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too fast for me. Contracts should be longer, more drawn out.

0 (0%)

at just the right pace. Keep doing what you're doing

4 (66.7%)

too slowly. There's too much time where not much is happening

2 (33.3%)

slowly at times, quickly at others. (Explain what you mean)

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 6

[Samarkand]

This is the OOC thread for Roll for Hire. If it isn't your character saying it, say it here. If your character is saying, doing, or smelling it, do it here.

A Brief Description

This is a mercenary RtD in a medieval/fantasy setting. As a group you will accept contracts and earn rewards. The life of a mercenary is not a long one, however. Heads will roll, splatter, ignite, and otherwise cease to serve their usual functions. Luckily, the life of each character will set up the conditions for the creation of the next. You can expand your facilities, stockpile equipment, unlock races, develop new classes, and otherwise change the world your characters live their brief lives in.

Game Mechanics

Spoiler: Character Sheet (click to show/hide)

Name:
Race: (this will determine your stats and some skills, human until new races have been unlocked)
Class: (this will determine your skills, blank until new classes have been unlocked)
Description/Bio: (Any information you want here, so long as it fits within the lore as it has been described)

*for original applicants only*
Weapon: Choose from: Axe (good at breaking blocks/armor), Sword (counterstrike chance), Spear (good against unarmored/animal), Bow (cannot be blocked without shield)

Spoiler: Entering the Game (click to show/hide)

The first five applicants will be accepted. After that, the existing crew can recruit new individuals by doing certain contracts. This will need to happen to replenish the members who have died or to fill openings generated by expanding facilities to have a larger crew. Because of this I’m hoping to have a fair waitlist, so the current crew can choose to some degree (i.e. if they want to recruit a druid there needs to be a large enough waitlist that somebody will have created a druid). Those who have their character killed are welcome to submit a character to the waitlist.

Spoiler: Current Races (click to show/hide)

Humans
Start with 10 in every stat, and no special skills, they're as vanilla as it gets.

Ghosts *Available to waitlisters*
Only have access to intuition, and that is decreased to a value of 8 by the trauma of death and rebirth. They have the additional counter of Manatic Charges. Starts at zero and can steal from other beings. This charge is then used to channel through crystals, which are maintained in the ghost by setting a manatic charge aside for this purpose. Charges have a chance to decay every turn according to the formula 30% + 5%*(10 - Int)
Difficulty in stealing charge will be determined by the state of the victim (sleeping or otherwise unconscious is simple, most people are moderate, mage aware of ghost's presence is difficult, anyone wearing enough bismuth bronze is impossible)
Skills can modify difficulty in stealing, number of charges stolen, ease of magic channeling, penalties to opponents for stolen mana, and other things which are specific to ghosts.

Ghosts cannot directly effect physical things except by absorbing crystals

Spoiler: New Classes and Races (click to show/hide)

New races will be made available upon favorable interaction with another race.
New classes will be formed when a character has developed a set a of skills which they feel define a class. They will then either go to the resident scribe (if you have one) or find a scribe in a city to codify that class. New characters can then begin with that skill set. Approval of a skill set as a class will be done at my discretion, and more advanced classes will require more difficult contracts to recruit.

Spoiler: Character Growth (click to show/hide)

The value of every action roll (but only the first roll in a series to determine the outcome of a bout in combat) will be added to the growth meter of the character. This represents the percent chance of growth, which will be evaluated every time the characters return to the inn from a contract. Growth meter then resets to 20.
When growth happens a d6 will determine how many options you are given. Each option will then result in a d6 roll where
1,2 = new skill
3,4 = skill upgrade
5 = combine multiple skills into one composite skill. Tell me which skills you want combined and I’ll tell you what you could get for them.
6 = increase a stat

What skills and stats you are offered will be determined by me based off of what actions you have performed over the course of that growth period.

Currently the stats are:
Strength - effects blocking, breaking blocks, and strike effectiveness
Agility - effects dodging and landing blows
Intuition - Governs magic

I'm toying around with the idea of magic being governed by more than one stat, and I'm also considering adding social stats. The magic stats will be determined before/when the first player gains access to magic. The social stats I may have developed soon.

Spoiler: Reputations (click to show/hide)

Your reputation will be determined by several scales, and these scales will adjust based off of your completion of contracts. This is fairly qualitative at the moment, but will have quantitative impacts. If I decide on a firm scale I will implement it. I’ll even show you about where you start.

Good -----|---- Evil
Pretty self-explanatory. May have a myriad of effects, or next to none, depending on whether or not you push towards an extreme.

Lawful -----|---- Chaotic
Similar to Good/Evil, though this will have stronger impacts on how the cities interact with you. Law and order is usually valued above justice.

Reliable -|-------- Unreliable
Effects how much people will pay you to do your job. Right now you have a -2 on all rolls for Reward, but it can’t go below 1.

Powerful -|-------- Weak
Effects how difficult your contracts will be. Right now you have a -2 on all rolls for Difficulty, but it can’t go below 1.

If you get involved in any of the existing disputes, new meters may be added.

Spoiler: Contracts (click to show/hide)

You will have four contracts to begin (this may be expanded later). Each contract will be characterized by a set of numbers.
Length: How long the contract takes in weeks. Will accrue debt if you owe money, or pay upkeep costs (i.e. paying innkeeper for putting up with you) (d6)
Difficulty: Self explanatory. (d6 + modifier based on Power reputation)
Reward: Also self explanatory. (d6 + modifier based on Reliability reputation)
Longevity: How many weeks before the contract expires. (contracts may reappear after this, or may evolve in some way, or simply disappear) (d6)

Spoiler: Durability (click to show/hide)

Your equipment, like you, will only last so long. Every action where an item does something which will decrease its durability, such as shooting a bow, striking with a sword, or taking a hit to a chestplate, will result in a d6 being rolled to determine how much durability is taken off. Doing an improper action (trying to use a bow as a club for example) results in twice the loss of durability. When the last of the durability is removed, the item will be damaged. The extent of the damage will depend on the value of the last durability roll which was not included in the durability (i.e. item has 3 durability left, roll a 4, that means 1 is the value that decides the damage). Items can break a second time if you continue to use them. The second break is automatically shattered.
Levels of damage:
0 = minor damage, can use for a -1 to all rolls, 1/2 original durability, can be repaired easily
1 = moderate damage, can use for -2, 1/3 durability, can be repaired easily
2 = severe damage, can use for -3, 1/4 durability, can be repaired easily
3 = minor break, can't use, can be repaired with minor difficulty
4 = moderate break, can't use, will be difficult to repair
5 = shattered, near impossible to repair

Note= the ability of the smith who repairs your item will determine both whether or not they succeed, and whether or not it gets repaired to it's maximum utility and durability.

Spoiler: Combat (click to show/hide)

I want chunky salsa combat, not health bar combat. But chunky salsa is always hard to balance. Here is what I have, tell me what you think.

First roll in combat is for dodge or block. You can tell me ahead of time which your character prefers, or if they change based off of what is attacking. You can make this algorithm as complicated as you want, just tell me how to know what your character's response to an attack is to dodge or block it.

The chance to dodge is 30% + 10*(Agi(def) - Agi(att)).

The chance to block is 50% + 15*(Agi(def) - Agi(att)). The outcome of a block is determined by a roll of d6 + Str(def) - Str(att) where:
1 = Defender stunned (-2 to all rolls in next action) and struck by attacker
2 = Defender staggered (-1 to all rolls in next action) and struck by attacker
3 = Defender staggered (-1 to all rolls in next action)
4 = Block with no other effect
5 = Attacker staggered (-1 to all rolls in next action)
6 = Attacker stunned (-2 to all rolls in next action)

A counter attack takes place after a successful block or dodge, and does account for stunning attacker. Counter attacks must overcome dodge or block rolls, but the individual executing a counter attack cannot be stunned or staggered even from a successful block.

After a blow is landed, the effect is determined by d6 + Str(att) - 10 - Armor effects, where:
1 = ineffective strike (nothing happened)
2 = glancing blow (pretty much only meaningful if the weapon was poisoned
3 = minor strike (may cause bleeding, would take a lot of these to kill)
4 = fair strike (rarely lethal in isolation, these wounds can add up)
5 = strong strike (can take an opponent out of combat, sometimes lethal)
6 = devastating strike (nearly always death)

Magic will be incorporated later

An exception to this is wrestling, which works as follows:

Only small weapons can be used while wrestling.
When two combatants are wrestling each rolls a d6 to determine who gets the upper hand for the turn, skills and str modify this.
Unskilled wrestlers cannot act while the other has the upper hand, skills can change this dynamic.
There is no block or dodge roll, only a damage roll, skills can change this.
Wrestling individuals can neither block nor dodge outside attacks, but barring skills getting involved any attack has an equal probability of striking either individual.

Spoiler: Non-Combat Rolls (click to show/hide)

All actions will be given a difficulty which will dictate what the 2d6 roll actually means.

Simple actions: 5 or above is a success, outcome very similar for any of those values, 12 is an overshoot, 3 and 4 are moderate fails, 2 is a critical fail.
Any success is worth 2 growth points, any fail is worth 1.

Moderate actions: 7 or above is a success, degree depends on number, 12 is an overshoot, 4 through 6 are various levels of fail, both 2 and 3 are critical fails. Any success is worth 0.5* the value on the dice rounded up in growth points, a normal fail is worth 3, crit fail is worth 1.

Difficult actions: 9 or above is a success, degree depends on number, 12 is an overshoot, 6-8 are fails, 2-5 are crit fails, 6-8 are vanilla fails.
A crit fail is worth 3 growth points, a vanilla fail is worth 5, a success is worth the number on the dice.

Impossible actions: A 12 is success, anything else is a crit fail.
20 growth points for a success, death is probable otherwise.

Active Players (5/5):
kj1225
Remuthera
scapheap
Playergamer
My Name is Immaterial

Waitlist:
Sinlessmoon
The Froggy Ninja (Ghost)
BFEL
Xantalos
Aseaheru

Previous Players:
Mastahcheese

[Samarkand]

Less Brief Descriptions

to be fleshed out further as new aspects of the world are encountered
also, existing entries may be modified or expanded, but never in a way that negates what is already known

Spoiler: On the Altera Valley and its Five Cities (click to show/hide)

You live in the Altera Valley, an area which is rich in copper and iron, forests for lumber, and arable land, but poor in essentially all other natural resources, from the various geodes and gems craved by mages to the higher metals sought by smiths. The small nodes of rare resources which do exist are closely guarded. Additionally, humans represent the only humanoid civilization present. Their encounters with orcs and goblins will be discussed elsewhere, but it should suffice here to say that the greenskins, as they are collectively referred to, do not have a real presence in the valley itself. There are five city-states which exist in this valley, each associated with it’s own resource.

The one that is traditionally considered the most powerful is  the city of Ludan, which is nestled at the base of the inhospitable mountains which border the valley to the northeast. It has access to important metals, namely nickel, tin, and bismuth. The city is in the hands of the Allosmiths Guild, which strictly controls these metals. It limits the export of these metals to the alloys which are produced, namely Sea Silver, Bronze, and Bismuth Bronze. It also strictly defines the composition of these alloys, and much of the smithing is also done in this city. This has given them a great advantage in the conflicts which have arisen, and allowed them to reduce two formerly independent cities to protectorates, temporarily.

The next most powerful city is one of the two port cities, known as Varisport. It is made powerful by its access to Tortoise Boulders, the only manatic (relating to mana/magic) resource in the valley. These boulders can be found along a coast which runs along a shear cliff, allowing the city to restrict access. The Mages Guild is prominent in this city.

Korinscove is the other port city, and it has access to a strange rocky cove in which a variety of unique marine-life grow. From them the Marichemists Guild harvests a large variety of toxins, dyes, and medicines. This cove attracts a huge variety of strange marine life for no well understood reason. The rest of the coast has fairly typical fish which are routinely caught by fishermen and served in Varisport and Korinscove inns. The fish that end up in the cove are often more likely to make a meal out of a fisherman than the other way around. The smaller fish have potent chemicals which the Marichemists Guild has carefully guarded the secrets for harvesting. Larger creatures in this area which have been killed, and seen by those outside the guild, are often reported to have had crystalline organs or protrusions. Many speculate that these growths, not observed on fish which do not frequent the cove, may be the common factor drawing the fish there, though nothing about the cove itself has supported this idea.

The Marichemists Guild is opposed by the Herbalists Guild based in Paludan. This city is  at the edge of a swamp, and the Herbalists Guild harvests plants which serve functions similar to the marine analogues of the marichemists. While the marichemists devote most of their time to figuring out how to extract the appropriate reagents from the marine life they harvest, the Herbalists Guild has spent substantially more time figuring out how to prepare different plants in combinations which are most effective. The herbalists believe themselves to be more refined, and often accuse the marichemists of not understanding what they are working with. This is not far from the truth. This has also resulted in a greater degree of dissemination of herbalist knowledge, since it does not threaten the Herbalist Guild for a large populace to understand the basics. Whenever one wants a tonic that is thoroughly developed, they seek out an herbalist associated with the guild.

The final city is known as Ferrarbor, is nestled in a dense forest. In the heart of this forest are tall stands of ironbark trees, and their use is controlled by the Carpenters Guild. The wood from these trees is prized for it’s strength and flexibility, making ideal bows and also being useful in any number of construction efforts.

Spoiler: On the War of Metallodominance and the First Mercenaries (click to show/hide)

In the 273rd year since the Founding, Ludan began it’s aggression. Using arms which had been stockpiled secretly over a long period of time, the city quickly  gave a fair sized army some mediocre training, but superior weaponry. This army then set out to put the other four cities under the control of Ludan. Their first target was Paludan because it have not military to speak of. This city was quickly overwhelmed and submitted. The army then moved on with what seemed to be nominal losses, only to discover a large number of soldiers had been poisoned. Their next target, due to proximity, was Ferrarbor. This city had a number men who made their living with hunting who were quickly outfit with strong bows that managed to fell a fair number of troops. However, Ludan had anticipated this challenge and adopted the merciless tactic of setting fire to the forest until the city was forced to submit.

This took time, however, and as the approached the coast they were met by an army with less weaponry, but months more of training. While the members of this army were far from experts at their weapons, they knew how to hold a formation, and so the first waves of the assault were thrown back, to the surprise of Ludan. The aggressors army was forced to throw itself full force into  the defending army, which was precisely what the mages of Varisport were waiting for. As the Ludanian army crossed the field of battle dozens of shallowly buried Tortoise Boulders exploded with enough force to leave the ground and scattered with the mangled remains of enemy soldiers. Inevitably, some groups of troops survived and regrouped, but the superior training on the part of the joint army of Varisport and Korinscove allowed their soldiers to quickly deal with any survivors. This army then marched back on Ludan and took the city, which had not in any way anticipated such a strong resistance.

It was clear, however, that supporting such a distant army would be too difficult for the coastal cities, and so the Treaty of the Mines was quickly drawn up. The conditions stated that the copper mines in Ludan be closed using magic, but the alloying metal mines be left open to preserve the city’s function. All copper would be imported and metal production would be overseen by a small council of mages and marichemists from the coastal cities, ensuring no stockpiling occurred again. The city of Ferrarbor was fully released, mostly because Ludan knew it could not hold the city, but  the city of Paludan was required to pay regular tribute. It was peace, but it was clear to all it was far from permanent.

This resulted in permanent changes in the Altera Valley. It crippled the city of Paludan, and increased tensions between the two medicinal guilds. Many accused Korinscove of allowing the continued control of Paludan simply to damage their rival guild. It also marked the end of the prosperity of the valley. It seems the limited resources of the valley are now too limited, and the five cities each want more than they have. And barring access to new resources, war would surely outbreak again. Finally, it drastically increased banditry and lessened the control of the cities on outlying areas. Prior to the war, a far amount of soldiers were maintained in the area surrounding a city to help keep the peace amongst the smaller villages and prevent banditry. However, with even the smallest trained and equipped force raising suspicion and hostility, these programs were cancelled. Simultaneously, more bandits appeared due to the deserters from either side.

Your group, however, was different. You fought on the side of the coastal cities, and reveled in the experience. You found confidence in the meagre training you were provided with, mostly because it yielded good results. Unwilling to return to the lives you had maintained before, the five of you paid large bribes to keep your weapons, pushing you into debt. Next you found a sympathetic, and greedy, innkeeper and set yourselves up as the first mercenary group the valley had ever seen.

Spoiler: On the Seclusion and the Three Challenges (click to show/hide)

As mentioned in the previous section, the cities had reached in many ways their limit with regards to the natural resources available. All recognized that the war took place because expansion of any guild or city now required the acquisition of new resources, rather than larger operations regarding those which were already available. However, the humans are kept within their resource poor valley by three forces which often seem unconquerable.

The Corsairs

To the west lies the ocean, and in it orc corsairs. These pirates have ruthlessly slaughtered any humans attempting to leave, but do not often approach the coast for fear of the magic traps laid there by Varisport. They are an exceedingly superstitious race, and so have given the magic more significance than is perhaps due to it. Expeditions are infrequently made out into the deep water that the corsairs keep to, in the hopes of finding a way around the orcs. Luck has allowed several of these expeditions to return with limited information about the nature of this threat.

One such expedition consisted of a small dingy mocked up to look like an orc ship from a distance. This ship managed to get far out of sight of the coast before it was recognized as an imposter. Several of the sailors of this vessel were killed by orcish bows before getting to safety, but a handful were able to report what they saw. They claim that the valley is cut off from the open ocean by a loose chain of islands. The sailors believe these islands must be populated by orcs. However, amongst the sailors there was a great deal of dispute about the number of islands in the chain, or the size of them. This has made it impossible to estimate with any accuracy the population of the islands, particularly given the fact that those who have approached this problem have no real knowledge of the population density of orcs. Some have speculated that because of their larger size they must live in less dense groups, leading to low population estimates. On the other hand, individuals who have approached the problem by estimating the density of ships at sea at any given time, the number of individuals on those ships, and the infrastructure necessary to support those ships have found that there must be very large numbers. This has led many to doubt the association of the islands with the orcs, though all admit there is far too little information to determine anything concretely.

Another expedition offered information of a different sort. Incredibly well equipped with Sea Silver weapons and armor, as well as necessary provisions, a ship lay in wait in a sea cave for weeks until they saw a sufficiently small orc vessel drift close to the cave. They chased down this craft and boarded it, managing to take three prisoners. Verbal communication was not made possible, but by observing the behavior of the orcs several facets of their lifestyle were revealed. Their sleep schedule was revealed to be incredibly similar to humans, and their eating habits were similar as well, though they preferred fish over vegetables or meat very strongly. It was also observed that they were of well above average strength and slightly above average speed. The numerous scars on their bodies suggested a warlike culture with frequently violence, although they did not openly rebel against their containment. In fact, they were incredibly cooperative prisoners, until one day their guards grew lax and the orcs managed to get a hold a dagger. While the guards clamored for their weapons the three orcs killed themselves swiftly, cutting the observational study short. The only remaining evidence gathered from them was from their gear, which was made from a foreign metal which the allosmiths were able to identify as some form of alloy, but they did not have enough metal to attempt to identify what metals were alloyed together. No craft has since been able to capture any orcs.

The Mountains

Stretching along the north and east of the valley are the Greenskin Mountains. Luckily, the only greenskins in these mountains are goblins. In the early years after The Foundation, tales were told of goblin raids into the valley. However, the goblins always felt the need to return to their caves, not seeing a use for the open land, and so the raids eventually diminished until they are quite uncommon. There are still a large number of goblins occupying the mountains though, and they make finding a pass through near impossible when coupled with the terrible storms which often force would be travelers into caves for shelter.

It has been noted that goblins in different regions tend to prefer different war paint, while war paint within a very local region is incredibly consistent, to the point where the corpses after a confrontation will have precisely the same lines. It has been suggested that this reflects a tribal organization of the groups. No intertribal violence has been recorded, but it is difficult to stay in the mountains for any extended period of time. Another observation which has been made regarding these tattoos is that there are some caves which despite being separated by significant distance exhibit identical tattoos. Some have taken this to mean that the goblin tribes expand into multiple caves, while others suspect that this indicates interconnected cave systems which allow tribes to cover a great distance.

The Burning Sea

The final threat is perhaps the most dangerous, and certainly the most mysterious. To the south lies a plain which is slightly elevated above the valley. This plain has been named the Burning Sea for the fact that it has long fast growing grasses that move in waves, and experiences frequent and violent fires. Individuals have spent years trying to discern the source of the fires, or their pattern. Those who believe they have found the answers will often try to cross the plain, but none that have attempted have returned.

There only exist two hints as to the nature of the fires. The first is that many have found patterns which more or less agree with each other, and suggest that the fires are more regular than would be expected of a natural event. The second comes from the writings of Odis Firewatcher. Early after The Foundation many attempts to leave the valley took place. Odis Firewatcher noted that the pattern in the fires was broken by these attempts. When a group tried to leave the fires would return to the close side of the valley abnormally quickly. Odis attributed this to the fire reacting to intruders on its territory, and while this idea has been dismissed as absurd by many of his critics, nobody has found an alternate explanation for the author’s observations other than to say that he must have been mad.

Spoiler: On Magic and Crystals (click to show/hide)

Very little is understood of magic in the Altera Valley. This stems primarily from a lack of variety in the crystals available. However, the Mages Guild has worked out a limited understanding of magic from three phenomena: the Tortoise Boulders, mana crabs, and blink dogs.

Mages have been able to do three things with Tortoise Boulders to date: make them explode, push off of them, and pull with them. The pushing and pulling can consist of the mage throwing themselves towards or away from the boulder, an object towards or away from the boulder, or an object towards or away from themselves. Originally the boulder was understood as the anchor for any action, but this last case indicates that the mage can anchor themselves using the boulder and redirect its force. Oddly, when focusing simply on anchoring themselves, mages frequently accidentally throw themselves, suggesting the act of anchoring is somehow more difficult than pushing or pulling. Some experienced mages have had success with this feat though. The act of exploding the boulder seems to rely on forcing the internal cavity of crystals to push against itself. This requires a great amount of energy to achieve, and so was crucial in revealing the fact that the energy for these acts comes from the mage. So great is the energy requirement that one of the younger mages at the end of the War of Metallodominance died from his exertions.

That the crystals are responsible for the magical properties is confirmed by the existence of mana crabs. These crabs live near the Tortoise Boulders and have crystals on their shells similar to those in the boulders. They are made dangerous by the fact that they can launch jagged rocks at any who threaten them. They can also jump with unnatural strength, although their relatively small size makes this more effective as an evasive maneuver than an offensive one.

A similar case occurs with the blink dogs. These animals were near the Broken Field, the location of that final battle. As a result, they had some crystals embedded in their bodies. The dogs which survived this became able to use those crystals, and were named blink dogs for the fact that they can launch themselves so quickly that they are on their prey in the blink of an eye.

The cases of the dogs and the crabs suggest that perhaps people could embed crystals in themselves to use them more effectively than outside of their bodies. Unfortunately, those who survived the explosions at the Broken Field did not survive the crystals. Crystal Sickness developed, and the individuals died. One soldier that only had a small shard survived a full week, and looked as though his symptoms may have been subsiding, but he still succumbed.

Besides the possibility of incorporating crystals into bodies, there is also the possibility of other types of crystals. For this reason the Mages Guild is trying to gain better access to Korinscove, with the hopes of studying novel manatic life found there. The allegiance of Varisport and Korinscove during the war has made that cooperation increasingly likely.

Spoiler: The Metals and Their Uses (click to show/hide)

This section will be updated as more alloys are discovered.

Bronze

An alloy of copper with tin, this metal is stronger than copper alone. It is used frequently for arms and armor, as well as more durable tools. It is resistant to some weathering, even to saltwater weathering, although it is weakened by the process. This has led to some limited use in ship building, although more important parts are made using the more resistant Sea Silver.

Bismuth Bronze

An alloy of copper with bismuth, this metal is corrosion resistant, malleable, and aesthetically pleasing. This has led to its use as decorative metal both indoors and out, though it has little practical or combat use. The exception to this is the property that it repels ghosts, and so the rich decorate their houses as extensively as possible in this metal, keeping ghosts from sapping their energy. Some low impact tools with difficult to smith shapes are made of this metal for it’s malleability.

Sea Silver

An alloy of copper with nickel, this metal is highly corrosion resistant and near the strength of bronze. This metal takes decades to respond to salt water weathering, and so has found use in the production of ships, or any tools related to salt water. Its name is derived from this combined with the fact that it takes on the silver color of nickel, rather than the color of copper. It is also used for a number of alchemical tools which the Herbalists Guild special orders to be highly resistant to the compounds they use.

The Orcish Alloy

The metals present in this compound are entirely unknown. It appears to be stronger than the copper alloys the valley is familiar with. However, it is also rather brittle and seems to weather rather quickly.

Spoiler: Herbalists Guild Structure and Persons (click to show/hide)

This report comes from Alice, who is a novice in the Guild and therefor may have some holes in her knowledge of the political climate amongst the journeymen and masters. The general structure of the Guild is common knowledge, however, and should be accurate.

Structure

There are three ranks within the Herbalists Guild: novice, journeyman, and master.

Novices make up the majority of the Herbalists Guild. They do not pay for their position in the Guild, but are rather expected to work nearly ceaselessly to gather and process the herbs the guild requires to function. They are all housed and fed within the Guild complex in Paludan, and are mostly forbidden from leaving the city and surrounding swamp. They are additionally taught to identify and process herbs, as well as diagnosing common treatable diseases. They continue in this role until they are recommended for examination by a master. As a result many novices identify themselves with a single one of the many instructing masters, and try to impress upon this individual their worthiness for promotion. This process takes an incredibly variable amount of time, with some residents of Paludan passing examination within months of entering the Guild and some from other regions passing after seven years.

After passing their examination novices are promoted to journeyman. There are essentially two classes of journeymen, those who intend to try for mastery, and those who do not. The latter group consists primarily of individuals who chose to pursue the economic side of herbalism. Few individuals purchasing alchemical remedies see much difference between a journeyman and a master, since the rigorous examination process effectively prevents anyone without a good working knowledge of herbalism from claiming the status of journeyman. Only the extremely ill usually require a masters attention. The other group of journeymen work actively towards their promotion to master. They either work closely with existing masters, developing their own research in new directions, or else set out on their own. This second route is regarded as the riskier of the two, many previously ambitious individuals losing momentum on their research and resigning to the life of the merchant alchemist. However, those who succeed on their own often produce the most groundbreaking papers, which fundamentally change many peoples approaches to herbalism. Either direction they take, the journeymen ultimately prepare a manuscript on their work, which they present to a council of masters in Paludan. Their work is judged based off of its contributions to the community's understanding of herbalism and the possibility that it will lead to future productive research.

If their manuscript is accepted the journeymen become masters. Most masters continue the research they presented in their manuscript. They take up residence in whatever region their research relates to most strongly. Most of them choose to take on a number of journeymen to assist them in their research, and if they are in Paludan they may also choose to involve novices. Some masters conduct more limited research in favor of working on the instruction of novices. These masters are afforded a larger cut of Guild profits for performing what most members view as a necessary sacrifice.
Above this structure is the Guildmaster. He is charge of determining the Guild's direction and organizing journeyman review councils. There is no consistent administrative structure in the Guild, the Guildmaster creates any other positions he deems necessary. Guildmasters are elected by the masters and journeymen from amongst the masters, and serve for an indeterminate length of time. They either die, retire, or in rare cases are cast out by two thirds vote of all journeymen and masters.

Profit Sources and Sharing

Profits for the Herbalists Guild come from selling all manner of potions, poultices, salves, teas, and any other herb based remedies. Of particular interest in the Guild's monetary feasibility are the "health teas" it sells to wealth clients. These bags of processed herbs are touted by the elite in every city as being essential for good health and productivity.

Novices are not afforded any spending money, and do not share in any way in the Guild profits. They are fed, housed, and clothed, but this costs the Guild so little that some observers have suggested that novices bring in so much more in resources to the Guild than they consume that they should set up an independent group and sell herbs to the Guild. The value of the education they receive, combined with Guild accreditation after their examination, have led to few novices seriously considering this option.

Journeymen can appeal the Guild to be granted money for travel or supplies in their research, but are otherwise treated the same as novices. Journeymen that act as apothecaries and sell Guild products to the public gain a lot of money for the Guild, and are regarded as necessary for its financial success. On the other hand, journeymen that devote their time to the pursuit of mastery are often financial liabilities, taking little time to produce effective products and consuming many Guild resources in the process.

Masters are, interestingly enough, also a mixed bag in terms of profits. All of them except those instructing take an equal portion of Guild profits, with only a small portion being withheld to ensure the future of the Guild. On top of this, some masters drain Guild resources in their research, while others develop incredibly lucrative potions and teas which benefit the Guild greatly.

All three of these groups have historically been permitted to quietly supplement this meagre allowance through selling some alchemical goods without reporting that profit to the Guild. This practice has come under heavy criticism following the war.

Currently the group receiving the largest share of Guild profits are actually officials in Ludan, who tax the Guild heavily as a result of the post war treaty. This had led to very high tensions within the Guild.

Important Persons

Master Feran, Mistress Pida, and Master Gerult head the teaching of novices, and while other masters also take part in instruction, curriculum and exam administration fall to these three.

Master Feran is viewed as harsh but fair, and has had the duty of administering the examination for the past 15 years. He is feared by most novices, but is often seen talking congenially to journeymen and above.

Mistress Pida is rather plump and strikes a motherly figure. Many of the novices view her as their primary confidant, and her role appears to be to look after the health and well-being of the novices.

Master Gerult is an intensely scholarly individual and rarely talks about anything other than herbalism. He is not viewed as unsympathetic, but it is hard to go to him with problems because he is so consumed with the pursuit of new alchemical developments. He has long been in charge of curriculum design because he is viewed as a veritable encyclopedia of information.

Grandmaster Jorun is currently in charge of the Guild, though there has been talk of changing that. He is often accused of being responsible for the treaty, whose terms were terrible for the Guild. Additionally, in response to that treaty Grandmaster Jorun felt it necessary to implement stricter policies on profit reporting for Guild sales, leading to tighter budgets for all in the Guild. He had been well liked prior to the war, but sometimes politics isn't about what you do, but when you're in office. A vote has not yet been called regarding his position, but there are a lot of journeymen making the trip back to Paludan to discuss with the masters there the possibility of a new Grandmaster.

Spoiler: A Traveler's Guide to the Alteran Valley (click to show/hide)

It is this travelers opinion that anyone undergoing a journey should, during that journey, put those talents which they possess to use. This traveler has the talent of writing, and this is his humble contribution to those who will travel after him.

The Cities

Ludan
Population: 15,000
This behemoth of a city lies in the far northeast of the valley. It is built at the very base of the mountain and relied heavily on skilled masons for its construction. This makes its architecture one of the biggest draws for a traveler. If you are headed in this direction, and are skilled with charcoal or a brush, take some time in your trip to sketch the buildings you find; you won't find any quite like them elsewhere. The metalwork performed in this city is, of course, unrivaled as well, and this is a great place to purchase any metal gifts you hope to bring back on your trip.

The best inn in the area is, by far, The Master's Bellows. The rooms are reasonably priced, but the real draw is the food. The chef who worked there when this traveler last visited received some limited training from both the Herbalists and Marichemists Guilds, giving him a supreme command over all manner of exotic spices. He also claims he balances his meals to cleanse the body of toxins and replenish energies. These claims are, naturally, difficult to test, but the flavors he develops are more than worth the price of the meal. Splurge here, you won't regret it.

Varisport
Population: 13,000
This majestic port city has some of the most beautiful decorations of any location this traveler has visited. Mages have a supreme dislike for ghosts, and so have purchased a wealth of bismuth bronze decorations. For this reason, and this reason alone, visit the Mages Guild, and the surrounding houses. Otherwise the Guild should have little to interest the traveler, guarding their crystals carefully. There is good fish to be purchased here, but better in Korinscove.

The city is home to any number of noteworthy inns; the Sleepy Swine, the Cozy Crystal, and Crafty Crab, to name a few. This traveler has no particular recommendations with regards to these establishments, they all offer comfortable rooms at reasonable prices. There is a marketplace that sells anything a person could want, brought from every other city to this trade giant.

Korinscove
Population: 10,000
Smaller than Varisport by close to a third, this city is nonetheless a huge draw to travelers. The marine life here is a must see, and there are any number of trained Guild members willing to take individuals out into the cove, for a price. This city is also home to the freshest, and most varied, fish available. An inn that goes by the name of The Squid is a must visit destination. They partner with the Guild to get fresh fish every day, and their menu is constantly changing to reflect this.

There is a market that occurs weekly where laymen and Guild members hawk their wares. This market features many strange fish which can be prepared at home, as well as many products from the fishing. Home remedies, bone and shell crafts, dyes, poisons, soaps, scaly leathers, any number of strange byproducts of the fishing industry. This traveler has personally enjoyed the soaps he's purchased here, but there should be goods for anyone interested.

Paludan
Population: 8,000
Paludan is a different kind of city than the others in the valley. The houses do not pack closely together, but instead spread out. This is to avoid building on unstable land, and also to provide substantial area for herb gardens, which are on most houses. Herbalism is of course the primary source of income, but there are also industries related to the swamp such as hunting and making bricks from mud.

Paludan does not have any reputable inns, but most of the residence will be happy to host travelers. Picking up spices is a great idea as well. There is little in the way of a centralized market, just a clearing that some vendors show up to. This travelers recommendation is to find a family that looks to have a substantial garden. Purchase herbs from this family, as well as anything they might have hunted. If you are looking for herbs they don't have, or meats and pelts, ask them if they personally know anyone. there's a lot that can be done through personal connections in this city.

Ferrarbor
Population: 6,500
This city is little more than a town with a proper guild. The beautiful wood carvings are the biggest draw of the city although any other wooden purchase on the trip should be made here as well, such as bows. There exist a number of suspended buildings, having been built in trees. These are quite the sight.

There is a limited amount to buy here, primarily ironwood products. There is a suspended inn, The Floating Forest, and this traveler recommends it for those who do not fear the heights involved.

The Towns

Gorbolg
Population: 3,000
This town lies between Varisport and Korinscove, along the coast. It has a substantial clothing and dyeing industry, which supports most of its population. Great for gifts for a lady.

Ifinvik
Population:1,800
This town is located in the middle of the valley, amidst a large expanse of farming land. It is known for its breweries, and as a result any inn will have some of the best beer available. Purchase straight from the breweries to get kegs at the best prices.

Caleah
Population: 1,000
This walled town is a couple of miles to the west of Ludan. It too lies at the base of the mountains. Its profile seems quite small at first, and there is little remarkable aboveground. The true draw of this town is an expansive library which is cut into a mountain. This holds the greatest repository of knowledge in the valley, and is tended by a number of loyal monks.

Meminster
Population: 900
This town is little more than a large village, but it is home to a gigantic fairgrounds, which hosts events frequently throughout the year. Agrarian individuals who rarely see a crowd congregate here to socialize and trade, making this, the smallest of towns, one of the best places to experience the culture of most of the residents of the valley.

Villages

This traveler has visited many villages, more than can be readily recounted in a guide such as this. Sufficed to say you can hardly go more than four or five miles without encountering one of these small clusters of homes. Many are without inns, or there will be an inn which is shared by three or four nearby villages. The majority of the population of the valley resides in these villages, farming the nearby land.

[mastahcheese]

Name: Cromwell Jackson
Race: Human
Class: Blank for now.
Description/Bio: Later

*for original applicants only*
Weapon: Choose from:Sword (counterstrike chance)

[Samarkand]

IN

Lol. I didn't even have any of the interesting information pasted in yet.

[kj1225]

Name:  Kyle Jonson
Race: Human
Class:
Description/Bio: He enjoys money and is tired of stealing.

*for original applicants only*
Weapon: Choose from:Bow (cannot be blocked without shield)

[mastahcheese]

IN

Lol. I didn't even have any of the interesting information pasted in yet.

I was hoping to post before you reserved a post, so I could endlessly troll you, but you ninja'd me right as I hit Post.
Going to make my character now.

[Remuthra]

Can I go in with Shield as a weapon? No sword, just two shields.

[Samarkand]

Can I go in with Shield as a weapon? No sword, just two shields.

Should have given you a shield option. Sure, go with a shield. Only one though You can have a dagger that has -1 to basically everything if you want.

[Remuthra]

Can I go in with Shield as a weapon? No sword, just two shields.

Should have given you a shield option. Sure, go with a shield. Only one though You can have a dagger that has -1 to basically everything if you want.

I'd rather have something without offensive ability, please .
As a famous dwarf once said:

So I can dual wield shields! That's like double the armor class!

Name: Joe Bridger
Race: Human
Class: (this will determine your skills, blank until new classes have been unlocked)
Description/Bio: Joe is an extremely paranoid person, having been told as a child that defense is the best offense. He wears extremely cumbersome, heavy armor and refuses to take it off at any time.

*for original applicants only*
Weapon: Shield and Dastana

[scapheap]

Name:Clair Freeman
Race: human
Class: Greenhorn/freelancer/fateless one
Description/Bio: A former slave. She gain her freedom by protecting her former owner's son during a bandit's attack.
Weapon: Axe

[Samarkand]

Weapon: Shield and Dastana

For sheer cleverness I'll give the Dastana to you. You may not be terribly effective in combat, but you also may just survive. I'll give you a second block roll with a penalty if you miss the first one for the Dastana. Seem fair?

Also, a note:
If anyone has any suggestions for balancing or anything like that, always feel free to tell me

[Remuthra]

Weapon: Shield and Dastana

For sheer cleverness I'll give the Dastana to you. You may not be terribly effective in combat, but you also may just survive. I'll give you a second block roll with a penalty if you miss the first one for the Dastana. Seem fair?

Okay. This concept was not chosen for effectiveness.

_{I'll go find a pair of tower shields later.}

[Playergamer]

Name: Will Smyt
Race: Human
Class: Ranger
Bio: Later, on IPad right now because computer's not working.
Weapon: Bow with weak nausea poison arrows.

[My Name is Immaterial]

Name: Ralph Thompson
Race: Human
Class: Blank
Bio: Coming soon. Similar reason to Playergamer
Weapon: Spear.

[Sinlessmoon]

So in!

Spoiler: "Character sheet" (click to show/hide)

Name: Akrandar
Race: Human
Class:
Description/Bio: Just a regular ol' joe who wanted to earn some money.
Reputations

Good -----|---- Evil

Lawful -----|---- Chaotic

Reliable -|-------- Unreliable


Powerful -|-------- Weak




Contracts:
Length:
Difficulty:
Reward:

Weapon: Axe