Tailoring#

Cloth tells a stranger who you are before you speak. Make sure it tells the truth, or a better lie.

Sahrim of the Quice, guildmaster of tailoring

The trade of fiber, yarn and cloth: spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting and sewing them into clothes, costumes, packs and armor. A good tailor dresses a lord. A great one makes a commoner look like one.

KindHide and thread HallDumasque GuildmasterSahrim of the Quice Skills10

Ranks and quests#

The guild’s hall sets each rank’s quest. Six ranks has what every rank makes, and making something how the craft roll works.

Level0
Rank 1: Inquirer
Trash to Shoddy · ×1 worth · 1d6 craft roll
Spin a full spindle of yarn even enough that the hall can knit with it.
Level20
Rank 2: Hobbyist
Crude to Inferior · ×1.25 worth · 2d6 craft roll
Knit a cloak for someone heading somewhere cold.
Level40
Rank 3: Apprentice
Shoddy to Acceptable · ×1.5 worth · 2+3d6 craft roll
Weave a bolt of cloth in a weave the hall chooses, without a flaw in a hand's span of it.
Level60
Rank 4: Journeyman
Poor to Fine · ×1.75 worth · 4+4d6 craft roll
Dress a performer for a night that matters to them, and be in the crowd to watch.
Level80
Rank 5: Master
Inferior to Flawless · ×2 worth · 5+5d6 craft roll
Make cloth armor good enough that someone chooses it over leather for a fight.
Level100
Rank 6: Artisan
Adequate to Masterwork · ×3 worth · 6+6d6 craft roll
Weave a piece every tribe of Dumasque would accept as a gift. The hall will tell you if you've offended one.

The work#

The simplest tailoring is gathering fiber, spinning it into yarn and knitting the yarn into a piece. Finer work weaves cloth first, then cuts and sews it to a pattern. Cloth gear salvages into tatters and patches, or yarn if it was knitted.

Spinning, weaving and sewing#

Gather fiber, then spin fiber into yarn or thread and dye fiber for color. Knit design turns yarn straight into a piece, and press fibers makes felt. For woven work, weave textile on a loom: the lengthwise threads are the warp, the threads woven across them are the weft, and the gap opened by lifting alternate warp threads is the shed the shuttle passes through. Sew design cuts and sews the finished cloth.

Spinning, weaving and sewing

Skills and tools#

ReconditionInquirer: Recondition is used to fix minor problems in cloth and leather armor, turning fair or excellent condition items into mint condition.Tools: needle
RepairHobbyist: Repair is used to fix major problems in cloth and leather armor, turning damaged or mediocre condition items into fair condition items so they can then be reconditioned to mint.Tools: needle, patch
RebuildApprentice: Rebuild is used to completely overhaul broken or ruined condition cloth and leather armor into damaged condition items so they can be repaired and reconditioned back into pristine shape.Tools: needle, sewing table
Weave Textile: Create textile using loom, shuttle, & yarn
Knit Design: Need knitting needle and yarn.
Sew Design: Requires needle, thread, textile, & design
Gather Fiber: Gathers raw fiber from plan or animal.
Spin Fiber: Need spindle and loom, yarn or thread.
Dye Fiber: Dyes raw fiber before spinning
Press Fibers: Combine fibers together to creased pressed fibers

Tools and supplies (13)

Tool	What it is for
Yarn	Yarn is similar to thread except it uses more material and is spun to be larger, generally used for winter clothing.
Spindle	Object by which yarn and thread is spun onto.
Spinning Wheel	Used to spin raw materials into thread.
Rolag	Used to spin raw materials into yarn.
Needle	Used to make designs.
Thread	Similar to yarn except it uses less material and is spun to be smaller and finer. Thread is predominately used in stiching fabric together, or other needlework.
Shuttle	Object used to compact store weft while weaving.
Treadle Loom	The most simple loom available. Though expensive, these devices are the most simple to use.
Dobby Loom	Dobby looms are quite a bit more expensive than treadle looms, but requires half the time of weaving with their moving parts to assist the tailor.
Jacquard Loom	Jacquard looms are the most expensive of the looms but don't require shuttles. They are similar in speed with the dobby looms.
Knitting Needle	Required to knit fabric.
Patch	A patch is a roll of stout cloth scraps that tailors and leatherworkers cut from and sew over tears and worn spots, with a needle, to repair cloth and leather armor.
Sewing Table	A sewing table is a broad, smooth table with a lip to keep the work from sliding. Tailors and leatherworkers lay a ruined garment flat across it to take it apart and rebuild it.

What it makes#

Weaves and looms#

Weave	What it is
Plain Weave	Warp and weft are aligned so they perform a crisscross pattern. Each weft crosses the warp threads by going over one and then under the next, and so on. Also known as the tabby or taffeta weave.
Basket Weave	Variation of plain weave in which two or more threads are bundled and then woven as one in the warp, weft or both.
Double Weave	Where two or more sets of warps and more sets of weft interconnect to form two layered cloths. Usually has complex patterns.
Pile Weave	Woven over metal rods or wires that are inserted in the shed during weaving.
Satin Weave	Consists of four or more weft yarns floating over a warp yarn or vice versa. This creates a lustrous appearance.
Twill	Made by passing weft threads over one warp thread and then under two or more warp threads, over one, then again under two. Usually made by offsets, creating steps.
Pressed Fibers	There is no weave, it is simply fibers pressed together in a matted state.

Loom	What it is
Treadle Loom	The most simple loom available. Though expensive, these devices are the most simple to use.
Dobby Loom	Dobby looms are quite a bit more expensive than treadle looms, but requires half the time of weaving with their moving parts to assist the tailor.
Jacquard Loom	Jacquard looms are the most expensive of the looms but don't require shuttles. They are similar in speed with the dobby looms.

Fibers and textiles#

Fibers (14)

Fiber	DC	Description
Cotton	5	White, fluffy fiber pulled from the seed bolls of the cotton plant. It spins and weaves into cheap, soft cloth.
Linen	5	Cloth woven from flax fiber, crisp, cool and slow to wear out. It is the common stuff of shirts, sheets and bandages.
Wool	5	Crimped sheep’s fleece, washed and carded into soft fiber. It is cheap, warm and still warm when wet.
Bamboo	8	Green wood.
Alpaca Hair	10	Soft, warm fleece sheared from alpacas, lighter than wool and without its itch. It is rare and very expensive.
Hemp	10	Coarse, tough plant fiber stripped from hemp stalks. It goes into rope, sacking and sailcloth.
Mohair	10	Long, glossy hair combed from long-haired goats. It holds dye brightly and costs a fortune.
Ramie	10	A strong, glossy plant fiber stripped from a nettle-like stalk. It weaves into a stiff cloth much like linen.
Silk	10	Fine, gleaming thread unwound from moth cocoons, one unbroken strand to each. It is light and strong, and it costs a fortune.
Nettle	15	Fiber stripped from stinging nettle stalks, gathered with gloves and patience. It spins into a strong, fine thread that is worth the stings.
Spidersilk	15	Silver thread harvested from the webs of giant spiders, stronger than steel wire of the same weight. Mages pay a fortune for it because it strengthens their spells.
Raffia	16	Long, pale ribbons of fiber peeled from palm leaves. Weavers use it for baskets, hats and tying bundles.
Jute	17	A long, golden-brown plant fiber, coarse but strong, usually made into sacks and twine. A mage wearing it casts a little stronger.
Barkcloth	18	Inner tree bark soaked and beaten thin into a soft, papery cloth. Woven into a mage’s gear, it strengthens a spell a little.

Woven textiles (21)

Textile	DC	Weave	Description
Linen	5	Plain	Cloth woven from flax fiber, crisp, cool and slow to wear out. It is the common stuff of shirts, sheets and bandages.
Zibeline	5	Twill	A thick wool cloth with a long, lustrous nap laid in one direction like sable fur. It is warm, and gear made of it turns some earth magic.
Flannel	7	Twill	Soft, loosely woven wool brushed to a fuzzy nap. It is cheap and warm, the stuff of nightshirts and winter linings.
Tulle	7	Satin	A fine, light netting, stiff enough to hold a shape. It makes veils, ruffles and trim.
Brocade	8	Satin	Heavy cloth with raised patterns woven in, sometimes in gold or silver thread. It is used for formal coats, vestments and hangings.
Canvas	8	Basket	Heavy, tightly woven cloth that sheds wind and most rain. It makes tents, sails, packs and tarps.
Moleskin	8	Pile	Heavy cotton with a short, brushed nap as soft as a mole’s fur. Workers wear it for its toughness, and it turns a little earth magic.
Chino	9	Twill	A sturdy cotton twill, smooth on the face and hard to tear. It makes good work and soldiering trousers.
Crape	9	Double	A thin cloth with a crinkled, crimped surface, usually dyed black. Mourners pay dearly for a veil of it.
Hodden	9	Basket	Coarse, undyed grey wool, woven at home from the fleece as it came off the sheep. It is a peasant’s cloth, but a well-made bolt sells high.
Velvet	9	Pile	A dense cloth with a short, even pile that looks darker or lighter depending on how it is brushed. It is soft, rich and very costly.
Buckram	10	Plain	Coarse cloth stiffened with glue until it holds whatever shape it is pressed into. Tailors use it for hat brims, collars and book covers.
Burlap	10	Basket	Rough, loose-woven cloth of jute or hemp that scratches the skin. It is good for sacks, sandbags and not much else.
Harris Tweed	10	Double	A rough wool flecked with heather colors, thick enough to turn wind and drizzle. Every bolt comes off a home loom, and the price shows it.
Felt	11	Pressed	Wool matted and pressed into a dense sheet rather than woven. It makes hats, boot liners and the padding worn under armor.
Serge	11	Twill	A hard-wearing twilled wool with a diagonal rib. Mages favor it because it makes their spells hit harder.
Bombazine	12	Satin	A twilled cloth of silk and wool, usually dyed black. It is the common cloth of mourning dress.
Camlet	12	Plain	A fine, close-woven cloth of goat hair and silk that sheds rain. It makes good cloaks and riding coats.
Damask	12	Satin	A reversible cloth with a pattern woven into it that shows matte on one side and glossy on the other. It is used for fine table linen and wall hangings.
Polar Fleece	13	Pressed	Thick, fluffy pile cloth that holds its warmth even when soaked. Gear lined with it turns some water harm.
Batiste	16	Plain	A fine, nearly sheer cloth of cotton or linen, hard to weave well. It makes handkerchiefs, collars and underlinens.

What a tailor makes#

Armor (12)

Piece	DC	Material
Cap	5	4 cloth
Armband	8	6 cloth and leather
Cloak	8	20 cloth
Hood	8	6 cloth
Trousers	8	38 cloth
Gloves	10	8 leather and cloth
Robe	10	40 cloth
Sandals	10	15 cloth
Mantle	11	15 cloth and leather
Sash	11	17 cloth
Tunic	13	35 leather and cloth
Brigandine Armor	20	71 metal and cloth

Tools (3)

Piece	DC	Material
Patch	10	1 cloth
Polishing Cloth	10	1 cloth
Sanding Cloth	10	1 cloth

Containers and packs (9)

Piece	DC	Material
Reed Basket	4	6 cloth
Ration Pack	5	6 cloth
Sack	10	30 cloth
Bag	15	15 cloth
Knapsack	15	35 cloth
Pouch	15	14 cloth
Saddlebag	15	45 cloth and leather
Satchel	18	35 cloth and leather
Backpack	20	40 cloth and leather

Everything else (11)

Piece	DC	Material
Torch	2	1 wood and 1 cloth
Vine Rope	4	2 cloth
Artisan’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Courtier’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Explorer’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Jester’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Peasant’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Royal Outfit	20	80 cloth
Scholar’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Wanderer’s Outfit	20	80 cloth
Winter Outfit	20	80 cloth

The guildmaster#

Sahrim weaves for all ten tribes of Dumasque, and under Rokson that makes her the one person every tribe has sworn not to harm. She uses the freedom to go anywhere and hear everything, and the tribal counselors know exactly how much she hears. She works the small loom at the end of the weavers’ row in Vhall Oasis, where every tribe’s buyers pass and stop to talk.

Find Sahrim of the Quice at the weavers’ row in Vhall Oasis’s central market, in Dumasque. It’s the guild’s only hall: you join there, and you come back to it for every rank’s quest, inquirer to artisan.

Sahrim of the Quice teaches at the weavers' row in Vhall Oasis's central market.

Trades it works with#

What tailoring gives the other trades.

Leatherworking Thread, and the cloth half of armor that's part hide. Hide and thread

Carpentry Cloth and stuffing for upholstered chairs, sofas and beds. Timber

What it takes from them.

Leatherworking Leather trim and backing for armor that's part cloth, part hide. Hide and thread

A good pair
Leatherworking: Between them they make every piece of armor that isn’t metal, and the packs to carry the rest.

Who takes it up#

The classes whose work tailoring fits best. Any class can join any guild.

Minstrel A minstrel is half performance and half costume, and a tailor never pays someone else for the second half. A natural fit

Priest Vestments, banners and altar cloth: a temple goes through cloth faster than a tavern goes through ale. Works well

Pickpocket A tailor knows where every pocket on a coat is, and how to sew one nobody else will find. Works well

The guild finder ranks every guild for a class.

How it shows#

None of this changes a roll. It’s how the people around you can tell what you do for a living.

Your own clothes fit perfectly, and you notice when anyone else’s don’t.
There’s always a needle stuck in your collar and a length of thread wound around one finger.

What others say#

In Dumasque you can tell a man's tribe by his sash from a hundred paces, and his enemies by how fast he's walking.

A tailor of Moria

Sahrim once made me a coat that convinced the Polvi I was one of theirs. It lasted until I opened my mouth.

A merchant of Port Carvi

The wrong sash
A body turned up at the edge of Dumasque wearing the sash of the Hopli tribe, and the Hopli swear he isn’t one of theirs. Under Rokson, somebody has to answer for him. Sahrim wove that sash and knows who she sold it to, and she’ll only tell someone from outside the tribes.