Anatomist
Anatomists devote their careers to the scientific study of the body, often
using magical means to aid or inform their research. These wizards are profoundly
fascinated by the seemingly infinite mysteries of the human form. Anatomists
gain their knowledge after years of extensive research, typically performed on
cadavers. Their exhaustive experience makes them vastly superior doctors when
compared with the typical village healers who rely chiefly on herbal medicine to
cure the sick.
While some Anatomists use their knowledge to heal, a most adopt this
profession to further their own dark motives. Some, falling into the “insane scientist”
category, using their expertise to create blasphemous experiments, the least
repellent of which include the creation of cadaveric automatons, like flesh
golems. Others, who delight only in inflicting pain, practice their skill on living
subjects rather than cadavers. These vivisectionists make the most exquisite
torturers and are sometimes found in the employ of despotic rulers.
The Anatomist is chiefly inspired by the physicians of the 15th–19th centuries
who increasingly turned to the dissection of cadavers to improve their medical
expertise. Because of laws which prohibited exhumation and mutilation of the
dead, physicians resorted to unsavory grave robbers to supply them with fresh
corpses for study. As a result of public beliefs in divine or supernatural
retribution for mutilating the dead, these dissections took place in the most secret
confines of the universities, reinforcing the notion that physicians took part
in arcane, cabalistic practices. Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein—written in 1817 (before England’s Anatomy Act of 1832, which for the first
time legally provided British physicians with cadavers for study)—drew further
parallels between the genius physician and the experimenting necromancer.
The Anatomist works best in campaigns with a Renaissance background or a
16th-century historical setting such as the one proposed in A Mighty Fortress. An evil Anatomist would perfectly suit a RAVENLOFT® campaign replete with
“mad scientists” and their abhorrent creations. For ideas on the more twisted
aspects of the kit, the DM may refer to the classic Frankenstein, numerous B, horror movies, and Van Richten’s Guide to the Created. A short story from the fantasy Thieves’ World anthology, “The Vivisectionist,” more closely explores the theme of the
torturer-scientist.
Requirements: The Anatomist may be of any alignment.
Role: Some Anatomists use their specialized knowledge for the good of humanity,
serving as skilled physicians and healers. However, because of the taboo and
stigma associated with the dissection of corpses, almost all Anatomists must keep
their experiments secret from their clientele. Thus, the Anatomist usually
fosters the appearance of being an “ordinary” doctor or wizard who gains his or her
knowledge from ancient texts and university lectures.
Despite the public opprobrium, Anatomists have no desire to flee society.
Indeed, their entire profession is based on the close proximity of civilization. It
would prove impossible, for instance, to practice their calling in the
desolate wilderness (at least not without considerable assistance from henchmen or
allies). Anatomists need a constant supply of fresh cadavers on which to
experiment, and these can only be safely secured in a large town or city.
Dr. Ellandra Tolbert, whose detailed NPC sheet appears in Chapter Nine, is an
example of how an Anatomist can easily fill the roles of mentor, employer, or
nemesis (Ellandra makes further appearances in Chapters Two and Four). Because
of her position in the Anatomical Academy (a secret society of Anatomists,
detailed in Chapter Seven), Ellandra is in a perfect position to hire a party of
adventurers to help her secure a new supply of corpses for study, clear out a
secret, new meeting house for the Academy, or thwart an official investigation by
the local authorities. If the party does not have access to a cleric, Ellandra
could effectively treat their wounds, mend broken bones, reattach severed limbs,
or even bring a dead character back to some semblance of life. Finally, she
can serve as a powerful ally (or nemesis) in combat. The DM can thus easily
introduce an Anatomist into just about any campaign.
Preferred Spells: The Anatomist prefers necromantic spells that directly affect the physical
body, either before or after death (like corpse link, embalm, delay death, empathic wound transfer, bone growth, and graft flesh). They have little interest in the netherworld or undead (except perhaps as a
convenient means of transporting corpses to their laboratory for study). An
Anatomist such as Ellandra is hardly defenseless in combat. While she may
hesitate to employ the Black Arts to incapacitate her foes, since this magic tends to
make a corpse unsuitable for later study, she always keeps one death spell memorized in case of dire emergency.
Weapon Proficiencies: The Anatomist is a mistress of small edged or cutting weapons, though this
wizard rarely practices such skills on the living. The Anatomist’s first weapon
is a knife, with which she or he automatically gains specialization at 6th level
as a special benefit (this fills the second weapon slot). This skill entitles
the wizard to multiple attacks and the customary +1 to hit and +2 on damage
bonuses. After specializing in the knife, the wizard may learn either the dagger,
dart, cutlass, or short sword.
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Required: healing (this takes up two slots only) and anatomy. Recommended:
(General) animal handling, animal training, artistic ability, brewing; (Warrior)
animal lore, hunting, set snares; (Rogue) disguise, forgery; (Priest) local
history; (Wizard) herbalism, reading/writing, spellcraft, venom handling.
Forbidden: None.
Equipment: In addition to wearing the robes and mantle of a physician or scholar, the
Anatomist usually carries all of his or her necessary surgical tools (knives,
saws, scalpels, retractors, and such) in a characteristic black leather bag or
small box.
Special Benefits: Through their studies, Anatomists gain knowledge to help the living.
Improved Healing: Anatomists make excellent doctors, gaining a +2 on their ability checks for
the healing nonweapon proficiency. Patients resting under their care restore
damage at an accelerated rate of 3 hp per day (4 hp per day with the herbalism
nonweapon proficiency). The healing rate is slowed by 1 hp per day if the patient
engages in strenuous physical activity or adventuring. A single Anatomist can
care for up to 12 people in this fashion. When treating poisons or diseases
(even those of magical origin), their patients are entitled to a second saving
throw with a +4 bonus to resist the affliction.
Autopsy: Another useful skill of the Anatomist is the ability to divine the cause and
time of death by thoroughly examining a corpse. This involves a careful
dissection taking 1–6 turns minus 1 round per level. The wizard has a base 60% chance,
plus 2% per level, of learning the specific reason and approximate time of
death (90% maximum, one roll required for each check). This autopsy can reveal
whether death resulted from normal processes (like old age or natural disease) or
foul play (such as a wound, poison, spell, or magical disease). The accuracy of
the estimated moment of death decreases with elapsed time since the actual
event. For instance, if the subject died an hour before the autopsy, the time of
death can be fixed to within 1–4 rounds (after one day, the estimate is only
accurate to within 1–4 hours, and so on).
Special Hindrances: The Anatomist must regularly practice his or her skills or lose all the
unique benefits of the kit (namely the autopsy and improved healing abilities). At
the very least, the wizard must perform one dissection on a human subject per
month in order to prevent these specialized skills from atrophying. If the
Anatomist lapses in the dissection schedule for more than a month, he or she
temporarily reverts to a standard specialist. The former status may be easily regained,
however, simply by performing twice the minimum number of dissections that
were missed. Each formal study requires one complete day which cannot be spent in
adventuring, spell research, or other pursuits.
For instance, when Dr. Tolbert takes a month-long sea voyage from Neverwinter
to Calimshan, she has no opportunity to dissect human subjects. When she
finally arrives, she has lost her kit abilities and become a standard specialist
necromancer. Once fresh subjects are available, Ellandra must undertake at least
two thorough dissections, requiring two days to complete, to regain her
kit-related skills.
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