Name: Master Werack
Title: Senior Enchanter
Gender:Male
Age:???
Race: Elf
Nationality: ???
Origin: Mage
Personality: Senile old codger, who occasionally uses the free marches suffix serah, but never messere. He is likely quite insane, but at the same time showing occasional hints of a deep and almost unfathomable mastery of magic.
Appearance: Master Werack is more gnarled and stumpy then the old, well-worn walking staff he leans on for support, his white hair may have at one time been long and flowing, but not his mostly bald head now only has awkward tufts of once-hair that go in every directions. His clothes are universally a ratty old robe, loosely belted on that may occasionally come open enough to reveal the only thing under it is a tattered pair of old underwear. And NO, he won’t put some pants on, thank you very much!
Background: “Master Werack? He was the one who trained me when I was a boy. He did not look any different than either, I think he has always been a cankerous old coot. I do not even know where he came from. My current theory is that he was already here grumbling and carrying on before the Circle was established, and they just built the college around him.” -First Enchanter Astebadi
One of the senior enchanters teaching at the Antiva college of magic, Master Werack has been teaching as long as anyone can remember, his origins have been lost due to time and poor record keeping on part of the Antivan circle. He has no friends and commands every little respect despite his station. His classes, often filled were only semi-understandable sermons ranging from every subject imaginable, nonetheless occasionally will produce truly gifted students; though these too invariable are invariable unsociable and often filled with strange ideas about magic that continually frustrates orthodox teachers. Despite being a teacher at the Antiva Circle, he shows no trace of the Antivan accent, heavily implying it is not his ancestral home.
He was recruited into the Grey wardens when a group of scouts visited the Circle and demanded to see the students, intending to locate a promising mage and either convince him or her to join or invoke the rite of conscription, however, the Circle's enchanters sent a delegation out and offered a compromise, they would be offered the service of a full on Senior enchanter, a title which by definition identified the person as a truly gifted uses of magic, if the Wardens agreed to take no more people besides the enchanter, and the circle would be allowed to select the member that went. The Wardens jumped at the chance, it was rare that a candidate of that calibur could be aqquired from a circle without considerable political backlash.
It wouldn't be to long till they would realize how thoroughly they had been had.
Attributes:
- Strength: F
- Dexterity: F
- Willpower: A
- Magic: S
- Cunning: F
- Constitution: F
Perk- Senility
Master Werack does not truly “level up” in the traditional sense, as he gains experience he becomes better at remembering the knowledge he already knew, in truth, Master Werack is capable of using all forms of magic almost interchangeably. When casting a spell, there is a major chance that the rank of the spell will be one higher or one lower then he intended, with appropriate alterations in spell cost. There is a moderate chance that the spell will have a similar effect in nature when cast, but a different origin. For example a frost or fire bolt may become an arcane attack, or a CC effect such as sleep might change to arcane prison, a self-protection spell may even change drastically such as to become a druidic shape change. In rare cases, as a result of accidentally mixing in extremely powerful ritual magic as parts of a spell not intended to contain such powerful energies, a spectacular spell failure may occur with random but amazing effects, this may include summoning beings from the fade or extremely powerful monsters, teleporting or even blowing the party to new landscapes, or other such fantastic magics.
Skills:
Elemental
You have learned to control the powers of fire and Ice, burn an enemy to cinders, or freeze him in his tracks. Masters in the field can combine these two schools of magic to devastating effect.
Firebolt level 1:
Unleash a firebolt into an enemy or group of enemies that explodes on impact, depending on their constitution score verses Werack’s magic, they may be staggered or blown off their feet.
Winter’s grasp level 1:
Trap a single target in a freezing chill, dealing damage and slowing them. Depending on their constitution score verses Werack’s magic, they may also be frozen solid.
Spirit
Counterspell level 1:
Shut down one enemy spell effect or interrupt a spell being cast, to the caster based on the difference between the enemy mage’s willpower or magic (whichever is higher) verses Werack’s magic. If the difference is 2 or greater, he will also be silenced.
Arcane shield level 1: Sustained 50 mana
Erect a barrier of magical energy around yourself capable of warding or slowing certain attacks. Constitution +1. At the beginning of each battle, the senility effect may change this spell.
Specialization:
Force Mage
- Force mages are a fearsome sight on the battlefield, bending the laws of nature to crush, toss, and debilitate their foes. Though considered a new specialization, it has started spreading far in northern Thedas. There, there many mages who excel at this specialization, and their combined research has refined the school considerably.
- Benefit: Willpower +2
Fist of the maker – level 1
A blast of mana striking from above that can drive a weaker enemy to his knees or even off his feet. In addition to normal spell damage, check enemy STR against master werack’s MGI. If the difference is 2, Agi = 0 for the next round as he must climb back to his feet. If difference is 3 or greater, he skips his next round as he must recover from being crushed to the earth.
Telekinetic burst.
A sweep of powerful energy in a cone in front of the caster, this ability deals little damage, however, in exchange, has the advantage of effecting multiple enemies. If enemy STR is 1 less than master werack’s MGI, move him back 20 yards, if it is 2, in addition to effect 1, he will be blown off his feet. If there is a wall or some obstruction in the path and effect 2 triggers, normal spell damage occurs.
Unique specialization
Senior enchanter.
You are one of those whom have been charged with instructing young members of the circle with the learning of magical arts, thus, you have a deep and abiding understanding of all magical principles and especially of those one’s utilized by others, including enemies. This results in the ability to recognize an enemy spell as its being formed and adapt it to your purpose.
Ability:Stern Teaching Level 1: sustained cost 50 mana.
Once per round, if an enemy casts a magic spell during his turn, you can automatically cancel the magic and then recast it yourself without consuming your normal turn in battle, even if you would not normally have the school necessary to perform that magic. The level of spell this effect can apply to depends on the ranking of Stern Teaching.
The idea I was going for was a crotchety, surly old bat who at first seems just barely more useful then he was worth...but every once in a while, when he did something really amazing, like, if a blood mage casts a spell, and he turned around and started screaming about how that wasn't how you did it, you were supposed to stand on one leg and slap tickle your own knee when casting, and then without batting an eye would actually cancel a blood magic spell, something he theoretically would have no ability to do, then turn around and cast it using his own caster stats meaning it was almost certainly a hugely more powerful version. Then when questioned about it he would wave his staff around and be like, whippersnapper, that wasnt blood magic, it was Arcane! you dont even know what arcane magic looks like, kids these days!
Eventually I wanted to reach a point where if a mage, PC or otherwise, were to walk into his tent to wake him up for the day, and were to come across him stuffing a half chewed lemon down his pants with evident enjoyment, and when they asked master Werack what he was doing, Master Werack would start ranyting that the proper way to use magic was to have a spit covered lemon tucked securely under your balls, because how can you feel the flow of magic without lemon juice on your balls...
Said mage would not be able to stop himself from at least momentarily considering going and finding a lemon.