Wizard[]
Although magic and wondrous events abound in the sagas and romances of the Viking age, the style of magic is seldom like that found in the AD&D® 2nd Edition rules. The Vikings operated by different understandings of magic. Runes and supernatural agencies played an important part, while the stereotypical robed wizard was seldom seen. Organized wizard colleges, guilds, magical supply shops, and other conventions sometimes assumed in an AD&D campaign simply did not exist. Likewise, scrolls, spellbooks, and other such written material were not native to Scandinavia. Runic writing was used for memorial markers and runecasting, both of which involved the invoking of special divine power.
However, a few wizards did exist. Like the paladin, these sorcerors were always foreigners. Those wanting to learn the magical arts often went to the Lapps, Finns, Scots, or Irish to learn their secrets. Upon return, such sorcerors were viewed with suspicion and fear. Thus, wizards must either come from or have studied extensively in foreign lands— particularly Finland, Lapland, the Hebrides, Miklagard (Constantinople), or Araby. Not surprisingly, wizards of all stripes often had a very low status.
Not all types of magic were known, either. In AD&D game terms, only certain specialist mages are allowed. Those specialist mages that can appear are listed below:
For those DM's striving for an "authentic" fantasy campaign, it is strongly recommended that all wizard characters, both player and NPC, be kept to a minimum. Of the few that do appear, the majority of these should be Diviners or Necromancers. Specialist mages should automatically suffer a -2 on all encounter reactions with those aware of the character's repuation.
Furthermore, spells of Alteration, Invocation, and Evocation are almost completely nonexistent. The few wizards that do appear use subtle methods, not the powerful and flashy damage-causing spells.
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