Vocations or Occupations

Vocations

In Chivalry & Sorcery vocations represent the way of life that characters are attracted too because of their natures and backgrounds, or some other such calling. The vocation that a player chooses for his character describes the skills the character can learn as part of his training. In many societies it was usual for apprentices to craftsmen to begin their apprenticeship as young as 10 years old. Sons of nobles would begin their training for Knighthood as pages at a similar age. The early age that these apprentices commenced their training channelled their development along routes that made vocational skills easily learnt. There are various categories of skills available and these reflect the various types of skills that a character will come in contact with

Starting Skills

All characters begin play with ten skills and / or competencies listed for their vocation and at least six of these must be from those listed as Primary (Vocational). Skills are gained at Level 1, while competencies are treated as a single level (unless multiple levels can be purchased). They are gained at no cost to the PC. There are some Vocational skills which are also listed as Background skills. These skills receive no additional bonuses for being part of the Characters background. In addition to chosen skills, characters also gain background skills as per father’s profession at level 0.

• Vocations which have combat skills as part of their vocation will state the maximum number of primary combat skills they may begin with at Level 1 at no cost (within the starting 10 skills). Any additional combat skills above the starting level must be purchased as normal.

• In all Vocations, the Gamemaster may exclude certain skills, especially combat skills, if they are not appropriate to the character’s culture, social background or the military and historical accuracy of the people of the time.

Background Skills

Background skills are the skills a character has contact with in early childhood. They represent the skills of the father or mother, where the youngster may have been required to assist in some small part to help the family as a whole. Before skills and skill levels are selected, the character begins with Level 0 in those skills listed for his father’s vocation. For skill promotion they are treated as Secondary Skills unless they are listed as Primary (or Vocational) Skills for the character’s chosen vocation. In addition to these background skills, all characters begin play with the following skills that can also be regarded as Background skills unless listed under the vocation as Primary Skills. All 'gentle' PC’s gain +10% to PSF% to the skills of Courtly Love (not EF) and Leadership.

• Alertness - Sight
• Local Geography
• Language Spoken (Own)
• Stamina
• Alertness - Sound
• Willpower
• Faith
• Dodge
• Brawling

Primary (or Vocational) Skills

Primary or Vocational Skills are skills that are essential to the vocation chosen by the character. To reflect the amount of time spent with the skills during their apprenticeship they gain +10 PSF% in that skill. Any initial Primary Skills the PC selects are gained at Level 1. Once play has commenced, any additional Primary Skills are learnt at Level 0.

All Primary Skills can become Mastered Skills so giving the PC further benefits.

Secondary Skills

Secondary Skills may also form part of the character’s vocation but they are not considered as practised or as necessary as Primary Skills. They may be skills that a PC learnt to aid his vocation, e.g. First Aid, if a warrior he does not need this skill to fight but it may prove useful after the fight! These are learnt at Level 0 unless selected as one of the PC starting skills, when they are learnt at Level 1. A PC can select a maximum of four Secondary Skills when choosing their starting skills. Secondary Skills can also become Mastered Skills so giving the PC additional benefits.

Tertiary Skills

A character can begin (at no cost) with a number of Tertiary Skills at Level 0. The actual number of skills is dependent on the character’s Intellect and Discipline. In order to find out the number of Tertiary Skills available, add the two Attributes together and compare the result to Table – Number of Tertiary Skills. These Tertiary Skills can be used on a regular basis throughout the game. It may transpire that any regularly used Tertiary Skills can be promoted to Secondary Skills.

Total of INT+ DIS	Max of Tertiary Skills
Under 20	1
20-29	2
30-35	3
36-39	4
40+	5

Table - Number of Tertiary Skills

Mastered Skills

There are times when a character favours a skill to such an extent that it can be said he has truly mastered the skill. Mastered Skills therefore reflect those skills that a character prefers to use above all others, e.g. a Knight may always use a mace instead of a sword. Mastered Skills gain a bonus of +10 to PSF%. In addition, a player will gain one additional level in skills that are initially mastered when selecting his ten starting skills, therefore any such Primary (or Vocational) Skills begin at Level 2 and +20 PSF% and any Background and Secondary skills begin at Level 1 and +10 PSF% when mastered.

Each character begins play with five Mastered Skills which can initially be applied to any skill except Tertiary (or Hobby) Skills. Further Mastered Skills as time progresses but these must come from the character Primary (or Vocational) Skills and Secondary Skills, and must be skills the character already has a knowledge of. Once a new Mastered Skill has been obtained, the character must state what the next skill is that he intends to master. The point at which further skills can be mastered is dependent on the character’s experience level. This reflects both time and also the experience a character has gained in his vocation. All vocations have a Primary, which reflects the attribute that is central to the vocation, and a Secondary Attribute which, although not central to the vocation, is deemed to strongly influence the vocation.

To determine when the character may gain an additional Mastered Skill, add together the Primary Attribute and Secondary Attribute (or Discipline if greater) and compare the result to Table – Mastered Skills.

The immediate benefit of the skill being promoted is the bonus to one’s PSF%.

Attribute Total	Mastered Skills
Under 20	10 levels
21-24	9 levels
25-28	8 levels
29-31	7 levels
32-34	6 levels
35-36	5 levels
37-38	4 levels
39	3 levels
40+	2 levels

Table-Mastered Skills

For instance Master James, Yeoman Forester has CON 16 and AGL 17 giving an attribute total of 33. Every 6 levels he will be able to consider one additional skill to be mastered, so at levels 6, 12, 18, 24 etc. he will add an extra mastery.