The Milities Fabrica

The Milities Fabrica are the engineers of the legion. They train with the Milities Linari as members of a Tenacus. They can be either a Milities Linari who, after 4 years has become an engineer, or a recruit who proves membership in the Guild of Arcane Lore. The Milities Fabrica, also called `Book', is able to read and write, and keeps the odds and the bets made by and against his Tenacus. He is also responsible for collecting the moneys owned to the after such events, as well as writing up any reports the Tenacus may have to present. Usually the other member's of Book's Tenaci will assist him in collecting debts.

Numbers

There is suppose to be at least one Milities Fabrica for every first and second Tenacus of every cohort. They are full time soldiers. In actuality, there are, at most, half the required number in 720TR.

Training

All Milities Fabrica (regardless of their origins) serve with, and are trained like, the Milities Linari. What ever craft-related training the Milities Fabrica requires comes from either their free time, or from practice gained while performing Legion chores. They learn under the guidance of either a free journeyman, an older fabrica or a bonded crafts master when serving in a fortification.

Before Joining

The Milities Linari who is promoted to the rank of Milities Fabrica somehow gained a journeyman-ship in their craft, or an apprentice position with a bonded crafts master in the legion while they were still Milities Linari. This usually means they entered the legion with some skills already, and spent most all of their free time in practicing their craft skills under the tutelage of a bonded craftsman.

Members of the guild of Arcane Lore who join the legion are made Milities Fabrica in their first term. A few receive special training in engineering and mathematics and work as clerks and scribes for the legion. The majority, however, join and serve with the recruited Milities Linari.

The few literate men and women who join are immediately offered the post of Milities Fabrica, conditional that in their second trimester they are willing to become a clerk for at least eight years. There are surprisingly few willing candidates.

Boot Camp

In the first trimester of training, a Milities Fabrica is expected to practice his crafts as much as possible. Unfortunately this greatly detracts from his other skills. A Milities Fabrica must learn how to build a temporary fortification, dig latrines (jacks), set up a camp kitchen and build a coral.

Rank	Initiative	Lance	Sword	Dagger	Shield	Javelin	Sickle
Milities Fabrica	5		4	4	4	4	4
	Bow	Axe	Sling	Pike	Riding	Unarmed	Foraging
		4					2
	Mathematics	Tactics	Law	MO	Awareness	Intrigue	Script
	1			1
	Survival	Heraldry	Physician	Masonry	Woodworking	Craft	Engineering
	2	1	1	2	2	3	3

Note: The Milities Fabrica has a random craft skill at OML+3. They also have either Masonry or Woodworking, but not both.

The Second Trimester

In the second trimester of the full time Milities Fabrica's 6 month training period, the Milities Fabrica works with a bonded craftsmen as an apprentice, or journeyman. He becomes a part of the bonded craftsman's shop, but must still perform the duties of a legionnaire. Most Milities Fabrica try to cross train, learning scouting and tracking skills from reservists while trying to master their weapon skills with their fellow legionnaires.

Those that show skill or have good lineage, may spend the rest of the following year with a bonded master as a full time apprentice. Often those having served most of their apprenticeship (age 12-16) before joining the legion, will gain journeyman status during this time, or shortly thereafter. This, of course, assumes all goes well between the Milities Fabrica and the bonded master to which he is assigned. If it does not, the Milities Fabrica could find himself drafted into being a clerk (assuming he is literate), or sent to the edges of the republic to learn the skills of tracking and hunting. As a worst case, the Milities Fabrica can always be sent into a Tenacus as a Milities Linari.

For those who are literate, the second trimester allows them to find a near-permanent post among the legion bureaucracy. The legion is almost more desperate for competent clerks as they are for competent officers. Life as a clerk is safer and can be more profitable than life in the field.

The illiterate, and those uninterested in a life of clerking, are often taught the skills of hunting, trapping and tracking during their second trimester. Sent to outlying fortifications and outposts, they spend the remainder of the year with other huntsmen learning the trade.

Regardless of how it is spent, the second trimester determines the fabrica's career within the legion. While not impossible, it is very difficult and often very expensive to change a Milities Fabrica's career path once it has begun, especially if the Milities Fabrica chose to be a clerk.

Yearly

Each year training development rolls are determined based on experience, instruction and practice. The exact amounts differ greatly depending on their location, people with whom they are serving and their career path.

Being Primus

The Milities Fabrica has special rank within his tenacus. Whenever the duties involve a craft, he is in charge. These duties include, but are not limited to: road or outpost repair, building or tearing down a temporary encampment, and so on. The Milities Fabrica organizes the Tenacus as he sees fit for the tasks at hand.

Additional Tours

Most Milities Fabrica sign up for additional tours because of the benefits available to them at retirement. There are no reservist Milities Fabrica, and so those that leave before retirement must serve as a reservist Milities Linari until they officially retire. All Milities Linari are expected to serve their first four years and not be mustered out due to injury or misbehavior (crime, treason, murder, etc.). A Milities Fabrica must serve up to 4 tours, if they are a jouneyman, before they may retire as a bonded craftsman to the legion.

A Milities Fabrica as a clerk must serve two tours before they may consider becoming a Milities Linari reservist. Clerks and huntsmen Milities Fabrica gain the same benefits as the Milities Linari after serving up to 6 tours before they retire.

To sign up for the next tour, the Milities need only talk to the paymaster. He is then issued new boots, a new cloak and welcomed back into the legion.

Duties and Obligations

The duties and obligations of a Milities Fabrica are identical, regardless of their career path. They must still obey the orders of their commanding officer, and to protect them, the legion is known to place special value on their very few Milities Fabrica. Only those specifically asking for dangerous assignments will receive them. Most tenaci learn quickly that the Milities Fabricas are given almost everything that they ask the legion for, within reason. Whether this is based on their special position, or their better knowledge of military organizations is anyone's guess.

When Alone

Fabrica are, officially, never off duty - even when out of uniform. Unlike other milities, the Fabrica's duty is not just to defend, but to support. If his tenacus requires an additional sword, or if the populace needs help repairing; the Fabrica can do both. The primary reason for this is the odd combination of loyalty both to the guild and the legion.

In foreign lands

The Fabrica are more likely to be "lent out" to foreign lands after having served several dozen terms. They often assist in the maintenance of roads and bridges, being some of the few masons trained in the Ancient Corani method of bridge building. The Ancient Corani bridges that dot Western Hârn have stood for hundreds of years and most foreign potentates know that, with proper care and maintenance, they should stand for hundreds more. Naturally the Fabrica are compensated appropriately - and that compensation must be appropriately divided amongst the cohort.

Mustering Out

A Milities Fabrica may, after several terms of service retire to a bonded craftsmen's contract with the legion. As a Bonded Crafts masters - the Milities Fabrica must be a master craftsman in good standing with his guild.

The legion will provide the retired Milities Fabrica with a shop and basic equipment. He is then paid 10d every 10day regardless of what he produces. He may also use the site, and the tools, to make goods for private sale. He can bring in apprentices and use the legionaries stationed nearby as free labor.

In return he is expected to produce goods to the legion specification, within a reasonable number of days. If he fails to meet either his quotas or his deadlines, his pay is penalized. Repeated failures can result in his being fired by the legion, or having to pay heavy fines.

Awards and Achievements

The Milities Fabrica has no "official" awards or achievements, although they are eligible for those given to Milities Linari. The ultimate award for a Milities Fabrica is their freedom; a release from their bond to the legion. The ultimate achievement is to be a master in their chosen guild. Unfortunately, very few Milities Linari ever achieve such high aspirations.

Becoming a Reservist

No Milities Fabrica can become a Reservist unless they give up their rank of Milities Fabrica and serve one full term as a Milities Linari at the reduced rate of pay. Only then, after a full tour of duty, may the ex-Fabrica opt to become a reservist, serving 9 ten-days a year. Those who do opt to become a reservist loose the status and the title as well as the additional pay.

Becoming a Regular Again

While it is rare, occasionally, a Milities Fabrica will want to become a Regular. To do this he or she must petition the local Triberties and once again pass the entrance examination.

Promotions

While a Milities Fabrica has the same promotional prospects as a Milities Linari, it is most likely that they will only be promoted when they retire into a private life as a bonded craftsman for the legion.

Retirement

Most bonded Crafts masters working in legion outposts and fortresses are retired Milities Fabrica. To their guild, and the common folk around them, they are craftsmen, but to the legion, and its legionnaires - they will always be legionnaires. Social privileges (like eating and drinking with the legionnaires) are granted freely to Bonded Craftsmen.

But...What about...

The Milities Fabrica gains all the training, equipment, armour and tactics mentioned in the Tenacus article. Only those things unique to this rank are mentioned here.

The Guild of Arcane Lore

This prestigious guild produces scribes, engineers (general - no specialties), cartographers, mathematicians, philosophers, scholars and mages. Although that last one is as much rumor as it is truth.

Calling a Milities...

When addressing a Milities Fabrica, civilians are suppose to use their full title, although many shorten it to "Milities". Neither clan names or guild ranks are suppose to be used by the Milities when introducing themselves, but many do.

Showing Rank

Ranks are denoted not only by the type of armorment worn, but by the colors on the cloak. Milities Fabrica have a black cloak with a red stripe down its center.

Good Lineage

A slang term used throughout the legion to insinuate it was the person's birth, or wealth, rather than skill that earned them their benefits or rank.

Clerk Skills

If the Milities Fabrica becomes a clerk, he gains the following skills during the second trimester:

Skill	Bonus or OML
Lakeese	+10
Mathematics	/3
MO: Legion	+2 OML

Huntsman Skills

If the Milities Fabrica becomes a huntsman, he gains he following skills during the second trimester:

Skill	Bonus or OML
Hunting or Fishing	+1 OML
Tracking	+2 OML
Trapping	+1 OML

Fabrica Skills

If a Milities Fabrica chooses to serve with the Milities Linari, most will assume him to be a mage.

If they serve with a bonded craftsman, the legionnaires will call him journeyman - often before his guild gives him the title.

Daily Life

Life for a Milities Fabrica is no less strict or organized than that of the Milities Linari, but it does differ after their second trimester depending on their career path.

Clerks serve in the provincial legion district headquarters primarily, with only the senior-most serving in lesser fortifications, as needed. Their days are identical in their tasks as they try to track the amount of taxes paid to the legion, the amount of foods consumed and goods purchased.

Hunters serve wherever they are posted, but have a preference for serving in outlying areas. They are expected to help feed the legion, and act as trackers whenever necessary.

Milities Fabrica who serve with a Tenacus act as a Primus during the Milities Linari's Labours, and are expected to set a good example when they perform chores. When on Patrols, they choose the spot and both set up and tear down encampments.

The Milities Fabrica has the status of being trusted by his Tenacus and honored for this skills. The fact that most assume him to have magical abilities is both a blessing and a curse.

Being responsible for the Tenacus's monies means those with sticky fingers tend to have short lives. Fabricas with good cooking skills are highly profitable.

Most Milities Fabrica specialize in road building. A lazy Milities Fabrica is suppose to be a contradiction in terms.

Demotions & Payments

The Milities Fabrica is as much a merchant as a soldier. Fines are rare, instead the legion tends to demand more goods in trade than coin from a craftsman, or more food from a huntsman. Demotions are not, technically possible due in fact to the shortage of Milities Fabrica available; but any Milities Fabrica can always be transferred to some variant on his carrier - for example a huntsman can be given a clerk's duties and vice versa. Milities Fabrica are expected to produce goods to remove or reduce fines during their free time.

Social Ranks & The Legion

Milities Fabrica are the middle class of the legion. They have the education of the upper classes and the life and wealth of the lower classes. As such, their dealings with the other social castes tends to be misleading. Most know how to deal with the various castes as if they were, themselves, a member. This new level of familiarity can cause members of other castes to believe the Milities Fabrica is one of them. While dangerous, it does provide access to certain luxuries and wealth.

It should be noted that anyone claiming a higher caste then they ought is usually sent to the slave mines to live out the rest of their very short lives.

Most Milities Fabrica are citizens if they have parents who work in the upper ranks of a guild. Those who are not citizens often expect to acquire citizenship, not through retirement as a Milities Linari would, but through his guild - by becoming a guild master with legion sponsorship.

Milities Fabrica, like officers, are allowed to own slaves. Officially the slaves are to help the Milities Fabrica produce goods for the legion, although few Fabrica can resist the idea of having a slave to take care of their personal requirements as well. If a Milities Fabrica cannot afford a slave, the legion can "loan" him one during work hours.