“Light
Light
The visible reminder of Invisible Light.”
― T.S. Eliot
 |
| Nystul |
Much can
be said about the Circle of Eight, although some might say that most of what
might would concern Mordenkainan.
Nystul would
be fine with that. Let others take the credit, he would say. He might then also
say, let others take the blame. Why? Because Nystul seeks neither fame, nor
fortune. Most of the Circle don’t. Most are content to quietly carry on with
their work to make their corner of the Flanaess a better, safer, place.
One
might not think Nystul to be a person of much account, at first glance.
Nystul is 43,
6’7” tall, 184 1bs, with mousy brown hair (lank and uncombed), brown eyes, and
rather plain features. His ridiculous gangling beanpole figure sticks out
anywhere, so it is hardly surprising that the mage places strong reliance on
magics of disguise and detection. [COG:FFF - 24]
One might not
even be aware that Nystul is indeed Nystul.
Gangly and plain, Nystul considers himself a master of
disguise. He is seldom seen in his true appearance, often using magic or
magical items to change his looks. [WGA4
– 86]
He often
travels in the form of a demure half-elf maiden with his hat of disguise; as he
says, this is ideal for gaining protection from stalwart paladins and
chivalrous knights. [COG:FFF
- 24]
And even when he
appears as who he is, he has never cut the figure of what one might consider a
hero, or even someone who takes anything seriously.
Flippant and
humorous, with a preference for puns and quips which displeases Mordenkainen
and the sober Bigby and Drawmij, Nystul is nevertheless a profound thinker and
a master of subtlety. [COG:FFF
- 24]
But he is and
does. If anything, this façade is as much a disguise as those others he so
often dons.
His tactical
sense is unerring. He believes that almost any battle can be won if his side
has enough obscuring magic (invisibility and illusions) to deceive the
opposition. While Nystul is proficient with the dagger, he almost never uses it
(except to peel an apple occasionally). He argues reasonably that if a mage is
caught in melee, he has totally failed to conduct himself correctly—a mage with
sound obscuring and defensive magic should never be so caught. However, to
allow for surprises, Nystul will usually have his personal crystal dagger and
crystal dirk spells memorized […]. [COG:FFF - 24]
How did Nystul
come to be as he is? His origin might shed some light on that.
537 CY
Nystul is born.
Nystul was born in Tenh 53 years ago to a family of well-connected nobles in Nevond Nevnend who unfortunately were ambitious and faced with better-connected enemies. [LGJ#0 – 10]
537 CY – 540
CY
Nystul learned
at a young age that there were those who were not what they seemed.
Despite a good reputation among many
fellow nobles, they could not prevent their downfall when an intrigue with the
court of Duke Pet'yeu saw the proud clan brought low on charges of sedition and
insurgency. The nobles of Nystul's House were tried for treason, and the House
was disbanded. [LGJ#0 – 10]
And he learned
that there were others who were.
Nystul was taken away from his parents by servants and
raised in a small monastery bordering the Pale. There he was taken in by a
small sect of pacifist Pholtan monks living near the Phostwood. [LGJ#0 – 10]
It was these
monks who first instructed Nystul on the beneficence of light, and the perils
of shadow. And it was here where he learned that people could be other than deceitful,
self-serving, and that others might aim to serve the greater good.
It comes to no
surprise then that he should be fascinated by light and shadow. And in
harnessing them.
A special
interest of Nystul’s is spells which involve alterations of light and darkness,
some of which he has developed himself. [COG:FFF - 24]
Otto has
heard, from a contact in northern Nyrond, that Nystul has been working with
powerful druids within the Phostwood to develop a potent form of faerie fire
which blinds the victim in addition to normal effects, but what has come of
this is as yet uncertain. [COG:FFF
- 24]
c. 540-550 CY
Nystul was an
adept student. He learned his lessons well, even if he did not see shadow and
light in the same light as his tutors.
The monks raised Nystul well, and encouraged the
oft-mischievous student's talent for magic, particularly that of illusions. He was
given rudimentary instruction by a wily old cleric named Friar Nemonicus,
himself obsessed with the powers inherent to light and darkness. Nystul's
permanent protection from evil spell was in fact a gift from Nemonicus. [LGJ#0 – 10]
Nystul wondered,
as Nemonicus did not, if light and shadow were not so opposed as the monks
believed. Shadow could not exist without light, he surmised. He wondered if
they were not servants of higher powers, after all, but tools that could be
bent to one’s Will, and Purpose?
c. 550 - 571
CY
Nemonicus was an
enlightened soul. He understood that Nystul had a quick mind, and that his
talents might be more suited to the pursuit of the arcane than it was of the
divine.
Eventually, the monks raised sufficient monies to send
Nystul south to a proper magic school at Radigast City's well-regarded
Sorcerous Union. There he befriended a young Otto, resting from one of his
occasional sojourns to the Nyr Dyv. Despite the arduous experiences of his
youth, Nystul managed to come away from them with a deep concern for his homeland,
and it was to Tenh that he eventually returned when he consumed his wanderlust.
He constructed a home in Redspan and took on young apprentices. [LGJ#0 – 10]
Nystul hails
from the Duchy of Tenh, where he has many worries about his home which he sometimes
feels others do not express enough concern about. Bandits to the northeast,
humanoids to the north, a well-meaning bust often intolerant Theocracy to the
east and yet more bandits to the west and southwest—the Duchy is ringed with
problems. Nystul is eternally scrounging for information about events on the
borders of the land, which he feeds surreptitiously to the rulers. The last
thing he wants is personal recognition or publicity; he operates secretly, in
disguise, and some of his friends might be less friendly if he was known for
what he is, and not as the elven maid, chortling gnome, or barbarian he chooses
to appear to be. Nystul avoids any proffered contact from the rulers of the
Duchy, often being “away” should some message or summons arrive. [COG:FFF - 24]
Nystul was
rightly concerned. Tenh had many enemies. And few allies. The Rovers were
capricious allies, at best, as wont to raid as to aid. But they both recognized
the Horned Society and Iuz, the Old Old One, as a far greater threat than any
other.
570 CY
Nystul wasn’t
the only one concerned about the Horned Society and the Old One.
 |
| Mordenkainen |
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]
Nemonicus was not the only one to note Nystul’s talent.
It was only a
matter of time before Mordenkainen should see the light: that Nystul was an
excellent candidate for his new Circle.
571 CY
Over the next year, Mordenkainen invited some of the
most prominent magi in the Flanaess to join him. [LGJ#0 – 6]
It was not long before his exploits brought the
attention of Mordenkainen and an offer of membership in the Circle of Eight in
571 CY. [LGJ#0 – 10]
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. [LGJ#0 – 6]
Each was as
different from the others as could be.
To the distress of others in the Circle, he is fond of
puns and quips. Still, Nystul has a keen mind for battle tactics and believes
that, given time, he can derive victory from even the worst situation. [WGA4 – 86]
Except in that
each believed wholeheartedly in the pursuit of Balance.
576 CY
Nystul 16th-Level Mage Neutral
Str 7
Int 18 Dex 10 Wis 17 Con 15 Cha 15
[WGA4 – 86]
Cloak of
displacement
Hat of
disguise
Helm of
telepathy
wand of
illusion
[COG:FFF - 24]
This new paradigm
suited Nystul well. It just so happened that the Circle’s preoccupation with Balance
happened to be in line with his own aims, for surely Iuz was not as interested
in any aim not his own. Nystul focused his attention on checking the Old One’s
eastward expansion, to say nothing of the Horned Societies dark purposes, or
the Bandits’ raids, or Palish fanaticism.
Nystul has
been known to seed information among mercenaries and adventurers that
employment awaits them in the Duchy when bandits loom, although Nyrond and the
County of Urnst are usually his first ports of call on such missions. He also
“shadows” shipments of weapons from Stoink sown the Artonsamay River and across
the Nyr Dyv, on their way to the western lands of the Iron League, where he has
ex-apprentices now of medium (7-12) level. [COG:FFF - 24,25]
580 CY
The Circle has never been a static group. Members come and
go.
Two other mages known to have joined the Circle were
Bucknard (who vanished in 579 CY and was later replaced by Jallarzi) and the
ancient mage Leomund, an immigrant from the east who retired from the Circle in
576 CY and has been little seen since. Otiluke replaced him later that year.
[TAB – 60]
In the early 580s, the Circle of Eight included Bigby,
Drawmij, Jallarzi Sallavarian, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, Rary of Ket and the
archmage Tenser. […] [PGtG – 21]
One might ask:
Does the Circle act as One? Are they close knit?
Some are closer
than others. Nystul has known Otto since before either became members, and
their continued camaraderie after so many decades is telling. That Tenser
should be receptive to Nystul’s teleporting into his fortress is illuminating, to
say the least.
Nystul visits
Greyhawk on occasion, seeking magical items or new spells which fill his
ever-expanding shelves in the inconspicuous house he maintains in Redspan. He
travels using a teleport without error spell to Tenser’s fortress, and makes
his way on from there. [COG:FFF
- 24]
The Circle does
fraternise. In some rather colourful establishments. None are particularly
pretentious, which suits Nystul just fine; he is not what you might call a
black tie sort of guy.
High Tower
Tavern and Hostelry
This inn,
distinguished by its tall tower, pointed at the top like the hat of an old and
eccentric wizard, is the favorite of the [Free City of Greyhawk’s] upper
reaches. It is unpretentious and not as expensive as most neighboring establishments.
The style of dress might not be as elegant here as at the Patricians’ Club, bit
it would be hard to find customers who are having a better time. The
proprietor, Eric Goodfellow, was once an aspiring mage, ever reaching [middling
power] before deciding that his life calling involved more sedentary pursuits.
He still keeps his hand in the magical arts, but he keeps his magic quiet,
known only to himself, his good friends, and the occasional customers who have
seen him cast a spell.
This is a
favorite gathering place of the powerful wizards of the Council of Eight, when
one or more of them are in Greyhawk. On most occasions, these wizards disguise
themselves before venturing in public. Otto, Tenser, and Nystul are the three
wizards most commonly encountered here. [COG:GOTF – 63]
581 CY
Is Nystul
powerful? You might say that.
16th-Level Mage
Neutral
Hit Points: 45
Str 7 Int 18 Dex 10 Wis 17 Con 15 Cha 15
Nystul is guarded by a permanent protection from evil
spell.
Nystul’s traveling Spell Book: (spells/day)
1st Level (5): Armor, audible glamer,
burning hands, change self, detect magic, friends, grease, jump, light,
message, Nystul’s dancing werelight*, Nystul’s flash*, read magic, shield,
ventriloquism
2nd Level (5): Alter self, darkness 15’
r., flaming sphere, knock, levitate, Melf’s acid arrow, Nystul’s blackmote,
Nystul’s blazing beam, Nystul’s crystal dagger, pyrotechnics, ray of
enfeeblement, spectral hand, summon swarm, web
3rd Level (5): Clairaudience,
clairvoyance, dispel magic, feign death, fly, hold undead, infravision,
invisibility 10’ r., non-detection, Nystul’s crystal dirk*, Nystul’s
expeditious fire extinguisher*, Nystul’s golden revelation*, Nystul’s radiant
baton*, tongues, vampiric touch
4th Level (5): Enchanted weapon,
extension I, fumble, improved invisibility, Nystul’s blacklight burst*,
Nystul’s lightburst*, plant growth, polymorph self, remove curse, shout,
stoneskin, wizard eye
5th Level (5): Animal growth,
domination, extension II, Nystul’s enveloping darkness*, Nystul’s radiant
arch*, seeming, sending, stone shape
6th Level (3): Disintegrate, geas, mass
suggestion, mislead, programmed illusion, transmute water to dust
7th Level (2): Control undead, delayed
blast fireball, duo-dimension, power word stun, reverse gravity; vanish
8th Level (1): Incendiary cloud, mass
charm, polymorph any object
Magical Items: Bracers of defense AC 5, ring of
protection + 3, cloak of displacement, boots of levitation, dust of disappearance,
hat of disguise, wand of enemy detection, wand of illumination, wand of
illusion
Gangly and plain, Nystul considers himself a master of
disguise. He is seldom seen in his true appearance, often using magic or
magical items to change his looks. To the distress of others in the Circle, he
is fond of puns and quips. Still, Nystul has a keen mind for battle tactics and
believes that, given time, he can derive victory from even the worst situation.
[WGA4 Vecna Lives – 85,86]
Most of the Circle are powerful. Most are resourceful.
They are certainly all capable.
But they are not invincible, no matter people might believe,
no matter what tales are told of them.
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 Oerth’s 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 [.]
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]
 |
| The Circle of Eight |
Their loss was quite a blow.
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. [LGG – 14]
What happened next may shine a light on how great a blow
it was.
582 CY
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 as 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]
The Flanaess was
in shock. The Circle of Eight was gone? Dead? Was that possible? Surely it was
a lie!
But it wasn’t.
They were dead.
Truly dead.
Bigby’s will is in an unmarked envelope under the
pillow. His first request is that his friends in the Circle of Eight clone him
from a flesh sample he has left for the purpose. If this is not possible, he
will leave his magical items and all but three of his spell books to
Mordenkainen. The other three spell books go to Andrui, with an apology for not
being able to teach him more magic himself. His money is to go first towards
paying off Fraznier’s creditors, with 75% of the remainder going to his old
friend, Ortux the Hand, and the rest to a charity of Ortux’s choosing. The will
mentions a few items of sentimental value that Bigby wished to leave to Otto,
Nystul, Drawmij, and the others. [WGR2
– 38]
But Death is not
always the end, is it? There is always hope. Especially where archmagi are
concerned.
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.
[LGJ#0 – 6]
The entire Circle of Eight was slain by an agent of
Vecna, and so would fear and hate this cult greatly. [TAB – 3]
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 – 14]
582 CY – 584
CY
One wonders what
might have been had Nystul been vigilant.
But events were
already apace before he could act.
By 582 CY, Calbut lay completely unprepared for the
storm of barbarians sweeping through Thunder Pass. The once-great gorge wall
that sealed the heights of the pass toppled before the Fists’ onslaught and
Tenhas runners bearing word of the attack fell between footfalls. The
relentless tide of Fists flooded through the pass, inundated the walls of
Calbut, and stormed the still-open gates, catching the garrison commander
completely unawares. Every man among the townsfolk was slaughtered and many
women and children carried off to captivity. [Wars – 7,8]
While Tenh’s forces mustered to waylay the Fists,
Sevvord Redbeard pushed his troops forward again. In the brief campaign that
followed, the Fists marched down a branch of the Zumker River, easily
overwhelming the thin ranks of the Tenhas militia in their path. Within five
days of the fall of Calbut, Seword’s horde laid siege to the walled capital of
Tenh, Nevond Nevnend. [Wars – 7,8]
 |
| When the Wars came to Tenh... |
When the Wars came to Tenh, Nystul did his best to
evacuate Redspaners to Urnst as well as to arm his kinsfolk against the
surprising onslaught from the north and east. His visibility rose considerably
during this time, even as Ehyeh and the court made a hasty retreat to Radigast
City and the protection of Countess Belissica. Nystul already had allied
himself with a little-known organization calling themselves the Keepers of the
Flan, comprising mages, druids, and the archaic loremasters of the clans, most
of whom escaped luz and the barbarians to the Rakers or the Phostwood. Nystul
has been working to recover his homeland ever since. [LGJ#0 – 10]
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. [LGJ#0 – 6]
584 CY
The War was long
and perilous. Luckily, not one of the Eight perished in its waging.
But one never
sees betrayal from a brother, does one?
 |
| Rary's Betrayal |
On the Day of the Great Signing, however, Greyhawk
suffered a great treachery: Rary, one of the Circle of Eight, destroyed his companions
Tenser and Otiluke in a great magical battle, then fled. 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. [LGG –
16]
The treachery of Rary in
584 CY saw the destruction of Tenser and Otiluke, leaving the Circle at five.
[LGG – 156]
Nothing was left of their bodies to allow revival by
clone, resurrection or any other spell. The assassin was, incredibly, another
member of the Circle, Rary of Ket. The treachery left the Eight (now Five:
Bigby, Drawmij, Jallarzi Sallavarian, Nystul and Otto) reeling. [Rot8 –
2,3]
Drawmij met the news of the treachery of Rary with
classic dispassion. Indeed, the nascent archmage appears to have been the
Circle member least affected by the events of the Greyhawk Wars and
Reconstruction. [LGJ#0 – 8]
Alone among the other members of the Circle of Eight,
Nystul holds the belief that Rary's so-called traitorship is nothing but a ruse
perpetrated either by the Archmage of Ket himself or some greater enemy of the
Circle, with the archmage as a dupe. To this end, he has contacted Rary's old
companion, Torik Redaxesson of Highfolk, who has been pushing for an
investigation into the cause of the archmage's alleged corruption.
Nystul perceives the Old One and his diabolical
retinue as the Circle's true enemy, and he is eager to increase the Circle's
number, beyond eight if need be, to combat this menace. The tide of evil and
tyranny must be turned, and he believes it should begin where it first began
last time, in Tenh. [LGJ#0 – 10]
585 CY
Three new members were appointed in 585 CY: Alhamazad
the Wise, Theodain Eriason and Warnes Starcoat. [PGtG - 21,22]
586 CY
The famed Circle of Eight was re-formed in 586 CY,
with the addition of the Urnst archmage Warnes Starcoat, an elderly Baklunish sorcerer
from the Sultanate of Zeif, and – to everyone’s surprise – a powerful elven
wizard from the Yeomanry. [TAB – 37]
Sadly, the Circle was not as it once was. As one. It
might never be again.
One wonders why Drawmij and Nystul were so opposed to a
certain nomination.
[Drawmij] only grudgingly agreed to the addition of
Warnes and Alhamazed, and argued steadfastly against expanding the purview of
the Circle to include nonhuman members. Finding Nystul his only ally in the
matter, however, he has since treated the olve Theodain Eriason with bland
acceptance. [LGJ#0 – 8]
Thankfully,
Theodain was not of a similar mind.
Theodain has taken to the affairs of the Circle with
avid enthusiasm. He finds Drawmij, Nystul, Otto, and Jallarzi particularly to
his liking, and he has enjoyed his infrequent visits to the Free City. [LGJ#0 – 11]
All too soon, Nystul
was soon back in the thick of it, helping his long-time friend Otto in his
desire to rid his beloved Almor of the Darkness it was being plunged into.
The end came swiftly in 586 CY, when rivals for the
throne, perhaps including the fiendish Duke Szeffrin of Almor, attacked the
capital after hearing news indicating Ivid V had died or been deposed. [LGG
– 24]
The famed mage Nystul, of the Circle of Five, was
caught up in the exodus from Almor when Szeffrin was cementing his hold on the
land. This normally humorous and flippant man was almost speechless when he
fled to Mordenkainen and Bigby, and he shook with rage recounting what he had
seen here. He has vowed to destroy Szeffrin, and, while the Circle's current
ethos is strongly against direct action and for careful watching and learning,
it may be hard even for Mordenkainen and the ever-cautious Bigby to prevent him
from trying. [Ivid – 146]
Their endeavour did not go as well as they had hoped.
588 CY
Nystul and Otto had failed to liberate Almor. For now.
But there was hope for Tenh. He hoped.
Events occurred that bespoke of a light at the end of the
tunnel. For a time. Too short a time….
The retreat of Rhelt Sevvord and the Stonehold troops
to the northern foothills of Tenh pleased IUZ, even if the battering of his
forces did not. In late 588 CY, Iuz’s humanoid armies moved out of Rookroost to
pick over the ruins in Tenh. [TAB –
23]
But all to soon, another shadow was cast over the
beleaguered Tenh.
At that point, eastern Tenh was invaded by two armies,
commanded by Theocrat Tillit, from the Theocracy of the Pale which had quietly
converted and trained many expatriate Tenhas as warriors in the church of
Pholtus. These converts, once homeless refugees, planned to retake their
country and make it an allied subject state of the Pale. Other expatriate
Tenhas returned to Tenh for the fight, but these were not well organized at
first. The exiled Duke Ehyeh now “commands” the latter from his new home in the
County of Urnst. As a result four mutually hostile groups now make war over the
bloody fields of Tenh, led by Iuz, Rhelt Sevvord, Duke Ehyeh, and Theocrat
Tillit Rhelt. Sevvord‘s force has the strongest defenses: Duke Ehyeh’s group is
weakest, and some of those have defected to the Pale. The mage Nystul of the Circle
of Eight is said to support Duke Ehyeh. [TAB – 23]
Hope endures.
But one wonders if Nystul should ever tire in his pursuit of freeing his
homeland from the dark grip of horror and tyranny it suffers under.
589 CY
Nystul
 |
| Nystul |
This wizard's appearance is that of the stereotypical
absentminded mage. Tall, gangly, and plain, Nystul[’s] brown hair [, if now
peppered with grey, still] looks as if it has never met a comb in all his 52
years. […] [PGtG – 22]
And probably hadn’t. Nystul was never vain. He was always
too busy for pretense, too pragmatic for either pomp or ceremony. And too
focussed on his mission, whatever that might be at that moment, to care about
anything else. And too little help to waste any time for anything else.
Nystul visits Greyhawk on occasion, but is occupied
with the war in his homeland of Tenh. He is always on the lookout for
discovered spellbooks and magical items. [PGtG – 22]
Veralos does
exist, and it is located along the northern edge of the Rift Canyon, but the
land immediately surrounding the ruin is reportedly cracked and perilously
dotted with sinkholes, making it difficult to approach. Mordenkainen himself
has reluctantly confirmed as much on a few occasions, especially to the mage
Nystul (of Flannish heritage) who took particular interest in the place. [Dragon #293 – 91]
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. [LGG
– 112]
One must not
think that Nystul is without allies, because he is not.
Yars Blud-Sigul Male Dwarf 14th-Level
Fighter Neutral Yars hails from the Rakers, a wild and uncivilized
mountain range near the Duchy of Tenh. It was there that he made the
acquaintance of Nystul. It was the wizard who brought the savage little warrior
back to Greyhawk, perhaps to vex his friends. Whatever the reasons, Yars has
found the city to his liking-for now. [WGA4 – 95]
Otto has
heard, from a contact in northern Nyrond, that Nystul has been working with
powerful druids within the Phostwood to develop a potent form of faerie fire
which blinds the victim in addition to normal effects, but what has come of
this is as yet uncertain. [COG:FFF
- 24,25]
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. [LGG – 114]
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 Jallarzi 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 – 7]
590 CY
Nystul is now 53
years young.
Nystul was born in Tenh 53 years ago to a family of
well-connected nobles in Nevond Nevnend [….] LGJ#0 – 10]
Nystul. Wiz17: HP 76. AL N. Str 7, Dex 10, Con 15, Int
22, Wis 17, Cha 15.
Nystul is protected by a permanent protection from
evil spell.
The mage Nystul is a rare sort. A man of allegedly
comical appearance, he uses obfuscating magicks to alter his appearance to
something suitable for any given situation. Beneath the illusion, his features
are atypically Flan, with an olive complexion more common in Oeridians and a
tall, spindling form that towers over six and a half feet high. His intellect
is keen and his insight piercing. Subterfuge and intrigue are his fortes.
Mordenkainen often notes that Nystul seems sometimes to lack a well-grounded,
rational temperament. Nystul is not as well-known as Mordenkainen, Bigby, or
the others, even in his native Tenh, where prior to the Great Wars he was seen
as an aloof and eccentric mage from Redspan, of passing interest to Ehyeh or
his court. [LGJ#0 – 10]
Only five of the
Circle of Eight have been part of its august and storied assembly for its
duration: Mordenkainen, its founder, has; and so has Otto and Bigby and
Drawmij. So too Nystul. Long and tirelessly have they sought to maintain the
Balance. Long may they continue to, and long may they endure.
In the last two decades, the Circle has seen members
come and go, but its dedication to Mordenkainen's goals and methods remains
steadfast. Current members include Bigby of Mitrik (N male human Wiz19), once
Mordenkainen's apprentice and now an archmage in his own right; the rotund and
jovial Otto (N male human Wiz15/Clr3 of Boccob), who favors the kitchen over
the laboratory; Jallarzi Sallavarian of Greyhawk (NG female human Wiz15), one
of the most dynamic wizards in a city of mages; the reclusive Drawmij (N male
human Wiz18), who oversees Keoland and the south from his undersea lair near Gradsul;
and Nystul (N male human Wiz17), a Tenha expatriate who wishes to expand the
Circle, beyond eight if need be, to combat the growing threats presented by
Iuz, Turrosh Mak, and the consolidating factions of the former Great Kingdom. [LGG – 156]
 |
| The Circle of Eight |
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. [LGG – 156]
Is Nystul
prolific? You’d think that he wouldn’t have the time, what with his tireless
struggle against those who’ve laid his beloved Tenh so low; but in that you would
be wrong. Otto may correspond more than he, but Nystul has written more. He has
two tomes to his credit to Otto’s one.
The Metaphysics of Mathematics, by Mage Nystul
[U1 – 7]
Libram of the Great Paravisual Emanations, by
Nystul
(Nystul’s magic aura,
shadow magic, demi-shadow magic, shades, Leomund’s
trap)
[Dragon #82 – 58]
And 15 spells to
Otto’s 14! (Otto may have written 16, but two are mere rumours, to date.) How he found the time to research and create them is anyone's guess. Mayhap he is tirless, or a bit of an insomniac.
Level One
Nystul's Magic Aura
Nystul’s Dancing Werelight
Nystul’s Flash
Level Two
Nystul’s Blackmote
Nystul’s Blazing Beam
Nystul’s Crystal Dagger
Level Three
Nystul’s Crystal Dirk
Nystul’s Expeditious Fire Extinguisher
Nystul’s Golden Revelation
Nystul’s Radiant Baton
Level Four
Nystul’s Blacklight Burst
Nystul’s Grue Conjuration
Nystul’s Lightburst
Level Five
Nystul’s Enveloping Darkness
Nystul’s Radiant Arch
[UA – 125] [PHB 1e – 67]
What do I think
of Nystul?
Nystul is a
prince among men, if a disheveled one. A hero, and a daring one at that, maybe
more of an adventurer than the others of his august company. Does he not rescue
refugees? Vie against the oppressor? Plunge into the unknown, in search of lost
magics?
He may not look
the part, but he is indeed a hero; and a humble one.
I like Nystul. I
like him a lot. He’s curious. He’s dogged. He’s pragmatic. He has a sense of
humour, even if other’s may not share his quick wit. And he does not put on
airs.
What’s not to
like?
Postscript:
Some
time ago, I asked a choice few members of the Greyhawk community which
personalities they would like me to address in this ongoing biography series. I’ve
been lax in getting to what was suggested. Too lax, it would seem. I’d focused
mainly on those in the Northeast—those not suggested by any of those asked, I
might add—those I was somewhat familiar with, thinking I had all the time in
the world.
It turns
out I did not. Jason Zavoda had suggested I do Nystul. I thought that was a
great idea. I could do each of the Circle of Eight in turn; indeed, I could do all
the members of the Citadel, as well. I compiled notes, and began with Leomund,
and posted it a few months before Len Lakofka’s passing. Len took what he
thought of my effort to his grave, so I will never know if he was pleased, or
flattered, or annoyed. Knowing Len a little, I suggest he might have been all
three. I followed that up with a grand history of the Eight and then one on
Otto. Progress! I expected to continue unabated, but I became distracted. I do
that. There are times I wonder if I am not addled. I’d collected many notes on
Nystul, nothing polished, more bullet points than notes, really. And then Jason
passed, too, before I thought to complete this piece.
I may be
late, but it’s done, and it’s dedicated you, Jason. I’m saddened that you’ll
never read it. I do wonder what you’d have thought of it.
A word
to the wise. Don’t delay. You never know what’s around the bend.
“Ah, Nothing is too late, till the tired heart shall
cease to palpitate.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“O dark dark
dark. We all go into the dark,
The vacant
interstellar places, the vacant into the vacant […]”
― T.S. Eliot
One must always give credit where
credit is due. This piece 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.
Special thanks to Jason Zavoda for his
compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research tool.
The Art:
Nystul portrait, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000
WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure cover detail, by Clyde Caldwell, 1984
The Circle of Eight, by Ken Frank, from WGA4 Vecna Lives!, 1990
Defensive Wall, by Ken Frank, from Wars Boxed Set, Adventurer's Book, 1991
Rary's Berayal, by Ken Frank, from WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
Nystul detail, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #6, 2001
The Circle of Eight, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #6, 2001
Jason Zavoda, photographer unknown
Sources:
1015
World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
2023 Greyhawk Adventures
Hardback, 1988
1064
From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992
9309
WGA4 Vecna Lives, 1990
9360
WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk, 1992
9576
Return of the Eight, 1998
9577
The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578
Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11743
Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, 2000
Dragon
Magazine 82,270,273
LGJ et. al.
Greyhawkania,
Jason Zavoda
