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Message: <blockquote data-quote="RangerWickett" data-source="post: 28809" data-attributes="member: 63">Sorry, the above suggestion just caught me so totally off guard.  Um . . . but hey, if you're interested, I'll tell Jessie.And without further adieu, let us get back into the story with everyone's favorite NPC,Brian Greenman:  Male human Com1; Medium-size Humanoid (human); HD 1d4-1; hp 3; Init +3; Spd 30 ft.; AC 10 (t-shirt); Atk unarmed +1 melee (1d3+1); SV Fort -1, Ref +0, Will -3; Str 13, Dex 10, Con 9, Int 16, Wis 5, Cha 12.Skills and Feats: Bluff +3, Computer Use +10, Disable Device +7, Forgery +5, Gather Information +5, Knowledge (gaming) +8; Skill Emphasis (Computer Use), Skill Emphasis (Knowledge (gaming)).Note:  All Knowledge skills, Computer Use, and Speak Language are class skills for Brian because of his Computer Science education. Disable Device and Gather Information are Brian’s floating class skills.  Background:Brian played AD&D all through high school and college, but when he graduated he was without a group for several months.  An attempt to spy on local witches to determine the accuracy of a particular article in Dragon magazine led to his recruitment in the Bureau when the witches actually summoned a small imp.  Knights from the Bureau rescued him and defeated the witches.  One of those knights actually used to run D&D games of his own, but they somehow lost the interest to roleplay anymore because of the adventurousness of their real lives.  Regardless, Brian is still interested in gaming, and eagerly awaits the release of 3rd Edition.   Real Witchcraft and Wizardry in the world of High FantasyThough many of the myths of the world are surprisingly accurate if one travels to Gaia and looks for parallels, few modern myths have any basis in fact.  One of the foremost of these concocted myths is the world of J.K. Rowling, and her Harry Potter books.  As much as readers love the setting, there are no schools for witchcraft and wizardry in the world.  Most magi develop the talents naturally, and if either humans or magi want to gain further magical power, they usually seek a tutor, or study on their own for many years.However, it is interesting to note that in one way, life has imitated art.  Within the past three years, a surprising number of magic-users have attempted to simulate the game Quidditch (a complicated game with three balls, one flying gold hummingbird, and flying broomsticks for all the players).  Though the game is very silly when viewed objectively, enthusiasts of the books can be found in both Terra and Gaia (Gaian readers find it all rather quaint, actually).  Efforts to start official tournaments are having a hard time, but there are at least three fan-made teams in England alone.There is also the question of D&D, Tolkien, and the whole trend of modern fantasy.  Who’s in the know, who’s just making stuff up?  Though nothing can confirm it, Brian’s research files into this very subject suggest that Gary Gygax may himself have been a magi, which explains his youthful giddiness despite his old age, much like Merlin.  Much as UFO conspiracy theorists think that shows like the X-Files are intended to acclimate humans to the idea of aliens being non-threatening, Brian and a handful of others believe that some of Tolkien’s good friends may have been Elves (yeah, like he really could make that language up all by himself!), and that Gygax was probably working for the Bureau when he released D&D back in the 70s.  And true to form, anything related to magic or the fey was attacked as being satanic.  Though recent incarnations have stemmed the tide of criticism, anyone who takes a look at the stuff WotC puts out for Magic: the Gathering can tell they have no idea what the hell they’re talking about.  Apparently Washington doesn’t have as many gates to Gaia as Wisconsin.Monte Cook, though. . . .  He knows the real deal.</blockquote>

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