Discussion thread for [The Sword Mage](http://www.birthright.net/brwiki/index.php/The Sword Mage). If you would like to add a comment, click the Post Reply button.
Those interested in finishing out the Sword Mage, there’s a start for you. I was debating making him a War Wizard or a Battle Mage from Mongoose’s Battle Magic: The Eldritch Storm. I’ll let you decide what it is. 
Seems to me that nothing has been written about them except for rumours - so a mysterious character who hides their identity for some reason is about all you have - with some suspicion of Vos links.
The other suggestion is that they are somewhat mercenary and not a simple vassal.
Mage that likes to use a sword…
You could model him/her on the Raven as a fighter/mage.
Or prehaps has a penchant for using sword spells.
A Cloak of swords - Powerful Magic item or Special blood power/form which not only obscures her/his identity but makes attacks on anyone in melee.
Aka thorns. and more.
Could even be one of the Ghoeres Minor Nobles who has access to courtly circles but is not known as the sword mage.
Does not even have to be Vos as that could be a carefully constructed persona to mislead people. - why not spread rumors that the sword mage is Vos and male because you can speak Vos fluently and hide your true identity more effectively as one of the courts apparently demure Ladies.
1/2 Vos?
When seen is surrounded by a cloak with many hanging blades (think leaf mail) that ripples and seperates changing colour sinuously. Occasionally (particularly if displeased) blades appear, suddenly not just part of the cloth becoming tangiable and flickering out for just an instant before sliding back into the “cloth”. An illusion surrounding them or something more…
The Sword Mage details and description is in The Book of Magecraft (AD&D Birthright)…
And his/her (since gender is unknown) portrait (the one I coloured)…
Cheers…
He is a Vos but he speaks only Anuirean and elven languages?
I think all we can conclude from the description is that as far as Anuireans know, he has only been heard to speak Anuirean and Sidhelien.
It is said that the Sword Mage hails from Vosgaard and draws additional power by summoning fiends. Though the rumor is unsubstantiated, it’s enough to keep anyone from contesting the Sword Mage’s source holdings.
Retrieved from “http://www.birthright.net/brwiki/index.php/The_Sword_Mage”
Languages Anuirean, Sidhelien
An unsubstantiated rumor that they are Vos and they don’t even speak it - is this an oversight? Suggests more to me that this is a rumour.
Mabey Anuireans assume anyone that summons fiends is from Vos but even the summoning of fiends could be an unsubstantiated rumour.
I was suggesting some possible reasons for this above.
You can either assume the rumour is true and the last Wizard scion who attempted to contest the sword mages holdings was eaten by fiends and that the sword mage hails Vos or create some details as to why this rumour would be spread.
The book of magecraft gives a bit more information. P40. Including stats.
And suggests that the swordmage likes dueling opponents with a sabre (has 2nd ed proficiency) including swordsman.
So I would suggest sabre rather than longsword. Weapon expertise? considering a low str and high dex.
Cloak of swords has +10 armour. (AC0 2nd ed)
and one of its blades adds +2 armour (probably deflection bonus)
other blades give additional.
so including dex an armour of 25 without spells or other smaller items.
I don’t have the Book of Magecraft, or else I would have fixed it. Why not edit him/her yourself?
Elton.
I’m currently on my break at work but will bring book of magecraft tommorrow and see what I can do. (unless someone has already)
I reluctant to put in all the things I would like as I have a tendancy to make already mean things meaner. especially when they are slightly ambigious.
Another thought occurs that considering that 2nd ed stats are set and difficult to alter after character generation and 3rd ed gives stats every 4th level then when updating shouldn’t the NPC’s be given stats for every 4 levels as part of their upgrade to 3.5?
Mabey this has already been discussed but I haven’t read it anywhere.
Depending on what the character looks like I’ve generally assumed that ability score improvements have already occured. But, I 'd go case by case.
The Sword Mages fascination with blades of all types is his mantle. He has either Manufactured or otherwise procured many magical swords that he has issued to his lieutenants as needed.
The Sword mages cloak of swords is a powerful magical item constructed of heavy fabric and magically flexible swords that meld with the fabric. Each sword provides a new layer of protection to the wizards person. Some speculate that he once had the service of a fiend from another plane who could transform the semblance of magical items; Supposedly the creature turned a cloak of protection, a chime of opening and othe magical items into swords the wizard added to his cloak. Perhaps the Sword Mage can still call on that particular fiend at will, or perhaps he has learned the trick himself- occasionally rumours claim that he has added a new item to his arsenal, thus increasing the threat he poses in the Heartlands.
The Sword mage himself seems obsessed with personal power, He values strong offensive spells, while in nature his magical items tend to be defensive in nature. It is said he enjoys personal duels with wizards and even nonwizards, trusting in his magic and skill at arms (not to mention his items) to see him through any conflict.
His chief retainers are nearly as feared as Ghoere’s Iron guard. Some are dual class fighter/mages while others are rogues of the highest order.
Like the sword mage himself, each retainer guards his ture identity with his life. When operatin “openly” each henchman wears a full-face, silver cloth mask with a black sword biscecting the face. They are seldom seen in this garb - but when they are, fear follows them.
The Sword Mages “rumoured” ability to contact other planes and bring across fiends as servants is genuine. He exploits this ability when necessary, summoning powerful beings to achieve the darkest goals.
Personally I would like to give him three points of stats +1 Str +1 Int and +1 Dex (just his entitled level increases!)
Don’t forget that BR 2nd Ed stat blocks are usually not fully accurate to deliberately inspire some mystery about the characters.
Also, the stats of the notable characters tend to be extremely high, so extra stat points aren’t generally necessary.
His description suggests some fighter classes - and a spell list to "Buff " himself up if he/she likes dueling so I put it out there to see what others thought - thought if fitted with the character description.
2nd ed description was 10 level wizard.
Keen Sabre was my addition based on his description as a magic sword collecter. Cloak of swords is as 2nd ed converted.
Didn’t think he was necessarily a Vos noble.
His stats to me seemed above average but not especially remarkable for the character write up particuarly considering 3rd ed rules. But as you say the DM can modify them for their own game.
Wasn’t sure what to do with the Fiend summoning ability and how to write it up but he/she definately has one.
Blood Powers need work.
Has resistance and alter self but should probably have more considering his bloodline score.
The sword mage needs two more class levels: Wizard or fighter.
Well, having counted his stats via pointbuy, the Sword Mage has 44 pts (and that’s assuming that he raised his Dex, Con & Int given here by 1 each).
To account for The Swordmages fighting prowess in “The book of Magecraft” and his joy in dueling opponents he has already been given 2 extra levels from his 2nd edition character.
The (cr 14) Rating is to take account of bloodline and Fiend powers - Not that they have been fully written up yet.
Fiend summoning and command??
Special spells. summoning command and protection from fiends.
Special Bloodline power - not in normal rules for contacting and controlling fiends??
Ancestral link/pact with fiends. (could be a template)
Additional Magic item(s)?
What do people think of Mehgevail (sp) sense as a Voryn blood power for him/her - it would account for the speed at he found sources and set them up (pretty much before anyone including High mage Aelies noticed) ?
Well in regard of The Sword Mage’s fiend summoning specialization, You can give him/her few levels in Warlock (core class, D&D3.5 Complete Arcane) and/or The Thaumaturgist (prestige class, D&D3.5 Dungeon Master Guide)…
Thaumaturgist won’t do any good - this PrC for divine spellcasters only. But if he/she/it controls a gate from the Shadow world to more distant planes and research such forbidden spell as planar binding - it’ll do the trick. IMO, fiends must look at him favorably - there’s not much summons from Aebrinus these days…
Well, demons can be an elastic term - the Swordmage could be summoning things from the Shadow World rather than a ‘classic’ lower planes - some of the inhabitants are quite unpleasant, and given the mutability of (at least parts of) the shadow World theoretically I don’t see why the summoned thing could be quite literally someone’s worst nightmare…