The Physician

[NoteworthyFellow]

For some reason, I really want to try playing a character with the physician subguild, but I have a few questions first.

1) It seems like it'd be much, much harder to be a physician in the south, due to a distinct lack of herbs naturally growing in the area.  Is this true?  Are there other sources of herbs around that my character might know are there?

2) Do people actually hire physicians?  What kind of people?  It'd make sense that the Byn might want a medic; are there other clans that would need one?  Basically, I'm asking if it's a good idea to make a physician if I'm a semi-experienced player that hasn't played for four or five years and wants to get back into things.

If any of these questions would lead to inappropriate IC information, just go ahead and ignore them and/or warn me accordingly.

Thanks!

[Coat of Arms]

1) It seems like it'd be much, much harder to be a physician in the south, due to a distinct lack of herbs naturally growing in the area. Is this true? Are there other sources of herbs around that my character might know are there?

Yeah, it's pretty tough in the south. Tuluk has herbs up the wazoo and much cheaper cloth for bandages (purchasing bandages is just not an affordable option).

2) Do people actually hire physicians? What kind of people? It'd make sense that the Byn might want a medic; are there other clans that would need one? Basically, I'm asking if it's a good idea to make a physician if I'm a semi-experienced player that hasn't played for four or five years and wants to get back into things.

Hrm... well, I have heard of one character ever who was hired to be a physician. He was in a clan known for not having done anything in the past 2 years, so I imagine much of his job was non-coded in nature. Ideally every combat-orientated clan would have a physician, but sadly that's not how it usually is. Something like the Byn or a hunting group probably wouldn't mind having one, but if you're not also capable of fighting, I don't think they'd bother. Tablets are not exactly hard to get, and the results of bandaging are easily achieved by sleeping for two minutes, so there's really no great demand for physicians. I think it could be fun and interesting to play one, I even thought about doing it myself once, but I would recommend having it as a supplement to a ranger or warrior, not as a character whose sole focus is to be a medic.

[Ourla]

Tuluk is a good place to be a physician, and there are definitely clans which seem like they'd be very keen on hiring one.

[Fnord]

For some reason, I really want to try playing a character with the physician subguild, but I have a few questions first.

1) It seems like it'd be much, much harder to be a physician in the south, due to a distinct lack of herbs naturally growing in the area.  Is this true?  Are there other sources of herbs around that my character might know are there?

It can be harder in the south to gather materials, but that can lead to good RP as it may encourage you to travel or set up a network to bring you supplies.

2) Do people actually hire physicians?  What kind of people?  It'd make sense that the Byn might want a medic; are there other clans that would need one?  Basically, I'm asking if it's a good idea to make a physician if I'm a semi-experienced player that hasn't played for four or five years and wants to get back into things.

Any clan that fights should be happy to have a skilled physician. Training it up can be a challenge. You'll need those willing to work with you, and have some idea of how to create the right circumstances that allow you to practice.

Or just keep your bandage skill really low, but be super eager to heal everyone. Then others may come to fear you more than a defiler.  :twisted:

[Southie]

Allanak has a nicely stocked herb shop, but if you want to gather your own herbs (besides bimbal), the grasslands may be better.

[spawnloser]

Physicians can find all they NEED no matter where they are.  Don't take what anyone's said as an indication of where you should play.  If you're interested in playing a physician in Tuluk, play one.  You'll find someone to hire you, guaranteed.

[Nao]

Organizations that might hire you are also likely to provide a bunch of herbs, at least for the start. Acquired by many, many, hunters that were playing while there was no one to use up all the stuff they brought in!

[HunterKiller]

For some reason, I really want to try playing a character with the physician subguild, but I have a few questions first.

1) It seems like it'd be much, much harder to be a physician in the south, due to a distinct lack of herbs naturally growing in the area.  Is this true?  Are there other sources of herbs around that my character might know are there?

I played a junior (read - peon) physician that did a tour with Kurac in Luir's and it kicked ass.  Their routinized structure was conducive to actually using your skills and it was the only way my pathetic character could do any damage to the buffness around him when he'd fail a bandage.   :roll:  Their location is sweetness, being near herbs as well as sandy badies and it's okay with them if you do drugs.  Lots.  Drugs are good.  They have some goodies that make it even cooler rp'ing a blood-lidder but you can find that out if you go with them, I'm sure other houses have similar stuff (I'd get permission first).

- HK

[staggerlee]

It actually sounds like a lot of fun, and with the right rpers I think it could be awesome.  And if you were playing with someone willing to RP having a broken leg or being laid up for a while it'd definitely lead to some decent rp.   On that note, a strong pc leader might make all the difference in this case, if they knew you were trying to play a medic they might icly demand a soldier sit the fuck still while you bandage his wounds rather than very unrealistically sleeping it off and popping back to his feet.   Unfortunately it DOES require that level of rp, so personally I'd only start the character if I knew a particular group of players was ready for it.

One really nice thing about Armageddon's setting is that healing magick is fairly rare (I know, I know) and as such makes this kind of thing a bit more plausible.  RPing out wounds can be a lot of fun, and nothing makes that hard like having some priest cure them away as soon as you're getting into things.  Now if we could just convince people not to use the sleep command to close sucking chest wounds.

[Simple]

From what I've seen in my guild, people are RPing out injuries quite well. Kudos. You know who you are.

[HunterKiller]

On that note, a strong pc leader might make all the difference in this case

It makes all the difference, really.  Having an organized clan with responsive Imms and nice resources helps, but you can take away all of that and have a kickass leader that can make or break good family wholesomeness.

Unfortunately it DOES require that level of rp, so personally I'd only start the character if I knew a particular group of players was ready for it.

I don't agree with you there.  Good rpers (in my book at least) create the environment around them that complements well with what's already established.  If you wait for good rpers to come your way they're probably going to avoid you.  In your case, you've got many virtual soldiers and thugs at your disposal to bandage up, hop up, numb or hack limbs off.  In addition to offering a bit of entertainment to those watching, you'll also convey who you are and what you're doing (and what you want to do) without waking up half-dead bleeding twinks or begging some Imm for an uber-sweet syringe of life.  In life exceptional people tend to stand out in the crowd, whereas in arm they tend to blend into the game more effectively.

Now if we could just convince people not to use the sleep command to close sucking chest wounds.

Again I wouldn't play your role with a dependence on other player's actions.  You'll always be disappointed.  While they're sleeping, bandage them anyway.  A snake got cha while you were sleeping, your wound made you pass out.  There are many explanations on why you did it.  The fact is anywhere but zalanthas a sleeping individual bleeding that much means their ass is fertilizer so I don't consider it twinkish to bandage on a sleeping person, others may disagree.

- HK

[staggerlee]

Very, very good points.  I stand corrected.

[NoteworthyFellow]

Since I'm not as familiar with Tuluk as I am with Allanak, what kind of organizations up there would want to hire a physician, assuming he has other skills of use as well?  Just ones that someone who grew up in Tuluk would know about already, of course.

[Fnord]

Since I'm not as familiar with Tuluk as I am with Allanak, what kind of organizations up there would want to hire a physician, assuming he has other skills of use as well?  Just ones that someone who grew up in Tuluk would know about already, of course.

Anyone martial is a safe bet but hitting the taverns and asking around would be the most practical approach. Check the docs for an overview of the Tulukki Houses (but read that whole page if you plan to play up north). Sounds like you might benefit from a helper too.

[Angela Christine]

Really, any large, active organization may be willing to hire a physician.  Martial groups get wounded and so can use Bandaging more often, but using coded abilities is only part of what a physician does.  

In order to keep a physician busy and interesting in a clan, there must be a good deal of non-coded roleplay.  Expect to deal with non-coded things like illness, chronic pain from old injuries, pregnancy, headaches, scrapes and bruises, prosthetics, arthritis, emotional problems, skin rashes, allergies, and so on.  Possibly even things like cosmetics and skin creams.  In Tuluk you might investigate the medicinal uses of Spice, so that when a bandage or tablet is inappropriate you can prescribe a specific spice to cure what ails you.  You could even investigate the use of various teas as uncoded medicines.  Since making tea isn't really coded in you would have to cheat by either using virtual tea, or by buying your tea ahead of time, storing it in a cupboard until you need it, and then just pretending that you are brewing a fresh cup of custom tea (rather than pulling a 3 year old cup of tea out of your cupboard).  Also consider the medicinal possibilities in various disgusting foodstuffs, scrab eyeballs to improve vision, shik blood to combat weakness, use your imagination.  Quack medicine makes for some great roleplay.

As far as coded skills go, you'll probably do more tablet manufacturing than either bandage making or bandaging.  Any group that hasn't had an herbalist for a while probably has a bag or two full of herbs waiting to be converted into useful tablets.  And tablets are always useful.  Once everyone in your clan has 3 of every kind of tablet you know how to make, tablets can still be sold to people outside the clan that don't have an herbalist of their own.  Even if the market in Tuluk is flooded in tablets, there is always a tablet shortage in the south, which multi-national clans can take advantage of.


Your best bet is to plan on playing outside a clan for several weeks, and establishing yourself as an interesting character.  If you look like a fun PC to have around, eventually the clans that are active at the same time as you will start offering you jobs.  People that might have turned you down if you just walked up to them and said "I'm looking for work, do you need a physician?" will find a reason that their clan does indeed need a physician.  People will make a place for you.

As long as you are human, moderately interesting, and live more than a week, you can get a job no matter what it is you claim to do.  Nearly all clans are always looking to hire humans.  Other races may have more of a challenge.



How do you stay alive while waiting for the offers to pour in?  Independent tablet sales are a pretty good bet.  Independent hunters and grebbers want antidotes to the most common poisons, and there are always new independents to sell to.  Consider going south, at least as far as Luir's, if the market seems too dry in Tuluk.  If you get lucky you'll run into and independent southerner that is also just visiting in Luir's, and they will probably jump at the opportunity to buy tablets.  

Of course, in order to make tablets you need herbs.  You can buy them from shops, you can buy them from PCs, or you can go out and collect them yourself.  Buying from shops will land you in the poor house fast.  In Tuluk buying from other PCs is feasible, if you plan to go this route I'd recommend the Merchant guild, because the extra money will come in handy and the value skill will help you determine how much to pay.  Collecting your own herbs is great fun, but also dangerous.  Choosing the Ranger or Warrior guilds will help protect you from suddenly dieing to aggressive beasties while looking for herbs.



Good luck.