Is there a way for a non-bookbinder to look at all of the public sorcelglass designs, similar to how you can look at cartel designs?

While reading through the website is excellent for gathering context on the game, and a lot of the storytelling is first class entertainment, I can't help but feel I'm rather jumping in at the deep end by creating a character at this juncture. Could I possibly receive a little bit of grounding information on the organizations and politics within the game? Or should I make a new topic to address this question specifically?

A new topic would probably be better, that is not really a simple question.

A simple answer would be to simply look at the city/commune and guild entries on the website, for simple information.

Nope. Probably gonna have to envoy that specifically again even though it was already supposed to be addressed in the first report.

While I have already done so, I still feel somewhat uninformed. I suspect the blurbs in the HELP index are just that, and inadequate to prepare me for the 'Lusternian Experience'. I suppose the real simple answer here would be to throw myself in at the deep end and just create a character, but I fear I'm too analytical to do something as rash as that. I'll create a topic asking for advice, I suppose.

My honest best advice is to create a character and just go. The lore of the Portal of Fate (which is where all new characters come from) says that everyone who goes through is afflicted with varying degrees of temporary or permanent amnesia. Find the stuff that interests you as you go rather than beforehand. That way, in case the thing you thought was awesome turned out to only be mediocre, you haven't already committed to it.

what's the aethermanse "privacy gem" do, besides giving a static message?

My guess is it makes everyone in the room unable to be eavesdropped. Wonder if it also protects you from scrying or WHO.

Stops spying skills as far as I know. Willing to test mine if anyone wants specifics.

What is the ratio for lessons learned:Lessons added for someone teaching a skill?

1: .000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001

I've heard that it's basically a static version of the lowmagic skill blue.

Most people agree that it's just this side of useless as the only thing it blocks is people eavesdropping through paintings. I haven't done any testing on it though so it may do other stuff as well.

Does anyone know why sometimes denizens will suddenly become super hard to influence? I've been begging lucidian astrologers recently, and all of a sudden I can't beg them anymore; I just sat there until I went through a whole vial of bromide and then I gave up. I usually only need like, 8 sips.

If it doesn't block a form of eavesdropping, you should probably bug that. I did for stealth/eavesdrop and it was fixed. I'd also be curious to know what it doesn't work on.

I've approximated it at something like 1:100, but I'm having trouble remembering when, and it very well might have been Achaea. The mob that doesn't even pretend to have attempted to measure it but claims a mysterious, uncited source says 1:15. The truth is likely somewhere in the middle.

It's 1:75. After both testing and asking personally, you learn 1 lesson for every 75 that you teach.

A bug. Has been reported by several people. The problem just clears up after a while.

After springing for a shield orb as the first addition to my aethership, someone said they were pretty sure that it doesn't help protect against aether critters at all, only against other ships. Is this correct?

Pretty sure it is, yes.