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Magic Users and Ranks
The ranks in the schools are Apprentice, Journeyman, Pathmaster and Schoolmaster. Apprentice and Journeyman are levels of progression. The Pathmaster is a spellcaster who has gotten the 4th level spell in a path. A Schoolmaster is a spellcaster who has gotten all 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level spells in the entire school.

Dedicated spellcasters (Wizards et al.) as heroes are considered to have Journeyman status in their given school. Minor spellcasters (Elf et al.) are considered to have Apprentice status in their given school.

Apprentices begin with 2 level 1 spells and 1 level 2 spell. All spells must be within a single path. Journeymen begin with 4 level 1 spells, 2 level 2 spells and 1 level 3 spell. All spells must be within a single path.
Steps to Create a Magic User
1. Select Class (Elf, Wizard or something else)
  a. If you pick something other than the Elf or Wizard, you need to decide if a Dedicated Spellcaster or a Minor Spellcaster
  b. If the hero is a Minor Spellcaster then you get 2 copies of the first level spell in your primary path and 1 copy of the second level spell
  c. If the hero is a Dedicated Spellcaster then you get 4 copies of the first level spell in your primary path and 2 copies of the second level spell and 1 copy of the third level spell.
2. Select your Primary School (Earth, Fire, Water or Wind)
3. Select your Primary Path within the School.
Advancing and Getting New Spells
To get a new 1st level spell, the hero must pay the gold amount for the spell. To get a new 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level spell, the hero must pay the gold amount and must have twice the number of spells in the next level down.
To get a second level spell, Mike the Magician must first have 2 first level spells in that path. To get a 2 second level spells, he must have 4 first level spells. If Mike wants a third level spell, he must first have 2 second level spells. This being said, in order to have the fourth level spell, Mike must have 8 first level spells, 4 second level spells, and 2 third level spells.
A spellcaster may not get the 4th level spell in a path if he has any spells in other paths. Because of this, a spellcaster must chose between being a Pathmaster or a Schoolmaster. He cannot be both. A spellcaster may purchase spells within a different schools but never above the 2nd level and for a significantly higher cost.
Costs of Spells - Dedicated Spellcaster (Wizard)
Within Path Within School
(but different path)		 Different School
First Level
300
500
600
Second Level
400
600
700
Third Level
500
700
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Fourth Level
1000
-----
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Costs of Spells - Minor Spellcaster (Elf)
Within Path Within School
(but different path)		 Different School
First Level
250
400
500
Second Level
400
600
-----
Third Level
700
-----
-----
Fourth Level
-----
-----
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Rivalries and Background
The information in this section is a sample of what could be done through the introduction of rivalries between the schools of magic. Quests for magical artifacts and lost spells would be excellent ways to play upon these rivalries. What if Spellcasters from rival schools where placed together in the same party? Situations like these would allow for a level of character interaction that doesn’t really exist in the base Hero Quest System.

Fire
(Rival: Water; Ally: Wind)
The School of Fire is located in the region of Algrois far to the north and west where the climate is much cooler that it is here. The School evolved from the primal need for heat and shelter where there was none before. Because of this, the School of Fire is an essential part of the welfare of a large portion of this mountainous area. The people who live under the influence of the School of Fire view their benefactors with appreciation. They know that if the school were not there, the way of life that they enjoy would be impossible. The mountain lakes and rivers where they fish (the primary source of food for much of the area) would freeze and the exotic flora and fauna that have been transplanted in these mountains and valleys would surly die in the cold. Students in the School of Fire (they prefer to be called "Pyris" or "Pyri") are usually not locals and come from far kingdoms to study under some of the greatest warlocks in elementism. The destructive nature of this magic has forced the powerful leaders of this school to screen and monitor the fledglings closely. There have been many unfortunate occasions where a Pyris has succumbed to the powers of Chaos and now serves Zargon. The School often places a bounty on the heads of any Fallen Pyris (any creature that uses any Chaos Fire spells) to the sum of 400 gold coins.

Recently the School has been made aware of a human warlord named Hark who is rumored to possess unique spells related to those taught in the School. Hark has been commanding a small garrison of human and dwarf warriors (7 humans, 4 dwarfs) for hire. The popularity of this leader has grown in the past few years and the School would like to meet him and study his abilities. They are unsure as to his resistances to the powers of Chaos and have been unable to contact Hark as of yet.

Fire Spells

Earth
(Rival: Water; Ally: none)
Not to the surprise of anyone, Dwarven Shaman founded the School of Earth long ago. One of the first pupils to be admitted to the School of Earth was a member of the extinct race of Rock Gnomes known as Kazak'Dul. Kazak'Dul was a clever student who experimented on the properties of his environment. The limestone caverns that served as the original location of the School of Earth inspired him to explore and push his knowledge to its limits. His now famous "Pass Through Rock" was instrumental in the establishment of many dwarven and gnomish cities under the mountains in the Worlds Edge range. Soon after the establishment of one of these cities, Kazak'Dul sought to leave the School and live in peace. Sadly, this was not to be so. Soon after settling down in the lost city of Hova’Lem, Kazak'Dul was murdered as he slept and his spell book and journal notes were stolen. It was never discovered whom the murderer was but it is believed to have been another student named Densort who was later expelled from the school for experiments that were found to be “unsavory”. After his expulsion from the school, Densort fell to Chaos and is known to be the creator of a type of hybrid golem that appears to be a Chaos Warrior but is made of stone and in some cases can pass through and reside completely within stone.

Today, the School is almost totally dwarf and elf populated. The elves that live on the surface exclusively follow the Path of the Lifestone while the dwarf students practice the magic of Path of the Stonewalker and the golem magic of the Path of the Rockman. It is currently impossible for a Spellcaster to learn both the elven and dwarven magics in this school. Perhaps when the death of Kazak'Dul is avenged, the School will reunite.

Earth Spells

Water
(Rival: Fire, Earth; Ally: Wind)
 Scholars at the School of Water claim that it is the oldest elemental school in existence but the sages of the School of Wind often dispute this. What no one can dispute is that their members are some of the most famous. The students of the school of water range from the healers of the Path of Healing Waters to the fierce battle mages of the Path of Frost. Though the paths are varied, they all work in total harmony with the exception of the Path of Gardeners. The paths in the school of water, as in all of the other schools, are the primary divisions between students but unlike the other Schools, it is also the basis for a stringent caste system of sorts. The Healers, the Fighters and the Vaporists all serve a distinct purpose within the School. The place of the Vaporists is well known, as they are some of the most renowned mage-spies in the Empire. The skills of the Healers of the School of Water are second only to those of the Clerics who serve the many gods of light. The Fighters are often recruited from the ice plains that the race of barbarians inhabits. The barbarians that are too physically weak to adventure as a true barbarian make excellent fighters when they are trained in the skills of the Path of Frost.

The fourth path in the School of Water was once known as the Path of Gardeners. While you may laugh at their name, these mages are the very ones who first established alchemy among the race of humans. The progenitor of the Gardeners was a female elf by the name of Felilia. Felilia was the mage who created a potion that later came to be known as “The Elixir of Life”. Felilia died a natural death some 75 years ago but in her arrogance, she wrote her own eulogy. This eulogy was actually a spell of regrowth that reunited her drifting spirit with the body that it had left shortly before. The awakened body of Felilia rose from the grave but the forces of Chaos had sensed the darkness in her soul and she was twisted into a monster of terrible power. In her undead madness, Felilia cursed her own children to Chaos. Since her death and reanimation, the Gardeners have been falling from creators and alchemists to Chaos driven cursed warlocks.

Water Spells

Wind
(Rival: none; Ally: Water, Fire)
The School of Wind (also known as Zyphrus) has co-existed with both the Schools of Water and Fire for eons. Unfortunately, the rivalry between those two schools has taken its toll on Zephrus and many of its sages wish for isolation and neutrality. More than any other school, Zyphrus values knowledge above all else. Only the most brilliant are granted permission to follow Wings of the Zephyr. Any other path is acceptable though most choose to follow the Path of Storms because this path is viewed more highly than the rage driven path Path of the Ragewinds.

The fledglings of Path of the Ragewinds resent being considered less intelligent and will often forgo their own antiquated elders to follow Path of the Firesword in the School of Fire or sometimes Path of Frost in the School of Water. Upon doing so these students will not only be banned from their own School of Wind but they will be viewed with suspicion by their adoptive School. These mages are known as the "Storm Crows" to the School of Wind and any other Student of Wind never utters their names. These "Storm Crows" almost always will be able to learn just a few spells in their new house before disappearing into obscurity. Rumors say that a powerful Chaos Warlock is gathering these fallen mages and twisting their minds to form an army of powerful elementists to serve the will of Zargon.

Wind Spells


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