Trainer FAQ - Guide for Arcanum: of Steamworks & Magick Obscura

                  Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura
                              Trainer FAQ v.99
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                     by Setsuna 
                              Created 9-5-2001
                           last modified 9-11-2001

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                                   PREAMBLE

I have taken it upon myself to release the next in-depth guide to help out
all the Arcanum players who want help, since there is a shortage of good
Arcanum material out there.

Introducing the Trainer guide, which will list down the masters, experts and
apprentices who can train you in their respective crafts. Now, this list is
by no means complete, will not likely be complete for some time, because 
there are so many prospective trainers for apprentices, and more to the point
I have this annoying thing called a job which is preventing me from playing
this game to my heart's content.

Still, there's a lot of good info here which should make life easier, or at 
least more convenient, for you. If you have anything to contribute, do not 
hesitate. Let's not be tight-fisted here, let's share the wealth with everyone!
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GENERAL TRAINING INFORMATION

Being an Apprentice will give you a slight bonus to the skill. Being
an Expert gives you a larger bonus, and being a Master gives you a
massive bonus. The bonus depends on the skill. For instance, if you
are a master at Haggling you will get a large percentage discount
to any purchase. If you are a master firearms master, you get a bonus
to hit and to damage, as well as a speed bonus to your weapon, etc.

One day I might list down each exact bonus for each skill. But I will 
likely do that in a real Arcanum FAQ/Walkthrough, and not this measly 
little trainer supplement.

Apprentice training is literally all over the place. It is hard not
to find an apprentice trainer. Just ask around and you'll usually
find an apprentice trainer. Typically you can get apprentice training
for most skills in any major city or town. Expert trainers are 
different, there are usually only two or three expert trainers for a
particular skill. There is only one Master for any skill.

Side Note: When you gain master status, the designers of the game were
kind enough to give you the option of icing the master who just trained
you, so that "There can be only One." If you're an evil-sort of guy I'm
pretty sure you will be over-joyed at this news. Talk about "Biting the
Hand that feeds you."

(I wonder if there is a reputation "Master Killer?")

Now, Apprentice training usually costs 80 to 100 gold. I think you can
get a discount for this if you have haggling skill. Expert training is 
500, and as far as I can tell it's a fixed price, regardless of haggling
power. Master Training is totally different, it usually requires you to
both find the master (usually a tough act in itself) AND doing some sort 
of quest or fulfilling a special requirement. 

IMPORTANT! 

Before you receive Master Training, be sure you are an expert and that you 
have something like 4 skill points invested in the skill, if not maxing it 
out with 5. Usually you will not be able to trigger the Master Training 
option if you do not have at least Expert Skill with 4 points. In some cases, 
like the Pick Pockets, you can receive Master Training without Expert skill, 
but your skill WILL NOT UPGRADE and you will be screwed forever because you
can only receive Master Training once, so don't try it. 


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The Trainers
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**** COMBAT SKILLS ****

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BOW
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Apprentice - Any Elite Bow Guard (Derhholm)
Expert - any Elite Bow Captain (Caladon)
Master - Kietzel Pierce (Anabelle's Galley, Blackroot)
       * You will first find Mr. Pierce in the inn in Blackroot. 
         When you first talk to him he will give you a quest to find his
         wayward apprentice, Mr. Dudley. The loser can be found walking
         around Dernholm (he is one of the bow captains). After finishing
         this quest, talk to Kietzel again (likely he will be in the Caladon
         inn now, where you find the 2nd clue to the the Prowling Master).
         Now ask him to train you, and he will give you a quest to find a
         legendary bow. He will mark the dungeon on your map. You can either
         find the bow for him or pay him 2000 gold to train you. The bow
         itself is relatively easy to find, but isn't really very good a bow;
         Elumin's bow (from the Qintarra) is still the best magical bow in 
         the game. Anyway, to find the bow, you will have to shoot the fire
         at the end of the first floor of the dungeon. This will transport
         you to the next stage, so don't give up if you can't seem to find
         the bow. Just shoot the fire.

         NOTE: does anyone know where to find Boat Rigging or a Compound Bow?
         I have been trying for ages to make a Pyrotechnic Bow but I am
         lacking these ingredients.         

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DODGE
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Apprentice - Any Guard 
Expert - Hekmer Oggdoddler (center island, Blackroot)
Master - Adkin Chambers (shack, Still Water)
       * Adkin Chambers has this long-standing rivalry with the Master of 
         Melee, Garit whatsisname in Derhholm. I'll leave the story to you
         to find out. But if you want Mr. Chamber's training, you will have
         to kill Garit. Once that's done, Mr. Chambers will be more than
         happy to train you.

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MELEE
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Apprentice - Any Guard
Expert - Hekmer Oggdoddler (center island, Blackroot)
       - a dwarf in the Wheel Clan I think will also train you
Master - Garit whatsisname (Barracks or Palace, Dernholm)
       * You must do a quest for him. He will show you a place on the map
         where you can rescue the woman he is smitten with. Kill all her
         assailants and agree to her scheme. Then Garit will train you
         as the master, but if you want to learn the Master of Dodge skill
         you will likely have to fight the Master of Melee afterwards. Just
         be careful here if you want to do all the quest.

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THROWING
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Apprentice - Any Guard
Expert - Lianna del Par (house, Dernholm)
Master - Clarissa Shalmo (Anabelle's Galley , Blackroot)
         She is the half-orc by the bar. I can't believe I missed her the
         first time around (I thought Clarissa was a human or elf, oh
         there goes my racial prejudice) ^_^   Anyway, like Mr. Pierce
         she will send you out on a quest to find a legendary throwing
         star. She will mark the dungeon where you need to go. Like the
         Legendary Bow Dungeon, you will have to shoot some fires out
         to progress. Here, though, there are three fires at a time and
         you have to shoot the right one. This dungeon is a little long,
         but fairly easy. Just stick it out and at the end you'll get
         the dumb throwing star.

**** THIEVING SKILLS ****

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BACKSTAB
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Apprentice - Magick Shop Clerk of Barach's Magerium in Tarant
           - Any thief city-dweller in the cities.
Expert - Any Thief Fence
Master - Edmund Craig (Roseborough)
         You will find Mr. Craig in a little house north of the dairy
         farms in Roseborough. Talk to him, he will be very edgy because
         he is in hiding. He will be so scared of you that you will have
         to almost force him to train you. Once he agrees, you will be
         the master, but as you leave he will try to kill you. So knock
         his block off and you are now the one and only backstab master
         in Arcanum! MWAHAHAHAHHAA!!

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PICK POCKETS
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Apprentice - Any thief in any major city (the guys who give you thief quests)
Expert - Poone (Poone's Flophouse, Tarant)
Master - Sammie White (Kensington Park, Tarant)
       * To receive his training, you must match wisecracks with this bastard.
         Talk to him, and keep insulting him like hell. He actually likes 
         being insulted. Then ask him why he likes insults, and be friendly
         with him (agree all the way). Then he will tell you to run around
         Tarant naked. This will give you the Pervert of Tarant reputation
         (reduces Reaction to you from people in Tarant, but who cares), and
         after you've received this rep you can talk to him again and he will
         grant you Master status. Now sneak up behind him and backstab him for
         all the misery he put you through.
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PROWLING
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Apprentice - Any Elite Bow Guard (Dernholm)
Expert - Any Elite Bow Captain (Caladon)
       - Any Thief Fence boss (e.g. - Mr. Black in Tarant)
Master - Albert Leek (Sobbing Onion, Caladon)
       * To receive his training, the hard part is actually finding him.
         Whoever trained you as an expert will give you a scroll with four
         parts. Each part has a riddle which you must solve, to lead you to
         the next part. Frankly I never figured it out past the 2nd part, but
         someone told me that the guy in the Sobbing Onion was the master.
         Anyway, go to Mr. Leek and ask him to buy you a drink. Keep drinking
         until you're so wasted that you journal looks like demented crud and
         you're talking like a simpleton. Anyway, after several drinks you
         can ask Mr. Leek about prowling training and he will admit being 
         the master. Receive your training and sleep the booze off. ^_^

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SPOT TRAPS
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Apprentice - most human guards anywhere
           - any low-level thief anywhere
Expert - Hakmer Oggdoddler (or however you spell his name) in Blackroot
       - supposedly someone in the Wheel Clan can teach you too
Master - Fred Fitzgerald (40 Polton Cross, Tarant)
         Mr. Fitzgerald is found in 40 Polton Cross, not the Bride's Dale
         Inn where he is supposed to have a room. Anyway, he will tell you
         of a mage castle (he will mark this on his map) which is loaded
         with traps, and you must get in and retrieve a magical (but frankly
         next to useless) staff. Just make your way through (if you can
         disarm traps this will be very easy) and either unlock or break
         the chest at the end of the dungeon. The staff is inside. You
         will also face the most evil and the most magical opponent in the
         game -- the lich of the wizard who owns the castle. Don't worry
         though, he's a piece of cake. 

**** SOCIAL SKILLS ****

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GAMBLING
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Apprentice - any Barfly who gambles (the ones who ask you a question)
Expert - any Bartender 
Master - Gurin Rockhollow (Gentleman's Club, Tarant)
       * This dwarf has a big ego problem, so knock him down a few pegs by
         gambling with him and taking all his money. Word of caution: he
         only plays for stakes of 1,000 or 2,000 gold, and he has something
         like 5,000 gold. If you're even half-way intelligent and have full
         gambling skill and are an expert, you shouldn't have any trouble
         cleaning his purse. Once you win enough from him he will name you
         master.

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HAGGLE
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Apprentice - practically any Shopkeeper can teach you this
Expert - any Bartender
Master - JM Morat (Grant's Tavern, Tarant)
       * This guy wants you to pay him 10,000 gold so he can retire a happy
         man. Now I haven't figured out any way to get him to train you
         in any other way. If it's a little steep for you you can try to
         kill him afterwards to get your money back. ^_^ He has two big 
         ogre goons, though, so be prepared. I am wondering why the mind
         persuasion potions don't seem to work in forcing these people to
         do your bidding....

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HEAL
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Apprentice - any Herbshop clerk
Expert - most Herbshop clerks also offer Expert Training
Master - Fawn (Quintarra)
       * Fawn is found directly south east from the first tree you go up
         to in Quintarra. The only problem with her is that she won't
         train you if you're not good enough. I think your alignment
         has to be 50 or something, I'm not too sure about the exact
         amount.

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PERSUASION
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Apprentice - any Tailor
Expert - the Tailor in Ashbury can offer this (I forget his name)
Master - Mr. Willoughsby (Council Chairman in Tarant)
       * He is also supposed to be found in Caladon, though I have yet to
         find him there. Likely he will be in the palace. 
         This is the only training which I have not personally verified.
         Anyway, I am told that once you complete a quest for him to 
         be a dimplomat for Caladon, he will train you. Unfortunately, I
         haven't quite managed to receive his quest. I am told that, in
         order to get the quest from him, you will must have 5 levels in
         persuasion plus expert training, AND you must have done the
         Mayor of Ashbury's statue quest. I have not tested this out
         yet, but I am told this is how to get his trust. 


**** TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS ****

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REPAIR
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Apprentice - any Blacksmith
Expert - the Blacksmith in Blackroot offers this
       - Garret Almstead (Blacksmith, Ashbury) I think he too offers this
Master - Hieronymous Maxim (Factory down Old King's Way, Caladon)
       * Just help him out with his quest and he will be grateful. You'll
         need the camera from the crashsite.

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FIREARMS
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Apprentice - any Firearms shopkeeper
Expert - Oggdoddler again (Blackroot)
       - Doc Roberts (Shrouded Hills)
Master - Willy Thorndop (Southern Ashbury)
       * This moron cut his thumbs off so he's reluctant to train you. ^_^
         Still some dwarf will run up and say his wife was kidnapped. You
         will have to rescue her successfully (don't let her get killed!)
         and he will train you if you press him hard enough.

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PICK LOCKS
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Apprentice - Mellik Bungerton (The Boil, Tarrant)
           - Most blacksmiths in Arcanum
           - Any Thief (the guys who give you Underground quests)
Expert - Garret Almstead (Blacksmith, Ashbury)
Master - JT Morgan (Caladon, Prison) 
       * To receive his training, you must break into Caladon's prison,
         then talk to him. Accept his quest to help him, then go to his
         mother in Roseborough. She will give you his master tool kit.
         Bring this back to him and receive your Master title.

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DISARM TRAPS
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Apprentice - Mellik Bungerton (The Boil, Tarant)
           - I think any low-level thief can train you in this as well
Expert - Adam Maxwell (24 Dragon's Turnabout, Caladon)
Master - Daniel MacPharson (right across Mr. Maxwell, Caladon)
       * To receive his training, you must go through the gauntlet and 
         jump down his hell-hole training maze and get back up. This is
         quite time-consuming, damn the bastard, and it can be dangerous.
         Basically he tells you to run through his trap maze and survive.
         Try to go in with good Trap Spotting skil, or bring a Flow
         Spectrometer. If you can, bring a couple dozen Trap Spring devices.
         Or a ton of healing potions/salves, plus poison curing stuff, 
         depending on your magical or technological bent. You'll be taking 
         lots of damage down there, and your Expert Trap Disarm skill will 
         not be enough to take out all the traps. Anyway, once you run it
         through and go back up he will name you Master.



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CREDITS

Okay, a ton of people have writetn in to me since last week. It's hard to 
credit everyone, but I'll list down everyone who wrote in since last week.

Graham - for having psychadelic e-mail background color ^^
Jason Thomas - for throw and bow people
Karui Kage - for his tender concern and offer of help ^_^
Charles Djohan - detailed instructions on three masters
Stanley Williams - also wrote in about Dudley 
Bryan McNerney - wrote in about the four masters I hadn't found in v.01
Daniel Bauman - also wrote in about the half-orc Shalmo
meng chee - for asking for my ICQ number. ^^ Trap man is not in roseborough
Fred Bertram - told me about the throwing master
Eric Roadifer - wrote in about Dudley, man Dudley is popular
Shawn Gumbleton - told me about the Ashbury Mayor Statue thing 
Sam Meachem - for reminding me that Willy Thorndop cut off his index fingers

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LEGALESE

This FAQ is copyrighted by me. Please don't steal from it. Unlike the
other FAQ, this one is not teaching you how to be a thief. ^_^

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ADDENDUM

This FAQ is almost finished, I only need to confirm the Persuasion Master
Training (which I will do when I have the spare time). In the final version
I shall try to list down every single apprentice and expert trainer, but
that task seems daunting. I will probably also fix up the writing of this
FAQ. If I can get my hands on an original copy of this game I will then
write out as many details about Apprentice, Expert and Master level training.

If I'm lucky, and if no one else has made one by then, I will then
proceed to make the main Arcanum FAQ/Walkthrough. I noticed that someone
has already posted a quest FAQ. Damn! Someone beat me to it. ^_^

Ah well, until then, so mote it be! (whatever that means)