The Magician's Gambit
Magic is dying. Or at least, that's what some whisper. Each year, fewer young adults show even a flicker of magical potential. The world grows quieter.
Dean Solomon Hopper believes he has the answer. For the first time in decades, Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy has expanded its admissions criteria, seeking out not just the naturally gifted, but also those with faint, fragile sparks that might grow under careful training.
This year's entrance exam will draw the largest pool of applicants in living memory. And if enough of them pass, Brakebills will welcome its largest incoming class in half a century. Some call it Hopper's grand experiment. Others call it a dangerous gamble.
Not everyone is happy. Rumors circulate of dissent among the Five Families who make up the school's Board of Directors. Visionary? Or madman? Those are the two views about Hopper that has put the Families at such odds with one another. It is most certainly a case of time shall tell.
Thus, this is the world you find yourself stepping into. Whether you come from an established magical background, or have no clue about the existence of real magic, you've been chosen. Perhaps your family prepared you for this moment. Or maybe you stumbled into it purely by accident. Regardless, Brakebills awaits...
Based on the book/TV series The Magicians by Lev Grossman, this is going to be a game of wonder, mystery, danger, and much more. System-wise we'll be using Open Legend. It's a pretty neat system and quite a joy to read and just as easy to grasp. The best thing about it is that it's Open Source, meaning all the rules are located here for free!
The premise is what was stated above. Magic worldwide is starting to fade. The number of new Magicians being produced has dropped, leading to stagnation within the wider magic community. Someone (Dean Solomon Hopper) decided to step up and do something about it. And now Brakebills will be the testing grounds for his radical initiative.
I don't have any super strict guidelines when it comes to characters. I mostly ask you play someone who is 17 to 18 (or even 19) years of age. Beyond that I can't think of any other requirements, though if any others crop up we'll be sure to discuss them. Conveniently enough there's also a character builder via HeroMuster, which looks like a well-maintained and invaluable resource for Open Legend.
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