Meluz Mies Van Der Fou

Thus, the unlucky day that the first PC decides to realize his forbidden dreams for a tower, palace or the like, here Mèluz Mies Van Der Fou presents to him: he is the best living architect, yet the most extravagant overall.

Mèluz has an absolutely original vision of architecture, and we poor mortals are not right judging whether this starts from geniality or from craziness. The only certain thing is that nobody would like to see these ideas to be applied to his own home. Thus Mèluz, in order avoiding to starve, is forced to work at vulgar projects in traditional style that, in his vision, have nothing to do with Universal Art; this is just under his point of view, yet, because the important buildings he constructed until now are commonly reputed the best expressions of architecture of his age.

To come back to our unacquainted adventurer PC, it is upon these kind of customers that Mèluz satisfies his own thirst to see realized his ultra-modern art and that he shows all of his (insane?) fantasy.

Mèluz Mies Van Der Fou's artistical creed is founded upon the Four Golden Rules (FGR): 1) Artistical Spirit always takes precedence (Functionality? Nay!); 2) Outside and Inside must become the same thing (outside must enter building structure without being impeded by walls or similar stuff); 3) Nature must stay superior to the artificial work (masonry is an unbearable and ugly violation of a formerly beautiful place); 4) Natural Light (and Darkness) must not be altered or lost.

There are two ways Mèluz can apply these rules whilst projecting and/or building up an adventurer mansion.

If Mèluz is trusted so much as to leave him both project and construction yard, then he'll follow FGR literally: no walls, no ceilings, no roof. There will be only some small suggestions of the structure here and there (a stone corner, a small piece of floor, a column, a short segment of entablature, and so on) and extraordinarily expensive windows, doors, chimneys, and household goods, all realized in carved marbles, gold, silver and precious woods. This comfortable mansion will be placed into a magnificent luxuriant garden crowded with beautiful animals.

If Mèluz has but to direct the yard of an adventurer's project, then FGR will be hidden, so that the building apparently will have nothing strange. Once inhabited yet, a demoniac mechanism will be activated: walls will begin to rotate, to change position or to disappear underground; roof will open (probably whilst raining or snowing); ceilings will upset or capsize; stairs will become slides; wild animals will roam the rooms; tenacious plants will begin growing everywhere.

Of course, such important an artist is strongly guarded and severe punishment expects anyone attempting to hurt him (this is the Special Defense).

In no case Mèluz will accept to project a building for an adventurer, unless granted to have free hand in personally heading the construction yard. He will close the yard with a high wooden wall and will hallow no one entering or getting a look. Construction will have normal times or longer, and it will cost much more than expected. Gold spent will be lost forever, for Mèluz is absolutely poor. He spends all of available money in his job and has no sense of administration (what a plebeian attribute!), always paying all materials and works twice or even trice their market price.

Mèluz is a mature beautiful -but slovenly- human male of strength 8, intelligence 18, wisdom 9, dexterity 18, constitution 12 and charisma 18. He is treated as a Sage (DMG page 31), yet he doesn't use to lose his precious time in renting his knowledge. Anyway he has Physical Universe as major Field, with the following Special Categories: Architecture & Engineering, Astronomy, Mathematics, Meteorology & Climatology. His Minor Fields are Fauna and Flora. He is also able to cast the following spells (that he employs in his job), providing but one per level a day will be memorized: 1st level, Animal Friendship, Entangle, Invisibility to Animals, Locate Animals; 2nd, Locate Plants, Speak with Animals, Warp Wood; 3rd, Plant Growth, Stone Shape, Summon Insects; 4th, Animal Summoning I, Call Woodland Beings; 5th, Transmute Rock to Mud.

By Gianluca Meluzzi, 1983, 1999.

glmeluzzi@libero.it

For AD&D 1st Edition, TSR Games.