Risus Mediævalis

Adventuring in the Middle Ages is a lot of fun, not least because of its tendency to traipse freely across the line dividing what is known from what is mystery. From Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales to the legends of Robin Hood, there is a wealth of stories for GM's and players to draw from.

Generally speaking, four social clichés dominated medieval Europe, each populated by a colourful variety of characters and professions:

Nobility
Clergy
Merchant Guildsmen
Craftsmen & Laborers

Out of the last two, a unique kind of association arose during the High Middle Ages.

I - The Thing About Guilds

Guilds originally formed as "brotherhoods" of tradesmen operating in a single city and covering a single trade with the intention of safeguarding their common interests. There were several types of guilds, including the two main categories of Merchant Guilds and Craft Guilds, but Frith Guilds and Religious Guilds existed as well.

Organization

Guilds were organized as something between a Professional Association, a Trade Union, a Cartel, and a Secret Society. They sometimes depended on grants of letters patent from a Monarch to enforce the flow of trade to their self-employed members, and to retain ownership of tools and materials supply. But generally, guilds were overseen by the City Government.

Influence

In many cases, guilds rose to become the governing body of the town, in which case the guildhalls used for meetings doubled as magistrate seats and town halls. A notable consequence of the guild framework was the emergence of Universities at Bologna, Oxford and Paris in the 11ᵗʰ to 12ᵗʰ centuries. These originated as guilds of Students (Bologna) and Masters (Paris).

Guild Rules

In medieval cities, a key “privilege” was that only guild members were allowed to sell their goods or practice their skills within the city. There might be controls on minimum or maximum prices, hours of trading, numbers of Apprentices, among many other things. Guild members found guilty of cheating the public would be fined or banned from membership. Guilds of Textile Workers, Masons, Carpenters, Carvers, Glass-workers, etc. carefully controlled the impartation of their technological secrets—the “arts” or “mysteries” of their craft. Sometimes this had the effect of maintaining a good quality of work. Other times it reduced free competition, with rules making it difficult or impossible for women and new immigrants to run businesses or find work (note that Jews were a class of their own during the medieval period). Not all city economies were controlled by guilds; some, like Nuremberg, were “free.”

Composition

By the mid-13ᵗʰ century there were no less than 100 guilds in Paris, a figure which by the 14ᵗʰ century had risen to 350. Individual kinds of metalworkers—Farriers, Knife-makers, Locksmiths, Chain-forgers, Nail-makers)—and armourers—Helmet-makers, Escutcheon-makers, Harness-makers, Harness-polishers—often chose to form separate and distinct corporations. Some cities grouped trades functionally—e.g. Butchers, Leatherworkers and Furriers—while guilds that were not large enough to sustain a full complement of officers were linked in peculiar combinations. At Cologne, the Saddlers were grouped together with the Artists, Escutcheon-makers and Glassblowers, probably because they decorated their saddles. The guild of Doctors and Druggists at Florence included Painters, who in turn included subgroups ranging from Artists to Mattress-workers to Box-makers. Some guilds grew more powerful and wielded greater influence than others. Later, the merchant class increasingly came to sway the means of production and venture capital away from the more conservative craft guilds.

Greater and Lesser Guilds

At one point, in Florence, Italy, there were 7 to 12 greater guilds and 14 lesser guilds. The most important of the former were the Judges and Notaries, who handled the legal business of all other guilds and often served as dispute arbitrators. Other greater guilds included Woolmen, Silkmercers, Moneychangers, Doctors, Druggists, and Furriers. Among the lesser guilds, were those for Bakers, Saddlemakers, Ironworkers and other artisans. The latter did have sizable membership, but lacked the political and social clout necessary to influence city affairs.

Game Note: In a campaign, just before the PC's enter a new town, the GM might roll at random against VI. Big List of Medieval Clichés to determine the rank and composition of its greater and lesser guilds. A little discussion with your players on how those guilds may have risen to the top could lead to some inspirational roleplay.

Women in Guilds

For the most part, medieval guilds limited women’s participation, and usually only the Widows and Daughters of known Masters were allowed to join. Records show women as members of the Glassblower, Mailmaker, Silkmaker, and sometimes Surgeons’ guilds, though nearly all Healer Guilds forbade women (medicine being thought a male-only practice). Entertainment Guilds did have a significant number of women members, e.g. Musicians. Most businesswomen, however, were independent traders of low status and poor pay—a tax return from 1381 shows a large number engaged as Hucksters, Spinsters, Shepsters and Laundresses.

II - The Guildsman's Journey

Hired as an Apprentice

A guild’s Founder was usually a Free and Independent Master Craftsman who hired Apprentices. Apprentices were typically not taught more than the most basic techniques until they could be trusted by their peers to keep the guild’s secrets, and were usually unpaid. In fact, families of would-be Apprentices were known to pay Masters to take them on. Nonetheless, this began a lifetime progression of Apprentice to Journeyman, and eventually to the widely recognized status of Master and Grandmaster.

Journeymen Years

Unlike Apprentices, Journeymen could work for other Masters and were generally paid by the day. After being employed for several years, and producing a qualifying piece of work, the Apprentice was granted the rank of Journeyman and given letters which certified him as such. This entitled him to travel to other towns and countries to learn the art from other Masters, a three-year voyage called journeyman years. These journeys could span large parts of Europe and were an unofficial way of communicating new methods and techniques, though by no means did all Journeymen travel this way.

Received as a Master

After this journey, plus several years of experience, a Journeyman could be received as a Master Craftsman. This required the approval of all Guild Masters, a donation of money and other goods (oft omitted for sons of existing members), and the production of a Masterpiece. This masterwork was to evidence the full abilities of the aspiring master, and was retained by the guild.

III - Creating a Medieval Character

Choose a Profession

Want to try rolling an occupation for your character?

Roll 1d21 and find that category number in VI. Big List of Medieval Clichés.
Roll 1dx where x is equal to the number of professions in that category.
Find your profession and incorporate it into a suitable cliché.

Compose a Fictional Name

One method for creating a made-up name is to take your real name and

change every consonant to the next consonant in the alphabet, and
do the same for every vowel, with u or y circling back to a.

For example, rolling 1d21 I get a 12, which corresponds to Craftsmen (Mining & Stonecraft). This category has 19 professions, so I roll 1d19, getting a 6. Checking the list, it turns out that my character is engaged as a Diamantaire, a highly skilled craftsmen capable of turning rough diamonds into finished gemstones. That's pretty cool. Economically, the PC should be sound as diamonds were treasured as gemstones since they were used as religious icons in ancient India. They're also in demand as engraving tools for as long as anyone can remember.

For the second step, I decide to use my own name. Colin MacIntyre becomes Dumop Nedopvasi. Sounds like it's of some obscure Indian origin, perfect for my ideas for the character. But first, what about going the other direction, alphabetically? Hm, Bikem Lybemsupa. Shades of Africa perhaps? But, alliteration wins out and my first cliché is clear (excuse the pun): Dumop Nedopvasi the Sharp-eyed Diamantaire (4).

Appendix

1 - Ranks 'n' Titles

(from greatest to least)

Peer Nobility

Emperor/Empress
King/Queen
Archduke/Archduchess
Prince/Princess
Marquis/Marquess
Count/Countess
Viscount/Viscountess
Baron/Baroness

Landed Gentry

Baronet/Baronetess
Knight/Dame
Esquire
Gentleman

Commoners

Yeoman/Franklin
Free tenant/Husbandman
Serf/Villein/Bordar/Cottar
Domestic servant
Vagabond
Slave

2 - Craftsmen (by Frequency)

The following is derived from a 1292 Paris tax list found in the book Life in a Medieval City. It's a glimpse into another world, at the craft occupations common to the period:

366— Shoemaker (1)

214— Furrier (1)

197— Tailor (1)

131— Jeweler (1)

106— Pastrycook (1)

104— Mason (1)

95 — Carpenter (2)

86 — Weaver (2)

71 — Chandler (2)

70 — Cooper (2)

62 — Baker (2)

58 — Scabbardmaker (2)

54 — Hatmaker (2)

51 — Saddler (2)

51 — Chicken butcher (2)

45 — Pursemaker (3)

42 — Meat butcher (3)

36 — Bucklemaker (3)

34 — Blacksmith (3)

28 — Roofer (3)

27 — Locksmith (4)

26 — Ropemaker (4)

24 — Tanner (4)

24 — Rugmaker (4)

24 — Harnessmaker (4)

23 — Bleacher (4)

22 — Cutler (4)

21 — Glover (4)

The number to the left indicates the reported number engaged in each craft, while on the right I’ve appended a rough cliché rating. This could be used against characters contesting a search for a needed service (if you count Paris as typical of a medieval town). Unlisted crafts might be given an even higher rating.

3 - Big List of Medieval Clichés

1. Officials

Ale-conner ensures the goodness and wholesomeness of bread, ale and beer
Bailiff, Reeve, Shire-reeve, Sheriff an officer responsible for carrying out the decisions of a court, serving summonses and orders, and executing warrants
Captain of the Guard
Castellan a manager of a castle’s operation and defence on behalf of an absentee owner
Catchpole in exchange for a lump sum, a man authorized to collect taxes from a given area
Chamberlain
Chancellor
Chancery Clerk
Cofferer
Coin-stamper
Constable
Diplomat
Exchequer the man responsible for the king's revenue
Hayward, Hedgewarden a protector of livestock and crops from livestock; a cross between a herdsman, inspector, groundskeeper and lookout
Herald
Jailer
Judge
Keeper of the Privy Seal
Keeper of the Rolls
Keeper of the Wardrobe
Landed Gentry
Landlord
Liner an officer in charge of tracing property boundaries in the city
Lord High Steward
Master of the Revels
Notary
Pinder a rounder up of stray animals, including cattle, horses, goats, chickens, etc. into the pinfold
Pursuivant an officer of arms
Steward, Seneschal an officer having full charge of domestic arrangements and the administration of servants in a royal household
Summoner officer of the court who serves subpoenas
Tax Collector
Toll Keeper
Town Crier
Treasurer
Watchman
Woodward

2. Clergy

Abbot, Abbess the head of a monastery and convent, respectively
Almoner a chaplain or church officer in charge of distributing money to the deserving poor
Anchorite, Anchoress one who withdraws from secular society to lead an intensely prayer-oriented, ascetic, or Eucharist-focused life
Archbishop, Metropolitan
Beadle an official of a church or synagogue who may usher, keep order, make reports, and assist in religious functions
Beguine, Beghard Christian lay religious orders active in Northern Europe
Bishop, Primate
Canon
Cantor
Cardinal
Cathar perfect
Chantry priest
Chaplain
Clerk, Clark a church secretary
Colporteur a distributor of religious tracts and books esp. during the religious controversies of the Reformation
Curate assistant to a parish priest
Friar
Hermit
Monk
Nun
Ostiary, Porter a church's doorkeeper
Pardoner
Parish Priest
Priest
Prior the deputy of the abbot or the superior of a monastery that did not have the status of an abbey
Sacristan prepares all the objects and religious clothing required by the priest for mass
Sexton, Verger charged with the maintenance of church buildings and/or the surrounding graveyard
Summoner to episcopal courts

3. Artists & Scholars

Alchemist
Amanuensis
Artist
Astrologer
Calligrapher
Cartographer
Composer
Dean
Fresco painter
Glasspainter
Herbalist
Illuminator a decorator of manuscripts and books
Librarian
Mathematician
Miniaturist a painter of miniatures, i.e. small paintings decorating icons or books
Limner a painter of portraits and miniatures
Painter
Philosopher
Poet
Sculptor
Scribe, Scrivener
Tutor
Writer

4. Soldiery

Arbalestier wields a larger crossbow variation, introduced in the 12ᵗʰ century
Archer, Bowman
Argolet, Argoletier a light mounted soldier; a mounted bowman
Bodyguard
Captain
Crossbowman
Drummer
Guardsman
Halberdier
Knifeman
Knight, Chevalier
Knight Errant wandering in search of chivalrous adventures
Knight Hospitaller
Knight of St. Lazarus
Knight Templar
Mercenary
Militia
Page a boy in training for knighthood, ranking next below a squire in the personal service of a knight
Pikeman
Scout
Sergeant
Sergeant-at-arms
Spearman
Spy
Squire a young nobleman in training for knighthood, acting as a knight’s attendant
Teutonic Knight
Watchman

5. Medicine

Alchemist
Apothecary, Druggist
Barber-chirurgeon a performer of minor surgical procedures, e.g. bloodletting, cupping therapy or pulling teeth, as well as the work of a barber, e.g. bathing, cutting hair, shaving or trimming facial hair, and giving enemas
Chirurgeon, Surgeon
Cunning man, Folk healer, Wise woman practitioners of folk medicine, folk magic, and divination starting from the 15ᵗʰ century
Doctor, Physician
Leech, Bloodman, Bloodletter
Horseleech a veterinarian
Midwife, Accoucheur (m.), Accoucheus (f.)
Nurse
Pissprophet a doctor who diagnosed disease from a patient's urine, specifically the sight, smell, and taste
Toad doctor practitioners of medicinal folk magic, operating in western England, known to heal "the King's Evil" (a skin disease), though also other ailments including those resulting from witchcraft

6. Merchants

Acater a food provisioner
Alewife
Banker
Beer seller
Boothman one who mans a booth, such as at a fair or Thing
Cloth merchant a distributor of cloth, incl. overseas trade
Costermonger a seller of goods, especially fruit and vegetables, from a handcart in the street
Drover one who drives cattle or sheep
Eggler a dealer in eggs
Fishmonger
Fueller a supplier of fuel to feed fires
Glass seller
Greengrocer, Fruiterer a dealer in fruits and vegetables
Grocer, Purveyor a wholesaler of spices, peppers and sugar
Guild Master
Haberdasher a dealer in sewn and fine fabrics, e.g. silk
Hay merchant
Hetheleder a provider of heather for fuel
Huckster
Innkeeper
Ironmonger, Feroner a dealer in metal hardware, such as pokers, fire-shovels, tongs, jacks, spits, locks and hinges
Linener, Linen-draper
Mercer a dealer in fine cloth not produced locally
Milkmaid
Moneychanger
Oil merchant, Oynter
Old-clothes dealer
Peddler, Chapman a dealer of goods; usually itinerant
Pie seller
Plumer a dealer in feathers
Poulter
Ragpicker, Chiffonnier, Rag-and-bone man, Bag board, Totter a collector of unwanted household items for sale to merchants
Salter a dealer in salt
Silkmercer a dealer in silk
Spice merchant, Spicer
Stationer
Taverner
Thresher
Unguentary
Waterseller
Wine seller
Woolman, Wool stapler a dealer in wool, who sorts it according to the staple or fiber
Woodmonger

7. Craftsmen (Clothing & Textiles)

Bleacher a mill worker who whitened textiles or paper
Canvasser a maker of canvas
Carder disentangles, cleans and intermixes wool
Clothier a producer of cloth (often wool)
Corsetier
Draper, Drapier retailer or wholesaler of cloth used mainly for clothing
Dyer
Embroiderer, Broderer a decorator of fabric with stitched designs
Fabricshearer
Feltmaker
Fuller cleans and thickens cloth by beating it
Furrier, Skinner a dealer in furs and hides
Hatmaker, Hatter
Lacemaker, Pointer
Linenspinner, Tasseler
Marleywoman a maker of marli, a type of gauze used for embroidery
Milliner a maker of womens’ hats and clothing
Napier a maker of table linen
Pursemaker
Quilter
Rugmaker, Rugweaver
Sailmaker
Seamstress, Shepster
Silkmaid
Silk-dresser readies silk for market, i.e. smoothing, stiffening, and folding it
Silkmaker
Silk-dyer
Silk-carder
Spinner, Spinster
Tailor
Tapestrymaker, Tapicer
Threadmaker
Upholder an upholsterer who makes seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers
Weaver, Webber
Woolcomber

8. Craftsmen (Food & Drink)

Baker
Brewer hangs a green branch over their door to signify the beer's ready
Chicken butcher
Cheesemaker
Confectioner
Cook, Trencherman
Meat butcher
Miller operates a mill, a machine used to grind grain to make flour
Pastrycook, Pasteler
Rectifier a distiller of alcohol
Saucemaker
Waferer a maker of wafers, a kind of cake

9. Craftsmen (Leatherwork)

Bottler, Bottelier a maker of leather bottles
Beltmaker
Bender a cutter of leather
Braider a maker of cord by twisting together leather threads or strips
Cobbler a repairer of shoes
Cordwainer, Shoemaker a maker of new shoes
Currier cures leather to improve it after tanning
Fellmonger a remover of hair or wool from hides in leather making
Girdler a maker of girdles and belts, chiefly for soldiery
Glover
Harness maker
Malemaker a maker of leather trunks
Parchmenter
Saddler
Scabbardmaker, Vaginarius
Tanner a preparer of leather
Tawer, Tawyer, Whittawer a preparer of white leather
Thonger maker of leather straps or laces

10. Craftsmen (Metalwork)

Bellfounder a caster of large civic or religious bells
Bellmaker maker of little bells that go on sleighs and clothing
Blacksmith
Brightsmith works with white or bright metals, e.g. tin.
Brazier worker of brass
Bronzefounder casts objects from bronze
Bucklemaker
Chainmaker, Chain-forger
Coiner, Minter, Mintmaster, Moneyer a minter of coins
Compass-smith
Coppersmith, Brownsmith
Cutler a maker or seller of cutlery
Foundryman a caster of metal
Gilder one who overlays with gold
Goldbeater a pounder of gold into thin leaves for use in gilding
Goldsmith
Grinder a sharpener of knives
Knife-maker
Latoner a worker in brass and latten (a brass-like alloy)
Leadworker, Plumber a worker in lead
Locksmith
Metalsmith
Nail-maker
Pewterer a maker of utensils in pewter, an alloy of tin and, usually, lead
Plattner beats out sheets of metal
Potmender
Scythesmith a maker of hand tools for mowing grass or reaping crops
Silversmith
Smelter
Tinker itinerant tinsmith who mends household utensils
Tinsmith
Typefounder designs and produces metal printing type for hand composition
Wiredrawer maker of gold and silver wire

11. Craftsmen (Mining & Stonecraft)

Alabasterer a worker of alabaster, a typically white, fine-grained, translucent form of gypsum often carved into ornaments
Bricker a maker or baker of bricks
Bricklayer
Ceiler an installer of ceilings
Delver, Ditcher a ditch digger, or worker in a stone quarry
Diamantaire a highly skilled craftsmen responsible for cutting, polishing and transforming a rough diamond into a finished gemstone
Gemcutter
Knapper one who mines flint in order to make arrowheads
Lapidary works with precious stones, usually other than diamonds
Limeburner one who burns limestone in order to obtain lime
Lorimer a maker of bits, spurs, and metal mountings for bridles and saddles
Mason
Miner
Quarryman
Roofer
Shingler
Stonecarver, Stonecutter workers of stone, everything from etching tombstones to carving tools and statues
Stonemason
Tilemaker, Tile-burner forms clay into tiles and bricks
Tile-theeker a roofer of tile

12. Craftsmen (Weapons & Armour)

Armoursmith
Arrowsmith
Bladesmith, Weaponsmith
Bowyer
Escutcheon-maker a maker of shields
Fletcher
Harness-maker
Harness-polisher
Helmet-maker
Lancier
Linen-armourer
Mailmaker
Poleturner a maker of polearms, e.g. spears, pikes, halberds
Stringer a maker of bowstrings
Swordsmith

13. Craftsmen (Woodwork)

Arkwright a maker of chests, boxes, and coffers
Barker strips tanbark from trees to supply bark mills
Blockcutter hand-carves wooden blocks for printing fabrics or hat-making
Bodger a maker of chairs in the forest from felled trees
Cabinetmaker
Carpenter
Cartwright
Cooper, Drycooper (dry goods), Wetcooper (liquids) a maker or repairer of casks and barrels
Furniture maker
Joiner constructs joined frames and panels in room and furniture-making
Papermaker
Pattenmaker a maker of wooden-soled overshoes for use in muddy streets
Plasterer
Sawyer a cutter of timber, e.g. in shipbuilding; few had all ten digits
Shipwright
Treenmaker a maker of various small wood items
Turner a lathe worker who makes turned wooden objects, like chair legs
Wheeler a maker of spinning wheels
Wheelwright
Woodcarver
Woodcutter
Woodturner

14. Craftsmen (Other)

Architect, Master Builder
Bagger
Balancemaker
Basketmaker
Besom-maker a maker of brooms
Bonecarver
Bookbinder
Bookprinter
Broom-dasher a seller of brooms
Brushbinder
Builder
Buttonmaker
Cardmaker
Cartographer
Chandler, Waxchandler a maker and seller of candles, soaps, oils and paints
Charcoalburner
Clockmaker
Combmaker
Disher a potter who makes dishes
Enameller, Mailer
Engraver for printing, not to decorate items
Farrier a trimmer and shoer of horse hooves
Glassblower
Glazier maker of windows, bottles, goblets, alembic, etc.; among the richest craftsmen
Gravedigger
Hacker a maker of hoes
Horner works with horn to craft spoons, combs, musical instruments, etc.
Ivorist a carver of ivory
Jeweler
Knacker removes animal carcasses from farms or highways; makes by-products such as fats, tallow, glue, bone meal, bone char, sal ammoniac, soap, bleach and animal feed
Lampwright, Lanternmaker
Luthier builds and repairs stringed instruments with a neck and a sound box
Mapmaker
Marler a digger of marl, a type of soil used as fertilizer
Mirrorer
Nedeller a maker of needles
Netmaker
Oilmaker
Perfumer
Pinmaker
Potter
Printer
Reedmaker
Ropemaker, Roper
Saltboiler
Siever
Thacker, Thatcher covers roofs with thatch

15. Agriculturalists

Beekeeper
Cowherd
Dairymaid
Dungcarter
Farmer
Goatherd
Horse trainer
Peasant
Plowman, Ackerman
Reaper
Serf
Sheepshearer
Shepherd
Swineherd
Thresher
Tillerman
Vintner a maker of wine

16. Hunters, Gatherers, Fishermen

Bog Iron Hunter finds and extracts iron ore deposits in bogs
Climmer an egg hunter
Falconer, Hawker, Sperviter, Austringer
Fewterer a keeper of greyhounds
Fisherman
Forester a keeper and planter of trees
Fowler a hunter of wildfowl
Hunter
Huntsman a master of hounds and hunting guide
Leech-collector
Molecatcher
Oysterer
Purefinder old women and young girls who gathered dog droppings off the streets for use in tanning leather
Seaweed harvester
Shrimper a catcher of shrimp
Trapper
Weirkeeper a keeper of fish traps

17. Labourers (at Sea)

Bargeman
Boatman
Boatwright
Canaller
Ferryman
Hobbler
Lighterman a worker who operates a lighter, a type of flat-bottomed barge
Mariner
Navigator
Riverboat pilot
Sailor
Ship’s captain
Shipchandler
Ship provisioner
Waterman

18. Labourers (Other)

Accountant, Accomptant
Actuary a financial bookkeeper, a clerk
Attendent
Barrister
Bath attendant
Bather owner of a bath
Bodyguard
Bodyservant a valet or personal maid
Butler the chief manservant of a house
Carter, Cartier, Carman, Drayman a driver of carts
Carver
Cellarer a supervisor of the wine cellar
Chamberlain
Chimney sweep
Clouter fixes things
Coistsell a groom in charge of the care of a knight's horses
Collier a miner of coal
Copyist
Courtier
Dairymaid
Dapifer the servant who brings the meat to the table at a meal
Dog trainer
Dresser
Dung carter
Executioner
Famulus an assistant or servant, esp. one working for a magician or scholar.
Gamekeeper appointed by royalty to protect deer and wild boar on their lands
Gardener a specialist responsible for the upkeep and beauty of castles and estates, but also to build ditches and barriers in wartime
Gongfarmer cleans outhouses
Groom
Groom of the Stool male servant assisting the king in his toileting needs
Guide
Innkeeper
Laundress
Lawyer
Linkboy, Linkman a torchbearer who guides people at night
Maid, Maidservant
Marshal a horse tender
Messenger
Ostler, Hostler, Stabler a carer of horses at an inn
Panter a keeper of the pantry
Paperer (needlemaking)
Parker a keeper of parks
Pavior lays pavement
Pavyler puts up pavilions and tents
Porter carrier of goods (low status), or a door or gatekeeper (higher)
Potboy
Privycleaner
Procurator
Quartermaster
Raker a street sanitation worker
Ratcatcher
Restaurateur
Riveter
Royal food taster
Scullion, Scullery maid a servant assigned the most menial kitchen tasks
Serf
Servant
Sin-eater
Stablehand
Stainer one who stains wood
Stillroom maid
Tapster, Bartender, Barmaid one who draws ale, etc. at an inn
Teamster
Tenter an unskilled workman's assistant
Treadmill worker
Usurer
Wagoner
Waller
Water carrier
Wattler, Hurdlemaker a maker of wattle fences for sheep
Weeper
Wetnurse
Whipping Boy a boy educated alongside a prince who received corporal punishment for the prince's transgressions in his presence

19. Entertainers

Acrobat, Tumbler
Bard pro storyteller, verse-maker, music composer, oral historian and genealogist employed by a patron to commemorate their feats or ancestors. Originally a lower class poet in contrast to the august fili.
Bearleader, Bear-ward herds, trains or cares for bears
Dancer
Fiddler
Fili a high-ranking poet employed by a monarch or noble
Fortune Teller
Fool, Clown, Jester a joker or trickster hired to entertain a court
Harper
Juggler
Legerdemainist
Lutenist
Meistersinger a member of a German guild for lyric poetry, composition, and unaccompanied art song
Minnesänger a German singer of Minnesang, or love songs, esp. courtly love
Minstrel, (itinerant) Jongleur an entertainer
Mummer an actor in a pantomime, performing through gesture and face
Musician
Nakerer a player of the naker, a small kettle drum
Piper
Player, Actor
Playwright
Singer
Skáld a poet who composed at the courts of Scandinavian rulers
Storyteller
Troubadour (m.), Trobairitz (f.) a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages (~1170-1260)

20. Criminals

Bandit
Bawd (f.), Stewsman (m.) a pimp or brothel keeper
Boothaler, Robber, Freebooter
Burglar
Conman, Swindler
Courtesan a prostitute, esp. one with wealthy or upper-class clients
Fence
Footpad a highwayman, but on foot
Gambler
Highwayman typically mounted, holds up travelers to rob them
Pickpocket, Cutpurse, Diver, Thief
Poacher
Prostitute
Quack, Charlatan, Mountebank dishonest claimer of special knowledge and skill in some field, typically medicine
Shill (anach.) an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice others
Silk-snatcher a stealer of bonnets
Thimblerigger a sharper who runs a thimblerig (a game in which a pea is supposedly hidden under a thimble and players guess in which it is)

21. Unemployed, Enslaved or Hated

Beggar
Buffoon a publicly amusing person
Busker sings or plays music in public for money
Camp follower
Dwarf, Midget
Gypsy
Hermit
Jew
Pilgrim, Palmer
Transient
Squatter
Urchin, Vagabond
Slave

What else would you like to see in a medieval cookbook for Risus? Give me a shout at colin@empress.cards

In the meantime, roll on to a retrofit of the basic rules built for heavier campaigns. With old-school illustrations!

Or treat yourself to S. John Ross' beautifully researched treatment on ordinary people:

Sources: Guilds (Wikipedia); Shawn Vincent's Medieval Occupations; RootsWeb's Old Occupations; The Arcana Wiki's List of Medieval European Professions

Created 03/25/2020 during COVID-19

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