Magic the Gathering really is a fine game. Even if you don't play it, most folks can appreciate and be inspired by the artwork on many cards (that said, some cards are awful). Today I am creating some of Skara Brae's wizards.
I am using artwork first (thanks, Scryfall!), and building from there, using AD&D because that is the simplest for me - no additional math from ASI or feats or subclasses. Just 4d6 drop the lowest and, because it is new to me, I'll be using the Axian Library (NNNN) tables to determine the adventuring history of each wizard. Once each wizard's brief history is written up, you'll find things like (19a) or (19b) next to certain events, indicating which number from which table I used. That said, it seems that the first table is missing 19 altogether.
And then, of course, base magic items from Appendix C in the DMG... or maybe Appendix P, if that provides more interesting results. There might even be a few custom items when I am done, depending on art and where the NNNN backgrounds take me.
Whether or not those custom items are 100% usable in your game or merely provide the germ of an idea is entirely uncertain.
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Arcane Savant, by Chris Rallis, Magic the Gathering
Angus found his way into Skara Brae perhaps a decade ago, joining the upper social classes within a year of his building a manor. He is debonair and quietly arrogant, believing firmly in a ruling class, especially one made up of magic-users such as himself. Dealings with him are always coldly polite but one-sided in his favor. If he decides that you are his enemy, he will single-mindedly pursue your destruction.
While Angus has had several adventures, his greatest adventure involves the Green Dragon Khloros; he tricked the Dragon (16a) out of a Ring of Wishes (20b) by capitalizing on the Dragon's weakness (19b). While he may brag about defeating the Dragon, he keeps quiet about the ring. He has used two of its three wishes already, one to elevate him in wealth (and subsequently social status), and the second to help create his Walking Stick. He wears the ring on a chain around his neck, and has several wishes already worded and written out, but will only use it in extremis.
A notable, but lesser adventure includes the summer spent clearing killer bee hives, leaving him with magical honey and several flasks of oil (5a). This summer was where he met Astrid Dreamweaver, working with her against the bees - and the dragon.
Oddly enough, Angus's closest allies in town are the clergy of Lunare (18a) - the goddess of the Moon. Angus assisted them in driving off a pack of lycanthropes (27b), winning their gratitude and several potions of healing and flasks of holy water in the process (13a). Now, he and they have a tidy business arrangement and alliance.
The lycanthropes he helped put down were summoned by the adventurer Syzgzy Darkmoon (17a), who now considers Angus her enemy in all things. What she doesn't realize is that Angus was infected with lycanthropy during the fighting (27b) but has so far staved off the worst of the effects, keeping the changes cosmetic. Angus suspects that Syzgzy Darkmoon is involved but cannot prove it - he just watches and gathers information.
Lord Angus knows that there is a permanent cure for lycanthropy (among other great treasures) from a map fragment he owns (20a), but he does not have enough to determine location or potential guardians. He will pay well (and kill) for the location.
He is debating using his Contact Other Plane spell to learn the location of the treasure, or at least to learn who knows it, but so far, the risk of lies and insanity hold him back. Angus will not be amused to learn that Astrid Dreamspeaker knows the location.
Lord Angus Flamehand
LE Human MU9
S10 D12 C11 I17 W15 Ch15
Ring of Spell Storing (Minor Globe of Invisibility, Protection from Normal Missiles), Scroll Protection from Magic, Scroll 1x level 5 (Teleport), Scroll 2x level 3 (Haste, Slow), Walking Stick*
Spells Known (* is typically memorized)
1st - Burning Hands, Charm Person*, Detect Magic*, Hold Portal, Light, Magic Missile*, Protection from Evil, Read Magic, Shield*, Unseen Servant
2nd - ESP*, Knock, Mirror Image*, Stinking Cloud*, Wizard Lock
3rd - Dispel Magic, Hold Person*, Lightning Bolt*, Protection from Normal Missiles, Suggestion*
4th - Confusion*, Dimension Door, Fear*, Minor Globe of Invulnerability
5th - Contact Other Plane, Wall of Stone*
New Magic Items:
Walking Stick - Dimension Door, Dispel Magic, Hold Portal, Knock, Light, Unseen Servant; functions as a magic weapon when it comes to target resistance.
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Keeper of the Mind, by Matthew Wilson, Magic the Gathering
Astrid Dreamspeaker loves gaudy jewelry almost as much as she loves to regale young magelings with stories of her youthful adventures. Her favorite stories involve her adventures in a haunted library (11a), exploring the catacombs near Skara Brae (10a) at the behest of Brother Maynard (26b), and the summer she and her companions spent clearing out killer bees (12b), although she will not mention her now-immunity to killer bee poison unless directly asked (she was stung often).
She also leaves out that while in the catacombs, Astrid found the Skull of Setag Lib (10a) and also fell under a divine curse (5b), so now cannot lie and must always tell the truth - but doesn't have to tell all the truth. For the right price, Astrid uses the Skull to supplement her income - people bring her fresh heads and a list of memories, and she accepts the coin and asks no questions. Normally, though, she earns her keep through accurate divinations and other spells-for-hire.
One potent secret Astrid keeps is that the Cleric Brother Maynard entrusted her to protect and make good use of Occam's Talisman of Absolute Certainty (26b). This is because the relic can only be used by those that do not speak falsehoods. Because of this, she does not seek to have her curse removed. That said, she is terrified to use the Talisman because of what it might do. Astrid keeps the relic in its reliquary and has the reliquary secured behind magic and mundane defenses.
Over the course of her adventures and researches, Astrid has learned two important facts: the weakness of the Green Dragon Khloros (19b), and the location of a great treasure (21a). What she doesn't know is that this is the same treasure that Angus is seeking. Which is cosmically ironic, as she was with Angus when he bearded Khloros in its lair, which is how she knows its weakness.
If asked, she knows Lord Angus, because they shared the bees and dragon adventure.
Astrid Dreamspeaker
LN Human MU7
S9 D15 C12 I16 W12 Ch12
Brooch of Shielding, Ring of Protection +3, Scroll 2x level 4 (Charm Monster, Monster Summoning II), Scroll 1x level 6 (Reincarnation), Ring of Mammal Control, bonus scrolls (Guards and Wards, Monster Summoning IV, Reverse Gravity, Clone, Mass Charm, Gate, Imprisonment), Skull of Setag Lib*, Occam's Talisman of Absolute Certainty*
Spells Known (* is typically memorized):
1st - Burning Hands*, Dancing Lights*, Detect Magic, Friends*, Light, Magic Missile, Mending, Read Magic, Sleep*, Unseen Servant,
2nd - Continual Light, Darkness 15' Radius*, Detect Evil, ESP*, Invisibility*, Locate Object, Magic Mouth
3rd - Clairvoyance*, Dispel Magic, Fireball, Phantasmal Force, Suggestion*,
4th - Fear*, Remove Curse, Wizard Eye
New Magic Items:
Skull of Setag Lib
This is the skull of a large humanoid, with the top removed and the cavity lined with silver and the whole cavity lined with runes. When a being's brains and eyes are mushed into a (foul-smelling) paste in the cavity, and the correct word is spoken (sedilsweiv), beams of light stream from the eye sockets of the skull, displaying a few memories in the air or on the nearest wall.
A powerful enough wizard can control which memories are seen, while a weak wizard gets random memories (still useful, perhaps). Making a mush from a potent wizard or otherworldly being is dangerous, as this can result in a ghost or wraith appearing (depending on alignment of organ donor) if the using wizard fails a save.
Using the Skull of Setag Lib is exhausting, and when done, the user must rest for at least 8 hours.
Should someone be foolish enough to drink from the skull (and PCs are foolish enough), results vary depending on what is drunk:
Brain Mush - no save possession by whatever the brain mush is made from. PLUS you need a save just to choke it down. PCs are sick bastards, sometimes.
Water - no matter the source, water from this skull turns brackish and tastes awful. Spit it out.
Wine or other alcohol - nightmare-filled sleep as traumatic memories play out in drinker's dreams; wakes exhausted (exhaustion levels for you 5e players) and is at disadvantage at everything the next day. Cannot memorize daily spells, either.
A potion - maximum effects and the drinker's eyes now glow brightly, save or the beams are forced onto a nearby wall, displaying only the most damaging, shameful, and/or embarrassing of memories. But hey, max potion effect!
Pouring a mixture of holy water and vinegar into the skull cavity destroys the skull with a thunderous CRACK! as it blackens and crumbles.
(Holy Relic) Occam's Talisman of Absolute Certainty
The Talisman of Absolute Certainty is kept in its own reliquary, itself warded with a variety of protection spells. Crafted for use in the never-ending battle between Law and Chaos, the Talisman is fine straight razor, with the word Occam etched along the blade. It can only be safely held and wielded by a Lawful human that does not speak falsehoods (although the reliquary allows the Talisman to be carried by those less-than-honest folks).
When boldly presenting the Talisman of Absolute Certainty, a Lawful wielder may command it to do the following:
Rolls advantage on anything against Chaos
Saves at +4 vs anything caused by Chaos
Holy Word, but against Chaos
Daylight, as per spell
Dispel Illusion, as per spell
Dispel Chaos, as per spell
Protection from Chaos, as per spell
Summon Deva (1-3 astral deva, 4-5 monadic deva, 6 movanic deva)
Of course, there are drawbacks to such a potent artifact of law. Chief among them is that Chaos knows when and where it is used, as its use doubles as a beacon to both sides. Using any of its powers brings chaos beasts and demons to its last location within 24 hours; demons charged with destroying or at least spiriting the Talisman away. If they cannot find the Talisman, they lay waste to the surrounding people and area before departing. Luckily, this draws forces of Law into the fray and then battle is joined, often to the detriment of all mortals in the area.
The other major drawback is that use of the Talisman ages humans 1d6 years per usage; this may not seem much to Elves and other long-lived beings, but as only humans can use the Talisman, it is an item of extreme sacrifice and need.
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Malevolent Hermit, by Daarken, Magic the Gathering
People that encounter Waldeinsamkeit in the wilderness believe him to be a druid of some sort, and Waldeinsamkeit does nothing to disabuse them of those ideas. If anything, he encourages the belief through his own spells and allies. When Waldeinsamkeit is mentioned to the actual druids in the area, they merely roll their eyes and change the subject.
Waldeinsamkeit comes across as a perpetually annoyed, cantankerous, grumpy old man - of the 'get off my lawn' sort. Once past his grumpiness, however, people find a decent enough sort who can actually cook a mean stew and play a meaner game of chess.
If Waldeinsamkeit has any kind of luck, it is bad luck, or so he thinks. As a youth, he adventured with a Cleric and others, venturing into a series of catacombs where he contracted mummy rot (but survived with reduced Charisma) (12a), gaining a Scarab of Protection for his troubles. In addition to stopping the rot, the grateful temple that sent them into the catacombs gave him several healing potions and vials of holy water as a reward (13a).
Later in his adventures, Waldeinsamkeit tampered with an enchanted hourglass in a wizard's tower and became unable to sleep. In addition to inability to sleep, natural healing is ten times slower and overall, his Wisdom decreased; a bonus is that Waldeinsamkeit is now immune to sleep spells and effects (16b). That reduced Wisdom is what led him to later eat a cockatrice egg (scrambled, with salt, pepper, garlic, and butter - he fondly recalls that meal), which grants him immunity to petrification by somewhat calcifying his bones, reducing his Dexterity (13b).
Most recently, Waldeinsamkeit has aggravated a powerful Medusa (16a), who is doubly aggravated at her inability to petrify him. She actively plots to add him to her statuary - and claim his magic items for her own.
Despite the unfortunate experiences that pushed him into becoming a hermit, Waldeinsamkeit has more friends than he realizes. During his years in the forest, he has helped and befriended both a Dryad (15a) and a band of Sprites (9b), and while the sprites regularly play tricks on Waldeinsamkeit, they will defend him ferociously because he is such a good sport about it all. In addition, from his years alone in the forest, Waldensamkeit has learned enough to qualify as a local sage regarding his forest.
Waldensamkeit
CN Human MU7
S10 D8 C12 I16 W12 Ch10
Staff of Striking, Cloak of Elvenkind, Scroll 2 x level 3 (Dispel Magic, Protection from Evil 10'), Scroll 1 x level 6 (Disintegrate), Potion Human Control, Potion Levitation; Signet Ring of Sprite Friendship (+3 to reactions with Sprites and fey), Scarab of Protection
Spells Known (* is typically memorized):
1st - Affect Normal Fires*, Dancing Lights*, Detect Magic, Enlarge, Magic Missile*, Read Magic, Shield, Spider Climb*
2nd - Audible Glamour*, Detect Invisibility*, Levitate, Strength, Web*
3rd - Dispel Magic*, Lightning Bolt, Monster Summoning I*, Water Breathing
4th - Hallucinatory Terrain, Fear, Plant Growth, Polymorph Self*
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Wow! Those backgrounds from NNNN kind of steered themselves into workable relationships. I also like how the tables reference other tables in the rest of the Axian Library. That said, there were a handful of number errors on the two tables, both out of order and in one case, missing entirely.
Truth be told, I look forward to more of these write ups (perhaps involving the background people these backgrounds suggest) in the future. It was just fun.
Thank you, Guiseppe for writing them!
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