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The World of Teréth End - Equipment & Money |
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"The space beyond is lit only by what light enters through the doorway. The far side of the chamber is shadowy which explains, in part, why you don't see his shape at first. A moment later his form comes into view; a massive Uren sitting on three (maybe more) chairs sits before you. Legs like pillars splay over the chairs from beneath his monstrous body. Giant hands mounted on the end of tree trunk arms and bearish shoulders hold a slim ceramic vase. The creautre smiles pleasantly as you enter. When he speaks you find his voice deep and resonant and engaging. "`From Taládan,' he says appreciatively. `Late empire porcelain, intricate brushwork, good condition, a fine vessel' he says glancing from the vase to yourself. `What would you pay for such a piece? Five, six thousand?' He smiles. `If you could, you would be cheating me.' He sets the piece down reverently in a blanket-lined crate, before collecting himself back onto his chairs. `I don't get many callers asking for me by name.' He nods his head, which more slides into the confines of his neck and chin, rather than making an independent motion. `Worron said you had something of a, personal nature to discuss?' " Oth. Fourteen. 29 Jun 1995  |
The Lexigrapher Within the realms of the Old Empire, literacy is a skill shared only by the privileged. Supplies for reading and writing are therefore rare in most regions.
Parchment is made from the split sheep skin. The grain (wool) side of the sheep's skin is made into a soft and leather called "skiver" (used for bookbinding, hat linings, etc.). The lining of the skin (if suitable) is made into parchment. If the lining is not suitable for parchment it is made into chamois or suede. Vellum is made from calf skin, but is also made from deer, goat, and lamb. Unlike parchment, vellum is not split, but rather crafted from the entire skin. To make vellum the skin is scraped and then worked smooth with pumice and chalk (to whiten the hair side of the vellum, which is normally darker). Despite this effort, vellum remains distinguishable from parchment due to the uneven surface and hair marks. When used to make books, it is common practice to alternate the facing of the vellum sheets throughout the book. Linen rag paper was made by boiling and bleaching old linen clothes. The moist and balled-up rags were then left to sit, ferment, and rot for a few months. Following this stage, the rags were ground into a fine pulp and then pounded with wooden staves in a large vat; this turned the pulp into a creamy substance. A wooden frame mold with a fine wire mesh was then dipped into the vat and allowed to drain to remove water from the pulp. The mold was then carefully shaken so that the pulp spread evenly across the wire mesh. A second person (a "coucher") would then remove the "paper" form the mold and onto a piece of felt. More pieces were made in this way until the "post" consisted of about 144 pieces of wet paper. A well-run paper "mill" could manufacture about 3,600 posts of 144 sheets a year, with 20 workers.
Maps are very uncommon in lands of the Old Empire and with the exception of naviagational maps, are of notoriously bad quality (despite their cost). Maps and atlases (very rare) were almost without exception made with vellum. Since most maps of quality were made for navigation it was important they be made with the most durable materials available.
Movable type print presses were once available throughout the Old Empire of Dekàlas, but since the fall the only maintained and operating machines are in Oth and Panath. All other regions of the Old Empire have resorted to woodcut and clay type printing in the years since the war. Maintenance and operation of the presses was held secret within printing guilds. When trade routes dried-up and precision replacement pieces, inks, and papers could not be acquired, the presses disappeared. Dekàlan movable metal type was developed in Oth in the 10th century HK by Kard Inçord, a Rothic scribal priest with a fondness for wine. The press was inspired (supposedly) by Inçord's observation of a wine press near Vullinshrith. To create the type, each Dekàlan syllable was carved into the end of a steel punch and hammered into a copper blank. The impression was inserted into a mold that was filled with an antimony, bismuth and lead alloy. The resulting cast was affixed to a lead base, creating a reverse "letter" plate. Collections of these type plates were created and sold as font sets. Most of these "sets" were created in Oth, though by the late 12th century HK most were produced in Taldàna. Movable type presses were a significant Uren development as there has never been a similar invention among the Dwürden or Elve.
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Goods & Services Equipment and services are divided by suppliers from which goods may be purchased Apothecary Coins The coins of different realms are detailed with their exchange rates Dekàlan |
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Ref. PHB (Player's Handbook), © Wizards of the Coast; C&S:CR (Core Rules), © Britannia Game Designs, Ltd.  |
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