Canonfire! - Apprentices of the Circle of Eight: Quag Darkum

Sometimes an arch-mage's apprentice is not whom you would expect him to be. The members of the Circle of Eight are no exception to this. We lead-off this multi-part article with Quag Darkum, one of Nystul's apprentices.

Author: Dargarth

Apprentices of the Circle of Eight: Quag Darkum

by Dargarth (mitchels@MEGSINET.NET).
Used with Permission. Do not repost without obtaining prior permission from the author.

Quag was born into the Gnarl euroz clan in the Phostwoods in 550 CY. Quag's father, Quintar, was a warrior-prince of the small euroz tribe that raided into both Tenh and the Bandit Kingdoms from its camp in the Phostwoods. Quag's mother, Saysawna, was a member of a the wealthy Silnard merchant family of Tehn.

Saysawna was captured when the caravan that she was travelling with in northern Tenh was attacked and looted by brigands. The brigands took the young woman as hostage and then fled south into the Phostwoods to throw off pursuit. Before the brigands could send a ransom demand for the safe return of Saysawna to the Silnard family they were attacked by the Gnarl Clan and the young woman was stolen away and taken prisoner. The clan-chief's son took a liking to the human girl and she was given to him as part of an adulthood ceremony.

Many years passed and the Silnard family had all but given up hope of ever finding Saysawna again. The family believed that Saysawna had been captured by raiders from the Fist and taken north, and thus sent all mercenaries that they hired north to find her. After ten years the family gave up hope of ever finding Saysawna and declared her dead.

Saysawna's years were hard with the Gnarl Clan, and they did not grow any easier with the birth of her son, which the Clan named Quag, meaning pale-skinned. Saysawna toiled hard as a female of the Clan and did all that she could to protect her half-breed child from the torments of the other, full-blooded euroz children. Twelve years into this lifeless existence a young mage adventurer entered the Phostwood seeking some brigands from the Bandit Kingdoms and came across the Gnarl Clan. The Clan put up quite a fight, but in the end they were forced to flee from the superior magic of the young wizard.

Saysawna had managed to hide herself and her young son in some thickets when the battle began and the two were left behind by the fleeing euroz. The mage found the terrified pair, and seeing the human woman's condition offered his assistance to her. Saysawna had not heard Tenhah for many years, but the sound of the mage's voice was like the chiming of church bells to her.

The mage said his name was Nystul and that he would help her and her child. Saysawna could tell that Nystul was somewhat taken aback by her half euroz son, but to his credit he buried his Tenhish bigotry and began preparing them for the trek out of the Phostwoods. No one in the group knew that they were being watched by Quintar, Saysawna's euroz husband, and when Nystul began to lead them from the forest the euroz chief attacked, shooting arrows into his wife's back. Nystul's retaliation was quick and cold, and the euroz warrior was no more, but his arrow had struck true and Saysawna lay dying at his feet. With her last breaths Saysawna begged Nystul to raise and care for her son. To ease her heart the mage agreed.

Since that day in 562 CY, Quag has been Nystul's apprentice and foster-child. Quag has learned much from the cunning arch-mage and constantly travels the Flanaess happily doing the Nystul's bidding and occasionally helping other members of his half euroz race.

13 STR 14 DEX 15 CON 10 BOD 13 INT
11 EGO 11 PRE 8 COM 3 PD 3 ED
3 SPD 6 REC 30 END 25 STN

Skills, Talents & Perks:
Har-Euroz Package:
0 AK: Phostwood; EM: -1 8-
0 KS: Phostwood Customs; EM: -1 8-
0 KS: Phostwood History; EM: -1 8-
0 PS: Mage; EM: -2 11-
3 Survival 11-
Mage Package:
1 Alchemy 8-
7 Magic Skill 14-
1 Spell Research 8-
3 KS: College of Darkness 12-
2 KS: Ancient Myths 11-
1 KS: Magic Styles 8-
Languages:
Euroz
0 Euroz (Native Accent)
0 Kell (Basic Conv.); DL: -1
0 Urzen (Basic Conv.); DL: -1
Aerdi
5 Aerdi (Native Accent); Literate: 1
1 Ferrond (Fluent Conv.); Literate: 1; DL: -2
1 Ancient Oeridian (Basic Conv.); Literate: 1; DL: -1
0 Nyrondese (Basic Conv.); DL: -1
0 Velondi (Basic Conv.); DL: -1
Tenhah
5 Tenhah (Native Accent); Literate: 1
1 Ancient Flan (Fluent Conv.); Literate: 1; DL: -2
0 Shwahah (Basic Conv.); DL: -1

1 TF: Horses
1 WF: Quarterstaff
1 WF: Swords

Powers:
Har-Euroz Package:
3 Armor (2 PD/0 ED)
4 Enhanced Perception (Smell, +2 to PER)
5 Infrared Vision
2 Running (+1", 7", NC: 14")

41 Magic Pool:
Variable Power Pool (37-pt Pool); Control Cost: 18; Change Only by memorizing new spells: -½; Limited to spells in spell book: -½; @: -2½
@ = IIF Ring: -1/4, Requires Skill Roll: -1/2, Gestures: -1/4, 30pt College: -3/4, 2x End in Direct Light: -1/4, Not around loud noise: -1/4, Must remain silent: -1/4

Memorized Spells:
(9) Dark Blade (-3); @: -2½
1d6+1 RKA; Range: 150; AE One-hex: 3 End
(4) Dark Shield (-1); @: -2½
Force Field (7 PD/7 ED) 1 End
(9) Douse (-3); @: -2½
8d6 Dispel; Range: 150; Any Single Power of Special Effect 3 End
(3) Magic Sight (-1); @: -2½
Detect Magic (+0 to PER); Instant; Ranged
(7) Night Blindness (-3); @: -2½
3d6 Flash (Normal Sight); Range: 150; Reduced by Range: -¼ 3 End
(5) Unlight (-2); @: -2½
CE: Remove Light (4" rad.); Half End 1 End

Equipment:
Dagger (1d6K, OCV: +1); DC: 2; STR Min: 8; Range: 25; Can Be Thrown
Quarterstaff (4d6N, OCV: +1); DC: 4; STR Min: 13

Disadvantages: 100+
5 BER: at 1/2 Body (8-, 14-); Uncommon
15 DF: Har-Euroz (Concealable, Always noticed & major reaction)
15 HUN: Ventris the Red (11-) (AP)
5 Poor
15 PSY: Loves the Macabre (Common, Strong)
10 PSY: Paranoid (Common, Moderate)
10 WAT: Nystul (8-) (MP, NCI: Extensive)

Character Totals:
Characteristics: 36
Skills: 34
Powers: 55
Character Total: 125
Disadvantages: 125

Height: 5'5", Weight: 145 lbs, Sex: Male, Age: 26, Race: Har-Euroz

Appearance: Quag wears dark robes, black leather shoes, and a baggy black hooded cloak, which he keeps pulled up most of the time.

Quag wears an onyx ring with a silver band on both his left index finger and a silver torc around his neck. He wears no other jewelry.

Quag has the greenish complexion of his Euroz father and the long black, human hair of his Flan mother. Quag has the pink eyes and flattened nose of his Euroz heritage, but his mouth is human-like.

Circle of Eight, Nystul