Papermaker

Papermakers make paper from the leaves of the Paper Tree. Making paper requires gathering paper tree leaves, soaking them in salt water to neutralize poisons from the paper tree sap, pounding the leaves to loosen fibers, joining leaves to make larger sheets, drying and pressing the soaked leaves into sheets, and sometimes bleaching or dyeing the sheets.

Career

Qualifications

Few qualifications are needed to become a papermaker. Most learn the profession through apprenticeship within a family of papermakers.

Perception

Social Status

Papermakers are relatively low status people, as the job does not require a lot of education or skill. The exception are the imperial papermakers of Senyon, who make the finest paper in the world. In some places, papermakers are viewed with some suspicion, as they are associated with poison and assassination.

Operations

Tools

Papermakers use baskets for gather paper tree leaves, vats for soaking and dyeing leaves, racks for drying paper, presses for pressing sheets of paper, and long, finely serrated knives for cutting and trimming stackes of sheets of paper.

Materials

Papermakers use leaves gathered from the Paper Tree, salt water, dyes, and firewood.

Workplace

Papermakers work in paper mills, which are usually located outside of cities, near groves of paper trees. Finished sheets of paper are transported to printers and stationers located in cities and towns.

Provided Services

Papermakers provide finished paper products to printers for use to make books, writing tablets, writing paper, envelopes, and so on. They also provide paper to stationers to sell to individuals for letter writing, etc.

Dangers & Hazards

Papermakers typically suffer from poor health due to constant low-level exposure to the poisons of Paper Tree sap. They often have skin rashes and blotchy skin, especially on their hands and forearms. They often seek out salt springs and baths to relieve their skin conditions.

Type

Artisan

Demand

Papermakers are in high demand, as paper is used in most countries of Derkomai.