Wizardry and the Schools of Magic

Magic in the Valley of the Old Ones works in a true-to-old-school Vance-like manner.  If that means nothing to you then it is simply this - spells are a way to release a specific type of energy (called magic) in a certain form (the spell's effects), and that energy is captured in potential form when the magic user "memorizes" the spell.  Once the spell is cast, then the energy is released, and the spell must be re-memorized in order to cast it again.  Priest and Druid magic is different, in that it is merely released from either the supernatural source, or nature (in the case of Druids), so it need not be memorized in the same manner.

The magic of Magic Users is known as arcane magic, or simply wizardry.  It falls into a number of different schools, each having to do with a different aspect of magic.  All practitioners, as usual, have access to the school of Lesser Divination (which provides the basic spells req'd for all spellcasters).  Again, this is as per 2nd Ed rules.

The other 8 schools of magic, however, are all studied and researched at a number of different magical institutions, located in different cities.  This is not to suggest that all of the magic users within a certain barony are of a certain school, only that the master of that school and the chief practitioners are located in a particular city.  It is customary (but by no means universal) that rulers of Baronies will allow magic users to travel across borders, even during times of strife, if they are visiting a particular school and agree to a vow of peace while in the territory.

• Elder Institute for Necromantic Legerdemain - The school of Necromancy is located in the city of Devrie.  It is a tall, spindly black tower, the dome of which is a huge white skull made of marble.  The grounds around the tower - a large circle of land - are devoid of living things.  The current grand master is Necromancer Malchaumis (male).
• Eldritch College of Channeling and Shaping - The school of Invocation and Evocation is located in the city of Lynch.  It is a castle, with a number of massive round towers all about it, each of which is topped with a huge brazier that are constantly burning with multi-colored flames.  Head mistress of the college is Shere Shard (human female)
• Ancient Presagery of Secrets and Mysteries -The school of Greater Diviniation is located in Pellorix.  It is one of the oldest schools of magic in the Valley, being over a thousand years old.  It is a simple manor house on the outside, surrounded by a walled garden.  Inside the house are endless corridors and rooms - some of which are said to stretch on for miles and miles.  The Chief Sage is Ciarra Pickthal (female)
• Tower of Thaumaturgical Flux - The school of Alteration is located in the city of Scallen.  It is a massive tower, with the foundational layers made all of jade and emerald, but the top stories of which are constantly changing in composition and appearance.  The Key of Alteration (current master of the school) is Mistress Trollencule (female).
• School for Mastery of the Illusionary Arts - The college of Illusion is located in the city of Ockham.  It appears as a small castle, floating in the air above a perfectly calm pool.  The castle is always different, and none but those within the School know it's true nature.  The head of the School is Pandulf the Magnificent (male).
• Glamor Hall for Bewitchment and Entrancement - The school of Enchantment and Charm is located in the city of Khomaes.  It is a great walled park, full of flowering plants and trees of all varieties, all year long.  The portal to the halls and chambers of the school (a polished marble and gold arch, with royal purple drapes to be pulled aside) appear somewhere within the park to those who require entrance.  The Queen of Enchantment (head of the school) is Mellisonde (female).
• Demesne of Planar Knowledge and Magical Petitioning - The school of Conjuration and Summoning is located at Werms.  The school appears as a tall black castle, with lots of looming spires and towers, and is always surrounded by swirling clouds of black and grey fog and smoke.  The current master, sitting the the Throne of Knowledge, is Yazeed the Traveller (male).
• Grand Lyceum of Abjurative Sorcery - The school of Abjuration is located in the city of Botts.  It is a walled campus of several buildings built upon a shining plaza made out of curious metals from a fallen asteroid. The head of the Lyceum is the Abjurer Glub Nar (male).

Any character that is a magic user or illusionist, especially a Human or Fey Changelings (half-elf) character, will have studied their basics at the school in question, regardless of their Barony of origin.  A modicum of knowledge about how to travel to the school, and requirements for gaining entrance, are therefore part of the basics that the character knows from their initial training.

Non human practitioners of magic (chiefly Elves and Gnomes) will often have their own masters.  The major exception are the Gnomes of  both the Oncor Hills and the Uidan Forest, many of which who practice magic take up their training at the School for Illusionary Arts at Ockham.  Some even maintain that the School retains several Gnome Illusionists on its staff.

Week of Encounters Day 6: Horrors of the Red Swordsmen

[Okay, I've gotten off schedule from my original planned "one week" of encounters, however I will still post encounters #6 and #7.]
This encounter takes place in the Darkearth Plains region, near a small village up where the Aghanz Hills meet the Destriel Mountains.  It is an area populated mainly by Storm King Barbarians.  The evil priests who venerate Torgin of the Void are an exception.

There are evil priests who venerate 'Torgin of the Void' - the dark god of chaotic magic. These foul practitioners who prey on the innocent in order to spread their brand of fear and chaotic discord. Once a priest of the coven of Torgin reaches 9th level, he/she is able to cast the spell "Cursed of Torgin". This spell transforms human victims into abominations - the red swordsmen of the void!

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Cursed of Torgin (spell)
Level: 5
Duration: Permanent
Range: 30'
By casting this spell, the priest of the Coven of Torgin is able to convert a number of human victims, who must all be within 30' of the caster, and must be disabled. The victims are converted into mindless, soulless abominations who will now blindly follow the orders and will of any Torgin priest or magic user of level 5 or higher. Priests and clerics of a good alignment may attempt to "turn" the red swordsmen, however they are treated as if 2 levels higher than they are, and if they are "turned" then they will just be at abeyance for 2d6 rounds.
The number of victims affected per casting is 2d4 plus the caster's level.
Each red swordsmen thus created receives a random "red tattoo" on their face. See the writeup of the red swordsmen for details on the tattoos and their conferred powers.
This spell may only be cast once per day, and only on a moonless night.

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The evil spellcaster who is in command of a group of red swordsmen will no doubt waste no time in putting them to a use designed to forward the spell caster's plans.

The plot of this encounter is simple: the player characters are traveling in the north, near the Destriel Mountains, when they encounter a runner from the local tribe of Storm King barbarians. The local tribe is ruled by a chieftain named Hetman Magdor. The runner was sent to a holding in the nearby hills, which was defended by a troop of warriors from Magdor's tribe, and led by his brother Otto. The runner has reported that all 12 warriors, and their riding buffalo, as well Otto have been slain. The runner further mentions that his lord, Magdor will be only too glad to hire the likes of the adventurers for a task most urgent. It seems that the local evil magician, a sickly, perverse old man named Eggulet has dispatched a marauding band of Red Swordsmen to terrorize the neighborhood. The Hetman Magdor is interested in both putting a stop to Eggulet and his swordsmen, but also (very much) in seeing his daughter back alive. She disappeared a fortnight back, coincidentally with an attack by the Red Swordsmen on the the village of Magdor, 'Briney Tor'.

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Cursed Red Swordsmen of Torgin
Num Appearing: 2+1d4 (always in groups, or as their 'creator' instructs them)
Alignment: Chaotic evil
Movement: 120'
Armor Class: 6 (or better, as with worn armor)
Hit Dice: 1d-8d
Attacks: 1 (weapon, usually sword)
Damage: As weapon (plus 2)
Save: F- variable
Morale: Special
Each Red Swordsman of Torgin will also have a special tatoo that imparts some magical quality. These are the most common:

1. Body covered in rot grubs, each melee round 1d4 will leap onto the swordsman's opponent.
   
2. Ability to breathe poisoned gas 3x per day in a 10' cloud. The gas is weak so the save is +2, but if not made then the victim begins wretching uncontrollably for 1d6 rounds (during which time they are -4 to hit, and +4 to be hit).
   
3. Fast. As per Haste spell.
   
4. Flaming skin - does 1d4+1 damage per melee round to anyone not immune to heat and fire attacks. Also has a chance (25%) per round of catching something of their foe's (clothing, equipment) on fire.
   
5. Screaming Skin. Each strike against the swordsman that does damage releases a screaming, hissing escape of some steam like substance. The sound it makes on escape is horrible (all within 40', except other swordsmen, must make an intelligence test or be stunned for 1 round).
   
6. Rusting Blood. Each strike that scores damage against this swordsman with a metal weapon, will have that weapon corroded as if by a rust monster.
   

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The DM should prepare a minor wilderness campaign with several encounters as the players track the trail of the Red Swordsmen to the tower of Eggulet. Once there, it will be revealed that Eggulet has been murdered - his tower is poor disrepair, but it should be full of treasures (enough to warrant the Player's giving it a look around). The dungeons beneath the tower, however, are a different story. They are populated by several types of magical creations, not to mention traps and tricks. If the Red Swordsmen are survived, the players should be able to score a major haul of treasure.