Hedge wizard[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] (also seen as hedge-wizard[9]) was a title given to certain spellcasters. Other forms of this appellation were hedge-witch,[10] hedge-priest,[11] and hedge-row sage.[12]
Abilities[]
A hedge wizard was basically a self-taught spellcaster[1] that could perform cantrips,[8] make basic potions,[9] and scribe simple scrolls.[6] Other skills they often found useful for generating income were herbalism,[5] minor medical procedures (splinting a broken limb, disinfecting wounds, making healing salves),[1] and feats of sleight-of-hand for entertainment.[8]
Hedge mages that trained as such learned herbalism and how to put together somewhat effective antidotes, and they learned the brewing of potions sooner than other wizards; they often abandoned the practice of transmutation and invocation spells, and either necromancy or illusion,[13] with some exceptions.[14]
Other hedge mages were simply wizards of more traditional disciplines, who had chosen a life without adventure. Such hedge wizards lived mostly in cities, with one out of every ten living outside the city either after retirement or after being kicked out. Their most important skill was their ability to refer a customer to another hedge wizard they knew of, who specialized in the desired service. Not all so-called hedge wizards were wizards, however, with some of them using magical items to perform services, and even some priests of Azuth, Chauntea, Deneir, and Mielikki, Mystra, Oghma and Selûne filling a similar role in small chapels outside cities. Some others were trained martially and some lacked all magical skill, focusing instead on the alchemical and sagely aspects of the job. Finally, a few were simply utter charlatans.[15]
Some hedge wizards were in fact elven high magi in disguise from the island of Evermeet.[16]
Reputation[]
Hedge wizards often worked by sharing information between adventurers, helping coordinate their efforts by keeping track of who was out of town, and who was free to go on a quest. They also helped form parties of adventurers. Some traded in enchanted baubles, which carried lesser effects not useful in combat; most traded in herbal or alchemical mixtures. Rarely, they could carry actual lesser magical items. The ones that cast spells generally were capable of casting at most those as complex as dispel magic, or even remove curse in some cases.[15]
Sometimes a hedge wizard would be looked to for leadership in small, rural communities,[2] and some reached a respectable level of skill in the Art,[9] but city folk often dismissed them as bumpkins and charlatans.[11] Hedge wizards lived modestly (and usually alone), either by choice or because magical research was expensive and explosive.[9] Educated spellcasters often viewed them with disdain.[9][7]
Appendix[]
Origins[]
Hedge Wizards and Hedge Witches were from Fritz Leiber's world of Nehwon where their title was capitalized but they were still on the lowest rung of the society of spellcasters.[17]
Further Reading[]
- Gregg Sharp (November 1990). “Hedge Wizards”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #163 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 18–24.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ed Greenwood (October 2012). Ed Greenwood Presents Elminster's Forgotten Realms. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 37. ISBN 0786960345.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins, James Wyatt (December 2014). Dungeon Master's Guide 5th edition. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 27–28. ISBN 978-0-7869-6562-5.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 158. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ James Wyatt (June 2008). Dungeon Master's Guide 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 157. ISBN 978-0-7869-4880-2.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bruce R. Cordell, Ed Greenwood, Chris Sims (August 2008). Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide. Edited by Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7869-4924-3.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Andy Collins, David Noonan, Ed Stark (November 2003). Complete Warrior. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 137. ISBN ISBN 0-7869-2880-8.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Ed Greenwood, Tim Beach (November 1995). Pages from the Mages. Edited by Jon Pickens. (TSR, Inc.), p. 3. ISBN 0-7869-0183-7.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 179. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 149. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 68. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Ed Greenwood (October 1998). The City of Ravens Bluff. Edited by John D. Rateliff. (TSR, Inc.), p. 27. ISBN 0-7869-1195-6.
- ↑ Dale Donovan (January 1998). Cult of the Dragon. Edited by Julia Martin. (TSR, Inc.), p. 5. ISBN 0-7869-0709-6.
- ↑ Bill Slavicsek (1993). The Complete Book of Humanoids. (TSR, Inc), pp. 74–75. ISBN 1-5607-6611-5.
- ↑ Mark Middleton et al (September 1998). Wizard's Spell Compendium Volume Four. (TSR, Inc), p. 1141. ISBN 978-0786912094.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Gregg Sharp (November 1990). “Hedge Wizards”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #163 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 19–21.
- ↑ Anne Gray McCready et al. (March 1994). Elves of Evermeet. (TSR, Inc), p. 63. ISBN 1-5607-6829-0.
- ↑ James M. Ward and Troy Denning (August 1990). Legends & Lore (2nd edition). (TSR, Inc), p. 155. ISBN 978-0880388443.