<< I don't think a smith is just a farmer. Smiths tend to have been regarded as magicians in their own right even here on Terra, and smithing in Glorantha definitely needs magic, as well as skill.>>
Loskalmi farmers *do* have magic, though - rather more than most Dara Happans in fact, albeit rather less than most Heortlings. Just not wizardly magic.
<< A smith may be a person that falls between the castes of artisan (farmer) warrior and wizard. >>
The classes (Loskalmi don't have 'castes') between farmer and wizard are soldier and knight, who don't generally use grimoires either. Most smiths are members of the farmer class, its just blacksmiths that are wizards AFAIK. Oh, and there's one little group in my current draft of SK that combine metalwork with high falutin' magic, too, but they're pretty weird and nothing to do with the Loskalmi arms industry (and may not get into the finished product anyway).
<<Afterall, who is going to go and tell that ironsmith that he isn't allowed to carry that sword and chainmail he has made for himself? >>
The knight with the iron sword and chainmail, the legally acquired combat training and the magical support of a battle wizard? A smith, can of course, legally carry about his wares, but he's in trouble if he tries to *use* stuff that's restricted to a higher class.
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Trotsky
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