Story Time: Meeting Banzif (The Magnificent)
Context: In the wake of a pretty deadly climactic battle at the end of my most recently completed adventure (we still use D&D 3.5 ed), several players were left needing to roll up new characters (and unlike previous adventures, this time the deaths really weren't my fault... mostly). One of my players decided to take a new spin on a famous beloved old wizard. This is the story of our party's introduction to Banzif, The Magnificent (don't leave out âThe Magnificentâ).
DM (me): So you're standing outside the ruined town inn when you see an old man in brown wizard robes approaching.
Banzif, The Magnificent: Hello there! I'm Banzif, The Magnificent, wizard extraordinaire. I heard you had some real X-Files stuff going on over here, so I thought I'd come help.
Jill, who is now, ironically, the Town Hero (official title): Oh how nice, a crazy old man is going to help us. If you don't mind, I've got an inn to rebuild.
Banzif, The Magnificent: I may be old, but I am not crazy. I'm a powerful wizard!
Vulcan (LG inquisitor): So Banzif, if you-
Banzif, The Magnificent: Ahem, Banzif, The Magnificent.
Vulcan: Very well. Banzif, âThe Magnificentâ.
Banzif, The Magnificent: Don't you take that tone with me, I can see your âair quotesâ from a mile away.
Vulcan: Alright! Fine! Banzif, The Magnificent. If we take you along with us, how do we know you won't be a liability to us? If you are really such a powerful wizard, prove it to us.
Banzif, The Magnificent: Oh, a demonstration? Why didn't you just say so, sonny? Watch this. *Proceeds to fireball what's left of the town inn, burning it completely to the ground*
Suffice it to say, Jill was not happy with this turn of events. The session got slightly derailed while Vulcan presided over an impromptu civil claims trial. We eventually worked out an agreement, and Banzif was allowed to join the group, but Vulcan was appointed as his âbabysitterâ to try to limit his destructive potential. Banzif is usually good for at least one extremely inconvenient fireball per session.