The Sage
There are two ways to become a sage - the first - sitting in your tower and reading for the first 3/4 of your life is fine - if you are already rich or have access to a huge and impressive library or research facility. Most of us are not that fortunate and have to work for living - we have to acquire our information where ever we can.
Many sages, for example, started of as scribes and indeed many continue to work as scribes not only to maintain themselves, and their families, but to provide access to the information they crave and desire. Many Trainee Sages work in colleges, libraries or monasteries and work as copyist (making hand written copies of books). You can often see them in their lunch break, or after hours, making a second copy of the work for their own library (indeed many of the unilluminated scripts found in dungeons are eventually traced as the apprentice work of a sage)
Still other trainee sages act as the researcher for an established sage. Sure the sage hires a party of adventurers to find "Dalgarths tomb" but who does he r trust to write it down and make sure it is returned to him. Certainly not an adventuring Mage, he has the ability but is he really that reliable, the Priest could do it, but you can never be sure about the moral stance they will take or when their allegiance to the church will take over. The Thief or the Fighter?- no chance. The sage sends along his apprentice - just to make sure that it is properly returned to them. "By the way don't bother coming back without it" etc etc etc.
Some sages, particularly those who are interested in Flora, Fauna, other cultures or indeed many other areas might wish to collect, or check on the accuracy of, data for them selves. In most cases they are not prepared to spend time away from their other studies - so the send out an apprentice.
Still others, such as the cartographic trainee sage might be commissioned to map out a new area or territory or the geologist might be contracted to help prospect a parcel of land - all to learn (and to live and to eat etc) -
Sages Roll the following dice to determine Ability Scores
Ability |
Dice |
Range |
Strength |
d8+7 |
9-15 |
Dexterity |
3d6 |
3-18 |
Constitution |
2d6+3 |
5-15 |
Intelligence |
d4+14 |
15-18 |
Wisdom |
d6+12 |
13-18 |
Charisma |
2d6+2 |
4-14 |
Perception |
3d6 |
3-18 |
Sage progress table
Level |
XP |
spells* |
hit dice d4+ |
1 |
1 |
||
2 |
1250 |
2 |
|
3 |
2500 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
5000 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
10000 |
1,2 |
5 |
6 |
20000 |
1,2 |
6 |
7 |
40000 |
1,2,3 |
7 |
8 |
70000 |
1,2,3 |
8 |
9 |
110000 |
1,2,3,4, |
8 |
10 |
160000 |
1,2,3,4, |
8 |
11 |
220000 |
1,2,3,4,5, |
8 |
12 |
440000 |
1,2,3,4,5, |
8 |
13 |
660000 |
1,2,3,4,5,6 |
8 |
Sages use the Wizard’s table for THAC0.
Sage Saving Throws
Level |
Paralyzation, Poison, and Death Magic |
Rod, Staff or Wand |
Petrification or Polymorph |
Breath Weapon |
Spell |
1-4 |
14 |
16 |
15 |
17 |
17 |
5-8 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
15 |
13 |
9-12 |
11 |
10 |
10 |
14 |
11 |
13 |
11 |
9 |
9 |
13 |
10 |
Magic
Sages only ever get one spell of each level, they can cast up to 6th level spells but not 7th or Higher. All Sages learn spells in the same way as a Mage does, by studying the spell in a book (this includes priestly spells). Sages will have 1-4 spells of available levels in their books (but possibly not collected together into one spell book).
The sage specialist Knowledge Table shows which schools and sphere a given sage might own spells from. For each Major or Minor field the sage has, she will be able to learn spells from a different school or Sphere. Some specialist Knowledge categories allow sages to add spells from yet another sphere.
Please note that the sage will never have access to more than 4 spells at any given level and can only learn one spell of a given level per day.
Weapons and Armour
Sages do not generally wear armour - but they are intelligent (and wise) enough to know that in some circumstances the wearing of armour could well save their life.
If a Trainee sage is encountered on a mission for their master (or travelling to collect information for themselves), they might well be discovered wearing Leather or Padded Armour. So long as it does not interfere to much with their work they may even be carrying a small shield or a buckler.
Sages often rely heavily on one particular tool - and in many cases become fairly proficient in its use as a weapon. Some sages have even been known to take lesson in the "Use of this Damned Thing" before setting out of a particularly troubling expedition.
They use the Mage’s combat tables
Proficiencies
Sages start with one Weapon proficiency and then progress as wizards. They start with Reading and Writing as a bonus and three other non-weapon proficiency slots. Thereafter they gain one extra non-weapon proficiency slot every 4 levels
Weapon Proficiencies |
Non Weapon Proficiencies |
|||||
Initial |
#Level |
Penalty |
Initial |
#Level |
||
Sage |
1 |
6 |
-5 |
3* |
4+ |
*
plus bonus proficiency of Read/Write.+
The sage also gains one bonus non weapon proficiency skill per level, which must be spent according to their areas of interest. The Sage Specialist Knowledge category table shows these bonus NW proficiencies against some fields and some Specialist Knowledge Categories. The slot may be spent on any NWP described in the sage's major, or a minor, field. The sage does not have to wait until the can learn a specialised area before they can learn the NWPs listed against it.Sages may learn any NW proficiency from the general group at base cost, s/he may also learn any proficiency for which the Relevant Ability is either Intelligence or Wisdom, at base cost, regardless of the proficiency group it is in. Other proficiencies always cost one more slot to learn.
Eg - Mining, Tracking and Herbalism all cost 2 slots for a sage to learn, but so do Pottery, Musical Instrument and Gaming.
Sage Abilities
Sages start with a Major field of interest and add Minor Fields and Special categories as they progress and then have a "Chance to Know" based on their level, or (in general situations) can use the bonus NWPs they have acquired.
Level |
Minor Fields |
Special Categories |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
1 |
|
3 |
1 |
|
4 |
1 |
|
5 |
2 |
|
6 |
2 |
|
7 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
1 |
3 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
2 |
4 |
12 |
2 |
4 |
13 |
2 |
4 |
Fields
Human Kind
Demi Human kind
Humanoids and Giant Kind
Physical Universe
Fauna
Flora
Supernatural and Unusual
Specialist Knowledge categories
Human Kind |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
|
Illusion [w] |
Art & Music |
Artistic Ability/Music |
|
Biology |
Healing |
Healing [p] |
Demography |
|
|
History |
Ancient/Local History |
|
Languages |
Modern Language |
|
Legends & Folk Lore |
|
|
Law & Customs |
|
|
Philosophy and Ethics |
|
|
Politics & Genealogy |
|
|
Psychology |
|
|
Sociology |
|
|
Theology and Myth |
Religion |
|
Demi Human Kind |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
|
Illusion [w] |
Art & Music |
Artistic Ability or Music |
|
Biology |
Healing |
Healing [p] |
Demography |
|
|
History |
Ancient or Local History |
|
Languages |
Modern Language |
|
Legends & Folk Lore |
|
|
Law & Customs |
|
|
Philosophy and Ethics |
|
|
Politics & Genealogy |
|
|
Psychology |
|
|
Sociology |
|
|
Theology and Myth |
Religion |
|
Humanoids and Giant Kind |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
|
Illusion [w] |
Art & Music |
Artistic Ability or Music |
|
Biology |
Healing |
Healing [p] |
Demography |
|
|
History |
Ancient or Local History |
|
Languages |
Modern Language |
|
Legends & Folk Lore |
|
|
Law & Customs |
|
|
Philosophy and Ethics |
|
|
Politics & Genealogy |
|
|
Psychology |
|
|
Sociology |
|
|
Theology and Myth |
Religion |
|
Physical Universe |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
|
Elemental [p] |
Architecture & Engineering |
Engineering |
|
Astronomy |
Astrology or Navigation |
Astral[p] |
Chemistry and Alchemy |
Alchemy |
|
Geography |
Direction Sense |
|
Geology & Mineralogy |
Mining |
|
Mathematics |
|
|
Meteorology & Climatology |
Weather sense |
Weather [p] |
Oceanography |
Sailing or Boating or Swimming |
|
Physics |
|
|
Topography & Cartogrophy |
Navigation and Cartography |
|
Fauna |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
Animal Lore |
Animal[p] |
Amphibians |
|
|
Arachnids |
|
|
Avians |
|
|
Cephalopods & Echinoderms |
|
|
Crustaceans and Molluscs |
|
|
Ichthyoids |
Fishing |
|
Insects |
|
|
Mammals |
Animal Handling |
|
Marsupials |
|
|
Reptiles |
|
|
Flora |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
Agriculture |
Plant[p] |
Bushes and Shrubs |
|
|
Flowers |
|
|
Fungi |
Fungus Recognition |
|
Grasses & Grains |
|
|
Herbs |
Herbalism |
|
Mosses & Ferns |
|
|
Trees |
|
|
Weeds |
|
|
Supernatural & Unusual |
Non Weapon Proficiency |
Spell Area |
|
|
Greater Divination [w] |
Astrology & Numerology |
Astrology |
|
Cryptography |
|
|
Divination |
Astrology |
Divination [p] |
Dweomercraft |
Spell Craft |
Any [w] |
Heraldry, Signs & Sigils |
Heraldry |
|
Medicine |
Herbalism |
Healing [p] |
Metaphysics |
|
|
Planes (Astral, Ethereal & Elemental) |
|
Astral[p] |
Planes (Outer) |
|
Astral[p] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sage Chance to Know Tables
For most formal situations sages should consult the tables below when they are asked a question. However, for general use, adventuring and basic questions it might be better for the mage to use the NWP skill s/he has acquired.
Level |
Out of Field |
Minor Field |
Major Field |
Special Category |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
G |
S |
E |
G |
S |
E |
G |
S |
E |
G |
S |
E |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
7 |
3 |
10 |
10 |
8 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
2 |
8 |
3 |
0 |
12 |
8 |
3 |
15 |
14 |
7 |
20 |
19 |
15 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
3 |
12 |
4 |
0 |
17 |
12 |
4 |
23 |
21 |
10 |
30 |
29 |
23 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
4 |
16 |
6 |
0 |
23 |
16 |
6 |
31 |
29 |
13 |
41 |
38 |
31 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
5 |
19 |
7 |
0 |
29 |
19 |
7 |
38 |
36 |
16 |
51 |
48 |
38 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
6 |
23 |
8 |
0 |
35 |
23 |
8 |
46 |
43 |
20 |
61 |
57 |
46 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
7 |
27 |
10 |
0 |
40 |
27 |
10 |
53 |
50 |
23 |
71 |
67 |
53 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
8 |
31 |
11 |
0 |
46 |
31 |
11 |
61 |
57 |
26 |
81 |
76 |
61 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
9 |
35 |
13 |
0 |
50 |
33 |
13 |
65 |
58 |
28 |
85 |
80 |
65 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
10 |
39 |
15 |
0 |
54 |
35 |
15 |
69 |
58 |
30 |
89 |
84 |
69 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
11 |
42 |
16 |
0 |
57 |
36 |
16 |
72 |
59 |
31 |
92 |
88 |
72 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
12 |
46 |
18 |
0 |
61 |
38 |
18 |
76 |
59 |
33 |
96 |
92 |
76 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
13 |
50 |
20 |
0 |
65 |
40 |
20 |
80 |
60 |
35 |
100 |
96 |
80 |
G represents a general question, S a specific question and E and exacting question.
Sage Chance to Know modifiers.
Sages rely on time and research material to provide answers, and the percentages given above are correct for a sage who is not rushed and who has access to a complete library. The chances must be multiplied by the following factors when a full library is not present or where the sage is rushed, Library and rushed factors are cumulative. So long as the sage starts off with a chance his percentage can never fall below 1%.
Full Library 1
Partial Library 0.75
No Library 0.5
Rushed 0.75
Very Rushed 0.5
A Fifth level sage trying to answer a general question in a specialised knowledge category would normally have a 51% chance to answer correctly. If he was travelling and is deprived of his books his chances are 26% (51*0.5). If he party were attacked, but he was fairly safe his chances would fall to 19% (51*0.5*0.75). If he were in immediate danger it would fall lower still as he would feel very rushed.