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Saturday, December 4, 2010

Tycho Brahe - Warrior Astrologomage!

Man, I love this weird world we live on! Here's an article on Tycho Brahe, a duelist, astronomer, mathematician (who says fighting-men have to be stupid) and minor nobleman who had a pet elk and dwarf jester who was supposedly clairvoyant (he made is psionic powers roll!). Oh, and Brahe had a prosthetic nose made of gold and silver because his own was sliced off in a duel that may have been precipitated by an argument over mathematics or astrology. Since I would like to believe that every earthbound weird-o from our glorious history has a free, all-access pass to live on in NOD after they slip their mortal coil, how about some game stats!

[Note - edited for a couple great idea in the comments.]

Tycho Brahe, Fighting-Man Lvl 1, Magic-User Lvl 6*: HP 21; AC 9 [10]; Save 10 (8 vs. spells); CL/XP 6/400; Special: Spells (3rd). Rapier (1d6 damage), silver dagger, spellbook, prosthetic nose of silver and gold (worth 150 gp).

Tycho's Spellbook contains the following spells: 1st - Detect Magic, Light, Read Languages, Read Magic, Sleep; 2nd - Detect Evil, Detect Invisibility, Knock, Locate Object, Mirror Image, Strength; 3rd - Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Lightning Bolt, Suggestion.

Jepp, Dwarf Assassin Lvl 4: HP 16; AC 8 [11]; Save 12 (11 vs. death & poison, 8 vs. magic); CL/XP 4/120; Special: Decipher script, disguise, sneak attack x2, skullduggery, poison, clairvoyance (3/day). Jester's outfit and cap, pig bladder on a stick, three hidden daggers, vial of mercury (treat as slow poison - save or die in 1d4 days).

Tycho's Elk: HD 4 (19 hp); AC 6 [13]; Atk 1 gore (1d6); Move 15; Save 13; CL/XP 4/120; Special: None.

Johannes Kepler, Magic-User Lvl 3: HP 7; AC 9 [10]; Save 13 (11 vs. spells); CL/XP 2/30; Special: Spells (2nd). Scholar's robes, parchment and quills, horn of ink, vial of mercury (was it him or Jepp? Or both?).

Johannes' Spellbook: 1st - detect magic, light, read languages, read magic, shield; 2nd - continual light, levitate, phantasmal force.

* Yeah, we could make him a sage, but where's the fun in that.

Below is pictured Uraniborg, Tycho's stronghold. The gardens are planted with medicinal herbs and flowers. Each of the guard towers is guarded by 4 men-at-arms supplied by his royal patron, men wearing breastplates and armed with pole arms, daggers and light crossbows.

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6 comments:

  1. netherwerksDecember 4, 2010 at 12:42 PM

    Nice. Tycho Brahe is cool. What about Cornelius Agrippa or Trithemius? The painter Raphael? Fun stuff. You could easily do an entire book of historical figures like these...

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  2. Tim KnightDecember 4, 2010 at 1:30 PM

    I first learned of Tycho Brahe when I went to Prague many years ago and have had a historical man-crush on the old maniac ever since (he lived next to a monastery I believe and then complained about the incessant bell ringing!). It's great to see he's having a bit of a revival :)

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  3. John Matthew StaterDecember 4, 2010 at 1:35 PM

    A historico-fantastic menagerie of world hoppers for old school gaming - I like the idea of that.

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  4. TreyDecember 4, 2010 at 3:24 PM

    What--his prosthetic nose isn't magical?

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  5. Spawn of EndraDecember 4, 2010 at 7:13 PM

    I think you might be selling Keppler a little short with MU 2. At least bump him up to MU3 for being Old School:

    "Kepler ... believes that God created cosmic “harmony” by arranging the planets’ orbits around the Sun so that they’re spaced at distances corresponding to certain geometrical figures (the five “Platonic solids”)."

    I.e., the solar system is ruled by d4, d6, d8, d12 and d20. Freak out!

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  6. John Matthew StaterDecember 4, 2010 at 7:18 PM

    Yeah - I was going for Kepler being the apprentice of sorts to the older Tycho. Now I'm thinking cleric, what with the focus on God. And Trey - magical nose - how did I miss that. Time for an edit.

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