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Hanzo
2008-01-13, 01:29 PM
Alright I am currently working on a world set in the dark ages (roughly 900-1100A.D). The world was going to be very superstitious and full of mythic legends. Anything thats not human is feared. The world is also monotheistic

Commoners don't warn of bugbears in the forest (eluding that they are smart creatures) but that there are "fearsome beast like men that prowl the darkness".

There was going to be a low magic world (very 2nd edition like). With that said I started to analyze the magic classes and see how they would fit in the world. Here's what I have so far.

Clerics- they ask the gods for magic and are thusly given it due to their piety. They are coveted as wise men who are able to travel the straight and narrow path.

Sorcerors- They are given their magic by the gods, they have no need to ask and for this are feared and praised. Some choose to covet this power and use it for good to the best of their ability while others see it as "get out of jail free card" bending the arcane to their will for their own ends.

wizards- I wanted to attain that very Tolkien style wizard of the dark ages. These are powerful people. I was thinking that they gain power by stealing it from the gods through complex rituals. With that i wanted their magic to more powerful than your normal campaign wizard yet complex in a way. i.e to cast a fireball a mage must spend rounds drawing their arcane symbols and such. How should I use this to balance them out with the other magic classes though?

Druids- I have no idea how the druids will fit into this world but In definitely think they help with the dark ages feel (ancient celtic shamans and such)

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!

Hyrael
2008-01-13, 07:14 PM
Hmmmmmm...I have a singular weakness for sticking it to the man, wichhunts, and in general rooting for the smart people over the religious people. The Gathering Dark is among my favortie novels, for example.

To keep a Dark Age feel, you obviosuly have to make casters extremely rare. Wizards dont go to schools, they train one or two apprentices during their lifetime. Sorcerors are hounded by pitchfork-weilding mobs led by clerics who fear anyone breaking their stranglehold on magic. Warlocks certainly have a place here as well.

Druids...well, they're mad hermits. Use them as solitary people who live in the deep woods, far away from humans.

the clerical organization is extremely hostile to anyone magic-capable who isnt a cleric. Sorcerors and wizards have to hide and study in secret. Druids just stay away from this rigamarole.

Obviously, there are lots of good clerics and evil wizards, but part of the point of the Dark Ages was Xenophobia and self-righteousness; you are good, and everyone who doesnt agree with you is, by definition, evil.

Hanzo
2008-01-13, 07:43 PM
Thats kind of what I was thinking but I wanted to take it a step further.

If sorcerors are given their powers without having to even ask then wouldn't they be seen as more holy than the clerics? This I think would cause a sharp division in the church (I like the idea of an arcane church).

In the game mechanics though I want wizards to have to go through something instead of mental preparation for their powers. This way to show that they are stealing power from the gods and therefore tied to god themselves. This is what has me stumped.

I like the idea of hermit druids. But how do I tie them to the god? perhaps they are given power by holding secrets of the god? This would give them a reason to stay in secrecy? I don't quiet know yet.

The world will definitely be Xenophobic and thus create a fine line between who is right and good and evil.

souldoubt
2008-01-13, 08:25 PM
If you're looking for an authentic Dark Ages feel with mechanics that match, I strongly recommend you take a look into Iron Heroes. It's a 3.5 variant system, with new classes and mechanics that are perfect for a low-magic setting. I'd say it's by far the best thing you could use -- though there's only the "arcanist" class and no (arbitrary) division between sorcerers and wizards. The spiritualist class (cleric, vaguely, but cooler) appears in the Iron Heroes Players Companion.


If sorcerors are given their powers without having to even ask then wouldn't they be seen as more holy than the clerics? This I think would cause a sharp division in the church (I like the idea of an arcane church).

I believe the word/concept you're looking for, is saints. As in Lois McMaster Bujold's Curse of Chalion series. (Which I'd encourage anyone and everyone to read, btw. Of course, I don't know how helpful it would be to building a D&D setting, since there's no "clerical magic," and much of the world wouldn't translate very well into game terms, but it's good reading).

Tyonisius
2008-01-14, 10:30 AM
wizards- I wanted to attain that very Tolkien style wizard of the dark ages. These are powerful people. I was thinking that they gain power by stealing it from the gods through complex rituals. With that i wanted their magic to more powerful than your normal campaign wizard yet complex in a way. i.e to cast a fireball a mage must spend rounds drawing their arcane symbols and such. How should I use this to balance them out with the other magic classes though?

Are you going to allow Wizards access to all levels of spells (0-9)? If so, am I safe in assuming that you plan to have other magic classes more limited (0-5 or 0-6)?

When I read your text about having them spend rounds drawing arcane symbols and such to cast spells I was reminded of this idea: Have spells take longer depending on spell level using the equations (spell level - 1)/2 = rounds it takes to cast (round up). With this equation level 0 and 1 spells would be fairly easy and to cast but a level 5 spell would take (5-1)/2 = 2 rounds to cast. Not sure how it would balance with anything else you are planning to do. Hope it helps!

Hanzo
2008-01-14, 10:34 AM
Thats a perfect way to look at it. I like the idea of sorceror saints. It would give another way to cause that sharp division between the arcane and the divine.

I got a look at Iron Heroes and while I think it had some good ideas that is not what I was aiming for. I want that dark ages of old literature like the Niebelungenslied, Rolandslied, Beowulf (not the crappy movie) and the like. Combat is epic but thats not all there is to the world, and indeed thats not all there was to the true Dark ages. Some might even say the Dark ages were more complicated. The world will be bleak and harsh, but politics and intricate roleplay will take the spotlight.

As for wizards I was thinking of giving them more powerful spells sooner at the cost of more time to cast and more materials components. They are afterall stealing power from god and not limited to what god thinks is the right amount of power for them.

The suggestions are really helping guys!