Artisan OCC

Artisan

Artisans are craftsmen, builders and creators o f art and functional objects and tools, who specialize in producing a particular good or offering a particular service such as building, carpentry, carving wood, cutting stone, making statuary, making jewelry, tailoring clothes, painting, drawing, engraving, etc.

On the surface, they might just appear to be ordinary folk carrying out mundane j obs day after day, but what few readers may realize is that in the Palladium W orId, any kind of artisan represents a unique trade important to everyday life and that can be parlayed into a business or even an industry.

Carpenters and builders are needed to make pulleys, axe handles, tools, work tables, buildings and boats. The more artistic will be the ones to paint, carve, chisel or etch an attractive design, pattern, emblem or other feature into the wood, leather, rock or metal, or make some other type of adornment. They are the ones who make signs, weave blankets, make fancy clothes, etch armor, carve a totem pole, make a statue or painting of the gods for worship, craft a musical instrument, and so on.

As a rule, any kind of artisan industry is controlled by a Guild. In large cities, where there is lots of competition, or in places where law and order are already on the decline, Guilds provide some much-needed muscle and advisors to keep everything running smoothly (for a fee). They also maintain ties with the local magistrate, government, churches, and sometimes, even organized crime.

Artisans tend to have a good understanding of social trends, the basics of running a business (supply and demand if nothing else), and know how the law works, and in some cases, how to get around it to make a sale. They are also used to dealing with people from both sides of the fence, and what the particular business/criminal dynamics of their local settlement may be.

Moreover, because they deal with so many different types of people from every strata, rich and poor, they can make the perfect stool pigeon, lookout, rumor-monger, spy and revolutionary (as is the case in the Shadow Coast).

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Alignments: Any.

Attribute Requirements: I.Q. 8 and P.P. 10 or higher. A high P.E. for working long hours is helpful, but not required.

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O.C.C. Skills All are professional quality.

• Appraise Goods (special!). This skill allows the character to assess the true market value of "ordinary" commodities such as tools, clothing, furniture, jewelry, snares, etc. (not weapons or magic items, books, slaves or rarities). Skill Ratio: 30% +5% per level of experience for Merchants, +10% for Artisans.
• Mathematics: Basic (+15%)
• Language: Native tongue at 98% plus two of choice (+15%).
• Literate in one language (+15%)
• Art (+20%)
• Sew (+10%)
• General Repair (+5%)
• Carpentry (+10%)
• Sculpting and Whittling (+10%)
• Hand to Hand: Basic

(This can be changed to Hand to Hand: Expert for the cost of two "O.C.C. Related" skills or to Hand to Hand: Martial Arts or Assassin (if evil) for the cost of three "O.C.C. Related" skills).

O.C.C. Related Skills

Select six at level one, two at level three, two at level eight and two at level twelve. All new skills start at level one proficiency.

• Communications: Any (+10%).
• Domestic: Any (+10%).
• Espionage: Forgery only (+5%).
• Horsemanship: General only.
• Medical: Brewing and First Aid only.
• Military: None.
• Physical: Any, except Boxing, Acrobatics or Gymnastics.
• Rogue: Locate Secret Compartments (+5%) and Card Shark (no bonus) only.
• Science: None.
• Scholar/Technical: Any (+5%).
• Weapon Proficiencies: Any except Blowguns, Paired Weapons and Siege Weapons.
• Wilderness: Boat Building (+10%), Wilderness Survival and Identity Plants & Fruit only.

Secondary Skills

The character also gets to select four secondary skills from the previous list at level one, and two additional skills at levels 4, 8 and 12. These are additional areas of know ledge that do not get the advantage of any bonus listed in the parentheses.

All secondary skills start at the base skill level. Also, skills are limited ("any," "only," "none") as previously indicated in the list.

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Starting Equipment

One set of clothing, boots, gloves, a set of hand tools, chisel, mallet, small hammer, carving knives, pouch of 100 two inch nails, chalk, drawing lead, sketch book, small wooden cross, belt, bedroll, backpack, a large sack, a small sack, a water skin, and a tinder box.

Armor

Soft Leather (A.R. 1 0, S.D.C. 20).

Weapons

Starts with a dagger and one other weapon of choice. All are basic S.D.C. weapons of fair to good quality. Magic weapons and other equipment must be acquired later.

Money

The character starts with 200 in gold, which can be used immediately to purchase more equipment or it can be saved for later. Additional money will come from payment for jobs and/or booty.

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Level of Experience