“You see, we cannot draw lines and compartments and
refuse to budge beyond them. Sometimes you have to use your failures as
stepping-stones to success. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope
and despair.' He paused, considering what he had just said. 'Yes', he repeated.
'In the end, it's all a question of balance.”
― A Fine Balance
“To light a candle is to cast a shadow...”
― A Wizard of
Earthsea
 |
| The Obsidian Citadel |
The Circle of Eight is somewhat legendary in the annals
of Greyhawk canon. But what is it, actually? Canon says that it’s the vanguard
of Balance; but what in god’s green acre does that mean? I’ve no idea, really.
It’s not like Iuz or the Scarlet Brotherhood ever petitioned Mordenkainen to
intervene on their behalf, citing unfair treatment by fair Veluna or benevolent
Nyrond. Help us! They are keeping us
from greatness!
I prefer its initial mandate, when it was a group of
adventurers who sallied forth, smiting Evil where it had taken root. So, what
changed? And did they ever?
I think not; so, I don’t understand the Champions of
Balance moniker. One might say that Balance has always meant the suppression of
Evil, which always waxes, while the nations of the world remain blind to it as
they bicker amongst themselves in deluded self-interest, oblivious to the true
danger luring in the north, or the shadows, or the hearts of men.
No matter, I’ve gathered a fair bit of what was written
on the Circle, and I leave it up to you to make up your own mind as to whether
they were ever truly the vanguard of the Balance.
A Balance is Struck
The Circle of Eight's reputation spans the breadth of
the Flanaess. Its name (if not its exact demeanor) is common currency among
noblemen and villagers alike.
Despite this, the Circle's full membership has never
been known to those outside the organization.
The group has not always been so reclusive. Its
precursor, the Citadel of Eight, was a known opponent of darkness in its many
guises. Its members stood, and fell, protecting the balance and defending Oerth
from the influence of malign beings and, rarely, benevolent interlopers, as
well.
[from Greyhawk’s
Circle of Eight, by Eric Mona and Gary Holian, LGJ#0 - 4]
The Citadel
 |
| Mordenkainen |
The series of alliances that would evolve into the
Circle of Eight began simply, over a meal of venison and Celenese nectarwine in
a posh inn near the shores of the Wild Coast. At that table, nearly thirty
years ago, Mordenkainen debated with his young apprentice, Bigby, the merits of
taking an active hand in maintaining the celestial balance of power.
Thereafter, the two struck upon a plan to gather a group of like-minded
individuals that would act to hinder advances by those who would dominate the
Flanaess. That their expected exploits would impart upon the mages no small
amount of lost magical lore only served to hasten the alliance.
Within months, Mordenkainen had brought the renowned
warrior Robilar to his cause, as well as the cleric Riggby, and his zealous
assistant, Yrag. From the shores of the Nyr Dyv, Mordenkainen recruited the
righteous Tenser, who in turn introduced the dim-witted though well-meaning
Serten to the assembly. Finally, the young woodsman, Otis, rounded out the
group.
They called themselves the Citadel of Eight, taking
the name from Mordenkainen’s renowned Obsidian Citadel, in the Yatil Mountains.
In the years that followed, their adventures focused
on Greyhawk and the Selintan valley, and the crags of the Cairn Hills and
depths of the Suss Forest were opened to their prying vision.
 |
| Robilar |
For a group that so decisively defeated its enemies,
there remained several problems. Robilar never quite bought into Mordenkainens
philosophy, and he and Tenser often bickered over matters of morality. Serten,
though seen as useful, was never truly respected and Otis, tired of underground
excursions and forays into urban territories, left the group, decrying his
friends as cave-delvers and treasure seekers blind to the real problems of the
world.
Over the years, the Citadel played home to such
luminaries as Prince Melf Brightflame, of the Olvenfolk, the half-ore Quij, Felnorith,
Robilar's brother Terik, and even, at one point, the QuasiDeity Murlynd, in
disguise.
Nearly a decade after the Citadel's formation, Otis'
critical words took on the air of prophecy. In 569 CY, when the first arrow
flew at Emridy Meadows, the Citadel was noticeably absent. Whether
investigating magical secrets far to the west or unearthing lost passages in
Urnst's Maure Castle, these self-absorbed celebrities were too preoccupied to
influence one of the century's most critical battles. All were absent save
Serten, who fought valiantly at the side of Prince Thrommel against the hordes
of Elemental Evil. When Serten fell, none of his friends stood at his side.
Though most attended his ostentatious funeral service in Verbobonc, a crucial
rift had been torn in the organization. The Citadel was crumbling.
Tenser blamed Mordenkainen for the death of his
friend, and retired inward to his castle. Terik and Yrag vanished, some said to
the anonymity of the Bandit Kingdoms. Even the loyal Bigby left the side of his
one-time master and returned to Oldridge, where he adventured for a time with a
band of boyhood friends. Mordenkainen, the man who had brought the Citadel
together, simply shrugged and returned, with cold eyes, to his studies. [ LGJ#0 - 4,5]
Formation of the Circle
The chaos surrounding the return to power of the
demigod, luz, in CY 570 prompted Mordenkainen to consider a new paradigm.
Though the Old One worked to check the growing power of the Horned Society, and
kept Furyondy's eyes on its northern borders, Mordenkainen knew well that the
situation would not last. The dissolution of the Citadel left Mordenkainen
without a tool to shape events as he would and though he hardly admitted it to
himself, he longed return to a life of adventure.
The Citadel's primary failure, he surmised, had been
its inclusive philosophy. As its founding concept had been arcane, he had been
foolish to assume that men like Robilar or Riggby would rally to his cause
without subtly working against it for reasons personal, spiritual or political.
Men of intellect and sorcerous skill, whose primary interests were more than
material, would replace them. Thus was born the Circle of Eight.
Over the next year, Mordenkainen invited some of the
most prominent magi in the Flanaess to join him. By the first month of 571 CY,
he had gathered eight mages to his cause, among them Bigby, Otto, Rary, Nystul,
Drawmij, and the affable Bucknard. The Circle in those early days worked to
check the power of influential beings in Eastern Oerik. When they could not
directly intervene, they sponsored groups of adventurers, as in the sacking of
Iggwilv's former haunt at the Tsojcanth Caverns in the mid-570's. Whether or
not those agents always knew who set them upon their quests is a matter of some
debate.
Privately, members of the Circle explored fantastic
corners of Oerth, including the strange and foreboding City of the Gods, near
Blackmoor, further depths of Castle Greyhawk, and even the manifold layers of
the infernal Abyss. More importantly, through their own adventurers and the
exploits of those related to them, the Circle began to formulate what soon
would become one of the most impressive networks of informers and agents the
Flanaess has ever known. [LGJ#0 - 6]
No living persons are more famous in the Flanaess than
Mordenkainen and the Circle of Eight. These nine wizards serve as unofficial
“watchdogs” on the continent, monitoring Oerik far trouble. Because most
members are neutral in alignment, the group is concerned with maintaining
balance in its world and not allowing any faction to become too powerful or
overwhelming. In recent years, however, as evil forces have threatened to seize
control of the land, the Circle of Eight has worked on the side of good in
order to contain these ever-growing evils. [PGtG - 21]
570 CY The chaos surrounding the return to power
of the demigod, luz, in CY 570 prompted Mordenkainen to consider a new
paradigm. Though the Old One worked to check the growing power of the Horned
Society, and kept Furyondy's eyes on its northern borders, Mordenkainen knew
well that the situation would not last. The dissolution of the Citadel left
Mordenkainen without a tool to shape events as he would and though he hardly
admitted it to himself, he longed return to a life of adventure. The Citadel's
primary failure, he surmised, had been its inclusive philosophy. As its
founding concept had been arcane, he had been foolish to assume that men like
Robilar or Riggby would rally to his cause without subtly working against it
for reasons personal, spiritual or political. Men of intellect and sorcerous
skill, whose primary interests were more than material, would replace them.
Thus was born the Circle of Eight. [LGJ#0 - 6]
 |
| Bigby |
571 CY Over the next year, Mordenkainen invited
some of the most prominent magi in the Flanaess to join him. By the first month
of 571 CY, he had gathered eight mages to his cause, among them Bigby, Otto,
Rary, Nystul, Drawmij, and the affable Bucknard. The Circle in those early days
worked to check the power of influential beings in Eastern Oerik. When they
could not directly intervene, they sponsored groups of adventurers, as in the sacking
of Iggwilv's former haunt at the Tsojcanth Caverns in the mid-570's. Whether or
not those agents always knew who set them upon their quests is a matter of some
debate. Privately, members of the Circle explored fantastic corners of Oerth,
including the strange and foreboding City of the Gods, near Blackmoor, further
depths of Castle Greyhawk, and even the manifold layers of the infernal Abyss.
More importantly, through their own adventurers and the exploits of those
related to them, the Circle began to formulate what soon would become one of
the most impressive networks of informers and agents the Flanaess has ever
known. [LGJ#0 - 6]
c.570s [No] contact was had with the [Valley of
the Mage] until an exiled Aerdi wizard named Jaran Krimeeah, also called the Black
One, learned of its existence and made himself master of the place. Marauding
monsters had taken a heavy toll on the human communities, though the remaining
gnomes and valley elves had defended themselves. Jaran magically restrained
these summoned monsters and was hailed as the Mage of the Valley. He ruled for
a number of decades, assuming great power over the vale and its inhabitants.
One of his last public acts was to place a rogue drow elfin command of the
valley's forces. Access to the valley was soon forbidden to all outsiders.
During this time, the Mage acquired the antipathy of the wizard Drawmij, who
joined the Circle of Eight and directed certain plots against him. [LGG]
c.580s In the early 580s, the Circle of Eight
included Bigby, Drawmij, Jallavarian, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary of Ket and
the archmage Tenser. [PGtG - 21]
581 CY
The Circle Completed
 |
| Jallarzi Sallavarian |
The membership of the Circle
changed little in the years between its inception and 574 CY, when Tenser,
still bitter over the dissolution of the Citadel, sought membership. After one
of the founding mages of the group abandoned Oerth to explore other planes of
existence, the petition was granted, and Tenser brought his unique, if
less-than-subtle, ambition to the ideology of the group.
Two years later, with the
addition of the mage Otiluke, the Circle solidified its reputation as a
political power in the Central Flanaess. As president of the Society of Magi,
Otiluke brought with him a seat on Greyhawk's Directing Oligarchy, and the group
initiated its long-anticipated drive to influence the policies of temporal
leaders throughout the Marklands. Jallarzi Sallavarian was invited to join in
581 CY, replacing the much esteemed Bucknard, who had mysteriously vanished two
years earlier. The final week of her six-month trial membership was to be a
baptism by fire. [LGJ#0 - 6]
The Return of Vecna
 |
| Vecna |
Alerted to a rising evil in
the Flanaess, the Circle hastily gathered for a nearly unprecedented field
operation in 581 CY. A new power sought to join Oerths vast pantheon, and its
efforts threatened to corrupt the magical order of the known world.
The Circle traveled to the
hills south of Verbobonc, where they investigated the tomb of a long-dead
Oeridian tyrant who was thought to have possessed the awesome artifacts known
as the Hand and Eye of Vecna. Finding the tyrant alive, after a fashion, and
completely controlled by the Whispered One, the ill-prepared Circle of Eight
panicked, and was defeated.
Vecna destroyed the entire
Circle, save Mordenkainen, who had elected to remain in Greyhawk as a safeguard
against just such an occurrence. When news reached the archmage, he mobilized
the Circle's allies, and a small cadre of apprentice wizards, former
companions, and long-time confidantes embarked on a nearly hopeless bid to
thwart Vecna's apotheosis (see TSR9309 "Vecna Lives!").
Somehow (it is whispered that
they employed the aid of luz, who stood to lose much under the deification of
the Lich Lord), the intrepid adventurers managed to banish the Maimed God at
the strange stone circles known as the Tovag Baragu, and Oerth returned to
relative normalcy, save for the absence of the Circle of Eight. [LGJ#0 - 6]
A Tale of Two Deities
Not all things go as planned. Sometimes, the most unexpected things can
happen, things that even the Old One could never have planned for.
Gradually, Vecna’s cult grew
and he assumed the powers of a demigod. The process took a long time—gathering
his power, responding to his worshipers, and settling himself among the greater
powers. Vecna persevered and eventually reached the point where he was accepted
as a minor demigod in the legions of evil.
Guaranteed immortality, Vecna
was still not satisfied. With his scheming mind, he has devised a plan to
ascend to greater godhood and humble his rival deities. With his usual long
patience, Vecna has been working on this plan for centuries. Working through
his avatar or others, the Whispered One has carefully found seven magical
items. Each item has been placed in a secret location, the position strategic
to his plans.
These items, when fully powered,
will cast a mystical web of energy over all of Oerth, cutting off all other
gods from their followers. Already they are creating interference on a local
scale. Only Vecna will receive the adulation of his worshipers: the other gods
will weaken and leave the path open for Vecna to rise to the fore. Then the
Whispered One will open the gates of time and bring forth his faithful
followers from the past. Feeding on their devotions, Vecna will become the
greatest of gods.
There is only one difficulty
that remains for Vecna—finding his Eye and Hand. They are the final keys to
fully empower the web, the final keys that open the gate of time. He knows not
where these are. In the final confrontation with Kas, when they were sundered
from his body, the gods (perhaps foreseeing his powers) hid them from his
senses. Vecna cannot detect their energies; he can only find them by seeing
their effects on others, much like finding a boat by the wake it creates. Too
many times he has come close, only to have them escape his grasp. This time, he
is determined not to fail. [WGA4
Vecna Lives! - 7]
The Circle of Eight sensed a great danger, but somehow their
divinations were blocked. Mordenkainen sent some of his most trusted mages to
investigate. And they died. Every last one of them: Bigby, Drawmij, Jallarzi
Sallavarian, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary, and Tenser. Of course, death was not
the end of all of them, but that is another tale. Mordenkainen sent others;
their path led ever west and the name Vecna was raised time and again. And Kas.
And Iuz.
Their investigations led them to Tovag Baragu, where they came
upon an avatar of Vecna, who had opened a portal to Vecna’s past, the ruins of
the palace of the Spidered Throne.
Through the gateway can be clearly seen a great mass of people. They
are all surging and milling forward, their attention focused on the window as
if they can see through into the present. They, too, seem drawn by Turim’s
chant. The first are just preparing to step through the opening. [WGA4 - 66]
Against such odds, the Circle’s
heroes could not hope to win, so they did the unthinkable, they summoned Iuz,
for only a demigod could hope to defeat a demigod.
 |
| Vecna at Tovag Baragu |
Whatever the means, Iuz the
Old appears to challenge Vecna. This is a threat the [Vecna’s] avatar cannot
ignore. The two confront each other and begin a fierce battle at the center of
the Stone Circles. […] The two demigods do not simply cast spells at each
other, they blast rays from their hands, whirling disks fly from their fingers,
explosions burst among the stones, fiery balls scream through the air. In
hand-to-hand struggle, their blows sound like thunder in the sky. The
unbreakable stones of Tovag Baragu throw shards from the demigods’ strikes. […]
[Things] seem to go well for
Iuz at the beginning of the battle […] the balance of power quickly starts to
swing the other way. Vecna is the better strategist and still has the powers of
a lich. Worse still, with each blow [Vecna] seems to grow in strength. The gate
he has opened to the past is starting to function. Already Vecna’s worshipers
are stepping through. Upon entering the present, these men fall to their knees
in reverent prayer for their god. […] The worshipers are not lambs. Most are
evil fighters whipped into a berserk frenzy. They are not going to be denied. A
fierce melee erupts around the gateway. At the start of the battle, 20 warriors
have entered the circle. [Every few seconds] five more cross through unless
their bridgehead into the future is contained. The warriors fight to the death [and]
Vecna seems to have an endless supply of them. [The] only hope is to physically
block the gateway or have Iuz try to damage the gate. [Iuz] launches a spell
[…] at the arch. […] There is a resounding crack, followed by an enraged scream
from Vecna. The stone of the gateway splinters and the image in the arch
suddenly scrambles […]. Indeed, all the gateways suddenly start to show random
scenes, leaping to different planes, times, and places without any control.
Tovag Baragu has been permanently damaged. The gateway to Vecna’s time is
closed. At the same time, the magical aura shielding Greyhawk starts to weaken.
Tovag Baragu was apparently the key power source for the shield. […]
[The] demigods [lock] in
hand-to-hand combat [and are] hurled as a pair through the gateway. [The] two
plunge into the darkness, howling and tearing at each other. A great gout of
flame rushes up and bursts out of the gate, sending a fiery blast 40 feet long
and ten feet wide. […] Spouting flame and randomly scanning planes and times is
how Tovag Baragu remains from now on. Unnoticed in
the fiery burst […] two small objects hurtled through the gate to land in the
tall grass some distance away—the Hand and the Eye of Vecna. [WGA4 ]
The recent deaths of the
members of the Circle of Eight was the prelude to an attempt by the evil Vecna
to overthrow the entire pantheon of Greyhawk’s deities and install himself - 66,67as
absolute ruler of the gods. Only the bravery and fortitude of a brave handful
of adventurers was able to thwart Vecna’s machinations and put an end to his
plans. [WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk - 32]
Iuz came, and Iuz battled Vecna,
and very nearly perished. He did not perish, though, but if he had, the world
might have been in very dire straights. Had Vecna won, he would have severed
Oerth from the celestial and outer planes, and it would certainly have plunged
into an age darker than it had ever known, an age from which it would never be
freed. But, he did not; and it did not. And so, strangely, to our most
beleaguered incredulity, we owe a debt of gratitude to Iuz, for if it were not
for him, the universe would have been plunged into darkness. But let’s not get
carried away, his confrontation with Vecna gave Iuz ideas. He imagined a world
which bowed to him, and him alone.
An important though seldom
noticed event took place in 581 CY, when an agent of Vecna, the Whispered One
of ancient Flan legend, struck down the entire Circle of Eight […]. The Circle
had acted subtly as a balancing agent for years, preventing any one power from
dominating too much of the Flanaess. Though the Circle's leader, Mordenkainen,
returned his colleagues to life using powerful magic, the group was in disarray
when war again erupted in the distant north in 582. [LGG - 15]
Shattered Circle
 |
| Mordenkainen |
Mordenkainen addressed this
absence by recovering what was left of his fallen comrades and cloning them.
This endeavor consumed time that otherwise might have seen him addressing the
reports of the Circle's allies in the North, who warned of alarming
developments in Stonefist and the Barbarian Lands. When those events spiraled
into the first conflicts of the Greyhawk Wars, the Circle's clones remained
undeveloped and half-aware. By the time the clones reached full maturation, the
Circle of Eight had been forced to take a reactive stance to the tumultuous
events unfolding before them.
Though the Circle never acted
concertedly during the Greyhawk Wars, certain "hotspots" received a
good deal of their attention. Mordenkainen Bigby and Otto fought against the
Old One's army at the infamous Battle of Critwall Bridge, and Drawmij was
instrumental in organizing the flood of refugees from the Lost Lands to
fastnesses in the Good Hills. Nystul worked primarily alone in besieged Tenh,
while Otto and Bigby left Mordenkainen in the Vesve Forest to do what they
could for the Iron League. Citing pressing personal needs, Rary retreated to
his tower in Lopolla and refused to come to the aid of his companions.
When the political rumblings
that signaled the end to the conflict reached the Free City of Greyhawk, the
entire Circle was on hand to ensure a favorable outcome to the peace process.
Their network of agents researched the backgrounds of key diplomats and
participants in the proceedings, and magical divinations were conducted to
unmask any would-be saboteurs. Never did the view of those scrying crystals
turn inward, however, toward the plans of the single individual who could do
the most harm to the delegates' cause. [LGJ#0 - 6,7]
584 CY
War's End
If Vecna’s
return were not enough of a blow to the circle, they were about to be dealt an
even greater blow.
 |
| The Day of Signing |
The final
act of the immense drama of war occurred on the Day of the Great Signing. A
pact had been resolved and nearly all the nations had agreed to sign it. As
this solemn ceremony began, however, a tumultuous event occurred. [Wars - 24]
For almost three long years,
as 584 CY drew to a close, the nations of the Flanaess had schemed, murdered,
and warred against each other until nearly all sides lay bloody and beaten.
Proposals for a great peace treaty gained rapid acceptance in many quarters,
aided by the persuasive whisperings of the agents of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
In the month of Harvester, 584 CY, in the untouched Free City of Greyhawk,
countless ambassadors assembled to inscribe their names on the treaty at the
Day of the Great Signing. It very nearly didn't happen.
Magical scrying and the
strenuous efforts of sages have not availed to give the full story of what
happened that day. All that is known for sure is that, within the Grand Hall
where the treaty was to be signed, a fierce magical battle erupted and spread
havoc through the Old City. Afterwards, two members of the famed Circle of
Eight, the great mages of Greyhawk, lay dead; Otiluke and Tenser were no more.
Their magical clones likewise shrivelled and perished, and their own bodies
could not be resurrected. It is also known that Rary of Ket, another Circle
member, was last seen fleeing with Lord Robilar into the Bright Desert, and
that Rary had turned traitor and had slain his old friends. Why this is, is a
tale yet in the telling. A sideshow to the main event, to be sure, but one that
still shook Oerth.
Despite this, the treaty was
signed and the Greyhawk Wars drew to a close. The Pact of Greyhawk ensured
peace—of a sort. [FtAA - 9]
Even today a haze obscures
the details: apparently someone plotted to annihilate the entire diplomatic
corps in attendance, but the scheme misfired. A blazing explosion destroyed a
good part of the Grand Hall only minutes before the ambassadors assembled for
the day. A fierce magical battle immediately ensued, spreading havoc through
much of the old city. When the fire and dust cleared, constables discovered
smoldering robes belonging to two powerful members of the mysterious Circle of
Eight—Otiluke and Tenser. The murderer of these wizards, undeniably a powerful
mage, was discovered to be a third member of the Circle of Eight—Rary. Using
secrets gained in confidence, Rary not only vaporized his two fellows but also
tracked down and destroyed every clone the pair held in preparation.
The motive behind Rary’s
treachery remains clouded. According to many who knew him, the wizard probably
saw an opportunity to seize power and land in the confusion that would follow
the assassinations. Others suggest Rary was a pawn of the Scarlet Brotherhood.
With the plot discovered,
though, Rary and his co-conspirator Lord Robilar fled the city. Unable to
return to Robilar’s castle, which was immediately seized by the troops of
Greyhawk, the pair escaped into the Bright Desert. There they conquered the
savages and established a kingdom of their own. Though small and mysterious,
this growing state could someday threaten the very borders of Greyhawk.
[Wars - 24]
Many suspected that the
former Archmage of Ket had hoped to hold the ambassadors hostage, perhaps
capturing Greyhawk itself in the process. Instead, he and his cohort, Lord
Robilar, went to the Bright Desert to form their own kingdom. Fearing further
disruptions, the delegates hurriedly signed the Pact of Greyhawk. Ironically,
because of the site of the treaty signing, the great conflicts soon became
known as the Greyhawk Wars. [LGG - 16]
Rary's treachery that day
killed Tenser and Otiluke, and gained the Archmage of Ket everlasting infamy.
Spurned from his family by his brother and banned from Greyhawk itself by
Mordenkainen, Rary fled to the Bright Desert, to uncover its secrets and
inaugurate an empire. [LGJ#0 - 7]
The treachery left the Eight
(now Five: Bigby, Drawmij, Jallarzi Sallavarain, Nystul and Otto) reeling.
[Rot8 - 3]
So what did happen?
Treachery
Rary’s admiration for Iuz and
the Brotherhood grew during the war. As other members of the Circle worked
frantically behind the scenes to head off the conflict and preserve what
civilization remained in Greyhawk, Rary’s mind turned more and more to thoughts
of evil. He researched long-forbidden spells, studied the histories of ancient
conquerors, and learned more from his Paynim friends as corruption and
wickedness slowly crept into his heart.
During a particularly
unproductive session of the Circle. Rary quietly withdrew in the face of
Otiluke's bluster and returned to his tower in Ket. There, brooding upon his
decades of ceaseless toil and frustration and his lack of success in the path
of neutrality, Rary finally and irrevocably fell under evil's sway. Returning
to Greyhawk, Rary enlisted the aid of Lord Robilar, a powerful if somewhat
unstable nobleman with a substantial household guard. and together the two
formulated a plan to put themselves into a position of power in the Flanaess.
Diplomats and high officials
from all across the continent would soon arrive in Greyhawk for the Great
Signing. Using his access to the Great Hall, Rary planned a series of magical
traps which would destroy everyone in the building. including diplomats, nobles,
the Lord Mayor and his staff, several guildmasters, at least half of the Circle
of Eight, and the detested Otiluke. That done, Rary would assume control of the
Circle. As an emergency measure, Rary would dispatch agents to those countries
whose diplomats had been slain. These diplomats would gain the confidence of
kings and chieftains, eventually giving Rary access to and control over
numerous nations. The killings themselves would be conveniently blamed on the
Scarlet Brotherhood. which had made itself unpopular during the war. [WR3
Rary the Traitor - 6,7]
Death in the Great Hall
 |
| Caught Red-Handed |
Unfortunately for Rary and
Robilar, as Rary finished setting his magical trap, several members of the
Circle entered the hall for a last-minute inspection of the site before the
signing. Caught red-handed, Rary first attempted to flee. Forced at last into
open conflict, he attacked with a fury born of years of pent-up anger. He set
off the still-incomplete magical traps. Tenser fell first, caught by surprise.
Otiluke struck back savagely, wounding Rary and forcing him back.
Instead of counter-attacking
Otiluke directly. Rary set off several more traps, injuring Bigby, who had just
joined the fight. Overcome with concern for his friend, Otiluke's concentration
broke, and suddenly Rary's spells had him, rending and burning him at once.
Abruptly all the remaining traps went off, plunging the hall into noise, fire,
smoke, and the lambent glow of magic. As the smoke cleared, amid the crash of
falling masonry and the tinkle of broken glass, Bigby, himself badly wounded,
crawled over to see to his friends, only to find both of them slain beyond hope
of resurrection, and Rary had vanished without a trace.
In the ensuing confusion and
shock, Lord Robilar's own troops struck, destroying every one of the dead
wizards' hidden clones, assuring the permanent death of both Tenser and
Otiluke. Within hours, Greyhawk warriors had occupied Robilar's citadel and
began to search for the pair, but it was too late. Faced with the collapse of
their plot. Rary and Robilar fled, along with those troops loyal to them, and
no one knew where. [WR3 - 7]
A badly wounded third, Bigby
of Scant, claimed that their assailant had been their one-time ally, Rary,
member of the Circle of Eight. Rary and his co-conspirator, the wily Lord
Robilar, were nowhere to be found, and Rary's tower, in Lopolla, also vanished.
Months later, the duo and the tower surfaced in the Bright Desert.
Robilar led his fanatically
loyal men from desert village to desert village, systematically defeating the
local warlords and incorporating their warriors into an ever-growing army.
Rary, too, had transported several bands of Paynim horsemen from the west, who
promised glorious death in service to the mage they called "The
Rider." Early victories against nonhumans and the Tukim, the most powerful
human tribe in the desert, bolstered the armies. Few openly defied this
powerful force.
Wherever the armies went, so
too ventured immoral adventurers in Rary's employ. These humans, mostly sages
and enchanters, scoured the desert, paying particular attention to local
ancient ruins. Rary seldom left his tower, but all knew that he sought some
object rumored to be terrible and powerful. [LGG - 38]
In the weeks that followed.
as Greyhawk slowly recovered from its shock. Rary was condemned from every
quarter. Expeditions scoured the vicinity of the city. searching for Rary and
his co-conspirator. A diplomatic mission to Ket returned with the astonishing
news that not only was Rary missing, but his entire tower, which had so long
graced Lopolla's skyline, had abruptly and inexplicably vanished overnight.
Rumors began to circulate that Rary had fled the Flanaess and possibly Oerth
altogether. [WR3 - 7]
Months later, the duo and the
tower surfaced in the Bright Desert. [LGG - 38]
585 CY
The Circle Endures
Tenser was returned to life
in 585 CY […], but chose not to return to the Circle of Eight. Otiluke is still
dead. [PGtG - 21]
In the
agonizing aftermath of the Greyhawk wars, when conflict touched virtually every
corner of the continent, few gained more infamy than Rary of the Circle of
Eight. Once considered a quiet, peaceful man with few ambitions, the great mage
instead was corrupted to the ways of evil, and in the process slew two of the
wisest and most powerful wizards of the Flanaess. Now, fleeing south with his
co-conspirator and their loyal troops, he has carved out an empire in the
wilderness, and threatens to inflict more harm and chaos on a world long grown
weary of war and strife. [WGR3 - 4]
 |
| Lord Robilar |
Robilar led his fanatically
loyal men from desert village to desert village, systematically defeating the
local warlords and incorporating their warriors into an ever-growing army.
Rary, too, had transported several bands of Paynim horsemen from the west, who
promised glorious death in service to the mage they called "The
Rider." Early victories against nonhumans and the Tukim, the most powerful
human tribe in the desert, bolstered the armies. Few openly defied this
powerful force.
Wherever the armies went, so
too ventured immoral adventurers in Rary's employ. These humans, mostly sages
and enchanters, scoured the desert, paying particular attention to local
ancient ruins. Rary seldom left his tower, but all knew that he sought some
object rumored to be terrible and powerful. [LGG - 38]
It has been suggested that
all is not as it seems here. Rary was renowned for his complex plotting in the
Circle of Eight, and some of his former associates refuse to believe that he
has turned to evil of his own accord. Still, rumors that the former Archmage of
Ket now consorts with fiends have caused most of his family and friends to
brand him a traitor forevermore. [LGG - 38]
A New Kingdom
 |
| Rary |
These rumors did not last
long, as search parties heard disquieting reports from the Bright Desert. The
Abbor Alz barbarians, who sometimes traded with the desert nomads, reported
that a mysterious tower had appeared in the Brass Hills in the heart of the
desert, and that the master of this tower had proclaimed himself "Monarch
of the Bright Lands." Many nomads, it was reported, had fallen under his
sway, and those who had not were swiftly persecuted and pressured to do so. The
desert centaurs, previously known only by rumor and second-hand reports, were
said to be resisting the new rulers, but their struggle seemed doomed. The new
king was said to be a mage of unsurpassed skill, and had a host of strange
(some said unearthly) warriors at his command. Clearly, Rary the traitor had at
last appeared.
But finding Rary and bringing
him to justice were two entirely different matters. Long unexplored and
treatred by many with suspicious dread, the Bright Desert, or the “Bright
Lands” as Rary now called his new domain, was considered a place of savage
tribesmen, harsh conditions, and dangereous creatures. Now it was home to Rary
the Traitor, and neither Grehawk nor any surrounding power had the strength or
the inclination to venture into the desert and dig him out of his hiding place.
Many favoured simply leaving him to rot in self-imposed exile. [WGR3 - 7,8]
“The Empire of the Bright
Lands” is Rary of Ket’s name for his new-found realm, hidden in the Brass Hills
of the Bright Desert. After his betrayal of the Circle of Eight, his castle was
magically moved from its location in Ket to its new position here. Now it
serves as a local power base for evil. Officials of the City of Greyhawk are
concerned that this new “empire” might choose to attack the Domain at some
point. [PGtG - 51]
While few overt threats
presented themselves in the aftermath of war, the emergence of Rary the
Traitor, in the Bright Desert, is a cause of great concern. Warnes Starcoat,
Chief Mage to the Joint Courts of Urnst and a member of the Circle of Eight,
warns that Rary's diabolical plans could soon lead him to covet the ancient
knowledge of House Maure. Lord Robilar once spent his summers in Pontyrel, in
Urnst's Maure Lands, and many suspect that it is only a matter of time before
his soldiers cross the Knife's Edge Pass, making their way to Maure Castle. In
anticipation of this event, the village of Kelefane, near the Knife's Edge, has
become a prominent military outpost, and is personally administered by Karll's
nephew, Ellis […], a bitter man who looks for enemies at every corner.
[LGG - 126]
Rary's forces have grown
significantly since 584 CY. More than ninety percent of the desert nomads now
swear fealty to the Monarch of the Bright Lands. The native desert centaurs,
who remained neutral immediately after Rary's arrival, now bitterly oppose
Robilar's armies. [LGG - 38]
The "Year of Peace"
(585 CY) saw little of the sort. War raged in the Principality of Ulek against
orc invaders from the Pomarj, and efforts to retake Sterich were initiated in
the west. The Circle of Eight was brought to full membership once more and began
acting against every power its wizards perceived as tyrannical or dangerous to
the common welfare. [LGG - 16]
The Return of the Eight
In mid-585 CY, the Circle of
Eight was brought back to its full numbers. This brought hope to the hearts of
many residents of the Flanaess, as did the news that one of the assassinated
members of the Eight, Tenser the Archmage, had been brought back to life.
However, Tenser left the Eight and now follows his own course in protecting the
Flanaess. [PGtG - 11]
The Circle of Eight was brought
to full membership once more and began acting against every power its wizards
perceived as tyrannical or dangerous to the common welfare. [LGG - 16]
589 CY
In
589 CY, Chief Strongbow, an influential leader and strong proponent of
balancing the nomads against Rary and staying out of the conflict, was found
murdered in his quarters. Though there was very little proof, the young bucks
among the centaurs called for a guerilla war against the westerners—a plan that
has met with some success.
Despite
the centaur attacks and certain stubborn native tribes, Rary's searches
continue, often with frustrating consequences. [LGG - 38]
A terrible tragedy struck
Lynwerd and his kingdom [Nyrond] in 589
CY. A long-planned marriage between King Lynwerd and Lady Xenia Sallavarian, a
distant cousin of Circle of Eight member Jallarzi and Duke Karll of Urnst, was
scheduled to take place during Richfest of that year. In Wealsun, Lady Xenia
was touring Rel Mord on foot when she collapsed of heatstroke. She has not been
seen since, and many suspect the worst, detecting sorrow and a grim hardness in
their king. [LGG - 78]
Duke Ehyeh III, scion of an
ancient Flan lineage, attempts to reclaim his homeland [Tenh] with meager
assistance from the County of Urnst. He has other supporters, of course,
including the mage Nystul of the Circle of Eight, but few followers, troops,
and resources are available to him. His once-great reputation as a leader was
destroyed along with his nation, leaving him little more than a noble title and
moderate riches. The duke himself has not set foot on his native soil in nearly
a decade, a fact that is reflected in the uncertain morale of his troops in
Tenh. [LGG - 112]
Armies from the Pale and forces
loyal to the exiled duke quickly crossed the borders, battling each other for
possession of the southern and eastern regions of the duchy, including the
Phostwood. The duke's forces fought a hard battle against bandits and surviving
agents of Iuz in the city of Redspan, gaining the aid of Nystul of the Circle
of Eight. They now control all of the old city. Its famous bridge has not yet
been rebuilt, but its walls are restored, and it provides a strong base for
further action in the duchy. Redspan's weak spot is its often-raided supply
line, leading back to the County of Urnst along the east bank of the Artonsamay
River. [LGG - 114]
With the fall of their country many Onnwalons attempted to flee to
southern Nyrond making the perilous ocean crossing in any craft that they could
find. Even Bigby, Archmage and member of the Circle of Eight, was forced to
escape his residences in Scant for Veluna. [Living Onnwal Gazetteer]
590 CY
In
late 590, an entire company of Robilar's best Paynim and nomad guards vanished
while investigating an abandoned necropolis. Rary's response, ordering Lord
Robilar's own personal guard after the lost soldiers, so enraged the warrior
that he left his post for a week, not returning until he single-handedly slew
an old blue dragon that had been considering an alliance with the archmage. The
two have patched up their differences, but tensions between them remain strong.
It
has been suggested that all is not as it seems here. Rary was renowned for his
complex plotting in the Circle of Eight, and some of his former associates
refuse to believe that he has turned to evil of his own accord. Still, rumors
that the former Archmage of Ket now consorts with fiends have caused most of
his family and friends to brand him a traitor forevermore. [LGG - 38]
Ever Vigilant
 |
| Ever Vigilant |
The famed Circle of Eight has many roots in the city
and the nearby Wild Coast. This exceptionally powerful group is a political
body of wizards who work to maintain a balance of power across the whole
Flanaess, so that states can formulate heir own policies without interference
or Fear of invasion and conquest by outside Forces or empire-building
neighbors. Two merit members of that body (Otto and lallarzi Sallavarian) have
homes in Greyhawk; all the others (Mordenkainen, Bigby, Drawmij, Alhamazad,
Nystul, Warnes Starcoat, and Theodain Eriason) visit on an irregular basis.
Tenser, a former member, lives near the city in a fortress on the south shore
of the Nyr Dyv. [TAB]
The mysterious assembly of wizards known as the Circle
of Eight has long benefited from a past obscured by misinformation and enigma.
The group's influence reaches from the Baklunish west to the Solnor Ocean,
though its secretive methods ensure that few know the extent of its
ministrations. Certain members of the Circle are well known and liked, their
talents appreciated throughout the Flanaess. The mages Bigby, Jallarzi, and
Otto, for instance, are welcome in courts far from cosmopolitan Greyhawk.
Others, such as Drawmij, Nystul, and Theodain, prefer to operate away from the
public gaze.
Mordenkainen the archmage […] formed the Circle of
Eight as a tool to manipulate political factions of the Flanaess, preserving
the delicate balance of power in hopes of maintaining stability and sanity in
the region. Mordenkainen's view of "enforced neutrality" is not
tit-for-tat equality, but rather a detailed theoretical philosophy derived from
decades of arcane research. He has fought ardently for the forces of Good, most
recently during the Greyhawk Wars, but just as often has worked on darker plots
to achieve his ends. In all things, the Circle of Eight prefers to work behind
the scenes, subtly manipulating events to ensure that no one faction gains the
upper hand.
 |
| Warnes, Theodain, Alhamazad, Drawmij, Bigby, Nystul, Otto, Jallarzi |
All members of the Circle of Eight possess or have
access to large numbers of magical items, particularly potions. They might be
approached for assistance on a quest, requesting little more than a full report
of the journey or an errand in return. Any of the members of the Circle of Eight
might be contacted by leaving a message at the Wizards’ Guildhall, Otto’s home
in the Garden Quarter or Jallarzi Sallavarian’s home in the High Quarter of the
City of Greyhawk. The members of the Circle of Eight have fast communication
with each other through various magical devices. [PGtG - 21]
Azure Sea: Trading here is age-old,
despite local pirates and sea monsters. The Scarlet Brotherhood greatly harmed
trade here until last year, but the civil war in the Sea Princes' lands and the
Flanaess's recovery from the Greyhawk Wars should allow trade to resurge. Major
sponsors of piracy here are the Scarlet Brotherhood (operating from its many
ports), Amedio Jungle savages (threatening ships near the Hook Peninsula with
weather magic and poisoned arrows), and occasional human- or orc-crewed ships
sailing from the Pomarj. The wizard Drawmij, one of the Circle of Eight
and long thought to have a stronghold beneath the Azure Sea, is likely working
against the Brotherhood and other enemies of the open seas. [LGG - 147]
At the conclusion of the Greyhawk Wars, stories were
circulated that the Mage of the Valley had been killed, though there were no
actual witnesses to his demise. Those with the most knowledge of the valley's
history believe that the Mage will yet return—unless some other being comes to
claim that title.
No sightings of the Mage have been reported since the
Greyhawk Wars, but the drow seneschal still has authority there. The Mage was
known to be interested in exploring the so-called Demiplane of Shadows The last
claimed sighting of the archmage Philidor placed him near the entrance to the
valley The archmages Rary and Mordenkainen were said to have sponsored rival
adventuring parties to the valley—both suffering high casualties. [LGG - 128]
The war-ravaged lands between the Griff Mountains and
the Artonsamay River, north of the Yol, hold the remains of the former duchy of
Tenh. The Greyhawk Wars that destroyed this country have not yet ended here;
Tenh, the first victim of the wars, seems destined to be its last. Duke Ehyeh
III, scion of an ancient Flan lineage, attempts to reclaim his homeland with
meager assistance from the County of Urnst. He has other supporters, of course,
including the mage Nystul of the Circle of Eight, but few followers, troops,
and resources are available to him. His once-great reputation as a leader was
destroyed along with his nation, leaving him little more than a noble title and
moderate riches. The duke himself has not set foot on his native soil in nearly
a decade, a fact that is reflected in the uncertain morale of his troops in
Tenh. [LGG - 112]
Armies from the Pale and forces loyal to the exiled
duke quickly crossed the borders, battling each other for possession of the
southern and eastern regions of the duchy, including the Phostwood. The duke's
forces fought a hard battle against bandits and surviving agents of Iuz in the
city of Redspan, gaining the aid of Nystul of the Circle of Eight. They now
control all of the old city. Its famous bridge has not yet been rebuilt, but
its walls are restored, and it provides a strong base for further action in the
duchy. Redspan's weak spot is its often-raided supply line, leading back to the
County of Urnst along the east bank of the Artonsamay River. [LGG - 114]
The most
important goal of the Brotherhood in this area is to enter Slerotin’s Tunnel,
get to the Sea of Dust and look for old Suel ruins; however, the elf wizard of
the Circle of Eight, Theodain Eriason, has worked diligently to make sure that
the Brotherhood cannot use the passage. Plotting the destruction of the
heretical city of Juernre is a second priority for the area. The Sheldomar
Valley is otherwise too distant a target to conquer and hold militarily, and so
is watched. [SB - 23]
 |
| Jallarzi Sallavarian |
Jallarzi Sallavarian of the Circle of Eight has
recently discovered omens that predict imminent doom for Greyhawk. Among the
more mundane omens are an increase in the number of dem sightings in the
Abbor-Alz, and the uppermost sail of the mysterious Doomgrinder approaching the
zenith by another degree. Other signs indicate that one of the ancient cairns
known as the Star Cairns may be the key to averting the doom The Eight have
warned the city about the possible doom (and its possible prevention); they
urge adventurous souls to scour the Abbor-Alz for anything that might be the
key to saving the city. [LT1 The Star Cairns - 2]
One must always give credit where credit is due. This History is made possible primarily by the Imaginings of Gary Gygax and his Old Guard, Lenard Lakofka among them, and the new old guards, Carl Sargant, James Ward, Roger E. Moore. And Erik Mona, Gary Holian, Sean Reynolds, Frederick Weining. The list is interminable. Thanks to Steven Wilson for his GREYCHRONDEX and to Keith Horsfield for his “Chronological History of Eastern Oerik.”
Special thanks to Eric Mona and Gary Holian, for their article "Greyhawk's Circle of Eight" in LGJ#0.
Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his
compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.
The Art:
WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure cover, by Clyde Caldwell, 1984
WGR3 Rary the Traitor illustration of Robilar, 1992
Bigby detail, by Jeff Easley, from Mordencainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984
WGR3 Rary the Traitor illustration, by Ken Frank, 1992
Lord Robilar detail, from the Epic Level Handbook, 2002
Rary detail, by Andrey Hou, from Dungeon #103, 2003
The Circle of Eight, by Mark Zug, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000
Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk cover art, by Michael Komarck, 2007
The Circle of Eight, by Sam Wood, from Dragon #290
Jallazari Sallavarian detail, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000
Sources:
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed
Set, 1983
1068 Greyhawk Wars Boxed
Set, 1991
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide,
1st Ed., 1979
9025 World of Greyhawk
Folio, 1980
9309 Vecna Lives! 1990
9360 Treasures of Greyhawk,
1992
9386 Rary the Traitor, 1992
9576 Return of the Eight,
1998
9577 The Adventure Begins,
1998
9578 Player’s Guide to
Greyhawk, 1998
9579 The Star Cairns, 1998
11374 The Scarlet
Brotherhood, 1999
11621 Slavers, 2000
11743 Living Greyhawk
Gazetteer, 2000
Living Onnwal Gazetteer
Dragon Magazine 241
OJ Oerth Journal, appearing
on Greyhawk Online
LGJ et. al.
Greychrondex, Wilson, Steven
B.
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
wow, what a read ! iv read most of it in this book and that, but to see it all compiled in one place is inspiring... many thanks
ReplyDeleteIncredible compilation. I imagined Morgan Freeman narrating it as I went through it.
ReplyDelete