Crafting question

[Tigrah2k]

My math could have been off on this one. I also assumed a bit more time to work Orichalcum, being it's a tougher and rarer substance.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Tigrah2k

My math could have been off on this one. I also assumed a bit more time to work Orichalcum, being it's a tougher and rarer substance.

Wouldn't you just cast Essential Earth on an existing metal item?

[Tigrah2k]

Actually, I use Essential Earth and Earth to STone to make my Orichalcum... but I also kinda figured it would still take longer to do...
Or are you suggesting, craft it out of iron, then essential it into Orichalcum?

[Flyndaran]

I started to create a setting where orichalcum was made via alchemy. And they also didn't make it as sheet metal or ingots, but preferred to alter pre-made items.
You shape stuff when easy to do so, not in some final awesome form except when unavoidable.

[Tigrah2k]

Useful to know... Still brings me back to the original questions lol

[Flyndaran]

I don't think you can get much agreement on how long it takes to make a good sword in real life. So in game, it's more about what "feels right" for you than any of our ideas of plausible rules.

[Tigrah2k]

Ok... We'll have to work out a functional "rule" system then. Does anyone have a thought on how to figure out the value of various plausible gems in Low tech? It says value and carat, but doesn't expound on what these would mean...

[Flyndaran]

They're pretty rocks/crystals. How much value a specific society puts on them is completely arbitrary and impossible to predict. It's fashion and aesthetics.
In some ancient cultures, lapis lazuli was the absolute top of the line. I bet many Westerners have never even heard of that one.
Also many differing materials were called the same, partly because they didn't know the chemical structures so named based on appearances.
Nephrite, Ca2(Mg, Fe)5Si8O22(OH)2, and Jadeite, NaAlSi2O6, are both called jade, for example.

[Flyndaran]

Also rarity doesn't always mean valuable. There are some beautiful rare minerals that aren't very expensive, because they're soft or crack easily making them poor for jewelry.

[mlangsdorf]

Originally Posted by Tigrah2k

Does anyone have a thought on how to figure out the value of various plausible gems in Low tech? It says value and carat, but doesn't expound on what these would mean...

Carat is the weight of the stone. A carat is 1/2488 of a pound, and is the traditional measure of gemstone weight. The Hope Diamond, as a reference, is about 50 carats and roughly 1" in diameter and 1/2" thick. The central diamond in most engagement rings is 1-2 carats.

Value is reasonably described on Low-Tech p. 39, and is going to depend on what's fashionable in a society and what's available. For instance, amethysts were fashionable and rare in ancient Rome, and thus very valuable. But they're much more common in the New World, and aren't really considered a precious stone anymore, so their value has dropped considerably in modern times.

Basically, value is culturally dependent and it's something the GM is going to have to decided as part of world-building. In a pinch, DF8: Treasure Tables has some sample values on p. 19-20, but I remember thinking they were pretty low and you could multiply them by 4-6 to bring them more in line with Low-Tech's suggestions of a typical value of V.

As two examples:
the Hope diamond, at 50 carats, with a V for diamonds of 500, would be worth $1,350,000. (the math is $500*(50*50+4*50) ).
the 1 carat diamond in a typical wedding ring, with a V for diamonds of 500, would be $2,500 (the math is $500*(1*1 + 4*1) ).
Adjust V for how valuable you think diamonds should be.