Start of Darkness Question

[Carl]

I've read around that we get to see Xykon from childhood in this, i have a question regarding his sourcourer class. Was it something he actively choose to be or was it something he just developed naturally as he aged?

I know in some setting Sourcourers are treated as naturally possessing a connection to magic whilst wizards must develop it, i'm wondering how OoTS handles it.

[J's]

In the single digit age bracket he zombies his dog, or was it the grandparents first?

So natural vs learned.

[thatSeniorGuy]

He zombifies (by accident Carl, it's something that developed naturally) his dog first; the grandparents happen a bit later.

[MaximKat]

sourcourer
Really?:smalleek:

[Carl]

Goggle Chrome's spell checker wouldn't recognise it, and thanks. Just what i hoped for :).

[KillianHawkeye]

sourcourer


Goggle Chrome's spell checker wouldn't recognise it, and thanks. Just what i hoped for :).

Try taking out the unnecessary U's. :smallamused::smallsigh:

Also, one O and two E's, not the other way around.

[Thrax]

The difference between wizards and sorcerers in general is how they gain they spells. While a wizard has to study magic for years, sorcerer develops a natural talent - usually spontaneously. This is often explained as some degree of dragon blood (from a distant draconic ancestor) though occasionally there are different bloodlines causing it (fey, fiendish, celestial, etc.)

[Dumbestupidiot]

The difference between wizards in sorcerer in general is how they gain they spells. While a wizard has to study magic for years, sorcerer develops a natural talent - usually spontaneously. This is often explained as some degree of dragon blood (from a distant draconic ancestor) though occasionally there are different bloodlines causing it (fey, fiendish, celestial, etc.)

Too bad it wasn't Black Dragon blood, specifically part of the 1/4 that V destroyed... What an amusing and anticlimatic way for xykon to have gone

[Kish]

Xykon is already dead. Haerta was a necromancer and Familicide appears to be a negative energy spell. So, if Xykon had been in the ancient black dragon's bloodline, either (and more likely) 1) it wouldn't have affected him at all, any more than it randomly blasted the unmoving corpses of all her already-dead-and-not-still-moving relatives, or 2) Xykon would have suddenly been fully healed, like Malack after he cast Harm on himself.

[Cerlis]

I cant remember if there was a third example, but i remember sometime someone talking about how sorcerer's seem to end up as bad guys. This is of course the dynamic that gaining power naturally without necessarily trying (other than practicing zombiefying or fireballing mice) tends to corrupt people, especially since they tend to get it at an early age.

The second example i know was the sorcerer chick from the bandit camp. To summarize what her father said "it was all well and good until she hit puberty and developed sorceress powers"

also, fun fact! Animate Dead is a 4th lvl sorcerer spell. So before the age of 10 Xykon was capable of casting 4th lvl spells. Its no wonder he's an epic level villain.

[Dumbestupidiot]

Good point

Although, Does this mean that the source of a sorcerer's power is in their bones? Cause Xykon doesn't exactly have blood anymore. Or is that just overthinking it?

[Kish]

also, fun fact! Animate Dead is a 4th lvl sorcerer spell. So before the age of 10 Xykon was capable of casting 4th lvl spells. Its no wonder he's an epic level villain.
I believe there's a first-level Animate Dead Animal spell in some book or other somewhere.

Celia frowns at the suggestion that sorcerers are villains.

[The_Tentacle]

I cant remember if there was a third example, but i remember sometime someone talking about how sorcerer's seem to end up as bad guys. This is of course the dynamic that gaining power naturally without necessarily trying (other than practicing zombiefying or fireballing mice) tends to corrupt people, especially since they tend to get it at an early age.

The second example i know was the sorcerer chick from the bandit camp. To summarize what her father said "it was all well and good until she hit puberty and developed sorceress powers"

also, fun fact! Animate Dead is a 4th lvl sorcerer spell. So before the age of 10 Xykon was capable of casting 4th lvl spells. Its no wonder he's an epic level villain.

Yeah, maybe having power without earning it would corrupt someone.

But I tend to lean more towards that if people condescend to you day in day out, you will become evil. Wizards thought sorcerers (this is how it's spelled, Firefox has it in spell check :smallamused:) were inferior, regular society "hated and feared them," and to make matters worse they can't really control their powers at young ages. Leading to even more hate and fear and condescension, especially when people (usually wizards like Xavion) try to "help them." All in all, sorcerous (firefox does not have this in spell check :smallfrown:) powers are treated a bit like disabilities in early America.

[Thrax]

Good point

Although, Does this mean that the source of a sorcerer's power is in their bones? Cause Xykon doesn't exactly have blood anymore. Or is that just overthinking it?

It's supposed to be in their blood, but a lich keeps all his spellcasting powers regardless of their source (with a probable few exceptions).

Possible interpretation: sorcerers still need to cast those spells, so they are just spontaneously able to form the proper incantations without an outside tutoring. Once they turn into a lich, they keep the knowledge they acquired when alive.

[King of Nowhere]

while zombifying his dog at age 4 was accidental and should not be counted on his level, he definitely acquired control early, and was exremely gifteed. By age 13 he was actually capable of casting animate dead with full control, so he was already level 8 or more.
His "and as you can see, I already mastered the lightning thing on my own" is in my opinion one of his most badass moments. Especially when coupled withg failing math at school, it shows great insight into Xykon's mind.

Fun fact: do you know there was a moment when he almost took upon himself the name "Xorkor"?

[theangelJean]

... I'm wondering if the original thread poster hasn't got the book, and maybe might prefer if there weren't too many spoilers? We get enough threads with questions from people who have read the book and wanted to clarify things, but I don't think this is one of them.

Not that there are major spoilers in this thread. But it's something to keep in mind.

[MaximKat]

Cantrip: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Encyclopaedia_Arcane:Animate_Animal

[Roland Itiative]

The "in the blood" origin of sorcerer powers is just meant to say it comes from their bloodline, not literally from their blood. If we were to guess where exactly the power is actually housed, the soul would be a more fitting guess.

[KillianHawkeye]

Cantrip: http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Encyclopaedia_Arcane:Animate_Animal

That's from a 3rd Party book. I wouldn't assume that it's available to anyone in OOTS. The only non-official spells I've ever seen in the comic were uniquely researched (i.e., completely made up), and either facilitated a plot point (cloister, familicide, V's custom scrying spells, mass death ward, Malack's various special vampire spells) or served as comedic material (Evan's spiked tentacles of forced intrusion). Heck, aside from Tsukiko's electric orb spell (which Haley specifically commented on), most everyone has been limited to only using Player's Handbook spells.