Re: RE: (TFT) Magic Item Economics]

[pvk@oz.net]

>> At 04:58 AM 12/3/03 -0600, Ty Beard wrote:
...
> Back in the older, poorer days, I turned out a simple 4 plate body armor,
> 4 lame spaulders, 3 plate articulating elbows, simple knees and cuisses,
> gorget, helmet, and half gauntlets in 12 hours time. Sold it for $250. I
> could go from sheet to gorget ready for straps in under 15 minutes in
> standard sizes with munition grade finish.

Very interesting. Was this using medieval-type equipment? I'm sure you
started with plates - would an armorer making plate be given plates from a
foundary (or something), or would they need to make their own?

Anyone know of good sources for medieval equipment construction times?

...
>> * Armorers probably do other things besides make plate armor all the
>> time.
>
> I'm guessing probably not, and certainly not if there's a strong guild
> system.

Even if there is a strong guild system where some specialist armorers are
making plate all the time, there would still be more armorers making all
the other types of equipment that require the Armorer talent. My point was
that it seems peculiar to me to calculate the figures for the "Armorer"
occupation based only on a single fairly rare type of product.

...
> Pretty much in my campaigns, if you have a job straight from the table,
> then you work for someone. Free-lancing goes by slightly different rules
> (look up the selling price tables, and Business Sense for some ideas).

Is that what ITL says? I was thinking that the occupations listed were
often self-employed. Town wizard, town blacksmith, etc. Guilds tend to
receive cash from their members in exchange for services, more than vice
versa, no?

>> * Armorers may have underpaid apprentices and assistants which allow
>> several items to be under construction at the same time.
>
> Again, don't care, because those guys get paid, too.

If they can't do their job well without the armorer, then the armorer
probably gets paid more partly because he's able to enable them to do work
in one way or another, rather than directly from the sales of goods forged
by his own hands.

...
>> * Armorer income would probably vary a lot depending on local demand and
>> circumstances, and the type of shop they have, who they work with or
>> for,
> etc.
>
> You mean, like, the state of the local economy?

Yes, the local economy's various details.

PvK
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