Age of Dragons: Scholar-Sage

Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Age Of Dragons: Lifepaths -> Scholar-Sage

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Overview

An Academic Point

"...a butterfly, of the order Lepidotera, though specifically it is Hesperia argentia, or silver moth, as we can see from the silvering on his pectinate antennae. It is easily mistaken for the grey iron moth, though we can see from its horn-shaped genitalia that it is indeed argentia and-"

Impatient to get to the point, the warmaster interrupted Words-Remembered.

"Yes, yes, I'm sure the sexual organs of insects are fascinating, but I believe I was asking you about more pressing matters, vis a vis arcane solutions to our current situation."

The situation the warmaster was speaking of was that the Ascendancy's mortal armies had invaded the region.

An entire barony had crumbled under the surprise appearance of an orcish legion, that had seemingly managed to march across a vast expanse of Kalarni desert undetected, and was now pillaging the domain at the edge of the Arrantian City-States. The invasionary force formed a beach-head, and that beach-head could have a profound impact on the greater war.

"It is an academic point I admit," continued Words-Remembered, "but an important one at that."

"I fail to see..." started the warmaster, but it was the scholars turn to interrupt.

"Indeed, you fail to see. Which is why you need my help. You imagine that I can summon some arcane force to decimate the enemy army... and indeed I could."

"Then do so."

"But what then would you do about the remaining nine-tenths of the invasionary force? No... I can help you far more with thought than with magic. Consider this... the silver moth is not usually found in this area. Its normal ecological pattern is to boom in population every three centuries or so some seventeen leagues north of here, then for populations to follow the tricentennial storm front as it sweeps along the edge of the Kestrel Hills. If they are here at this time, then the storm front has been changed, and I can only surmise that the weather has been magically manipulated somewhere in the region to the north here..."

The war-master was listening silently now, so the scholar continued.

"If we look at the map of this region, we can see that overt attempts to create rainclouds over the Kalarni desert to the north-east would have been noticed from a great distance, especially from the Citadel of the Mother's Sword. So we must presume that instead additional rain must have been created here, along the so-called 'scorpion path'. Water here would have eliminated the titular scorpions, who are of course not animals but guardian demons of an earlier age. Thus, a route not usually available..."

"..is where we will find the orcish supply line," finished the warmaster, smiling.

Words-remembered smiled and nodded. Attention to detail, a little knowledge and observing a butterfly could change the course of a war. Sometimes, the academic point was the important one.

The Scholar-Sage Lifepath

Knowledge is power. In the case of draconic scholar-sages, this is often literally true as study leads to the mastery of powerful sorceries. It is unsurprising that many outside this Lifepath regard this as the Scholar-Sage's true calling: to master magic.

However, a true Scholar-Sage knows that the mastery of magics is a mere side effect of diverse learning and represents only a fraction of useful knowledge. A draconic mind is capable of incredible feats of applied thought, deep philosophy and academic mastery. While a mortal has only mere decades to study, the dragon has centuries, and is has the advantage of far greater intelligence as well.

To the Scholar-Sage, to waste this gift of superior sophis is an insult to to their own potential and a rude denial to the world of the gifts of thought that might be formed through a millennium of study.

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Lifepath Powers

The Beginnings of Scholarship (Experience Rating: 1 or Less)

A scholar-sage knows that the road to wisdom is long and arduous, and not something to be rushed into as mortal academics are fond of doing. A true scholar-sage will take time to first learn how to learn, so he can make the most of the coming millennium and use his mind to full potential.

• Learning How To Learn

The Scholar-Sage can acquire new information and knowledges at vastly accelerated rate. For example, if he encounters the text for a new spell, it will take him a day at most to master it, whereas usually it would take a dragon weeks or months. He can also memorise facts and studied material within moments, and it takes him only a little longer to consolidate this information on a permanent basis. Thanks to his supremely trained memory he will never need books or reference materials to recall anything he knows - just a few minutes of meditation will allow him to dredge information learnt centuries previously. Note that this does not give the dragon an eidetic memory in all things - he must actively engage his learning techniques to absorb information in this way, so does not (for example) automatically recall every word every told to him or every sight he has ever experienced. Nor does this power give him automatic access to new skills, nor allow him to cast any magic he has not mastered the lore for - it is a method for information retention and recollection, and nothing more.

The Lesser Lores of Magic (Experience Rating: 2+)

They say that knowledge is power, and in the case of magic, this is literally true. A scholar-sage will master magic to a far greater degree than most dragons, thanks to his focus on learning and wisdom. Scholar-Sages also understand to a far greater degree than most the theory of magic, and tend to understand how their spells work rather than just being able to cast them.

• Lesser Lores

At an Experience Rating of 2, the Scholar-Sage gains mastery of a single Lesser Lore of Magic. He can learn and cast spells of that lesser lore. Each time he gains a point of Experience rating thereafter he gains mastery of an additional Lesser Lore of Magic.

There is a vast list of lores of magic available. Those listed on this page (under Lifepath Resources, below) are just those most commonly learnt. Players should feel free to look at other lifepaths and select Lores of Magic described on those pages!

• Spell Creation

The Scholar-Sage can create new spells for a Lesser Lore that he knows. This is not as easy as learning already established spells, and generally requires in-game effort. Generally designing a new spell should take around one to two game sessions of dedicated activity, and will often require the Dragon to complete certain tasks and quests first, such as collection of rare ingredients, assembling lore, or creating a suitable environment for the first casting. The design and nature of this spell should be collaborated upon between player and GM.

An Ocean of Knowledge (Experience Rating: 4+)

With age and experience, the Scholar-Sage gains an encyclopaedic knowledge of his chosen areas of expertise. This depth of knowledge will be far beyond what a mortal can ever achieve, and will likely rival even the sum knowledge of entire libraries and universities.

• Fields of Expertise.

At an Experience Rating of 2, the Scholar-Sage gains mastery of a single field of knowledge. When expending dice on knowledge-related Sophis tests within this field, the dragon can expend dice on a roll of 1, as well as for the normal roll result. For example, if he normally needs to expend a 5+ to net a success, he can instead do so on a 1, 5 or 6.

Each time he gains a point of Experience rating thereafter he gains mastery of an additional field of knowledge.

Note that what consists a field of knowledge is up for negotiation between GM and player, but it should generally be something that relates purely to known information rather than practical applications, and should be quite limited in scope. Suitable examples for a field of expertise might include the following:

Draconic History, Metallurgy, Elvish literature, Brewery, Insect Zoology, Forest Ecology, Alchemic Science, Herbalism, Political geography, Coastal Culture, Orc Culture, Pure mathematics, Statistics, Aerodynamics, Stone construction.

Note that the field should never be an expertise in practical, artistic or non-mental activities (such as blacksmithy, crafting, surgery, martial arts or aerobatics) and should never involve the casting of magic or magical effects. Also, anachronistic fields (such as electronics, computers, etc.) are out of bounds.

A Mind without Equal (Experience Rating: 6+)

Centuries of dedication to knowledge and learning cannot help but sharpen the mind. The Scholar Sages call this "Cultivation of Sophis" - by using the mind, they strengthen it.

• Cultivation of Sophis

Permanently add +1 to the Dragon's Sophis. Each time he gains a point of Experience rating thereafter he gains an additional +1 Sophis.

Note that this can break the normal limitations to a dragon's Sphere ratings. Ignore restrictions as to maximum Sphere scores and also the Dominant Sphere rule when applying this gain.

The Greater Lores of Magic (Experience Rating: 7+)

The greater lores of magic are quite simply beyond mere mortals, and are challenging to all but the eldest of dragons. A dedicated Scholar-Sage can, however, master multiple Greater Lores over his lifetime.

• Greater Lores

At an Experience Rating of 7, the Scholar-Sage gains mastery of a single Greater Lore of Magic. He can learn and cast spells of that greater lore. Each time he gains a point of Experience rating thereafter he gains mastery of an additional Greater Lore of Magic.

The Greater Lores selected must be ones which the Scholar-Sage has previously mastered the Lesser Lore for. You cannot build a tower without solid foundations!

• Spell Creation

The Scholar-Sage can create new spells for a Greater Lore that he knows. This is not as easy as learning already established spells, and generally requires in-game effort. Generally designing a new spell should take around three to six game sessions of dedicated activity, and will often require the Dragon to complete certain tasks and quests first, such as collection of rare ingredients, assembling lore, or creating a suitable environment for the first casting. The design and nature of this spell should be collaborated upon between player and GM.

Epiphany of the Patient Genius (Experience Rating: 10)

For mortals, a moment of genius is something that may happen to one man just once in a generation. Through these leaps of genius, society leaps forwards. There is no guarantee of this happening, but somehow progress marches onwards. For dragons, a moment of genius can hapen at any time as well, as fate and history dictates. However, dragons also know that a moment of genius can be manufactured, through a lifetime of mental preparation. A Scholar Sage who has dedicated his life to wisdom knows that he can create the circumstances to guarantee himself an epiphany. As so few dragons survive long enough or are dedicated enough to reach this point, this is not a common event, but even so, the guaranteed moment of epiphany is something that most Scholar-Sages eagerly anticipated.

• Moment of Genius

This power can be used just once, and when activated is used up forever. The dragon has a moment of true genius, coming up with an idea that has the potential to revolutionise the world. For example, he might invent firearms, or come up with the idea of communism. This is the moment when players can throw an anachronistic spanner into the works, working with the GM to create a great leap forward in thinking, perhaps moving the entire setting forward a century or more in progress in the space of a decade. Even with this power, there are limits, of course - one cannot invent the internet without someone else inventing computers first, and you can't invent the twin-prop aeroplane without first coming up with the internal combustion engine. Regardless, GMs should be generous when allowing players this moment of epiphany - they've worked hard enough to get there. Also, an ambitious GM need not limit his players to real world tech developments... this is a world of magic, so a moment of genius could equally be the creation of a new Lore of Magic, or the discovery of an alchemical process to turn rocks into diamonds.

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Lifepath Resources

Knacks

Knacks are learnt abilities common to this lifepath. As they are internal to the dragon, they are not easily passed on as legacies, but are also hard to take away from the Dragon.

• Unusual Language (2 points per Language)

Every dragon speaks the draconic tongue of Essraghai, and even the mentally slowest dragon is likely to be a dab hand at mastering mortal languages with only a week or two of practice. This resource represents knowledge of the more unusual languages that a Dragon might come across - ones for which there are no readily available teachers, or which are too alien to master easily. Each time you buy this resource gain fluency in one unusual language. Example languages might include Kraken-speak, Wyverntongue, Low Daemonic and any others that the story introduces.

• Xenoculture Mastery (3 points per Xenoculture)

Every dragon is presumed to know his own culture like a native - it comes with being a native! For example, a Solar Dragon would know about Alliance life, the traditions of the Coastal regions, the history of the Solar Accord, of Coastal slang and colloquialisms and of Solar behavioural mannerisms. On the other hand, a Velvet Dragon wouldn't know about those things at all! Each time you buy this resource you gain knowledge of one culture, gaining the same degree of intimacy with it as a native would.

Possessions

Possessions are actual physical resources which the dragon has acquired. Possessions are easily acquired and easily lost, but are also convenient legacy resources for a dragon's descendants or proteges.

• Library (1+ points)

The dragon has accumulated a collection of books, which are in themselves a real treasure in an age where the printing press has yet to be invented. At 1 point this will likely represent a forty or fifty books of various rarities, with increasing size and more rare volumes with more points invested. A 10 point library, for example, would likely have over ten thousand books and would be amongst the greatest collections of scripts in the entire realm. Larger libraries are assumed to havea loyal staff of librarians (usually either monks or academians who will show due reverence and care for the dragon's property). Ironically the dragon himself likely will not use the library, as his learning techniques will allow him to absorb and retain information with a single read, but a library of stature and depth will guarantee him high status amongst other scholars, as well as being a fine legacy item.

• Arcane Sanctum (1+ points)

The dragon has constructed or acquired a sanctum which is set up for his needs with regards to spell-design and arcane research. Within this arcane sanctum he can more easily develop new spells, and can perform rituals that he might dare not elsewhere, safe in the knowledge that the wards and protections he has put in place will safeguard him. A sanctum of decent size (3+ pts) is the bare minimum for new spell research and the spells of greater lores will likely require an extremely well constructed and equipped sanctum (6+ pts) to be researched successfully.

• Pneuma Node (5 points)

The dragon has control over a Pneuma Node - a mystical location where the breath of the Mother Goddess flows strongly in the world. Anyone within the vicinity of a Pneuma Node will regain Arcane Energy at twice the usual rate. Nodes are usually found rather than built, at points of crossing leylines or great historical significance, but often structures such as stone circles or temples will be built on the site of nodes. Many Scholar-Sages make a point of constructing their Sancta and Libraries over nodes, if only for convenience and security.

Connections

Connections link the dragon to the rest of society. Scholar-Sages have a harder time cultivating these resources than most, as their studious nature lends them to introspection and isolation. However, even the most hermit-like scholar will eventually feel the need to link to society, or to train a willing student to carry on their legacy.

• Friend (3 points)

If you take this resource, you have a powerful friend. This friend can be anything up to an elder dragon in power level. This friend is your genuine ally, and will go out of his way to protect your best interests, even at cost to himself. This friend may mentor you, trade with you, exchange favours, etc. Of course, friendship is a two way street - if you use your friend over the centuries and offer nothing in return, or if you make it obvious you are manipulating them, then the friendship will likely die.

• Protégé (5 points)

To take this resource, you need to have a minimum Experience Level of 5. You gain a Protégé whose age is equal to half your own current age. This will generally be a dragon of your own breed and lifepath. It is possible to have multiple protégés, though of course your legacy can only be passed to one.

Lores of Magic

As previously noted, Scholar-Sages are not limited to this list when spending Resource points, but can look freely across the Lores of Magic described on any Lifepath.

Also, as a special exception to the normal rules, a Scholar-Sage can spend the Resource points from character creation on spells which he does not yet know how to cast. This represents the Scholar Sage acquiring the written lore and information he will later need to learn the spell. Once he acquires the necessary lore to cast the spell, he can master it simply by studying the texts he has already acquired.

The Lesser Lore of Alchemy

The Lesser Lore of Alchemy sees that Pneuma is the building block of reality, and that through the shaping lense of visualisation and the direction of will, anything can be created from the raw stuff of magic itself. With the Lesser Lore it is possible to create only the simplest of constructions, however.

• Conjure Base Material (1 point) (1 Arcane Energy, Expend 5+ on Pneuma Dice)

The dragon exhales glowing mist, which coalesces into solid material. This material can be almost any simple homogenous material that the dragon has previously encountered and studied. Each dice expended will create about ten kilos of stuff, be it gold, mud, water or whatever else. With conjured materials, their stability depends on the law of sympathy - if there is a lot of the same material in the vicinity of the new material, then it will tend to manifest permanently, whereas if the creation is unique to its environment (for example creating diamonds in the middle of mud) then it will last less time, perhaps a minute or two, or even just seconds.

• Simple Crafting (1 point) (1 Arcane Energy, Expend 5+ on Pneuma Dice)

The dragon can shape raw materials within sight, with each dice expended shaping around ten kilos of stuff. Nothing can be crafted that the dragon would not normally be able to craft with just his claws, or which he would not normally have ths skill to craft. Regardless, a mage can get quite creative with this, using the magic to save time on arduous tasks. For example, he might craft a block on ink into a mass of text, or instantly turn a lump of rock into a makeshift weapon-spike.

• Transmute Base Material (1 point) (1 Arcane Energy, Expend 5+ on Pneuma Dice)

The dragon can transmute raw materials within sight, with each dice expended changing around ten kilos of stuff. This material can be almost any simple homogenous material that the dragon has previously encountered and studied. As with conjuration, the stability of the transmutation depends on the law of sympathy. Also, no material that has pneuma or sophis can be transmuted, so sentient creatures and the like cannot easily be harmed through this spell.

• Crystalise Pneuma (1 point) (1 Arcane Energy, Expend 5+ on Pneuma Dice)

The dragon can transmute his breath into crystals of arcane energy. Each dice expended creates one point of crystalised pneuma, which can be absorbed and returned into arcane energy by any mage skilled in the Lesser Lore of Alchemy. A dragon can regain a maximum of 1 Pneuma per turn through this, and doing so is a free action. Over time, a dragon could easily stockpile vast amounts of crystalised pneuma, and many scholar-sages do just that, carrying it around with them for emergency use. Others hesitate to do so, as they are aware that the pneuma carries an inherent link within it back to the dragon that created it, and a malicious mage could use that sympathetic connection against them.

The Greater Lore of Alchemy

The Greater Lore of Alchemy takes the creation process to the next level, breaking the limitations of what lesser magicians consider possible. Anything can be formed from pneuma, and anything is possible.

• Conjure Complex Creation (3 points) (3 Arcane Energy, Expend three 5+ Pneuma Dice)

The dragon exhales glowing mist, which coalesces into an object. This object can be complex or simple, and made of multiple materials. It can even be alive, though it cannot have any mind more complex than an animals. Each three dice expended will create about ten kilos of creation. The mage can conjure any creation that he has previously encountered and examined elsewhere in reality. The creation cannot be magical or have magical powers of any sort. As with simple conjuraiton, the law of sympathy determines the creations persistence of stability.

• Transmute Anything (3 points) (3 Arcane Energy, Expend three 5+ Pneuma Dice)

The dragon can transmute anything into anything else, with each three dice expended changing around ten kilos of stuff. The target can be a living creature, or part of one, or anything else at all. The transformation can be into anything in creation of the same mass that the dragon has previously encountered, but cannot be magical, or gain mind that it did not have before. As with conjuration, the stability of the transmutation depends on the law of sympathy. The only limitation is that powerful pneuma disrupts this power - any creature with pneuma that is 5 or higher cannot be transformed by this magic.