling onto a person to improve their scent. Although found locally, the use of the word ‘common’ does not reflect on the quality of the perfume itself. Rose scents are still as popular as sandalwood, both found easily in most parts of Tyrm. With careful and light use, perfume can add a +1 al’quemical bonus to any one Bluff or Diplomacy check against a single creature. Whether the check succeeds or not, the perfume does not provide it’s bonus against that creature until it is re-applied. If used overwhelmingly, perfume instead imposes a –4 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Hide checks due to the potent smell. Using perfumes can mask your scent; the DC for all checks made to find you by using scent increases by +2.
Throwing a vial of perfume at a creature with the Scent special ability may temporarily block it. If struck by a vial of perfume, a creature must make a DC 14 Reflex saving throw or be unable to use their ability for 2d4 hours due to the strong odours. If a creature using blindsight or blindsense depends on their sense of smell, they become blinded if they fail this Reflex saving throw. The average bottle holds 50 uses.
Perfume, Exotic: Rarely found, exotic perfumes comprise of unique scents not found on the average corner market. One finds these tiny bottles in high-class stores that usually sell little else. Each bottle is filled and finished by an expert hand, often encased in high quality glass or crystal. The raw materials alone for exotic perfumes rise ridiculously high, involving sometimes thousands of different flowers picked from the corners of the globe. One such rare brand, <I have no idea what the language is like in Tyrm>, comprises of 10 000 different roses from over three countries. This makes using Exotic Perfume as a combat distractant unreasonable considering the price and the quantity offered at such price. When used to improve Bluff or Diplomacy checks, exotic scents add a +3 al’quemical bonus to any one Bluff or Diplomacy check against a single creature. This bonus increases to +4 if the target’s Intelligence is greater than 10 (The target recognizes the rarity of the perfume), Like normal perfume, if used overwhelmingly, it instead imposes a –2 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Hide checks due to the potent smell. Using perfumes can mask your scent; the DC for all checks made to find you by using scent increases by +2. The average bottle holds 20 uses.
Perfume, Uncommon: Some uncommon perfumes are actually cheaper replicas of exotic brands. Often nefarious individuals steal exotic brands and, with the proper chemicals, laboratory equipment, and sometimes a little spellwork, determine a cheaper way to simulate the aroma without the unreasonable production cost or final price. Interested buyers need only often walk a short distance from the shops selling the expensive brands to those selling the cheaper variety, often found side by side with common brands.
With careful and light use, uncommon perfume can add a +2 al’quemical bonus to any one Bluff or Diplomacy check against a single creature. Whether the check succeeds or not, the perfume does not provide it’s bonus against that creature until it is re-applied. If used overwhelmingly, uncommon perfume imposes a –3 penalty to Bluff, Diplomacy, and Hide checks due to the potent smell. Using perfumes can mask your scent; the DC for all checks made to find you by using scent increases by +2. The average bottle holds 30 uses.
Pick, Miner’s: A miner’s pick has it’s own listing in the weapon’s table, under Improvised Tools.
Pillow: A small fabric pillow often filled with chicken feathers. It is not useful in hand-to-hand combat.
Pitch: <buh?>
Pitcher: The average hand-blown glass pitcher carries a 72 oz capacity of most liquids. Pitchers are found in restaurants and taverns and are not useful for travelling.
Piton: Used to assist climbers, pitons resemble oversized nails or spikes with holes on the end. One hooks climbing rope to the Piton after driving it in rock. While driven, each Piton can sustain a weight of 600 lbs. Each additional Piton offers an additional 100 lbs. In truth the weight capacity depends entirely on how the spike was properly driven and a Strength DC of 26 is required to pull the Piton without mechanical assistance.
Pliers: Pliers are a common industrial tool. They have little other purpose though some use them to hunt park geese.
Plough: A common farming tool used the initial stage of farming. The plough cultivates the soil in preparation for seed planting. It often requires a horse to tow the plough over the land.
Pole, Ten-Foot Iron: If a ten-foot iron pole is used in combat, treat it as a swung, two-handed improvised weapon with a 5-foot reach that deals blunt damage equal to that of a heavy pick of its size.
Pot, Iron: A standard cast-iron pot used to cook a variety of stews and soups, some multi-task it to render opponents unconscious.
Prism, Crystal: Pure crystal prisms perfectly splinters the sunlight into its visible color components. The prism, other than its novelty, carries a few uses in spellcraft. Prisms can be found in various shapes and sizes.
Puppet: A puppet often finds its use entertaining children and simpletons. Clerics should not use a puppet as a symbol of worship and using the puppet to mock others will always fail to deflect retaliation.
Quiver, Large: Longbows require large quivers to carry their arrows. A large quiver holds 20 arrows. The recess measures too deep to conveniently retrieve crossbow bolts and shortbow arrows.
Quiver, Large War: War Quivers carry 30 longbow arrows in comparison to the large quiver.
Quiver, Small: Crossbow bolts and shortbow arrows require small quivers to hold their ammunition. A small quiver hold 20 arrows. Longbow arrows fall too easily from small quivers.
Quiver, Small War: Similar to large war quiver, the small war quiver hold 30 shortbow arrows or crossbow bolts.
Rake, Common: The rake has it’s own listing in the weapon’s table, under Improvised Tools
Ram, Portable: This iron-shod wooden beam gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on strength checks made to break open a door and it allows a second person to help you without having to roll, increasing your bonus by 2.
Rope, Hempen: Hemp rope is lighter and weaker than silk rope. Hemp ropes carries 2 hit points and requires a Strength DC of 23 to break.
Rope, Silk: Stronger and more expensive than hemp, silk rope carries 4 hit points and requires a Strength DC of 24 to break. Silk rope also offers a +2 circumstance bonus to use rope skill checks.
Sack, Large: This, usually burlap, sack holds approximately 80 lbs before breaking.
Sack, Small: Similar to the large sack, small sacks hold approximately 50 lbs before breaking.
Saw, Hand: If a hand saw is used in combat, treat it as a swung, one-handed improvised weapon that deals cutting damage equal to that of a spiked gauntlet of its size. A hand saw deals 1d6 points of damage per round that it is used in a sawing motion, this automatically bypasses ½ any hardness for items (but not damage reduction).
Scissors: A set of scissors has it’s own listing in the weapon’s table, under Improvised Tools
Scroll Case: Scroll cases, often made of wood, holds 6 scrolls safely, protecting them from water and reasonable changes in heat. They have 3 hit points. Some rarer, more expensive cases come made of bone or steel, and, thus, offer higher durability (4 hit points).
Scythe, Harvest: Although actually clumsy in combat, the Harvest scythe often found uses in combat by farmers in uprising. This Scythe carries two grips on the shaft, or snath as it is called. The Harvest Scythe classes both as a piercing and slashing weapon, but is far clumsier in combat (-2 to all hit rolls).
Seal, Personal: The personal seal represents the symbol of pride for a class, family, or house. The seal comes in many forms, from small signet rings, to large shield crests.
Sealing Wax: Sealing wax remains the most common way to fasten envelopes, important or not, for travelling.
Sewing Needle: Required by seamstresses for repairing and creating clothes.
Silk: Expensive fabric, Silk stems from specially bred caterpillars. Silk’s primary attractive features include extreme lightweight and overall durability. Fighters often wear silk under their armour to prevent personal injury.
Soap: When on a difficult quest to slay a dragon, everyone will thank the one traveller who brought soap.
Spade or Shovel: A small shovel finds double duty as an improvisional bludgeoning device favoured mostly by women trying to kill their husbands.
Splint Set: When a healer is hard to come by, a splint maintains an injured limb, preventing further damage.
Staff, Heavy: Normal staffs break under heavy strain, requiring a thicker shaft.
Staff, Unshod: A basic staff with no finish.
String, Hemp: Like the rope of the same manufacture, hemp string is light and cheap. It cannot support anything heavier than a pound. It’s often used to make sacks and backpacks.
String, Silk: More expensive than hemp string, silk string finds many uses. Like Hemp string, it cannot support any weight heavier than a pound.
Tent, Large: To protect from minor weather annoyances, a large tent holds 4 people comfortably and 6 people cramped.
Tent, Pavilion: These tents are usually reserved for demonstrations and parties and are impractical as a shelter. Still, it will hold 12 people or 24 cramped.
Tent, Small: A standard two-person tent.
Thread: Goes with the needle nicely.
Torch: A rod of wood topped with a fabric usually soaked in alcohol, it usually burns for an hour when ignited, illuminating a 20 foot area.
Tourniquet: A strong piece of fabric tied around injured limbs to prevent severe traumatic bleeding.
Towel: A strong piece of absorbent fabric to prevent severe traumatic soaking.
Tweezers: Warriors survive cuts and bruises of all sorts daily. But when one encounters a hangnail, Warriors plead for help to the guy with tweezers.
Vial, Empty: A small 2 oz container for small portions of liquids, usually potions.
Waterskin, Large or Small: A portable leather pouch usually used to hold water. The small holds 45 oz; the large holds 70 oz.
Whetstone: A honing tool, the Whetstone keeps non-magical blades sharp. If a DM feels particularly cruel, she may force players who don’t own a whetstone to pay an SP every month to keep their non-magical weapons sharp.
Whistle: For the wimps that can’t do it on their own.
Wicks: On their own, when lit, flames consume wicks very quickly. When encased in wax, they last substantially longer.
Wineskin: Similar to the Waterskin, Wineskins hold the same amount but come with a more durable inside layer to prevent contamination of the wine.
Wound Packing: <I really have no idea what this is>
Tools and Skill Kits
Al’quemist’s Lab: An al’quemist’s lab always carries the perfect tool for making al’quemical items. It provides a +2 circumstance bonus on craft (al’quemy) checks. It has no bearing on the costs related to the craft (al’quemy) skill. Without this lab, a character with the craft (al’quemy) skill is assumed to have enough tools to use the skill but not enough to get the +2 bonus the lab provides.
Artisan’s Tools: These special tools include the items needed to pursue any craft. Without them, you have to use improvised tools (-2 penalty on craft checks), if you can do the job at all.
Artisan’s Tools, Masterwork: These tools serve the same purpose as artisan’s tools (above), but masterwork artisan’s tools are the perfect tools for the job. Users receive a +2 circumstance bonus on craft checks made with them.
Beaker: A glass container with a wide bottom and narrow spout to hold liquids.
Chisel: A small picking tool to assist in sculpting.
Climber’s Kit: This tool aids in climbing and gives you a +2 circumstance bonus on climb checks.
Disguise Kit: This kit is the perfect tool for disguise and provides a +2 circumstance bonus on disguise checks. A disguise kit is exhausted after ten uses.
Funnel: For those incapable of aiming, the funnel assists in transferring liquid from one container to another.
Glass Rod: Often found in the hands of nefarious evildoers, glass rods are heavier than standard rods.
Healer’s Kit: This kit, although not required, assists healing and provides a +2 circumstance bonus on heal checks. A healer’s kit is exhausted after ten uses.
Holy Symbol, Silver or Wooden: A holy symbol focuses positive energy. A prophet or templar uses it as the focus for his spells and as a tool for turning undead. Each carries its own holy symbol.
Unholy symbols: An unholy symbol resembles a holy symbol except it focuses negative energy and is used by evil prophets and templars (or by neutral prophets or templars who want to cast evil spells or command undead).
Magnifying Glass: This simple lens allows a closer look at small objects. It replaces flint and steel when starting fires in emergencies. Lighting a fire with a magnifying glass requires light as bright as sunlight to focus, tinder to ignite, and at least a full-round action. A magnifying glass grants a +2 circumstance bonus on appraise checks involving any item that is small or highly detailed.
Mortar & Pestle: This ceramic bowl and rod crushes spices and sometimes bones when used properly.
Scale, Merchant’s: A scale grants a +2 circumstance bonus on appraise checks involving items valued by weight, including anything made of precious metals.
Spell Component Pouch: A spellcaster with a spell component pouch assumes to have all the material components and focuses needed for spellcasting, except for those components requiring a specific cost, divine focuses, and focuses that wouldn’t fit in a pouch.
Spellbook: A basic spellbook with no pre-written spells includes 60 heavy-set pages with a capacity of expansion.
Spellbook, Apprentice: Smaller than a regular spellbook, the apprentice book only holds 30 heavyset pages with no expansion capability.
Spyglass: Objects viewed through a spyglass are magnified to twice their size.
Thieves’ Tools: This kit contains the tools you need to use the disable device and open lock skills. Without these tools, you must improvise tools, taking a -2 circumstance penalty on disable device and open locks checks.
Thieves’ Tools, Masterwork: This kit contains extra tools and higher quality models that grant a +2 circumstance bonus on disable device and open lock checks.
Tool, Masterwork: This well-made tool grants a +2 circumstance bonus on a related skill check (if any). Bonuses provided by multiple masterwork items used toward the same skill check do not stack.
Water Clock: This large, bulky contrivance relays the time accurate to within half an hour per day since last set. It requires a source of water, and must be kept still as it marks time by the regulated flow of droplets of water.
Musical Instruments
Bagpipes: A very difficult instrument to master, Bagpipes are a class of aerophone where air passes by a set reeds, fed from either the players breath or from a set of bellows. Using the bellows allows the bagpipes to continue making music when the player takes a breath, a unique aspect of the instrument.
Bamboo pipe: An ancient, but still popular instrument, the Bamboo Pipe resembles a recorder, where the player holds the instrument vertically in comparison to a flute.
Bar’laran (Filan’hedel Double-Violin): A rare and extremely tricky instrument, the Filan’hedel sports 10 strings with two tails on either side. Stories abound that to properly master this instrument requires either one additional arm or two bows attached perpendicular to an arm. One attempting to play such an instrument properly not only requires the proper play instrument skill (violin will do) but also the two-weapon fighting feat as well to coordinate both bows.
Bells: One of the most basic musical instruments around, the bell comes in dozens of sizes and shapes, which can be played alone or in set, by hand or mounted on a rack. They are constructed from glass, steel, and ceramics. They appear in almost every culture and always carry a religious relevance.
Castanets: Its shocking how popular two concave shells joined together by string can be. This extremely simple instrument often finds use in combination with dancers or singers to augment their performance.
Chimes: Part of the percussion family, Chimes, or Tubular bells, are constructed from glass or steel sometimes and brass most of the time. They were originally designed to mimic the sound of clumsy and impractical church bells.
Clarinet: The “little trumpet” as its name translates to, falls into the woodwind family of instruments, and oddly enough, is the largest member of that family. The Clarinet is popular because of its impressive versatility, capable of being involved in virtually any musical style.
Cymbals: A modern percussion instrument often seen in marching bands and orchestras.
Drums, black eye (Orcish drum/rattle): Usual drums stretch a piece of cowhide over a wooden body. Orcs often use alternative skins to replace the cows they often cannot find them in their land. These drums ride atop animals or, more often, other orcs. This is required because blackeye drums are the largest and heaviest in the world. These drums reverberate so loudly, the sound echoes through the battle, where they are often used to motivate the troops. With more trained armies, the drums offer communication to the front lines from commanders. Orders like “advance” and “retreat” can be quickly conveyed with the proper drum beat.
Drums, cylinder: Combinations of stick and drumskin offer unlimited uses for the standard drum. Every country uses them, and in every combination possible.
Drums, gong: Classed as a drum, Gongs don’t have skins but are purely metallic. They find fewer uses than regular drums and are often used for removing annoying contestants from variety shows.
Drums, kettle: Instead of a cylindrical body, Kettledrums utilize a bowl-shaped body, often made from steel or copper.
Eeonai (Aesan’dvarf Lute)/Lute: Humans and dwarves often clash over many things. Who invented the Lute remains an annoying thorn. Humans insist its derived from another instrument in their past known as a Barbat. Dwarves insist their design dates back even more. This simple plucked string instrument predates modern guitars. It should be noted that Dwarves are renownly bad at the lute, confusing many as to why they take so much pride in its origin. It could just be that they can reach all the strings.
Fiddle, short-necked: Smaller than the violin, both it and the fiddle often have their names swapped because of their similarities. In fact, many say the Violin becomes a fiddle if you play it differently.
Glockenspiel: Also called a Carillon, this percussion instrument looks identical to the more common xylophone, except the Glockenspiel’s keys are metal, over the Xylo’s wood.
Gourds: Many cultures use their drinking glasses for music. One culture decided to drink from their instruments. The gourd is a simple resonating chamber built mostly from dried fruit.
Harmonica: One of the most basic wind instruments in the world.
Harp, standing: The only gender-specific instrument, the Harp finds use exclusively with the farer sex and, despite cliché’s, does not entice passion in the hearts of men. The Harp is one of the oldest string instruments in history.
Harpsichord: The Harpsichord finally lost steam after centuries of popularity to the Piano for several reasons, the most notable being “piano” is just easier to pronounce. The later evolutions of the Harpsichord bore many similarities to its replacement.
Horn, ak’mahn (Huragan Horn with Lid): This horns pitch modulates with the movement and control of a lid covering the opening.
Horn, coiled: The coiled horn does exactly that, looping around itself two or three times. Rotary valves are slower but take up far less room. The coiled horn is notoriously hard to learn.
Horn, fanfare: This simple horn contains no piston or rotary valves. Players control the horn’s pitch simply by the pressure of their breath. This basic horn predates all others and remains one of the hardest to master. These horns can be often found in battle marches.
Horn, heralds: Related to fanfare horns, the heralds stretch much longer and are even harder to learn.
Horn, slide: By moving a telescoping slide, the length of the horn extends, changing the pitch of the sound. Sliding Horns come in several sizes that alter the overall bass of the music.
Kazoo: Originally used for hunting, the Kazoo unfortunately found use in certain musical circles. It’s the easiest instrument the master…but really, why would you want to.
Lute, double-necked: A human developed a double-necked lute to show off and it found limited circulation around the world. Both necks are short, allowing easy reach. Dwarves consider it a sacrilege.
Lyre: A stringed instrument of classical origin, its the lyre, not the harp, which most connect with gods and spirits. Its double necks often resemble wings and its angelic sound is often forbidden to common folk to play.
Mandolin: An old style plucked string instrument with an oval body and a long neck, the Mandolin carries 8 strings in 4 pairs with many combinations of music available.
Oboe: One of the most complicated and hardest to master woodwind instruments around, the Oboe’s unique piercing tone became popular until replaced by many circles by the clarinet.
Panpipes: Derived from the god “Pan”, panpipes, or pan flute, consists of 10 or more wooden pipes of increasing length. Alas, most connect the panpipes with satyrs due to old fairy tales.
Penny whistle: A simple, tiny, 6-holed woodwind instrument popular among the elves.
Rattle: A basic hollow body filled with nuts or beads, the rattle augments groups and is insufficient as a musical instrument on its own.
Recorder: The flute replaced the Recorder in modern orchestras, leaving the Recorder a place only in teaching schools. It is one of the most basic woodwind instruments.
Sitar: A long-necked acoustical string instrument known for its long neck and 20 strings.
Tambourine: A small drum with jingles, the Tambourine is played in hand by striking against one’s leg or arm.
Tam-tam: Also known as slit-drums, Tam-Tams are the oldest recorded form of drum. The basic shape is that of a simple hollowed out log with a slit down one side.
Triangle: A metal triangle with an open point, this instrument requires virtually no talent to play.
Violin: This hourglass shaped string instrument remains one of the most popular to this day. It is the smallest of the violin family, which also includes cello and bass violin.
Whistle flute: Although part of the woodwind family, the flute is sometimes built of alloy. The flute works well with other instruments and adds substantial weight with its sweet tones.
Wooden block: No, its more than that, the Wooden block is also referred to as a Temple Block, for its common uses in religious circles. They often sport intricate carvings. Modern manufacture replaced wood with more durable materials.
Wooden scraper: Horizontal ridges cut into the surface of wood gives a scratchy 'zip' sound with a small stick.
Wooden xylophone: Wooden boards of varying lengths produce sound when struck by a wooden mallet. Some models contain resonating chambers underneath but it’s not mandatory.
Food, Drink, and Lodging
Ale, Flashfire: Flashfire ale is a moderately potent brew used in seedier taverns and inns for the speedy inebriation of it’s patrons, usually in contests of stamina and ability to hold liquor. Each glass of flashfire ale counts as a mild poison (Fortitude save DC 16, primary and secondary damage both being –2 to Dexterity, Intelligence, and Wisdom). In no case is the damage permanent.
Inn: Poor accommodations at an inn amount to a place on the floor near the hearth. Common accommodations consist of a place on a raised, heated floor, the use of a blanket and a pillow. Good accommodations consist of a small, private room with one bed, some amenities, and a covered chamber pot in the corner.
Meals: Poor meals comprise usually of bread, baked turnips, onions, and water. Common meals consist mostly of bread, chicken stew, carrots, and watered-down ale or wine. Good meals are composed often of bread and pastries, beef, peas, and ale or wine. Adjust the prices given for all other foods above by x1/2 if they are in poor or bad quality.
Services
Sometimes the best solution for a problem is to hire someone else to take care of it.
Appraisal: This represents the services of an expert knowledgeable in mundane values and appraisals.
Barrister or Lawyer: The price given is for a court or magistrate’s session. Barristers and lawyers plead for the release of their client’s charges by legal argument and diplomacy. Barristers and lawyers are typically low-level tradesmen, but some possess levels in the patrician class.
Coach Cab: The price given confers to a ride in a coach transporting people (and light cargo) between towns. For a ride in a cab that transports passengers within a city, 1 copper piece usually takes you anywhere you need to go.
Mercenary, Heavy: Heavy mercenaries are most commonly equipped with plate armours, and no more than 200 gp of weaponry (such as a heavy flail, greatsword, greataxe, or heavy crossbow). Horsemen are also equipped with a heavy warhorse and a lance. Heavy mercenaries and guards are typically NPCs with HD instead of class levels, although some exceptional warriors may have levels in the myrmidon class.
Mercenary, Light: Light mercenaries are most commonly equipped with leather armour, and no more than 20 gp of weaponry (such as a shortsword, shortbow, or light crossbow). Horsemen are equipped also with a light warhorse. Light mercenaries and guards are typically NPCs with HD instead of class levels, although some exceptional warriors may have levels in the myrmidon class
Mercenary, Medium: Medium mercenaries are most commonly equipped with scale or chain mail armour, and no more than 60 gp of weaponry (such as a longsword, polearm, pick, or mace). Horsemen are also equipped with a light warhorse. Medium mercenaries and guards are typically NPCs with HD instead of class levels, although some exceptional warriors may have levels in the myrmidon class
Hireling, Trained: The amount given reflects the typical daily wage for masons, craftsmen, scribes, teamsters, and other trained hirelings. This value represents a minimum wage; many such hirelings require significantly higher pay. Most of these hirelings carry a few levels in the tradesman class.
Hireling, Untrained: The amount shown reflects the typical daily wage for labourers, porters, cooks, maids, and other menial workers. Most untrained workers are simple NPCs with HD instead of class levels, but some may be low-level tradesmen down on their luck.
Messenger: This entry includes horse-riding messengers and runners. Those willing to carry a message to a destination en route may ask for only half the indicated amount.
Militia: Militia are the most basic troops available, with padded or leather armour as their best option, and commonly no more than 10 gp of weaponry (such as a shortspear, dagger, or another simple weapon). Militias tend to be NPCs with HD instead of class levels, although some may be tradesmen or rogues.
Road or Gate Toll: A toll is sometimes charged to cross a well-trodden, well-kept, and well-guarded road. The fee is used to pay for patrols and upkeep. Occasionally, a large walled city charges a toll to enter or exit (or sometimes just to enter).
Ship’s Passage: Most ships do not specialise in passengers, but many have the capability to take a few along when transporting cargo. If the passenger is not a Medium-sized Humanoid, apply the appropriate Armour cost adjustment.
Spell: The indicated amount refers to how much it costs to get a spellcaster to cast a spell for you. This cost assumes you can locate the spellcaster and have the spell cast at his or her convenience (generally at least 24 hours later, so that the spellcaster has time to prepare the spell in question). If you want to bring the spellcaster somewhere to cast a spell you need to negotiate with him or her, and the default answer is no.
The cost given refers to a spell with no material component or XP cost. If the spell includes a material component, add the cost of that component to the cost of the spell. If the spell has a focus component (other than a divine focus), add 1/10 the cost of that focus to the cost of the spell. If the spell has an XP cost, add 5 gp per XP lost. Furthermore, if a spell holds dangerous consequences, the spellcaster will certainly require proof that you can and will pay for dealing with any such consequences (that is, assuming that the spellcaster even agrees to cast such a spell, which isn’t certain). In the case of spells that transport the caster and characters over a distance, you will likely have to pay for two castings of the spell, even if you aren’t returning with the caster.
In addition, not every town or village has a spellcaster of sufficient level to cast any spell. In general, you must travel to a small town (or larger settlement) to be reasonably assured of finding a spellcaster capable of casting 1st-level spells, a large town for 2nd-level spells, a small city for 3rd- or 4th-level spells, a large city for 5th- or 6th-level spells, and a metropolis for 7th- or 8th-level spells. Even a metropolis isn’t guaranteed to have a local spellcaster able to cast 9th-level spells.
Careers
AL’QUEMY: An Al’quemist uses Craft (al’quemy) to mix al’quemical substances and weapons, but only if she is also a rogue, spellcaster, or tradesman. In addition, she may use Craft (al’quemy) to attempt making or mixing a new magical potion, as long as he has two or more potions worth an equivalent amount to the one that he hopes to make. Doing so counts as a pseudo-magical activity, and is covered in Chapter 13, Magic & Near-Magic.
ARMOURSMITH: By using Craft (armoursmith), an armoursmith can both build and repair armours and shields of all kinds, be they leather, wooden, steel, stone, or whatever else. By making daily Craft (armoursmith) checks to repair the armour, he can keep the armour looking as new. Doing so does not cost anything, but can help to improve the image the character shows. Creating magical armour requires not only the Craft (armoursmith) skill, but also the Craft Magic Arms & Armour item creation feat.
BLACKSMITH: By making a Craft (blacksmith) check, the blacksmith makes any metallic item but not a weapon, jewellery, a lock, or armour. Some basic items that can be made are horseshoes, nails, pitons, working tools, wrought-iron furniture, iron bands, chain links, and so forth. He uses Craft (blacksmith) to help create metal-based magical items, but the Blacksmith will also need the Craft Wondrous Item feat.
BOOKMAKER: Using a Craft (bookmaker) check, the bookmaker presses pages, stretches covers, and binds books. In this regard, he can create tomes or librams, or even normal scrolls, be they of high enough quality to use as spellbooks or as normal archives, or even as luxuries for nobility. He uses Craft (bookmaker) to create magical books and tomes, but will also need the Craft Wondrous Item feat.
BOWYER: With the Craft (bowyer) skill, a bowyer creates and repair bows, crossbows, bolts, and arrows of all types and sizes. In essence, with the bare materials, he could create a longbow, or ensure that he never runs out of arrows. In addition, with a routine Craft (bowyer) check, he is able to maintain the upkeep of a bow or crossbow, which will makes sure that it looks at it’s best. Such a routine Craft check does not cost anything. It is possible, with the Craft Magic Arms & Armour item creation feat, to make enchanted bows with the Craft (bowyer) skill.
BREWER: Using Craft (brewer) as a skill allows a Brewer to mix and ferment various alcoholic beverages, along with a number of non-alcoholic ones. A brewer is able to maintain, with proper Craft (brewer) checks, a stock of chosen drops.
Carpenter: A carpenter finds work easily, building chairs, tables, and various other pieces of furniture. With proper Craft (Carpentry) checks, he can analyse the structural weaknesses in a building. When it comes to work, most of the time, the Carpenter is commissioned with half pay in advance for a job. Carpenters cannot build larger objects without the help of other craftsmen.
Cobbler: Oddly enough, in some circles, calling a shoemaker a cobbler is considered an insult. Even still, it refers to the making and repairing of all kinds of shoes. A typical storefront holds dozens of different shoes but, in this time period, almost all shoes need to be custom made. A cobbler can finish a single pair of basic shoes in three hours. A really good pair could take six. The better the shoe, the higher the Craft (Cobbler) DC to properly create it. Obviously, clogs are easier to make than boots. A failed roll by only 1 or 2 indicates a tight, uncomfortable fit. A badly failed roll (3-5 off the DC) makes the shoes two or more size too big or small (but perhaps they can be sold cheaply to another buyer). Failing the DC more than 5 usually means you botched it so badly, you’ve missed a critical component, like laces (fear not, for you can market them as loafers and start a real stupid trend). Failing the DC more than 10 usually means you were delusional that night and accidentally made pants.
Cook: Life begins and ends with the cook. The duty of morale of whole armies falls to the cooks. An old saying once said any nation was three meals from revolution. Withhold a country of food for three meals, and you’ll have anarchy. Cooking is easy. Cooking well can be tricky. A cook should not attempt something beyond their ability, less they prepare for reprisal from armed adventurers. Basic daily cooking does not require a skill check unless the cook makes soufflés every meal. The roll is only required for tricky dishes, or for making mundane meals divine. The amount the cook beats the skill check by determines how well the meal turn out. Obviously, this roll is relative to a maximum potential of the meal. No matter how great a cook’s skill roll beats a DC, fruitcakes will still taste like cardboard. Failing a the Cook DC by 5 or more usually means the eater must face a Fortitude DC of 10 or suffer from food poisoning (-2 Con damage, primary and secondary, not permanent). Failing a DC by more than 10 results in a strange freak combination of ingredients, creating roofing material, insect repellant, and in a real oddball situation, armor. Please note taking 20 doesn’t always work considering the food can be burnt or otherwise spoiled in that time.
Jeweller: A jeweller not only appraises raw gems presented, but he also appraises work from other Jewellers. To create an original piece requires raw materials and time. Only when all the components are present, can a Jeweller attempt the Craft (Jeweller) DC roll. Beating the DC not only succeeds in creating the work, but the overall value of said work is 25% higher than the cost of the raw materials used. Failing the DC by 1 results in an average work only worth the components, an eventual loss of investment considering the time involved. However, failing more than 5 results in a total loss of material components. The Craft DC is relative to the complexity of the work.
Leatherworker: Although many believe the only real use of Leatherworking is the creation of light amour, leatherwork’s primary export remains high-end fashion. A Leathermaker’s skill covers the spectrum of leather, including rawhide, suede, and various forms of tanned leather. All are known to be tricky to work with and Leathermaking tools are different than others. The Craft (Leatherworker) skill DC is relative to what is being made. Shoes still fall under cobbler but the Leatherworker can still create hats, pants, and coats. Leather is not cheap, however, and a failure of the skill roll of 5 or more results in a loss of components used. Leatherworking can also create other leather gear, including horse tackle and bags.
Locksmith: Locksmiths create locks of varying complexity and often finds employment opening locks for others (although that uses a different skill). Despite stories, thieves don’t turn into locksmiths when they are rehabilitated. However, the reverse is often true when locksmiths find themselves in pressing times. The Locksmith Craft skill, however, refers only to the construction of the lock and the final Craft (locksmith) roll to create the lock (as long as it beats the DC) translates to the DC thieves needs to crack it. Failing the roll results in a lock that simply won’t function.
Mason: The builders of civilization, people regard masonry with respect in almost every culture. Masons build huts, stores, and castles. Obviously, when building large projects, one would need to hire several. Not all builders are masons. Masons understand how the walls are made, how to support roofs, and how to fortify a foundation. Masons and Carpenters often combine their talents to create homes people can actually live in. Failing a Craft (Masonry) DC results in an insecure construction. Failing by more than 10 results in a collapse, usually in front of the buyers while the mason admires his own handiwork.
Painter: Painters are not always starving artists. Generic painting requires no skill roll. When attempting to create art, a Skill roll without a DC is required. The higher the number, the more valuable the work is. For example, rolling a Craft (Painter) roll of 30 results in an admired masterpiece. The final value of the work depends on the reputation of the painter as well as the final skill roll. A roll below 10 is considered worthless. A roll below 5 results in the painter’s brush being taken away in sympathy for the rest of the world.
Potter: The Craft (Potter) skill refers to the making of ceramic vessels of varying sizes. The Potter knows the tools required to make them. The Craft (Potter) DC refers to the difficulty to construct the work required. Failing the roll results in a flawed work, which must be restarted. Material components are not necessarily wasted as the mistake is often made in the forming. Errors are often spotted before kiln firing.
Sculptor: Wide ranging, the sculptor creates any number of artistic works worth anything from a single silver piece to tens of thousands of gold. The eventual value of the final work is based on two elements: The skill represented in the final piece and the components the work was made from. Expensive components include bronze, marble, and limestone. Cheaper materials include wood, ceramic and terracotta. Some extreme cases include gold and ivory. The final work is dependant on the skill roll of the Sculptor. The DC set refers to the complexity of the final work being achieved. Succeeding on that roll reflects towards the value of the work. One can create an extremely valuable work out of worthless materials, but the skill check would have to be higher. Failing the roll by more than 5 destroys the work and damages the components, making them worthless to create anything from anymore (although the material itself may still be worth something)
Shipwright: Shipbuilders dedicate themselves the craft of boats and have been around for more than 60 000 years. The time involved is immense and even though hundreds of people may help construct a boat, only a few are real Shipwrights, trained in the skill of displacing water without sinking. Failing the Craft (Shipwright) DC results in a leaky ship
Tailor: Not a seamstress or a leatherworker, a tailor specializes in a custom made clothes for specific buyers. The tailor measures and records specific information on a customer, allowing a “tailor” made piece of clothing. The Tailor also repairs clothes. Custom made clothes requires a great deal of time to properly finish the work with the quality required by a buyer. Failing a Craft (Tailor) roll results in a bad fit. Unlike other fields, however, the clothing is seldom available to others as the fit is too unique.
Trapper: Some trappers don’t even use traps to catch their prey. The term refers to the talent of catching small ground quarry. Often enough, the value in the catch lies with its pelt, and not its meat although some Trappers do catch the animals for food. Using the Craft (Trapper) skill not only refers to the art of placing traps but the trap construction as well. A successful roll results in a well-built trap and a skilled placing of it.
Weaponsmith: An expansion of blacksmith, the weaponsmith is another broad term referring to a professional that makes axes, swords and other hand weapons. Using the Craft (Weaponsmith) allows one to create these weapons in a time frame relative to the complexity of the weapon. Arrowheads can take less than an hour but swords occupy the better part of a month. The weapon may turn out looking passable with a failed skill roll, but the blade itself, would fail in sharpness and durability.
Weaver: Operating of the complicated textile machines (like the loom) falls into the knowledge of the Weaver. This allows the weaver to create various patterns in cloth. Failing this Skill roll results in chaotic patterns and simply bad weaving. A trained weaver cannot break the machine.
_________________ “I despise stallions. I ride them as I ride an ugly noble women--smiles for appearances and politics only. Stallions. All personality with no depth. They prance like ponies and trot with arrogance. I always say, respect your mules most of all. A stallion may lead with the king and gather the eyes, but a mule will follow behind…and carry your kingdom.†Tsarevick Kazaan Amethyst D20  http://www.diasexmachina.com
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