Mages's Guild TemplateThere are two sections to the list, services and supplies for guild members only, and another section for all characters labeled public access. Some membership privileges/services are restricted by membership type; the memberships are called Copper, Silver, and Gold. I've tried to color-code the services that are restricted by membership. You will notice that basic services are less expensive for higher ranked members. That's based on the philosophy that higher ranking members contribute more to the Guild (many make spell donations or hefty cash contributions to the Guild). Some of the most useful information is at the bottom, in the Notes section. **You may use and modify this information to your liking, but if you repost the list on your own website, please give me credit and a link to this site. Also, send me a note saying you're using (part of) the Guild of Arcane Lore so I can check out your page.** Guild Policies
Guild of Arcane Lore- Members Only
Guild of Arcane Lore- Public Access
NotesTreated Paper: Mages often desire that the paper they purchase have some herbs ground and infused into the paper as it is formed (from cotton, wood pulp, or similar material, depending on region) to deter insects and molds from destroying the book. These treatments have little game effect, other than to explain the preservation of spell books through the ravages of time and adventuring. Treatments to make the paper resistant to game affects (like fire) are more than rare, and should be treated as magic items.Books: Research books are sold based on availability. Common topics are available 80% of the time in cities; uncommon are available 60%, and rare only 30%. In towns and villages there is a -25% penalty to the roll. Often, there are duplicates of the common and uncommon books (35% of the time there are 1d4 additional books). Sometimes there are new books written by local Guild members (25% chance in cities that there are 1d3 authors, 5% that one member authors books in small towns and villages); of these, 15% of them will be a true find (selling at one category better); and only 5% of those 15% are exceptional (selling in the rare category and commanding very high prices if the subject is uncommon or rare). Inks: Purified inks are needed to write spells into spell books under normal conditions. Inks do fade over time. Imported inks are slower to fade, if they do at all. Exotic inks are needed for scrolls and maps where the ingredients are crucial to the magics applied to the paper. Library: Spell Research access is limited to theories similar to the type of knowledge and access that the member has paid for and demonstrated. So, spells researched at the Guild will be similar in nature to existing spells in the character's repertoire. Remember, that spells that are researched are one level higher than similar spells in published materials (they are not as refined as the known spells). Laboratory: Spells that are researched need to be tested in a laboratory as part of the research process. 3 days of laboratory research are needed per level of the spell being researched. Spells for sale: Spells are sold on scrolls. Often, more than one spell can be placed on a scroll, but with an additional cost of 5% to the total page length. (Longer pieces of perfect paper are hard to maintain and perfect vellum hard to find.) In general, only common spells will be sold in quantity as few mages really want to hang around writing scrolls for sale. (They are paid only 65% of the spell's value for their time, effort and expense.) BTW, spells on this list are subject to availability, and sometimes even common spells are not available for sale, as being a member of the Guild does not entitle anyone to another member's spell books. Also, the prices are fairly steep, but are based on a non-negotiated price scheme for those characters that are buying power with cash. Sometimes permits are required with the sale of scrolls, depending on the rulings of the local authorities, for an additional 10-25% (sometimes as high as 150%) fee. Magic Items: The Guild will sometimes have minor magic items for sale, but only in cities. Common potions, simple household and convenience magic, protection items (never more than +1 or AC 7), and universal scrolls are sold by Guild members that create them. The Guild receives 10% of the price and local authorities sometimes require a permit sold with the items for an additional 10-25% (sometimes as high as 150%) fee. Maps: The world is not as accurately known as ours. Even accurate maps can be seriously flawed; this is accepted amongst cartographers. Foreign maps are always out of date and even more frequently wrong as explorers rarely have the ability to instantly bring their knowledge to cities (let alone towns and villages) and are often engaged with the business of survival, not surveying, in these unknown lands. Unless otherwise noted, maps are considered to be inked in black with no significant art other than a compass marking. Purchasing Policies: The Guild will purchase certain books and items that they can resell if the items are of general interest and in reasonably good shape. Collectable original source books are sometimes purchased in poor condition if they are still readable, but not at the price they would normally command. In general, the guild will pay 40-80% of resale value of any goods. (Prices are based on previous experience with the Guild or a Reaction Check. If the check is Hostile then the Guild will pay only 40% of the value; 50% for Threatening, 60% for Indifferent, and 70% for Friendly. A Flight response indicates that the character is asked to leave and no business is conducted. Guild members add 10%. If the character has never dealt with the Guild before then the roll is at +4 penalty. If the character has had less than Friendly relations with the guild before then the roll is at a +2 penalty. If the character has passed cursed, trapped, or poor quality items to the Guild, they are automatically treated as Hostile. Good relations and friendly roleplaying are generally worth 70% without a roll.) Items that are normally sold as new will be worth 70-110% of the value listed in the charts above, based on condition and history. (Fair 70%, good 80%, excellent 90%, collectable 100%, desired 110%)
This
page designed and written by Catherine Keene. 1998.
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