Wizard seeking Wizard

[Nate Jones]

Well, we just had our second session two days ago, so introducing previously undiscovered characters should not be difficult. My main concern is that since most of the adventure takes place in and around one fairly small city (We're playing Shackled City AP, for anyone interested), and since I want the PCs to be the focus of the adventure and not random powerful NPC allies, I didn't want there to be a fountain of unending magical power able and willing so close to the PCs base of operations. Increasing the distance between the city and the wizard would help solve this, but it would also mean the PC would be able to interact with him less.

 

[Victim]

Well, need the master even be a transmuter specialist? Obviously, they probably ought to be able to sling the school around (who the heck bans transmutation anyway?). But if the principles of Master Specialization are generalized, then even a different kind of specialist might be able to teach him the class. And it introduces another source of conflict.

If someone had easy access to powerful magic, particularly Trans, how would that change them? Why shouldn't he enjoy the best of everything, courtesy of his power to rework matter and flesh. On the other hand, since material things are changed so easily, why not live out of Disintegrated hole in the ground.

It might not be the best idea to have the teacher be someone obviously connected with evil stuff, like a Red Wizard. There's too much of an conflict between what the character would want (LG guy learning from an evil guy - seems kind of like selling out for power) and what the player wants (PrC), so either way the character might feel comprimised. Perhaps someone formerely associated with some evil might work better - they'd still be shady, and it gives them a good reason to prefer isolation since they probably left enemies in the evil group AND its enemies.

Since transmutation is one of the most versatile schools, I can easily see a specialist being rather cocky. Whatever happens, they've got a way to deal with it.

 

[atomn]

For the master, you could have him seek out the master and in doing that gain the master's attention. On his way to find the master, the apprentice gets sidetracked by small quests. Eventually he'll learn that the various people who sent him on the quests was the master transmuter in a different form. Maybe sometimes he hires the apprentice to investigate someone who turns out to be him too.

 

[QuaziquestGM]

The PC has a chance to discover that the true talents of the town money changer aren't strictly financial in nature.

If he picks up on this clue, he can black mail the money changer into teaching him, as forgery of currency carries a heavy penalty.

Of course, if he isn't sufficiently diplomatic about it, he could end up transmuted.......

This way you could make finding a master a story reward for paying attention to the clues that you as gm provide.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

For a transmuter, I'd go with something unexpected, like a monster that transmutes.

For instance, a master transmuter medusa, who teaches from behind a screen or while wearing a strange mirrored mask, would be a lot of fun, especially if the wizard, at first, didn't know exactly what he was learning from.

 

[Set]

I like the Red Wizard of Thay idea, but the Red Wizard is an outcast, for attempting to steal certain things from own mentor. He's under a disfiguring curse, requiring him to conceal his features under a robe and cowl, and is hoping to train young apprentices for several possible reasons;

1) he needs the money gained from tutoring, to pay for research into a cure / repay the offended master for the stolen items, in which case the master will cure him.

2) he's hoping to find an apprentice who can learn how to defeat the curse, and his 'lessons' will be geared towards that line of study. Even if the student can't do it by the end of the lessons, he will at least have helped advance the research into the cure.

A mix of both would be ideal, as the former Red Wizard wants to break the curse without repaying his debt, allowing him to pocket his tutoring fees.

Complications;

Does the former Red Wizard want to return to Thay, all sins forgiven? Or is he happier as a bigger fish outside of Thay, *not* surrounded by evil opportunistic wizards who tend to stab each other in the back for advancement and be way more powerful than himself?

Is he working for redemption, or are the Red Wizards (or, one at least) hunting him down, looking for their stolen property, or just out of spite? Did he sleep with the Zulkirs daughter, or, possibly worse, run out to escape an arranged marriage with the Zulkirs (ugly) daughter? Will the PC end up having to help him repel an attack by Darkenbeasts, sniffing him out for his old master? Will he, in the course of 'training,' instruct the PC in how to assume a certain form, which is, oh-so-conveniently, the form by which he is hunted, hoping to use the PC as 'bait' to draw out his own hunters?

How does this 'disfiguring curse' work? Is he Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, or Ningauble of the Seven Eyes? Is he all malformed, like a Picasso painting that's been left out in the rain? Does his appearance change randomly? Has he, for his dalliances (or lack thereof), been changed into a woman? Does he wake up each morning with a new face and body? Is he slowly changing into a Gibbering Mouther, and even in his, currently still humanoid, state, is he always accompanied by the sound of many voices muttering under his robes? The important part is that he wants the curse gone, and the curse prevents him from living in some sort of settled community.

 

[Blackrat]

One of my player's expressed interest in taking levels in the Master Specialist PrC. As per normal in my campaign, I told him that he'd need to find some one to study under - in this case, apprenticing himself to a powerful wizard. But I need help developing that persona.

Due to campaign requirements, the wizard shouldn't be higher than 13th level (Although if a good idea comes along, exceptions can be made). We play in Forgotten Realms, and I'd be interested not only in defining wizard's personality, but perhaps also adding a touch of FR flavor through organizations or things similar.

Some other requirements are:
- Needs to operate (mostly) alone
- Must have an isolated base of operations
- Must be largely unconcerned with affairs of the world (Or at least those that don't directly affect him)
- Must be Forgotten Realms compatible

Should I try to make the mage a foil for my player's wizard? Should he be an embodiment of archtypical wizardly virtues? I've been tossing around the idea that he be an independent Red Wizard seeking magic for ultimate power, if my player's wizard is a LG devotee of Mystra, how might this play out?

What type of character should this Master Wizard be, and who should he be connected to?

Am I really the only one to find the whole description (except the level 13) screaming Elminster?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Am I really the only one to find the whole description (except the level 13) screaming Elminster?

The secret police are on their way to your house. Go with them without a struggle, please.

 

[hong]

screaming Elminster

Scream louder, damn you.

 

[Nate Jones]

I like the Red Wizard of Thay idea, but the Red Wizard is an outcast, for attempting to steal certain things from own mentor. He's under a disfiguring curse, requiring him to conceal his features under a robe and cowl, and is hoping to train young apprentices for several possible reasons;

1) he needs the money gained from tutoring, to pay for research into a cure / repay the offended master for the stolen items, in which case the master will cure him.

2) he's hoping to find an apprentice who can learn how to defeat the curse, and his 'lessons' will be geared towards that line of study. Even if the student can't do it by the end of the lessons, he will at least have helped advance the research into the cure.

A mix of both would be ideal, as the former Red Wizard wants to break the curse without repaying his debt, allowing him to pocket his tutoring fees.

Complications;

Does the former Red Wizard want to return to Thay, all sins forgiven? Or is he happier as a bigger fish outside of Thay, *not* surrounded by evil opportunistic wizards who tend to stab each other in the back for advancement and be way more powerful than himself?

Is he working for redemption, or are the Red Wizards (or, one at least) hunting him down, looking for their stolen property, or just out of spite? Did he sleep with the Zulkirs daughter, or, possibly worse, run out to escape an arranged marriage with the Zulkirs (ugly) daughter? Will the PC end up having to help him repel an attack by Darkenbeasts, sniffing him out for his old master? Will he, in the course of 'training,' instruct the PC in how to assume a certain form, which is, oh-so-conveniently, the form by which he is hunted, hoping to use the PC as 'bait' to draw out his own hunters?

How does this 'disfiguring curse' work? Is he Sheelba of the Eyeless Face, or Ningauble of the Seven Eyes? Is he all malformed, like a Picasso painting that's been left out in the rain? Does his appearance change randomly? Has he, for his dalliances (or lack thereof), been changed into a woman? Does he wake up each morning with a new face and body? Is he slowly changing into a Gibbering Mouther, and even in his, currently still humanoid, state, is he always accompanied by the sound of many voices muttering under his robes? The important part is that he wants the curse gone, and the curse prevents him from living in some sort of settled community.

Hmmm...this definitely has potential. I didn't really want the wizard to be a baby-eating, virgin sacrificing type, but more of a philosophically evil guy. So the fact that he used to belong to the Red Wizards, but has since (For whatever reasons) left their fold, lends itself to that effect. That way, he has a dark, mysterious past, but doesn't immediately jump out as BBEG in need of smiting.

The "disfiguring curse" is just icing on the cake, as it parallels the PC Wizard's own dilemma. The master then could pose as one of the possible ethical paths to take in regards to this curse - a choice that, if antithetical to the PC's own character, would just make the PC's persona that much more definitive.

Furthermore, this would provide ample quests for the ample quests for the apprentice, who now must traverse the lands doing the bidding of a self-centered, if not evil, master. Before anyone jumps at the idea, I do not think the player would feel his character compromised, as he has (Quite often actually) made in-game choices in the name of story and drama, that either harm his character or contradict some of his original designs. Interesting, epic plots are the main concern of this particular player.