Resource for Roleplaying Specialist Wizards

[Babuguuscooties]

http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Wizard

Wizards may specialize in one or more of eight schools of magic, choosing their specialty early on in their training. This specialization is sometimes required in order to join the ranks of some of the world's most prestigious wizards, such as the Red Wizards of Thay, who require all initiates to be specialized in one of the schools of magic.

Specialist wizards are treated and regarded as wizards by the world at large in spite of this specialization and many regard themselves as such, though sometimes distinctions are made for diviners, illusionists, and necromancers. Some Elves, Half-elves and Gnomes in the past practiced Dualism, specializing exclusively in two opposing schools to the exclusion of all others. Nonetheless, all of the following are simply considered wizard variants by the magic casting community.

Abjurer
Wizards who specialize in abjuration magic, spells which deflect or interact with other spells, are known as abjurers. These wizards are usually deliberate and prudent, seeing many other wizard specialists as reckless or wasteful. Abjurers like to be prepared, be it in research or adventuring, and often devote their free time to working out strategies for confronting other arcane spellcasters.

Abjurers in battle are not as much a danger to those who forego magic for martial combat but those who use arcane or even divine spells will find abjurers deadly opponents. As aforementioned abjurers are often well-prepared for combating spellcasters of all stripes and are a valuable addition to any team intent on fighting wielders of supernatural abilities.

Because of their propensity for deliberant action more abjurers are lawful than not, though any alignment is possible. While abjurer's care and disdain for reckless action makes many good some are drawn to their talents by promises of power over other spellcasters. Abjurers only reluctantly adventure and are most often found in small villages where they enjoy the trust and good regards of friends and neighbors.


Conjurer
Conjurers are wizards who specialize in conjuration, the magical art of summoning and teleportation. Conjurers are often headstrong and disdainful towards other schools of magic, seeing most as weak or inconsequential, with the exception of necromancy, which they hold to be repulsive. Conjurers can be difficult companions since many are so independent-minded that only an unusually strong-willed leader can earn their respect.

Stereotypes of conjurers and sorcerers are often similar, with the reputation of conjurers being that they tend to see magic as a blunt instrument. In battle, conjurers do tend to be unflinching in danger, confident in their summoned power to overcome any threat.

The typical conjurer is chaotic in alignment and in a reversal of the wizard stereotype favor quick and easy solutions over long and carefully planned out ones. Many are also evil or neutral, unperturbed by paths to power that involve unsavory, evil or outright despicable methods. Most conjurers like isolation, as it means they can carry out their dangerous experiments undisturbed by others and only leave their enclaves either to accumulate more power or the necessary wealth to continue their research.


Diviner
Those wizards who specialize in the anticipation of events through time and space, either in the future or a far away location, are known as diviners. Diviners are notable for possessing an unusually high wisdom for wizards, with strong and cautious judgment, preferring to use violence only as a last resort. Many diviners are also strong judges of character, with an insightful nature in all matters.

Diviners are not necessarily cowards but exhaust all other options before proceeding into combat. While diviners can be useful due to their anticipation of others' attacks some are irritatingly hesitant, making them nigh useless at times. When forced into battle, diviners are in natural opposition to illusionists, whose tricks they can unravel with their own spells.

Because of their deliberate approach to matters most diviners are lawful, though their tendency towards inaction also makes many neutral. Diviners are not often adventurers, in part because of their loner nature, but when they are they are highly valued. Good diviners use their foresight to prevent harm from coming to others while evil ones can use it obtain control over others. Diviners of all stripes often cover their costs by serving as seers or fortunetellers.


Enchanter
Enchantment, also known as charming, is the arcane art of influencing or controlling the actions of others and enchanters are those wizards who specialize in the school. More than a few enchanters have an unusually high charisma and degree of charm about them for a wizard, possessing a naturally outgoing and attractive personality. Even if they lack charisma however, enchanters can sway the opinions or actions of others - so long as they cast a charm spell first, which draws on their intelligence.

Enchanters work with their allies more closely than some of the more single-minded wizard variants and this is one of their strengths. Enchanters use their spells to overcome social obstacles, convince enemies to lay down arms, or put foes into a daze. The most dangerous ability of an enchanter is their ability to turn an enemy into an ally, or vice versa, or to incapacitate an enemy in such a way that renders them as good as dead.

Enchanters can be good or evil and have no overall strong alignment tendencies. Overall, enchanters are chaotic over evil, though only by a slim margin. Good enchanters are defined by their restraint when it comes to using enchantments to violate another's being's free will, while evil enchanters show little such restraint. Enchanters of all kinds enjoy company and typically are found in large cities rather than small communities where their talents are put to little use.


Evoker
Evocation magic is a unique blend of arcane magic with the elemental power of creation and those who specialize in it are known as evokers. Evokers are often stubbornly determined by nature and have little use for distractions of the real world, living in very often spartan conditions. Many evokers are decisive and forthright, who are sure of what they must do, be it good or evil, giving them many qualities of strong leadership.

Evokers are naturally adept at combat, making them some of the most common wizard adventurers. Most evocation spells have an immediately obvious combat application, such as magic missile or fireball and make evokers valued combatants who often serve as a form of magical artillery on the battlefield.

Evokers have no strong tendencies towards law or chaos and both good and evil evokers are common. Good evokers perceive evil as a force that must immediately be opposed by their power and evil evokers find evocation magic a fast and comparatively easy way to power. In spite of the sheer lack of subtlety in many evocation spells, or perhaps because of it, most evokers live in small and quiet homes or even as hermits. This is perhaps for the best and many, sometimes rightly, fear the power evokers can wield.

Illusionist
Wizards specializing in illusion magic, known as illusionists, are one of the most well-known wizard variants, valued as entertainers in the world. Many illusionists are flamboyant and outgoing, with a streak of hedonism. More creative than most other wizards or even other arcane spellcasters, illusionists as a rule enjoy art of all forms and are less interested in scholarly research and more so in a hands-on approach through experimentation.

However, illusionists are not merely clowns and can be deadly adversaries when they choose to be. Illusionists use their power to play tricks on their enemies and toy with them, casting illusive images or sounds that confuse and befuddle the mind of a foe, turning their own senses into a weapon against them. Sometimes an illusion is so powerful and realistic it actually "fools" an enemy into death and injury. Evil illusionists are therefore a very real and often frightening menace.

Illusionists are, like all skilled wizards, highly intelligent but they usually aren't very reflective. Pragmatically, most accept the impermanence of life in general and see efforts to adhere to a single strong philosophy as futile and as such have no strong alignment tendencies.


Necromancer
While many who wield necrotic magic are practioners of shadow magic, necromancy is also a path open to many wizards. Often brooding and humorless these wizards are obsessed with death in a manner most other people find disturbing. Most necromantic wizards approach life with a stoic and thoughtful attitude and can, despite first impressions, be loyal and faithful companions though many prefer solitude.

Necromantic wizards, while usually not very sociable, are valued party members. This is in large part due to the sheer lethality of powers wielded by a trained necromancer. Likewise, necromantic wizards have a generally fearless attitude towards death, though not all too often to the point of recklessness, which again increases their value as allies.

Evil necromantic wizards by far outnumber good ones, as playing with the forces of death and undeath is hardly something to be done as lightly as many necromancers do. Necromantic wizards often feel an allure to order, but many chaotic examples do exist. Truly unaligned necromancers are extremely rare, since either a necromancer has a strong devotion to good or falls into evil. Most necromancers are loners by nature and when not adventuring prefer to immerse themselves in their research.


Transmuter
Transmutation is the ability to shape objects' physical makeup through magic and transmuters are those who specialize in the art. Transmuters are typically more curious than other wizards, marked by a fascination with how things go together and are, likewise, torn apart. This makes many transmuters ardent collectors of magical items and artifacts, as well as clear thinkers, though they often lack an insight into why things are rather than just how.

Transmuters have many useful combat applications for their spells, since they can transform the nature of virtually any object. A transmuter might, for instance, transform an enemy into a frog or an ally into a powerful monster. Transmuters can also use their spells to increase the abilities of their allies or themselves, giving them abilities that parallel in many ways those of artificers, who likewise specialize in manipulating the physical world through magic.

Many transmuters are chaotic, since chaos is the very essence of change and transmuters specialize in making things go through such a process. However, lawful transmuters do exist. Good, neutral, and evil transmuters are all roughly equal in number, with good transmuters viewing their abilities as a way to change things for the better and evil ones tend to see morality as an inherently changing and relative concept inconsequential to their work. Transmuters are more adventuresome than other wizards and can often be found exploring the world.

[Rinzler]

// Here's some more lore related to Necromancers - if you'll allow me to share. Keep in mind, most of these individuals currently exist or have yet to exist in the Baldur's Gate timeline. This is just to assist you in your RP lore should you choose to roll a Necromancer (which you should! )

Aumvor the Undying

Aumvor the Undying was an ancient Netherese lich, infamous since Netheril's Age of Discovery for his unmatched mastery over necromancy. He was named "the Undying" because, instead of seeking lichdom, he lived for centuries by leeching the living energy of his "living zombie" servitors, many of them members of his own family.

The casting of Karsus's Avatar in the Year of Sundered Webs, −339 DR, an event that nearly tore the Weave apart and caused the fall of Netheril, caused the activation of his contingency magics: Aumvor was teleported into his hidden lair inside the Endless Caverns, far below the High Forest and transformed into a lich.

Appearance

Aumvor, in life, was a short and stocky Netherese human mage, with fat hands, a sizable paunch, fair skin and a long, unkempt black hair.

After attaining lichdom, he grew more obese, resembling the bloated, rotten corpse of a drowned man, with bone-white slimy skin dangling over his skeletal frame.

Activities

Aumvor, being one of the last Netherese archmages, dreamed of restoring the ancient glory of Netheril and escaping the strictures Mystra placed on the Art after the disastrous casting of Karsus's Avatar.

He subtly aided promising individuals with Netherese bloodlines by placing grimoires and spell scrolls where they could find them.

Aumvor tried to make Laeral Silverhand his bride by making her find the legendary Crown of Horns. His plot failed thanks to the timely intervention of Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun, but the involvement of Aumvor remained hidden.

Aumvor developed many spells during his centuries-long research into the necromantic arts. Two of these spells were named after him: Aumvor's fragmented phylactery and Aumvor's soulshatter.
Possessions

Aumvor was in control of many powerful artifacts, among them the alicorn diadem of Sharrven, the bonestaff of Sadebreth, the Crown of Horns, the jewel cage of Congenio, and the tear of Ascore, which was pyramid-shaped.
Relationships

Aumvor had a great-grandniece named Morasha, herself a powerful necromancer, who lived with in a tower in the Lonely Moor owned by him.

Possessions

Aumvor was in control of many powerful artifacts, among them the alicorn diadem of Sharrven, the bonestaff of Sadebreth, the Crown of Horns, the jewel cage of Congenio, and the tear of Ascore, which was pyramid-shaped.

Relationships

Aumvor had a great-grandniece named Morasha, herself a powerful necromancer, who lived with in a tower in the Lonely Moor owned by him.

Sammaster The Mad

Sammaster was an immensely powerful human mage and a former Chosen of Mystra. Sammaster was known for founding the Cult of the Dragon and discovering the process which turns a dragon into a dracolich. After being killed in a great battle, he returned several hundred years later as a lich, but has since been destroyed once more.

Appearance

Sammaster was a tall handsome man with dark brown hair. His hair was usually long and straight. Mnethos recorded him, around 817 DR, as tall and thin to the point of being gaunt, with a nervous, excitable disposition, and a pale complexion. He had large, "somber" brown eyes.

Personality

Mnethos noted, around 817 DR, that Sammaster had a nervous, excitable disposition, with acute senses that often led to his agitation. He had an "uneasy stomach" and was ill often, from coughing, sneezing, and difficulty breathing, for which he received herbal treatments.

He described Sammaster as a quicky study, having a fierce intellect, and Sammaster would often miss meals or sleep in order to fulfil his driving ambition to learn and master the art of magic

History

Birth and early life

Sammaster was born in 800 DR,[1][note 1] and not much has been discovered about his early life. He might have been born in Sembia, the Dalelands, or the North. It is believed that his parents were killed, circumstances unknown, when Sammaster was still very young. His father is said to have been a nobleman, a necromancer, or a pirate. His mother is said to have been a fiend from another plane, an escaped slave, a wood nymph, a priestess from Mulhorand, or an incarnation of Sharess.

It is believed that after his parents' deaths, Sammaster was raised by relatives or friends, but that his life was not pleasant, contributing to his behaviours later in life.
ApprenticeshipEdit

At age 17, Sammaster was taken on as an apprentice by a travelling mage named Mnethos. During this period, Mnethos visited Baldur's Gate, Berdusk, Iriaebor, Marsember, Nimoar's Hold, Saerloon, Scornubel, Silverymoon and Yartar. Not long into his training, Sammaster was introduced to the goddess Mystra, whom he soon began worshipping.

After just 8 years under the guidance of Mnethos, Sammaster had learnt all he could and began a path of his own.

Journeyman

Sammaster travelled a lot during this period following his apprenticeship, and his own eccentricities led to chaotic behaviour. He is believed to have had many relationships and possibly borne children, but there is no record of who these individuals are.

Prior to the age of 40 (prior to 840 DR), Sammaster had discovered, rediscovered, or improved a number of spells, including lower resistance and squaring the circle, and had advanced knowledge of metamagic. He began to refer to Mystra as the "Mother of All Magic".

Chosen of Mystra

Not long after, he began travelling Faerûn in search of knowledge and wisdom. During this time he made numerous advancements in metamagic through detailed research.

In 851 DR the goddess Mystra appeared to Sammaster in the Dalelands, not far from Myth Drannor, and offered to make him one of her Chosen.Sammaster fell to his knees and wept upon Mystra's feet. They ended up spending ten days together. This made him the first Chosen of Mystra since the Seven Sisters. When he asked for the reason that Mystra had chosen him, she replied that she had foreseen that one of her Chosen would be killed in battle, and he would be the replacement. He left this encounter feeling as though he and Mystra were in love.

Elminster

Sammaster began meeting regularly with Elminster, in order to understand his new powers.
Although both archmages worked together and Sammaster learnt from Elminster, the two did not get along well, as their personalities grated on each other, and Elminster repeatedly pointed out that Mystra's true love was Azuth, not Sammaster.

During one lesson with Elminster, Sammaster had to defeat an army of undead without destroying a single monster. He was instructed to force them to return to where they had come from. Although he struggled at first, he ultimately succeeded. Mystra appeared to Elminster shortly after this, and Elminster expressed his distaste at having to "forge" Sammaster, but Mystra reassured him that it was something that must be done.

Turning point

A few years later, Sammaster began researching the processes of life, death and undeath. This research lasted several years and resulted in the creation of several original necromantic enchantments.

Sammaster encountered a Zhent caravan between Cormyr and the Dalelands, and saw that they were keeping slaves in cages. He engaged the Zhent forces, but when they began killing prisoners, he flew into a rage. He killed many of the Zhent, but his magic also killed many of the prisoners, and his psyche could not cope with having committed this act. He continued until he had killed all of the Zhent forces, but the prisoners were in a state of panic, many still confined, causing them further injury, and many would not leave their cages for fear of Sammaster.

Sammaster was rendered unconscious from the exertion, but a Harper was present at this event, and carried him away to safety, giving him a place to camp, as well as food and water. The news of this event reached the Master Harpers, as well as Storm Silverhand and Elminster, who chose to do nothing about it. This single event is widely attributed as turning Sammaster mad, and turning him towards evil.

The "Dark Path"

Sammaster went on to learn to command and reanimate the innocent dead, forming relationships with vampires and liches. Mystra was only concerned with his furthering of the theories of magic, and did not prevent him from deeds perceived as evil. This is within Mystra's character as a much more neutral deity of the time, unlike the form she assumed later.

In 861 DR, after ending his research, Sammaster once again began travelling Faerûn. On his travels he met and began a relationship with another Chosen of Mystra, Alustriel Silverhand, who had been leader of Silverymoon since 857 DR. Sammaster's interest in Alustriel was to dominate and master her, and to unravel her secrets. The relationship lasted for a few years, but it came to an end, Alustriel particularly disturbed by Sammaster's interest in necromancy, and Sammaster's emotional and mental well-being were permanently damaged.

Later life

Sammaster soon met and befriended Algashon Nathaire, in or around the city of Baldur's Gate. Algashon was a mage and dedicated priest of Bane (Mystra's enemy). For the next few years the two mages traveled far and wide together, Sammaster converting to worship Bane, and Algashon, seeing an opportunity to create a powerful tyrant, slowly turned Sammaster more bitter, resentful and evil.

Algashon began to instil in Sammaster the idea that all of his recent failings had been the fault of others, including the battle with the Zhents, and his relationship with Alustriel. He also began to encourage Sammaster to use his silver fire as much as possible, so that he could study it, for the benefit of Bane. Sammaster began to believe that all of his problems had began when he accepted his role as Chosen of Mystra.

By 875 DR Algashon had convinced Sammaster to attack his former lover, Alustriel, in the Evermoors. Algashon aimed to steal Alustriel's silver fire rather than kill Sammaster to gain his. Although wounded by Sammaster's initial assault, Alustriel survived and summoned two more Chosen, Khelben Arunsun and Laeral Silverhand, to help her. In the ensuing battle, Sammaster was stripped of his Chosen powers by Mystra and would have been killed if not for Algashon. The battle destroyed what was left of Sammaster's sanity and from that point on, he fully embraced evil. He was also still in possession of limited powers of the Chosen of Mystra: the ability to heal very rapidly, and to avoid aging.

He soon began translating ancient prophecies and distributing his findings, most notably his translations from the ancient text, Maglas's Chronicle of Years to Come, in 887 DR. The validity of these translations is highly speculated, and it is suspected that they were just a means for him to promote his new ideals. From his research he quickly became convinced that 'dead dragons' would one day rule over Toril.He named this belief the Scaly Way.

Cult of the Dragon

In 902 DR, having set up in Chondathan (later to be renamed Saerloon) with Algashon and their followers, Sammaster successfully created the first Cult dracolich, named Shargrailar. He was not the first to undergo the transformation, but was the first known to have survived it. He compiled accounts of the rituals and components necessary to create a dracolich in a book entitled Tome of the Dragon. This holy relic is still used by the many members of the Cult of the Dragon to raise their own dracolich allies.

By 905 DR Sammaster finished his principal work on the Tome of the Dragon, and copies started appearing all over Faerûn. His philosophy and beliefs of the Cult of the Dragon also began spreading across Faerûn, and it was at this time that the name "Cult of the Dragon" became widely adopted.

The Cult began to spread from Chondathan and soon attracted enemies such as the Harpers. When they demanded protection money for Zhent caravans, they made enemies of Zhentil Keep, and the dracolich Shargrailar began to raid Zhent caravans between Shadow Gap and the River Tesh. This led to an influx of wealth for the Cult, and Sammaster went on to create more dracoliches in the following years.

Death

In 916 DR Sammaster and a group of his followers were travelling to visit two green dragons in southern Cormanthyr, in order to convince them into becoming dracoliches. However they were ambushed by The Harpers and clergy of Lathander, near to Hap. Algashon had prior knowledge of this ambush, and instead of letting Sammaster know, he made plans to be far from the scene. A battle broke out and Sammaster was forced to fight an avatar of Lathander. During the chaos Sammaster was killed and seemingly obliterated. It also generated a holy relic of Lathander known as the Blood of Lathander.

Resurrection and Destruction

336 years later in 1282 DR, a lich calling itself Sammaster was found in the Desertsmouth Mountains. The creature began forming an army from humanoids, undead, and dragons.

In 1285 DR an adventuring group of paladins known as the Company of Twelve attacked Sammaster's stronghold. Of the twelve, nine were killed, but the lich's physical form was destroyed. The survivors confirmed that this creature was in fact Sammaster.

Almost another one-hundred years later in 1373 DR Sammaster (now a lich) completed his transformation of the Dracorage mythal binding his phylactery within. This precipitated a Rage of Dragons independent of the King-Killer Star.

Under the alias of the Witch-King reborn, Sammaster then raised an army of orcs and giants in Vaasa. The army took the Bloodstone gates and flooded into Damara. Within the year, despite his immense power, Sammaster was destroyed along with his phylactery, and the Rage came to an end.

Shoon VII

Qysar Shoon VII was one of the most wicked rulers and one of the most powerful spellcasters to ever have lived in Faerûn. Thought to have died with the Shoon Imperium of Calimshan, in truth, Shoon VII had managed to preserve himself as a lich for a thousand years.

Description

The man known as Shoon VII had taken many physical forms over his long life, beginning with that of his natural, Calishite male body.

In his demilich form, Shoon appeared as a mostly intact floating skull with gem teeth.

In his most recent form, (the strange circumstances of which are explained below,) Shoon VII appeared as a short, young wood elven maiden with bobbed, curly silver hair. In this feminine form, he had hazel eyes, which darkened to mahogany when he became angry

Personality

Shoon VII was an exceptionally cruel man, yet he had such great charisma that he could inspire deep loyalty from his underlings and the people of his realm. His speeches were said to have been "awe-inspiring".

While a demilich, Shoon would not bother speaking with anyone who did not refer to him as "Emperor". He was cold-blooded and cynical and would only speak in a calm, deadpan tone, even if in the midst of combat.

In his guise as an elven woman, Shoon had a dry sense of humor and a strange knack for knowledge of ancient history.

Abilities

Shoon VII was exceptionally talented at magical combat, and had a special talent for anticipating which spell his opponents would choose to cast.

Shoon had made himself immune to poisons.

In his lifetime, Shoon VII had developed several powerful spells, including soulfire, which converted the souls of living victims into spellfire, Kodos' eruptive strike, which launched molten rock into the air, and Shoon's villein volley, which converted up to 20 living persons into a powerful magic missile. More than 500 slaves and peasants lost their lives to his repeated use of this latter spell.

In his demilich form, Shoon was able to drain the souls of victims. He could also steal spells from the minds of any who had touched the Tome of the Unicorn. He could either cast the stolen spells or use their raw power to heal himself. However, as a demilich, Shoon was incapable of memorizing or casting any of the spells he had known in life; he could only cast a stolen spell.

In his new elven form, Shoon could still use all of his full magical powers; plus he gained the innate abilities of being in an elven body, such as superior night vision and hearing.

Possessions

Shoon VII crafted a good number of magical items and artifacts with his evil magics, perhaps most notably the Tome of the Unicorn and the Staff of Shoon, the latter of which was carved from unicorn horns.[8] The Tome's last known location was in a safehold beneath the Imperial Mount in Shoonach. The Staff was in the treasure horde of a blue dragon.

Shoon VII acquired the Codex Thealnakkar, a tome describing the creation of Calishite mosaics from a wizard of Memnon named Thealnak. Shoon used mosaics of teleportation to link some of his many safeholds.

Shoon inherited the artifact known as Janyra's Tome from previous emperors of the Imperium, and he used it with one of Janyra's Rings to interrogate spies or to steal secrets from enemies.

Shoon VII also possessed two of the Qysari Rings, Qysarus Secretus, which protected him from scrying, and Unicorn's Bane, which he used to hunt down and slay unicorns.

In his latest female form, Shoon VII wore an amulet of proof against detection and location, an elven cloak and elven boots, and a ring of mind shielding. He wore this last magic item to ensure that his secret identity was not detected.

Holdings

Shoon VII had magically protected lairs in every mountain range and forest in the Lands of Intrigue. One of his major safeholds was the one below the old Imperial Mount, below the tomb city of Debukkher. He also "laired" in the apprentice quarters of Zallanora within the Gheldieg estate in Eshpurta.

Relationships

Shoon VII was the son of the Caleph Arcane of Almraiven, Nadim el Jhotos, and Selara, the second daughter of Empress Shoon V. He was one of twelve children. He and eight of his siblings were exceptionally talented in the art of magic.

Shoon had at least one daughter, Shaani. He was the nephew of Shoon VI, whom he would murder.

Shoon's archnemesis was the blue dragon Iryklathagra, and the two fought three epic battles over the period of Shoon VII's reign.

History

Rise to Power

Kodos yn Nadim el Jhotos was born in the Year of Full Cribs, 290 DR. he was trained by the famous guild arcane of Almraiven, the oldest guild arcane in Calimshan. He was so skilled at spell battles that he had already slain at least twelve archmages before he even became emperor.

In his nineteenth year, he and his father orchestrated the bloody assassination of Emperor Shoon VI by paying off the royal guard to slay hin with no fewer than 35 stab wounds. No sooner had they assassinated their master than Shoon VI's nephew Kodos "took revenge" for his uncle and killed them all. With Shoon VI dead, Kodos was the next male kin and took the throne of the Shoon Imperium, becoming Shoon VII in the Year of the Cascade, 309 DR.

As emperor, Shoon VII made sure that he had full control of the subtlest details of his empire. He immediately demanded a vow of loyalty (enforced magically) from each of the calephs arcane. Some refused and were killed; others accepted and were rewarded with riches. The caleph arcane of Memnon was one who refused, as did the mages under him, so Shoon VII killed them all and proceeded to rule the guild arcane of Memnon himself.

Atrocities

When crime increased in his empire, Shoon VII's solution was to order that oil be poured into the sewers of each Shoon city and lit to drive out the thieves' guilds living in hiding there. Shoon did not care that these conflagrations resulted in the deaths of over three million people. Ankhapur, Calimport, Innarlith, Ithmong, and Memnon were nearly destroyed from these Great Fires in 319 DR. In Shoon's view, the end had justified the means, as organized crime was essentially eliminated. Instead, the emperor and his advisors took over control of "illegal" activities themselves.

Shoon was responsible for the deaths of at least two dozen unicorns, which were sacrificed to create his most powerful magical artifacts. He even sanctioned hunts against them. In 355 DR, when the elves of the Snakewood tried to defend a small herd of seven unicorns from being captured and slain, Shoon VII ordered his legions to eradicate the elves. So many elves were killed that the headwaters of River Rimril turned red from blood. Two-thirds of the elves from two tribes of the forest were captured. Half of these were enslaved; on the other half, Shoon VII performed horrifying magical experiments.

waste matter and flesh frail in its morality…

— Shoon VII, describing the use of the horns of twelve unicorns to create the Staff of Shoon.

From the slaughtered elves and unicorns, Shoon VI was able to craft the magical artifact known as the Tome of the Unicorn.Shoon complete his enchantments on the Tome in 355 DR by soaking the metal book plates in the blood of twelve unicorns. Not wanting to waste the remains of the unicorns he had massacred, he used their horns to carve the Staff of Shoon.

In 361 DR, Shoon VII discovered the hidden lair of Hazamir al Aktorral, a former regent of the Empire who had successfully become a lich. Shoon VII battled with Hazamir and turned him into a grisgol.

In that same year, Shoon VII made secret plans to expand his territory, using the ambitious prince Ashar Tornamn of Tethyr as a pawn. Wanting to impress his qysar, the young nazir built up an army and marched in a fifteen-month campaign, setting himself up as king of Valashar. Ultimately, in 376 DR, Crown Prince Azoun I of Cormyr squelched Ashar's dreams and marched an army through Valashar and all the way to Ithmong before returning to Cormyr to deal with orc hordes. Despite the loss of territory, Shoon VII believed that he had tricked Cormyr into a trap, hoping to strike at that country after having it weaken itself on its long march, and was disappointed that random chance had ruined his plans.


Conflicts with Iryklathagra

Shoon VII's conflict with the blue dragon Iryklathagra started in 322 DR when she landed in the Qysar's Square and demanded to speak with the emperor. She wanted reparations for the "theft of her hoard" by Shoon's great-great-great-grandfather Shoon IV. After several days of negotiations, Shoon VII paid her a small fraction of her claims, promising to arrange the rest of the payment at a later time. He said that he would personally deliver the hoard to her. Instead, he attacked her, and the two fought for the first time somewhere in the region of Valashar in northeastern Tethyr. Four entire villages were destroyed by their volley of magic, and Shoon VII emerged the victor, driving the dragon away after having stolen multiple magic items from her grasp.

In 358 DR, Shoon VII fought with Iryklathagra a second time in the plains of what would soon be Valashar. Some believe that Shoon chose the spot to keep the battle away from Shoonach. The battle ended in a sort of stalemate, as Iryklathagra fled from the fight with Shoon's magic staff. Even more Tethyrian lands were demolished, and dozens of peasants and soldiers were sacrificed to power Shoon's soulfire spell.

…Iryklathagra shall rue the day she challenged the almighty Shoon, for I shall personally dine upon her flesh and gnaw upon her bones.… I shall fashion her hide into a mantle befitting of the qysar. By all the gods, I swear to bring her only death, for no man or wyrm shall ever challenge the authority of the Shoon in this realm or the next!
— excerpt from the Collected Ravings of Shoon VII, 469 DR

— excerpt from the Collected Ravings of Shoon VII, 469 DR

In 366 DR, Shoon would have his final battle with "Sharpfangs". This battle occurred in the skies above Shoonach, over the slaves' city adjacent to the city center. 75,000 persons were slaughtered as a result of the careless use of magic from both parties. During the battle, Shoon's right leg was crippled, and his left arm was shattered and nearly bitten clear off. Only his powerful contingency magics saved him. (From that day on, he forever walked with a limp.) He had managed to shred Iryklathagra's wings, and his soldiers and wizards were then able to drive her off. Shoon shouted in victory even as his capital city smoldered.

Undeath

After his final fight with Iryklathagra, Shoon VII decided to set his plan into action to achieve lichdom. He placed his daughter Shaani on the throne as regent while he recovered from his injuries and avoided being assassinated by a few advisors or family members. He had his own tomb constructed in Debukkher in Shoonach, which had a secret passage to his hidden lair.

Shoon used illusions to make it appear that his injuries would not heal. Then, he successfully faked his own death—or rather his murder—in 367 DR. He tricked his greedy daughter Shaani into poisoning his soup and taking the throne for herself. She had no idea that he was immune to poisons. He used magic to create a clone of his dead body, which was embalmed and entombed.

Free from the responsibilities of ruling his empire directly, Shoon spent the next several years researching lichdom, while he continued to pull strings behind the scenes. He was successful in becoming a lich in 370 DR.

During this time, Shoon carefully moved many of the magic items he had created during his life from the imperial treasuries and into hiding in his own lairs. Since his archnemesis Iryklathagra had stolen his most powerful staff, he kept his remaining artifact, the Tome of the Unicorn close by his side.

Except for the elves, the rest of civilization was unaware that Shoon VII existed for the next seven centuries, and all that the elves knew was that he had hidden away somewhere within the ruins of Deep Shanatar, having reached those depths from tunnels in his dungeons below the Imperial Mount of Shoonach.

Sometime during that 700 years, Shoon's skeletal form decayed until only a demilich remained. No one knows whether it was intentional or accidental, but Shoon's floating skull became entrapped in an extradimensional space within the last page of the Tome of the Unicorn, where Shoon remained until he was discovered another 300 years later by Shond Tharovin in the year 1357 DR.

Shond successfully figured out how to summon Shoon VII. Rather than destroy Shond, he made a proposal. He requested that Shond bring him the souls of seven innocent victims for him to consume. If Shond did this, Shoon would tell him the location of a powerful artifact known as the Living Gem, which Shoon had discovered at some point before the fall of the Imperium.

Zallanora Argentresses

In 1358 DR, a young wood elf maiden from Mosstone of only 105 years was traveling with some companions from Erlkazar to Silverymoon. Her name was Zallanora Argentresses. She had recently graduated from the Mystics' Academy and was planning to next attend the Lady's College.

She never arrived. She and her friends were ambushed in the Cloud Peaks and kidnapped by the wicked and insane Calishite wizard Shond Tharovin. Shond had recently discovered and stolen the evil Tome of the Unicorn from where it had been hidden away in Ruathym and released the demilich—Shoon VII—who had been trapped inside. Shoon VII drank the souls of Zallanora's friends. When it was her turn to be consumed, at the moment, the Time of Troubles began, and magic chaos that occurred when the gods fell to the earth somehow caused Zallanora and Shoon VII to switch bodies. From that moment on, Zallonora found herself in the form of a skull trapped within the Tome of the Unicorn, and Shoon VII was once again free to reign unchecked in the world.

Shoon and Shond worked together to hide the evidence of the ambush of Zallanora's caravan, making it look like it was destroyed by the magical chaos of the god's fall. Then, Shoon kept his promise and revealed the location of the Living Gem to Shond.

It took Shoon twelve years to get used to controlling his new female body. After this time of waiting, he set to work returning to his evil plans. He began by joining the Cowled Wizards of Amn, becoming an apprentice to Lady Varytha Gheldieg. While in a woman's body, "she" used seduction to gain many male admirers and had several wizards who volunteered to mentor "her". On those few occasions where "Zallanora" accidentally revealed that "she" knew more about magic than a young apprentice should, Shoon methodically assassinated any observers and skillfully covered his tracks.

Shoon VII was patient. He knew that he had many hundreds of years to make his plans in his new elven body, and those plans fully included returning to rule the lands and empire that were once his to control.

Shoon VII was fully aware of the existence of the Twisted Rune. He had gained knowledge of their plans through Uruathis a lamia noble working for Kartak Spellseer deep under the ruins of Shoonach. His plans included offering the Twisted Rune to join him as his servants or be destroyed.

By 1370 DR, Shoon had gained influence among the Cowled Wizards in Eshpurta, Esmeltaran, and Keczulla. He intended to use the riches of his "mentor", Lady Varytha, to fund a mercenary army and use the Cowled Wizards as magic support to restore the Shoon Empire. He was still active and in Zallanora's body by the year 1374 DR, and he was actively trying to figure out a way to destroy his greatest rivals, Iryklathagra and the liches of the Twisted Rune.

Toward the dragon, he planned to send waves of dragonslayers against her until he could fully grasp her defenses and find a weakness in them. His method for this was to leave such things as maps and descriptions of her hoard in various dungeons and crypts in the south, so that unsuspecting adventurers would find them and greedily seek after her treasure.

After the Rage of Dragons in 1373 DR, Shoon VII sent an agent disguised as a priest of Bhaelros to Calimport to speak with the Syl-Pasha Ralan el Pesarkhal, who attempted to convince the caleph to offer a bounty of the position of Syl-Vizar of Calimport to whoever could slay the dragon.

Szass Tam

Szass Tam was a powerful lich and member of a group of eight Zulkirs who ruled the country of Thay. He was the Zulkir of Necromancy and commanded the Legion of Bone, a huge legion of undead soldiers, led by his vampire and lich generals. Szass Tam was the ruler of Thaymount.

Description

Szass Tam was tall, his face had fine-boned, intellectual features with dark eyes and a wispy black beard. He wore a vermilion robe with voluminous sleeves trimmed with gems and gold. He was gaunt and pale, but only his withered hands and the hint of dry rot occasionaly wafting from his person truly attested to his lichdom. He often had an ebony staff with him. During the Spellplague, Szass' undead nature was apparent to every onlooker since the chaos rendered his magical powers close to useless thus hindering the lich from altering his burned and ruined appearance.

Personality

Like other Red Wizards, Szass Tam prefered to remain unseen, working through lackeys and servitor creatures (including vast armies of undead) while he plotted and schemed. His undeath gave him patience. He was quite prepared to abandon servants and attempts that fail, and simply try again later in a better way. Those who met him (or seemingly real magical images of himself that he creates and sends far across Faerûn) discovered Szass Tam to be calm, cultured, and even pleasant. Tam is polite but blunt, and he could be plunged instantly into cold, controlled rage by insolence or deliberate defiance. On the other hand, he seemed to admire those who cross or foil him by cleverness, as long as they treated him politely. He was always spinning more simultaneous intrigues than most Faerûnians have years in their lives, seemed content to view existence as a great game, with plots and schemes as the playing pieces-or, if you prefer, weapons. In The Crimson Gold, Tam shows a desire to find someone worthy of sharing lichdom with him.

Possessions

- Death Moon Orb
- Thakorsil's Seat

Activities

Szass Tam was the Zulkir of Necromancy in Thay, its most influential Red Wizard, and—observers said—the true ruler of Thay. A lich for the last two hundred-odd years, Szass Tam achieved his present power through great arrogance, the skills and preparation to back up his overwhelming ambitions, and the brilliant schemes of one of the most cunning and intelligent beings in all Faerûn.

Relationships

Szass Tam had a deal with Larloch, searching for ancient magic items and artifacts for him in exchange for some of Larloch's.

History

Szass Tam was born in 1104 DR. In 1157 DR Szass Tam led a group of Red Wizards to slay Nyressa Flass, the Zulkir of necromancy. Afterwards, Szass Tam was named the successor to the Zulkir of necromancy. In 1159 DR Szass Tam became a lich after an abortive invasion of Rashemen. In 1201 DR Szass Tam slew the Zulkir of illusion, Nymor Thrul after a failed invasion of Aglarond. Szass Tam slew the Harper King, but was defeated himself by Elminster Aumar in 1222 DR. In 1359 DR Szass Tam allied Thay with the Tuigan horde. Working through Harper agents, Szass Tam defeated Maligor Zulkir of Alteration. In 1367 DR Szass Tam released the demon lord Eltab that destroys much of Eltabbar. Szass Tam unleashed a horde of undead to attack Aglarond, but failed to breach the Watchwall. In 1373 DR Szass Tam aided Thazienne Uskevren to release Eltab.

In 1375 DR, Szass caused the murders of the Zulkirs Druxus Rhym and Aznar Thrul and betrayed a Thayan army under the command of tharchions Azhir Kren and Homen Odesseiron to the Rashemi to create a climate of fear within the Thayan population.He hindered the proper investigation of the murders and solved these issues by himself. He thus tried to convince the nobles, legions and common people that he was the only one who can deal with these problems, in order to get him elected supreme ruler of Thay. When Dmitra Flass rallies the Zulkirs originally loyal to him to stand against his aspirations, Szass decided to achieve rulership by force and declared war to all opposing Zulkirs. When Dmitra's council achieved a great victory against his undead army at the Keep of Thazar, Szass called upon the united armies of Gauros and Surthay to march south toward the great city of Bezantur.

By 1377 DR Szass had established his seat of power at Thaymount by evicting his enemies from their estates on the plateau. Some of the zulkirs changed sides a couple times during the war and ended up as Szass Tam's allies. One of them was the diviner Yaphyll. After realizing that the lich's Thay would be comprised of the undead, she decided to switch sides again in favor of the council of Zulkirs. As a result Szass took her prisoner in 1385 DR, binding her with the Death moon orb and Thakorsil's Seat, powerful items of domination. He forced Yaphyll to perform the most powerful divination known to her order no matter the consequences to her own well-being, and to tell him how to arrange for a decisive victory over the other Zulkirs. She performed the task and told Szass to lay a trap at the Keep of Sorrows. Then she left him with another vision:

The white queen is troubled but can't say why. The black queen hates the white and gives the assassin a black coat. The assassin steals upon the white queen. She can't see him gliding through the shadows. The sword screams. The white queen falls. Her city falls. Stones fall in the cavern to crush the soothsayer. The tree burns and thrashes in agony. Branches break. Branches twist and grow together...

— Yaphyll's vision

At the end of the vision Yaphyll was surrounded by a blue flame and broke free of Szass Tam's power. The lich killed her with his poisonous touch trying to regain control over the diviner. Later it became apparant that Yaphyll saw what became known as the Spellplague, the blue flames being a result of the event. As Yaphyll predicted, the fight at the Keep of Sorrows turned into Szass Tam's favor. With the help of the Death Moon Orb, Szass tried to coerce his former ally Dmitra Flass into fighting for his side. But then the Spellplague hit. The Death Moon Orb exploded in Szass Tam's hand, freeing Dmitra of its power. Szass was hit by a wave of azure fire, a result of the Spellplague, rendering his magic close to useless and burning the flesh from his face and hands. The lich fled from the scene with the help of Xingax. By revealing to Malark Springhill why he killed Druxus Rhym, the lich convinced the spymaster to switch sides and work for him and his greater cause henceforth. In order to learn more about the ways of magic in the time of the spellplague Szass summoned Bane, sacrificing the tharchion Pyras Autorian in the ritual. Bane made a bargain with the lich: he would reveal to Szass his knowledge about the chaotic magic, grant the lich the ability to raise more dead for his cause and augment the lich's powers. Szass in turn agreed to surrender his soul after 1000 years had passed when his quest of conquering Thay was completed. Szass knew that the mystical strength lent to him by Bane would gradually fade so he choose to exploit it immediately. When it came to another fight at the Keep of Sorrows, Szass summoned a dream vestige to turn the tide in his favor. He succeeded in beating the legions of the zulkirs, chasing them all the way to Bezantur. His undead legions and loyal priests of Bane further forced the zulkirs to leave the town aboard vessels. Szass summoned the bodies of drowned men and also undead aquatic beasts for a final and lethal victory over the zulkirs. Accompanied by a fleet of warships made from darkness, Szass followed the fleeing zulkirs, entangling them in a marine war. His enemies and Nevron's conjured denizens of the infernal oceans proved quite adept at sea fight, beating back his undead minions. Szass conjured the dream vestige again, finally exhausting his magical powers bestowed by Bane. When Bareris defeated the dream vestige and the zulkir's forces beat Szass Tam's minions, the lich and Malark withdrew to the Thaymount, the lich being content with his conquered lands. Szass didn't bother chasing the remaining zulkirs any more, leaving Aloar and the Wizard's Reach to them not fearing any retribution by the depleted zulkir's forces. He revealed to Malark that he found a book once in possession of Fastrin the Delver.

Velsharoon

History

Velsharoon was once a lich wizard who, with the sponsorship of the deity Talos, managed to ascend to godhood.

In 1425 DR, Velsharoon was engulfed in flames and died; his corpse was eventually secured by the Aglarondans. The Simbul was also believed to have died in the flames, but in fact survived and moved to the Dalelands.

Relationships

Although he nominally served Azuth (and through him, Mystra), Velsharoon re-established a secret alliance with Talos and a flirtatious relationship with Shar.

Zallanora Argentresses

Zallanora Argentresses was a young elf and only 105 years old, when she met the demilich, known as Shoon VII. She appeared to be still a young, short elf woman with bobbed silver and curly hair. Her coppery skin and hazel eyes showed her sylvan-elf heritage. When she got angry, her eyes darkened to mahogany.

Description

Zallanora appeared as a female elf wizard. But in truth she was a neutral-evil male human necromancer. He could tap the full magical potential that he built up over time, despite the limitations that normally bound elven wizards, and he still gained all the innate physical abilities of elves.

Shoon’s Zallanora facade was that of a a light-hearted elf with a dry sense of humor, a fabulous knowledge of ancient history, and a talent for magic. But behind this mask was the most ruthless, evil dictator-mage who ever stalked the Realms. If he revealed more knowledge or power than his facade as a 3rd-level wizard should have, Shoon would slay all observers and eradicate evidence that might implicate him.

History

Twelve years before she met her cruel fate, Zallanora Argentresses had completed an extended apprenticeship at the Mystics’ Academy in Erlkazar. She wanted to expand her knowledge of magic and therefore traveled north toward Silverymoon. She never made it that far. When she and her companions tried to cross the Cloud Peaks on the day the Gods Fell right at the beginning of the Time of Troubles they were attacked by Shond Tharovin and his agents. Shond unleashed the skull of the Tome of the Unicorn upon them. When the demilich tried to drain the soul of the young elf, the magical anarchy of the times altered the magic in a strange way. The mind and spirits of both, the elf and the lich Shoon, switched their bodies. The real Zallanora became trapped in the form of the demilich within the Tome of the Unicorn while the cruel necromancer possessed the body of the young elven wizard.

Shoon begun to weave his webs of power and influence anew. He wanted to reclaim his throne and empire. But he was careful to do so. In the body of a young elf he had centuries of time in which to act, and his knowledge of lichdom afforded centuries more, if need be. Some time after his “rebirth” Shoon joined the ranks of the Cowled Wizards to learn of magic. He used his new body to attract attention and tutors. He planned to influence them, stealing their knowledge of magic and tried to make the Cowled Wizards into a tool to rebuild his empire.

The Qysar was aware of the existence and goals of the Shadow Thieves and the Twisted Rune. While he allowed the Shadow Thieves to continue, the Rune’s plans for conquest interfered with his own. Should Shoon track down a ruling member of these liches, he planned to offer them the choice to join him and rule the Rune together or be simply destroyed. He also learned all that Uruathis, a lamia noble and agent of Kartak Spellseer among the ruins of Shoonach, knew of the Rune, and he planned to capture one of the many vampires of Shoonach to find out their secrets as well.

Shoon kept a number of lairs, one of the more known were the quarters of Zallonara in the Eshpurtan estate of Lady Varytha Gheldieg, whom Zallanora served as an apprentice. He had ways to reach secret chambers beneath the ruined Imperial Palace at Shoonach, where he retrieved an amulet of proof against detection and location, a elven cloak, elven boots and a ring of mind shielding from among the many treasures left there. Shoon also had lairs among all the mountain ranges and forests in the entire Lands of Intrigue.

Lady Varytha saw the young elf as a way to gain knowledge, influence and power for her own within the ranks of the Cowled Wizards. Therefore she stressed to Zallanora the importance of using her looks and charm to woo fellow members. The qysar was amused by these minor intrigues. Meanwhile he built his influence among more than a dozen Cowled Wizards in Eshpurta, Keczulla and Esmeltaran. When the time was right, he planned to use the fortunes of his mentor to fund a mercenary army or buy more influence elsewhere. With the Cowled Wizards as his magical enforcers and shock troops, he hoped that the Shoon Imperium would rise again.

[Rhifox]

The best necromancers are white necromancers. *nods*

Benign or White Necromancy
A third and final category of necromancy embraces magic of a benign or beneficial nature. White necromancy includes spells which restore and fortify the living body or life force (such as delay death, empathic wound transfer, bone growth, Spendelard's chaser, Nulathoe's ninemen, and reincarnation) or derive their power from the caster's own life force (such as spirit armor or homunculus shield) or can be used only to disable undead (such as hold undead and bind undead). Note, however, that spells that control undead are not considered white necromancy! Although white magic can be used to heal wounds and bone fractures, it is no substitute for clerical healing. White necromancy derives its healing power from a volunteer's source of life energy (often the caster's), as in empathic wound transfer. Clerical magic, in contrast, bestows healing through a combination of faith and divine authority. Short of a wish (or for a brief duration, a limited wish), wizard spells cannot "create" new hit points - the Art usually shuttles life force from a donor to recipient. In contrast with black and gray necromancy, white magic has absolutely no chance of attracting the attention of an evil god. No powers check is ever required for casting a spell of white necromancy (except, perhaps, in Ravenloft). Wizards of good alignment will thus employ white necromancy over those spells with questionable moral implications. Of course, nothing prevents evil mages from employing these spells as well, provided that doing so suits their own dark purposes. During an emergency, when a wizard needs to heal allies (or him or herself) and no cleric is available, even the most dark-hearted necromancer will resort to white magic.

- Complete Book of Necromancers, for AD&D 2E

Everyone always forgets the white necromancer and there's few white necromancy spells available in 3.5 (and even fewer on BGTSCC), but it can still be played as an anatomist-style character with heavy development of the Heal skill (which is, suitably, a class skill for Pale Masters).


If one wants more resources for specialist wizards, The Complete Wizard's Handbook, the Complete Book of Necromancers, and Mongoose Publishing's Encyclopaedia Arcane series (3rd edition OGL content) are all really good books to check out.

[Valefort]

Time to make a few life transfer spells and play an arcanist with fast healing feats

[Rhifox]

Time to make a few life transfer spells and play an arcanist with fast healing feats

There's one from Book of Exalted Deeds, if you're so inclined.

[Sun Wukong]

Time to make a few life transfer spells and play an arcanist with fast healing feats

Basically, you can use Extended Elemental Shield, Death Armor and Polymorph/Shapechange for great effect, so you are not stuck at healing others.

So just saying, arcanist with Fast Healing already works.

[Babuguuscooties]

I'm always interested in reading about various takes on wizards. Thanks for the additional info, guys! Keep 'em coming.