Name: Jian Real Name: Jian Venazha Played By: Amanda Van Rhyn [osfic-goddess@excite.com] Homeworld: Original high fantasy Physical Description: Jian is an elderly man, apparently somewhere in his mid-60's, with dusky skin and dark brown eyes. His silvery-white hair is about shoulder-length, and he also has a closely-cropped beard. Jian normally wears a long-sleeved, dark grey dress shirt, matching pants and shoes, and a long navy blue hooded cloak; when his arms are bare, they're visibly marked with faded scars from various confrontations. Powers: Jian is a well-practiced wizard with quite a talent for magic. Although he could learn spells of any type, he specializes in a school of psychometabolic spells designed on his homeworld; he cast these spells professionally, and they were very popular for their effects on body and mind. However, they're rather volatile and not without their difficulties. (These are listed in Weaknesses.) Although he can cast his spells at will, the magical power on which he draws only allows Jian to cast a maximum of three spells per day. The spells Jian can cast are as follows: Bliss: This spell creates an intense feeling of euphoria in its target, also acting as a moderate painkiller (since the euphoria created overwhelms most pain). The target will also usually experience hallucinations, usually pleasant (but not always so), and the recipient may appear to be in a daze during the spell's duration of about an hour. Calming: Use of this spell curbs a target's aggressive impulses and acts as a general relaxant. (Unlike Jian's other spells, this one can be cast on an unwilling recipient, but casting it in combat probably won't work, and unwilling targets may be able to resist the spell.) The target's thinking may be muddled, and he may appear dazed; however, his general attitude will be placid. The Calming lasts for roughly an hour, after which the target's normal thought patterns will return -- possibly causing a return of the aggression. Energy: This spell increases a target's physical and mental speed and reaction time by a factor of about 1.5; this increase fuels a rush of exhilaration and excitement in the target. However, this exhilaration and speed may cause the target to act manic and impulsive, probably behaving rashly and possibly dangerously. The spell lasts for about 15 minutes. Power: Use of this spell increases the recipient's physical strength and endurance by a factor of about 1.5. The Power's side effects relate to sense and mood; the target's senses, especially touch (and the accompanying sense of pain), will be dulled, and mood will tend towards the stubborn, overconfident, and more aggressive than normal. It has a duration of about 30 minutes. Rest: This spell is a powerful painkiller, and it also sends the target into a deep sleep for about eight hours after casting. The target will be virtually impossible to wake by normal means during the eight hours of the spell's duration, and dreams during the Rest will be stranger than usual. Repeated use of this spell on the same person over their lifetime will gradually cause longer durations and deeper sleep; after about five lifetime castings, there's a high risk of the target becoming comatose. Weaknesses: Most of Jian's weaknesses relate to his spells. Given their nature, they can't be cast on unwilling subjects (other than Calming), and he knows them too well to use them on himself except in the case of complete emergencies. They've only been created for and tested on normal humans, so they may have entirely different effects on nonhumans or the non-normal; knowing this, Jian will be reluctant to use them on such people. The spells as a group also tend to be volatile and to mix poorly with his other spells or outside magical influences. Jian is also elderly and, as such, is no longer in his physical prime. He tends to avoid fights at nearly all costs because of this. Aside from that, he has normal human weaknesses. Skills: Jian has the practical knowledge of magic-working one would expect from a wizard, with a specialization in psychometabolic spells. He also knows the basics of street self-defense and is reasonably good with a dagger; he shows an overall knowledge of the urban underground surprising in a man of his station and age. Otherwise he has the general knowledge base of a well-read member of a high-fantasy upper class. Equipment: Jian carries a dark blue leather satchel filled with his belongings: a change of clothes and personal necessities, his magical supplies, and his spellbook. The magical supplies are all directly related to his chosen spells, although none of them are actually needed to cast them. His spellbook is a slim volume discussing the theory and practice of his spells, as well as that of other spells pertaining to the body and mind. Jian doesn't need to study from this spellbook on a regular basis, and he keeps its existence a secret. He also carries a belt pouch filled with about 25 small gold coins, as well as a normal (if sharp) dagger in a concealed leg sheath. Personality: Jian is essentially a kind and gentle man, with a great deal of sympathy for the disadvantaged and those in pain. However, when it comes to his magic, he is at all times a businessman; his attitude about his spells, their side effects, and their possible customers is pragnatic. Although he will only sell a spell to a fully willing and informed adult, beyond that he considers any results his buyers' responsibilities -- "caveat emptor." However, he recognizes that the need for psychometabolic magic occasionally extends beyond business and, in the right cases, is able to make an exception. For his own reasons, though, Jian doesn't want to popularize his status as a mage and will probably only mention it to those whom he thinks could benefit from his 'services' or his advice. Other than those situations, he will attempt to seem only a well-meaning observer and good Samaritan. Contacts: None in Odain.