Tinkering: A Primer

[adharmas]

[tface="Fell"]

Tinkering: A Primer

[/tface]

Foreword:
The magic that brings people to Ymph pulls them at its own pleasure. Some people arrive with only what they are carrying, some find valuable or treasured items lost or damaged in transition, and some arrive with nothing at all.

However, we do arrive with our knowledge and memory intact, and so for lack of a decent library of textbooks dedicated to the ancient and honored trade of Tinkering, I am making the effort to record my knowledge of the craft and my experiences. It is my hope that if a gnome or other interested person is unlucky enough to arrive on Ymph without a workable profession, she might be able to pursue a Tinkering apprenticeship. The full extent of knowledge on the subject could easily fill several volumes, but I hope that this text will mark the start of many an aspiring Tinker's collection.

Note that this book is not a replacement for the years of study and practice it takes to become a Tinker. It only details the basic lessons that would normally be available to anyone pursuing a Tinkering Apprenticeship. To truly pursue the Tinker's trade, the aspiring Apprentice must seek out a master willing to supervise and guide the Apprentice's studies.

About the author:
Delfina Beechroot comes from the Beechroot family of Gnomish Tinkers. Her Tinker ancestors invented the 'Beechroot bolt' which revolutionized crossbow use by allowing wielders to fire bolts from their crossbows at targets from a distance instead of swinging their crossbows like clubs.

[adharmas]

What is Tinkering?
Tinker comes from the same Gnomish root as "Thinker." Tinkering is, quite simply, the study of everything mechanical. By understanding the principles of Tinkering, one develops a basic understanding of problem solving, from a simple latch to lock a door, to building a bridge to cross a chasm. The only limits are one's imagination. Approach every challenge with an open mind, and a mechanical solution can be found.

Tinkering compared to Engineering
Tinkering is a specific area of Engineering. While Engineering is a broad field including structures and siege weaponry, Tinkering is focused on small-scale items such as tools and equipment.

But what about magic?
Yes, magic is a wonderful tool, and can do things that seem to defy possibility. However, people who can use magic are rare in most places, and feared or hated in others. There are also some places where magic simply does not work. Often your local hedge wizard is far too busy with his own problems when all you need is a fence repaired. Especially rare is the Tinker who also understands magic, as she can combine both to create wondrously useful devices. Most magic-users consider such a utilitarian application of magic to be a cheapening of their talents, but all mages have needs, and some can be persuaded to contribute some of their magical expertise to a project in exchange for performing some sort of task for them.

What about other trades?
A Tinker uses the principles of Tinkering to understand how everything works. However, a Tinker's crafts are largely plain. A Tinker will make you something that works, and works well, but it might not be something that is pleasing to the common eye, unless one appreciates basic mechanical function. However, a Tinker excels at combining the talents of craftspeople of varied disciplines to create something greater than the sum of their parts. The Tinker's strength is in their design.

The Tinker's Rank and Title
Like many other trades, a Tinker's career follows a common path. The following is a list of the stages of a Tinker's career and their definitions.

Apprentice: An Apprentice is one who is learning the basics of the trade. In Tinker families, the lessons of Tinkering begin from a child's very first hammer and peg toy.

Craftsman: A Craftsman is one who has completed Apprenticeship lessons. This is the typical skill level of a worker, and the first stage where one could call themselves a Tinker. Craftsperson Tinkers typically work for a company as assistants to Journeymen and Masters, and are set to work to gain practical experience in Tinkering.

Journeyman: A Journeyman is an experienced craftsperson. Eventually, a craftsperson feels confident enough in her skills that she forms her own company or branch of her Master's company and sets off to spread its influence. They are named for the traveling they do to find new customers and new markets. A Journeyman is well-versed in the principles of Tinkering and travels to find inspiration for their personal great work.

Specialist: A Specialist is a Craftsperson who is fortunate enough to find the inspiration to create a great work without having the Journeyman's field experience. A Specialist is a Master only in the work related to her masterpiece. Many Specialists have long and successful careers without ever needing to expand the breadth of their knowledge.

Master: A Master is a Journeyman who has completed a great work. The Master's work is so great that she no longer needs to travel, and customers now seek out the Master for their needs. Other Journeymen seek to become assistants to Masters.

Grandmaster: A Grandmaster is very rare. A Grandmaster is a Master whose work is so groundbreaking that a new word has to be invented to define that work. These are the types of works that revolutionize society. Anything you find common these days is probably a bastardized copy of some ancient Gnomish Grandmaster's invention.

The divisions between ranks are not hard boundaries. It is more of a level of personal confidence and reputation that determines where one's skill level lies. There are some schools of Tinkering however that insist that a certain number of years experience must be required before advancing to the next rank, or that only certain ranked workers can perform certain tasks or accept commissions.