All the posts are, as ever, useful --- thanks!
OK, it seems you guys are really pretty mean to your base mages
. You just send 'em out naked! I feel sorry for those working for you, mine are better cared for. I like[d] forging & equipping, I guess I treated gems as though they grew on trees. I will now try to be less profligate, or maybe next game I might set the gem occurence higher.