“Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward.
They
may be beaten, but they may start a winning game.”
―
 |
| Serten |
This is an exploration of another Serten, a certain
Serten who was undoubtedly of greater honour and trustworthiness than that
other Serten, of which next to nothing is actually known. Certain archmages are
like that: mysterious and secretive. Not this Serten, though. This Serten was
Good, Righteous, Forthright. And Pious.
Serten is a good person, though, well-meaning and
kindly. He claims to never have done on evil deed and there is no reason to
doubt this. [Rogues Gallery 1e –
46]
Serten’s origins were not recorded, sadly. We know
nothing, really, of his early life: where he comes from, his formative years,
his rise to our introduction to his exploits.
We do know that he was adventurer.
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 Rary the Traitor – 11]
He was brave. Unflinchingly brave. Perhaps to a fault.
Because he wasn’t particularly bright. Brave and stupid is not a good
combination. One expects one that combines such adjectives to not adventure long without others watching his back.
Although a powerful cleric, Serten has often been more
a source of exasperation to adventurers than a great help. He is, quite simply,
stupid but likeable. He likes to adventure, but is basically not bright enough
to be trusted on his own; therefore, he will always be found with a group. He
understands the physical side of melee very well and can seldom resist getting
in and mixing it up with his foes. This often creates problems as he is too
dumb to know when to run away, requiring the rest of the party to rescue him.
He may not cast his spells for the cleverest of reasons either. [Rogues 1e – 46]
521 CY
Serten is born. [Date inferred from information regarding
Riggby]
[COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs – 7 {calculated
from 551 – LGJ#0 – 4}]
540 CY
 |
| Holy Symbol of Saint Cuthbert |
DEITIES: Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel [Dungeon
#221 – 47]
His calling may shed some light on where Serten comes
from. Worship of Saint Cuthbert seems
to centre around the Sheldomar Valley, so it is not outside the possibility
that Serten hails from there.
While St. Cuthbert has many large places of worship,
wayside shrines and small, rude chapels are usual. His followers are found
mainly in the Central Flanaess, around Greyhawk, the Wild Coast, Urnst, and
Verbobonc. [WoGA – 66]
A likely place – perhaps the most likely place – would be
the Viscounty and Town of Verbobonc, as the entire viscounty is a bishopric
under Saint Cuthbert. So, let’s go out on a limb and suggest that Verbobonc
is indeed where Serten was born and raised, where he entered the seminary, and
was ordained.
His Lordship the Viscount of Verbobonc (Fighter, 10th
level)
Verbobonc, Viscounty and Town of: Wilfrick, F 10
[WoGG – 17]
Capital: Verbobonc (pop. 8,100)
Population: 30,000
Verbobonc – Ofs [WoGA – 14]
Demi-humans: Gnomes (4,000), Sylvan Elves (2,500)
Humanoids: Few
Resources: copper, gems (I-IV)
The viscounty is a large one, extending from the
Velverdyva's south bank some 15 leagues into the Kron hills, being over 50
leagues in breadth. Verbobonc is situated in the approximate center of its
east-west axis. [Folio – 18]
Many of the humans of Verbobonc (who represent the
majority) are god-fearing souls, worshipping the Old Faith (druidic) or
reserving prayers for St. Cuthbert of the Cudgel. In either case, religion
figures into many of their events and repasts. Festivals are common, and the
priests are everywhere to be seen. In all, the souls of Verbobonc are examples
worthy of the respect of the Archclericy of Veluna, their most powerful ally in
good causes. [WG8 Fate of Istus – 93]
His first canonical mention was as a member of
Mordenkainen’s Citadel of Eight.
551 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. [LGJ#0 – 5]
They called themselves the
Citadel of Eight, taking the name from Mordenkainens renowned Obsidian Citadel,
in the Yatil Mountains. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Whatever Mordenkainen’s reason for gathering
his Citadel, they were to become a force for Good, for the most part.
Perhaps, in some
small way, Serten can lay claim to that.
Serten
Cleric of Saint Cuthbert (Male Human) [Dungeon
#221 – 47]
Tall, muscled, and handsome, Serten makes an
impression. He wears plate armor adorned with Saint Cuthbert’s starburst and
carries a stout staff capped with a platinum ferrule at each end. [Dungeon
#221 – 47]
Saint Cuthbert’s character illuminates Serten’s.
 |
| Saint Cuthbert of the Cudgel |
(of the Cudgel), LN (LG) intermediate god of Common
Sense, Wisdom, Zeal, Honesty, Truth, and Discipline
Clerics of the Cudgel are stern folk who speak their
minds plainly. They do not suffer fools and discipline those who backslide in
faith. They train in the arts of war and keep themselves physically fit. [LGG
– 182]
The words of St. Cuthbert are wise, practical, and
sensible. The word of the Cudgel is law, and the word must be spread so that
all may benefit from his wisdom. Weakness in faith and acting against the
Saints teachings are intolerable in believers. Unceasing effort should be made
to bring unbelievers into the fold. Honesty, truthfulness, practicality, and
reasonability are the highest virtues. [LGG – 182]
That sounds a lot like Serten, doesn’t it?
How old was Serten when he joined? No mention is ever made.
But one assumes he was probably of similar age to Riggby.
Age: 30 [COR1 – 00 – 7]
550s CY
 |
| Serten |
Although [Robilar’s] alignment slowly changed from
neutral to evil over the years, Robilar remained trustworthy and friendly, if
somewhat gruff. In those days it was said that his three greatest loves were
adventuring, magic, and information. [WGR3 Rary the Traitor – 11]
Loyalty being what it is, and Serten not being
particularly observant, he turned a blind eye towhat might have been plain to
everyone else in the Citadel. Besides, he was busy about their work, too busy
to ponder the changes in his friend’s behaviour.
In the years that followed, [the] adventures [of the
Citadel of Eight] 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. [LGJ#0 – 5]
I imagine that
Serten, not being especially bright, saw what he wanted to see: the Robilar of
old: trustworthy and friendly.
We can’t fault
him for that, can we?
560 CY
Serten might not have seen the change in
Robilar because he was continuously distracted by the comings and goings of the
Citadel’s membership.
Over the
years, the Citadel played home to such luminaries as Prince Melf Brightflame,
of the Olvenfolk, the half-orc Quij, Felnorith, Robilar's brother Terik, and
even, at one point, the Quasi-Deity Murlynd, in disguise. [LGJ#0
– 5]
Some were rougher than others; but one
expects that of those who live by the sword and put themselves in harm’s way.
 |
| Otis |
Finally, the young woodsman, Otis, rounded out the
group. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Who recruited this
idealistic young Otis? Mordenkainen, officially.
Mordenkainen asked [Otis] to join his adventuring
group [.] [COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs – 13]
How’d they meet? By chance. Perchance.
Mordenkainen and his apprentice Bigby helped [Otis]
defeat a band of trolls near Hommlet [.] [COR1 – 00 – 13]
I wonder. It’s
possible, I suppose. But as Mordenkainen and Bigby were hitherto concerned mainly
with, and engaged mostly in, the environs adjacent to the Free City of Greyhawk,
why might they have been in the vicinity of so tiny a town? Might someone have
brought the young woodsman to their attention? That seems likely, doesn’t it? Who
might hail from around there, then? Serten. This seems likely then, too,
doesn’t it, that Serten might be familiar with the goings-on so close to his
home – if he did indeed hail from Verbobonc.
Serten is 39.
560s CY
Time passed. And
as members of the Citadel gained in fame and fortune, one would expect that
they would become ever more interested in their own affairs, and not that of
the Citadel’s.
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]
 |
| Serten |
But while Serten
and Otis were out and about upon the greater Flanaess, fighting Evil where it
might raise its Evil head, Evil, it would seem, was gathering in their own back
yard….
The thickets and marshes around Nulb became the lair
and hiding place for bandits, brigands, and all sorts of evil men and monsters
alike. The chapel grew into a stone temple as its faithful brought in their
ill-gotten tithes. Good folk were robbed, pillaged, enslaved, or worse. In but
three years a grim and foreboding fortress surrounded the evil place, and
swarms of creatures worshipped and worked their wickedness there. The
servants of the Temple of Elemental Evil made Hommlet and the lands for leagues
around a mockery of freedom and beauty. Commerce ceased, crops withered,
pestilence was abroad. [T1 The Village of Hommlet – 2]
One would expect that Serten would have found these
developments alarming, so alarming that Serten might have recruited a number of
adventurers to counter these evil men and monsters alike. And it was about this time that just such
persons began to fight the Evil that was festering in their own backyard.
Hommlet, Nulb, the Temple—all are vital parts of
Greyhawk. […] Many veterans […], as well as many newcomers, began adventuring
in and around Hommlet about ten years ago. From these […] rose Burne and Rufus,
Jaroo, Terjon, Otis, Y'dey, and the rest. [T1-4 The Temple of Elemental
Evil – 28]
568 CY
But try as they
might, there were already too many evil men and monsters about for those
adventurers to stamp them out.
By 568 CY, it became clear that the villains [of the
Temple of Elemental Evil] had established an army [.] [LGG – 132]
Serten is 47.
569 CY
The Citadel’s aim was once true. And noble. Serten’s was,
anyway.
But the Fellowship was not to last. Some of them were not
as dedicated to their cause as others – if they ever were.
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]
[T]he leaders of [the] cancer [plaguing Verbobonc and
Hommlet] were full of hubris, and in their overweaning pride sought to
overthrow the good realms to the north who were coming to the rescue of the
land being crushed under the tyranny wrought by the evil temple. [T1 – 2]
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. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Serten
 |
| Serten |
As good as he is, he does not plan ahead and often
finds himself confronted by new evils and problems that could have been easily
avoided. This does keep his life busy.
Serten has +4 plate mail, +2 shield, a staff of
command, gauntlets of ogre power, a cloak of elvenkind, and a ring of
protection +2.
[Rogues 1e – 46]
The threat posed by the Temple of Elemental Evil has
drawn the attention of the Citadel of Eight—an alliance of individuals working
together to maintain balance between the most extreme powers of good and evil,
law and chaos. The Citadel, under the guidance of the archmage Mordenkainen and
his apprentice Bigby, has dispatched agents to watch the conflict. Foremost of
these agents is Serten, a powerful cleric of Saint Cuthbert and long-standing
member of the Citadel. [Dungeon #221 – 47]
Was Mordenkainen actually behind Serten’s involvement in
this battle of Emridy Meadows? Perhaps he even was; perhaps we truly wish he
were; but Mordenkainen was nowhere to be seen on that fateful field, on that
fateful day.
Serten is out of his depth and should not be
representing the Citadel in this conflict. Never an intellectual giant, he
stumbles through life, letting his sense of righteousness and courage land him
in trouble. Although the rest of the Citadel recognizes his shortcomings,
Serten wants above all to prove his worth, and he thinks he can handle any
threat from the temple on his own. Serten is under strict orders from the
Citadel to assist Prince Thrommel and not engage the enemy directly, keeping
the Citadel informed and awaiting instructions. He stretches the interpretation
of these orders and sees himself as one of Prince Thrommel’s key advisors. He
also looks for opportunities to prove his worth in battle, putting himself
unnecessarily in harm’s way. [Dungeon #221 – 47]
Serten has only recently arrived, but his magic has
already proved instrumental in persuading a spy named Dennek to divulge
important secrets about the enemy’s plans. [Dungeon #221 – 47]
Prince Thrommel gets straight to the point, “Last
night, we caught an enemy spy named Dennek. We have him chained up in a wagon
nearby, under heavy guard. He fears for his life and has wisely supplied us
with good information regarding our enemies’ plan. [Dungeon #221 – 49]
After a recent interrogation by Serten, [Elemental
Evil Spy] Dennek sold out his evil masters, offering vital intelligence in
exchange for the cleric’s promise not to execute him. The information provided
by Dennek under duress has given the Righteous Host a fighting chance against
the forces of Elemental Evil. [Dungeon #221 – 47]
All too soon,
Serten was in the thick of the fighting. He was who he was, after all.
 |
| Emridy Meadows |
And he paid the price for his bravery.
Tragedy dogs our steps, my friends. The enemy tried to
intercept Prince Thrommel as he returned to the camp, and although he escaped,
they came after him in force. Our cleric, Serten, was struck down by a
foul demon in the thick of battle. He fought bravely, a true hero, yet the loss
is keenly felt. [Dungeon #221 – 47]
When Serten fell, none of his friends stood at his
side. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Though most attended his ostentatious funeral service
in Verbobonc, a crucial rift had been torn in the organization. The Citadel was
crumbling. [LGJ#0 – 5]
One wonders if Serten’s death was the final nail in what
remained of Mordenkainen’s Citadel of Eight.
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]
It would seem so, doesn’t it?
Serten’s death certainly exposed its follies
and flaws. His death would also pave the way for what was to rise up from its
ashes.
Serten died at 48 years of age.
“Do not be afraid; our fate
Cannot be taken from us; it is a gift.”
― Inferno
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.
Special thanks
to Jason Zavoda for his compiled index, “Greyhawkania,” an invaluable research
tool.
The Art:
Serten, from Finger of the Wind, 2000
Holy Symbol of Saint Cuthbert, by Dennis Cramer, from Deities and Demigods 3e, 2000
Vebobonc map, by Diesel, from WG8 Fate of Istus, 1989
Mordenkainen detail, by McLean Kendree, from Mordenkainen's Tome of Marvelous Magic II, 2020
Saint Cuthbert, by Wayne Reynolds, from Deities and Demigods 3e, 2000
Regional map, by Dave Sutherland, from T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
Logan by silvaticus
Thrommel, by Francis Tsai, from Dungeon 221, 2013
Emridy Meadows, by Craig J. Spearing, from Dungeon 221, 2013
Sources:
1015
World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1043 The City of Greyhawk
Boxed Set, 1989
9025
World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9026
T1 The Village of Hommlet, 1979,1981
9031
The Rogues Gallery 1e, 1980
9147
T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
9253
WG8 Fate of Istus, 1989
9386
WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
9577
The Adventure Begins, 1998
LGJ
#0
Dungeon
Magazine #221
Greyhawkania,
Jason Zavoda
That was very good! I never knew I needed to know more about Serten the cleric. He should be forever lauded in the top 10 clerics of Greyhawk.
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