Lumber Lodge Clan Documentation, Rules and Policies

HIRING

- Do not hire beyond your clan’s designated Licensure without approval from said clan’s owner. The Lumber Lodge only hires woodworkers, metalworkers, armorers, and leatherworkers. Do not hire drapers, stoneworkers, jewelers, cooks, hunters, etc.
- Do not hire someone already hired by any other clan, which includes PC and NPC clans such as, but not limited to, the Guard or a PC-ran shop.
- Do not hire someone with poor social standing or reputation without approval from said clan’s owner such as, but not limited to, anyone with a criminal past or present.
- Do not give another PC access to the clan areas who is not an employee unless otherwise approved by the clan’s owner.

INTERVIEWING

- Use common sense when interviewing.
- Ask questions.
- Determine if this character will be a benefit and asset to your clan and not a drain on your finances.
- Ensure they are aware of your clan’s specialty and Licensed area.

PROBATION

- No matter the skill, capability, potential or standing – every PC has a probationary period in the clan no less than 1 OOC month unless otherwise approved by the clan’s owner. There are exceptions for early promotion. This does not mean after 1 month a PC is promoted.
- The probationary period is there to ensure that a PC is suitable for the clan and in this time, the PC should display a willingness to learn, a willingness to follow direction, an interest and loyalty in said clan as well as uphold social standing within town.
- Leadership within the clan is also expected to ensure that the recruit is assisted in their learning.

PROMOTING

- Promoting within the clan is at the discretion of the Foreman of the clan and only in their division or hall if one is present. If one is not, it is solely upon the discretion of the clan’s owner; the Overseers.

RANK AND PAY

- Recruits= 20cp a month, free room, board and access to materials and tools for crafting. Marked with a ring bearing the Lodge sigil for the branch of the Lodge they are hired into.
- Woodwright/Metalwright/Leatherworker= 40cp a month, free room, board or access to materials or tools for crafting. 25% discount on goods made by clan. Marked with a bearing the Lodge sigil for the branch of the Lodge they work in.
- Apprentice= 60cp a month, free room, board and access to materials and tools for crafting. 25% discount on goods made by clan. Ability to arrange deals with local material sourcing and purveyors of goods but not finalize them, requires a Foreman or Overseer. Only one Apprentice at a time. Are able to hire, fire, and other tasks generally done by the Foreman with said Foreman’s permission, or if a Foreman is not active, per the Overseers’ permission. Marked with an iron ring bearing the Lodge sigil.
- Foreman = 100 cp a month, free room, board and access to materials and tools for crafting. Ability to take tips. 50% discount on goods made by clan. Foreman are responsible for the running of their hall beneath the Overseers. The only time it is acceptable to conduct business within another hall is with the Overseers direct permission to the Foreman such as with sales, deals, hiring, firing, etc. It is wholly up to the Foreman to deal with issues within their hall. Marked with a bronze ring bearing the Lodge sigil.

TRAINING

- All Recruits, Woodwrights, Metalwrights, and Leatherworkers are expected to attend lessons and trainings in avenues of their work within the clan by appointed teachers or educators in said clan, which could be Apprentices or Foremen.
- Apprentices and Foremen are expected to train those appointed beneath them, in their ‘area’, within the clan.

TRADING

- The License of the Lodge covers the production and sale through their NPCs of wood works which include general works, furniture and weapons, metal works which include blacksmithed goods, weapons and armor, leatherworks which include leather-made attire and armor. It does not cover the production and sale of cooked or raw foods, farming goods, jewelry, clothing, cloth, artworks, or flora. The allowances of the Lumber Lodge can and do change regularly with the shifting of their Licenses.
- Foreman are required to document all sales and trades, purchases or business deals with PCs and NPCs via weekly Character Reports.
- PC to PC – Foreman may make PC to PC sales only in terms of arranging large or bulk deals which must be pre-approved by an Overseer.  All proceeds goes to the clan coffers. Discounts given to PCs that are not clanned and therefor not approved for said discounts must be covered by the Foreman. In example, if there is a 5 cp discount, the Foreman must pay the discount to the clan.. 
- PC to NPC – No PC employed by the Lodge should be selling to Lodge NPCs for profit - this includes the Lumber Buyer, the Ore Buyer, or Pelt Buyer all of which are owned and operated by the Lodge.
- Do not haggle clan NPCs to get a better price for yourself when buying from them.

CUSTOM ORDERS – MASTERCRAFTS

- Clanned custom orders are open for designing to Woodwrights, Metalwrights, Leatherworkers and up, not to Recruits.
- Custom designs may only be in the area of the clan’s License; metal, wood, and leather.
- Unique custom designs, being not craftable and therefore one-time only, should always cost much more than a crafted good.
- It is advisable to run potential designs through a Foreman before submitting.
- Not all mastercrafts are guaranteed approval. Follow the Mastercrafting guidelines when submitting as these are subject to those.

GENERAL RULES

- Do not sell goods to PCs or NPCs. Put your finished works into the appropriate delivery chest in the different halls and it will go to the shops. Misuse by way of putting the wrong good in the wrong delivery bin or purposefully placing something restricted or outside of the License of the Lodge will be dealt with quickly both IC and OOCly.
- Do not take non-clanned persons into clan-only areas of the Lodge.
- Do not take a non-clanned person into the token-required areas to bypass those tokens.
- Do not give away information privy to the clan such as crafts, secrets, plans, etc.
- Do not sell or trade/barter clan materials or goods without permission.
- Do not leave personal belongings in the workshops, this includes bins with tools, materials etc. Only Apprentices and Foreman may keep separate bins in Workshops for projects and materials.
- Do not take Lodge tools or materials outside of the Lodge or to the dormitories for any reason.
- Do not leave tools or materials in the public yard for any reason.
- Read and abide the Lodge rules.
- Clean up after yourself at all times.

IN-DEPTH INFORMATION AND RULES

On The Purpose of the Lodge 

1. The purpose of the Lumber Lodge (called hereafter the Lodge) of Utterby is to serve as a guild and brotherhood within its multiple realms of work such as woodworking, leatherworking, armorworking, and metalworking.

While other shops, stores, stalls, and businesses may exist in Utterby, licensed by the Artisan's Union, the Lodge stands as a permanent and stable location where craftsmen new and old alike to Utterby can ply their trade in communal effort.

This does not mean that the Lodge is not intended to be profitable, but rather that it, as the oldest and most respected trade organization in Utterby, has a distinct responsibility to the community to accept, mentor, and retain high quality craftsmen from all parts of Rhovanion. 

2. Being the largest single employer in Utterby, the Lodge has access to significant material and financial resources, ensuring that it often is the single source for the highest quality goods and materials in Utterby. Specialized and difficult to obtain materials are often available only to Lodge employees, often obtained as a result of years of steady business with reliable merchants throughout the Wilderland. 

Branches of the Lodge 

1. The Timberwrights, overseen by Master Gararic’s son Ealstan Omdahl, who focus on maintaining the Lodge’s primary trade in lumber. It is through the raw material of Mirkwood, in particular through valuable Ironwood, that Utterby remains profitable in the River-trade. 

2. The Leatherworkers, overseen as well by Ealstan Omdahl, turn the raw hides and pelts gained from the hunters of Mirkwood into fine leathers for use in the production of both ordinary leather-goods and more utilitarian armors. 

3. The Metalsmiths, overseen by Brandron as well, are the straightforward and hardworking smiths of Utterby. They are responsible for much of the metalwork going on in the town, from the smelting of ores to the production of weapons and tools. 

4. The Armorers, overseen by Ealstan as well, are the outfitters of Utterby, both unaffiliated Men and those of the Merchant Guard.

On General Conduct & Disputes 

1. It is the responsibility of all members of the Lodge to conduct themselves equitably and with suitable poise as to maintain the reputation of the organization as a whole. 

Gossiping, philandering, carousing, excessive gambling, and other behaviors that might unduly besmirch the reputation of Utterby and Master Gararic will not be tolerated and are grounds for termination of employment. 

2. The hiring, firing, and maintaining the integrity of the Lodge is the responsibility of the individual Foremen, their authority extending over the members of their specific branch of the organization. 

3. If appointed by the Master, an individual may serve as an Ombudsman (Representative) between different branches. This individual is responsible for ensuring that certain directives from the Master are complied with, but their authority does not extend down to the management of the actions of individual lodge employees. It is the responsibility of the Foremen to ensure that their employees comply with the directives as laid out by the Ombudsman, and failure to carry out this duty is met with due recourse. 

4. Disputes between Foremen are to be handled by the appointed Ombudsman. If no Ombudsman is currently appointed, disputes will be handled by the Overseers. 

5. Disputes between employees of a single branch are to be handled by that branch’s Foreman. If no Foreman is immediately available, the Ombudsman will be utilized. If no Ombudsman is currently appointed, an Overseer will handle the dispute. 

6. Disputes between employees of two branches are to be handled by the Foremen of each respective branch. If they are unable to resolve the dispute, the Ombudsman is responsible for coming to a resolution. If no Ombudsman is currently appointed, or otherwise unavailable, an Overseer will handle the dispute. 

7. Theft is, obviously, prohibited. Personal goods should be maintained in labeled bins in the appropriate area. 

8. Relations between Lodge employees, within the confines of the Lodge, are prohibited. We all know what you are doing when you are hidden in the corner behind that crate beneath the sheets, and you are encouraged to either be wed or take your dalliances away from the premises.

9. If an employee of the Lodge is observed violating the rules of the Lodge by a Foreman not of their branch, it is the responsibility of that Foreman to inform the employee’s Foreman of the event. If a Foreman of that branch cannot be located in a timely fashion, the Ombudsman may be utilized. 

If a Ombudsman is not available, an Overseer may be consulted directly. It is /not/ the duty of a foreman of one branch to directly oversee the employees of another, unless /explicitly/ authorized to do such by the other branch’s foreman. However, clear violations of rules or town laws are the duty of all employees to be mindful of. 

10. Foreman promotion is handled through consideration by the Overseers given reputation, craftsmanship, and current need of the Lodge. Current Foremen shall be granted vote on the Overseers choice of candidate. Other current Lodge members might be informally polled for feelings on the candidate. In the case of a tie vote, the Ombudsman gets the deciding vote. Should one not be currently appointed, the matter shall be left to the Overseer's discretion. 

11. Foreman firing or demotion is handled by a vote of no-confidence by the standing body of Foremen. This is a grave matter, and to date - has occured only once in the Lodge's history. Thus should Ombudsman and Overseers be contacted to try more peaceful means before it be taken, lest grave upset to the flow of work or morale follow. 

Other current Lodge members might be informally polled for feelings on the candidate. In the case of a tie vote, the Ombudsman gets the deciding vote. Should one not be currently appointed, the matter shall be left to the Overseer's discretion.

On Materials and Distribution of Such

1. Foremen are required to keep a supply of crafting materials available for use by Lodge employees with the Quartermaster at all times. Fine materials, and those of particular high quality, may be personally overseen by Foremen.

2. Excessive supplies shall not be kept in reserve outside the reach of employees unless maintained for a current contracted order(s).

3. Supplies of one branch may be utilized if needed by employees of another branch /in moderation/. For instance, a woodworker may utilize some iron to make hinges. A smith may utilize wood to make handles. An artisan may use hide to make a canvas. A smith may use a decorative kit to etch a blade. And so on. This is not to be abused, and Foremen who find their materials constantly being used by others at the expense of their own employees are encouraged to seek out the other employee’s Foreman to be compensated or to resolve the issue. 

4. Employees are encouraged, at the discretion of their Foremen, to make use of commissions to supplement their income. Commissions are defined as selling completed projects to the Quartermaster. Foremen are permitted to handle commissions in person, and at a rate of their choosing, so long as it is not lower than that which the different quartermasters would provide. 

5. Abuse of the Quartermasters, such as through taking completed projects from them and using those projects for personal use, shall result in disciplinary action. Additionally, should the Quartermasters have a particular item on the books for an excessive amount, an employee continually selling such goods to them without notifying their Foreman shall face disciplinary action. 

On Business Practices, Purchases, and Sales

1. All sales and purchases must be made through official Lodge channels; ie Foreman. These being either through designated shops, or through the Foremen directly in order to fall within Artisan Union license agreements. This constitutes only purchases made on behalf of the Lodge as a whole. Private purchases are excluded. 

2. All sales made by Lodge representatives must go through proper channels; ie Foreman. These channels being either through Lodge Foremen or Lodge Shops. . 

3. It is the responsibility of the Lodge Foremen to make sure that their respective shop is stocked with a variety of goods for sale to the general public. 

4. Gifts – If an employee of the Lodge wishes to grant someone a gift either made or from Lodge owned materials, they must request first approval of their branch’s foreman. This request may be approved or denied. A gift made from privately made materials may be given freely so long as doing such does not disrupt said employee’s work performance. 

5. Contracts and orders are to be filled by order of reception. Newer orders shall not take precedence over those already filed excepting in the case of immediate threat to the safety of the town. 

6. Contracts are, to the extent of any possible ability, encouraged to be documented and sealed in writing, particularly for larger amounts. The town litigant should be used for this purpose, though Kennath, personal litigant of the Master may also be utilized for this by appointment if another is unavailable. 

7. No contract shall be denied on the grounds of personal disagreement. All contracts are to be accepted and filled within a reasonable time, expecting the case should the contract be impossible to fill, or should at least three Foremen agree that said contract is not in the best interest of the Lodge. 

8. A contract may be considered null and void if after the agreement is written the non-Lodge party becomes known for criminal conduct. Elsewise, if an order becomes impossible to fill for reasons normally beyond Lodge control (death of an involved worker, non arrival of an imported material, etc.) Three Foreman (or two Foreman and the current serving Ombudsman) must agree the contract cannot be filled.

In any such cases, any coin paid for said order is to be returned in full. Should the coin paid be part of a criminal investigation, it will be put in escarow with the Guard until the matter is investigated and settled. 

Breaking an contract is a matter not taken lightly. And when it is done, it should be noted for the Overseers to be made aware of. Contracts broken for frivolous cause and outside of the stipulations above shall be seen as violation of intend and letter of Lodge law and expectation, and dealt with accordingly. 

9. Foremen are required to document monthly expenditures and profits within their respective offices.