The Cartographer (SNS)

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: ﻿Martia left the Sow's Ear sure that she had been suckered. The old guide who sold her the map looked like she spent more time negotiating her way into the bottom end of a bottle than showing clients the way to safely travel through Hobgoblin Pass.
: The weather-beaten woman would probably remain at the tavern for the remainder of the night drinking herself into a stupor from which not even the gods themselves could rouse her. If it turned out that the besotted outdoorswoman had indeed suckered Martia, the valiant swordswoman would still have plenty of time to go back to the tavern and enact her revenge.
: Three nights later, Martia found herself wasting long hours as she waited for the guide to keep their appointment. Never again would she agree to meet someone "three evenings hence." Such a nebulous time left far too much room for interpretation.
: Disgusted, Martia wandered through the streets, careful to avoid the darkness of the alleys. When she reached the appointed building, a sturdy structure with a sign that depicted a curling map of the known world, Martia saw that a light still burned on the first floor.
: She stepped up to the window and peered inside. Hunched over a piece of parchment, a youngish man, sharpened quill in hand, inscribed the outline of a map. He squinted carefully in the dim light of a nearby lantern, his hand making strong and steady strokes on the parchment. He was obviously absorbed by his work.
: Martia knocked firmly on the window.
: The young man leapt out of his seat, whirling in the direction from which the sound originated. He held his quill out in front of himself as if he hoped that the creature outside would somehow impale itself on the tip of the flimsy instrument.
: When he saw Martia, the young man blew out a long sigh of relief. Then, his attention unoccupied by any imagined threat on his life, he suddenly heard the sound of gurgling fluid. The young man turned back to his desk and saw that he had upended a bottle of ink in his haste. The pigment slowly trickled out of the container's narrow neck and onto his unfinished map.
: He cursed and leapt forward, righting the bottle and cursing again. Then he stood up, walked slowly to the door and let Martia in.
: "Good evening, Barth" said Martia, barely able to contain her mirth. "My apologies for startling you."
: Barth blushed and smiled at her sheepishly. "My lady," he reached out to take her hand and then, realizing that his fingers were covered with ink, withdrew them. "No apologies are necessary. How may I be of help to you?"
: Martia closed the door behind her and moved further into the room. She reached into her jacket and withdrew the map she had purchased in the tavern. "I need Brantus to take a look at this."
: Barth's face fell dramatically. "I'm sorry, my lady, but my father has gone out for the evening. I am the only one here."
: Martia grimaced meaningfully. "Do you know where he went?"
: "I'm afraid not, my lady. He was quite secretive about his plans."
: Martia considered her situation for a moment before asking, "Then perhaps you could help me?"
: Barth smiled broadly. "Certainly, my lady." He wiped his hands clean on his apron, already blackened by several previous mishaps. He took the map from her gingerly and held it up underneath the lantern so that he could take a closer look. "And what is it you want to know about this particular map, my lady?"
: "Have you seen it before? Is it real?" she asked impatiently before realizing she was being short with the young man. "I'm sorry. It's important that I know. And soon."
: "Well then, my lady," Barth said, warming to the task, "I'd better get busy.":
In a fantasy world-as in any other world-information is power. This is especially true for adventurers who travel into the unknown in search of treasure, magic, and fame. Heroes that seek the path less traveled find that a bit of reliable information is their most powerful weapon. Maps constitute a large part of an adventurer's most informative items. No matter how fearless an adventuring party, or how talented their guide, they must at least know the general location of a treasure before they can travel in search of it. This is why most heroes invest in reliable maps.
Most heroic tales tell of old, wizened towns-people who sell maps in darkened taverns. However, experienced heroes are hardly willing to trust a large investment of their time, money, and safety to a piece of paper hastily scribbled by a noxious, boozy old grifter.
Wise adventurers turn to a reputable cartographer for all their mapping needs. Not only can a cartographer supply reliable maps, but he can also neatly copy an adventuring party's hastily made maps. Additionally, adventurers can hire cartographers to participate in quests where their mapmaking skills can prove invaluable.
==Experience, THAC0, and Hit Dice==
﻿Cartographers have their own level advancement as shown on the Cartographer Experience Levels table.
Cartographers are known more for their ability to translate three-dimensional realities into two-dimensional maps than for any ability in combat. They spend a great deal of time hunched over tables in dim lamplight, scratching down outlines and symbols on rough parchment. Thus, cartographers use the wizard's THAC0 table and the rogue's saving throw chart.
Like wizards, cartographers gain one four sided Hit Die per level up to the 8th level. They gain only two hit points per level after the 8th and do not receive any bonus hit points due to high Constitution scores.
 Table 15: Cartographer Experience Levels
Level	XPs 	Hit Dice (d4)
1 	0 	1
2 	1,250 	2
3 	2,500 	3
4 	4,500 	4
5 	9,000 	5
6 	17,500 	6
7 	35,000 	7
8 	60,000 	8
9 	90,000 	8+2
10 	140,000 	8+4
11 	200,000 	8+6
12 	400,000 	8+8
13 	600,000 	8+10
14 	800,000 	8+12
15 	1,000,000	8+14
16 	1,200,000	8+16
17 	1,400,000	8+18
18 	1,600,000	8+20
19 	1,800,000	8+22
20 	2,000,000	8+24
==Ability Scores==
Mapmaking is a difficult calling that requires a great deal of patience and the ability to understand spatial relationships. A bit of knowledge about basic architecture and geology doesn't hurt at all either. In addition, cartographers must possess some amount of artistic ability and a steady hand in order to render their maps in a legible and clearly understandable fashion.
For these reasons, all cartographers must have a minimum Intelligence of 12 and a minimum Dexterity of 10. The cartographer's prime requisite is Intelligence.
==Permissible Armor and Weapons==
﻿Cartographers have no restrictions on armor. They can use any kind of protection that they like. However, when actually making maps, they cannot wear gauntlets or any armor heavier than chain mail.
Cartographers can only use those weapons available to rogues. They do not spend much time on weaponry, as they are far more concerned with improving their mapmaking skills.
==Individual Experience Awards==
﻿Cartographers are not much concerned with killing monsters or researching magic. Their individual experience awards are, therefore, unique to their class. Use the Cartographer Experience Awards table for determining how many experience points a cartographer deserves at the end of a scenario.
﻿
 Table 16: Cartographer Experience Awards
Action 	Award
Per map made from sera scratch	Varies
Per map copied 	100 XP
Per fake map detected 	200 XP
Per real map confirmed 	200 XP
The number of experience points handed out for the creation of a new map (requiring the cartographer to do the legwork and research himself) varies greatly. The number depends on the size of the mapped area and the map's level of detail.
Simple maps that cover a small area (up to 100 square yards) are worth 1 XP per square yard. Simple maps that cover a great deal of area (up to 100 square miles) are worth 5 XP per square mile.
The greater the details included, the higher the map's value. Maps that involve several levels, those that are rendered in three dimensions, and those that are topographical in nature are worth double their base value, as they are difficult to produce.
Note that these experience awards are only given out for accurately fashioned maps. Incorrect maps are not worth any experience points at all.
==Proficiencies==
﻿A cartographer gets two weapon proficiency slots at 1st level and receives a new one every five levels (at the 5th level, 10th level, and so on). A cartographer suffers a -4 penalty when using a weapon with which he is not proficient.
A cartographer also receives four nonweapon proficiencies at 1st level and gains a new proficiency every 3 levels after that (at the 3rd level, 6th level, and so on).
At 1st level, the cartographer must select the new Cartography nonweapon proficiency (see the section on New Proficiencies below). A cartographer must also take the Direction Sense proficiency. A mapmaker who can't tell direction will have a short-lived career.
Additionally, cartographers must take the Forgery proficiency. This permits them to convincingly copy maps made by others. They can also use this proficiency to spot fake maps made by con artists.
Lastly, they must take the Reading/writing proficiency so that they can properly label their maps. Maps without proper labels are potentially deadly.
The cartographer can spend any other nonweapon proficiency slots on whatever he wants. Many cartographers, however, are so dedicated to their art that they use all of their proficiency slots improving their cartography skill.
Here are some proficiencies that may prove useful to a cartographer NPC:
* Artistic Ability: This proficiency enables the cartographer to beautifully embellish and decorate his maps. The successful use of Artistic Ability adds an additional 15% to a map's retail price.
* Modern/Ancient Languages: Knowing other languages is a great asset to a cartographer. Not only will a linguistically educated cartographer enjoy greater success when copying old or foreign maps, but he will also receive many requests to translate foreign maps.
* Navigation: Some cartographers take this proficiency so that they can create maps of the heavens. These maps are extremely important to sailors and seagoing adventurers, who often pay a handsome price for them. In addition, cartographers with this skill can also create detailed maps of the shorelines, reefs, and rocks that surround coastal areas.
Cartographers can choose from the general, rogue, and wizard proficiency groups without any additional costs.
===New Proficiencies===
﻿The cartographer class is based upon the new Cartography nonweapon proficiency. Other characters may use the proficiency; however, these amateurs receive a -2 penalty to all of their cartography checks. In addition, they cannot combine this proficiency with Forgery to determine the authenticity of maps. That particular skill lies purely in the hands of the cartographer class.