The Mapper's Workshop was a small shop in the city of Ravens Bluff, operated by the mage Jork Marpe in the 14th century DR, that sold maps and various other kinds of paper products.[1][2][3][4]
Location[]
This shop was originally tucked away within an alley, near the riverfront in the district of Crow's End.[1][3][4] It later moved locations to the Harbor District's neighborhood Bitterstone, in a building that stood at the corner of Black Visor Street and the Rhabie Promenade.[2][5]
Structure[]
At both of its locations the shop was housed within a ramshackled wooden building. A faded, scrawled sign hung above their doors that read "Pictures Drawn."[1][2]
The original storefront consisted of an office room that customers were never allowed beyond, two storage rooms[6] that were well organized,[3] a library, and three bedrooms.[6] The front door had a broken lock, which led the store to never have valuable merchandise out on display.[3][6]
The office room in the original storefront was filled with all manner of tables for drafting and scribing.[4] His desk was well-cared for and made of polished walnut,[1] but typically found covered in papers[1][4] and quills, with drawers jammed full of parchment scrolls and various mugs. The Workshop's tables all had magic on them that made papers adhered to them so they wouldn't move while the mage worked. They could only be removed by applying an exotic ink with an intricate stamp bearing Jork's mage sigil.[4]
Reputation[]
This Mapper's Workshop was a rather obscure business in Ravens Bluff. It was largely unknown to the city's officials, as well as the Merchants Guild,[1] being as it wasn't even registered with the guild.[7] Most of its business was generated by word of mouth.[1][7] The majority of its clientele were adventurers,[1][2] though far-traveled merchants were also known to visit it.[2]
Jork Morpe's distaste for young adventurers, his ever inquisitive insistence that customers inform him of their reasons for wanting to purchase any of his merchandise,[2][3] and the ill-temper that was expressed whenever the hard-of-hearing mage was misunderstood,[3][4] were found to be quite irritating to some.[2] The cantankerous mage attempted to be cordial with customers,[1][7] but often fell flat.[7] Later on he began asking customers to write down their requests for him, understanding that shouting to get through to him could be tiresome,[4] Despite these issues, the Mapper's Workshop managed to maintain regular customers who were accustomed to Jork's quick-temper and hearing issues.[3] Having a keen memory, clients were always remembered by the mage.[3]
Services[]
Being the namesake of the Mapper's Workshop, the shop sold a wide selection of geographical maps of places all across Faerûn,[1][2] as well as comprehensive maps of the sewers of Ravens Bluff and fragments of those maps.[7] The store also stocked a few maps of various countries that existed on the world of Oerth, particularly those that neighbored the city-state of Greyhawk, having been gifted them by a well-traveled merchant that spoke highly of Oerth. Most of the maps sold at the shop were supplied by Jork's two adventuring sons, though Jork did make a few of them himself[1] and would spend painstaking hours to create copies of his most popular maps.[2] Jork also occasionally hired adventurers to explore the under-detailed areas of his maps.[2]
Besides maps, the Workshop sold diagrams of gnomish inventions, sketches of ruined keeps, detailed drawing of suits of armor, and schematics of the homes of Ravenian nobles (acquired from thieves).[1]
Maps were priced according to each customer's age, appearance, and the urgency of their need for it. Those under the age of 50 were comparatively charged more than those who weren't. If clients lacked enough gold pieces for a purchase the proprietor was willing to negotiate a bargain for valuable items, jewelry, and weapons. And if a map couldn't be afforded, he was willing to offer a glimpse for a price,[7] though he would not extend this offer for one-of-a-kind maps.[8]
History[]
Sometime in the 14th century DR, the necromancer Artemus visited the Mapper's Workshop and inquired about purchasing the store's map of the city's sewers. Jork informed the necromancer that he would have to wait and come back a few days after he had made a copy of it. Unwilling to wait, Artemus broke into the Workshop later and stole it. A few days later a group of adventurers came into the shop seeking the same map, but Jork had only a partial copy to offer them at a cost of 80 gold pieces. He was willing to tell the adventurers all the details he could remember about Artemus, though only if they paid him a bribe of 30 or 60 gp.[7]
Appendix[]
Appearances[]
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Waldo Kuipers (August 1991). “The Living City: The Mapper's Workshop”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #62 (TSR, Inc.), p. 27.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 108. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Wayne Straiton (January 1993). A Good Day To Die. Living City (RPGA), p. 27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Daniel S. Donnelly (November 1997). Invitation to a Wedding. Living City (RPGA), p. 8.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 ProFantasy Software Ltd. (1999). Forgotten Realms Interactive Atlas. TSR, Inc.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Waldo Kuipers (August 1991). “The Living City: The Mapper's Workshop”. In Jean Rabe ed. Polyhedron #62 (TSR, Inc.), p. 31.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Wayne Straiton (January 1993). A Good Day To Die. Living City (RPGA), p. 28.
- ↑ Wayne Straiton (January 1993). A Good Day To Die. Living City (RPGA), p. 29.