KHELBEN 'RAVENCLOAK' ARUNSUN 'THE YOUNGER'
Originally created by Eric L Boyd [ ]
Human Male
Mage (14)
Sigil: Stylized silver raven's head on top of two crossed black wands
Alignment: Lawful Neutral (Good) - reveres Celestian, Azuth, Mystra, and Selune
Statistics: Str:14 Dex:16 Con:16 Int:19 Wis:16 Chr:14
AC: 10 (-1 w/Bracers of Deflection, Dexterity, and Style Specialization); MV 12; HD 10d4+4; hp 82; THAC0 16; #AT 1; Dmg bwt; SA spells, magic items; SD spells, magic items; MR Nil SZ M; ML 19; XP Total 1,600,000; XP Value 8,000.
Weapon Proficiencies: Quarterstaff, dagger, single weapon style specialization
Non-Weapon Proficiencies: Ancient history (many crystal spheres), ancient history (Toril), ancient history (Oerth), astrology, local history (Greyhawk), heraldry, languages (Common - Toril, Common - Oerth, elvish), read/write (Common - Toril, Common - Oerth), religion (Oerth), spellcraft
Mage Spells: 5/5/5/4/4/2/1/0/0
Sage Abilities: Khelben "Ravencloak" Arunsun is for all intents and purposes a sage in the fields of metaphysics and history. He particularly specializes in alternate prime material planes, the history of Abeir-Toril in general and Faerun in particular (at least as far as a native of Oerth is concerned), and the history of the city of Greyhawk and its environs. (While Ravencloak's own library is fairly extensive in these fields, treat it as 'partial' in Table 62 of the DMG unless he also has time to access the Great Library of Greyhawk.)
Magical Items: Amulet of the Planes, Bracers of Deflection [22], Circlet of Comprehending Languages and Reading Magic, Cloak of the Silver Raven, Dagger of Homing +2 [03], Ring of Research (20 charges) [03], Ring of Shooting Stars, Ring of Spell Storing (contains alter self, fly, prismatic spray, teleport without error, and wall of ice), Staff of Battle (40 charges) [05][24], Wand of Fire (15 charges), Wand of Paralyzation (18 charges), Wand of Magic Detection (55 charges), and numerous potions, scrolls, and minor miscellaneous magic items.
Spellbooks: (* typically memorized, + created by Khelben the Elder)
Level 1: alarm, Bigby's bookworm bane [02], burning hands, cantrip *, charm person, chromatic orb [20], color spray *, comprehend languages, copy *, conjure spell components, detect magic *, dreamspeak [17], enlarge, erase, feather fall, find familiar, gaze reflection, identify, insulation [11], magic missile *, mending, Mordenkainen's protection from avians [02], read magic, shield, sleep, sound bubble [21], Tenser's floating disc, unseen servant, weather tell [13], wizard mark
Level 2: Agannazar's scorcher [01], alter self, battering ram [03], bloodglass [27], choke [20], continual light, decastave [01], detect invisibility, ESP, falling wall [29], firestaff [25], forget, improved phantasmal force, improved spider climb [06] *, knock *, know alignment, levitate, locate object, Melf's acid arrow, mirror image *, mist magic [16], Mordenkainen's encompassing vision [02], Quimby's enchanting gourmet [01], shatter, silence 15' radius [21], spectral hand, spelltouch [28], Tenser's hunting hawk [02] *, vocalize * [01][20], wizard lock
Level 3: blink *, blacklight [01], clairaudience, clairvoyance, dispel magic *, dispel silence [01], explosive runes, fireball *, fly, gust of wind, haste, hold person, illusionary script, improved magic mouth [21], infravision, item, Khelben's suspended silence * + [04], Laeral's dancing dweomer [01], Leomund's tiny hut, lighting bolt *, Melf's minute meteors, non-detection, protection from evil 10' radius, secret page, sepia snake sigil, slow, suggestion, water breathing, wizard sight, wraithform
Level 4: acid bolts * [28], backlash [12], charm monster, delayed magic missile * + [01], detect scrying, dimension door, dig, fear, Flamsterd's flamestrike [16], fire shield *, halo of eyes [20], improved invisibility, locate creature, lesser spelldream [26], magic mirror *, minor spell turning, phase trap, polymorph self, remove curse, shout, speak with dead [17], stoneskin, wall of ice, wizard eye
Level 5: Andrui's baneful backfire [18], advanced illusion, Bubka's superior identification [07], cone of cold, cloudkill, contact other plane, dismissal, feeblemind *, hold monster, ironguard * [01], lightning lash [30], lower resistance *, major creation, maximum damage [15], Melisander's harp [23], Mordenkainen's faithful hound, Mordenkainen's involuntary wizardry [28], passweb [12], sending *, stone shape, teleport, wall of force, wall of stone
Level 6: anti-magic shell, barrier reaver [27], contingency, disintegrate, enchant an item, guards and wards, globe of invulnerability *, legend lore, starharp [16] *, project image, Tenser's transformation, true seeing
Level 7: banishment *, forcecage, Khelben's warding whip + [01], prismatic spray, teleport without error, wardmist [08][09]
Level 8: (Not yet castable): blackstaff + [14], permanency
Khelben's Familiar: "Monarch", male tressym (winged cat): INT Very; AL CN; AC 6; MV 6, FL 16 (A); HD 2; hp 22 (gains 1 hp per mage HD); THAC0 17; #AT 3; Dmg 1-2/1-2/1-4; SD Immune to all poisons, detect invisible creatures and objects (90' range), 120' infravision, detect poison; MR 40%; SZ T; ML 14; XP 1400; [17][19].
Spells in Effect: Khelben typically casts a 'stoneskin' on his person soon after every combat in which he takes physical damage. When reduced to 1/3 of his total hit points or less, Khelben has set up a 'contingency' spell to automatically cast 'polymorph self' on him if he mouths the word 'deepwater.' The first form assumed will be that of a margoyle. Khelben has extensively practiced flying and casting spells in this form, and can do so without penalty.
Unique Magic Item: Cloak of the Silver Raven
(XP value 10,000, GP value 50,000)
This unique magical cloak was fabricated by Khelben "Ravencloak" Arunsun after settling in the city of Greyhawk. It is woven from an unknown type of metallic thread he gathered during his wanderings of the multiverse.
In appearance, the Cloak of the Silver Raven appears as a full-length raven black cloak on which shimmers the image of a raven's head in a silvery light. The raven's head appears to hover immediately above the cloak as opposed to being part of the cloak itself (much like a hologram). The cloak is fastened with a pair of clasps that appear as platinum raven's claws, and it is lined with a 2 inch wide band of silver cloth around the entire edge.
The Cloak of the Silver Raven provides numerous benefits and special powers if worn by a wizard or bard, after a period of attunement. (The Cloak's powers begin to function if worn for at least sixteen hours in every twenty-four hour period for 30 consecutive days.) The cloak remains attuned to a wearer until someone else completes the attunement process.
The cloak allows the wearer to cast 'starshine' as a seventh level priest 3 times per day.
The cloak will glow with a silver faerie fire radiance at will. The cloak gives the wearer a +3 bonus to all saving throws. The cloak allows the wearer to speak and understand the language of ravens.
At the mental command of the wearer, the silver raven's head will shift to envelop the wearer's head and neck, completely masking the wearer's face, although the effect itself may lead to the wearer's identification. While in this position, the wearer can see normally, with infravision, or as if peering through Eyes of Eagle as desired. Speaking, eating, and spellcasting are also unaffected. While in this position, the wearer is also protected as if by a Ring of Mind Shielding.
Alternatively, the wearer of the Cloak of the Silver Raven can 'shapechange' into the form of a normal, huge, or giant raven or back to his or her normal form at will. While in any raven form, the wearer gains the same vision and mind shielding bonuses as described above. All raven forms are very distinctive - the body of the raven is black while the head is silver in color.
Khelben's History
Although travelers to other crystal spheres may have heard of the famous Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun [03][14], resident and secret lord of the city of Waterdeep on the world known as Abeir-Toril, the Blackstaff, as he is often known, is not exactly who he claims to be. The true son of Zelphar Arunsun of Neverwinter and Lhestyn "The Masked Lady", named for his powerful and still living ancestor, is Khelben "the Younger" Arunsun.
Born in 1302 Dale Reckoning (270 Northern Reckoning), Khelben "the Younger" spent many years in apprenticeship to his father, Zelphar, and grand- father, Khelben the Elder, and had little contact with persons outside his family. Khelben the Elder, one of Mystra's Chosen, had learned the secret of long years much like Elminster and Ahghairon. When the Blackstaff took over the long vacant Arunsun Tower, renaming it Blackstaff Tower, he assumed the identity of his grandson. The elder Khelben sought to hide his long lifespan from the people of Waterdeep, fearing they would shun his leadership if they knew of his magically enhanced lifespan.
Seeking to escape the shadow of Khelben the Elder, Khelben the Younger eagerly took to traveling the planes. The younger Khelben agreed not to return to Faerun or Waterdeep without first contacting his ancestor and allowing him time to prepare. During one of his rare visits to Faerun, he acquired a type of winged cat known as a tressym as his familiar. The beautiful butterfly-like wings of the tressym and it's regal demeanor inspired the name 'Monarch.'
Khelben the Younger wandered for many years and visited many worlds before settling in the city of Greyhawk on the world known as Oerth over a decade ago. He built a small tower (three stories above ground, one known level below ground) near the University of Magical Arts in which to house his extensive library and perform magical and historical research. The tower is known to be protected by a deadly 'wardmist' as well as other deadly magical traps. (The tower is located due south of the School of Clerkship (#C17) on the opposite side of College Road and is depicted as a small red building on the map of the city in the City of Greyhawk boxed set.) He settled into a quiet life of study (including reading a Tome of Clear Thought) and research (creating his Cloak of the Silver Raven among other things). He took to calling himself Khelben Ravencloak to conceal his ancestry.
Although powerful enough to create quite a name for himself, Khelben chooses to exercise a very light touch with regards to events in the world around him - with one significant exception. During the Greyhawk Wars, Khelben disappeared for quite some time. Although none of his colleagues or friends know where he disappeared too, the general speculation is that he fought in the armies of Nyrond against the Great Kingdom. This rumor is fueled by the loquacious librarian who noted an intensive burst of research into the banishment of extra-planar beings immediately prior to the hostilities.
In fact, Khelben actively fought a guerrilla campaign against a trio of arch-mages, all Red Wizards of Thay, who magically traveled to Oerth to serve as mercenaries for the armies of the Pomarj at the invitation of Turrosh Mak. In exchange, they were to receive information and assistance in acquiring an artifact believed to be located beneath the Drachensgrab Hills capable of imprisoning a deity. The Red Wizards planned to use this artifact to further bind the tanar'ri prince Eltab within the city of Eltabbar, Thay, and thus augment their own magic with his stolen power. [10] If they had succeeded, it would have changed the balance of power in central Faerun. It is also likely that the course of the war for the Ulek states might have gone much worse. As a result of Khelben's attacks, the Red Wizards were essentially hamstrung for most of the war and were eventually driven back to the Realms without anything to show for their efforts.
Physical Description: Khelben the Younger is very similar in appearance to his famous ancestor. He appears as a 6-foot tall, well-muscled man with a receding hairline, a silver goatee, and raven black hair streaked with silver. Although he appears to be about 45 years old, his true age is unknown.
Motivations: The Blackstaff's grandson is usually grave and scholarly, but exhibits a morbid streak of humor on occasion in the company of close friends. A bit of a loner, Khelben Ravencloak is usually engaged in arcane research and typically ventures forth only to consult with his colleagues, to teach, or to investigate visitors from other worlds.
Much like his grandfather, Khelben "Ravencloak" Arunsun is a consummate strategist, who continuously seeks new knowledge and magic through which he can understand the events of his new home world. Unlike the elder Khelben, Ravencloak prefers not to get involved with day to day events, as he still sees himself as something of an uninvited guest to the world of Oerth. Instead he seeks long term solutions to the ills of the multiverse, and often sets into motion plans that will take decades to mature. In some respects his long term perspective is similar to that of the Olven peoples with whom he has forged many strong friendships.
If hostile interlopers, particularly wizards, from Faerun or other worlds, come to Ravencloak's attention, he will act decisively and quickly to end the threat. Khelben the Younger believes strongly that the evolution of a world's history should be most strongly influenced by natives of that world, although some cross-cultural polination can be beneficial. He seeks to mitigate the influence of otherworldly inhabitants and cultures on Oerth's evolution.