Non-Standard Magic Users
by Rodger BurnsSo I'm pondering a few setups in which Mystara could have magic-users who don't have a 16+ Intelligence. (It's a very viable state of affairs; in BD&D, the only thing your Intelligence score does is boost your XP gain. In 3.x, such characters still work as Sorcerers or some similar type of caster.) These would probably be Alphatian NPCs, but could also be found in Thyatis, Glantri, Sind, Hule, or any other nation with an established magical tradition.
Alightes the Simple - S9, I6, W17, D11, Co12, Ch15. In a world without magic, Alightes might face a life of drudgery or monastic seclusion. On Mystara, his talent for the arcane arts - hard-won though it may be - means that he's listened to and respected. Alightes is a very slow thinker, who can go for months or years without bothering to comment on a matter of interest, when he does have something to say it usually turns out to be surprisingly apt and insightful.
Eigaari Lancros the Quick - S10, I9, W10, D17, Co10, Ch11. Eigaari is a rogue in every sense of the word; nimble-fingered, quick-tongued, and almost totally amoral. He was reportedly placed under apprentice bond mainly to keep him from causing trouble with his larcenous antics, and even as an accomplished magic-user still reportedly looks for ways to use his art for illicit personal gain.
Tormaghal Montraas - S11, I4, W8, D12, Co10, Ch13. Tormaghal was once a brilliant man, but a reckless one. An unexplained magical mishap subjected him to the effects of a persistent and seemingly incurable feeblemind, which remains upon him to this day. Assistance by his friends and colleagues, and Tormaghal's own drive and determination, have raised his intelligence up to 'functional illiterate' status; he continues his efforts to either break the effects of the spell on him or render its influence moot.
Vyzatis Trollblooded - S8, I12, W11, D9, Co18, Ch9. Vyzatis's thin build and scrawny frame belie an almost superhuman resilience. It's unclear whether this is natural, an inheritance from forefathers who experimented on trolls' flesh, or the result of a magical mishap, but Vyzatis isn't one to be crossed.