Nous Gamchigoth
The surprising thing about young fools is how many survive to become old fools.
As you can clearly see, the forth inversion of the mana flow casues the most perceptible fluctuation in the variable outcome of the spell. You in the back need to pay attention, one day you might face down a slavering bugbear like I did some seventy years ago. This somatic gesture is the key to the entire outcome of the basic Mana-Plasmic bolt spell.
But Nous Gamchigoth, you're describing the Imperical Mana-Plasmic bolt spell, that form of casting is considered out-dated...
Outdated, hardly. This form of magic is tried and true, and rather than argue with me you should endevour more deeply in your studies. Your wrist technique is terrible, and one more outburst like that and I'll have to afflict you with a Spell of Silence and report you to the dean for disruption of vital studies.
Appearance
Gamchigoth Ardnek fits the basic image of the doddering old mage, he wears long wizardly robes and is partial to a conical hat that was the fashion among magi some decades ago. His beard is not as long as some would expect it to be, nor his nose as hooked or beak-like as a proper arch-mage should appear. Instead his face, old and wrinkled, instead looks very plain and rather ordinary, much like an elderly uncle rather than a man of great power and influence. He is a fairly decent speaker, but his lectures are long and ramble. He will spout off lists of facts, codices and veritable libraries of rules and marginalia, and his command of trivia is almost without match. As such, his ego is rather large and his demeanor is at best condescending. At worst he is a critical and bitter old windbag.
History/Background
Gamchigoth was a middling son of a large family, one of many brothers and sisters. As such, he spent most of his early years struggling for notice and recognition among his siblings. As he grew older, he was apprenticed to a scribe and was sent away to learn a skill and perhaps make something of himself. Quite to their surprise, Gamchigoth did indeed make something of himself. He left the scribe and entered into magical studies.
His years at Academcia are shrouded in mystery, but it is speculated that he was a career magical student, spending years at study. While he was at his studies, he slwoly rose in prominence among the other students, and rather than strike out on his own, he elected to stay and teach other students. And thus it was that he stopped being a student and became a member of the faculty. The next decades, slowly creeping towards a century would become relatively identical. The students changed, and history progressed, and Gamchigoth's beard grew longer and his robes slighty out of date.
Eventually something horrible happened to Gamchigoth, something that he had not forseen with his theorems of divination magic, nor his collection of magical implements. He became irrelevant. With six magical degrees, the self-styled Arch-Mage, or Nous had become detached from popular culture and the microcosm of the school of magic itself. no longer respected for his erudition, Gamchigoth had become a relict and a dinosaur. The newest batch of students didn't respect his resevoir of knowledge, or his arcane abilities. No, they questioned every one of his time honed and honored tradtions and rules of sorcery.
For a while this was...tolerable. It changed when several new members were added to the faculty of the School of Magic. These new members picked and chose from his rules, using those that suited them, and discarding the others. Rather than heed his wisdom they disregarded it for their fancy ideas and self-described improvements. Gamchigoth was not one to sit idly by and allow himself to be maligned and forgotten.
Oona Ardnek
It was shortly later that a new part time student signed up at the School of Magic. She was described as a strange seeming girl. She seemed out of sorts in her own skin, but scored perfectly on every entrance exam and test that the college gave. The new girl wasted no time in taking up Gamchigoth's line of though, picking up every nuance of his lectures and telling anyone who would listen about how wise and great Nous Gamchigoth was, and how the other faculty members didnt understand this, and that was why they were not as great as the Nous. Yet her attendance was sketchy at best, and for all of her adoration of the Nous, Ardnek was never noticed at any of Gamchigoth's lectures.
A Peculiar Secret
Gamchigoth has a secret that would have him expelled from the School if it were to become common knowledge. Using his arcane sorcery, the Nous transformed himself into the likeness of other people, most often into young girls, as who would suspect a nubile young woman to be an old mage in disguise.
Special Equipment
Circlet of Hermaphroditus - This gold and silver circlet was among the Nous' first implements of shape-changing. Once donned, the circlet changes the gender of the wearer, male to female, female to male. It is not cursed so only removing it is required to reverse the transformation. Gamchigoth no longer uses the circlet, and instead relies on his basic sorcerous skills to effect his ruses.
Academecian's Regalia - as a high ranking Nous, Gamchigoth has a large collection of scholarly and sorcerous accoutrements, magical robes, enchanted hats, and ensorcelled everyday items. As such he has access to veritably any middle to low level magic item and a good chance of getting a powerful one. Of course his collection is purely academic and has never seen use, often let alone the light of day.
Roleplaying Notes
Love the rules, obey the rules, disseminate the rules, expand and show all of your work, every permutation must be calculated no matter how insignificant it might seem. If you dont mention the fire is hot, how will they know? HOW WILL THEY KNOW! HOW CAN YOU HAVE ANY PUDDING IF YOU DON'T EAT YOUR MEAT?
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? Responses (7)
lol-the idea of a gender-bending old mage is funny.
Woah. Just...Woah. I was expecting..I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this! Gimme a day or so to sit on this one before voting. As a preliminary, the twist at the end is interesting. I'm not entirely sure how to roll with it, but no matter. It adds an air of eccentricity.
Oh, the pettiness of an average man. He is okay, a plus for the amusement.
I wonder what happens if the new girl disappears, when Gamichgoth lays that plan aside, and someone (perhaps a student quietly in love with her) attempts to find what happened to her. Now that would be a great conclusion for a search...
Ooh manfred - thats rich! :P
Nice one Scras! You had a magic-school codex I believe this would be a perfect part!
http://www.strolen.com/content.php?node=3355
Nous is a title taken directly from that submission, So yes he does fit rather well with the Magic School
I think manfred said it best. "Oh, the pettiness of an average man."
I got a good laugh from this one. This NPC, like most of the good ones, immediately reminded me of a person from real life. Every reader knows at least one Nous :) I know I do.
I say, this is an interesting addition to any academy, colorful and amusing. Plus, a lot of fun can be had in interaction with him - whether you need an older spell, a trinket or a favor. Laughs can also be had when the old Nous is humbled.