Cannith tinkering guild question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Cannith tinkering guild question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
itraylor
08-15-07, 06:48 PM In the Dragonmarked book it says that historically members of the Cannith tinkering guild traveled from town to town repairing items. How long ago would you all say that this practice ended or are their still bands of Cannith tinkerers going on circuits to provide their service? Thanks for any input.
Alex_
08-16-07, 02:33 AM In the Dragonmarked book it says that historically members of the Cannith tinkering guild traveled from town to town repairing items. How long ago would you all say that this practice ended or are their still bands of Cannith tinkerers going on circuits to provide their service? Thanks for any input.

There are still a number of traveling "tinkerers".
grifo
08-16-07, 06:58 AM There are still a number of traveling "tinkerers".

Really? You think so?
I see it as being a bit too innocent for modern day Cannith.
It sounds like something they did in the time of the korth edicts but abandoned as they grew and became an international mega corporation.
Maybe there could still be some who do it this way, but i imagine them as being very rare, traveling through a big rural area where no town is big enough to have a tinker's guild enclave.
Darakhoranon
08-16-07, 07:17 AM Actually, having a respectable number of traveling "tinkerers" out there making the rounds could be quite useful for the house´s interests (no matter which PART of the house we´re talking about).
The tinkerers will almost certainly pick up quite a bit of information, news, rumors, etc. And sooner or later one of them will stumble upon something worth the effort and cost of the whole operation. I don´t know the going rates for Phiarlan/Thuranni spies, but paying the elves REGULARLY to bring interesting news they might (or might not) coincidentally dig up to my attention would probably be more expensive than having a couple of the lower ranks touring the country.
Additionally, traveling tinkerers might be good for reputation (Cannith doesn´t strike me as a friend of the masses, so every little helps) - and if you have someone you want to punish/get out of the public eye, an extended "duty" out there...
ChimericalWolf
08-16-07, 07:48 AM And remember that these Tinkers are not Cannith heirs, and especially not Marked heirs. Inns marked with the Helpful Hound aren't run by Ghallanda, but they are up to Ghallanda standards.

When the Tinker comes around, and he has the Bull on his armband or whatever, you can be sure that you'll get good service, with the Cannith (tm) guarantee behind it. The tinker himself? Maybe he was just a farmboy with a bit of Artifice talent, went to an enclave for a 6 month training, and got his certification.
Euangelion
08-16-07, 10:21 AM The tinker himself? Maybe he was just a farmboy with a bit of Artifice talent, went to an enclave for a 6 month training, and got his certification.
IMHO:
I'd say about 50% commoners, 35% experts, 10% magewrights, 4% adepts and 1% PC classes. Some may be as high as 4th level, but most are 1st level. What sets them apart are that their skill ranks are probably focused on very specific craft areas, such as Craft (pewterware) rather than Craft (blacksmith). I see Skill Focus as being the primary feats taken, and that they do tend to be smarter than the average bear. Some may possess masterwork tools. If there's a large building project such as a castle, they'll be drawn to it like flies. Beyond 4th level, or if they have actual PC class talents, then they probably don't wander since people with wealth are going to either go out of their way to come to them or pay them to visit the wealthy patron.
itraylor
08-16-07, 06:41 PM Well in Dragonmarked it says that the Tinkers Guild had a monopoly on the repairs of mundane objects, primarily by members with the least or lesser Marks of Making so I would argue that some members were in fact marked and did travel on the circuit. It also makes reference to the Tinkers Guild being the public face of the house in Khorvaire. I suppose the practice of traveling from town to town may be less now but I would assume it still exist in some form or fashion. Aside from the key observations in some other posts I would also think that traveling Tinkers would be a good way for the guild to ‘recruit’ members into the ranks of the house (accomplished experts adepts etc.).
OctaviusIII
08-16-07, 08:32 PM If I were a Cannith manager, I'd revive the guild, partnering people up: one guy with more combat training, one guy with more fixing training. Lvl 1 warrior and expert, respectively. Makes banditry more difficult, gives some accountability, and provides a handy source of income and PR for the house.
Artemel
08-17-07, 11:22 AM Actually... they might simply travel with the Orien caravans.

It gets them some saftey and it gets the caravan a tinker if anything breaks. With a little layover time in each town/hamlet/whatever, for the caravan to offload/upload supplies, and the tinker to use minor magics to fix things and put his ear on the ground.

The tinker might even stay at each location for an extended stay if it's a bigger stop, and just hops on the next caravan. Even tiny places get contacted about once every 2 weeks, IIRC. So a lrager place would see more traffic, no?
Alex_
08-17-07, 11:31 AM It also makes it easier to have PCs playing a Dragonmarked heir of Cannith. Most of the Dragonmarked houses have some kind of freelance, mercenary, or travelling salesmen style-program going on. It's simply non, or even anti-conducive to the idea of playing an individual in any associated to a Dragonmarked House or their Guild if they're forced to only be here or there at any given time and have no freedom to actually go adventuring.
OctaviusIII
08-17-07, 10:18 PM Actually... they might simply travel with the Orien caravans.

It gets them some saftey and it gets the caravan a tinker if anything breaks. With a little layover time in each town/hamlet/whatever, for the caravan to offload/upload supplies, and the tinker to use minor magics to fix things and put his ear on the ground.

The tinker might even stay at each location for an extended stay if it's a bigger stop, and just hops on the next caravan. Even tiny places get contacted about once every 2 weeks, IIRC. So a larger place would see more traffic, no?

Perhaps, although Orien caravans don't go everywhere. I could see them going with some freelance traders or other perpetual travelers.

Come to think of it, that'd make an interesting business/adventuring group. A healer, caster, bard, fighter and artificer just go around to towns and filling whatever niches need filling, in the process discovering something that will CHANGE THE WORLD.
nyysjan
08-18-07, 08:41 AM i'd guess many lower ranking marked members go to the tinkers guild for a while, and lot of non marked members (and non members but Cannith trained) staying in there longer, and even making it a life career.

logic behind it? profit, small, but consistent profit, guild fees will add up, people will be reminded of Canith at every turn, no matter how small or big the job, house C can and will do it for a price.

and experience, "hand them a bag of tools and throw them out to the street, it'll teach them some survival skills in modern world and common sense."

no real point not to have it, small villages can't afford a regular shop, but will need repairs, bigger cities will have enclaves and/or shops for permanent business (wich will also serve as meeting points for travelling tinkerers), and it's not like there is/will be always enough big projects going on to tie all the resources, and the mechanics need to come from somewhere, so tinkering guild is a place to start climbing (or, in some cases, to stay in).

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
itraylor 08-15-07, 06:48 PM	In the Dragonmarked book it says that historically members of the Cannith tinkering guild traveled from town to town repairing items. How long ago would you all say that this practice ended or are their still bands of Cannith tinkerers going on circuits to provide their service? Thanks for any input.
Alex_ 08-16-07, 02:33 AM	In the Dragonmarked book it says that historically members of the Cannith tinkering guild traveled from town to town repairing items. How long ago would you all say that this practice ended or are their still bands of Cannith tinkerers going on circuits to provide their service? Thanks for any input. There are still a number of traveling "tinkerers".
grifo 08-16-07, 06:58 AM	There are still a number of traveling "tinkerers". Really? You think so? I see it as being a bit too innocent for modern day Cannith. It sounds like something they did in the time of the korth edicts but abandoned as they grew and became an international mega corporation. Maybe there could still be some who do it this way, but i imagine them as being very rare, traveling through a big rural area where no town is big enough to have a tinker's guild enclave.
Darakhoranon 08-16-07, 07:17 AM	Actually, having a respectable number of traveling "tinkerers" out there making the rounds could be quite useful for the house´s interests (no matter which PART of the house we´re talking about). The tinkerers will almost certainly pick up quite a bit of information, news, rumors, etc. And sooner or later one of them will stumble upon something worth the effort and cost of the whole operation. I don´t know the going rates for Phiarlan/Thuranni spies, but paying the elves REGULARLY to bring interesting news they might (or might not) coincidentally dig up to my attention would probably be more expensive than having a couple of the lower ranks touring the country. Additionally, traveling tinkerers might be good for reputation (Cannith doesn´t strike me as a friend of the masses, so every little helps) - and if you have someone you want to punish/get out of the public eye, an extended "duty" out there...
ChimericalWolf 08-16-07, 07:48 AM	And remember that these Tinkers are not Cannith heirs, and especially not Marked heirs. Inns marked with the Helpful Hound aren't run by Ghallanda, but they are up to Ghallanda standards. When the Tinker comes around, and he has the Bull on his armband or whatever, you can be sure that you'll get good service, with the Cannith (tm) guarantee behind it. The tinker himself? Maybe he was just a farmboy with a bit of Artifice talent, went to an enclave for a 6 month training, and got his certification.
Euangelion 08-16-07, 10:21 AM	The tinker himself? Maybe he was just a farmboy with a bit of Artifice talent, went to an enclave for a 6 month training, and got his certification. IMHO: I'd say about 50% commoners, 35% experts, 10% magewrights, 4% adepts and 1% PC classes. Some may be as high as 4th level, but most are 1st level. What sets them apart are that their skill ranks are probably focused on very specific craft areas, such as Craft (pewterware) rather than Craft (blacksmith). I see Skill Focus as being the primary feats taken, and that they do tend to be smarter than the average bear. Some may possess masterwork tools. If there's a large building project such as a castle, they'll be drawn to it like flies. Beyond 4th level, or if they have actual PC class talents, then they probably don't wander since people with wealth are going to either go out of their way to come to them or pay them to visit the wealthy patron.
itraylor 08-16-07, 06:41 PM	Well in Dragonmarked it says that the Tinkers Guild had a monopoly on the repairs of mundane objects, primarily by members with the least or lesser Marks of Making so I would argue that some members were in fact marked and did travel on the circuit. It also makes reference to the Tinkers Guild being the public face of the house in Khorvaire. I suppose the practice of traveling from town to town may be less now but I would assume it still exist in some form or fashion. Aside from the key observations in some other posts I would also think that traveling Tinkers would be a good way for the guild to ‘recruit’ members into the ranks of the house (accomplished experts adepts etc.).
OctaviusIII 08-16-07, 08:32 PM	If I were a Cannith manager, I'd revive the guild, partnering people up: one guy with more combat training, one guy with more fixing training. Lvl 1 warrior and expert, respectively. Makes banditry more difficult, gives some accountability, and provides a handy source of income and PR for the house.
Artemel 08-17-07, 11:22 AM	Actually... they might simply travel with the Orien caravans. It gets them some saftey and it gets the caravan a tinker if anything breaks. With a little layover time in each town/hamlet/whatever, for the caravan to offload/upload supplies, and the tinker to use minor magics to fix things and put his ear on the ground. The tinker might even stay at each location for an extended stay if it's a bigger stop, and just hops on the next caravan. Even tiny places get contacted about once every 2 weeks, IIRC. So a lrager place would see more traffic, no?
Alex_ 08-17-07, 11:31 AM	It also makes it easier to have PCs playing a Dragonmarked heir of Cannith. Most of the Dragonmarked houses have some kind of freelance, mercenary, or travelling salesmen style-program going on. It's simply non, or even anti-conducive to the idea of playing an individual in any associated to a Dragonmarked House or their Guild if they're forced to only be here or there at any given time and have no freedom to actually go adventuring.
OctaviusIII 08-17-07, 10:18 PM	Actually... they might simply travel with the Orien caravans. It gets them some saftey and it gets the caravan a tinker if anything breaks. With a little layover time in each town/hamlet/whatever, for the caravan to offload/upload supplies, and the tinker to use minor magics to fix things and put his ear on the ground. The tinker might even stay at each location for an extended stay if it's a bigger stop, and just hops on the next caravan. Even tiny places get contacted about once every 2 weeks, IIRC. So a larger place would see more traffic, no? Perhaps, although Orien caravans don't go everywhere. I could see them going with some freelance traders or other perpetual travelers. Come to think of it, that'd make an interesting business/adventuring group. A healer, caster, bard, fighter and artificer just go around to towns and filling whatever niches need filling, in the process discovering something that will CHANGE THE WORLD.
nyysjan 08-18-07, 08:41 AM	i'd guess many lower ranking marked members go to the tinkers guild for a while, and lot of non marked members (and non members but Cannith trained) staying in there longer, and even making it a life career. logic behind it? profit, small, but consistent profit, guild fees will add up, people will be reminded of Canith at every turn, no matter how small or big the job, house C can and will do it for a price. and experience, "hand them a bag of tools and throw them out to the street, it'll teach them some survival skills in modern world and common sense." no real point not to have it, small villages can't afford a regular shop, but will need repairs, bigger cities will have enclaves and/or shops for permanent business (wich will also serve as meeting points for travelling tinkerers), and it's not like there is/will be always enough big projects going on to tie all the resources, and the mechanics need to come from somewhere, so tinkering guild is a place to start climbing (or, in some cases, to stay in).