“My story is of such marvel that if it were written
with a needle on the corner of an eye, it would yet serve as a lesson to those
who seek wisdom.”
― The Arabian Nights
 |
| Rary of Ket |
Rary has
major sage abilities, and he still devours knowledge and learning. He is ever
eager to find and buy, or trade for, books and other items which convey
knowledge of the history of the peoples of Oerth. He is quiet, dignified, and a
skilled mediator and peacemaker. [CoG:FFF – 25]
Rary (N) [CoG:FFF
– 25]
And then, for
whatever reason, he (inexplicably) betrayed everything, and everyone, he held
dear.
[B]rooding 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. [WGR3 Rary the Traitor – 7]
Rary (NE) [WGR3 – 12]
Why, I wonder? I suppose this is the focus of this piece,
to see if I can cast any light on that very question.
Who
is/was Rary? Rary was Brian Blum’s character – one of many, I presume. I suspect
Rary was not particularly near or dear to Brian’s heart; if fact, I know so.
How could he be? Rary was little more than a conceived pun. A joke.
“That PC was one that Brian Blume created early in the
D&D cycle, a magic-user that Brian wanted to work up to 3rd level so as to
introduce him as "Medium Rary." 
When he gained that level Brian quit playing that PC, pretty much
dropped out of regularly playing D&D in fact.”
When he gained that level Brian quit playing that PC, pretty much
dropped out of regularly playing D&D in fact.”We’ve
all heard the story behind Rary’s origin. It’s not what one would call
auspicious. Or inspiring.
What’s
more inspiring is Douglas Niles’ treatment of the figures who populated Gary
Gygax’s world of Greyhawk after Gygax’s exit, Rary among them. Niles’ future
history of those early Player Characters might be fictitious – indeed, the
original Circle of Eight, as written, had little resemblance to what we know –
but one imagines that archmagi might aspire to more than merely plundering
ancient tombs, for ever more. One imagines that they might want to make their
mark on the world, to wield “real” power on the political stage, as it were.
There’s love it Niles’ work, the City of Greyhawk Boxed Set, no matter whether
you agree with his decisions or not.
I
question Anthony Prior’s motives, though, considering what became of the
elderly sage in Rary the Traitor in 1992. Might Blume’s “betrayal” of
Gary Gygax have inspired Rary of Ket’s eventual betrayal of Mordenkainen,
fiction mirroring fact? Maybe. Who’s to say? Aside from Rary being a tad terse
with a hotheaded Otiluke, who could have possibly predicted what was to come
from Niles’ boxed set? Rary was quite an interesting character, before the
fall. He’s pretty interesting afterwards, too, truth be told.
511
CY
Rary 71 years
old [CoG:FFF – 25]
Rary is of
mixed Baklunish-Suloise stock [.] [CoG:FFF – 25]
This is a
reasonable assumption, he being from Ket. Early on, we have little ethnic
mention of the “far” west, but we do of Bissel.
Bissel: OSB [Dragon #55 – 18]
Later clarified: Ket: Human 96% (Bos) [LGG – 66]
Ket has long been the crossroads between east and
west, resulting in a mixture of peoples and traditions, but it is the Baklunish
heritage that has remained dominant. [LGG – 67]
He has one younger sibling, Arkalan Sammal [CoG:FFF
– 25] Arkalan is Rary’s intellectual equal, a sage of some renown.
 |
| Lopollo |
The Baklunish merchant clans are currently most
influential in Ket. [LGG – 67]
How else could
he have developed such understanding and close ties with the Paynim?
Rary […] is a
living legend within Ket. His sage and archmage talents are legendary, but his
strange affinity with the marauding Paynim is as well-known and causes Ket folk
to shake their heads in wonder. [CoG:FFF – 25]
Mid-500s CY
 |
| Young Rary |
Rary knows the history and beliefs of the Paynim
in great detail, and has spent many days talking with Paynim shamans and wise
men, bringing back to the wild men long-lost echoes of their ancestors, legends,
and past. The Paynim thus hold him in the greatest respect, and the frequency
of their raids into Ket has greatly diminished in recent years. [CoG:FFF
– 25]
Cha 16 (18 to Paynim) [CoG:FFF
– 25]
Always on the move, Rary would learn
patience, and diplomacy, and the customs of those his caravan crossed with
regularity. He might have learned to wield a sword; he might have found faith
in higher powers; but it was Arcane lore that piqued his interest. And it was
the arcane that he would eventually master.
In the event that Rary should meet with real
hot-heads, he uses his rod of beguiling and similar magic to subdue, eschewing
offensive spells. Rary’s own personalized spells reflect his preference for
“mental magic” over what he disparagingly refers to as blood and thunder
stuff.” He also prefers defensive magic for self-protection, and has been able
to create a pair of bracers of defense unequaled in their protection. [CoG:FFF
– 25]
Did the caravan venture into the East? It
must have; mayhap only as far as Thornward; but the dizzying menagerie that was
Bissel, a crossroads far more metropolitan than Lopollo, would surely have
sparked Rary’s imagination to wonder what lay beyond its cacophony.
Rary eventually wandered into Verbobonc,
having heard tales of that celebrated city from others who themselves craved
adventure and wondered what lay beyond the furthest hills of their own experience.
Verbobonc would only have been the beginning. All roads lead to the Free City
of Greyhawk, as they say.
Arkalan soon followed him there.
 |
| The Free City |
Arkalan
Sammal of Ket [LN hm zero level; hp 2; Int 19, Wis 181, the younger brother of Rary
the Archmage. [TAB – 97] He has a teaching position at Grey College [.]
[TAB - 97]
It was there, in the Free City, that Rary first
encountered Mordenkainen. And those in Mordenkainen’s circle. Most were of like
mind with Rary.
Robilar began
his career as an adventurer, seeking his fortune in the company of such
Greyhawk luminaries as Mordenkainen, Bigby, Serten, and from time to time, Rary
the Mage. [WGR3 – 11]
Mordenkainen
(N), Bigby (N) [Rogues Gallery 1e – 44,40], Yrag (N) [WG5
Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure - 31], Rary (N) [CoG:FFF
– 25]
There were one
or two in Mordenkainen’s company, though, that “kept the Balance.”
Robilar (LE),
Serten (LG) [Rogues Gallery 1e – 46]
Riggby (NG)
[Rogues Gallery 1e - 46]/ (N) [WG5 – 32]
Yrag […], a
lord of Greyhawk and friend of Mordenkainen, Bigby, and other luminaries. It is
not commonly known that Yrag is much older than he looks, much of his aging
delayed by magical means. He is believed to be about 205 years old. [TAB – 114]
It was with
these future luminaries that Rary first delved into the depths of dungeons, and
with them that he acquired his first items of interest: parchments and potions
and wands.
Mid-550s
Rary was not the
only one who had an interest in acquiring trophies and esoteric knowledge.
The Citadel houses Mordenkainen’s unequaled library
which is said to contain spellbooks of every known spell (except those designed
by individual wizards), intelligence reports across the continent, and a
detailed and continuously updated history of the Flanaess. Only Bigby and
Tenser know of his home’s precise location. [PGtG – 22]
Mordenkainen lives in the Obsidian Citadel, a symmetrical complex of
towers and walled defenses in the Yatil Mountains. [COG:FFF
– 21]
Rary had little interest in meddling in affairs of state
then. He was a nomad, always curious what lay beyond the horizon. His
adventuring companions did not share his disinterest, it would seem.
In the mid-500s, a Wild Coast wizard named
Mordenkainen quietly began to confer with several sorcerers in the Greyhawk
area about the possibility of forming a group dedicated to the preservation of
the Flanaess from external threats. This group became known as the Circle of
Eight, an outgrowth of an earlier group of eight powerful individuals formed by
Mordenkainen known as the Citadel of Eight, said to be headquartered in the
Yatil Mountains at Mordenkainen’s retreat. [TAB – 60]
560 CY
 |
| Mordenkainen |
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. [LGJ#0
– 5]
[Otis is] a
ranger knight (Level 10), an agent of the King of Furyondy, a Knight Bachelor
of Veluna [.] [T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil – 34]
But I suspect
that Rary had little interest in risking his skin achieving others’ ambitions.
[T]he 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. [LGJ#0
– 4]
In the years
of their companionship, both Robilar and Yrag were ennobled by Greyhawk, and
Riggby was promoted speedily within the church of Boccob in Verbobonc. Tenser,
Bigby, and Mordenkainen likewise advanced in their own wizardly ways, gaining
arcane knowledge and power. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Where the
members of the Citadel fought evil, and sometimes fell in that pursuit, Rary
had no desire to meddle in what he believed others’ business; instead, he
pursued greater knowledge, and ever greater arcane power. On his own terms.
Rary is very much the reserved, patient, and wise old
wizard of bards’ songs. He holds in his head a great store of knowledge on all
subjects and is always interested in learning more. He is an expert on Paynim
lore as well as a respected figure among the tribesmen. With his disdain for
crude, damage-causing magic in favor of more complex and subtle spells, Rary
has both impressed and alienated many of the wizard community. [WGA4 Vecna
Lives! – 88]
He most
certainly kept his ear to the ground concerning those tomes of esoteric
knowledge that came to light.
Murq’s Magica
 |
| Murderous Murq |
In time, the
diligent use of magic and conventional investigation techniques determined that
Murq was behind the kidnappings. But when the guardsmen arrived to apprehend
the malign wizard, they found that he had already fled for parts unknown.
Amid a pile
of otherwise worthless books and scrolls in Murq’s abandoned library, the
guardsmen discovered Murq’s Magica. […]
[I]t was
decided that the book would be sold via public auction, thus allowing the
government to acquire revenue, yet guarantee that the tome would end up with an
"appropriate" owner, as it was deemed unlikely that anyone could outbid
the Wizards' Guild or die nobles. But to everyone's surprise, someone did.
Almost as
soon as the bidding began, an unnamed Triage stepped forward, a small chest
floating behind him. Upon lifting its lid, those present were awestruck, for
the chest was nearly overflowing with precious stones of all shapes, sizes, and
varieties. In the stunned silence that followed, the mage, knowing his bid
could not be matched, snatched up Murq’s Magica and with a word and gesture,
vanished in a cluster of twinkling lights. [Dragon #269 – 65]
Rary would most certainly be intrigued by such a tale,
curious what spells and secrets this Magica might contain. The tale also
informed the middling mage that wealth and power made their own rules. And
destiny.
Rary is 49 years young, only then tasting true power.
564 CY
Rary followed
fate of the Magica with interest.
Murq’s Magica
Murq’s Magica
remained out of sight until 564 CY, when it turned up in Ket, in the possession
of a Baklunish merchant named Rahim El’Azat. When asked how became to own the
book, Rahim grinned sheepishly and replied, "I tripped over it while
obeying Nature's Call."
Whether or
not Rahim's account bears any truth, he did not hold it long having passed it
on a few months later to an Ekbirinn sheik in exchange for a pair of breeding
camels. Not surprisingly, when the tome passed into the mysterious west, its
precise whereabouts evaded historical records in the east. [Dragon #269 – 65]
Rary would have
taken note that a great many magi coveted this esoteric time. He is 53.
569 CY
Mordenkainen’s
Citadel of Eight did not last long. Some of its members were not as dedicated to
their cause as others. Nevertheless, some were noble and true.
 |
| Robilar |
Others not.
Robilar's
ravages were followed by the army of enraged Good folk, led by Tenser and
associates—including Otis, Burne, Rufus, et al. [T1-4 – 28]
Robilar never
quite bought into Mordenkainen’s 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. [LGJ#0
– 5]
Alas, the Citadel disbanded at just the time
the Flanaess needed their vigilance the most.
Battle of
Emridy Meadows
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. [LGJ#0 – 5]
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 – 5]
Rary is 58.
570
CY
Rary
counted his blessings. He too might have shared Serten’s fate, were he inclined
to meddle, that is.
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]
Look
what meddling got them? Serten dead, Iuz freed and venting vengeance.
Mordenkainen seemingly guilt-ridden despite his cold façade, venturing upon a
personal crusade against come what may.
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. [LGG – 156]
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. [LGG – 156]
Mordenkainen invited some of the most prominent magi
in the Flanaess to join him. [LGJ#0 – 6]
The first were Bigby, Yrag, Rigby, Felnorith, Zigby, Vram
& Vin, but these first came and went, never committing.
It took years to collect the mages he thought worthy. Was
Rary in his sights? He surely was. Rary was an archmage by then, after all.
Certainly,
the wild raiders from the plains have great respect for “The Rider,” as they
simply call him.
This is only
partly attributable to Rary’s specially enchanted stone destrier, an animal
which can travel tirelessly at a gallop across all terrains, and also across
the Astral plane, rendering its rider astral also. […] [CoG:FFF – 25]
571 CY
 |
| Rary, of 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. [LGJ#0 – 6]
But why? Perhaps Rary believed membership would aid him
in the discovery of ever more
powerful magic. Perhaps he thought Mordenkainen’s
new pursuit of Balance more in tune with his philosophy than the Citadel’s
prior crusade.
Through most of the fifth century CY, Ket was at peace
with her neighbors, though border disputes with Bissel and skirmishing with the
Paynims was not uncommon. [LGG – 67]
He understood how ambition might destabilise a nation.
The rising power of the archmage Iggwilv in the region
caused the mullahs great concern, and the Ketites forged an alliance with the
mountain dwarves of the lower Yatils in an effort to restrain her influence.
The alliance proved successful, and even after Iggwilv's demise there was
considerable goodwill between the dwarves and the peoples of Ket. [LGG –
67]
Mid 570’s CY
It would seem that Mordenkainen’s new paradigm was
successful in its pursuit.
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 adventures 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]
The archmages Rary and Mordenkainen were said to have
sponsored rival adventuring parties to the valley [of the Mage]—both suffering
high casualties. [LGG – 128]
574 CY
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. [LGJ#0 – 6]
576 CY
Two years later, with the addition of the mage
Otiluke, the Circle solidified its reputation as a political power in the
Central Flanaess. [LGJ#0 – 6]
Each of the
original Circle appears to have a sphere of responsibility, with the exception
of Mordenkainen.
- Otiluke, an Oligarch of the Free City, presided over the City of Greyhawk (and its environs, presumable)
- Nystul
appears to be concerned with Tenh and the northeast
- Otto
worked tirelessly to defend and then later to free Almor (the western Great
Kingdom)
- Bigby,
being from the Great Kingdom, later settled in Scant, would appear to focus on
Onnwal and the southeast
- Drawmij
from Keoland, appears to preside over the Sheldomar Valley and Azure Sea
- Tenser
is from the Wild Coast (Fax, presumably), and would seem to be concerned with
the Wooly Bay and lands surrounding the Nyr Dyv
- Rary is
from Ket. I presume his sphere was the northwest, west of the Yatils
- This
leaves Bucknard. What is left? The northwest, east of the Yatils?
Murq’s Magica
[A]stute historians know that, in 576 CY, Murq the
magician came out of hiding with the intent to take his revenge on the City of
Greyhawk and its magistrate, just as his simulacrum had promised 15 years
previously. To this end, it is known that Murq, from the safety of his hidden
abode in the Cold Marshes, invaded the magistrate's dreams via magical means
and transformed those sleep images into nightmares that spoke of doom and
destruction. [Dragon #269 – 66]
580 CY
Rary is by far one of the most powerful of Oerik’s
arcane. He may even rival Mordenkainen in power, surely surpassing the others
of the Circle.
 |
| Rary |
23rd-Level Mage
Neutral
Str 7 Int 19 Dex 11 Wis 19 Con 12 Cha 16 (18 to Paynim)
Rary’s Traveling Spell Book*: (spells/day)
1st Level (5): Affect normal fires, burning
hands, cantrip, change self, color spray, comprehend languages, dancing lights,
detect magic, enlarge, friends, gaze reflection, grease, hold portal, light,
magic missile, phantasmal force, protection from evil, Rary’s emphatic
perception*, read magic, shield, shocking grasp, sleep, ventriloquism, wall of
fog
2nd Level (5): Alter self, darkness 15’ r.,
detect evil, detect invisibility, ESP, fog cloud, hypnotic pattern, improved
phantasmal force, invisibility, knock, know alignment, levitate, locate object,
mirror image, pyrotechnics, scare, spectral hand, stinking cloud, summon swarm,
web
3rd Level (5): Blink, dispel magic,
fireball, flay, gust of wind, haste, hold person, infravision, invisibility 10’
r., lightning bolt, monster summoning I, protection from normal missiles, slow,
suggestion, tongues, water breathing, wraithform
4th Level (5): Charm monster, emotion,
fear, ice storm, improved invisibility, minor globe of invulnerability,
polymorph other, polymorph self Rary’s memory alteration*, Rary’s mind scan*,
Rary’s mnemonic enhancer, Rary’s spell enhancer*, remove curse, wall of ice,
wizard eye
5th Level (5): Cone of cold, conjure
elemental, domination, feeblemind, hold monster, passwall, Rary’s mind shield*,
Rary’s superior spell enhancer*, Rary’s telepathic bond*, stone shape,
teleport, wall of force, wall of iron
6th Level (5): Chain lightning, death fog,
death spell, disintegrate, globe of invulnerability, mass suggestion, mislead,
part water, Rary’s urgent utterance*,stone to flesh, true seeing
7th Level (5): Charm plants, duo-dimension,
finger of death, limited wish, power word stun, prismatic spray, shadow walk,
teleport without error, vanish
8th Level (5): Antipathy-sympathy,
glassteel, mass charm, maze, mind blank, monster summoning VI, polymorph any
object, prismatic walk, sink
9th Level (3): Energy drain, meteor swarm,
monster summoning V11, power word kill, shape change, time stop, weird, wish
[WGA4
– 88]
Magical
Items: Bracers of
defence AC0, ring of protection +5, staff of the magi, gem of seeing, helm of
brilliance, ring of animal control, ring of mind-shielding, robe of stars, rod
of beguiling, stone destrier, and wand of paralyzation [CoG:FFF – 25]
Rary is 71 [in
581 CY], 6’0” tall, 170 lbs., with thinning auburn hair and green eyes, and a
tanned complexion. Rary dresses in a tan-colored robe with highly intricate
gold patterning of Baklunish origin. He is growing old, but he is still
sprightly, and the glittering green eyes in his handsome face are not watery or
dimmed with age. […] [CoG:FFF
– 25]
But was he ever
an energetically active member of the Circle, still only a decade young?
One wonders. I
think not. He was certainly concerned with what might befall his beloved Ket,
but he was never seemingly ambitious in the pursuit of “Balance” east of the
Nyr Dyv. Although he did keep his hand in.
Rary is
Archmage of Ket, and largely retired from the Circle of Eight, living in his
tower in Lopolla. He still attends meetings when there is peril in the land,
however, and his advice and judgements are often sought by the others. His
gentleness, and his duties as Archmage, prevent him from leading the Circle of
Eight, but he has never sought this position. He would, in any event, have
found it hard to deal with the aggression of Otiluke, and regularly expresses
irritation at the younger mage’s intemperance. [CoG:FFF – 25]
He was concerned
as to the fate of the Free City, insofar as his brother is concerned.
Rary travels
to the City of Greyhawk upon occasion to visit his brother, Arkalan Sammal, who
is a sage in residence. Rary sometimes grows tired with his duties in Ket and
regards a few weeks with his brother as relaxation. Those who have attended
their ferocious learned conversations, which stretch well into the early hours,
come away from them exhausted and with a deep sense on intellectual
inferiority. [CoG:FFF – 25]
One wonders if
Rary, now 69/70 years old, had lost patience with the younger members of the
Circle, one specifically.
Otiluke has
been a member of the Circle of Eight for only some five years, and some within
the Circle were unsure of the value of the impulsive, aggressive wizard. [CoG:FFF – 25,27]
[Rary {70
years old}] would, in any event, have found it hard to deal with the aggression
of Otiluke, and regularly expresses irritation at the younger mage’s
intemperance. [CoG:FFF – 25]
Lopolla would
seem a sanctuary, by contrast. If not for Arkalan, he might never return,
unless urgent matters called.
580s CY
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]
While
Mordenkainen might be the “leader” of this group, it is not a hierarchy, but a
close group of wizards with similar concerns. [CoG:GotF – 21]
581 CY
Indeed, the young must tire the elderly statesman, by
this time. They are always poking in holes, stirring up trouble, eager for fame
and fortune, with a callous disregard for his and his colleagues’ labours to
keep the pot from boiling over.
A group seeking the Rod might also find some forces of
Good arrayed against them. Some members of the Circle of Eight, especially
Rary, might question the party’s motives in seeking to recover the Rod and
might try to keep the Rod from them or to manipulate the PCs after they get it.
[Dragon #233 – 92,93]
Indeed, the Circle was getting younger by the year. Were these
newer, younger future members as rash of the irascible Otiluke the Circle would
never have a moment’s rest, Rary realised. He endeavoured to guide its future
membership, ensuring a calmer, more reasoned council. A word in the right ear
could help turn the tide, in that regard. He turned to Tenser.
[Mordenkainen:]
“Tenser, she’s a woman!”
[Tenser:]
“Yes, and very charming, and a lot younger than most of us. It’s about time, in
my opinion. Sometimes, Mordenkainen, this place gets like an old coot’s drinking
club.”
[Mordenkainen:]
“I don’t like this. I know that Rary says she is wise and knowledgeable, and
Otilike likes and approves of her and says it will make it easier on him. I am
not convinced.”[Tenser:]
“Well, then, probation? A trial period?”
[CoG:FFF – 27]
In 581 CY Jalarzi Sallavarian replaced the powerful
wizard Bucknard, who vanished in 579 CY while exploring an unknown demiplane.
His fate is not known. Bucknard was fairly young when he disappeared but he was
rumored to have become an archmage and was well-known in royal courts from
Keoland to Nyrond. [PGtG – 23]
The decision had
to be made, regardless. They needed of their number at full strength: The Circle sensed a great danger afoot, but
somehow their divinations were blocked. When magic failed to root out the
source, they then relied on older, more traditional intel to inform them what
that danger might be. They went to the library, where Rary probed these tomes:
The Beasts of Humanity
Language – Old Oeridian
This work is a rambling encyclopedia of the horrid
perversions of man. Described therein are many fascinating monsters, all once
human but now twisted, some accidentally, some purposefully, by powerful magic.
The lineage of […] The practices of secret cults are outlined. Among these is a
mention of the Eye and the Hand. They are identified as “important tools of an
unknown cult, symbolically associated with the founder of the religion.” A
rough sketch of the powers of each is also given. [WGA4 – 21,22]
The Dragon-Scale Tome
Language – Old Oeridian
[T]he book is a compilation from other histories,
legends, and spells. This, it is a mixture of fact and fiction.
In it, [is] a section on the Eye and hand of Vecna.
[…]
The last entry for the Eye and the hand concerns
Halmadar the Cruel. The account tells of his evil rule and subsequent
internment. [WGA4 – 22]
All evidence
pointed to the Cult of Vecna, whatever their intent. Mordenkainen sent the others of the Circle
to investigate.
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. [LGJ#0 – 6]
Their quest did
not turn out as planned.
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. [LGJ#0
– 6]
They failed. And were laid low by the Whispered One.
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 – 15]
Rary was dead. Indeed,
the whole of the Circle of Eight, with the except of Mordenkainen, was dead,
laid low in their pursuit of Balance.
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. [WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk
– 32]
582 CY
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 [.] [LGJ#0
– 6]
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 – 32]
 |
| Torik Red-Axesson |
Torik
Red-Axesson of HighfoIk
Male
Half-Elf
12th Level Priest of Ehlonna
Neutral Good
Str 8 Int 9 Dex 10 Wis 12 Con 15 Cha 18
[WGA4 – 93]
Five foot seven, dressed in green robes and topped
with a mop of curly red-blonde hair, Torik is as charming and handsome a priest
as you’re likely to meet. The son of a poor woodcutter and an elven maid, Torik
was sent to the temple school in Highvale, mostly to keep him from the arms of
milkmaids. There he took to his education and, while not brilliant, has managed
to rise through diligence and luck. In the pulpit, he is a mesmerizing speaker,
what with his natural charisma and good looks. Still, he is not the quickest
wit in Highvale and he works best from a prepared sermon. He believes in the
values set out by Ehlonna – harmony with nature, the cycle of life, mercy, and
compassion.
Torik is a companion to the venerable mage Rary. Rary
often stops by for news of the Vesve Forest or shares what he knows of events
in the Yatil Mountains or Ket. More than once Torik has gone adventuring on
some special mission for the old mage. [WGA4 – 94]
582 CY
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]
Rary realised that he was not invincible. Nor was he
omniscient. He had been taken by surprise and died because he had been
unprepared. He could not, it seemed, control his fate and destiny.
For the first time in decades he felt fear, and
vulnerable.
Evil had bested him!
The entire Circle of Eight was slain by an agent of
Vecna, and so would fear and hate this cult greatly. [TAB – 3]
582 – 584 CY
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]
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. [LGJ#0
– 6]
Citing pressing personal needs, Rary retreated to his
tower in Lopolla and refused to come to the aid of his companions. [LGJ#0 –
6]
His companions
were not pleased, to say the least. Some even felt betrayed by him.
Why would Rary abandon his friends and colleagues? Were
his loyalties divided?
The decades preceding the Greyhawk Wars were
prosperous ones for Ket, but early in that conflict the beygraf allowed his armies
to be drawn into the fighting in the central Flanaess. [LGG – 67]
Seeing an opportunity to gain control of his nation's
historic rivals in Bissel, Beygraf Zoltan went so far as to ally himself with
Iuz the Old. [LGG – 67]
Or was there a
deeper, internal conflict brewing within him? Was he afraid? Did he
believe that they would fail? That they were ultimately doomed?
583 CY
 |
| Rary |
Rary’s
admiration of 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. [WGR3
– 6]
Was Evil
stronger than Good? Was Balance a fool’s notion?
He researched
long-forbidden spells, studied the histories of ancient conquerors, and learned
more from his Payim friends as corruption and wickedness slowly crept into his
heart. [WGR3 – 6]
No one noticed the
change in Rary. He was as irascible as Otiluke, and as those two were ever at
odds, it came to no surprise that their dislike of one another swelled to
breaking.
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. [WGR3 – 7]
Rary (NE) [WGR3 – 12]
I wonder? Have I painted an accurate possible
rationalisation from the featured text? Brooding and frustration don’t
invariably lead to evil intent. Why should a noted peacemaker suddenly turn to
aggression and violence when that was never his chosen path, prior? Would the
perception of Evil’s overwhelming strength and his failure in the face of Vecna’s
return have swayed Rary? Would fear? I don’t know. The others did not collapse
in fear, they did not retreat from the theater of war, nor succumb to the lure
of Evil. I’m not the only one bemused, either. In game, there are those who
refuse to believe that Rary is evil. Some think an external force must have
taken control of him. [Living Greyhawk Ket Gazetteer – 25]
Might that be? Might Rary’s curiosity have gotten the
better of him?
Murq’s Magica
Murq’s Magica is known to consist of two distinct
sections, one containing spells, the other involving magical theory. […]
The second section consists of an indepth study of
oneiromancy, the rare magical art involving dreams, sleep, and related topics.
[Dragon #269 – 66]
But Rary was not in possession of the Magica, you say… He
was not; not then, anyway.
Murq’s Magica remained in Baklunish lands for nearly a
decade until making its way to Ket in 583 CY.
This time, however, the book was
in possession of an easterner, on Sela Starglimmer, an elven sorceress from the
Verve. [Dragon #269 – 65]
 |
| Sela Starglimmer |
Or was he?
[L]ate in the
Greyhawk Wars, [the lady mage] Sela was found dead in the backyard of her
country home, her body a heap of smouldering ruin, her assailant unknown.
It was only
later that investigators discovered that [the grimoire] Murq’s Magica was
missing from Sela’s library, apparently stolen by her murderer. [Dragon #269 – 65]
I am not suggesting that an evil Rary murdered Sela and
then took possession of the book; I’m preposing that Sela might have consulted
Rary about the book and Rary’s greater ancient and arcane lore allowed the book
to subvert the powerful sage, seducing him, possessing him.
Rary may have turned evil on his own, through
tampering with an evil artifact, or he may be possessed by fiends, a clone of
the original, charmed, and so on. [TAB – 38]
One wonders; could that be the case? Might Rary’s
obsession with secret lore and obtaining artifacts and relics have undone him?
It may have; nevertheless, however Rary might have turned to evil, Rary began
to scheme against those he had once toiled beside, hand in hand.
Rary is 72.
584 CY
Meanwhile, back in the Free City, the Circle had no idea
that Rary was no longer an ally. Otto certainly did not….
Coldeven
I think that the Baklunish held at least one orb, but
I have as yet found no evidence of this; perhaps our resident Kettite, Rary, will
investigate and enlighten us! Despite the slight renaming of some of the orbs
in late-empire records, I believe the missing original orbs to have been the
Orb of the Wyrmkin, the Orb of the Great Serpent, and the most powerful of them
all, the Orb of the Eternal Grand Dragon.
[Excerpt from letter from Otto to his friend and ally,
Johanna. Sunset, 8th of Coldeven, 58[4] CY (the letter is dated 585, but as
Rary betrayed the Circle in 584, this is in error).]
[Dragon #230 –
12]
The War wound down, the combatants exhausted, as one
would expect after prolonged bloodshed. Troops were spent, munitions depleted,
coffers empty. The victors would wish to consolidate their gains, the others
had need to shore up their defenses and prepare for what they knew was sure to
resume.
There was a rumour of peace. Before long, those rumours
became fact.
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. [FtAA – 9]
Nations fell as new empires were born. Demons and
devils from the Outer Planes were summoned en masse by Iuz and Ivid V, and
hundreds of thousands of mortals died. Finally, the battle-weary combatants
gathered in Greyhawk to declare peace. Harvester 584 CY was to see the signing
of the Pact of Greyhawk, fixing borders and mandating an end to hostilities. [LGG
– 16]
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. [FtAA – 9]
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]
9 Goodmonth
No one could have foreseen what was to happen. Perhaps
someone might have, if they had looked for the signs. But none did.
Autumn of 584 CY saw the signing of the Pact of
Greyhawk, an event that would close various hostilities plaguing the continent.
[WGG 3e – 4]
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]
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. [WGR3 – 7]
Would their plan have worked? Only if they were
undetected, only if they were perceived to have swept in in the wake of the
chaos, to save the day. And only if they killed Mordenkainen, as well. But it
was not to be….
Unfortunately for Rary and Robilar, as Rary finished
setting his magical traps, several members of the Circle entered the hall for a
last-minute inspection of the site before the signing. [WGR3 – 7]
[Rary] set off the still-incomplete magical traps.
Tenser fell first, caught by surprise. Otiluke struck back savagely, wounding
Rary and forcing him back. [WGR3 – 7]
 |
| Rary the Traitor |
Rary’s Vicious Missiles
A particularly nasty variant of magic missile, this
spell is believed largely responsible for laying low Otiluke (if not also
Tenser) in that fateful battle in the Great Hall. Rary jokes badly with Lord
Robilar about renaming this spell “Otiluke’s last tickle.” [Dragon #249 – 92]
Instead of counter-attacking Otiluke directly, Rary
set off several more traps, injuring Bigby, who had just joined the fight. […] [WGR3 – 7]
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. [WGR3 – 7]
The treaty to end the war was to be ratified in the
Grand Hall of Greyhawk, but brief moments before the signing ceremony, an
explosion destroyed the area [.] [Rot8 – 3]
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. [Wars – 24]
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 [.] [Wars – 24]
Nothing was left of their bodies to allow revival by
clone, resurrection or any other spell. [Rot8 – 2]
According to [rumour], Bigby the wizard is dead. He is
not dead. (The reports of his death were greatly exaggerated.) [Dragon #191
– 67]
A badly wounded third, Bigby of Scant, claimed that
their assailant had been their one-time ally, Rary, member of the Circle of
Eight. [LGG – 38]
The murderer of these wizards, undeniably a powerful
mage, was Rary, a third member of the Circle of Eight. [WGR3 – 4]
Seizing the Circle and disrupting the Signing was not the
only phase of the plan. Theft, it would seem, was part and parcel.
 |
| Glorial |
 |
| Lord Robilar |
Simultaneously, Rary’s ally Robilar entered Tenser’s
castle (four days’ travel away) and initiated an attack. When the battle ended,
Tenser’s forces were slain, his castle was looted and all Tenser’s cloning
materials were destroyed. [Rot8 – 3]
However, after the battle that killed Tenser and
Otiluke, all discoverable clones of the two mages were destroyed by
co-conspirators of the assassin, Rory of Ket. [PGtG – 23]
Quij was once
a henchman of the notorious Lord Robilar[.] Quij took part in the sacking of the
castle of the slain Archmage Tenser, but the orc became separated from his
comrades after the raid.
[TAB – 98]
Using secrets gained in confidence, Rary not only
destroyed his two fellows, but also tracked down and destroyed every clone the
pair held in preparation. [WGR3 –
4]
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. [WGR3 – 7]
Their magical clones likewise shrivelled and perished,
and their own bodies could not be resurrected. [FtAA – 9]
When Robilar's troops sacked Otiluke's and Tenser's
citadels, they carried off several of the dead mages' magical items, including
Otiluke's horn of blasting, which Robilar now carries. [WGR3 – 11]
Before escaping from Greyhawk, Rary also managed to
steal Otiluke's celebrated green ioun stone. He uses it to artificially boost
his experience level. He has since become interested in ioun stones, their
nature, powers, and origin. One of his own pet theories is that the Bright
Desert is a potential source of natural ioun stones, but so far his attempts to
prove this theory, and gain unthinkable power for himself, have proved
fruitless. [WGR3 – 12]
 |
| The Bright Desert |
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]
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. [WGR3
– 7]
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]
“I used to advertise my loyalty and I don't believe
there is a single person I loved that I didn't eventually betray.”
― The Fall
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 Sargent, 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:
Rary detail, by Valerie Valusek, from WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
Ket map detail, by Darlene, from the World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
City of Greyhawk Map
Mordenkainen, by Clyde Caldwell, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984
Murq, by L.A. Williams, from Dragon #269, 2000
Robilar, by Kristoph Nolen, from Oerth Journal #29, 2019
Rary, by Andrew Hue, from Dungeon Magazine #103, 2003
Rary the Traitor, by Ben Wooten, 2011
Lord Robilar, by Ken Frank, from WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
Bright Desert detail, by Rob Lazzaretti, from Dungeon Magazine #118-121, 2005
Sources:
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1043 The City of Greyhawk
Boxed Set, 1989
1064
From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992
1068 Greyhawk Wars Boxed Set, 1991
9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9031
The Rogues Gallery, 1980
9112 WG5 Mordenkainen’s
Fantastic Adventure, 1984
9147 T1-4 Temple of
Elemental Evil, 1985
9309 WGA4 Vecna Lives! 1990
9360 WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk, 1992
9386 WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
9576 Return of the Eight, 1998
9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11743 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000
Living Greyhawk Ket Gazetteer
Dragon Magazine #55, 191, 230, 233, 249,, 269
OJ Oerth Journal #7
LGJ #0
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
Q&A with Gary Gygax, EnWorld
