Southland: Master Wizard Thaddeus Marn

THE SOUTHLAND

A Fantasy Core Setting

© Jerry Harris 2014

Published here as Open Game Content.

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Master Wizard Thaddeus Marn, “The Wiz”

+3 Int, +2 Wis, +1 Dex

HD 10 (d6 Wizard), Hp 40, AC 11 (Displacement Robe all non-magical hits miss, 50% magical weapon attacks miss, Magic Spells reflect whenever Wiz Saves against them)

Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +9

Melee: None

Ranged: Wand of Ice Blast: Hail deals 12 freezing damage + Stun 1 rd + dropped to last in Initiative. (Ref Sv ½ damage) M range. 10 Charges

Spellcheck +8, Save Against DC 17, 3 Failures/encounter

(The Wiz has a wider spell selection, but these are his favorites.)

1ST-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 13 to cast)

Charm Person: Makes one person your friend. 10 turns. (Will Sv)

Comprehend Languages: You understand all spoken and written languages. 10 turns.

Magic Missile: 12 impact damage + Knocked down. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Sleep: Puts 4 HD of creatures into magical slumber, 1 turn. (Fort Sv)

2ND-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 14 to cast)

Acid Arrow: 12 acid damage + -1 to non-Dex bonus AC. (Ref Sv all damage) Short range.

Blindness/Deafness: Makes subject magically blinded or deafened. Encounter. (Will Sv)

Detect Thoughts: Allows "listening" to surface thoughts. 10' range. 10 rds

3RD-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 15 to cast)

Clairaudience/Clairvoyance: Hear or see at a distance for 1 rd./level.  Line of sight, through 1 wall.

Daylight: 60-ft. radius of bright light. 10 turns.

Dispel Magic: Cancels magical spells and effects. Roll a normal spellcheck to cast, then also compare that to DC 11 + ½ the original caster’s level.  Both must be successful to dispel the magic.  If the just the spellcheck is successful, it doesn't count as a spell failure (Caster Check)

4TH-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 16 to cast)

Wall of Ice: Ice plane creates wall with 25 hp, or hemisphere can trap creatures inside. (Ref Sv to avoid being trapped.  Can batter their way out.) Short range.

Wall of Fire: 16 fire damage + 1d8 continuing damage until extinguished out to 10 ft. and 1d6 out to 20 ft. Passing through wall deals x2 damage. Lasts 1 rd per ½ level. (Ref Sv ½ damage to avoid initial appearance.) Short range. Note that this spell does have the capacity to set off flammable objects in the area and go out of control quickly.

5TH-LEVEL WIZARD SPELLS (DC 17 to cast)

Baleful Polymorph: Transforms subject into harmless animal.  Permanent.  Requires physical presence or sympathy (personal object), Forbidden spell. (Will Sv, Caster Check to break.)

Break Enchantment: Frees subjects from enchantments, alterations, curses, and petrifaction. (Caster Check)

Cloudkill: Kills 3 HD or less individuals (No Save); 4-6 HD (Fort Sv or die), 6+ HD stunned 1 rd.  Immediate area or 30' sq.

“Wiz,” as he is usually called, came to the Southland to study Ancient writings.  He ended up in Cross convinced that he was close to an interesting discovery.  (What exactly depends on where you wish to place Cross on the continent.)  He has some dealings with the military base at Alice Springs via a liaison, but it’s clearly a loose arrangement.

Congenial, but also capricious and easily distracted, the Wiz is a potentially lucrative, but dangerous benefactor for the hired adventurers he takes on his expeditions.  He’s actually lost some of his mind (read: Wisdom Bonus) from his magical experiments (lucky he had some to spare).  However, there are piles of dead Humanoids to attest to his magical prowess.  Wiz’s Tower is reported to be bigger on the inside than its real estate footprint would suggest, but these claims are considered dubious.