Raistlin Majere

by Bennet Oppel

Special:

Proficiency in club, dagger and quarterstaff. Enhanced Intelligence: Raistlin has used wish spells to increase his intelligence. His Intelligence score has a +4 inherent bonus in its value.

Skills:

Alchemy +15, Appraise +12, Balance +8, Concentration +33, Disguise +8, Handle Animal +6, Heal +6, Hide +7, Intuit Direction +6, Knowledge (Anatomy) +19, Knowledge (Arcana) +57, Knowledge (Geography) +13, Knowledge (History) +27, Knowledge (Planar) +24, Listen +8, Move Silently +10, Perform +5, Profession(Herbalist) +19, Ride +5, Scry +25, Search +12, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +59

Feats:

Combat Casting, Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Staff, Empower Spell, Enhance Spell, Epic Spellcasting, Epic Skill Focus (Knowledge: Arcana), Epic Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Heighten Spell, Improved Spell Capacity (10th), Iron Will, Maximise Spell, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Spell Focus (Evocation), Spell Penetration, Spellcasting Prodigy, Summon Familiar, Improved Metamagic (x2)

Spells

Wizard Spells per Day: 6/7/7/7/6/6/6/6/5/5/3/2; base DC 26 + spell level, 28 + spell level for Evocation. Caster level 30.

Epic Spells per Day: 5, spell DC 36.

Raistlin knows the following spells from the Epic Level Handbook. Animus Blast, Dreamscape, Epic Mage Armor, Epic Spell Reflection, Greater Ruin, Greater Spell Resistance, Rain of Fire, Ruin. This is in addition to a large number of unique epic level spells developed by both Raistlin and Fistandantilus. Raistlin knows hundreds of spells many of which are unique and were devised by the great Fistandantilus as well as himself. Many of these are so potent and dangerous that lesser wizards fear to even use them.

Weapons:

Staff of Magius +17/+12 melee (1d6+2, crit x2), dagger of magius +18/+13 melee (1d4+3, crit 19-20/x2)

Possessions:

Staff of Magius, Dragon Orb of Silvanesti, Bloodstone Pendant, Dagger of Magius. Raistlin has vast resources available to him and can acquire or construct almost any item he might need although he views dependency on lesser items as a sign of weakness.

Background:

There are probably not many mortals who have had such a profound and prolonged influence in shaping Krynn's history as Raistlin Majere. Born some twenty odd years before the War of the Lance with his twin Caramon his early childhood years were for the most part an unhappy time spent largely in the shadow of his stronger and more popular sibling. He was seen as weak and sickly child more remembered for his sly manner and sharp tongue which was in stark contrast to his healthy and amiable brother. He was often the victim of bullies during this time which helped to foster perhaps a strong sense of empathy with the weak and downtrodden. Although Caramon would often deal swift retribution to anyone who harmed his brother Raistlin found such attention smothering and sometimes patronising which resulted in a burning resentment that would stay with him into later life. It was during this time however that he demonstrated his remarkable aptitude for magic and it provided him with a means as he saw it to compensate for his shortcomings, particularly when he compared himself to his brother.

It was not long before his innate talent for magic caught the eye of the conclave and in particular the eye of Par Salian, the then head of the conclave. He had been given the task of finding an individual to help combat the growing evil that would result in the War of the Lance and for this he had chosen Raistlin. Despite misgivings from some of the conclave he allowed Raistlin to take the test at the age of twenty one, earlier than any previously had taken it. The result of this is perhaps one of the most well known tales in Krynnish lore and Raistlin's test is probably the most documented for the unusual and tragic events that unfolded during it. Although most take the view that Raistlin was more than capable of passing the test he entered into an unholy bargain with the ancient wizard Fistandantilus. Fistandantilus had travelled from the past to further his own plans for godhood and for a time he preyed upon those who took the test, sucking them dry to prolong his existence. Raistlin however proved slightly stronger than the others and in return for helping him pass the test Raistlin agreed to allow the archmage to take over his body at a later time when the archmage intended to return to the future from the past. The result of this aid was a strange golden metallic tint that covered his skin, reputedly a secondary affect from a powerful protective spell Fistandantilus had cast on him.

Although many suspected that a bargain between the two had taken place events on Krynn were moving at a rapid pace and the War of the Lance was looming like a dark cloud on the horizon. Par Salian let the matter drop and hoped rather that Raistlin would prove capable enough to turn the tide against the oncoming evil. This was perhaps a fatal mistake. Raistlin's test is however not just remembered for this. Near death and consumed by rage he slew an illusionary image of his brother when he believed that Caramon also had the gift for magic that he thought solely belonged to him. Par Salian forced Caramon to watch this in the hope that it would give him a greater understanding of his brother and the relationship between the two twins was never quite the same between them afterwards. In order to teach him compassion Par Salian gave Raistlin hourglass eyes that marked only the passage of time allowing him to see as Raistlin perceived it only death and decay. If anything however this rather furthered Raistlin's natural cynicism. Although he chose to belong the order of the Red Robes following his test the disturbing rumours surrounding him meant that no one was willing to apprentice the young mage and he was left to learn his art in the increasingly chaotic world around him as opposed to the comfortable confines of the Towers of High Sorcery.

It was not long after Raistlin passed his test that the world was engulfed in the conflict that would be known as the War of the Lance. During this time Raistlin helped to fight the darkness threatening to consume all of Krynn and played a critical role with his fellow companions who would collectively be known as the Heros of the Lance. Raistlin's magic powers increased at a dramatic rate as the war progressed and he gained control of a potent artefact known as the Dragon Orb of Silvanesti which he took from the dying elven King Lorac. More importantly however the full nature of the bargain he had made with Fistandantilus became apparent to him and he used it to further prolong his life when he lay dying at the library of Palanthas. He turned away from the Red Robes of Lunitari and donned the Black Robes of Nuitari and pledged his loyalty to Takhisis. Fistandantilus was able to petition the Dark Queen for a mysterious item known as the key of knowledge which Raistlin was able to use to unlock a number of ancient tomes gaining vast power in the process. His ambition however was such that he betrayed the Dark Queen ultimately bringing the War of the Lance to an end and leaving him as the most powerful force on Krynn. He then took up residence in the Tower of Palanthas fulfilling an ancient prophecy that had foreseen his appearance as the master of past and present. There he remained for five years whilst the world held its breath waiting to see what his next action would be.

Although the conclave thought that Raistlin harboured plans to conquer the world Raistlin's ambition stretched much further than this. He researched Fistandantilus's works on crossing the threshold between god and man and decided to embark on ultimately usurping Takhisis the Dark Queen. Much of Fistandantilus's work however had been lost in the global ravages that Krynn had endured during the cataclysm and so he embarked on an ambitious plan that took him back in time during the rein of the Kingpriest. Once there he confronted Fistandantilus and the two fought for supremacy. Raistlin supposedly won, stealing not only the archmage's identity but also the vast knowledge that Fistandantilus had accumulated over the course of his 1000 year lifespan. In a drastic attempt to stop him the conclave sent Raistlin's twin Caramon back in time along with the cleric Crysania and the kender Tasselhoff. Raistlin however beguiled Crysania needing her help at a later time to further his plans as only with a true cleric of Paladine could he hope to open the great portal to the Abyss where Takhisis dwealt.. Escaping the Cataclysm he travelled forward in time where he initiated under the guise of Fistandantilus the Dwarfgate Wars in attempt to reach the magical citadel of Zhaman where the Portal lay. Caring nothing for the war itself or those around him he relentlessly pursued his objective. To him everyone was simply a pawn to be used as he saw fit in the greater game he played with the Dark Queen, everyone including his brother could be sacrificed if it furthered his aim. His plans however were almost foiled when his brother activated a time travel device whilst Raistlin was attempting to open the great portal. The result was a spectacular explosion that ended the Dwarfgate War and catapulted Caramon and Tasslehoff into the future. Raistlin though entered the Abyss with Crysania where he prepared to face his greatest challenge yet, the Dark Queen herself.

Leaving Crysania for dead after she had protected him to the best of her abilities from the Dark Queens assaults he confronted the Dark Queen before defeating her vast armies of minions. He then retreated to the portal, hoping to draw the Dark Queen back to the prime plane where he reasoned he would be the stronger of the two. It was here however that he encountered his brother who through travelling to the future had seen the end result of Raistlin's bid for godhood showing him a world which he ruled alone, a world populated by bloated corpses and shattered lands and a world ultimately where he was doomed to dwindle to nothingness. Realising the folly of his actions Raistlin made the greatest possible sacrifice he could and gave up his life to allow his brother the time needed to close the portal and prevent the Dark Queen from entering the world.

Although Raistlin's doomed attempt for godhood perhaps indicated the flawed nature of his personality it was his final sacrifice that in many ways redeemed him because for all of his accomplishments , both intellectual and material it was the victory over the darker side of his own nature that probably was his greatest achievement in his short yet eventful life and it is perhaps for this reason that he was granted peace in death by Paladine, or so the legends say.

The Staff of Magius

The Staff of Magius is a particularly potent artifact that has been used by some of the most famous Wizards to grace the Towers of High Sorcery. Throughout its long existence it has seemingly surfaced at moments of crisis, appearing in the hands of Wizards who played critical roles in the various conflicts and struggles for power that have ravaged Krynns surface for countless ages. Originally wielded by Magius during the third Dragonwar the staff was locked away in the Tower of Wayreth following his death for over 1000 years until it was eventually given to Raistlin Majere by Par Salian following the completion of his testing. The staff remained with Raistlin throughout the War of the Lance and also during his struggle to overthrow Takhisis with ultimately resulted in his death. Following Raistlin's misguided attempt to become a god it was for a time hidden away in the Tower of Palanthas before somehow ending up in the hands of Raistlin's nephew Palin, an event which caused much speculation at the time. Palin held the staff up until the end of the Chaos war when apparently Raistlin reclaimed it and it has never been seen since.

The Staff of Magius is a +2 dragonbane quarterstaff that also provides an additional +3 armor bonus to its wielder. The Staff possesses a number of potent abilities for arcane spellcasters.
Once per day it can cast daylight and featherfall upon command of its wielder. For arcane spellcasters above level 6 the staff can also bestow a number of additional potent affects. Five times per day the Staff can at the will of the wielder alter a spell cast by him as if it were affected by the Extend Spell feat. It also enhances the damage capability of the spells cast by its wielder, 3 times per day at the wielders command the staff can affect a damage spell cast by him as if it were subject to the Empower Spell feat.
For arcane spellcasters above level 10 the staff can furthermore act as a ring of spellstoring, allowing its wielder to store up to his arcane caster level in spell levels in the staff. These stored spells can usually be used only by the staff's owner but the staff itself can choose to expend them at its own discretion particularly if someone other than its true owner is wielding it.
The staff is possessed of limited intelligence (treat the Staff as having an Ego score of 18 ) and will try to act in the best interests of whoever it perceives as being its true and rightful owner. Whether the staff possesses any other agenda other than to faithfully serve its master remains unknown, perhaps even to those few wizards who have held it throughout the ages. In the hands of an unworthy wielder however its behaviour can be erratic and some of the spell enhancement features may not function without a will check. What constitutes an unworthy wielder however is left entirely to the Staff's and ultimately GM's discretion.

Orbs of DragonKind

The Orbs of DragonKind are some of the most powerful artifacts ever created on Krynn. They were originally forged during the Third Dragon War by the Wizards of High Sorcery to aid in the destruction of evil dragons during that volatile period in Krynns history. Many of the orbs disappeared or were destroyed in the longs years leading up to the War of the Lance and few by that time knew of their existence or use. They are however extremely perilous to use, particularly for the weak willed who quickly fall prey to the draconic spirits bound to each Orb. In appearance they seem like small delicate crystal orbs that contain a swirling mist of shifting color. The Orbs size can vary greatly from 20 inches to 10 inches in diameter as the Orb shrinks and expands to suit its own purpose (usually the disorientation of the person attempting to use it).
To use an Orb a character must place both his hands on the Orbs surface and recite the appropriate command words. These command words are sometimes etched on the Orbs surface and can be deciphered if the character makes a Spellcraft check (DC 20) .
Dragon Orbs are highly intelligent items and a character attempting to control one will first have to dominate the draconic spirits that are contained within the Orb. For the purposes of will contests treat each Orb as having an Ego score of 25. A will contest is initiated the very first time an individual attempts to use the Orb and failure will result in the character being charmed by the Orbs spirit. Charmed characters are used by the Orb to further the cause of evil and usually in subtle and discreet ways that are not even apparent to the victim. Success results in the wielder being granted knowledge and use of the Orbs primary ability. The Orb can initiate further will struggles if it feels its survival is threatened or if its user is in a position of unusual weakness.

Primary power
Dragon Call- Each Dragon Orb has the ability to call any evil dragon in a 1d4x10 mile radius. A Dragon within the area of affect has to make a Will Save (DC 30) or hasten to the Orb with all possible speed. Any dragon summoned will attack any non-evil creature they find near the Orb.

Secondary abilities
Each Dragon Orb also possesses a number of potent secondary abilities. These secondary abilities will vary from Orb to Orb and only become apparent through use and investigation by the character (determining some secondary abilities might require further will struggles at the discretion of the GM). The most well documented of these artefacts was the Dragon Orb of Silvanesti and following is a brief description of some of its additional powers.

Each of these abilities functions at 20th level of ability
Scrying - Once per Day (This scrying ability is very powerful and can not only look at events unfolding on different planes but also in different times)
Speak with Dead - Once per Day
Heal - Once per Day
Teleport without Error - Once per Day
Command Dragon - Once per day the user can attempt to dominate an evil Dragon. The Dragon must make a Will Save (DC 25) or be forced to obey the Orbs wielder for 1d20 turns. The Dragon will usually attempt to pervert any command it is given in an attempt to thwart the desires of its master.
Legend Lore - The Orb has a 25% chance to be able to act as a legend lore spell on a particular given subject.

The Spellbooks of Fistandantilus

The spellbooks of Fistandantilus represent a considerable portion of the lich's knowledge throughout his age long existence. The lore recorded in these books represents over 1000 years of research and observation on magic. More importantly the books contained the means to cross the threshold between mortal and god, an ambition that was Fistandantilus burning desire. Ultimately Fistandantilus's research proved to be his undoing as it was taken up by Raistlin and used against him with deadly effect.
The exact size of this collection is uncertain but it could possible stretch to over 100 tomes. As time progressed many of the books became scattered across Krynn, some remained in hidden away in the secret laboratories that Fistandantilus constructed while others made their way to some of the centres of magical research such as the towers of Palanthas and Wayreth. Some of the books even went further afield than that and ended up in unusual places such as Xak Tsaroth.
After the Cataclysm much of the collection vanished without trace. A few books could occasionally be found in the remains of places once used by Wizards but a great many books were destroyed it seems in the global destruction that ravaged Krynn at the time. It is also possible that a number of books perished when the Conclave destroyed two of the towers of High Sorcery. The single largest source of Fistandantilus's work after the Cataclysm was for a considerable period of time the Library of Palanthas to which much material of an arcane nature had been removed to during the persecution of wizards that the Kingpriest had brought to pass. Following Raistlin's rise to power all of these books were returned to the tower of Palanthas though Dalamar sealed them in the Laboratory after Raistlin's death.
Anyone attempting to read one of the books that had been contained at the great library will be doomed to fail unless they possess a device called the key of knowledge. To anyone lacking this mysterious item the books will appear as gibberish and be utterly impossible to understand. When exactly the books were encrypted is not clear but possibly it was an attempt by the Wizards of High Sorcery to stop potentially dangerous material falling into the wrong hands or it could have been the work of Astinus himself who would probably have understood better than most the power these books contained within their pages.
Each one of the Spellbooks of Fistandantilus appears as a nightblue bound tome with silver runes etched on the spine. They are deathly cold to the touch and some could potentially be guarded by powerful wards.

The complete collection of the Spellbooks contained all the spells from the schools of Conjuration, Necromancy, Evocation and Transmutation. In addition they also contained all the spells of up to level 5 from the schools of Divination and Enchantment. The most potent feature of these great tomes however is the vast number of epic spells that Fistandantilus researched. Many of these spells are beyond the ability of even the most capable archmage but for those with the intellect and courage to use them they offer quite staggering power.

Dagger of Magius

This particular item was supposedly purchased by Raistlin from the Tower of High Sorcery in return for services rendered. Roughly six inches long and carved in the shape of a dragon its greatest asset is perhaps its ability to remain hidden on a person. Raistlin often carried the dagger by means of off a leather thong attached to his right arm which allowed the blade to slip into his hand with a quick flick of the wrist.
The Dagger of Magius is a +3 dagger that has the additional property that anyone attempting to find it concealed on a person must make a Spot check (DC 18).

Note:

This version of Raistlin requires the use of the Epic Level Handbook from Wizards of the Coast.

This item has been published here with permission from the author(s) and may not be reproduced without permission. This is a fan submission and its contents are completely unofficial. Some characters, places, likenesses and other names may be copyright Wizards of the Coast.