Let me clarify - for the record : We're not changing anything from the way we are doing
things at the current times. You may find a recipe of two changes a bit, an herb changes
requirements or such - but the basic methods that everyone is currently working with
logistics by are not changing ! If there are discrepencies in the in-print-rules, as far as
I am concerned, the priority is to do things "as we are doing them now."
If we've made some glaring error, well, we'll deal with that if we need to.
But right now, it don't seem broke !With apologies - I never realized this stuff did not get ported forward from the old site.
(Thank you Scott for maintaining a link that I could use to get back there !!!)
This may be a little ugly - but it will be in the rulebook ASAP !!!
And - for the record - If we say "merchants guild" - we actually mean the colonial vault -
aka logistics. Not our actual PC-based merchants guild.
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2006 Isles Marker Clarifications
Green Marker with Footprint / Pawprint : Tracking Marker
These markers will be approx. 4”x4”. They will have a packet on the bottom that will hold information that any person with Tracking Skill may access after paying the appropriate Stamina Pool Points.
Tracking markers generally will be given out in sets of 6, all having the same ‘print’ on them.
In odd occasion, you may come across a second set of tracking markers, with a different ‘print’ on them. This represents a different trail, and would have to be followed on its own. Each marker will also have an arrow on it, indicating the direction the trail is heading. (in case you find the marker in ‘mid’trail)
In order to follow a trail, you must have Tracking. You must spend stamina points to pick up the first marker you find. The base stamina cost will be shown on top of the marker, along with the ‘print.’ Spending that amount allows you to read the corresponding slip of information on the bottom of the marker. If there are other slips, with higher numbers on them, you may expend additional stamina to read them. The amount of stamina spent may be decided after the marker is examined. After that, you may follow that trail at no extra cost – unless you choose to read the information on the back of another marker.
An NPC leaving Tracking Markers will be leaving them as they move along. Each one should be within a line of sight of the last one – forming a chain of markers that can be ‘tracked.’ It is important once you pick up a trail that you pick the markers up as you go.
Example :
Fred the Tracker is out in the woods with 2 friends, and comes across a tracking marker. It has a pawprint of some sort on it, along with the number 2. Fred looks at the back of the marker, and sees 3 slips of paper which are numbered 2, 4, and 6. Fred spends 2 points, and reads that slip. It tells him that “You find an area which shows signs of multiple, light pawprints.” Fred is a little concerned at the notion of “multiple”, So he spends 2 more stamina points and gets to read the “4” slip. It tells him “You see evidence of 3 to 5 sets of light pawprints.” Fred thinks that he and his friends could handle 3 creatures, but 5 might be tough, so he spends 2 more stamina points and reads the “6” slip of paper. There he reads “You see evidence of 5 sets of clawed pawprints.” Armed with this knowledge of numbers, and now “clawed pawprints”, Fred puts the marker down and calls for his friends to come with him and return to town for some help.
Later, Fred returns with more help. He finds the marker still there (the NPC’s could have returned to Monster Camp, in which case they would have picked up the markers). It has the same pawprint on it, so Fred knows he has found the same trail. Fred picks up the makers and puts it in his pocket, and begins to look for another ‘pawprint’ in the direction the arrow was pointing. He finds one, and leads the group towards it. He picks it up, and decides not to read any of the info on the back. He continues searching for tracks, and finds yet another marker. Eventually, Fred and his group find the 5 NPC’s and defeat them. After the encounter is over, Fred gives the markers he picked up back to one of the NPC’s so they can be used again later.
Green Marker with Yellow Edge Stripe : “School of” Marker
These markers will be similar in size to the Tracking markers, but instead of a ‘print’ on them they will have a number and a yellow stripe around the edge. The packet on the bottom will have a stamina number and a specific “School” skill listed. They work the same way that the tracking markers work, only they use School Skills. As long as you are looking at the same marker, you may increase your stamina spent to read extra information slips.
“School of” markers must be left where they are, so other players may use them later.
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Within the next couple of days, we'll be posting a few more things ...
Ok folks - here we go.
This thread will be to post rules changes (hopefully few) and clarifications (again, I hope few) for the upcoming season.
I'll update the date on the header each time I update it, and will repost the thread so the 'view counter' goes back to zero.
I would ask that questions be posted in the public section of the boards, and not within this thread. When I update this thread, all follow-up comments here will automatically delete. So - don't post replies in this thread !!!
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One area that had a lot of concern and confusion last year was Sustenance. These rules clarify what it is, how you pay it, and what you can do to make things better. This update also gives the "Cook" skill an actual real in-game use - as you get better at it, you can significantly reduce some costs for Sustenance.
Sustenance
Characters need to consume a certain amount of prepared food to stay healthy. This required sustenance is represented by ‘sustenance tokens’ which may be purchased at the tavern when the tavern is serving meals, or created by characters with the Cook production skill. Sustenance tokens are out-of-game items and may not be stolen, though if you have produced sustenance tokens with the Cook skill you may freely sell or give them to other characters.
A character requires 3 sustenance tokens per event. At the end of each event, you must turn in your sustenance tokens to Logistics. For each token less than 3 which you turn in, at the beginning of the next event you will suffer a -1 cumulative penalty to your maximum Stamina pool in each attribute and to all Production Pools; each sustenance token you turn in will remove one of these penalty points from each pool but will not apply towards preventing further penalties in the next event. If your Stamina penalty is -3 or more, you gain the Starving trait. As long as you have the Starving trait, you suffer a permanent Drain effect and cannot use any in-game skills.
Living the High Life
You may gain benefits by having more or better food and drink in your diet. These benefits, unlike base sustenance which is paid at the end of the event, are paid for at the beginning of the event. When you check in you may opt to pay for Extra Sustenance or High Sustenance. Paying at the beginning of the event reflects that your character has been living well coming into the event, and will have benefits from it.
Extra Sustenance give a player a bonus of +1 vitality for the event.
To have the bonus of Extra Sustenance, a player must pay 3 guilda at check in.
High Sustenance give a player a bouns of +1 vitality, and +1 to all stamina pools maximums for the event.
To have the bonus of Extra Sustenance, a player must pay 9 guilda at check in.
Skills that Effect Sustenance
There are skills that can help you maintain and even reduce the cost of your sustenance.
Cooks can make Sustenance Tokens.
Sustenance Token
Primary Material: Meat or Produce (any combination): 4 units for an Apprentice,
3 for a Journeyman, 2 for a Master.
Primary Skill: Cook
Notes: May not be saved from event to event.
Sustenance tokens represent the nourishment you have obtained. They may be turned in at the end of the event to prevent starvation, but are out-of-game and may not be taken from you.
Preserved Rations
Primary Material: Meat or Produce (any combination): 6 units for an Apprentice,
5 for a Journeyman, 4 for a Master.
Primary Skill: Cook
Notes: Has a duration of 3 sessions. May not be maintained.
Preserved Rations may be exchanged for sustenance tokens at any time before their duration expires.
------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------
Some skills can reduce the costs of Sustenance, Extra Sustenance, and High Sustenance.
These include Survivalist, Street Survivor, Forester/ Farmer, and Hunter/ Herder.
These skills to not stack. You may only gain reduction in Sustenance from one skill.
All of the above skills give the following bonuses in regards to Sustenance.
Appentice Level Skill : You only need 2 Sustenance tokens at check out.
Journeyman Level Skill : You only need 2 Sustenance tokens at check out, and you may pay 1 guilda for Extra Sustenance, or pay 9 guilda for High Sustenance.
Master Level Skill : You only need 2 Sustenance tokens at check out, you get Extra Sustenance for free as long as you turned in 2 sustenance tokens at the last event, or pay 6 guilda for High Sustenance.
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Ok folks, here is one of the biggest issues that The Isles ran into last year : The Production System.
In a nutshell, last year the production system never really got the logistical support it required. A lot of things were not done quite by the rules. This season, right out of the gate, it is our design to get the production system off to a good start.
For this season, we will be going to a more formal system of tagging resources and (hopefully) a better system of 'seeding' the lands of Asylum with resources on a bit better basis. If all works well, there should be a slow, ongoing reseeding of the woods with resources all weekend. That's the plan anyways !
The Production System that you all saw over the first two events was a sort of hybrid of what the rules said, and what the staff did. The original system was entirely generic in its resource tagging. The system that was used last year had everything with a very specfic tagging. The system we are going to be using from this point forward is a step between the two. From this point forward, there will be clear tags on all resources, marking them with a value in SU (source units), and a classification of Common, Uncommon, Rare, and very occasionally, Extra Rare, The exact usage of these is explained in the outline below.
The text below is what I have come to refer to as my "Production for Dummies" Handbook. I have tried to reduce the rulebook down into its most basic principles, while at the same time showing you the way the system will work from this point forward. The Rules Group and I have gone over this for the past month and a half. If you have any questions, I welcome you to post them here, and I will reply as best I can to provide clarification.
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2006 Production Rules Clarifications
Here is an overview of the important points of the Isles Production System.
There are 3 basic paths of Refining. Mining, Herbalism, and Hunter/ Farmer.
These paths deal with the gathering and refining of resources.
These skills allow you to “Refine” raw materials into refined materials.
The other segment of the production system are skills to Craft finished items.
These skills come under the areas of Smithing, Alchemy, or Artisan.
These are skills that “Craft” refined materials into finished items.
An Herbalist can refine herbs needed by an Alchemist to craft portable magics.
A Miner refines metals that a Smith or an Artisan turns into crafted items.
Hunter and Farmer refine foodstuffs, as well as materials needed by Smiths and Artisans.
What are Raw Materials ?
Raw materials are the variety of herbs, minerals, animal parts, and plants that are found within the Isles. All raw materials will have yellow tags, indicating that the phys-rep needs to be turned in for you to get credit. All yellow tag phys-reps must be turned in by the end of an event. Raw materials may be traded between players, may be sold to the Merchants Guild or the Tavern, or may be stored (in your name) at the Merchants Guild. Most raw materials will fetch low prices from the Merchants Guild, as they are more interested in refined items.
Who can gather Raw Materials ?
Anyone with at least one point in the appropriate production refining pool can gather raw materials.
Mining Production Refining Pool means you can gather raw minerals, gemstones, or ore.
Herbal Production Refining Pool means you can gather any plant with an identification tag that says “Herb of “. Gathering of herbs is NOT restricted by any branch of herbalism skill.
Hunter / Farmer Production Refining Pool allows you to gather raw resources from hunted game, or to gather plants that are NOT herbs. The other plant types include various food-use plants, as well as plants which have good fibers that an Artisan could make use of.
What do we do with Raw Materials ?
Raw materials, known as Source Units – or simply SU, are used by make refined resources. Raw SU may be sold or traded amongst players, sold or traded to the various Guilds, or may be stored in the Merchants Guild.
Raw materials will be found in the form of plant phys-reps, bags of ore, painted rocks, etc. All raw materials will have a yellow info tag with them. This tag will tell you what the material is, how rare it is, and how much there is of it, rated in base SU.
You can trade the phys-rep with another player, but until it is turned in to the Merchants Guild, it has no real in-game value. Once it is turned in to the Merchants Guild, the player turning it in will be credited with the find.
What do the Tags mean ?
All raw material tags have the same format.
On one side: what the item is, an SU amount, and rarity
On the other side: any specific notes
For example : You find 2 plant phys-reps in the woods.
The first plant has a tag that says :
Burdock / 2 SU / Common, and on the back “Herb of Muses”
And another plant nearby has a tag that says :
Wild Onions / 2 SU / Common, and on the back “Farmer”
What these tags tell you is :
You have found 1 unit of Burdock. It has a base value of 2 SU
at the Merchants Guild, and it is a common herb, belonging to the Muse category.
You know that you found a phys rep that you need to have an Herbalism Stamina Pool to harvest. You cannot harvest this plant with “hunter/farmer” skill, as it is an “Herb”.
You also found a unit of Wild Onions, which also have a base value
of 2 SU. This phys-rep needs Hunter/Farmer Pool to harvest. In this case, someone with only Herbalism Stamina Pool cannot harvest this, as it is not in their expertise area - even thought it is a plant.
What does Common, Uncommon, and Rare mean ?
All raw resource tags will have the same basic information on them, including:
a name, an SU value, and a clarification on the back of what skill it falls under. However, you will find 4 possible levels of rarity.
The vast majority of raw resources that will be found in game will be labeled as “Common.” Any “common” raw resource can be turned in to the Merchants Guild. When you do so, you will be credited with the listed amount of basic SU to the appropriate SU bank under your name. You may use the basic SU you have in the Merchants Guild anytime that the Guild is open, subject to the rules of refining.
( see the next area, about Production Stamina Pools, for details on this )
You will be able to refine any amount of “Common” materials at the Merchants Guild, subject to your skill limits. In effect, the Merchants Guild has a vast reserve of these materials, and will provide you with the refined material from storage.
If you find a raw resource that is labeled “Uncommon” or “Rare” it is handled a little differently. You have a few choices :
If you have a refining skill that could normally refine the raw resource you have, you may opt to turn the phys-rep in to the Merchants Guild and get a tag for it.
You will not get any reduction in SU cost based upon your refining skill. However, this action will not cost you production stamina pool points. It is a free refinement. (Important Note : The ‘free refine’ option is ONLY for uncommon and rare resources.)
Alternately, you may choose to turn it in to the Merchants Guild and simply get basic SU credit to your account for it. Those SU can be used to refine any applicable resource that the Guild has in stock when you choose to spend it.
If you do not have an appropriate refining skill, you cannot turn the phys-rep in for its actual tag. You may only turn it in as basic SU to be added to your account. In most circumstances, players will be better off to find a refiner who can use the resource as it was found.
Any “Uncommon” or “Rare” raw resource that is turned in to the Merchants Guild for base SU will remain active in the Guild vault. Anyone may use basic SU to refine an “Uncommon” or “Rare” refined material as long as there is an active tag in the Guild vault. If the Guild has no active tags, then there is none of that particular refined material available. This means that any raw resources that are harvested by someone who cannot refine them will still be available at the Merchants Guild once turned in. Keep in mind, as said before, the Merchants Guild will not be paying very much for raw resources. Your best selling options usually will be other players.
The Merchants Guild will have varying amounts of “Uncommon” and “Rare” materials from event to event.
While Iron and Steel are listed as “Uncommon”, you will always be able to refine them as long as you have the skill and the basic SU available. These two resources should always be available thru the Merchants Guild, barring any Plot directed actions.
There could come an instance where a raw resource is found that is labeled as “Extra Rare”, or “XR”. Should you find an “Extra Rare” resource you will need to turn the Phys-rep in to the Merchants Guild. You will be provided with a tag for the resource as appropriate. An “Extra Rare” resource has no Guild SU value, and is only usable as the item that it is. Converting an “Extra Rare” raw resource phys-rep into a refined item does not require an expenditure of stamina pool points.
What do my Production Refining Pools do ?
When you want to refine basic SU into a refined resource, you must spend Production Refining Pool Points. Your Production Refining Pool does not reset during an event, although you may use 1 point of Karma to reset 1 point in your Production Refining Pool.
Unused Production Refining Pool Points do not carryover to the next event.
When you use refining skills, you must expend Production Refining Pool Points from the corresponding Pool. One Pool point will allow you to do one of the following :
Transfer 2 SU from your Potential SU to your Credit SU total.
Transfer up to 5 SU from your Credit SU to your Available Refining SU.
It does not require any Pool Points to transfer SU to another players Credit SU account.
Keep in mind that unused Available Refining SU will be lost at the end of an event.
How does my skill level effect my production ?
When you choose to refine raw resource units, or basic SU, your level of skill will be reflected in the amount that you have to pay to refine. An apprentice refiner will pay full SU price for all refining. A journeyman refiner will pay ¾ of the total SU (round up) when refining, and a Master will pay ½ the total SU cost. For example :
Joe wants to make a sword, and needs to refine some steel. He has the skill of Apprentice Base Metal Mining. Steel has a production cost of 5, so that means 5 SU = 1 unit of Steel. Joes need 5 units of Steel, which comes out to 25 SU. As an Apprentice Base Metals Miner, he will have to pay the full 25 SU for it. Now, rewind the scenario.
Joe wants to make a sword, and needs to refine some steel. He has the skill of Journeyman Base Metal Mining. Steel has a production cost of 5, so that means 5 SU = 1 unit of Steel. Joes need 5 units of Steel, which comes out to 25 SU. As a Journeyman Base Metals Miner, he will only have to pay ¾ cost (round up), or in this case a total of 19 SU for it. Now, rewind the scenario one last time.
Joe wants to make a sword, and needs to refine some steel. He has the skill of Master Base Metal Mining. Steel has a production cost of 5, so that means 5 SU = 1 unit of Steel. Joes need 5 units of Steel, which comes out to 25 SU. As a Master Base Metals Miner, he will only have to pay ½ cost (round up), or in this case a total of 13 SU for it.
This formula is the same for all refining skills, Herbalism, Mining, and Hunter / Farmer.
How is Production different from Crafting ?
Production deals with turning raw resources into refined materials that an Artisan,
Alchemist, or Smith can use.
Crafting is the next step after that, which is actually making a finished item from the refined resources.
Production is limited by your Production Refining Pool Points. Once those are gone for the weekend, you cannot refine any more resources. Crafting does not use any Pool Points, but is based simply upon how much time you must dedicate to role-playing the actual crafting of the fished item. The only limit to how much you can craft during an event is the limit of how much time you are willing to spend role-playing the work involved.
The required times to craft items are explained on page 25 of the rulebook.
There are detailed lists of the component resources needed to make all manner of weapon, armor, and artisan items in the rulebook, on pages 82 thru 100.
(editors note : the chart of herbs has been revised, make sure you use the 2006 version)
When crafting, your skill will determine how many events the item will last.
Basic duration of crafted items is 2/4/6 events, for Apprentice, Journeyman, or Master.
It also determines how many times an item may be maintained, extending its usefulness.
An Apprentice crated item may be extended 1 event by maintaining it.
A Journeyman item may be extended 2 events, and a Master item 3 events.
Details on maintaining items can be found on page 27 of the rulebook.
Other random Questions about Production Skills.
Managing Banked SU Points
All Credit SU carry over from event to event with no loss.
Any SU in your Potential SU account will reduce by 20% after each event.
Any unused SU in your Available Refining SU is lost at the end of an event.
What are Potential Resources / Source Locations ?
Source Locations are places where there are larger amounts of raw materials available.
If you find a Potential SU location it will represent an area such as an ore deposit that will need to be dug or a patch of wild herbs that can be cultivated and provide long-term use.
Potential SU will show up in one of two forms in-game.
The first will be in the form of a renewing resource.
You may find plants in the woods with a tag that says they are a renewing resource. If you do not pick all of the plants, more will continue to grow at that location. Sometimes, during an event, extra plants may sprout in the area and may be picked for use. As long as the final plant is not picked, the resource will renew itself from time to time, and from event to event. If an emergency comes up, and you need to pick all of them, you can. But, by picking all of them, you will destroy that spot for future renewing growth. This type of renewing resource is not only limited to plants, but that will be its most common application.
The second form of Potential SU is as described in the rulebook.
A Potential SU source gives you a rather large block of SU that you may gather by using your refining points to access them. These points, like all banked SU, may only be used to refine common resources.
Thru the use of “School” skills, it may be possible to locate areas that have useful but hidden resources. These could include such things as figuring out where likely underground deposits of ore are, and figuring out where the best place for a garden patch would be based upon water and soil. If you attempt to study for such things between events, you may be given a clue at check-in as to the whereabouts of such a location.
Often potential resources found by “School” research will have added benefits.
These may include the option to use some of the SU to refine uncommon resources.
For example, a location for a Potential SU mine might give 15 SU, and the option of refining 2 units of Gold per event until the source runs out. This would reflect the fact that you have actually discovered a Gold Mine – and are allowed to refine from banked SU a measure of Gold, which is an uncommon resource that normally could not be produced from banked SU.
If you have clues as to where they are, or stumble across them by luck, all Potential SU sites will be located in-game. You must find the card marking the site of the Potential SU location and turn it in to the Merchants Guild, thereby staking your claim to that spot. When you find such a spot, it will have a card that will describe the nature of the location, and how many SU are available there. When you turn in the card, you will immediately get credit for an amount of basic SU equal to the value. Then, the same number will be added to your Potential SU total. Multiple people may share a Potential SU find, by simply telling the Merchants Guild how they wish to divide up the SU. Keep in mind that all Potential SU totals drop by 20% every event, regardless of your attendance.
So, take care in how you divide up the points.
Why should I buy Journeyman or Master Refining levels ?
If I can convert uncommon and rare raw resources in for “free refine”,
Why should I ever buy up my refining skills beyond Apprentice ?
Journeyman and Master level refining reduces the cost for any resource that a player refines from banked SU. The vast majority of the resources you will ever use are common resources. Those are converted from banked SU, and a journeyman or master refiner will pay much less cost for them. Any uncommon or rare resources that are refined from banked SU also will get this discount. So, while you do not get any discount on the “free refine” when you turn in an uncommon or rare tagged raw resource,
there is still plenty of reason to up your refine skills.
And, just as a footnote, There is always the chance that Asylum will reveal new raw resources that only refiners with advanced skill levels will be able to unlock the secrets of.
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If you can get in to these links, here are the charts and info on the old site.
I move them to the General Area, so I think anyone can look at them ...
As I said, they'll be with the updated rulebook ...
http://216.128.15.24/isl...s.asp?TID=1217&PN=1
http://216.128.15.24/isl...s.asp?TID=1216&PN=1
http://216.128.15.24/isl...s.asp?TID=1215&PN=1
http://216.128.15.24/isl...ts.asp?TID=201&PN=1
