The last time we saw Haurgrim he was level eight. Over the last four levels Haurgrim has begun to move from “adventurer” to “patron of adventurers” as his own activities have begun to focus on politics, major negotiations with the creatures of the old, wild, magic in the mountains, and on dealing with threats to his father’s barony and its people, rather than on personal aggrandizement. Somewhat to his surprise, that’s been proving to be every bit as busy and exciting as chasing around in old ruins and magical caverns.
In Haurgim’s world the Old Magic and it’s Creatures still rule. In the deep caverns, in the high mountains, upon the wild seas… there giants, fey, dragons, and other things hold dominion, fearing only the ancient horrors that were sealed away in the forgotten youth of the world. The depths of the forest are more friendly, but are still a place of peril. Only the scattered valleys, paths, and waters that are protected by the old bargains can serve as safe homes for Men, Elves, and the other younger races. There, where hoary rites and old pacts hold the worst of the wild magic at bay, the younger races till their fields, raise their beasts, and worship their gods.
Here being a Druid is a highly respectable trade. SOMEONE needs to enact the rites, cut the symbols into the hills, maintain the mystic boundaries, and mediate between the young races and the old powers. Haurgrim – studious, observant, and methodical, was an ideal candidate, and was apprenticed to the village druid early on by his father, Eurathin – a local baron who cheerily acknowledged and made provisions for his bastards.
Haurgrim, however, was too curious for his own good. He looked beyond the minor spirits and shallow pools of earthpower which druids called upon. He became fascinated with the old powers, the wild magic of the outer planes. When he was caught up in a bit of petty warfare (another minor noble had a quarrel with Eurathin) he called upon those terrible elder powers in desperation – and he was answered, becoming a true Magus.
Eurathin was delighted – the greater magics were rare (most of the NPC’s are limited to low-level stuff using “local” energies), and usually only the upper nobility could boast a true mage at their courts. Eurathin sponsored Haurgrim, ensuring that he had every opportunity both to study his arts and to fulfill his obligations to his supernatural patrons.
Over the years since, Haurgrim spent some time adventuring – but he has also become a master designer of mystical architecture, a skilled ritualist, and has undertaken a variety of missions – some trivial, some baffling, and some vital – on behalf of his various arcane patrons. That’s been a large enough pain that he prefers not to call on them for any major magics if he can avoid it (burning a few incense sticks or something is usually sufficient to pay for cantrips and first-level spells and such, which is easy). Haurgrim thus prefers to rely on his knowledge, his skills, his rituals, and occasionally on his connections. If he can avoid an encounter, determine the weakness of a creature, or solve an ancient puzzle without resorting to magic, that’s all to the good.
Recently, with the death of Karliss Vandorian, the elderly town speaker, Haurgrim has taken over his job and moved into politics – becoming the speaker for the commoners at Eurathin’s court and the local organizer. So far, that has proved at least as dangerous as his adventuring years were.
Human Racial Package (+0 ECL): Bonus Feat (6 CP) and Fast Learner (Specialized in Skills, +1 SP/Level, 3 CP). (Bonus Feat taken as Fast Learner, Specialized in Skills, three points from disadvantages used to boost racial Fast Learner to +2 SP/Level)
Available Character Points: Duties/Court Mage and protection of the Barony (+2 CP/Level), Restrictions/Finds armor impossibly burdensome (+1 CP/Level), Compulsive (curiosity) and Recorder (keeps notes on all kinds of things) (+6 CP), Human Bonus, L1, L3, L6, L9, and L12 Feats (+36 CP), Level Twelve Base (312 CP) = 390 CP. Nine have already been spent on racial abilities.
Basic Attributes: Strength 11/+0, Intelligence 24 (28)/+9, Wisdom 16 (18)/+4, Constitution 14 (16)/+3, Dexterity 12/+1, Charisma 12/+1. Original Rolls: 12, 16, 18, 12, 14, 11. Level-Based Bonuses: +3 Intelligence. Purchased Bonus: +3 Int (since the half-price attributes rule is in play, 18 CP).
Saving Throws (42 CP):
Reflex: +4 (Purchased, 6 CP) + 1 (Dexterity) +2 (Resistance) = +5
Fortitude: +4 (Purchased, 12 CP) +3 (Constitution) +2 (Resistance) = +9
Will: +6 (Purchased, 18 CP) + 1 (Wisdom) +2 (Resistance) = +9
Basic Abilities (88 CP):
Initiative: +1 (Dex) +4 Warning +5 Nerveskitter = +10
Alignment: Lawful Good
Move: 30
Hit Dice: L1-8d8 (32 CP), L9-12d6 (8 CP)
Hit Points: 8 (L1d8) + 42 (8, 8, 5, 8, 3, 7, 3, 5, 3, 6, 6) + 24 (Con Mod x 12) = 94
Armor Class: 10 (Base) +1 (Dexterity) +4 Armor (Mage Armor) +4 Shield (Shield Spell) = 19.
Proficiencies: All Simple and Druidic Weapons (9 CP).
Languages (6 + 5): Common, Elvish, Celestial, Infernal, Sylvan, Draconic, Grave Argot, and the four Elemental Languages.
Warcraft: +6 (36 CP), +1 Specialized in Scimitar (3 CP)
Usual Weapons:
Scimitar +21/+16 (+7 BAB +1 Enh +4 MA +9 Int), 1d6+9 (Int), Crit 18+/x2.
Light Crossbow +8 (+6 BAB +1 Dex +1 Masterwork), 1d8, Crit 19+/x2, 80′ Range Increment.
Purchased Abilities (233 CP):
Greater Invocation (30 CP): 5 Levels of Intelligence-Based Wilder Power Progression as Spell Levels (Divide power by 1.8 to convert to available spell levels. Substitute Components for Restrained on the basic progression). Specialized and Corrupted for triple effect (effective level 15): does not provide any actual powers to work with, these must be bought separately, only works to power Paths and Metaspells which invoke various entities, such entities may occasionally call on him for various services or favors – and the more often he calls upon them, the more likely this is. Provides (195 + [Int Mod x CL/2])/1.8 (146 total) spell levels to work with and allows him to use path- or metaspell-based effects of up to level seven.
3d6 (14) Mana with the Spell Enhancement Option, Specialized/cannot be used to go more than one spell level above what he could normally use. This can, however, reduce the level of favors that he’ll owe for a particular spell (6 CP).
Rite of Chi with +4 bonus uses, Specialized/requires an hour of sleep or meditation per use (6 CP).
+3d6 Mana as 6d4 (16) Generic Spell Levels, Corrupted/only to power Metaspells (12 CP).
Over the years Haurgrim has learned to use local magic to turn a few minor spells into greater spells without owing favors – but that’s a very limited resource.
Paths and Metaspells: 42 CP.
The Adamant Darkness of the Nameless One: Creates and – at higher levels – solidifies and manipulates – darkness. Often used to create barriers, chains, weapons, and storms of darts.
Eilken’s Unbinding: Breaks spells and controlling effects, releases bonds and seals, and – at very high levels – can disintegrate matter.
The Winds of Malgaunt: Provides telekinetic effects.
The Eye of Sutekh: Lays compulsions and commands.
The Krellian Beasts: Creates – or perhaps unleashes – psychic constructs.
The Transmutation of Ordanth: Elemental transmutation and polymorph effects.
The White Winds: Provides teleportation and planar travel effects.
That’s actually quite a lot of fairly flexible power, but it’s also 96 CP. That’s enough for twelve levels of Bard, Cleric, or Druid spellcasting, or sixteen levels of Wilder – and while Haurgrim can invent his own spells within those seven broad themes, he can only get away with two or three high-level spells a day, and five or six of up to level four, before he’ll start having to pay back those favors. That can easily become a loop; use a powerful spell to solve one problem, get a brand new problem, use a powerful spell to solve IT, get a brand new problem… Of course, it’s also a lot more interesting than standard spellcasting or psionics – which is always a good thing.
Druidic Spellcasting I (8 CP): 3L0 and 2L1 spells per day.
While Haurgrim never really pursued his druidical training after he learned that he could use the greater magics, he remembers the basics – even if he does mostly use them for operating wands and such.
Finesse: Clever Fencing. Uses (Int Mod) instead of (Str Mod) with swords (6 CP).
Ritual Magic (6 CP): Can produce a wide variety of magical effects with his Spellcraft skill – given time and materials.
Augmented Bonus/Perceptive Studies (6 CP): Adds his Wis Mod to his Int Mod for Int-Based skills.
Luck with +4 Bonus Uses, Specialized in Saving Throws (6 CP).
All right. This is just too useful not to get – and it means that, while the character can avoid the real disasters, since he’s not really keeping his saves up, minor effects will often get through. After all, who wants to waste their limited supply of luck on minor stuff?
Innate Enchantment (12 CP/11,000 GP value):
Mage Armor (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP
Force Shield (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP).
Enhance Attribute/+2 Wisdom (SL1 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 1400 GP).
Moment of Insight (SL1 x CL1 x 400 GP/Use Use Activated) True Skill 3/day = 1200 GP).
Detect Magic ((SL1/2 x CL1 x 2000 GP Unlimited-Use Use Activated x .7 Personal Only = 700 GP.
Scout’s Headband (Magic Item Compendium, 3400 GP) +2 to Spot, 3 Charges / Day, 1 for 60′ Darkvision for an hour, 2 for See Invisible for ten minutes, three for True Seeing for one minute.
Artificer’s Monocle (Magic Item Compendium, 1500 GP): Use Detect Magic and Arcana 5+ to identify magic items given one minute.
Skill Emphasis/Knowledge; Architecture and Engineering (3 CP): +2 bonus.
Advanced Surgical Studies/Augmented Bonus (Adds Int Mod to Wis Mod for skill purposes), Specialized/Heal Only (3 CP).
Favors (3 CP): Haurgrim has connections with the local nobility, and can obtain some minor favor or bit of aid from them once per session.
Adept II (10 CP). Corrupted, may only be applied to knowledge skills, and only then if the user takes time out to study in a library. 1.5x Effect (six knowledge skills) on the first instance, reduced cost on the second, to cover all knowledge skills.
Access to Occult Skill/Governance (3 CP).
Reflex Training/ 3 action per day variant (6 CP).
Mystic Artist / Architecture (6 CP).
Haurgrim can design and build structures that affect all those within or around them with the power of his art. With an applicable skill of 30 (since reference-work and magical bonuses do not count in determining how many ways he can use his power), he is entitled to use eleven of the basic abilities. In his case he has selected the following options:
Inspiration Abilities:
Emotion; he can design structures that inspire strong emotions in all who view or enter them (Save DC 11 + Int Mod).
Competence (Skipped).
Greatness; he can design structures that inspire those contemplating them or within them with +1 Positive Level and 1d10 temporary hit points.
Excellence; he can design structures that grant those within them or contemplating them to +4 Morale Bonuses which may be applied to their saves, their AC, their attacks, or to the damage they inflict in melee.
Mass Greatness; basically as above, at least for someone who creates buildings rather than arts which only affect a small number of people.
Mass Excellence; basically as above, at least for someone who creates buildings rather than arts which only affect a small number of people.
Heroism; he can design structures that grant those affected by them a +2 positive level bonus.
Synergy Abilities:
Block; he can design his structures to resist magic which would damage them, such as Earth to Stone or Disintegrate.
Group Focus (Skipped).
Amplify; he can design structures which boost the abilities of friendly spellcasters, providing them with a +2 caster level bonus.
Harmonize; He can incorporate any two these functions into a single building.
Serenity; he can design structures that will, once per week each, allow anyone who contemplates them to regain “uses-per-day” abilities and be refreshed as if by a nights rest.
Rule the Horde; he can design structures that render those who contemplate or enter them non-hostile and inflict a chosen Suggestion on them (Will save DC 22 + Int Mod).
Mystic Architecture Ability Modifiers:
Seeking (6 CP): Haurgrim can limit the effects of his architecture to particular targets, such as “the rightful inhabitants of the city” or “the followers of a particular god” or some such. This allows him to design a wide variety of custom structures.
Whispers (6 CP): The source of his architectures effects is not immediately obvious; it will take special measures, such as divination, to trace them down.
Mystic architecture can produce some fairly powerful effects relatively cheaply – at least in terms of Character Points. On the other hand, the direct utility to most characters is strictly limited. It does, however, offer a wonderful way to create castles that cannot be easily penetrated by a few spells, glorious temples that actually impress visitors or which enhance the powers of the priests within them, and similar dedicated structures. If the architect who designed the walls of a town happens to have incorporated the Block and Greatness effects with the Seeking modifier, the walls will not readily fall to supernatural attacks – and the guards upon them will gain a very useful advantage.
Immunity to the normal restrictions of the Heal skill (Uncommon / Major / Major, covers effects of up to L5, Specialized; requires ten minutes of work with a bagful of tools and medicines to bypass such limitations, 3 CP). The user can also:
DC 20: Splint broken limbs, relieve allergies and arthritis, and reduce similar troubles to something manageable.
DC 25: Maximize the effect of a healing spell or perform simple surgery (curing 2d4 damage). DC 30: Cure blindness, deafness, or disease, or perform a Lesser Restoration (once per day per patient).
DC 35: Perform complex surgery (curing 3d6 damage), Neutralize Poison and heal it’s effects.
DC 40: Revival (allows normal treatment and recovery for up to 3 minutes after “death”), provide a full Restoration (once per day per patient).
These effects will require an upgrade to the Great Immunity level, for +3 CP.
DC 50: Perform organ transplants, perform advanced surgery (curing 4d12 damage), cure a supernatural disease, or Quicken Recovery (as per the Epic Level Handbook).
DC 60: Perform ultra-advanced surgery (curing 5D20 damage), rebuild limbs, or redesign bodies.
These effects will require an upgrade to the Epic Immunity level, for another +3 CP.
DC 75: Build a Flesh Golem. This bypasses the usual prerequisites and 80% of the GP cost – but does not bypass the experience point cost.
DC 100: Induce a Perfect Recovery (as per the Epic Level Handbook).
Unfortunately, any given patient can only be healed via surgery once per day.
Skill Points: 44 (CP Spent) + 60 (Racial and Purchased Fast Learner) + 105 (Intelligence) = 209 SP.
Knowledge Skills: Arcana, Dungeoneering, Geography, History, Local, Nature, Nobility and Royalty, Religion, and the Planes, all +15 (Skill Points spent + Adept) + 13 (Effective Intelligence Modifier for Knowledge Skills) + 2 (Masterwork Reference Work) + 3 (Competence) = +33. Architecture and Engineering also gets a +2 bonus from his Skill Emphasis. Net cost: 60 SP.
Other Skills: Blade of the Janni Martial Art +28 (15 SP + 13 Int), Concentration +20 (15 SP +3 Con +2 Enh), Craft/Alchemy +19 (6 SP +13 Int), Disable Device +30 (15 SP +13 Int +2 Tools), Disguise +2 (1 SP +1 Cha), Governance +28 (15 SP + 13 Int), Heal +32 (15 SP +4 Wis +9 Int +2 Tools +2 Syn), Listen +15 (11 SP +4 Wis), Ride +7 (6 SP +1 Dex), Search +19 (15 SP +4 Wis), Speak Language/+5 Languages (5), Spellcraft +28 (15 SP +13 Int), Spot +24 (15 SP +4 Wis +5 Mask).
Blade of the Janni provides 14 abilities: Attack +4, Strike, Synergy/Heal, Instant Stand, Mind Like Moon, Combat Reflexes, Sunder, Inner Strength, Ki Block, Ki Focus (Int), and Vanishing.
Governance Effects:
Thanks to Haurgrim’s efficient management and impressive Governance score of +28 the town boasts several features over and above what would normally be expected, including…
A splendid Theater Company (2).
Several famous eateries (2)
Warehouses sufficient to supply the area through two major emergencies (4).
A notable School of Magic (4)
A Treasury sufficient to meet the needs of one major emergency (2)
Criminal Courts which reduces unrest and criminal activities by one level (2)
Temples and Shrines, capable of providing notable clerical assistance (4).
Mystical Wards sufficient to block out scrying and minor spirits (2).
The backing of several local Nobles, who will supply a minor and a major favor once each per season (4).
Enough Outposts and Outworks to force an attacker to fight at least one battle before even reaching the town (2).
Notable Equipment:
Masterwork Items: Silver Dagger, Light Crossbow, Mages Bag (+2 to Spellcraft), Healers Pouch (+2 to Heal), and an Alchemists Kit.
Minor items: Riding Horse and Tack, Packmule and Tack, Fine Clothing, 20 Bolts, Sling and Bullets, Rations, Bedroll, Water Flask, Writing Kit, Candles, Silk Rope, Masterwork Medical Kit, Hammer and Pitons, 3 Oil Flasks, Bullseye Lantern, Masterwork Thieves Picks and Tools, Small Steel Mirror, Silver Holy Symbol, Signet Ring, Spyglass, Tarp, assorted minor personal items (grooming, bathing, etc).
Special Materials: 3x Holy Water, 3x Antitoxin, 6x Sunrods, Tanglefoot Bag, and an assortment of incenses and such for making offerings to his patrons.
Magical Items:
+1 Scimitar of Warning (+5 to Initiative when held) (8000 GP) with a Crystal of Return (1000 GP).
Amulet of Health +2 (4000 GP).
Belt of Battle (12,000), Sapient (Nerveskitter 3/Day), with Healing Belt Function (+1125 GP) and it’s own “Healing Belt” (tassle) (750 GP).
Boots of Swift Passage (MIC, 5000 GP) Move action to teleport 20′ with LOS five times a day.
Cloak of Resistance +2 (4000 GP).
Headband of Intellect +4 (16,000), combines Circlet of Mages (MIC, 7500), and Hat of Disguise (2700) functions.
Heward’s Handy Haversack (2000 GP).
Raptor’s Mask (MIC, 3500 GP) +5 unnamed bonus to spot, immunity to being blinded or dazzled.
Ring of Silent Spells (MIC, 2000 GP) Creates a silence effect centered on the wearer once per day. While it lasts the wearer may cast up to three spells of 3rd level or lower without verbal components.
Ring of The Forcewall (5100 GP).
Sphere of Awakening (Magic Item Compendium 186, 1800 GP) Swift action to awaken all allies within 60′. User and all allies are fatigue, exhaustion, and sleep effects for 10 minutes.
Survival Pouch (Magic Item Compendium 187, 3300 GP) 5/day, you can pull out one of the following: trail rations, 2 gallons of water in a waterskin, tent plus two bedrolls, 50′ rope, shovel, campfire/8 torches, composite shortbow with 20 arrows in a quiver, or a mule with bit/bridle/saddle/saddlebags. Items last for eight hours or until used up.
Universal Encyclopedia (Masterwork Reference Work, +2 Enhancement and +3 Competence bonus to all Knowledge Skills, 2000 GP),
Wand of Cure Light Wounds (750 GP).
Wand of Entangle (750 GP).
Haurgrim is still a formidable mage – but he’ll run short of power he can use without committing himself very quickly indeed if he has to face two or three encounters in a row. He makes a wonderful city speaker though – with power to meet emergencies and the skills to make his city a prosperous and important place.
Tagged: Background, Character Sheets, Classless d20, d20, d20 Point Buy, Game Rules, Role Playing Game, RPG 
