Entry in the Unique NPC Contest.
6th level halfling invoker
_Background:_
Bill was the son of one of a retainer in the country house of a somewhat
whimsical human wizard in the realms. Bill had always been fascinated by
the powers his father's employer demonstarated and used to sneak a look at
whatever spell books he could when he was meant to be dusting or delivering
food.
The day came when the wizard's home was attacked by a horde of orcs
looking for food, as it had been a harsh winter. Roused from his studies
the wizard paused to obliterate the orc raiding party with a well aimed
spell, but was somewhat chagrinned when by some fluke a single charred orc
survived. He was even more surprised when the surviving orc was felled by a
magic missile that Bill had managed to cast successfully!
When the wizard had stopped laughing he offered to take Bill on as his
apprentice, deciding that he must be a natural to be able to cast a proper
spell with no formal schooling, and sure enough Bill was soon well on his
way to mastering the noble art of blowing things up.
When Bill was twenty, his master declared that his apprenticeship was
over, and unleashed the halfling invoker on an unsuspecting world.
Bill soon found himself in Waterdeep, and due to complicated circumstances
involving a spelljammer captain, an ithillid, and the city watch, soon
found himself outbound on a hammership heading for Braal.
_Appearence:_
Bill doesn't look like the typical mage. He's a halfling, for a start;
something that often disconcerts people when they get blown apart. Bill
figures that if you're going to be underestimated anyway, you may as well
make the best of it rather than carry a chip around on your shoulder. Bill
wears a black and red silk slashed doublet, and black cotton trousers. He
tends to keep a couple of throwing knives handy for those "I've run out of
spells!" moments.
Unusually for a halfling, Bill has black hair and blue eyes, and like most
of his race a permanent mischievous grin.
_Personality:_
Bill pursues magical knowledge and experience with the same tenacity that
he pursues women. Bill chases after rumours of lost spells and abandoned
wizards towers to improve his skills in order to, in his words, "blow up
really *big* things". As to the latter, Bill's companions are often
disturbed at his sucess rate; one reason Bill like 'jamming is that it
takes you a *long* way from jealous husbands!
Bill has tried his hand at being a helmsman, but isn't too keen as it
leaves him spell-less. He prefers to sign on as a battle mage or, when he
can't get people to take him seriously, as a cook.
All in all, Bill is easygoing, cheerful and a good person to have both
around a campfire, and in a fight.
_Stats:_
S: 10 I: 15 W: 13
D: 18 Co: 16 Ch: 15
Al: CG
Hp: 37 (see below)
Spell points: 79 (must spend at least 20 on invoc/evoc spells)
AC: 5 or by spell.
Weapon proficiencies:
Knife
Sling
Nonweapon proficiencies:
spellcraft
cooking
read/write
herbalism
signature spell - magic missile
signature spell - lance of disruption
{increases effective caster level by 2, and gives one free
memorisation of each spell per day}
Skills and Powers modifications:
extra opposition schools (abjuration, necromancy)
d6 hit points / hit dice
_Spellbook:_
1st level; chromatic orb, shocking grasp, wall of fog, light, change self,
magic missile, read magic, detect magic, feather fall, fist of stone.
2nd level; whispering wind, continual light, ice knife, mirror image,
levitate, knock, ESP, invisibility, vocalise.
3rd level; wraithform, clairaudience, invisible mail, lightning bolt, lance
of disruption, fireball, dispel magic.
Spells normally memorised; free 1st level, free 2nd level, free 3rd level,
magic missile x 3, invisible mail, lance of disruption x 3.
_Items of Note:_
knife +1
scarab of protection
Bill's most treasured possesion is a ring of wizardry, which halves the
spell point cost for 5th level spells. Unfortunately, Bill can't actually
*cast* any fifth level spells yet, but he is eagerly awaiting the day when
he can!
_Plot hooks:_
Bill is primarily intended to inject a bit of comic relief into a
campaign...
* a more determined than usual jealous husband hires the PCs to find Bill.
* Bill casually obliterates a thug who's hastling him in a bar. The PCs
should be persuaded to help Bill escape the watch and the thug's vengeful
colleagues. Things soon degenerate into slapstick.
* the ship's cook proves to be an unexpected asset in battle.
* a PC discovers he has an unusual romantic rival (imagine the humiliation
of being outsted by a halfling!)
