VanLief Aericksen

Images by Kbignell via Midjourney

VanLief Aericksen is a Researcher for the Malminar Counsel of Wizards. He obtained his current rank as Independent Researcher on his 22 turn, the youngest Wizard ever to be granted the title. His rise through the ranks was watched carefully by many after his unauthorized research into portal magic in his 2nd turn after graduation from the Primary School of the Craft.
VanLief discovered a way to open a portal twice as far away as previously possible, with half the magical energy invested. This new method of portal creation allowed even midlevel Wizards to open portals 50 miles from the origin and maintain them safely for use for hours on end. This revolutionized travel across the Kingdom of Malminar and catapulted VanLief to a certain level of celebrity among Wizards young and old. He was recognized by the crown and given the Wizard's Order of Innovation Award (known to most as the Oh Shit! Award) and sent directly to prison for 1 month for his flagrant violation of the Rules of Research.

Of all the irresponsible things, only Aericksen would stumble upon a simple change to an age old spell. Its a miracle it didn't kill him, or others. Its a miracle I didn't kill him for trying such a stupid, brilliant thing.

- Ulfant Pieboty

- Director, Primary School of the Craft

Upon his release he was instated as a Public Researcher and joined a research team headed by Wombat Quickhit, one of the most senior Wizards of the realm. His first task was to catalog and document all of the magical creatures in the Salt Marshes that bordered the north of Malminar, as task some, including VanLief, regarded as busy work. The research was what kindled his life long fascination with the fauna of Helconiket.

I've never met an animal that thought ill of me. Many that wanted to eat me, some that just wanted to kill me. But those were due to instincts of protection, or hunger, and never just because they didn't like me. With one exception being the ulbanto, those would as soon eat you as look at you, in fact, the later will likely lead to the former.

- VanLief Aericksen

His research in the stinking, dangerous marshes lead to his discovery of a species of fish that thrived in the highly saline water of the constantly changing marsh. This fish species had a magical organ that allowed it to not only live the deadly salt concentration in the waters of the marsh, but also allowed it to survive out of the water for a significant amount of time, allowing the fish to move from dried up salt flat to wet pools sometimes miles away. VanLief found a medical use for this tiny organ by making a poultice of it along with malpet weed that drew out infections and helped close significant wounds. A minor improvement on the previous poultices in the speed of recovery for patients as well as the degree of recovery for significant wounds, like the removal of an arm. VanLief also pioneered the method used today to raise these fish in captivity so they would not need to be harvested from the dangerous swamp lands.
VanLief has since traveled around Helconiket and into the oceans around the world, researching and documenting animals of all sorts. Being accepted into several of the notoriously unfriendly Merion tribes that populate the waters of the Southern Islands and being one of only a very few non-tribes men of the Qoitiken tribe to be taken on a Hunt into The Desert of Quouribi

VanLief Aericksen, Independent Researcher for the Malminar Counsel of Wizards

Order of Innovation, level 5

Order of Documentarion with over 100 entries in the Library of Malminar

Order of Honor for 10 years of service

Order of Light for Recognized Contributions to Modern Magic

Named Malminarian of Import 5 turns running from 3034 to 3039

Member of the Traveled

Recognized by the Crown for Outstanding Service to the People of Malminar

Age

47 turns

Sex

Male

Eyes

Brown

Hair

Dark brown and graying

Height

6'4"

Weight

170 lbs