DM looking for exhaustive list of city professions
Patrick MacDonald
I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city. The
problem is that I really don't know that much about history and
the type of professions in medieval society. Of course everyone
can remember the blacksmith, stable, inn, tavern, ... but what
about the glassblower, limner, tinsmith, healer (using leeches)?
I, like everyone else, have a full-time job and I cringe when I think
of having to spend hours pouring over medieval literature. Not that
I dislike literature, I love it, but I want to work on my games more.
Does any collect this type of info. I would be interested in joining
or starting a DM league which shares detailed info for generating
cities/towns/country-sides.
Thanks,
Patrick MacDonald
LEBLOND Benoit
There are a whole bunch in the DM's guide, 2nd edition (a whole page).
Ben aka
Capitaine Grabuge
Eric, Vivian & Chris Roberts
Patrick MacDonald wrote:
>
> I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
> of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city. The
> problem is that I really don't know that much about history and
> the type of professions in medieval society. Of course everyone
> can remember the blacksmith, stable, inn, tavern, ... but what
> about the glassblower, limner, tinsmith, healer (using leeches)?
>
> I, like everyone else, have a full-time job and I cringe when I think
> of having to spend hours pouring over medieval literature. Not that
> I dislike literature, I love it, but I want to work on my games more.
>
> Does any collect this type of info. I would be interested in joining
> or starting a DM league which shares detailed info for generating
> cities/towns/country-sides.
>
> Thanks,
> Patrick MacDonald
--
If you want a complete list of D&D occupations, check out the 2nd ed. DM
guide, it's got a pages full of them!
-The Magus
J.McGuire
Patrick MacDonald wrote:
>
> I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
> of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city. The
> problem is that I really don't know that much about history and
> the type of professions in medieval society. Of course everyone
> can remember the blacksmith, stable, inn, tavern, ... but what
> about the glassblower, limner, tinsmith, healer (using leeches)?
>
> I, like everyone else, have a full-time job and I cringe when I think
> of having to spend hours pouring over medieval literature. Not that
> I dislike literature, I love it, but I want to work on my games more.
>
> Does any collect this type of info. I would be interested in joining
> or starting a DM league which shares detailed info for generating
> cities/towns/country-sides.
>
> Thanks,
> Patrick MacDonald
There's a cat sitting on me so I can't reach my bookshelf, but I'm
reasonably sure there's a decent list in Joseph & Frances Gies' "Life In
A Medieval City." I recommend that, and the other books in that series,
for any FRP gamer...they've done all that research for you, and have
great bibliographies in case you want to follow up on it.
From RPG_specific sources, Midkemia Press, then later Chaosium, printed
a book called simply "Cities" for designing fantasy/medieval cities,
which has exhaustive lists of them. TSR's "Cities of Mystery" accessory
had a fair number listed also, in the pamphlet under those little
cardboard houses. And there's a fair list in the 2nd Ed. DMG, page 105.
[shameless commercial plug]
Last but not least, my company's lead product, TableMaster, comes with a
set of tables for generating random businesses for towns of various
sizes, and the Fantasy Table Pack 1 has one that expands on that
considerably. Stop by the web site and take a look if you're interested.
[end hype]
-- JMM
Wintertree Software
http://www.io.com/~wtsoft
ed taychert
In article <32509F...@compuserve.com>,
J.McGuire <7322...@compuserve.com> wrote:
>Patrick MacDonald wrote:
>>
>> I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
>> of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city. The
>
>reasonably sure there's a decent list in Joseph & Frances Gies' "Life In
>A Medieval City." I recommend that, and the other books in that series,
>for any FRP gamer...they've done all that research for you, and have
>great bibliographies in case you want to follow up on it.
Oh ... I remember that the professions were footnoted, just don't
remember if they listed in the footnote or not! Even so, I second
the recommendation for reading Life in a Medieval City and Life
in a Medieval Castle.
If you want to know the motivation and workings of trade caravans,
the power of the local church in a city, trade guilds, etc, Life in
a Medieval City is a great source.
Life in a Medieval Castle will tell you the rational of castle
building, the inner workings of feudalism and how knights got
rich ... It's a good one too.
[plug] Both are available from Irony Games new discount bookstore!
http://www.pbem.com/books
[endplug]
Both will offer you a lot of diversity for your campaigns.
Besides the TSR list of professions, Harnmaster has an even larger list ...
And slightly past medieval times, Joost Amman and Hans Sachs wrote
"The Book of Trades" in 1568. This list from it is attributed
to "Gwynyth" on many of the Ren Faire pages:
Doctor; Apothecary; Astronomer; Procurator (or Proctor, this is a kind
of legal Agent or Representative); Typefounder; Engraver (for printing,
not to decorate items); Blockcutter (for block printing); Paperer;
Bookprinter; Illuminator; Bookbinder; Painter (portraits and
landscapes); Glazier; Glasspainter; Embroiderer; Goldsmith; Gemcutter;
Sculptor; Merchant; Jew; Mintmaster (coin stamper); Goldbeater;
Peddler; Bagger; Belter; Thonger (maker of leather straps or laces);
Butcher; Hunter; Cook; Miller; Baker; Farmer; Beerbrewer; Falconer;
Tailor; Furrier; Dyer; Weaver; Hatter; Shoemaker; Barber; Dentist;
"Bather" (owner of a bath); Bellfounder; Thimbler; Tanner;
Spectaclesmaker; Brushbinder; Combmaker; Fabricshearer (trims the nap
and makes pleats for customers); Locksmith; Compasssmith; Knifesmith;
Spurrer; Coppersmith; Gunsmith; Clockmaker; Redsmith (brass); Nailer;
Scythesmith; Armorer; Smith (blacksmith); Basinbeater; Bellmaker (these
are the little bells that go on sleighs and clothing, as opposed to the
large civic bells cast by the Bellfounder); Bronzefounder; Needler;
Mailmaker; Bowyer; Balancemaker; Lanternmaker; Saddler; Potter;
Mirrorer; Grinder (knife sharpener); Stonecutter; Bricker (brick baker,
not mason); Carpenter; Joiner; Wagoner; Cooper; Woodturner; Gunstocker;
Parchmenter; Siever; Roper; Ship's Captain; Fisher; Oilmaker; Vintner;
Singer; Wiredrawer; Pinmaker; Lutemaker; Miner; Organist; Harper;
Lutenist; Fiddler (this is an unfair translation, "Geiger" is applied
to any player of bowed and stringed instruments); Piper; Drummer;
Tapestrymaker; Fool for Money; Gluttonous Fool; Buffoon; Fool.
distinction between occupations, I have gone for fairly literal
translation. "Spiegler" becomes "Mirrorer" instead of "Mirrormaker",
and "Beckgiesser" becomes "Basinbeater", not "Basiner".
Hope that helps,
- Ed.
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ed Taychert | Visit Irony Games! PBEM's, Game openings, Worlds on the
e...@irony.com | web and online GM tools. All free! http://www.irony.com
Alan Kohler
In article <52skk0$r...@cyber3.servtech.com>, tayc...@cyber3.servtech.com
says...
>
>In article <32509F...@compuserve.com>,
>J.McGuire <7322...@compuserve.com> wrote:
>>Patrick MacDonald wrote:
>>>
>>> I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
>>> of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city. The
I haven't been following this thread, so forgive me if I mention something
already said.
Sometimes when you are doing projects you forget the basic resources. There's
a very long list of NPC proffessions and a basic description of each in the
chapter on NPCs in the DMG - if you happen to have the most recent printing,
that would be on page 144 (the WHOLE page, in small print).
--
Alan D Kohler
hwk...@poky.srv.net
"A man came up to me and said / 'I'd like to change your mind /
by hitting it with a rock', he said, / 'Though I am not unkind' "
They Might Be Giants, "Whistling in the Dark"
Chris Tutty
tayc...@cyber3.servtech.com (ed taychert) wrote:
>And slightly past medieval times, Joost Amman and Hans Sachs wrote
>"The Book of Trades" in 1568. This list from it is attributed
>to "Gwynyth" on many of the Ren Faire pages:
>Doctor; Apothecary; Astronomer; Procurator (or Proctor, this is a kind
(snip of LONG profession list)
>and "Beckgiesser" becomes "Basinbeater", not "Basiner".
>Hope that helps,
You betcha!
Since we're getting this info together what are the chances of getting
it copied to a Web site somewhere. If this was going to happen I'd be
willing to work on some short descriptions. There was also some
discussion earlier about the tools and materials used by different
professions. Combining any of this information could provide a really
useful reference.
Brian Esterson
PM>I am looking to create an exhaustive list of all the different types
>of businesses and buildings one might find in a DnD city.
Way back in '81 Stephen Abrams and Jon Everson of Midkemia Press
published an aid called "Cities" in which were not only a list of
typical mideval businesses but also a system for rolling up a typical
city and random encounters therein. It's great and I've about worn out
my copy. Can anyone out there tell me the current address of these two
gentlemen and/or Midkemia Press. I've automated parts of th process
and would like to distribute it as freeware, but in uses their
*copyrighted* material.
* 1st 2.00 #9043 * Vegetarians eat vegetables. Beware of humanitarians!!!
J.McGuire
"Cities" is an _awesome_ book, isn't it? My copy isn't quite worn out
yet, but it's certainly getting rather shabby. IMO, it's in the all-time
top 10 of RPG aids.
I believe that Chaosium bought the rights to the "Cities" book. They're
the publishers of the copy I have, dated 1986. As far as I know, it's
out of print. This might make getting the rights easier, or much harder
if they've reverted to the authors. Good luck!
You can find Chaosium at http://www.sirius.com/~chaosium/chaosium.html
and their email address is chao...@aol.com.
You might also want to wander by my web site and check out TableMaster.
The full version comes with an automated city generation table, and
there's an even more elaborate one in Fantasy Table Pack 1.