An iconic Magic User player character from the Realm of Zhu, for 1st Edition style RPGs. Ashen The Demonchylde.
Name: Ashen The Demonchylde
Class:Magic-User
Race:Human
Sex:Male
Level:1
Hit Points:4
Alignment:Neutral Good
Sec. Skill: None
Str [ 09 ] To Hit:+0 Damage:+0
Int [ 17 ] Spells:75% Min:8 Max:14
Wis [ 10 ] Magical Attack Adj:+0
Dex [ 15 ] React/Attack:+0 Defense:-1
Con [ 11 ] Hits:+0 Sys:75% Res:80%
Cha [ 07 ] Reaction Adj:-5%
Height:5'2"
Movement Base:12"(12")
Weight:215lb
Carrying Capacity:500gp
Thaco:20
Armor Class: 9(10)
Languages: Common, Neutral Good, Ettin, Stone Giant, Halfling, Dwarvish, Guardian Naga, Goblin, Weasel
Special:
Spells:
Magic-User Spells: 1
Spellbook:
Level 1: Friends, Identify, Light, Nystul's Magic Aura, Push, Read Magic
Level 3: Clairaudience
Saving Throws:
Paralyze, Poison Or Death Magic:14
Petrify Or Polymorph:13
Rod, Staff Or Wand:11
Breath Weapon:15
Spell:12
Proficient Weapons:
Dagger
Weapon In Hand:Dagger (1-4)
Armor Worn:Robe
Equipment:
Dagger, Robe, Spell Components, Spellbook, Leather Backpack, Waterskin, Cloak, Rations, Leather Boots, Bedroll, Pocket Knife, Mirror, Lantern, Oil Flask, Torch
Money:
Platinum:1
Gold:26
Electrum:14
Silver:28
Copper:18
Familiar:
Tsk-ck-ck, Albino Weasel, 4hp, AC 7. superior hearing & very superior olfactory power.
The first thing anybody notices about Ashen is his freakish, striking appearance. Bone white skin and pale red eyes. The second thing they notice is Tsk-ck-ck the albino weasel that never seems to go far from his side, but scampers and crawl over his robes, inquisitively dancing in and out of pockets and nodding sagely whilst sat upon Ashen's shoulder and chattering in his strange clicking way
As a babe-in-arms, Ashen was bought by an Eldarin tribe from penniless and somewhat relieved parents. The Eldarin took to displaying the freakish child for profit, and affectionately nick-named him the Demonchylde. It was during the high summer festival that the infant performed an unannounced, dramatic and hugely successful feat of self-levitation. Ashens gift unusual in human children, schooled by Gayelin a petty Eldarin hedge-witch, the tribe having no particular wizards of note. In truth, Gaylin knew little magic beyond the bewitchments that the flash of a firm thigh from flowing skirts and a wry smile can cast upon a man. Yet she was able to encourage Ashen to cast small glamours and to channel his magical powers. Whilst nor performing, or honing his innate talents, Ashen befrended the jugglers and acrobats of the Eldarin tribe, and grew into a happy-go-lucky, headstrong child. Around this time Ashen made another lifelong friend, Tsk-ck-ck, an albino weasel.
It was shortly before Ashen's 12th birthday that the caravan train arrived at Urucksfjord, in time for the spring fayre. Master Cedaric, 3rd degree initiate of the Order of the White Tower chanced upon the child. After some small persuasion from Gayelin, Cedaric noted the childs innate talents and that Ashen was, by fate or chance, the perfect age to join the Academy. Accepting a meagre fee 'for their losses' the Eldarin happily passed their weirdling charge over to the Masters of the White Tower and merrily went upon their way.
Despite the best intentions of Cedaric and the other Masters, Ashen was not the most serious of students, his Eldarin upbringing giving him a carefree attitude and an off-center sense of humour. More given to capering and pranks than bookwork, despite his obvious talents it was with great relief to his masters when Ashen finally passed the examinations and took his ceremonial robes. Ashen, however was even more relieved than they that he had finally graduated. Giving up the Magisterial life, at the age of 16 took to the road to seek his fortune as a Journeyman-mage.
Design notes: Ashen is based on an AD&D character I ran when I was 15. He was, unashamedly based on
Micheal Moorcocks Elric Kinslayer and
Weiss &
Hickmans Raistlin Majere, but where Raistlin was sarcastic and bitter, Ashen was light-hearted and jovial, and where Elric was a high-born and self-outcast, Ashen was of low-born indeterminate origin and rather well integrated into his society (although his low charisma due to the albinism is often a block to that). Here he has been updated and brought into the world of Bearoak.
Wizard schools are like a rock in the shifting seas of fantasy, be it Roke in
LeGuins Earthsea or the
Pratchetts Unseen University of Discworld. Although I take this opportunity to say that I've never read Harry Potter, so whatever Hogwarts is about, the Urucksfjord Univeristy is not it...
While there are the lesser colleges, and polytechnics, The Order of the White Tower is the major school of magic in the whole of Albion. Upon initiation undergraduates take a new name, these are routinely based on the common names of trees - a tradition going back to the dark ages of the dawn of wild magic. The days when taking an academic name meant all ties are severed are long past, yet members of the Order still retain the taking of a common tree-name in honour of their Orders ancient heritage.
