Once you can afford their costly guild, Wizards will be an invaluable addition to your kingdom. Their offensive spells, even at low level, will dispatch many of the monsters lurking in the wilds of Ardania. While possessed of tremendous power Wizards are often distracted from their tasks by things other heroes might count as trivial. As sovereign you will have to accept this in dealing with these aged practitioners of the arcane.

Should they advance in level sufficiently to gain the powerful Fire Blast and Meteor Storm spells they will lay waste to whole hordes of attacking creatures. Even at high levels you must carefully guard them. If a creature does manage to get into striking range, wizards do not stand long. Many creatures also possess magical defenses, giving them great resistance or even immunity to spells.

As Sovereign you may recruit Wizards from any Wizard's Guild. As you upgrade the guild it will be able to cast powerful spells in aid to you kingdom.

Look below for a tale of wizardly combat.

 

The Wizard's Tale

The tranquil streamside glen was suddenly transformed into a battle field. The hungry Troll's crazed, blood-curdling howl served as a counterpoint to the quiet, calculated mumble of the old Wizard preparing a defensive enchantment.

An audible hiss sliced through the morning air as the glowing green orb of magical energy hurtled towards the Troll. Erupting on the behemoth's chest, the spell released its erosive content, burning and dissolving the Troll's leathery flesh. The creature stumbled sideways, then steadied itself against a large pile of stones to its left.

The Troll howled in rage and pain. The attack by the exhausted Wizard depleted any patience and cunning the creature could bring to bear. The Troll charged at Vandaros. Holding a giant bone club above its head, the Troll thundered through the tangled wood. The ground shook with each relentless stride. Seedpods shook loose from branches above, fluttering down as the angered Troll bore down on the lone Wizard.

A look of fierce determination crossed Vandaros' face. No trace of the confused old man could be seen in the battle ready Wizard. Standing ready, he evaluated his position with a calm, self-assured air.

Preparing for the brute's onslaught, Vandaros held aloft his iron bound staff. A storm of eldritch lights sprang from its metal shod end. All around the mage energy spun in a tight orbit. The multi-colored streaks wove a shimmering globe about him.

Vandaros pulled the stuff of magic from this energy pool, fashioning yet another lethal spell. In rapid succession two more bolts of acid flew from the mage's hand, bringing an end to the Troll. A steaming heap of ruined flesh and bone was all that remained of the foe.

The air surrounding Vandaros was still visibly alive with his spells' energy. Smaller mystic embers slowly winked to nothingness as they grounded out into the forest floor. The victorious Wizard stepped forward, then swooned. Over drawing magical power had left him greatly taxed. His body struggled to adjust to the absence of the arcane field.

Leaning heavily on his staff, Vandaros vacantly starred at the still smoking corpse and found himself strangely puzzled by the sight. As he furrowed his aged brow, a puzzled look replaced the self-determination of only moments ago. He shuffled over to a leather-bound notebook, sprawled open beside the pile of stones.

"Now where was I?" he thought aloud, scratching his white beard. "Ah, yes!" he exclaimed to nobody in particular as he shuffled back over to the aged pile of rock, resuming his study of the intricate patterns of moss and sediment.

Muttering his observations aloud, he studiously traced patterns into his field journal noting in obsessive detail the peculiar oddities present in the stone to moss relationship….