Killian the Mad, renegade wizard
 

Total Points: 300
 

Appearance: Late 40's, slightly balding, 5'6", 145 lbs, hazel eyes and light brown hair
 

ST: 12 [20]     Swing 1d+2; Thrust 1d-1
DX: 14 [45]     Basic Speed 6.5, Move 6, Dodge 6
IQ: 15 [60]
HT: 12 [20]
 

Advantages: Literacy [10]; Magery 3 [35]; Unusual Background (special magical training) [20]
 

Disadvantages: Bad Temper [-10]; Enemy (any local mage on 6-) [-10]; Intolerance (most mages) [-5]; Manic-Depressive (controlled) [-10]; Reputation -4 (as insane wizard, on 10-) [-10]
 

Quirks: Dislikes using magic; Often talks to himself in different languages
 

Skills: Alchemy-15 [4]; Area Knowledge-16 [2]; Body Sense-13 [2]; Crossbow-15 [2]; First Aid-15 [1]; History-14 [2]; Knife-14 [1]; Leadership-14 [1]; Literature-14 [2]; Polearms-15 [4]; Riding (Horse)-13 [1]; Research-16 [4]; Shortsword-13 [1]; Spear-13 [1]; Staff-12 [1]; Stealth-14 [2]; Tactics-15 [2]; Teaching-14 [1]; Thaumatology-16 [1]; Spell Jet (Air)-14 [1]; Throwing-14 [4]
 

Languages: Anglish (native)-15 [0]; Arabic-14 [2]; Latin-14 [2]
 

Grimore (all have one point invested except as noted)
Air Jet-16; Alarm-16; Apportation-18 [4]; Aura-17 [2]; Blink-20 [8]; Body of Air-16; Clumsiness-16; Colors-16; Complex Illusion-16; Control Limb-16; Counterspell-17 [2]; Create Air-16; Curse Missile-16; Death Vision-16; Deflect Missile-16; Detect Magic-16; Foolishness-16; Forgetfulness-16; Garble-16; Grease-16; Haste-16; Heal Plant-16; Identify Plant-16; Identify Spell-16; Ignite Fire-16; Illusion Disguise-16; Illusion Shell-16; Imitate Voices-16; Itch-16; Lend Health-16; Lend Strength-16; Light-16; Lightning-18 [4]; Mage Sense-16; Magic Resistance-16; Missile Shield-16; Poltergeist-20 [8]; Preserve Food-16; Purify Air-16; Recover Strength-16; Retch-16; Scryguard-16; Scrywall-18 [4]; Seek Plant-16; Sense Emotions-16; Sense Foes-16; Sense Life-16; Shape Air-16; Shield-16; Simple Illusion-16; Sound-16; Spasm-16; Strike Dumb-16; Summon Minor Demons-17 [2]; Teleport-18* [8]; Tell Time-16; Test Food-16; Truthsayer-16; Voices-16; Walk on Air-16; Winged Knife-16; Zombie-16
-- * M/VH spell
 

Equipment
Glaive; large knife; shortsword (enchanted with +1 Accuracy, +1 Puissance and Quick-Draw); heavy leather armor (enchanted with +2 Fortify; +2 Deflect and Lighten (50%), for PD 4/DR 4 total); crossbow with 20 bolts; three four-point powerstones; one six-point powerstones
 

Biography:
 

Killian a living contradiction, a mage who hates mages. He originally wanted to be a regular soldier in the Megalan army, but didn't make it though basic training before his formidable natural talent for magic, which he had carefully kept hidden, was discovered. Indeed, during testing by several Court Wizards, it was discovered that he was manophobic.
 

Rather than accept this and let him go back the career he wanted, the wizards pooled their abilities together and cured him of this 'unnatural affliction' at a heavy price -- Killian slowly started becoming mentally unstable. While the wizards were aware of this, they belived that it would take several years for the insanity to run it's full course and that they could still get enough use out of him before then.
 

He was put through intense magical training; learning more spells, and at a far faster rate, than any normal apprentice. Finally, when they were satisfied, the Court Wizards presented Killian to the Grand General as their new 'secret weapon.' The General was impressed with their work and immediately sent the young warrior mage out on a raid against al-Wazif. Unfortunately; Killian snapped.
 

All he could think about was revenge on the wizards who had turned him into what he was. He deserted the troops he was with and made his way back into Megalos. using the spells they had trained him with, Killian ambushed and killed each of the wizards; one by one. After his murderous rage ended, he fled back to al-Wazif.
 

Over the years, he continued to grow more mentally unstable, finally becoming fully manic-depressive. He located an alchemist who knew the formula for an elixr that would temporarily supress the manic-depressive tendancies; and Killian spent all his money on as much as he could carry.
 

For several years he didn't use a single spell, wanting to forget that part of his past. However, one incident changed that. While he was travelling with a caravan from Donlis to Gebel Thamad as a foot soldier, he entered a village where several travelling mages were pushing the locals around, like a cats playing with mice. Angered, Killian unleashed his full arsenal of spells and martial skills; killing all the mages in a very bloody fight. He stripped all items of value from the bodies and gave them to the villagers.
 

Killian left the caravan with a new purpose in life -- to eliminate mages who abuse their power (which, in Killian's eyes, is virtually all of them). He has, from time to time, taken on an apprentice, his goal is to teach young mages that they have a gift that should be used rarely, for the benefit of all, rather than greedily, for self-advancement. For the most part, he has supported himself as an enchanter and alchemist.
 

Many mages, naturally, see Killian as a threat to their way of life and several attempts have been made on his life over the years. None have come close to succeeding, and on a few occassions the assassin's mangled corpse was left on the front steps of the local mage's guild with a note pinned to the body reading:
 

"You can surely do better, can't you?"
 

Encountered
 

Killian wanders a great deal and appears in all normal regards to be a mercenary warrior (unless the party has mages that know the Aura spell and routinely use it). Few know what Killian the Mad looks like, and he normally uses an assumed name, so unless he takes someone into his confidence or unleashes his full magical talents, no one is likely to know who he is.
 

Canonicality
 

Killian varies a bit from the normal GURPS rules. His Unusual Background is intended to justify his high point total in spells (thus bypassing the normal age x2 limit on skill points). If you don't like UBs or the age limit on skill points, it should be dropped. He also has -45 point in disadvantages; a minor rules violation. Since he uses a medication (of sorts) to control his Manic Depressive tendancies, the disadvantage may better be represented as a Dependancy or Addiction, depending on the GM's campaign (I have chosen to reduce it's value to reflect the medication). While he certainly has a Secret (probably at -40 points), I have not given it to him to keep him close to the -40 total limit; other GMs may wish to include it.
 

What if?

Fantasy: Although the background is set on Yrth, Killian can be moved to most fantasy setting without too much modification. As an insane and powerful wizard; he fits right into GURPS Discworld (as long as he stays away from Anhk-Mopork; as powerful as he is, GMs should resist the temptation to have him tangle with the wizards of the Unseen University -- he simply wouldn't live very long against them ...).
 

Contemporary: Perhaps Killian was an unwilling recruit of the Cabal or other Secret Masters (or even a Black Ops project gone bad). His powers would more likely be psionic than magical, however
 

Adventure Seeds

A Hired Hand: Killian could easy be hired by a party who is unware of his powers. As time passes, the PCs should notice that he's a bit odd. Of course, once a major fight breaks out, Killian may let go with his full powers; it is then very likely that at least one PC will realize who he is. So what do they do?
 

Hello, Master: A PC mage without disadvantages such as Greed, Meglomania or Bully could start the game as an apprentice of Killian. While the mage would not interfere often in the PC's activities (a likely appearance roll of 6 or less), the character would have to be careful to keep his master's identity secret. Also, the apprentice could end up being the target of attacks aimed at Killian, or even captured and used as bait. Because of these potential problems, Killian is worth only a base 20 points as a Patron (10 in most cases).
 

Spell Strategy
 

In general, the more points Killian has invested in a spell, the more likely he is to use it in any appropriate situation (the vast majority of his spells were learned as part of the special training, and he has rarely, if ever, cast most of them). He dislikes using spells in combat and will normally cast them (if appropriate) before hand.
 

Also note that Killian likes to combine his "mundane" combat skills with his magical ones; he has been known to Teleport next to an unsuspecting foe, then attack with his glaive or shorsword. He uses the Blink spell as a normal warrior would Dodge. Otherwise, he prefers not to use his magic unless needed.