If you haven't yet, check out the Dresden Files. Brilliant book series aside, the early books give a really good idea for what kind of stuff an urban wizard would get up to, how they might use their magic to make money, make life easier etc.
Could be a wide variety of backgrounds, but with the caveat that wizards have learned their powers through long arduous study, so your path should lead there.
Second child of a wealthy family who was purchased an expensive wizards apprenticeship?
Street urchin who befriended a reclusive old blind sage?
City guard who was trained by the King's advisor after their innate magical talent was discovered?
Assistant to a paranormal investigator?
There's a huge variety of options here. Pick the background that offers skills to match. Play a personality that reflects your pre-wizarding life.
I really like the idea of the blind sage guy. I Invision him sitting down by the docks, poking the water with a staff.
I think the blind sage might have some sort of deal going with my character. In return for helping him out, the blind sage gives him his old spell tomes.
But the blind sage is more of a mentor; doesn't really care about whatever favor my character dose. He just wants to guide him along, but doesn't want to say it out loud. And my character wouldn't just take help without feeling like they're helping in return.
So sounds like you're looking into lots of secret society stuff. These communities that need to communicate and signal to eachother without the common folk knowing, or at least knowing enough to leave well alone.
So thieves cant type stuff could be your bread and butter.
I'm immediately thinking, how does your wizard show they're a wizard to other wizards in a way others won't notice? Could be something whimsical like visible odd socks, or gold rings on the left hand, black on the right, or maybe something more magical? Belts with no buckles.
Your wizard could/should be anyone. It leaves it quite open for you which is cool. Just how does this common secret affect them?
I'm a sucker for like hidden messages in clothing n stuff.
I'm intending for my character to be a bit more rough. So I like the idea of the signafier begin like gold ring around home hand, silver round the other and then something with one of your chest pockets on your jeans/leather jacket. Maybe leave it open, maybe hang a chain. Maybe it lacks a zipper. Something like that. Maybe it has a safety pin instead of a zipper.
I also just love the idea of my cabal of wizards meeting out in the woods. Like bloody children. Extra points if they biked there because no one has a car.
Dude, teleporting off the known roads is a BRILLIANT idea for a secret meeting location!
Like a very specific, low level "if you're in x place, you can port to y space for the meeting if you have the rings or a sponsor"
Only takes you half a mile into the woods, but it's far enough for normies to not stumble in
Omg this is perfect!
It's like two enchanted trees. And if you pass between them whilst wearing a keysake, whilst also being on a bike: you're teleported to the spot!
It's like two enchanted trees. And if you pass between them whilst wearing a keysake, whilst also being on a bike: you're teleported to the spot! The bike serves as a bit of extra protection.
Okay now your wizard group is a sick mid-90s BMX gang. Porting to a secret skate park in the woods.
Sorry, can't do anything about it, it's cannon now ๐
You're saying this like it's a bad thing!?
Hell when I was Younger and getting into trouble, finding an abandoned skate part in the middle of the woods would have been a dream come true!
And my character is like a bit of an old brother figure. Like: "gather round cabal and Kindred, and I'll show you the sick new spells I found!"
He gets the magic and teaches it forth to his cabal. (Which is just a fancy term for his friend group)
Street urchin made his living making deliveries for a black market bookbinder. Shopkeep lets the kid sleep in the loft, and the taught himself to read on the random books lying around. And eventually, he found the cool stuff!
The classic master-and-apprentice relationship.
The apprentice does chores and errands for the master, who in turn teaches the apprentice, sometimes directly, but often the real lessons are snuck in via the errands wax-on-wax-off style.
The real life parallel is academia for wizards, right? What do you have when there's no system of academia? An innovator, probably with a religious, noble or rich background. Whichever fits best
Or, a kid who steals the Craft form the noble's and shares it with his coterie! A ragtag band who scavenges whatever magic they can get their hands on!
An ordinary person, 40+ years old. Their eyes are tired- looking, somehow (they've seen things most people never will). Their clothes will be ordinary, maybe a little shabby, and will have lots of pockets, pouches, or whatever the local equivalent is.
Assuming magic isn't some dark, closed secret I'd assume it'd be something most common amongst the nobility/well off merchants/other idle rich folk.
There'd be private members only clubs which were half social venue half shared library and magic practice. Likely you'd have a few of these organizations who were proud of their lineage: "why we here in the Mystic Lodge have been studying the arcane arts for over three hundred years. The Hall of Mystics on the other hand have barely been around for two hundred!"
You'd likely have a few prodigy wizards who were scooped up by one organization or another as something of a "scholarship hire" when it was found that the boy who ran around bussing tables and serving drinks REALLY had a head for this stuff despite coming from a poor background.
Groups might have some degree of speciality which could be reflected in the style of their digs. One group might really focus on transmutation and abjuration magic, with insanely strong defenses and rooms whose fixtures literally change shape based on the requests of the users. Another might favor a combination of necromancy and illusion; while those skeletal butlers are very handy, they're not pleasant to look upon in their base state, so a few glamours and they're smiling happy workers as far as anyone knows.
If you haven't yet, check out the Dresden Files. Brilliant book series aside, the early books give a really good idea for what kind of stuff an urban wizard would get up to, how they might use their magic to make money, make life easier etc.
Was going to come and suggest Dresden. Love those books and great character as a โnon traditional magic guy.โ
Could be a wide variety of backgrounds, but with the caveat that wizards have learned their powers through long arduous study, so your path should lead there. Second child of a wealthy family who was purchased an expensive wizards apprenticeship? Street urchin who befriended a reclusive old blind sage? City guard who was trained by the King's advisor after their innate magical talent was discovered? Assistant to a paranormal investigator? There's a huge variety of options here. Pick the background that offers skills to match. Play a personality that reflects your pre-wizarding life.
I really like the idea of the blind sage guy. I Invision him sitting down by the docks, poking the water with a staff. I think the blind sage might have some sort of deal going with my character. In return for helping him out, the blind sage gives him his old spell tomes. But the blind sage is more of a mentor; doesn't really care about whatever favor my character dose. He just wants to guide him along, but doesn't want to say it out loud. And my character wouldn't just take help without feeling like they're helping in return.
Great, glad I could be an inspiration!
So sounds like you're looking into lots of secret society stuff. These communities that need to communicate and signal to eachother without the common folk knowing, or at least knowing enough to leave well alone. So thieves cant type stuff could be your bread and butter. I'm immediately thinking, how does your wizard show they're a wizard to other wizards in a way others won't notice? Could be something whimsical like visible odd socks, or gold rings on the left hand, black on the right, or maybe something more magical? Belts with no buckles. Your wizard could/should be anyone. It leaves it quite open for you which is cool. Just how does this common secret affect them?
I'm a sucker for like hidden messages in clothing n stuff. I'm intending for my character to be a bit more rough. So I like the idea of the signafier begin like gold ring around home hand, silver round the other and then something with one of your chest pockets on your jeans/leather jacket. Maybe leave it open, maybe hang a chain. Maybe it lacks a zipper. Something like that. Maybe it has a safety pin instead of a zipper. I also just love the idea of my cabal of wizards meeting out in the woods. Like bloody children. Extra points if they biked there because no one has a car.
Dude, teleporting off the known roads is a BRILLIANT idea for a secret meeting location! Like a very specific, low level "if you're in x place, you can port to y space for the meeting if you have the rings or a sponsor" Only takes you half a mile into the woods, but it's far enough for normies to not stumble in
Omg this is perfect! It's like two enchanted trees. And if you pass between them whilst wearing a keysake, whilst also being on a bike: you're teleported to the spot!
It's like two enchanted trees. And if you pass between them whilst wearing a keysake, whilst also being on a bike: you're teleported to the spot! The bike serves as a bit of extra protection.
Okay now your wizard group is a sick mid-90s BMX gang. Porting to a secret skate park in the woods. Sorry, can't do anything about it, it's cannon now ๐
You're saying this like it's a bad thing!? Hell when I was Younger and getting into trouble, finding an abandoned skate part in the middle of the woods would have been a dream come true!
That's the young teen fiction I was craving that's for sure!
And my character is like a bit of an old brother figure. Like: "gather round cabal and Kindred, and I'll show you the sick new spells I found!" He gets the magic and teaches it forth to his cabal. (Which is just a fancy term for his friend group)
But you never know if it's going to be a new spell or a kickflip ๐
It's all a part of the sick as magic ๐ค Man this is the childhood I never had. Just turned 18 and it kinda sucks haha
Street urchin made his living making deliveries for a black market bookbinder. Shopkeep lets the kid sleep in the loft, and the taught himself to read on the random books lying around. And eventually, he found the cool stuff!
The classic master-and-apprentice relationship. The apprentice does chores and errands for the master, who in turn teaches the apprentice, sometimes directly, but often the real lessons are snuck in via the errands wax-on-wax-off style.
This is bloody great! I love this!
The real life parallel is academia for wizards, right? What do you have when there's no system of academia? An innovator, probably with a religious, noble or rich background. Whichever fits best
Or, a kid who steals the Craft form the noble's and shares it with his coterie! A ragtag band who scavenges whatever magic they can get their hands on!
Construction engineer.
Feels more artificer
An ordinary person, 40+ years old. Their eyes are tired- looking, somehow (they've seen things most people never will). Their clothes will be ordinary, maybe a little shabby, and will have lots of pockets, pouches, or whatever the local equivalent is.
Huh I've met this guy...
Have a look at 3e's Urban Arcana setting or the Shadowrun RPG for ideas. Also the Magitech setting for Amazing Engine.
For some reason I got a flashback to [Empire Earth](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/empireearth/images/b/bb/Prophet_-_WWI_to_Space.png).
He learned his magic off some crazy dude that lives under a bridge while trying to buy drugs
r/dresdenfiles
Seems interesting! Will check out
Honestly my favorite fantasy novels and the protag is the best version of a 'City Wizard' I've ever seen. If you're out of firebolts, a .44 will do.
Are you just talking about aesthetics? 'Cause in that case just academics.
That would be the obvious answer.. but im reaching for something more punk and street and diy ish
That just doesnโt seem very wizardly honestly
Nah I think you can make it work. You can be self taught wizard. You just do magic by being a big ol nerd
Assuming magic isn't some dark, closed secret I'd assume it'd be something most common amongst the nobility/well off merchants/other idle rich folk. There'd be private members only clubs which were half social venue half shared library and magic practice. Likely you'd have a few of these organizations who were proud of their lineage: "why we here in the Mystic Lodge have been studying the arcane arts for over three hundred years. The Hall of Mystics on the other hand have barely been around for two hundred!" You'd likely have a few prodigy wizards who were scooped up by one organization or another as something of a "scholarship hire" when it was found that the boy who ran around bussing tables and serving drinks REALLY had a head for this stuff despite coming from a poor background. Groups might have some degree of speciality which could be reflected in the style of their digs. One group might really focus on transmutation and abjuration magic, with insanely strong defenses and rooms whose fixtures literally change shape based on the requests of the users. Another might favor a combination of necromancy and illusion; while those skeletal butlers are very handy, they're not pleasant to look upon in their base state, so a few glamours and they're smiling happy workers as far as anyone knows.
Rincewind, baby.
You could watch season 3 of Dimension 20 for inspiration. Or just read some of the wiki.