The Artificer

Revisited, Revised

An old, bearded half-orc swirls a radiant concoction in a stoppered glass vial, grinning with relief. He leaves his supplies and exits his tent, making his way toward the infirmary where his compatriots lay, awaiting a

panacea for their ailments and wounds.

The ceiling of the workshop rains debris down on the dwarf, and the walls tremble with the force of the siege waging outside. He hears the chatter of goblins on the other side of the workshop's door, and the hammering of weapons against the wood. Gritting his teeth, he draws his wands, and stands squarely in the center of the room. He'll defend his life's work with his life.

A gnome sits hunched beside a campfire, her tinker's tools splayed out around her. She pushes her self-made eyes of minute seeing further up the bridge of her nose, and attaches the wing to an oak-and-iron facsimile of an owl at her feet. Her fingers crackle with magical energy, and as she touches the owl, it shivers, flaps its wings, and comes to life.

Experts in unlocking magic in everyday objects, artificers are master inventors. They see magic as a complex system waiting to be decoded and controlled. Artificers use their tools to channel arcane power and craft magical objects. To cast a spell, an artificer could use alchemist’s supplies to create a potent elixir, calligrapher’s supplies to inscribe a sigil of power on an ally’s armor, or tinker’s tools to etch a temporary charm. The magic of artificers is tied to their tools and their talents.

Master Inventors Every artificer is defined by a specific craft. Artificers see mastering the methods of a craft as the first step to true progress, the invention of new devices and approaches. Some artificers are alchemists, using their knowledge of the natural world to create potions to aid them on their adventures. Other artificers are wandcarvers, studious woodworkers and scriveners who invent runes to focus their magic. Others still are mechanics, crafting clockwork servants who carryout their needs and fight with them on the battlefield. Alchemy, wandcarving, and tinkering are the three most common areas of study for artificers. All artificers are united by their curiosity and inventive nature. To an artificer, magic is an evolving art with a leading edge of discovery and mastery that pushes further ahead with each passing year. Artificers value novelty and discovery. This penchant pushes them to seek a life of adventure. A hidden ruin might hold a forgotten magic item or a beautifully crafted mirror perfect for magical enhancement. Artificers win respect and renown among their kind by uncovering new lore or inventing new secrets of creation.