Adrian Eldrich

Adrien Eldrich

Dr. Adrian Eldrich is a man from a simpler time. He was born in America in 1900 and grew up to become a respected archeologist, a contemporary of men like Howard Carter (who discovered King Tut’s tomb). Adrian had many adventures while making a career out of studying ancient ruins and lost lore. Those studies eventually changed his life in ways he hardly could have imagined. In 1935, Eldrich discovered the lost Temple of Sirrion. Inside, he found a tomb older than any known civilization. It contained the mummy of the Atlantean sorcerer Malador the Mystic, who revived once Adrian unwittingly disturbed the magical seals and wards that trapped him in the tomb. Malador imprisoned Adrian in chains of magical force and left him to die beneath the claws of the tomb’s guardian creatures that had been unleashed with Malador’s awakening. The Atlantean himself went to reclaim the magical talismans he’d lost millennia before when he was entombed. Luckily, Adrian Eldrich did not die so easily. The guardian creatures, upon reaching the central tomb chamber, merely sniffed him and halted their attack. The spirits of three other Atlantean wizards appeared to him and explained that Eldrich was the reincarnation of their master, the wizard who defeated and imprisoned Malador. They said he had volunteered to follow the long path of reincarnation, until the prophesied time when Malador would return and the Earth would need a mystical protector. They roused Adrian’s latent magical potential, giving him the power he needed to escape the chains and the tomb. They also awakened the memories of the ancient Atlantean Master Mage, granting him the power to overcome and imprison Malador again. The initial rush of power faded, as did the full memories and lore of his previous lives, and Adrian began learning how to use magic all over again. He became a dedicated student of the occult and learned through those studies and regressive hypnosis that he had lived at least seven other magically powerful lives in the past. Eldrich operated as a hero in the 1930s and 1940s, although not as openly as most of the costumed “mystery men” of that era. Few people ever heard of his battles in faraway places against demons, undead, evil spirits, and sorcerers. He advised heroes and even worked behind the scenes against the occult agents of the Nazis, who sought ancient artifacts and tampered with forces best left alone. He crossed swords with The Thule Society and Wilhelm Kantor on a number of occasions. Following World War II, Eldrich traveled the world, studying and honing his magical abilities. He even spent time in distant magical dimensions. In 1977, Eldrich moved into a brownstone in the Riverside neighborhood of Freedom City. He chose this city—and this particular building—for his home since it sat atop a “nexus,” a confluence of dimensional barriers and magical energies. The house’s mystical wards contain the nexus, but it certainly makes the brownstone an unusual place to visit. Attended only by his Egyptian manservant, Sallah, Eldrich continues to secretly stand guard over this threshold into Earth’s reality. He helps the Freedom League on occasion, since they know to call on him in all matters mystical. The world at large believes he is the descendant of the original 1930s adventurer Adrian Eldrich, and he spends his time writing articles on ancient history and the occult “just like his grandfather did.” Adrian never bothers to correct this notion, since it serves him well. In many ways, Adrian Eldrich is a man out of time. The world has changed, while he holds on to a certain old fashioned formality and sense of ethics. He can be stuffy and even pompous at times, but he’s also intelligent, insightful, brave, and quite charming when he wants to be. He’s usually all business and takes little time to relax and socialize, although he can sometimes be pried away from his dusty tomes and crystals for an hour or two. He’s always got something on his mind and at least two or three different things vying for his attention, so he can seem distracted and impatient sometimes. Anyone who can get past his stern, formal exterior finds a brave, truly caring man who has dedicated his life (scores of lifetimes throughout the ages, in fact) to helping others.

Physical Description

Apparel & Accessories

Eldritch’s Sanctum

The unassuming brownstone at 110 Ditko Street in the Riverside area of Freedom City is the sort of place most wouldn’t give a second glance unless they were devotees of turn of the century architecture, and even they would soon forget seeing the place due to its nature. Only a select few know this spot is a seething cauldron of occult forces, held in place by the structure and the various wards woven into it over the years, as well as the brownstone’s resident, Earth’s Master Mage. Inside, the building has the same quaint Victorian style, but rooms have a tendency to rearrange themselves on a whim, and sometimes doorways appear to lead places where they should not. The residence abounds with minor magical phenomena: talking paintings and statues, animated teacups, and clocks that chime thirteen. None of it seems to perturb its sole two residents; Eldrich and Sallah don’t even seem to notice unless one of their guests seems startled or uncomfortable, in which case they tell them to pay it no mind.

Social

Contacts & Relations

Adrian Eldrich’s sole confidant, and perhaps his closest friend and ally, is the apparently unassuming Sallah, his manservant and house-keeper. In many regards, Sallah is even more mysterious than his occult employer, having very little to say about his own background and demurely deflecting questions while going about his duties. It seems clear from past inferences Sallah is connected in some fashion to the archeological dig where Eldrich first gained awareness of his prior incarnations and his mystic potential. Some hint that he was one of the hired diggers, a long-time associate and friend of Eldrich in his archeologist days. Others suggest it was his father or grandfather, and Sallah’s family has served the Master Mage since that time. Whatever the case, the Egyptian serves the Master Mage faithfully and well. Although the only servant in a home that’s much larger than it appears, Sallah keeps the Sanctum running smoothly at all times. He prepares meals, cleans, and greets visitors at the door, treating superheroes, mystic masters, and humble supplicants alike with the same quiet courtesy. On several occasions, Sallah has demonstrated he knows how to handle himself in a fight, and he knows enough first aid to assist Eldrich in times of need. Sallah’s manner suggests he is a faithful and practicing Muslim, although he clearly has no difficulty reconciling his faith with his employer or the shadowy occult world in which he lives. When asked about it, he merely shrugs and suggests that the mind of God is mysterious in many ways. Sallah is largely left for the GM to define in game terms, as he’s more a plot device for the Sanctum than anything else. He might have the traits of the Butler archetype (M&M, page 226) but probably also has some abilities that would surprise people.