Ars Magica 9th Century Campaign
Svengi Knarllifist

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Svengi Knarllifist of House Bjornaer
filius Horthgar Bjornesonn
(Viking Mage, Final Version)

Background

Horthgar Bjornesonn of House Bjornaer, commonly known as Horthgar the Oft Maligned, was the master to Svengi Knarllifist. He was not a particularly intelligent magus. He was disliked throughout the Order of Hermes, and knew it. Most of his life was spent in seclusion, working modest magics to spite people who had, or he thought had, done him wrongs. Horthgar's only reason for taking an apprentice was to help him with his work.

Svengi's life as an apprentice began at the age of eight, when his poor peasant parents sold him to Horthgar, His parents feared Horthgar's wrath if they did not take the small amount of silver offered for their third son. For the next fifteen years, Svengi's life consisted of acting as personal servant and laboratory assistant. His education proceeded slowly at first, as Horthgar would teach him only sporadically, as he needed Svengi to know something to help. Svengi soon became quite good at recognizing when his master would be open to answering questions, and rarely missed an opportunity to learn what he could. Although he received an adequate education, he knew that it was mainly due to his own efforts, not the desire of his master.

In 898 AD, Svengi's chance to leave Horthgar appeared. Horthgar was instructed to attend the Tribunal at Durenmar in Germany. Here, Svengi was able to demonstrate his abilities to other Bjornaer magi. These magi questioned Horthgar as to why Svengi was still an apprentice after seventeen years. In defense, Horthgar said that he was only waiting for the Tribunal to declare Svengi a magus. At this point all that mattered to Svengi was that he was acclaimed a magus of House Bjornaer, and thus was free of Horthgar. The next evening, he met with a group of newly graduated ex-apprentices, and his adventures began.

Once free of his master, Svengi had only two notable desires. First, to sail the seas as a Viking ... as he had heard in the tales told by bards on special occasions. Second, to learn stronger magics, to increase his power and abilities. Unfortunately, it seems neither of these will ever be his. Fleeing from Horthgar meant that he would be years getting back to the fjords and the Viking way of life. Also, his access to magical knowledge, while never great, is almost nil, given the limited resources of his new life.

Svengi Knarllifist, Viking Mage, is a tall, blonde, moderately muscular, classic Nordic Viking type. He normally dresses in a shirt and trousers, with a heavy leather vest for protection. He is an outgoing and generally personable sort of fellow, although he does like to gossip, something he considers a great asset, although not everyone might agree with him on this point. Svengi's greatest personal problem is his constant over-confidence. He has a tendency to be easily excited by any tense situation, and to then rush in where a bit of careful though is probably called for.

Other Comments

This is the second version of Svengi Knarllifist, Viking Mage. The first version was a reclusive shapeshifter / weather wizard. Unfortunately, all but one of the other players in the campaign also created reclusive characters. The party just didn't make any sense. One player commented that we needed an eight-sided room so there could be enough corners for everyone to have a corner of their own in which to hide. None of those characters would have been willing to go off on their own into the wilderness. At the Campaign Master's request, Svengi was changed to be a more outgoing leader for the party.

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Back Ars Updated: 20 June 1999