Aonghais the Black traits

[Sangtraït]

I want to run the Adventure Seed that is in page 177 of GURPS Fantasy 4ed. Has anyone thought about the traits of NPC Aonghais the Black?

To make a NPC in GURPS is a long task and I'll be happy if somebody has done the hard work for me. :)

And of course, any other magician NPC traits will be fine too.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

What's the power level of the campaign's PCs? Do you want this guy to be more of a subtle threat, or able to hold his own against the entire PC group in a stand-up fight? Is it DF or non-DF?

[Sangtraït]

Originally Posted by Gold & Appel Inc

What's the power level of the campaign's PCs? Do you want this guy to be more of a subtle threat, or able to hold his own against the entire PC group in a stand-up fight? Is it DF or non-DF?

The power level is around 250 points. It's a world jumping campaign similar to Infinite Worlds. It's not DF and I want that Aonghais the Black to be a subtle and elusive threat. The mission of the PCs is to capture him alive.

Thank you!

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Sangtraït

The power level is around 250 points. It's a world jumping campaign similar to Infinite Worlds. It's not DF and I want that Aonghais the Black to be a subtle and elusive threat. The mission of the PCs is to capture him alive.

Thank you!

No worries. Sounds fun; I'll build you something after work.

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Aonghais the Black, Evil Wizard on the Lam [500]:

Image: Whether his nickname arose from his hair, his complexion, his fashion sense, or his deeds alone, nobody remembers; he looks like whatever he wants now.

Culture: TL 3(?) [0]; Familiarity: Home Culture [0], Two Others [2]; Languages: Home (Native / Native) [0], Two Esoteric (Accented / Accented) [4], Three Foreign (Native / Native) [12];

Attributes: ST 11 [10]; DX 12 [40]; IQ 17 [140]; HT 16 [60];

Secondaries: SM 0 [0]; Dam 1d-1 / 1d+1; BL 24#; Spd 7.0 [0]; Mov 7 [0]; HP 12 [2]; FP 20 [12]; Per 17 [0]; Will 17 [0];

Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Eidetic Memory (Regular) [5]; Empathy [15]; Energy Reserve x20 (Magical) [60]; Language Talent [10]; Magical Aptitude x3 [35]; Social Chameleon [5];

Perks: Dabbler (+3 to Defaults for Savoir-Faire: High Society and Servant) [1]; Forgettable Face [1]; Honest Face [1]; Rule of 17 (Weaken Will) [1];

Disadvantages: Fanaticism (Save the World from Extra-Dimensional Threats) [-15]; Megalomania [-10]; No Sense of Humor [-10]; Paranoia [-10];

Quirks: Attentive [-1]; Careful [-1]; Dichromatic Vision [-1]; Enjoys Gardening [-1]; Nosy [-1];

Skills: Acting (A) IQ-1 [1]-16; Area Knowledge (E) (National) IQ [1]-17; Artist (H) (Illusion) IQ-2 [1]-15; Detect Lies (H) Per+1e [1]-18; Diplomacy (H) IQ-1 [2]-16; Disguise (A) IQ-1 [1]-16; Fast Talk (A) IQ-1 [1]-16; Gardening (E) (Bonsai) IQ [1]-17; Hidden Lore (A) (Magical Texts) IQ-1 [1]-16; Intimidation (A) Will-1 [1]-16; Judo (H) DX [4]-12; Occultism (A) IQ-1 [1]-16; Savoir-Faire (E) (High Society) IQ-1d [0]-16, (Servant) IQ-1d [0]-16; Staff (A) DX [2]-12; Stealth (A) DX [2]-12; Streetwise (A) IQ-1 [1]-16; Swimming (E) HT [1]-16; Tactics (H) IQ-2 [1]-15; Thaumatology (VH) IQ-1 [4]-16;

e = +3 for Empathy

Spells: Body Control! (WC) IQ+3m [24]-20; Communication/Empathy! (WC) IQ+1m [6]-18; Healing! (WC) IQ+1m [6]-18; Illusion/Creation! (WC) IQ+3m [24]-20; Meta! (WC) IQ+1m [6]-18; Mind Control! (WC) IQ+3m [24]-20; Movement! (WC) IQ+1m [6]-18; Protection/Warning! (WC) IQ+1m [6]-18;

m = +3 for Magical Aptitude

Notes: Unlike most megalomaniacal wizards hell-bent on world domination, Aonghais doesn't really stand out of a crowd. This makes it a real pain to find him when he's on the run from multiple parties of bounty hunters. Even stripped of his zombie legion (which was really not his style, but hey, when you find a black cauldron that makes zombies and you want to conquer the world you let it ride, right?), his tower, his mind-controlled "apprentices" and supporters within the local nobility, and his trove of magical and mundane treasures, he remains a potent and elusive threat to any who would seek to apprehend and contain him.

Terminally-average in appearance despite being a socially-adept polymathic genius, he is especially good at blending into a new crowd and rapidly figuring out who the leaders and followers are, and he's good enough with his Mind Control to use it silently and without any gestures. He's also a master of mundane disguise in addition to his extreme capability with Illusion spells, often posing as a servant to get close to someone or using Independence and/or Initiative to create a Perfect Illusion body double while hiding his own appearance under a mundane disguise, an Illusion Disguise, or both if he's expecting trouble. Any time he feels like safety is a higher priority than subtle casting, he will have Teleport Reflexed on himself for an instant retreat, and he isn't shy about pouring out his copious Energy Reserve on Sense Danger and other Protection/Warning spells, plus Meta spells like Hide Aura and Scrywall, when he has to stick his neck out in any way.

While he is no great warrior, Aonghais is in surprisingly good shape for a middle-aged scholar, due to years of using Body Control magic on himself in subtle ways, and doing a lot of cardio. Despite this, he rarely engages in physical violence unless he is ambushed, preferring to use simple trickery or mind control to get others to do his dirty work for him (preferably someone the victim trusts, for the surprise factor...), or whipping up a Creation or Phantasm, when he needs somebody out of the way who is too strong-minded to simply cast Permanent Forgetfulness on. He will always have bodyguards around him who are Enslaved unless he hasn't had time to accumulate any after losing them all or fleeing abruptly, usually people who appear as normal folks going about their business, but who All-Out (Strong) Flying Tackle his aggressors without warning, hesitation, or regard for their own safety.

The only traits that really distinguish him from a normal mage in a crowd are his inability to perceive the color red (the result of a magical botch that he can't fix himself), his complete lack of a sense of humor despite an otherwise warm and charming demeanor, and his 24/7 drive to (short term) evade and destroy all enemies, so he can (medium term) build his personal power base, so he can (long term) save his world from extra-dimensional beings, which he is convinced are monitoring and possibly invading it. If he gets any inkling that the PCs are an extra-dimensional threat, he will go completely ape-excrement and throw everything he's got except his own body at them from afar, running like hell when they get close. Catching this guy and transporting him somewhere could be the subject of a whole campaign if you want it to be.

[Sangtraït]

Gold & Appel Inc you are a genious of NPC creation!

Aonghais the Black description is a lot of fun to read and he will appear in the campaign for sure.


Thank you very much!

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Sangtraït

Gold & Appel Inc you are a genious of NPC creation!

Aonghais the Black description is a lot of fun to read and he will appear in the campaign for sure.

Thanks! Have fun. :]

[Sangtraït]

One last question: Have you used any software to create this NPC or is it just your knowledge of GURPS rules?

[Gold & Appel Inc]

Originally Posted by Sangtraït

One last question: Have you used any software to create this NPC or is it just your knowledge of GURPS rules?

The latter; I have a slightly irrational aversion to the former.