Friday 26 April 2024

On Mordenkainen, Part 2


“Begin, be bold, and venture to be wise.”
― Horace


Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen, hitherto, had been just another adventurer upon the Flanaess. He was schooled as any other wizard, graduated, travelled, made friends and enemies, delved dungeons, and amassed such wealth to begin constructing his stronghold. One might imagine that he would pat himself on the back for his accomplishments. But Mordenkainen was, as we might say, cut from different cloth. To be frank: he believed himself to be without apparent purpose, unless existing as a reaver among men is purposeful.
Was he, though? A mere adventurer? Most adventurers are mere adrenaline junkies, despite their voiced desire to make their mark upon the world and have their exploits sung throughout the ages. Indeed, the only mark most make is an early grave, an inevitable fate, addicted to the thrill they get from the pursuit of danger. Few ever amass power, either magical, political, or personal, despite their desire to, although some survive to do just that, whether through force or courtly influence or shadowy manipulation.
Unlike them, Mordenkainen reflected upon his fruitful, yet fruitless, pursuit of excitement and the buried wealth and trinkets of the past. What use was it all, he wondered? It was then when he wondered whether he might make his mark upon the world. A lasting mark. Even if that mark remained unheralded throughout the ages.
It was then that Mordenkainen had a mind to change the whole of the world.

551 CY
Modenkainen thought long and hard on how he might do just that. When he finally did settle on a plan, he took Bigby into his confidence.
Bigby
The series of alliances that would [eventually] evolve into the Circle of Eight began simply, over a meal of venison and Celenese nectarwine in a posh inn near the shores of the Wild Coast.
[LGJ#0 – 4]
A few months ago, you and your apprentice Bigby discussed taking a more active hand in the preservation of the Balance. [COR1 – 00 The Citadel – PCs – 1]
Mordenkainen debated with his young apprentice, Bigby, the merits of taking an active hand in maintaining the celestial balance of power. Thereafter, the two struck upon a plan to gather a group of like-minded individuals that would act to hinder advances by those who would dominate the Flanaess. That their expected exploits would impart upon the mages no small amount of lost magical lore only served to hasten the alliance. [LGJ#0 – 4,5]

Robilar
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]
Tenser
Tenser: Human magic-user AL: LG [Rogues Gallery 1e – 47]
You now journey to Verbobonc to speak with the mage Tenser about joining the group. [COR1 – 00 – 1]
Robilar (8th level human male fighter): Robilar is known to be friendly and good-natured, but also vengeful and short-tempered when he is angered. You are not sure how he will work out, but he seems to embrace your cause right now. Robilar has a henchman, Quij the orc, who he left in your castle. You are a little nervous. [COR1 – 00 – 2]
Robilar (LN) [COR1 – 00 – 3]
Riggby
Bigby (7th level human male wizard): Your apprentice is quite talented, and you have managed to imbue him with your dedication to the Balance. He follows your lead most of the time, which is just what you want. You are genuinely fond of him, but don’t really trust him with all your thoughts (or anyone else, for that matter). [COR1 – 00 – 2]
Bigby (Neutral) [WG5 Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure – 31/COR1 – 00 – 5]
Yrag
Riggby (7th level human male cleric of Boccob): Riggby has political aspirations within his church, and sees himself as the wise mentor of his followers. That’s okay with you, as long as he is willing to work toward Balance. Religiously, you incline towards Boccob yourself, so it is nice to have the priest in the group. [COR1 – 00 – 2]
Riggby (NG) [Rogues Gallery 1e - 46]/ (N) [WG5 – 32/ COR1 – 00 – 7]
Serten
Yrag (8th level human male fighter): Yrag is Riggby’s friend, almost his assistant. He is cautious, but willing to be friendly and easy to be around. You have to observe him more carefully to learn more about him, as he is the newest member of the group. [COR1 – 00 – 2]
Yrag (Neutral) [WG5 – 31] (LN) [COR1 – 00 – 10]
Serten: (7th level human male cleric of Saint Cuthbert): No mention is made as to what Mordenkainen thought of Serten, but one might imagine that he found the cleric 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]
Serten (LG) [Rogues Gallery 1e – 46]
Merlynd
"Merlynd the Mage" soon rounded out their number.
Murlynd: Human magic-user [EX2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror – 8], in disguise. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Murlynd is rather a misfit anywhere, for he mixes magic and technology—often to the detriment of everything concerned. Murlynd is a magic-user of no small ability, and has alchemical skills and certain technological items that, in general, only he can employ. [EX2 – 8]
AL: Lawful (good) [Dragon #71 – 21]

That group of like-minded individuals became the Citadel of Eight.
[Mordenkainen] founded an adventuring group called the Citadel of Eight—inspired by Zagig’s own Company of Seven—to explore central Flanaess and discover the treasures and knowledge of lost civilizations [EttRoG – 9], taking the name from Mordenkainen’s renowned Obsidian Citadel, in the Yatil Mountains. [LGJ#0 – 5]
One finds it odd that Mordenkainen would gather this hand-picked group of like-minded individuals and risk his very life to their power and competency, and yet reserve his full trust concerning their knowing where the citadel they were named after happened to be situated.
Only Bigby and Tenser know of his home’s precise location. [PGtG – 22] [Murlynd is exempt, of course.]
But Mordenkainen has been a suspicious soul since – well, forever, hasn’t he. He’s held his cards close to his chest, at all times. And rightly so. His philosophy might not fall well on less than agreeable ears.
Mordenkainen's view of balance is no tit-for-tat equality, but a highly detailed and extremely theoretical philosophy derived from decades of arcane research. [LGJ#0 – 9]
In the course of his arcane studies and world travels, he developed a rigid philosophy based on cosmological balance, fighting on the side of good as often as he nudged events in the direction of evil. [EttRoG – 9]
He has fought ardently for the forces of Good, […] but just as often has worked on darker plots to achieve his ends. [LGG – 156]
In this way he hoped to preserve a status quo within society, ensuring that no single faction gained the upper hand. [EttRoG – 9]
You will fight ardently for the forces of good, but could with equal vigor work as a shadow player for malevolence. In all things, you prefer to maneuver behind the scenes, subtly manipulating events to ensure that no side gains the upper hand. [COR1 – 00 – 1]
You dislike the incursions of monsters, however, and whether for good or evil will oppose them. You are not humanocentric, as elves, dwarves, humans, gnomes, and halflings are all equal in your view. But humanoid monsters, such as orcs and ogres, find little sympathy. [COR1 – 00 – 1]
His philosophy is puzzling to such an unenlightened soul as mine. Evil, to my mind, has never required a helping hand. Evil flourishes without any help at all. Perhaps I am viewing this from the wrong angle; perhaps Mordenkainen believed that a benevolent state might indeed be oppressive, applying a heavy-handed approach in its interpretation of what might be good for one-and-all, suppressing unsanctioned opinion and ambition, upward mobility, or pragmatic views concerning violence that, in the end, might stagnate or fail to safeguard the state from outside forces. Whatever his reasons, Mordenkainen could be a double-edged sword, indeed.
Mordenkainen is 42 years old.

Early 550s CY
In the beginning, the Citadel of Eight did little to alter the course of any state.
In the years that followed, their adventures focused on Greyhawk and the Selintan valley, and the crags of the Cairn Hills and depths of the Suss Forest were opened to their prying vision. [LGJ#0 – 5]
In the company of his apprentice Bigby, the fearless Lord Robilar, and the willful cleric Riggby, [Mordenkainen] relentlessly explored the ruins of Zagig’s castle, charting its secrets and plundering its priceless treasures. [EttRoG – 4]
In the beginning, the Citadel of Eight would seem to be more preoccupied with the acquisition of magic items and the long-buried wealth from long-forgotten civilisations than in meddling with the policies of misguided Lord Mayors or oppressive Kings and Queens.
With his allies in the Citadel of Eight, Robilar conquered the dungeons of Castle Roakire and the mirrored halls of the Forever Cairn, meeting each new challenge with a fearless abandon and a lust for fresh adventuring thrills. [EttRoG – 10]
Nor did they adventure exclusively with their membership, either.
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]
Indeed, the Citadel appeared to be more of a loose confederation of daring-doers than a serious political player.

Late 550s CY
Terik
How did Mordenkainen’s Citadel of Eight fare? It appears to have largely been a force for good, despite Mordenkainen’s claim that he could work with equal vigor as a shadow player for malevolence.
[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]
Which must have suited its membership, which remained unchanged for some time, until Merlynd the Mage declared his desire to depart, and was replaced by Robilar’s brother Terik.

But as time passed, Mordenkainen spent ever more time poring over dusty tomes than plunging into dusty tombs, much to Robilar’s chagrin. Books were boring. And he told Mordenkainen as much.
Mordenkainen disagreed. The wisdom of the world was etched within them, he explained, as he turned yet another dusty page.
What was Mordenkainen perusing? Histories. Zagig’s. Tasha’s. Iggwilv’s. Iuz’s. One thread led to another. Each of them, in their time, Mordenkainen realised, had been searching for something, each in turn obsessed with unfathomable mysteries, and traps…. What did it all mean?

557 CY
One day, all of Mordenkainen’s research bore fruit and led him and his Citadel, perhaps not surprisingly, back to Castle Greyhawk, years after they had all but abandoned its variable catacombs.
In the company of his apprentice Bigby, the fearless Lord Robilar, and the willful cleric Riggby, the wizard [Mordenkainen] relentlessly explored the ruins of Zagig’s castle, charting its secrets and plundering its priceless treasures. [EttRoG – 4]
Mordenkainen never let on about what he was looking for in the Mad Mage’s ever shifting maze, but Robilar suspected it continued to elude him.
He was wrong in that assumption.
At the culmination of his research, in the shadow of a dozen lost companions, Mordenkainen finally discovered Zagig’s Prison, an entire dungeon level designed to imprison nine demigods encountered by Zagig on his travels. In his final act as a mortal, Zagig carved an essence of their divine power and claimed it as his own, departing the Material Plane as the newly divine “Zagyg” to serve in the court of Boccob, Archmage of the Gods. But the nine prisoners remained. Among them was Iuz the Old, the half-demon son of the Witch-Queen Iggwilv and the demon prince Graz’zt. The fiendish tyrant had vanished from his northern empire in Mordenkainen’s youth, leaving savage humanoid hordes and diabolical societies in the ensuing power vacuum. […] With the discovery of Zagig’s Prison, Mordenkainen decided to try to prevent that return from ever happening. [EttRoG – 4]
He did not, just then, however, know how he might do that.

Mordenkainen did reveal a most striking discovery to his fellows, though.
Zagig was still alive and active long after he was believed by all to be dead. Then came the revelation by Mordenkainen and several of his associates that they believed Zagig (now called Zagyg, a variation that the archmage often used at whim in signing documents when he was Lord Mayor of Greyhawk) to not only be alive but to be a demigod; several of the Circle accorded him their worship. [TAB – 61]

Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen did not confide to his supposed closest friend, Robilar, about his discovery of Zagig’s godtrap. One wonders whether Mordenkainen had already begun to wonder where Robilar’s loyalties lay.
Indeed, one day Mordenkainen came to call on Robilar’s loyal henchman Quij when Robilar was off, out and about. And asked to see him, and not Robilar!
He asked Quij many curious questions, like did he know where Robilar went, what he was about, and whether he, Quij, liked working for his master.
Quij did not know what to make of it – indeed, he wondered if it were some sort of trap, a way for them to be rid of him, the stupid orc, once and for all – so he said that he liked his master very much and that he was always loyal.
Then Mordenkainen left. But not before he commanded Quij that he ought to keep this conversation between them, hinting that Robilar might not like others talking about him behind his back.
Quij thought it best to never mention the visit. Because, truth be told, it worried him, and because he suspected it might be a test of his loyalty, but mostly because, in time, he forgot about it.
Mordenkainen is 48 years old.

559 CY
Otto
Having found Robilar's servant, the euroz Quij, wholly incorruptible (insofar as loyalty to his master was concerned), the Archmage of Greyhawk set upon a more mundane plan. Working through contacts in the Prelacy of Almor, he drafted an aspiring magic-wielding priest of Boccob as his mole.
[LGJ#0 – 10]
Having engaged Otto, Mordenkainen turned his attention to another matter.
Serten had brought a certain young woodsman of promise to his attention. He decided to appraise the boy’s worth himself.
A year or two ago, a wizard named Mordenkainen and his apprentice Bigby helped [Otis] defeat a band of trolls near Hommlet [.] [COR1 – 00 – 13]
The young woodsman did indeed warrant further scrutiny. He might even one day be of use.
Mordenkainen is 50 years old.

560 CY
Otto set to work, placing himself directly in Robilar’s path.
Robilar, Tenser and Teric [sic] were adventuring in Castle Greyhawk when they encountered Otto in a room on the second dungeon level. In the ensuing melee, Otto was subdued by Tenser. After a dispute involving the two mages, he decided to work for Robilar. [OJ#7 – 44]
So it was that Otto worked his way into Robilar's organization, and onto the path of events that would see him as a founding member of the Circle of Eight. [LGJ#0 – 10]
Otto the mage retained his laboratories/apartments on the third floor of Robilar's Castle, near Robilar's training halls. [OJ#7 – 41]
Mordenkainen could not have been more pleased.

He was not entirely pleased with the Citadel’s membership, however.
[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]
Indeed, it was only a matter of time before its members would – how shall we say it – disagree with its (Mordenkainen’s) aims, its means, and methods. Terik, for instance. His loyalty was not to Mordenkainen but to his brother. It was thus time for Robilar’s head-strong brother to go.
[Mordenkainen’s] philosophy has gained the archmage a virtual army of enemies, not a few of whom once considered him a good friend. Among these last can be counted Evard the Black, Terik and, of course, Rary. [LGJ#0 – 9]
Terik […] vanished, some said to the anonymity of the Bandit Kingdoms. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Who to replace him…? Someone young and impressionable would serve best. The young woodsman Otis came instantly to mind.
Otis
When Mordenkainen asked you to join his adventuring group, you agreed. It will be a chance to practice working with a team.
[COR1 – 00 – 13]
Finally, the young woodsman, Otis, rounded out the group. [LGJ#0 – 5]
[Otis is] a ranger [.] [T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil – 34]
Otis (7th level human male ranger): Otis is not as committed to Balance as the rest of the members, but he is a valiant ally and a friend. You have adventured with him in the past, and his skills complement the rest of the group very well. He sometimes goes alone to perform personal missions, but has agreed to participate with the group when needed. [COR1 – 00 – 2]
But no sooner had the idealist young ranger joined the Citadel did half of his new companions fly of on a magic carpet, without so much as a how-you-do, or where-you-going.

Where was Mordenkainen off to? To where his research had led him – to Maure Castle.
Events of WG5 Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure
The adventure is assumed to take place before 570 CY, perhaps as early as 560, because of the lower levels listed for Mordenkainen and Bigby.  [TAB – 3]

MORDENKAINEN THE MAGE
MORDENKAINEN THE MAGE
CLASS: Magic-User
LEVEL: 12
Strength: 10 Intelligence: 18 Wisdom: 15 Dexterity: 17 Constitution: 17 Charisma: 18
ALIGNMENT: Neutral
DEITY: Boccob
Mordenkainen appears to be a middle-aged man bedecked in simple grey robes, perhaps resembling a merchant. His face suggests age beyond his normal appearance, as if wisdom were a part of his charisma, thrusting out upon those that stand near him almost as much as do his bushy eyebrows. His hair is black and cropped, his beard black with silver streaks and well waxed.
Magic Items: Dagger +1, Bracers of Defense AC 4, Wand of Fear, Scroll of the Efreeti, Silver Key of Portals, Carpet of Flying, Crystal Ball
Spells Carried:
Level 1: Charm Person, Jump, Magic Missile, Protection from Evil
Level 2: Continual Light, Locate Object, Ray of Enfeeblement, Web
Level 3: Dispel Magic, Fireball, Haste, Slow
Level 4: Fire Shield, Ice Storm (x2), Wizard Eye
Level 5: Monster Summoning III, Teleport (x2), Wall of Force
Level 6: Globe of Invulnerability
[WG5 – 30]

Riggby, Mordenkainen, Bigby, and Yrag
Mordenkainen the Mage and his boon companions, Yrag, Riggby, and Bigby […] have been tempted to explore Maure Castle because of the widespread rumors concerning the “unopenable” doors. Preferring not to attract attention, they have traveled from their abode, the Citadel of Eight, upon Mordenkainen’s carpet of flying
. [WG5 – 4]
Mordenkainen did not take Robilar with him, however.
“You’re kidding, right?” Robilar argued. He knew that region far better than Yrag, he reasoned.
Lord Robilar once spent his summers in Pontyrel, in Urnst's Maure Lands [LGG – 16]
There was not enough room on the carpet for Yrag and him both, Mordenkainen said, as if that explained everything.
“Whatever,” Robilar shrugged, dismissing Mordenkainen’s stupid reason.

In truth, Mordenkainen did not include Robilar because he begun to sense a change in his hitherto first choice of “meat shield” and thought him unsuitable for what might come to pass during this expedition.
Although his 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 – 11]
Robilar (LE) [Rogues 1e – 46]
Not that Mordenkainen would admit to such knowledge. Robilar was a useful member of their fellowship, and Mordenkainen had every wish to keep his longtime friend close.
He was not the only one, however, to notice the change in Robilar.
Tenser: “Robilar’s feet are now on a path unspeakable. [WG6 The Isle of the Ape – 6]

Upon arrival, they might have remarked on Maure Castle’s ominous appearance.
Maure Castle is a forlorn, forbidding place on the edge of the Cairn Hills, standing above a boggy valley in Urnst. The above-ground levels of the castle are largely ruined, and the presence of a nesting pair of rocs in the hills nearby discourages the casually curious. Evilly-inclined ravens and other carrion birds flock to the castle towers. Fierce tyrgs are known to roam the area.
The entrances to the dungeons of Maure Castle are well obscured and reputedly located down long, slime-covered chutes with traps and hazards all their own, such as nesting otyughs, acid pools, and worse. [FtAC – 30]
Evil radiated from its every aspect. They were not disappointed by what they found there.
Mordenkainen and his companions entered the dungeon [,] slew Tomorast and most of his agents, robbed the place of much lore and wealth, and departed for greater challenges elsewhere. [Dungeon #112 – 13]
What they found was the Tome of the Black Heart.
This book was written by several evil magi, whose time of existence upon Oerth is not recorded, save that they dwelt near the Valley of the Mage. The Tome was lost during those years when the Mage of the Valley brought down a great ruin upon these evil ones. [WG5 – 25]
Eli Tomorast
Indeed, Mordenkainen knew exactly what was to be found there. It was the very reason why he had insisted they go there: to gain possession of that very volume that Zagig had once, long ago, stolen away from lost Veralos! [Dragon #293 – 91]
He had learned that mad Eli Tomorast has been many places, including a long-past visit to the Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun […] some years back, where he was instructed by priests concerning the ways of hidden knowledge as taught by the once-powerful Tharizdun. Recently, he sought to return to a place he chanced upon in the past, a place named in a forgotten rhyme as “The Lost City of the Elders.” [WG5 – 16]
That Tomorast sought knowledge of Tharizdun and Elder Evils was disturbing. That he had in his possession a book that could have opened pathways to those unspeakable horrors as terrifying. Indeed, it was not until Tomorast had laid hand on the tome that he had had any success in his dark pursuit. So, one might consider it a “good” thing that they retrieved that infamous tome from that madman.
If only they had burned that black book, then and there! But Mordenkainen insisted that he need know what lay betwixt its covers, to guard against what it promised.
He read that foul book. He ought not to have. Because what he found within it changed him forever. None knew it then, however.

The Tome of the Black Heart was not the only thing they found there. They found a particular sword, too. One wonders what Modenkainen did with that sword, The Ebon Flame.
This longsword +2, 4 vs. lawful good alignment, is evil, usable by all evil alignments. It is not intelligent, although it can communicate through empathy. It has no ego at all. The sword’s face and edge have many small black fickering flames upon it, though these do not radiate warmth. When used in combat, the sword bursts forth in black flame, which runs from pommel to tip but does not affect the wielder in any way. […]
Each Sword of the Ebon Flame comes complete with a curse [.] […]
It is thought that several varieties of these swords were made by some great artificer for all alignments. If researched […], the history surrounding their placement in the Flanaess will be scarce and unreliable, indicating instead that the swords might be more likely found in the outer realms. [WG5 – 25]
Did he hide it away? Or did he gift it to Robilar, knowing full well that his friend could wield it without ill-effect? And to appease his friend for having left him behind…. To throw him a bone, as it were.
Hey, it's better than a T-shirt!

560s CY
His Citadel Complete!
Mordenkainen finally completed his citadel amid the Yatils. It’s a dark place. Remote. Hidden. Shadowed. Secretive. Indeed, if one thought for any length of time upon its appearance, one might find parallels to Maure Castle. Rooks wheel overhead. Giants and dragons patrol its approaches. Its very name is suggestive: The Obsidian Citadel. One wonders if its aspect mirrored Mordenkainen’s increasingly shadowed soul? It appears a perfect place to brood and scheme, and to unearth and ponder hitherto long-lost mysteries.
It would seem that is exactly what Mordenkainen did there, too.
Engaged in so much research and pondering, he entered his most prolific period – prolific would be an understatement; indeed, he wrote more spells over the coming years than would seem humanly possible.
When a magic-user attains 11th level (Wizard) or higher, he or she may enchant items or scribe magic scrolls. [PHB 1e – 25]
[One imagines then that a magic-user must be at least this level to begin creating spells.]

Mordenkainen’s Spells
Level One
Mordenkainen’s Buzzing Bee [Miniatures Handbook – 37]
Mordenkainen’s Protection From Avians [GA – 56]
Level Two
Mordenkainen’s Encompassing Vision [GA – 56]
Level Three
Mordenkainen’s Defense Against Lycanthropes [GA – 56]
Mordenkainen’s Defense Against Nonmagical Reptiles and Amphibians [GA – 57]
Mordenkainen’s Protection From Insects and Arachnids [GA – 57]
Level Four
Mordenkainen’s Celebrity [Tome of Magic – 30]
Mordenkainen’s Electric Arc [GA – 57]
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens [GA – 57]
Mordenkainen’s Force Missiles [Players Option: Spells and Magic]
Mordenkainen’s Protection From Slime [GA – 57]
Mordenkainen’s Trusted Bloodhound [Complete Mage - 111]
Level Five
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Hound [PHB 1e – 81]
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Defenders [GA – 57]
Mordenkainen’s Involuntary Wizardry [Dragon #200 – 24]
Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum [GA – 58]
Level Six
Mordenkainen’s Ascent [Dragon #366 4e – 30]
Mordenkainen’s Faithful Phantom Guardian [GA – 58]
Mordenkainen’s Joining [Dragon #366 – 30]
Mordenkainen’s Lubrication [Dragon #68 – 54/UA – 61]
Level Seven
Mordenkainen’s Magnificent Mansion [Dragon #68 – 55/UA – 62]
Mordenkainen’s Penultimate Cogitation [GA – 58]
Mordenkainen’s Sword [PHB 1e – 88]
Level Eight
Mordenkainen’s Capable Caravel [Stormwrack – 119]
Level Nine
Mordenkainen’s Disjunction [Dragon #68 – 59/UA – 65]
Mordenkainen’s Guardian Hound [Arcane Power 4e]
[See Dragon #401 and the 4e Players Handbook for other new and variant versions of existing spells.]
One wonders when he found the time to invent so many spells while engaged in all his other exploits. But he did. Presumably.
Not only did he find the time for such extensive magic research, but he also found the time to create magic items and write a great many erudite tomes.

Arcane Key
The arcane key is a humble tool for use with a common ritual, but it has grand roots. The wizard Mordenkainen first crafted it to make his wards more accessible to allies he might make later, but he also wanted the wards to be more secure than a simple visible symbol or secret sign. Making his ability to access others’ secrets is a hidden bonus. Legend claims the great wizard spread a dozen chests warded with the most powerful Arcane Locks throughout the world, only to be opened by the unique arcane keys that he used in their enchantment. [Dragon #387 – 28]

Architecture by Leomund & Mordenkainen
(Leomund’s secure shelter, Leomund’s tiny hut, forcecage, Mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion)
[Dragon #82 – 58]
Cosmogony of Magnetic Fluids” by Mordenkainen
(chain lightning, volley, energy drain, Mordenkainen’s disjunction)
[Dragon #82 – 58]
The Dark Sides of the Memory by Mordenkainen
(banishment, Mordenkainens lucubration, ensnarement, contingency)
[Dragon #82 – 58]
Epic Saga of the Great Conjurers by Mordenkainen
(Mordenkainen’s faithful hound, conjure animals, monster summoning VI, cacodemon)
[Dragon #82 – 58]
“On The Rise of Magecraft and Modernity” by Mordenkainen
The sagacious Mordenkainen has written in his work, On the Rise of Magecraft and Modernity, that the evolution of written wizardry was key to the Proliferation of magic among the masses. He theorizes that incantations and other magical formulae were originally developed as teaching tools by such beings as the Suel Mages of Power and Baklunish Sorcerer-Priests to advance the Art in their apprentices. [LGJ#4 – 11]
The Weapons of the Ether” by Melf & Mordenkainen
(whip, Melf’s acid arrow, magic missile, enchant an item, enchanted weapon, Mordenkainen’s sword)
[Dragon #82 – 59]
That is quite a varied bibliography!

Why was he so driven? It’s as if he were obsessed with unearthing clues to some deep, dark, and perhaps unfathomable secret.
It was then that be began his most serious and secretive work, the Codex of Mordenkainen”.
For decades, [Mordenkainen] has been collecting his thoughts in a work known as the Codex of Mordenkainen. Archmages across the Flanaess would give anything to peruse its pages. [LGJ#0 – 9]
He would never tell, though. Indeed, not even Bigby knew what Mordenkainen was so furiously inscribing in it.
It was also then that he had become ever more obsessed with gods and artifacts, and portals.
  • Queen Ehlissa's Marvelous Nightingale: The origin of this artifact is unknown, although the Mage Mordenkainen is reported to have asserted that the Nightingale was made by Xagy and the goddess of volcanic activity, Joramy, some 17 centuries ago. […] It is rumored that the eyes of this artifact can shoot forth scintillating rays of brilliant color, each color having a different effect; its songs likewise are able to work magical wonders, and if the rays and songs are directed in combination highly powerful spells are supposedly woven. It is known that the device throws forth a protective sphere, preventing detection or magical (or psionic) intrusion in a 30' radius. [DMG 1e – 160]
  • Dalt [Suel god of Portals, Locks, and Keys] was largely forgotten until the mage, Mordenkainen, discovered one of the god’s artifacts, after which he gained popularity among those who watch over, open, or break down doors. [SB – 82]
Veralos
Mordenkainen stole away to search out and explore the nooks and crannies of those lost cities and forgotten civilisations he’d unearthed, searching for buried artifacts. One wonders if he was searching for Tomorast’s Lost City of the Elders. He began where Zagig had long ago found that dreadful Tome of the Black Heart, Veralos.
  • Veralos does exist, and it is located along the northern edge of the Rift canyon, but the land immediately surrounding the ruin is reportedly cracked and perilously dotted with sinkholes making it difficult to approach. Mordenkainen himself has reluctantly confirmed as much on a few occasions, especially to the mage Nystul (of Flannish heritage) who took particular interest in the place. [Dragon #293 – 91]
What did he discover during his ever more secret investigations? Secrets.
  • Yamoskov, a sage of Rel Mord, theorizes that according to the Codex of Mordenkainen Iuz held the life-force items of his minion fiends and could thus force them to his will. He argues that during Iuz’s “imprisonment” in the dungeons of Zagyg, the demi-god was actually banished from the Prime Material plane. During this exile, Yamoskov suggests, Iuz collected the items he needed. [Wars – 27]

When Mordenkainen found the time to meddle in the affairs of the nation-states of the Flanaess is beyond my ken, but he did.
It came to pass that while occupied in his perpetual balancing act of research, and creation, and setting the state of the Flanaess to rights, Mordenkainen found himself at the foot of the Yatils.
Gustin Longpike
[Mordenkainen was o]nce a resident of […] Highfolk [.] [LGJ#0 – 9] [I take this to be a reference to his Obsidian Citadel, above Highfolk.]
Despite Iuz’s imprisonment Evil continued to ravage his demesnes in his absence.
Within Iuz's own lands, many factions struggled for power when their master left. Tanar'ri and gehreleth came to odds with each other and decided to leave the barren lands to their own fate. Orcs and evil humans began to squabble and fight. Chaos reigned, and the good folk of Furyondy and the Vesve breathed a sigh of relief. [WGR5 Iuz the Evil – 3]
Mordenkainen expected their relative “peace” was but a reprieve, so he began recruiting a network of eyes and ears to keep tabs on the Old One’s chaotic realm.
One such recruit was Gustin Longpike, half-elf Perrenlander mercenary [.]
Gustin is also one of the few people who can say he knows the archmage Mordenkainen personally, as he worked for the wizard a few times on missions in the Yatils. He cannot say he’s a close friend of Mordenkainen, but he thinks well of the wizard and passes along interesting information to the [Citadel] of Eight. [TAB – 102] [Test says “Circle” and not “Citadel,” but Modenkainen had to have recruited his web of spies sometime prior to each of their first mentions.]
Melf
It was then when Mordenkainen met Melf.
The Vesve also has its powerful allies. In addition to Philidor, Mordenkainen looks out over Highvale and would help protect it, were it invaded or in dire peril. [WGR4 The Marklands – 55]
And it was then that Mordenkainen invited Melf to visit said Citadel. Mordenkainen must have made quite an impression on Melf, because he swore vassalage to the archmage, soon afterwards, serving as a member of the Red Rampart Guard.
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 QuasiDeity Murlynd, in disguise. [LGJ#0 – 5]
Indeed, a great many have claimed residence there over the years.
Dwarves, gnomes, and humans all serve as troops within the citadel, and are usually of elite quality and strongly loyal to the archmage. Many do so in grateful return for Mordenkainen s help in protecting their clans and homes against marauding humanoids in the Yatil range. [CoG:FFF – 21]

Whyever the Citadel’s members’ initial reasons for joining Mordenkainen’s merry band, time had eroded their dedication. Fame and fortune invariably led to self-interest, one imagines.
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]
Thus, their Fellowship… faded.
For a group that so decisively defeated its enemies, there remained several problems. 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]
That bickering had distracted them.
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. But the leaders of this cancer 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 The Village of Hommlet – 2]
They, each in their now lofty influence, looked to their own lofty goals and lofty foes, forgetting that evil festers in shadow as much as in the utterings of courtly influence.

564 CY
Rary
[B]y this time [Robilar] had begun to grow weary of his old friends [.] Feeling that all the others had grown soft and weak as a result of their prestigious positions, Robilar maintained friendly relations only with Rary.
[WGR3 – 11]
Although the above quote does not come out and actually say that Robilar left the Citadel of Eight, it appears to imply that he did.
One imagines that they (all the Citadel’s membership) met and adventured with others during their long tenure.
Warnes [Starcoat] went on many adventures across the Flanaess and elsewhere on Oerth, and he came to know such future powers as Mordenkainen, Bigby, Nystul and Robilar. [Rot8 – 59]
And they may have, each of them in their turn, wondered what it might be like out on their own, or in the company of these new acquaintances.
Mordenkainen is 55 years old.

568 CY
Indeed, Robilar was not the only one to have grown weary of his old friends.
Mordenkainen’s darker actions brought him into conflict with certain members of the Citadel, notably the good wizard Tenser, who advocated direct intervention on the side of weal and who couldn’t grasp why Mordenkainen would not dedicate himself and his band to the eradication of evil. Such rifts eventually tore the group apart [.] [EttRoG – 9]
Mordenkainen is 59 years old.

569 CY
Alas, the Citadel had all but dissolved at just the time the Flanaess needed their vigilance the most.
After the dissolution of the Citadel, Mordenkainen remained great friends with the organization’s most cunning fighter, Lord Robilar, and together they traveled the length and breadth of the Flanaess, from the City of the Gods in the northern wastelands of Blackmoor to the vine-choked crumbling pyramids of the Amedio Jungle. [OJ#25 – 15/ EttRoG – 9]
Perhaps Mordenkainen still believed in Robilar; or perhaps it was merely that he still had use of him.
City of the Gods
"You say that this city – City of the Gods – is beyond Blackmoor then." Robilar had directed his question to a tired Mordenkainen, who lay curled up by their campfire. The evening air was brisk, as was the fighter in his questioning. Mordenkainen sat up and looked at him. […]
Mordenkainen looked north towards Castle Blackmoor, another enigma of the North which for now would be left unplumbed by them. […] [OJ#6 - 45]
The City of the Gods
As for the [C]ity [of the Gods] – it was all too much for them to take in in such a short time. Mordenkainen noted that the place had to be miles round, though Robilar contended that it was more rectangular. It had been hard to tell as they'd approached. Surely it was a sight. All golds and silvers, with towers and buildings of the oddest shapes and hues and sizes. Many towers seemed proportioned the same; but this in no way indicated mundanity, for surely the towers gleamed in morning's sunlight. Metal towers, and hundreds of them! Both Mordenkainen and Robilar muttered a few prayers to the gods of protection as they started along its strange streets.
[OJ#6 – 46]
[…]
As the adventurers spent more and more time within the city confines they made little or no attempt to conceal themselves or their activities and so more roving creatures were drawn to their ramblings.
[…]
The expedition's main claim to fame was their escape from the city when it appeared that the entire complex was searching for them. Why our two heroes were surprised that their activity had aroused the city, and that the Guardians had taken the elementary precaution of guarding the exits, was quite naive of them. They did, however, leave before it became impossible to do so, and they also kept moving rather than stand and fight (although they did consider doing so) their pursuers. [OJ#6 – 51,52]

No sooner had they returned, the greatest confrontation between good and evil in decades was about to unfold.
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]
A great battle was fought to the east, and when villagers saw streams of ochre-robed men and humanoids fleeing south and west through their community, there was great rejoicing, for they knew that the murderous oppressors had been defeated and driven from the field in panic and rout. [T1 – 2]

When Serten fell, none of his friends stood at his side. Though most attended his ostentatious funeral service in Verbobonc, a crucial rift had been torn in the organization. The Citadel was crumbling. Tenser blamed Mordenkainen for the death of his friend, and retired inward to his castle.
Terik and Yrag vanished, some said to the anonymity of the Bandit Kingdoms. Even the loyal Bigby left the side of his one-time master and returned to Oldridge, where he adventured for a time with a band of boyhood friends.
Mordenkainen, the man who had brought the Citadel together, simply shrugged and returned, with cold eyes, to his studies. [LGJ#0 – 3,4]

Did he, though? Simply shrug and return to his studies?
That does not seem like Mordenkainen, does it, working behind the scenes, subtly manipulating events to ensure that no one faction gains the upper hand. [LGG – 156]
Perhaps he did take a hand in what was to come.

The Temple of Elemental Evil
After hearing of the happenings in the Hommlet area, Robilar finally decided to investigate the Temple himself.
[OJ#7 – 42]
Robilar traveled with his henchmen Quij and Otto the Mage to the Temple of Elemental Evil. [OJ#7 – 42]
Robilar freed the demoness Zuggtmoy, who was imprisoned beneath the temple complex. [OJ#7 – 42]
Why did Robilar free Zuggtmoy? Robilar purposefully released the demoness, because too much good was going on around the place. In a manner, to balance the proceedings. [OJ#7 – 42]
[Robilar’s reasoning sounds like he’s regurgitating lessons learned from Mordenkainen to justify his altogether irresponsible act; but seeing that Evil had been running rampant in and around the Temple of Evil for quite some time I don’t buy it. Indeed, one wonders why a LE Robilar would ever consider unleashing a CE ZUGGTMOY (Demoness Lady of Fungi) {T1-4 – 123} upon the world. Unless he was sent by Mordenkainen to kill her, that is; if he were, then his actions were justified – if a failure. Indeed, rumour has it that Mordenkainen was present and purposefully assisted in "freeing" Zuggtmoy in some scheme designed to preserve the Balance. {Artifact of Evil/OJ#7 – 42}]
Zuggtmoy
Whyever his reason, a certain former comrade happened on the scene as he was about it.
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]
One wonders whether, had Tenser not interceded, Robilar would have succeeded in dispatching Zuggtmoy – if that were his intent. Alas, we shall never know.
Robilar left with pursuit hot on his tail, Quij wearing a new poncho he'd made from "master's flying rug" (two days being a long time to wait in the cold)! [T1-4 – 28]
Robilar and Otto fled back to his castle, with the Force of Good in hot pursuit. The druid Jaroo, in falcon form, followed Robilar and Otto over 200 miles back to Robilar's castle. After they were informed of his whereabouts, the good war party eventually rallied outside of Robilar's castle. Robilar and Otto abandoned the castle and it fell to the Forces of Good. [OJ#7 – 42]
Did Mordenkainen come to his friend’s defence? He did not.
But it would appear that he did have further use of his “friend.”


“A secret's worth depends on the people from whom it must be kept.”
― Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind





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:
Sertenfrom Finger of the Wind, 2000
Murlynd, by Mike Bridges, from the Castle Greyhawk blog/graphic novel, 2015
Map detail, by Sam Wood, from The Adventure Begins, 1998
Terik, by Mike Bridges, from the Castle Greyhawk blog/graphic novel, 2015
Castle Greyhawk Environs map, by Sam Wood, from The Adventure Begins, 1998
Mordenkainen detail, by Dan Burr, from Dragon #185, 1992
Mordenkainen, by Clyde Caldwell, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1985
Flying Carpet, by Jeff Easley, from WG5 Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure, 1985
Maure Castle Environs map, by Sam Wood, from The Adventure Begins, 1998
Eli Tomorast, by Wayne Reynolds, from Dungeon #112, 2004
Mordenkainen detail, by McLean Kendree, from Mordenkainen's Tome of Marvelous Magic II, 2020
Veralos, by Kalman Andrasofszky, from Dragon #293, 2002
Rary, by Andrew Hue, from Dungeon Magazine #103, 2003
Regional map, by Dave Sutherland, from T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
The Temple of Elemental Evil, by Keith Parkinson, from T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
Zuggtmoy, from Out of the Abyss, 2015

Sources:
1015 World of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1983
1043 City of Greyhawk Boxed Set, 1989
1064 From the Ashes Boxed Set, 1992
1068 Greyhawk Wars Boxed Set, 1991
2010 Players Handbook 1e, 1978
2011A Dungeon Masters Guide 1e, 1979
2017 Unearthed Arcana, 1985
2023 Greyhawk Adventures, 1988
2121 Tome of Magic, 1991
9025 World of Greyhawk Folio, 1980
9026 T1 The Village of Hommlet, 1979,1981
9031 The Rogues Gallery 1e, 1980
9075 EX2 The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror, 1983
9112 WG5 Mordenkainen’s Fantastic Adventure, 1984
9147 T1-4 The Temple of Elemental Evil, 1985
9153 WG6 Isles of the Ape, 1985
9386 WGR3 Rary the Traitor, 1992
9398 WGR4 The Marklands, 1993
9399 WGR5 Iuz the Evil, 1993
9576 Return of the Eight, 1998
9577 The Adventure Begins, 1998
9578 Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, 1998
11374 The Scarlet Brotherhood, 1999
11742 Gazetteer, 2000
11743 Living Greyhawk Gazeteer, 2000
WGR7 Ivid the Undying, 1998
Players Option: Spells and Magic, 1996
Complete Mage, 2006
Miniatures Handbook, 2003
Shipwrack, 2005
Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk, 2007
Arcane Power, 2009
Dragon Magazine 68, 71, 82, 200, 293, 366
Oerth Journal #6,7,25
Living Greyhawk Journal #0,4
COR1 – 00 The Citadel PCs
Greyhawkania, Jason Zavoda
The Map of Anna B. Meyer

1 comment:

  1. The plot thickens though the familiarity of the narrative is easier given all the previous Citadel of Eight entries. Some comments. One, I still get a kick out of seeing my art in these posts. Second, I don't remember the reference to the mirrored halls of the Forever Cairn in Expedition. I'd love for someone to design that dungeon. Third, good ol Eli Tomorast was a push over for Mordy in Maure Castle but (spoiler) he does come back. Lastly, I may have forgot or didn't know, but Robilar messed with Zuggtmoy too? The guy has no scruples. He makes Kas the Terrible seem like a level headed fighter. Anyhow, good stuff, looking forward to Mordenkainen parts 3 thru 11. Jks!

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