I haven't been able to find much information on this. I assume there are few set patterns, but I'm particularly interested in two things: the age their powers usually surface, and whether sorcerers usually have conscious control of their abilities at the earliest stages. Could anyone who knows some more lore help me out?

I have read this topic, of course.

For age I'd say adolescence, and I'd say perhaps they might not have full control of their power until adulthood.

That's not from any source material, just my own intuitions, but I think it's a sound assumption.

That seems to be the way most fiction, and a story in a sidebar in the FR campaign setting book handle it. A kid starts showing signs of strange power, temper tantrums become dangerous, maybe something they wish for hard enough happens, etc. Definitely fodder for an interesting backstory as all your childhood friends would start treating you differently once they know you can shoot fire from your fingers when you're mad.

Actually, I was thinking of the logistics of having an ex-slave sorcerer. If the sorcerer's abilities hadn't manifested before he or she could escape, that would be one way of explaining why he or she wasn't crippled as the sticky on slaves suggests.

That said, your idea could still be interesting for characters not born into captivity.

Sorcerers' homes in their adolescence are often suspected of being haunted and strange lights flash in the night while the teenager sleeps. Also, if you're trying to think up an explanation why your character was not severely crippled for being a caster, just say that he was too malnorished, or too smart to cast while in the captivity of the drow or whatever slave race caught you.

Rofl. I'd say all of this is an allegory for puberty.

I would agree that adolesence sounds about right for most charcters to start to devolop thier powers, however i would be fine with someone who devoloped thier powers earlier in life as well. As long as it fits the back story. (Stan Lee may be Responsible for most of the thoughts regarding sorecerors powers devoloping anyway).

That sorceror named spiderman eh? Who develops spider climb, web, bulls strength, cat's grace and Detect Danger :)

Seriously though sorcerous powers could develop at any time, even much later than adolescence. Even if the most common type would be the adolescent. Sometimes powers come from a particular EVENT (like an extremely stressful one). Sometimes being exposed to the powers of another sorceror may trigger off your own, theres a lot of options to choose from.

I was actually thinking more along the idea of how Mutants develop thier powers but yeah you got the main point.... A sorcerer called Spiderman in the underdark.... I wonder.

Half-drow worshipper of Llolth?

I'd like to add on another question: how do they usually meet their familiars? Do they have to do anything in particular, do they choose their familiars, or do the familiars sometimes just appear and start following them around?

I think that's up to your background. It's your character, so, in theory, they can come from where ever, when ever.

PHB, page 54 - Familiar A sorcerer can obtain a familiar. Doing so takes 24 hours and uses up magical materials that cost 100 gp. A familiar is a magical beast that resembles a small animal and is unusually tough and intelligent. The creature serves as a companion and servant.

The sorcerer chooses the kind of familiar he gets. As the sorcerer advances in level, his familiar also increases in power.

I honestly cbf reading the last 4 or 5 posts, so here what i dug up...

Sorcerers are born with their abilitys.

Meaning, they have been odd, or just different from other people all their lives. As their practicing increases, so does their skill. So age is kind of a issue.

Still, i'd love to see a 8 year old sorcerer, would piss the spellguard off to no end.

And an eight year old would last how long as an adventurer? Food for thought, that one...

Halflings survive dont they? And with their scores, thay're next to useless.

Even as rogues, rangers and barbarians, that dex is really gunna count when you gots a magic missile comin' at cha!

Thats something that could be fixed. Make magic missle with a miss rate......Just make it a 99% percent chance of hitting so that 1% can save you.

Magic missile CANT miss, that's the only reason people use it.

I dunno. I kinda like having 3d4+3 damage a round that surpasses all damage resistances.

In any case though, I reckon magic missile is supposed to always hit.