Artificer

Studious Tinkerers

In the time before The Cataclysm, the great empires of Vrashyn made machines great and small to do everything from purifying a glass of water to altering the climate of an entire kingdom. Much of this knowledge has been lost. Artificers in the modern era work to maintain the few machines that remain and study them in the hopes that one day they can fully revive this ancient science. Artificers gain their powers when they are inundated by raw energy from a machine. In the Elvish and Dwarvish lands where Artificers are most common, there are controlled rituals to accomplish this. Artificers from elsewhere usually have an unexpected experience with a damaged or exploding machine. Though all Artificers sport a permanent scar from this experience, those who suffer more violent exposures may be disfigured or suffer from a chronic illness as a consequence of their powers.

Areas of Study

Artificers are divided into four categories based on what aspect of mechanics they study. Machines of great size and complexity require a large team of Alchemists, Archivists, and Artillerists to run, but because there are so few machines of this caliber, most artificers have found other ways to utilize their skills as well. Artificers of all kinds are particularly common among the Gnomes, who have a knack for mechanical tinkering.

Alchemist

These Artificers specialize in maintaining the chemical workings of the machines, and Alchemists who focus primarily on mechanics are most often seen among the various residents of the Elvish and Satyr kingdoms where these machines have been best preserved and studied. However, the majority of Alchemists live in other areas, brewing elixirs based on recipes handed down for countless generations. This more naturally-inclined group of Alchemists can be found anywhere, but those who live on Meotyi and the Dohirin Coast are particularly known (and feared) for their skills with potions and poisons.

Archivist

This mostly Elvish and Gnomish group of Artificers specialize in the programming of the machines, and may also use the impressive memory and attention to detail they possess to double as more conventional librarians or scribes. Of the Artificer subclasses, Archivists are the most likely to make their living by studying or maintaining a machine. They can expect to be paid generous stipends by kings who seek a very literal mechanical advantage over their rivals, and sometimes travel abroad to share their knowledge with others who practice their craft. Most Archivists search for the secret to reprogramming of the monolithic machines, as they are all stuck on whatever function for which they were last programmed in the age before the cataclysm.

Artillerist

Though they get their initial training by tending ancient machines, Artillerists are more interested in creating smaller machines whose programming and inner workings are more easily controlled. Over time, their craft melded with the even older art of wandmaking, and nowadays it is rare to see an artillerist who only practices one of these disciplines. Artillerists can often be found traveling with large armies or as members of adventuring parties. In both contexts, their propensity for pyrotechnics is much appreciated. Artillerists are found across the continents, and are particularly favored by the Lizardfolk and Dwarves, the latter of whom also use the technology in mining applications.

Battle Smith

In recent years, a group of Human Artillerists led by Jorus Hydale developed a technique for making iron defenders, a rudimentary form of living machine. Due to the recentness of this development, Battle Smiths are rare, and all of them trained at Hydale's workshop in Veit. However, the king of Sakilos became fascinated with this technology when Hydale made a trip to his court, leading to its adoption by many Satyr Artificers there.