Halfling Wizard needs a story [Archive] - Wizards Community

Halfling Wizard needs a story [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Winston Featherfall
06-30-03, 09:13 AM I want ot create a halfling rogue/wizard...... or thereabouts. The problem is I have no idea where he would come from in Faerun. I was thinking a human area where he'd sell his expertise to nobles and the like who dont want to get their hands dirty.

Are there any places in Faerun that would train halfling wizards? He'd be starting at least at level 7, so he probably has a fairly extensive history already. Being a lightfoot halfling, I'm sure he'd be at least a little travelled. I was thinking he'd eventually develop into the Arcane trickster archtype.

I have no idea why I'm having such a hard time....I guess I'm not use to starting with a lvl 7 character.

Man, I'm stuck. Any Ideas?

Winston:)
Strife
06-30-03, 05:54 PM Well, I'm not really that "into" FR (or any other campagin setting...) but Water Deep seems popular enough, and if he came from there you could have him involved with the "fire knives" (unless I'm mixing up...) they would probably employ rogue/wizards.
Talmariel
07-02-03, 09:48 PM It really comes down to your alignment. The Fire Knives, as I recall, lean to the evil side of the spectrum. The Harpers are an obvious answer for the chaotic good crowd.

Depending on how much fun you want to have with it, I think it'd be cool to have a character like that come from some strange and exotic land. My choice: Calimshan. Think Arabian Nights, and you're there. I could definately see a halfling decked out in silks and jeweled baubles using Ranged Legaurdemain to pick people's pockets at a tavern. Gotta have good Charisma for it to work right (unless you want a more goofy character). It's a culture loaded with rogues and illusions, so it'd be a great breeding ground for your character, who by 7th level may have decided Calimshan was supersaturated with rogue/illusionists, and decided to ply his trade elsewhere.

As far as game rules, Calimshan doesn't have the best bonus feat selection, but it's not that important (you're not min/maxing, right?). Big bonus though, you can take a Wand of Magic Missiles as your bonus equipment. Just make sure you learn the native tongue of your campaign area, since Calimshan speaks Chessentan (most places speak Chondathan).

Good luck!
Androminous
07-03-03, 01:30 PM Originally posted by Winston Featherfall
I want ot create a halfling rogue/wizard...... or thereabouts. [...]
Are there any places in Faerun that would train halfling wizards? He'd be starting at least at level 7, so he probably has a fairly extensive history already. Being a lightfoot halfling, I'm sure he'd be at least a little travelled. I was thinking he'd eventually develop into the Arcane trickster archtype.

I have no idea why I'm having such a hard time....I guess I'm not use to starting with a lvl 7 character.

It is always harder to develop a good background for higher level characters in my opinion. Your basic problem is where your character got his wizard training. Being a halfling, most traditional academies seems like unlikely choices.

But the land of Luiren and Halruaa lies close to each other, and it is expected that wizards from Halruaa would travel to nearby lands trading potions and minor items for produce and pottery and the like.

Let us say that your rougish halfling was a stronghearth native to Luiren, and was caught red handed trying to steal from a traveling merchant-wizard and destroying some of his goods in the havoc ensuing his capture. Even though Luiren authorities would normally let such an event pass without severe punishment since it happened to an outsider, this wizard could be extremly mean and bitter, and having recently made a great deal with the locals for neccessary magic protections or the like, demand reparation. The authorities strikes a deal with the wizards, punishing your character to come with the wizard to Halruaa and serve him as a servant for 5 years.

Being extremly resourceful and intelligent, the young halfling uses his time when appaering to dust and clean the labratories and library of the wizard to actually pick up magic lore and learn spells from the wizards spellbook. He focuses on things that help him be more efficient in serving the wizard (unseen servant etc) and spells that makes him a more efficient rogue. It could also be natural for him to learn a feat or to for using magic unnoticed (silent spell) After a couple of years, he feels that he has picked up enough and uses his magic and skills to make a daring escape from the wizard's tower. But since his sentence isn't over, he is unable to return home, and has to travel to other lands and make a living using a combination of his magic and thieving abilities.

It could be possible for him while traveling to Hearthlands to meet with the Shadow Thieves in Amn. Magic is heavily restricted there, and it could be very plausible that the guild also provides arcane training focusing on performing subtle magic and training thieves to be arcane tricksters.

Well, just an idea...
texaskron
07-04-03, 10:43 PM Well... lightfoot halflings and all halflings for that matter tend to become connected to human society absorbing human culture and whatnot... a halfling character could become a wizard for the normal reasons that a human becomes a wizard: power, prestige, and an attraction to the esoteric arcane arts and so on.

A human wizard could also take a halfling apprentice for the simple reason that halflings can disguise themselves as human children and are otherwise rather innocuous... a halfling can fit in anywhere and can spy for an elderly mage when a spell might be detected... a halfling thief can be brushed off as a halfling thief and otherwise ignored... even though the character may be packing heat (magic).

A sorceror might be easier to mix with a "normal" halfling rogue... the magical ability is simply a talent inborn in the halfling... he can't do much to control the fact that the power manifested itself in him but he can use the magic to make him a more successful burglar or whatnot.
Winston Featherfall
07-11-03, 10:16 AM They're all great ideas. Thanks so much guys. This stuff is a massive help. And if anything else springs to mind, I'm open to it.:) I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Thanks again.

Winston;)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Winston Featherfall 06-30-03, 09:13 AM	I want ot create a halfling rogue/wizard...... or thereabouts. The problem is I have no idea where he would come from in Faerun. I was thinking a human area where he'd sell his expertise to nobles and the like who dont want to get their hands dirty. Are there any places in Faerun that would train halfling wizards? He'd be starting at least at level 7, so he probably has a fairly extensive history already. Being a lightfoot halfling, I'm sure he'd be at least a little travelled. I was thinking he'd eventually develop into the Arcane trickster archtype. I have no idea why I'm having such a hard time....I guess I'm not use to starting with a lvl 7 character. Man, I'm stuck. Any Ideas? Winston:)
Strife 06-30-03, 05:54 PM	Well, I'm not really that "into" FR (or any other campagin setting...) but Water Deep seems popular enough, and if he came from there you could have him involved with the "fire knives" (unless I'm mixing up...) they would probably employ rogue/wizards.
Talmariel 07-02-03, 09:48 PM	It really comes down to your alignment. The Fire Knives, as I recall, lean to the evil side of the spectrum. The Harpers are an obvious answer for the chaotic good crowd. Depending on how much fun you want to have with it, I think it'd be cool to have a character like that come from some strange and exotic land. My choice: Calimshan. Think Arabian Nights, and you're there. I could definately see a halfling decked out in silks and jeweled baubles using Ranged Legaurdemain to pick people's pockets at a tavern. Gotta have good Charisma for it to work right (unless you want a more goofy character). It's a culture loaded with rogues and illusions, so it'd be a great breeding ground for your character, who by 7th level may have decided Calimshan was supersaturated with rogue/illusionists, and decided to ply his trade elsewhere. As far as game rules, Calimshan doesn't have the best bonus feat selection, but it's not that important (you're not min/maxing, right?). Big bonus though, you can take a Wand of Magic Missiles as your bonus equipment. Just make sure you learn the native tongue of your campaign area, since Calimshan speaks Chessentan (most places speak Chondathan). Good luck!
Androminous 07-03-03, 01:30 PM	Originally posted by Winston Featherfall I want ot create a halfling rogue/wizard...... or thereabouts. [...] Are there any places in Faerun that would train halfling wizards? He'd be starting at least at level 7, so he probably has a fairly extensive history already. Being a lightfoot halfling, I'm sure he'd be at least a little travelled. I was thinking he'd eventually develop into the Arcane trickster archtype. I have no idea why I'm having such a hard time....I guess I'm not use to starting with a lvl 7 character. It is always harder to develop a good background for higher level characters in my opinion. Your basic problem is where your character got his wizard training. Being a halfling, most traditional academies seems like unlikely choices. But the land of Luiren and Halruaa lies close to each other, and it is expected that wizards from Halruaa would travel to nearby lands trading potions and minor items for produce and pottery and the like. Let us say that your rougish halfling was a stronghearth native to Luiren, and was caught red handed trying to steal from a traveling merchant-wizard and destroying some of his goods in the havoc ensuing his capture. Even though Luiren authorities would normally let such an event pass without severe punishment since it happened to an outsider, this wizard could be extremly mean and bitter, and having recently made a great deal with the locals for neccessary magic protections or the like, demand reparation. The authorities strikes a deal with the wizards, punishing your character to come with the wizard to Halruaa and serve him as a servant for 5 years. Being extremly resourceful and intelligent, the young halfling uses his time when appaering to dust and clean the labratories and library of the wizard to actually pick up magic lore and learn spells from the wizards spellbook. He focuses on things that help him be more efficient in serving the wizard (unseen servant etc) and spells that makes him a more efficient rogue. It could also be natural for him to learn a feat or to for using magic unnoticed (silent spell) After a couple of years, he feels that he has picked up enough and uses his magic and skills to make a daring escape from the wizard's tower. But since his sentence isn't over, he is unable to return home, and has to travel to other lands and make a living using a combination of his magic and thieving abilities. It could be possible for him while traveling to Hearthlands to meet with the Shadow Thieves in Amn. Magic is heavily restricted there, and it could be very plausible that the guild also provides arcane training focusing on performing subtle magic and training thieves to be arcane tricksters. Well, just an idea...
texaskron 07-04-03, 10:43 PM	Well... lightfoot halflings and all halflings for that matter tend to become connected to human society absorbing human culture and whatnot... a halfling character could become a wizard for the normal reasons that a human becomes a wizard: power, prestige, and an attraction to the esoteric arcane arts and so on. A human wizard could also take a halfling apprentice for the simple reason that halflings can disguise themselves as human children and are otherwise rather innocuous... a halfling can fit in anywhere and can spy for an elderly mage when a spell might be detected... a halfling thief can be brushed off as a halfling thief and otherwise ignored... even though the character may be packing heat (magic). A sorceror might be easier to mix with a "normal" halfling rogue... the magical ability is simply a talent inborn in the halfling... he can't do much to control the fact that the power manifested itself in him but he can use the magic to make him a more successful burglar or whatnot.
Winston Featherfall 07-11-03, 10:16 AM	They're all great ideas. Thanks so much guys. This stuff is a massive help. And if anything else springs to mind, I'm open to it.:) I'll let you guys know how it goes. Thanks again. Winston;)