Arkilean and Calimshan: The Erratic and the Eradicator

Arkilean and Calimshan are two ancient wizards who feel the need to mentor young adventurers. But young adventurers should be wary, for the wizards known as the the Erratic and the Eradicator are not the most comforting people to have as mentors.

Arkilean: The Erratic
Ancient and immortal, Arkilean began life as a pretty typical elven fighter. Pretty good with a long sword and a long bow, Arkilean didn't come into his own until he switched careers and took up magic. Arkilean gradually become drawn to more and more fringe magic and more and more chaotic energies. He no longer looks much like an elf and his appearance is rarely the same each time he is met, save for the lunatic glean in his eyes. Powerful, insane, and yet always willing to help, Arkilean is a dangerous gamble that could save a young party or destroy it.

Calimshan: The Eradicator
A dedicated human wizard who focused on invocation, effectively turning himself into a walking mobile artilery platform, 'Cal' is Arkilean's best friend. Cal has lived for centuries through the prodigious use of powerful combinations of youth magic, and the result is a being with an entirely alien mindset. Cal does not value anything whose lifespan is not measured in centuries. Mortals are pets and playthings, and although he will happily mentor young adventurers, he also tends cause heavy amounts of collateral damage.

Using the Two in Campaigns
These two are used best as wild cards that the players can call upon themselves when the players are in trouble. Arkilean is likely to respond with something outlandish and bizarre that may or may not save things and may or may not make things worse. Calimshan is likely to drop the hammer and this may or may not destroy the enemies, the objective, the hostage, the party themselves or all of the above.

When I began using these two (former PCs) as NPC mentors they quickly taught players the value of caution. The wizards would give the players amulets that could be used to summon one (but not both) wizard once per adventure. The power is impressive, but the players quickly learn that using the amulet is a tremendous gamble, and as a GM it allows you extraordinary power to reshape a situation that has gone away from your original plan- and the players can't complain because they asked for the help of these wizards.