A Question of Level

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

― Confucius

It's All a Matter of Time....

One wonders what level certain characters were when. Doesn’t one? I do.

There are a few ways to arrive at this. The most concrete way is to find a specific reference in the historical record, WG5 Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure, or The Adventure Begins, for instance. WG5 gives specific levels for the NPC pregens given, but no concrete date for the events; whereas The City of Greyhawk Boxed Set and The Adventure Begins give actual dates to what is set there in print, 581 for CoG, and 591 for TAB. One imagines the characters in The Rogues Gallery to be as they were in 576 CY, given its 1981 publication date, one year after the Folio was published, and one year before the World of Greyhawk Gold Box, both set in that year.

The rest is math. Certain events are noted as happening X years before the dates given in whatever published materials.

For instance, Yrag’s birth is suggested: He is believed to be about 205 years old. [TAB – 114] The Adventure Begins being 591, 386 CY is hinted at.

Mordenkainen’s age is mentioned obliquely: Mordenkainen stands 5 ft. 11 in. tall, and appears half again younger than his true 82 years of age. [LGJ #0 – 9] Thus, 591-82=509 CY.

Conjecture follows. A lot of conjecture, seeing how many references mention decades and not year. Saying that something happened in the 560s is well and good, but it isn’t exactly exact, is it. Thus, conjecture.

The AD&D Dungeon Master Guide aides in this: Pages 12 & 13 have rules for initial character age. That gives up the presumption of 1^st level.

Beyond this…. Therein lies the work.

Steve Winters certainly understood this. If there was anyone who took great pains to be as exact as one might be, he was in compiling his “Greychrondex Version 4.2 (5/15/01). He scoured “official” published materials (not all, certain books like WG7 Castle Greyhawk were deemed unsuitable and left out) and compiled the most accurate chronology of Greyhawk as was possible, noting wherever conflicts arose across the sourcebooks and modules. Most importantly, he took great pains to note each and every sourcebook and page number specifying where each event could be found. I could not have achieved what I have in this humble blog if not for his painstaking work. Nor could I have done without Jason Zavoda’s “Greyhawkania” (aka the Zavoda Index, recreated in Greyhawk Online’s Great Library of Greyhawk), either. If anything, Jason’s index has always been my number one resource.

So, now you know how I do it: I reference these works, then word-search the referenced PDFs for relevant mentions, and then piece those quotes together in context. Easy. Well, not so easy, but you get the picture.

Why do I reveal this now, after all this time? Because it’s fun to peak behind the curtain. And because we all need of a little clarity every now and again – a lot, actually.

This is not to say that I’ve not been mired in confusion and mucked things up in the past, because I suspect I have. This blog has always been a learning experience, a work in progress. As I dive ever deeper into the history of the setting, I realize how much I don’t know. I suppose that’s the way of wisdom: The more you know, the more you realize how much you still have to learn.

However exacting I try to be, the bare bones can get lost in those lengthy documents. So, every now and again I boil them down to their most salient facts. Like this piece. Because we – me, mainly – could all do with a little simplicity, to keep things straight.

Which brings us to this piece, wherein there is method to this madness.

Why would anyone care when each character is a certain level? Because one imagines that Mordenkainen’s 5^th level spells could only be made available when he can cast them. Not before!

Thus, this labour of love. Is everything below canonical? No. I’ve applied a little creative interpolation throughout concerning level advancement where direct canonical reference and applicable (and supportable) math could not be applied, each noted by an [*], occasionally explained in [brackets].

290 CY

Theodain Eriason

Thoedain Eriason is born. [LGJ #0 – 7]

386 CY

Yrag is born. [TAB – 114]

400 CY

Melf is born. [FtAC – 69]

402 CY

Yrag 1^st level Fighter [DMG 1e – 12]

438 CY

*Melf 1+1 HD grey elf [MM 1e – 39]

Melf

460 CY

Theodain Eriason 1+1 HD high elf [MM 1e – 39]

470 CY

Theodain Eriason 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12]

479 CY

Leomund is born. [OJ# 10 – 78]

491 CY

Alhamazad is born. [LGJ #0 – 7]

498 CY

Leomund 1^st level Cleric [OJ# 10 – 79/DMG 1e – 12]

508 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/[1^st] level M-U [extrapolated from OJ# 10 – 79]

509 CY

Mordenkainen is born. [LGJ #0 – 9]

510 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [3^rd] level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

511 CY

Rary is born. [CoG:FFF – 25]

513 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [5^th] level M-U [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

*Terik is born [conjecture from LGJ #0 – 4]

515 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [7^th] level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

518 CY

Leomund

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [9^th] level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

Alhamazad 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12]

520 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [12^th] level M-U

Robilar is born [LGJ #0 – 4/COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs – 3]

521 CY

Riggby is born. [LGJ #0 – 4/COR1 – 00 – 7]

524 CY

Tenser born. [Rot8 – 58]

529 CY

Terik 1^st level Fighter [DMG 1e – 12]

533 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/ [14^th] level M-U

Bigby born. [COR1 – 00 – 5/Finger of the Wind – 5]

534 CY

Otis is born. [LGJ #0 – 4/COR1 – 00 – 12]

535 CY

Mordenkainen 1^st Level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

Warnes Starcoat is born. [Rot8 – 59/LGJ #0 – 11]

Robilar

536 CY

Robilar 1^st level Fighter [DMG 1e – 12]

537 CY

Nystul is born. [LGJ #0 – 10]

538 CY

Otto is born. [LGJ #0 – 10]

539 CY

*Mordenkainen 3^rd level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

Rary 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

540 CY

Riggby 1^st level Cleric [DMG 1e – 12]

Serten 1^st level Cleric [DMG 1e – 12]

*Rary 3^rd level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

*Terik 9^th level Fighter

Rary

541 CY

*Evard the Black is born.

542 CY

Otiluke is born. [CoG:FFF – 25]

*Rary 5^th level M-U [No 3^rd level spells.]

543 CY

*Mordenkainen 5^th level M-U [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

*Quij is born.

546 CY

*Mordenkainen 7^th level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

*Rary 7^th level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

547 CY

Bigby

*Rary 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

549 CY

Bigby 1st level M-U [16 yrs old, See 551 CY. His 1^st level spells are available for use, first half of year.]

Jallarzi Sallavarian is born. [TAB – 88]

*Bigby 3^rd level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use, second half of year.]

550 CY

*Bigby 5^th level M-U [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

*Melf F1/M-U1 [DMG 1e – 12,13]

*Mordenkainen 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

Quij 1 HD orc [MM 1e – 76]

Riggby

*Rary 12^th level M-U [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

Tenser 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

551 CY

Creation of the Citadel of Eight

Bigby 7^th level M-U [COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs – 5] [Bigby would be 18 this year, so his education must have been rapid, owing to his Cranden heritage. His 4^th level spells are available for use.)

Mordenkainen 10^th level M-U [COR1 – 00 – 1]

Riggby 7^th level Cleric [COR1 – 00– 7]

Robilar 8^th level Fighter [COR1 – 00 – 3]

*Serten 7^th level Cleric [as per Riggby.]

Yrag

Yrag 8^th level Fighter [COR1 – 00 – 11]

[The Living Greyhawk module COR1 The Citadel states that it is set in 560 CY when “Mordenkainen is in the process of assembling his first great adventuring group, the Citadel of Eight…”, but as LGJ #0 – 4 states that this event occurs in 551 I have adjusted the date here accordingly.]

553 CY

*Bigby 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

*Mordenkainen 11^th level M-U

555 CY

Otis 1^st level Ranger [DMG 1e – 12]

*Tenser 3^rd level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

557 CY

Otto 1^st level Cleric [DMG 1e – 12]

*Rary 14^th level M-U [His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

559 CY

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/[16^th] level M-U

*Rary 16^th level M-U [His 8^th level spells are available for use.]

560 CY

Mordenkainen

Bigby 10^th level M-U [WG5 Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure – 31]

Mordenkainen 12^th level M-U [WG5 – 30] [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

*Otis 7^th level Ranger

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric

Riggby 9^th level Cleric [WG5 – 32]

*Robilar 9^th level Fighter [WGR3 – 11]

*Tenser 5^th level M-U [No 3^rd level spells.]

Yrag 9^th level Fighter [WG5 – 31]

561 CY

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [1^st] level M-U [extrapolated from CoG:FFF – 23. His 1^st level spalls are available for use.]

*Quij 4^th level Barbarian/4^th level Rogue [Finger of the Wind – 4]

562 CY

Drawmij 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

Melf F9/M-U10 [AC1 The Shady Dragon Inn – 25,26, 10th level Lord Wizard. Melf’s 2^nd and 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

Warnes Starcoat

563 CY

Nystul 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [3^rd] level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

Warnes Starcoat 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12]

565 CY

*Nystul 3^rd level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

566 CY

*Nystul 5^th level M-U [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [5^th] level M-U [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

*Tenser 7^th level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

Evard the Black

567 CY

*Evard the Black 1^st level M-U

568 CY

*Mordenkainen 14^th level M-U [His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

*Nystul 7^th level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

Otiluke 1^st level M-U [DMG 1e – 12. His 1^st level spells are available for use.]

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [7^th] level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

*Rary 18^th level M-U

Serten

569 CY

Final year of the Citadel of Eight.

The Battle of Emridy Meadows.

*Evard the Black 5^th level [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

Serten 10^th level Cleric [Rogues Gallery 1e – 46]

Serten dies. [LGJ #0 – 5]

*Tenser 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

570 CY

Inception of the Circle of Eight [LGJ#0 – 6]

*Leomund 5^th level Cleric/[18^th] level M-U

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/[8^th] level M-U

571 CY

Otto

Circle of Eight membership complete. [LGJ#0 – 6]

*Bigby 11^th level M-U [Rogues – 40]

*Nystul 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [9^th] level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

*Otiluke 3^rd level [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.]

572 CY

*Drawmij 10^th level M-U [His 2^nd level spells are available for use.

*Evard the Black 7^th level M-U [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

*Tenser 12^th level M-U [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

Drawmij

573 CY

*Nystul 10^th level M-U

*Otiluke 5^th level [His 3^rd level spells are available for use.]

574 CY

*Bigby 12^th level M-U [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

*Drawmij 12^th level M-U [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

Jallarzi Sallavarian 1^st level M-U [25 years old, a little early due to her noble status.]

Nystul

576 CY

Bigby 13^th level M-U [Rogues – 40]

*Drawmij 14^th level M-U [His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

Leomund 5^th level Cleric/19^th level M-U [OJ# 10 – 84]

Mordenkainen 16^th level M-U [Rogues – 44] [His 8^th level spells are available for use.]

*Nystul 14^th level M-U

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [9^th] level M-U

*Otiluke 7^th level [His 4^th level spells are available for use.]

Riggby 9^th level Cleric [Rogues – 46]

Robilar 15^th level Fighter [Rogues – 46]

Tenser 14^th level M-U [Rogues – 47. His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

Warnes Starcoat 18^th level M-U [WG6 Isle of the Ape – 28]

Otiluke

577 CY

*Bigby 14^th level M-U [His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

*Evard the Black 9^th level M-U [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

*Jallarzi Sallavarian 10^th level M-U

*Otiluke 9^th level [His 5^th level spells are available for use.]

*Tenser 16^th level M-U [His 8^th level spells are available for use.]

578 CY

*Bigby 16^th level M-U [His 8^th level spells are available for use.]

*Otto 3^rd level Cleric/ [12^th] level M-U

*Mordenkainen 18^th level M-U [His 9^th level spells are available for use.]

*Tenser 18^th level M-U [His 9^th level spells are available for use.]

579 CY

*Otiluke 12^th level M-U [His 6^th level spells are available for use.]

Otis 10^th level Ranger [T1 Village of Hommlet – 4]

Otis dies.

*Nystul 15^th level M-U

Tenser 19^th level M-U [Dragon #37 – 11]

580 CY

Bigby 18^th level M-U [Dragon #37 – 11/CoG:FFF – 23/WGA4 – Vecna Lives – 84. His 9^th level spells are available for use]

Drawmij 16^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 23/WGA4 – 84]

Mordenkainen 20^th level M-U [Dragon #37 – 11]

*Otiluke 14^th level M-U [His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

Otto 5^th level Cl/14^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 23/WGA4 – 86. His 7^th level spells are available for use.]

Rary 23^rd level M-U [CoG:FFF – 25/ WGA4– 87]

Tenser 20^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 22]

*Theodain Eriason 15^th level M-U

581 CY

Jallarzi Sallavarian 14^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 27/WGA4 – 86]

Otiluke 16^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 25/WGA4 – 86]

Nystul 16^th level M-U [CoG:FFF – 24/WGA4– 86]

584 CY

Tenser

Rary 24^th level M-U [WGR3 Rary the Traitor – 88]

Robilar 15^th level Fighter [WGR3 – 10]

[Possible date for Mordenkainen and Evard the Black confrontation.]

Alhamazad

585 CY

Alhamazad 18^th level M-U [Rot8 – 62]

*Drawmij 17^th level M-U

Melf F13/W12 [FtAC – 68]

* Otto 3^rd level Cl/15^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 10, See 591 CY. Otto appears to have lost 2 levels of cleric: perchance to level drain? It is also not possible for Otto to have written his 8^th level spell without aid.]

Tenser 21^st level M-U [Rot8 – 57]

Theodain Eriason 17^th level M-U [Rot8 – 61]

Warnes Starcoat 20^th level M-U [Rot8 – 58]

Mordenkainen

591 CY

Bigby 19^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 8]

Drawmij 18^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 8]

Jallarzi Sallavarian 15^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 8]

Mordenkainen 20+ level M-U [LGJ #0 – 9]

Nystul 17^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 10]

Otto 3^rd level Cl/15^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 10. Otto has not achieved a level high enough to cast, let alone create his 8^th level spell.]

Quij 4 HD orc [TAB – 98]

Robilar 20^th level Fighter [LGG – 38]

Theodain Eriason 17^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 11]

Yrag 13^th level Fighter [TAB – 114]

Warnes Starcoat 20^th level M-U [LGJ #0 – 11]

The Circle of Eight

597 CY

Riggby dies. [Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk]

There you have it. More or less, anyways.

Long story short, what spells are available to PCs depends on when one’s campaign is set.

If 576, the available spell list is:

Bigby: up to and including his 6^th level spells

Drawmij: 7^th level spells

Evard: all of his spells

Leomund: all of his spells

Melf: all of his spells

Mordenkainen: 8^th level spells

Nystul: all of his spells

Otiluke: 4^th level spells

Otto: 5th level spells

Rary: all of his spells

Tenser: 7^th level spells

If 585, let’s assume all spells are available by this time.

The Circle?

If you do the math, you’ll discover that our canon creators might not have always consulted the AD&D DMG age chart when fleshing out our NPCs’ lives. Granted, this is a very 1^st edition AD&D chart and perhaps not at all relevant to future editions. But if we might bow to the assumption that characters who rise out of earlier editions should conform to those precepts (one might argue that Mordenkainen and Bigby and a whole host of early characters might have found their origin in OD&D and not AD&D at all), then in Bigby’s and Jallarzi’s case they are experienced magic-users before they could have possibly even begun their careers; but I suppose we are to understand that these are persons of exceptional ability and not limited to what we PCs, the hoi palloi, are. No matter. Things fit together better I might have imagined, considering the number of cooks in the kitchen in all those the years of canon creation. Then again, those latter creators were stuck with what preceded them, so perhaps they did a phenomenal job with what they had to work with.

This took more time than I expected. But my posts always do. I tried to even out their progressions between concrete dates, so don’t begrudge my efforts if you don’t agree. You can ignore all the above, after all. Or, you can always fudge the dates further if that suits your needs. No one will know, certainly not me.

“I make no apologies for lack of chronology in my reminiscences, as one incident recalls another, so I put it down.”

― Édith Piaf, The Wheel of Fortune: The Autobiography of Edith Piaf

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:

Hourglass, from World of Greyhawk Atlas, 1983

Theodain Eriason detail, by Sam Wood, Dragon #290, 2001 (1998)

Melf detail, by Clyde Caldwell, from Artifact of Evil, 1986

Melf, by , from

Leomund's Secret Chest, by David A. Trampier, from Players Handbook 1e, 1978

Robilar, by Kristoph Nolen, from Oerth Journal#29, 2019

Rary, by Andrew Hue, from Dungeon Magazine #103, 2003

Bigby, by Jeff Easley, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984

Riggby, by Jeff Easley, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984

Yrag, by Jeff Easley, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984

Cover art, by Clyde Caldwell, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1984

Warnes Starcoat, by Gary Williams, from WG6 Isle of the Ape, 1985

Evard the Black detail, by Udon Studios, from Dungeon Magazine #107, 2004

Serten, from Finger of the Wind, GenCon 2000

Otto, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Drawmij, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Nystul, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

The-Warlock by dark-seanit

Bigby and Otto, from The Adventure Begins, 1998

The Circle of Eight, by Ken Frank, from From the Ashes Reference Card #13, 1992

Tenser (Manzorian) detail, by Steve Prescott, from Dungeon #130, 2006

Alhamazad, by Sam Wood, from Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Cober art detail, by Vance Kelly, from Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes, 2018

The Circle of Eight, by Sam Wood, Dragon #290, 2001 (1998)

The Circle (?), from Players Guide to Greyhawk, 1998

Sources:

1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983

1043 City of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1992

1064 From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992

2010 Players Handbook 1e, 1978

2011A Dungeon Masters Guide 1e, 1979

9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980

9031 The Rogues Gallery 1e, 1980

9576 Return of the Eight, 1998

The Adventure Begins, 1998

9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998

11743 Living Greyhawk Gazetteer, 2000

WGR7 Ivid the Undying, 1998

Dragon Magazine

Oerth Journal

Living Greyhawk Journal

COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs

Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda

A Question of Spell Authorship

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

― Margaret Mead

Questions... And a Spot of Research....

Have you ever actually questioned the true authorship of all those eponymous spells? I never did, back when. But then, for whatever reason, I did. I suspect that niggling doubt arose when I first read the spell Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion. To my mind, this spell appeared to be little more than an excuse for lengthy alliteration, because no other spell in Mordenkainen’s repertoire seemed to align with it. Indeed, it appeared to my mind to align with Leomund’s.

So, why wasn’t it one of Len Lakofka’s Leomund’s? I suspect that might be because Len Lekofka did not write it himself. Len appears to have been a bit of a stickler in that regard, only allowing Leomund’s name to grace those spells he, Len, himself wrote. He may have refused the honour, owing to that. I doubt he was given the opportunity, though, noting the above opportunity for that triple alliteration. That said, I can find no evidence that Len wrote Leomund’s Lamentable Belabourment either, so your guess is as good as mine. No matter, that’s another tale.

This discussion, not that one, is in line with that, though. It is an exploration to see how well those eponymously named spells line up in “theme” with their body of work as a whole, and whether they might be collaborations and not individual efforts.

It’s all just a bit of fun, really.

A Vancian Science

In an earlier post, I raised the notion that the Art of Magic might, it its Vancian origin, might require a certain scientific method. It stands to reason, to my reasoning, that logic must apply: Nothing comes into being as if by magic, if you will excuse the pun; but may do so by meticulous, and laborious research. And research is time consuming. Indeed, the AD&D Dungeon Masters Guide tells us just that. Trial and error is an lengthy process. One expects that sulphur might have been originally applied to earlier attempts at creating a Wall of Fire before the far more dangerous phosphorus [PHB 1e – 78]; and that the original creator of Wall of Ice must have puzzled how the caster might keep a shard of ice at hand before finally trying a shard of quartz [PHB 1e – 79] instead. You get the drift.

Thus, a wizard adept in the erudite lore and esoteric comprehension on how to create “spatial” spells could hardly be an expert on “defensive” spells. Could he…? He could not have applied the same lore required to weave wards to warping space. Or so I surmise. That’s how I came to the conclusion that Leomund, the creator of his Tiny Hut and Secure Shelter, to say mothing of his Secret Chest, must have been the actual creator, or at the very least a collaborator, of Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum and Magnificent Mansion, if you follow my train of thought. Those spells are just too similar to his creations for him not to have had his hand it their creation.

In that vein, I dove into the other spells by the Circle of Eight to see how many others “overlapped” in theme. Need I say that there were a few. It would have been surprising had there not been.

So, whose spells are similar to whose? Let’s see, shall we? (I’ll refer to spells like Bigby’s Interposing Hand merely as Interposing Hand throughout, in hopes of staving off Carpal Tunnel.) Where they do appear to overlap in theme, I’ll add the wizard who I think may have had a hand in its creation in [brackets].

Bigby

Let’s begin, alphabetically, with Bigby:

1^st:

Bookworm Bane (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Feeling Fingers (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

2^nd:

Dextrous Digits (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Silencing Hand (Evocation/Enchantment) – Force Manipulation

3^rd:

Pugnacious Pugilist (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

4^th:

Battering Gauntlet (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Construction Crew (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Force Sculpture (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

5^th:

Fantastic Fencers (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Icy Grip (Evocation/Conjuration) – Force Manipulation/Negative energy [Nystul]

Interposing Hand (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Superior Force Sculpture (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

Strangling Grip (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

6^th:

Besieging Bolt (Evocation) - Force Manipulation/ projectile [Melf]

Forceful Hand (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

7^th:

Grasping Hand (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

8^th:

Most Excellent Force Sculpture (Evocation) – Force Manipulation

9^th:

Crushing Hand (Evocation) - Force Manipulation

Drawmij

Drawmij

1^st:

Beast of Burden (Alteration) – Travel – Lightens loads by Limited Levitation

Light Step (Alteration) – Travel – Limited Levitation

2^nd:

Adventure Luck (Alteration) – Like a luckstone

Breath of Life (Alteration) – Breath

Scent Mask (Illusion/Phantasm) – Breath, Mind [Rary]

3^rd:

Swift Mount (Alteration) – Travel

Marvelous Shield (Evocation) – AC [Mordenkainen, a la his Sword, but defensive and not offensive]

Iron Sack (Evocation) – protects contents [Mordenkainen]

4^th:

Hand Timepiece (Conjuration/Summoning) – Time

Instant Exit (Alteration/Conjuration) – Risky Teleport

Protection from Non-Magic Gas (Abjuration) – Breath

Tool Box (Conjuration/Summoning) – Manipulation [Bigby]

5^th:

Leomund

Flying Feat (Alteration/Enchantment) – Creates flying object – Travel – Levitation

6^th:

Beneficent Polymorph (Alteration) – Alter Other

Merciful Metamorphosis (Alteration) – Alter Other

7^th:

Instant Summons (Conjuration/Summoning) – Teleport object

Leomund:

2^nd:

Trap (Illusion/Phantasm) – Mind [Rary]

3^rd:

Tiny Hut (Alteration) – Space

4^th:

Secure Shelter (Alteration/Enchantment) – Space

5^th:

Melf

Lamentable Belabourment (Enchantment/Evocation) – Mind [Rary]

Secret Chest (Alteration/Conjuration/Summoning) – Space

Melf

2^nd:

Acid Arrow (Evocation) – alter missile

3^rd:

Minute Meteors (Evocation/Alteration) – create globes of fire

Mordenkainen:

1^st:

Buzzing Bee (Evocation) – a “summons” [Bigby]

Protection from Avians (Abjuration) – AC

2^nd:

Encompassing Vision (Alteration) – Sight

3^rd:

Defence Against Lycanthropes (Abjuration) – AC

Defence Against Reptiles (Abjuration) – AC

Defence Against Insects (Abjuration) – AC

4^th:

Celerity (Alteration/Invocation) – Movement

Mordenkainen

Electric Arc (Evocation) – Lightening, Positive Energy [Nystul]

Faithful Shield Maidens (Summoning) – Guardians

Force Missiles (Invocation/Evocation) – Energy Projectiles [Bigby/Melf]

Protection from Slime (Abjuration) – AC

5^th:

Faithful Defenders (Summoning) – Guardians

Faithful Hounds (Conjuration/Summoning) – Guardians

Involuntary Wizardry (Enchantment/Charm) – Mind [Rary]

Private Sanctum (Alteration/Abjuration) – Space [Leomund]

6^th:

Ascent – Levitation [Drawmij]

Joining – Alter matter [Drawmij]

Lucubrution (Alteration) – Mind [Rary]

Faithful Guardian (Summoning) – Guardians

Trusted Bloodhound (Conjuration) – Guardians

7^th:

Penultimate Cogitation (Alteration) – Guardians

Sword (Evocation) – Manipulation [Bigby]

Magnificent Mansion (Alteration/Conjuration) – Space [Leomund]

8^th:

Capable Caravel (Conjuration) – Mobile Space [Leomund]

9^th:

Disjunction (Alteration/Enchantment) – Affect magic

Wizard (Conjuration) – Summons Hound – Guardian

Nystul

Nystul:

1^st:

Magic Aura (Illusion/Phantasm) – Mind [Rary]

Dancing Werelight (Alteration) – Positive energy

Flash (Evocation) – Positive energy

2^nd:

Blackmole (Evocation) – Negative energy

Blazing Beam (Evocation) – Positive energy

Crystal Dagger (Evocation/Conjuration) – Positive energy [Mordenkainen]

3^rd:

Crystal Dirk (Evocation/Conjuration) – Positive energy [Mordenkainen]

Fire Extinguisher (Evocation) – Negative energy (?)

Golden Revelation (Alteration) – reveals magic

Radiant Baton (Evocation) – Positive energy [Mordenkainen]

4^th:

Blacklight Burst (Evocation) – Negative energy

Grue Conjuration (Conjuration/Summoning) – Summons

Light Burst (Evocation) – Positive energy

5^th:

Enveloping Darkness (Evocation/Alteration) – Negative energy

Radiating Arch (Alteration) – Positive energy

Otiluke

Otiluke:

1^st:

Bubbling Buoyancy (Alteration) – Sphere/Gas

Smokey Sphere (Evocation) – Sphere/Gas

2^nd:

Boiling Oil Bath (Evocation/Conjuration) – Sphere/Fluid

3^rd:

Acid Cloud (Evocation) – Gas

Force Umbrella (Evocation) – Half-sphere [Drawmij]

4^th:

Resilient Sphere (Evocation/Alteration) – Sphere

Steaming Sphere (Evocation) – Sphere/Gas

Suppressing Field (Abjuration) – Anti-magic [Nystul]

5^th:

Electric Screen (Evocation/Abjuration) – Plane – Anti-energy [Nystul]

Polar Screen (Evocation) – Plane – Anti-energy [Nystul/Drawmij]

Radiant Screen (Evocation) – Plane – Anti-energy [Nystul]

6^th:

Diamond Screen (Evocation) – Plane – Anti-energy [Nystul]

Excruciating Screen (Evocation) – Negative energy [Nystul]

Freezing Sphere (Evocation/Alteration) – Negative energy [Nystul]

Orb of Containment (Evocation) – Sphere

7^th:

Death Screen (Evocation)Alteration – Plane – Anti-energy [Nystul]

Fire and Ice (Evocation) – Sphere

Siege Sphere (Evocation) – Sphere

Telekinetic Sphere (Evocation/Alteration) – Sphere

Otto

Otto:

1^st:

Chime of Release (Alteration) – Sound

2^nd:

Soothing Vibrations (Enchantment/Charm) – Sound

Tone of Forgetfulness (Enchantment/Charm) – Sound/Mind [Rary]

3^rd:

Crystal Rhythms (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm

Imperative Ambulation (Enchantment/Charm) – Mind [Rary?]

Sure-Footed Shuffle (Alteration/Enchantment/Charm) – Charm

4^th:

Drums of Despair (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm/Mind [Rary]

Silver Tongue (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm/Mind [Rary]

Tin Soldiers (Alteration) – Guardian [Mordenkainen]

Tonal Attack (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm

Warding Tones (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm

5^th:

Gong of Isolation (Enchantment/Alteration) – Charm

8^th:

Irresistible Dance (Enchantment/Charm) – Charm [Otto has never reached high enough level to cast this spell, let alone create it; so one must assume he had help. Indeed, he might not have had a hand in creating it at all. If he had not, then Rary would appear the most likely candidate.]

Rary

Rary:

1^st:

Empathetic Perception (Divination) – Mind

2^nd:

Aptitude Appropriator (Divination/Alteration) – Mind

4^th:

Memory Alteration (Enchantment/Charm) – Mind

Mind Scan (Divination) – Mind

Mnemonic Enhancer (Alteration) – Mind

Spell Enhancer (Alteration) – Mind

5^th:

Hesitation (Enchantment/Charm) – Mind

Mind Shield (Alteration) – Mind

Replay of the Past (Divination) – Mind

Superior Spell Enhancer (Alteration) – Mind

Telepathic Bond (Divination/Alteration) – Mind

6^th:

Urgent Utterance (Alteration) – Mind

Protect from Scrying (Abjuration/Divination) – Mind

7^th:

Plane Truth (Divination) – Mind

8^th:

Vicious Missile (Evocation) – Energy missile [Bigby/Melf/Nystul]

Tenser

Tenser:

1^st:

Eye of Tiger (Alteration) – Enhance self

Floating Disk (Evocation) – Plane [Otiluke]

Steady Aim (Alteration) – Enhance self

Brawl (Alteration) – Enhance self

2^nd:

Deadly Strike (Alteration) – Mind [Rary]

Eye of Eagle (Alteration) – Enhance self

Hunting Hawk (Alteration) – Transforms arrow

4^th:

Flaming Blade (Alteration) – weapon [Mordenkainen]

Giant Strength (Alteration) – Enhance self

Master of Arms (Alteration) – Enhance self

Running Warrior (Alteration) – Enhance self

Staff of Smiting (Alteration) – Energy [Nystul]

5^th:

Destructive Resonance (Invocation/Alteration) – Vibration [Otto]

Primal Fury (Enchantment/Alteration) – Mind [Rary]

6^th:

Fortunes of War (Abjuration) – Enhance self

Transformation (Alteration/Evocation) – Enhance self

8^th:

Lift – Levitation [Drawmij]

9^th (10^th):

Binding – Shere [Otiluke]

Telling Blow – Force damage [Bigby]

This is by no means “scientific.” There are spells that “feel” like Bigby spells, but are not Evocation spells, just as there are spells that effect the mind that evoked Rary, or Otto, depending on their intent: Rary’s appear to command while Ott’s to charm (if there is a distinction between the two, which is entirely arguable). If you disagree with me, you’ve every right to: this is merely idle speculation on my part, perhaps of little or no value in gaming application.

What use might this exploration be? I expect this might be of value depending on when you might place your game. How so? Well, when do we suppose these spells were written? They could only have been created after said characters attained a high enough level to create them. That goes without saying. But when might that be? I suspect, depending on the character, those collaborations noted would be after the creation of the Circle of Eight, when Mordenkainen had gathered them all together, and they had the time, the leisure, the facilities, and the resources, to conduct all that research and experimentation.

A Question of Time....

Speaking of research, how long would it have taken those characters to create all their spells?

Length Of Research: Initial preparations and research will consume a number of weeks equal to the level of the spell being researched. After this initial period, there exists a chance to achieve success, the chance being given weekly. Research therefore will always extend to a number of weeks equal to the level of the spell being researched plus 1, i.e., a 1^st level spell will take a minimum of 2 weeks research. Research expense accrues each and every week. There is no limit to the extension of research, although practically, even minimal expenditure will result in successful research after the basic period plus 6 or so weeks on the average. [DMG 1e – 115]

Long story short, it would have taken them some time. But how long?

1^st level spells: 2 weeks each (1/2 month)

Thus all of Bigby’s 1^st level spells combined would take: 1 month; Drawmij: 1 month; Mordenkainen: 1 month; Nystul: 1.5 months; Otiluke: 1 month; Otto: 0.5 months; Rary: 0.5 months; Tenser: 2 months;

2^nd level spells: 4 weeks each (1 month)

Bigby: 2 months; Drawmij: 3 months; Leomund: 1 month; Melf: 1 month; Mordenkainen: 1 month; Nystul: 3 months; Otiluke: 1 month; Otto: 1 month; Rary: 1 month; Tenser: 2 months

3^rd level spells: 6 weeks each (1.5 months)

Bibgy: 1.5 months; Drawmij: 4.5 months; Leomund: 1.5 months; Melf: 1.5 months; Mordenkainen: 4.5 months; Nystul: 6 months; Otiluke: 2 months; Otto: 4.5 months; Rary: 6 months

4^th level spells: 8 weeks each (2 months)

Bibgy: 6 months; Drawmij: 8 months; Leomund: 2 months; Mordenkainen: 10 months; Nystul: 6 months; Otiluke: 6 months; Otto: 10 months; Rary: 8 months; Tenser: 10 months

5^th level spells: 10 weeks each (2.5 months)

Bibgy: 12.5 months; Drawmij: 2.5 months; Leomund: 5 months; Mordenkainen: 12.5 months; Nystul: 5 months; Otiluke: 7.5 months; Otto: 2.5 months; Rary: 12.5 months; Tenser: 5 months

6^th level spells: 12 weeks each (3 months)

Bibgy: 6 months; Drawmij: 6 months; Mordenkainen: 15 months; Otiluke: 12 months; Rary: 6 months; Tenser: 6 months

7^th level spells: 14 weeks each (3.5 months)

Bibgy: 3.5 months; Drawmij: 3.5 months; Mordenkainen: 10.5 months; Otiluke: 14 months; Rary: 3.5 months

8^th level spells: 16 weeks each (4 months)

Bibgy: 4 months; Mordenkainen: 4 months; Otto: 4 months; Rary: 4 months; Tenser: 4 months

9^th level spells: 18 weeks each (4.5 months)

Bibgy: 4.5 months; Mordenkainen: 9 months; Tenser: 9 months

Total time per character:

Bibgy: 41 months (3.5 years); Drawmij: 28.5 months (2.4 years); Leomund: 9.5 months (0.8 years); Melf: 2.5 months; Mordenkainen: 67.5 months (3 years); Nystul: 21.5 months (1.8 years); Otiluke: 43.5 months (3.6 years); Otto: 22.5 months (1.9 years); Rary: 41.5 months (3.4 years); Tenser: 38 months (3.2 years)

That’s a lot of time! It goes without saying that they could not have created them all in one go. I imagine they were puzzled out in fits and starts.

Of Sound Mind and Body

Conditions Under Which Spell Research Is Possible: It is absolutely mandatory for the researcher to be of sound mind and body and to have privacy and seclusion free from interruption during the course of his or her spell study. This necessity precludes any adventuring or general interaction during the period of research. It requires about 8 hours per day of work, and only an hour or two per day can be spent doing other things - instructing underlings, disbursing funds, etc. Any interruption of research will be a setback. Each day of such hiatus will cause 1 full week of last time. Also, as noted above, a library must be at hand, and this means that either the researcher must have his or her own stronghold or highly private quarters, or obtain them prior to beginning the project. If a personal library is not possessed, the research must be carried on in or within one day's journey of a town or city in which the research materials can be obtained. [DMG 1e – 115]

One imagines that at least a month of rest might follow each creation, perhaps even before, as well, further extending that time.

The Cost....

Of course, research and development costs.

I wonder what all this creation cost them?

Cost Of Research: The basic cost for spell research is only 200 gold pieces per spell level per week. […] To the base cost must be added a weekly variable of 100 to 400 gold pieces per level of the spell, the variable accounting far additional materials needed. If no library of materials is owned by the researcher, the base cost increases by a factor of 10 (2,000 gold pieces per spell level per week), the researcher being assumed to be acquiring arcane texts and scrolls, thus creating a library. [DMG 1e – 115]

Simple math says 400 gp/week/spell level with a library; 2400 gp/week/spell level without, on average. Let’s look at what the total cost of each of Bigby’s, Mordenkainen’s, and Tenser’s spell research would cost, individually.

Bigby:

1^st: 1,600 gp with, 9,600 without

2^nd: 6,400 with; 38,400 without

3^rd: 7,200 with; 43,200 without

4^th: 38,400 with; 240,400 without

5^th: 100,000 with; 600,000 without

6^th: 57,600 with; 345,600 without

7^th: 39,200 with; 235,200 without

8^th: 51,200 with; 307,200 without

9^th: 64,800 with; 388,800 without

Mordenkainen:

1^st: 1,600 gp with, 9,600 without

2^nd: 3,200 with; 19,200 without

3^rd: 21,600 with; 129,600 without

4^th: 64,000 with; 384,000 without

5^th: 27,000 with; 648,000 without

6^th: 144,400 with; 864,400 without

7^th: 117,600 with; 705,600 without

8^th: 51,200 with; 307,200 without

9^th: 129,600 with; 777,600 without

Tenser:

1^st: 3,200 gp with, 19,200 without

2^nd: 6,400 with; 38,400 without

4^th: 64,000 with; 384,000 without

5^th: 40,000 with; 288,000 without

6^th: 48,000 with; 345,600 without

8^th: 51,200 with; 307,200 without

9^th: 129,600 with; 777,600 without

I could add the totals up, but what would be the point? With or without a personal library spell research is a costly endeavour, however pursued. The thing is, their total cost is incalculable, to be truthful. We can be sure that these three (indeed, all the wizards noted above, apart from perhaps Melf) have a vast personal library. But no one can have a complete library. One imagines they must surely have had to consult each another’s from time to time, and they might even have had to pay the presumably exorbitant fees demanded by The Great Library of Greyhawk, or some other, to gain access to their collections. I expect that would not be cheap. And I would expect their fees would not be waved in light of the Circle’s quiet notoriety. I wonder: What might be the cost of gathering such a library, whether purchasing those tomes, or financing the expeditions to steal them or unearth them from long-lost tombs. However these libraries came to be, and whatever the costs they might need incur, to examine rare and secret tomes in private or “public” collections would be staggering, to say the least.

I suppose that’s why the Citadel of Eight and the Circle of Eight spent so much time exploring dungeons. We – I, anyway – were led to believe that they were questing after magic items and fell tomes (I refer to Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure) to add to their personal collections, but I’m beginning to believe that wasn’t the whole reason for such ventures. I’m beginning to believe they risked life and limb because they needed the cash!

A Well Stocked Library

I imagine we must then add yet another month between each bout of research to keep up their pace of “Balancing” the Flanaess, be they networking in far-reaching courts; or chasing down, apprehending, and euthanizing those irritating adversaries that needed such attention. All that must keep an aspiring archmage busy and away from his library and laboratory.

Let’s assume employment of a sage and an apprentice or two might aid in the pursuit of their research; but the DMG was pretty clear that spell research and creation was a time-consuming and lengthy process.

I expect that most of these spells (the higher-level ones, anyway) must have been penned in the 570s, and presumably in either Mordenkainen’s citadel, or in the City of Greyhawk, where innumerable tomes could be had to aid them in their pursuit, and they had access to each others’ input.

(Rary is excluded from these calculations, he not being mentioned all that often in canon, and he may have had quite a few years at his disposal at his tower in Lopollo, prior to joining the Circle; that said, he could only have aided the others after joining the Circle of Eight, to my mind. As to Otiluke, he appears to have been a rather sedentary soul, so his time for research is not in question: he had quite a bit of time on his hands between his joining and passing, between Oligarch sessions.)

So, when exactly could these spells have been created. One might have to ponder their life histories, and when they each might have attained what level to divine when each of their spells might have been created.

One imagines that any wizard can research spells; but one also assumes that the wizard must be able to cast 2^nd level spells to have any hope in creating one.

Shall I pursue such an exploration? I shall.

Was this a useful exploration? Unlikely. Who, after all, would possibly care whether Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion was created by Mordenkainen or Leomund, or whether it was a collaboration of the two. Me, apparently.

But it was fun, all the same. For me, anyway.

"Never memorize anything you can look up."

― Albert Einstein

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:

The-Alchemist by rodg-art

Book by kuteynikovroman

Bigby, by Sam Wood, Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Drawmij, by Sam Wood, Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Wizard-in-the-woods by mattforsyth

Elven-Knight-Portrait by vyerran

Mordenkainen, by Thomas Denmark, from Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, 2007

Nystul, by Sam Wood, Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Gerard-Ged-Sparrow by pallastyto

Otto, by Sam Wood, Living Greyhawk Journal #0, 2000

Rary, by Andrew Hue, from Dungeon Magazine #103, 2003

Tenser, Greyhawk Trading Card #213, 1992

Hourglass-2 by sostitanic1912

Wizard by thegryph

Treasure-chest by selebriana

Library by angelforme

Sources:

2010 Players Handbook 1e, 1978

2011A Dungeon Masters Guide, 1st Ed., 1979

2011 Unearthed Arcana, 1985

2023 Greyhawk Adventures, 1988

2121 Tome of Magic, 1991

Players Option: Spells and Magic, 1996

Complete Mage, 2006

Miniatures Handbook, 2003

Shipwrack, 2005

Arcane Power, 2009