Mazion, the Leech & Undertaker

Just off of the adventuring quarter of town, someplace between the bustling square and the dregs of society looms a wooden, single story building which nobody wants to visit. The wooden sign hanging over the door simply depicts the universal symbol of medicine, but everybody knows that besides carving people open, the proprietor also carves coffins.

(Author’s Note: While the leech is a historical figure, for the purposes of the game we will lean heavily on fanciful assumptions that what these men did was actually beneficial. In no way is this historically accurate.)

Adventuring is a dangerous living, and access to mystical methods of regaining health comes at no small price. For the rest of us, there is Mazion. Mazion’s services are on a sliding scale, never charging the poor. Most of his work revolves around draining infected wounds, tending to burns, resetting dislocated and broken bones, pulling bad teeth, and sewing up deep wounds. For these services he will charge 1 gp from those whom can afford it and make it in to his office, for those that cannot he might charge them 2 gp, as office visits are always cheaper.

Those under Mazion’s care will gain 3hp per day for every day that they remain in his care. Mazion can also provide assistance with more grievous injuries. If a injury is too terrific, Mazion will be forced to amputate the appendage, for instance deep tears or bites that cleave meat from the bone giving him nothing to sew together. For these operations he will charge 2gp and insist on doing it in his operation theatre. The character must make a system shock check to survive, those that make their rolls will suffer total hp loss, and have to remain in Mazion’s care until all hp are recovered. During this time Mazion will carve a new limb if it is a leg, if it is an arm he won’t worry about it. The loss of a limb will effect a players stats permanently which is up to the DM as actual penalties will depend on the injury suffered.

Mazion can also cure diseases, in which case he will want to operate. Operations cost 3 gp, and also require a System Shock Check to see if the player survives. Success will cost all of characters hp, and again, they must remain in his care until they are completely healed to avoid infections.

Surgery Success/fail chart (1d20)

1. Victim is better then before +1 to either DEX (75% of the time) or STR (25% of the time)*
2-10 Surgery a Success
11-12 Surgery a success but 1d3 points of CON lost permanently
13-14 Surgery a success but 1d3 points of DEX lost permanently
15-16 Surgery a success but 1d3 points of STR lost permanently
17-18 Surgery Failed, Disease is too far gone, and will be fatal
19-20 Surgery Failed, patient dies on the table

*DEX cannot be raised higher then 18, STR can not be raised higher then 18, or 18/00 for warriors.

For reasons of space, Mazion will provide care in the adventurer’s home, if they are a visitor they can be put up in a local Inn.

LAYOUT

Mazion owns and runs his office from a 20’x 28’ building which is small but it is his. Mazion does not live on the premise, but rents a room located elsewhere. He one day plans on purchasing another house, however at this time, is happy with his current arrangements.

A. Office: (10’x12’) This room is well maintained. Mazion’s desk dominates the room, he records all of his patients problems and how he fixed the situation if he could. These files he keeps in area C. A small stool is also in this room for his patients to sit on while he performs simple surgeries such as lancing and bleedings and such, a thin disposable rug protects the floor from any fluids. The rug itself is dry and kind of crunchy. He also performs simple examinations in this room. A book shelf sits behind the desk, it contains books that either he, or other trusted sources have written and documented in regards to anatomy, disease, injuries, medical medicines, and theories of medical causes. Mazion is currently wondering if diet doesn’t hold some of the answers, and is busy collecting information on the topic and will probably ask anyone who sees him what they have eaten in the last day or two. The shelf on the left wall contains bizarre trophies; parasites that he removed from people, a giant lumpy bone he removed from a soldier, and a jar containing the fetus of what he claims to be a demon child which he removed from a woman who said that she was raped by a devil! A filthy brown curtain separates the office from his Operation Room.

B. Operation Room (10’x12’) A wooden table stained with blood sits in the very center of the room, while a table on wheels normally rests in the lower-left hand corner of the room, a sheet covers the tools of his trade which sit upon the table, so that he can wheel it around to where ever he needs it. Saws, pliers, sharp cutting instruments of macabre shapes and sizes gleam in the lamp-lit room. A stained apron hangs on a hook by a filthy sink which sits in the upper-right hand corner of the room. The sink is operated by a foot peddle which pumps the water into that basin so that the leech can clean his instruments, which slows down the rusting process some. The cabinet on the right wall contains stained linins for soaking up fluid, as well as different chemicals, salts, and compounds which Mazion believes to aid the healing process. A drain is in the floor directly under the operating table. Dead people that are brought to him are normally dissected to see if Mazion can identify the cause of death, he also records and draws any anomalies that he may find to further his scientific learning.

C. Storage Room (10’x5’) The door to this room is always kept locked with a superb lock which imposes a -50% penalty to any thief who attempts to pick it. This is where Mazion keeps medicines which he believes to be beneficial, most of this is just raw materials which he turns into finished medicines as he needs them. A small table contains a modest lab which allows the leech to brew and extract specific chemical compounds, as well as mixing raw materials into finished medicines. He is always tinkering with the lab, attempting to unlock the mysteries of medical science. Below the table is a trapdoor which contains the Leech’s coffer of money that he earns. Most of this money will go to purchasing more raw materials. This stuff is very experimental, but this does not stop him from testing it out on the public. He has developed some legitimate medicines, which he prescribes to his patients for a modest charge per dose, however he will also test his drugs on people, monitoring them closely and discontinuing the mixture if he believes that it is making them worse. (In game terms: 10% chance of discovering a random potion, any roll over 90% however is TYPE G poison)

D. Coffin Room (10’x23’) Mazion constructs his own coffins, and sales them for 2 gp. His services are cheap because he is interested in death. After conducting his autopsy he will sew the corpse up and apply makeup to the deceased face, he feels that this makes them more lifelike, however everybody else feels that it looks hideous and frightening to look at. The bodies of criminals and those who are unclaimed will be set up for public view outside of the offices for a number of days before Mazion has them buried. Loved ones can have the bodies transported to their homes, or church as they see fit. Mazion owns a horse drawn cart painted black which he transports the bodies with, he keeps this hearse at the local stable house. He pays grunts to actually do the digging and burial.

E. Trophy Room (10’x4’) Mazion obtained his license and experience the old fashion way, as a headsman and chief torturer for the area. He has since been able to retire from this business, though does get called upon from time to time to conduct a beheading when it is Royalty whose heads are on the block, Mazion is very fast, and never misses his mark, though he has aged considerably since then, and has lost some of his dexterity, however his reputation is still well warranted. He charges triple the rate, which is paid by the condemned in order to get a clean and short death. It is this room which chronicles this aspect of his life. A statue of sorts holds Mazion’s prized double headed ax, and wears his black executioners hood. A shelf contains skulls which he was allowed to keep, as well as small torture devices which have become unfashionable, or too damaged to work properly and had to be replaced. A comfortable rocking chair rests in this small room, if Mazion is ever in the mood to relax (which he rarely is) he usually does so in this room, studying his papers and tomes in the warm sunlight that comes in through the windows.

PERSONALITIES

Mazion (0th level Leech): AC 9 (high dex); HD 0; hp 2/
SA Specialized w/ double-headed axe; #AT 1; THAC0 20;
dmg 1d8+2, but usually 1d2 (w/ fists); AL LN; XP 65
STR: 9 DEX: 15 CON: 14 INT: 17 WIS: 16 CHA 8

Mazion is 56 years old, but shows no signs of tiring any time soon. He is a slim but towering man, standing well over 6 foot. He prefers to wear tight fitting dark clothing, as this keeps out of his way and hides splatters better then other colors. His black hair has all turned grey with the exception of his roots which he keeps covered when outdoors with a wide brimmed hat, he wears a short grayed beard and mustache which he keeps trim. His eye sight has started to betray him some, and forces him to wear a pair of spectacles when reading or tending to a patient. When roaming around town, he can usually be seen carrying his doctor’s bag which contains small quantities of medicine and other tools that he can use to probe patients, dress wounds, and administer simple treatments.

The leech is a rather argumentative fellow who never questions his own intelligence and has great faith in himself! And is very proud of his many accomplishments, which he will talk about at great length to anyone who shows interest. Mazion has a brilliant mind, but his arrogance tends to push them away.

Mazion does have a unique ability, he was an Executioner, this does not make him a good fighter, he does not handle physical danger very well at all and tends to freeze up if pressed into a fight, and will cower in fear until his anger gets the best of him at which time he will act impulsively and brashly. While he isn’t a strong fighter, he is an expert headsman, his knowledge of human anatomy (initially acquired from doing just this activity) allows him to make a clean, beheading blow to those who cooperate with him. While he is specialized with the axe, he isn’t very good with actually using it to defend himself with. If he is angered to the point of rage, he will, no doubt, attack his attacker legally, if not with administering poison. Most folks will never see this side of him, thankfully.

As a Leech, he is interested and prides himself on saving lives, and always performs to the best of his ability to aid those who seek it. Granted, he will use patients as guinea pigs, secretly conducting experiments on them, however his skill is such that it will rarely be detected and is a risk that Mazion is willing to take to further his field of study.

Mazion is a sage in regards to Botany, Chemistry, and Medicine, his rates for this service is cheap, 3 gp or perhaps a donation to his offices if the answer takes several days to acquire, this rate is cheap because it caters to his ego.

Scenario Suggestions

Scenario 1: Aristocrat from far away has requested Mazion personally, and the PC’s are hired to see that he gets there safely, despite the assassins who are bent on killing him.

Scenario 2: Mazion passed an experimental drug to a bedridden invalided which gives the sick man the powers of a strong monster whom prowls the streets at night, killing innocent victims, before returning home where he returns to himself again, and appears to slowly be getting better.

Scenario 3: Mazion is experimenting on himself with a pain-killer, however a side-effect is that he becomes a Chaotic Evil homicidal maniac and isn‘t aware of it! Beef up his stats to that of a fighter who is suitable enough to challenge the party. Witness’s report a shadowy executioner exacting his brutal form of punishment upon the city, all of the victims are found with no heads. Mazion himself is interested in bringing this crazed criminal to justice as he wishes to study the killers brain, and has offered a reward to anyone who can capture him.

Mazion can always be used only as a healing center for parties without clerics, alternatively, if you are running a magically powered campaign he can sale small quantities of low-end potions. If a Mages Guild is located in the same city, they might be in competition with each other in regards to components and this could become an issue that could be fun to play with. Either way, Mazion is capable of being both a blessing and a villain, but keep in mind his intelligence will make him very difficult to catch in the act if you do decide to use his more roguish side. As always, it is best to show his giving nature several adventures in before unleashing one of his crazed experiments gone array. If you use this NPC properly, the players won‘t see it coming.