Gear - Symbols

The Symbol is a personalized design that represents your character. They can be commissioned, purchased, or found adventuring. Whichever Symbol you equip, it personally identified your character. The population, when they see your symbol, knows that it represents your character and is appropriately impressed based on the central symbolic theme.

Symbols

Tattoo - Before anyone says something about Tattoo removal, we'll say these are of the Henna variety. These detailed skin decorations make your scarred body into a work of art. Tattoos range in intimidation from the Heart to the Reaper, the Reaper of course doing the most to enhance the wearer's Toughness but somehow diminishes their personal Charm. Primary Commanders will earn the right to wear a Tattoo somewhere in their mid-levels but Secondary Commanders never will. Creating a Tattoo requires Dyes and Paper, creating something you can take to your local Henna artist.

Signature - The word of a Noble is rather important. Equipping a Signature is a technological advance, allowing Primary Noble characters to represent their word at a distance, and in permanent form. Equipping this recognizable way of self-representation raises your apparent Charm and Mettle among your peers and is an impressive way to say that you're busy enough to make the investment worth it. Crafting a new unique Signature requires nothing but dyes and paper and a steady hand (and a Symbol-Crafting building). Secondary Nobles who are not the Courtier will never equip a Signature.

Brand - When a Trader adopts a symbol, they put it on everything. Crates, Signs, bags, pack animals, hats... everything. This makes adopting a Brand extra useful to these industrious characters. Like most Symbols, this piece of gear can only be unlocked through the Primary class path, secondary Traders never gaining access to the Brand. Each unique symbol, made into a universal stamp, raises the equipping trader's Management and Guile attributes. Crafting each Brand requires Paper and a little bit of Glass and the appropriate buildings. 

Illumination - Priests are often put to work reproducing the precious written documents of their church. Usually these are supposed to be holy, anonymous work but clergy throughout history have found little ways to mark their work. Sometimes it seems almost incidental, like doodles in the margin. Some are in the unique details of their first-letter illuminations. These special designs can be commissioned and purchased so you too can be recognized even while doing humble work. Each Illumination requires Gold Florins and Paper to craft, as they must be both delicate and subtle. Based on quality, they can enhance the Fervor and Charm of their users.

Sigil - The Sigil is the only Symbol that is available in both the Primary and Secondary class ability chains. This means that eventually a Wizard hero will be able to equip two Sigils. These not-very-subtle glowing symbols represent your mastery of the mysteries and certainly causes the population to think twice before causing trouble when you're nearby. Each Sigil, based on quality, improves the wearer's functional Judgement and Reason. Like other symbols, they require paper to craft along with the magic essence of a few Black Pearls.

Crest - The Crest is the final piece of equipment a character earns on the Lord ability path. Like other Lord gear, no character can equip more than one of each category, as there is no Primary lord class. Any character seen wearing a Crest, even the cheapest Crest, must be an powerful and experienced Lord character. To craft these prestigious items, characters need only dedicate a few Linen and Paper to the process, and like all Gear, they can be purchased on the market and possibly earned from Actions and Scenarios. While even owning a crest is impressive, each also improves the wearer's Influence and Leadership. Heroes need not envy crests, because they don't have Leadership and Influence to boost.