The body it generates is adult, rather than aged, but all experience and class levels are retained as long as you don't mind the race roulette. No two stories of the wizard's birth are the same, leaving historians confused and frustrated. I think it's been stated by folks like Perkins in the podcasts that wizards like Mordenkainen break the mold, attain power otherwise unattainable to other wizards. A certain single-use magical amulet allows it to be located once only. The Mordenkainen name should also be familiar to the players of arcane spellcaster characters inD&D, as there are several spells attributed to him, includingMordenkainen's faithful houndandMordenkainen's magnificent mansion. The non-player character of Mordenkainen, as printed in official Dungeons & Dragons works, eventually diverged from Gygax's original player character. It is described that Mordenkainen is not humanocentric, giving equal respect to all the main demihuman races of Oerth, though he does not say the same about humanoids like orcs and ogres. That's about all that I can recall with any level of certainly. The vampire lord was far more powerful than Mordenkainen expected. Mordenkainen Perhaps the most powerful wizard to ever walk Oerth, many know him by his spells and his help in founding the circle of eight. They were becoming the force Mordenkainen had envisioned, but things didn't work out the way he planned. He declared his former friends to be blind to the true problems that threatened the world. Mordenkainen is cited as creator of the Arcane Key in Dragon #387 (2010). Empty iron foundations remain behind to mark the site of his towers arrival and upon its return, the tower locks itself into place with a satisfying clunk. In 5e terms, they're casting 11th level spells, essentially. He is mentioned in MC8 Monstrous Compendium: Outer Planes Appendix, as the author of the Codex of Mordenkainen, a book predicting that the baatezu devils will one day open a portal to the material plane. The guy is responsible single-handedly, for the fall of what equates to 'the great ancient empire' in the Realms. The Journey of an Electromagnetic Wave Exiting a Router. Gygax: "The Obsidian Citadel and its Circle of Eight was original to my own campaign. [7]:334, He was to become Gygax's most famous character,[3] and also his favorite to play. From the Ashes (1992) notes the ability of powerful mages like Mordenkainen to go by a single name due to their fame and makes several mentions of the archmage. The Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse release date has been announced. He sequestered himself in the Yatil Mountains where he built his stronghold, the Obsidian Citadel. 3e Mordenkainen's statistics vary between sources, but are given in. [8] He possesses an efreeti bottle, and numerous scrolls and potions of his own creation. Perhaps the most egregious example of this is Mordenkainen's appearance in the parody adventure WG7 Castle Greyhawk (1988), featuring a level titled Mordenkainen's Movie Madness, where he has set up a movie studio; likely a reference to his real-world journey to the west coast to work on the Dungeons & Dragons movie. [28], Mordenkainen occupies the Obsidian Citadel, a fortified complex in the Yatil Mountains. Otherwise, he treats those he deals with with respect, though he rarely if ever treats others as an equal. It is clear, however, that he is an important figure in the fictional history of the Flanaess. The attempt to slay Iuz failed, with the six adventurers barely escaping with their lives. It seems to me that to complete his research, he needs to go to places and encounter beings that are not only dangerous but out right hostile to life in general. Mordenkainen. Waterdeep, Sword Coast North, northwest Faern None of them would explain his unusual longevity. that's actually something that I never considered. [2], Mordenkainen was #9 on Game Rant's 2020 "10 Must-Have NPCs In Dungeons & Dragons Lore To Make Your Campaigns Awesome" list the article states that "As an NPC, players might search for Mordenkainen for his expertise in the magical arts. However if you consider the D&D multiverse, since (nearly) all settings are connected in some way by Planescape, Ravenloft and Spelljammer, you could probably find some comparisons. Because of their connection to the Raven Queen, the shadar-kai are essentially immortal, but their bodies show their extreme . [39] The apprenticeship of Qort[20] ended after he stole a copy of Mordenkainen's work Magnificent Emporium, then slew Mordenkainen's seven other apprentices to keep it a secret. With their goal in mind, the duo set out across Oerik to find individuals they deemed worthy to join their effort. [16] Spells named after Mordenkainen also appear in D&D-based computer games like Neverwinter Nights. [61], Mordenkainen's exploration of Castle Greyhawk in particular spanned some thirteen years (c. 557-570 CY) and resulted in the discovery of the Godtrap, an artifact created by Zagig Yragerne to steal the divine power from nine captured demigods. Types: Legendary Planeswalker Mordenkainen. [15] His name has been associated with various spells published in the Dungeons & Dragons system of magic.[16]. I've found immortality in the MK universe to be mildly inconsistent. [57] They acted both directly and indirectly, often quietly sponsoring adventurers to undertake quests such as the raid on the Tsojcanth Caverns in the mid-570s CY. That means according to the official rules, he is not undead, he is not divine, and he does not have access to epic level spells. So, Elminster, for example, might've technically been a more "powerful" character, since he had a higher CR and more levels but, Mordenkainen was the more powerful wizard, which is the OP's question. He is frequently stubborn and difficult to work with and does not suffer fools gladly. Challenge Rating [2] In exchange, he taught him the spell Mordenkainen's lucubration. He's been given a prominent role in-universe to match his one in the real world. He was created by Gary Gygax as a player character, [1] only months after the start of Gygax's Greyhawk campaign, and is therefore one of the oldest characters continuously associated with Dungeons & Dragons. Mordenkainen was originally one of the player characters of Gary Gygax, the co-creator ofD&D. [43] He works with Kondradis Bubka at the Guild of Wizardry in Greyhawk to identify items. I think the spells would act like this:there would be higher level cantrips (like being able to nonchalantly teleport long distances as a cantrip) and then there would be higher level spells that operate off of a spell slot system (the reason for this is that i imagine powerful wizards like mordenkainen to be able to easily transport long distances or conjure flames or things like that). Mordenkainen He returns from the Netherrealm in a mortal body that can still be hurt and killed. The Shadowfell has no day/night cycle so it is conceivable that its demiplanes have a warped time relative to the DR/CY standards. [14] He reacts angrily to insults, silliness, or disrespect, and is quick to dispense witty insults when offended. [8], His apprentices have included the now legendary Bigby, and more recently the candid Rautheene. This means Mordenkainen is also one of the most powerfulD&Dcharacters in the entire multiverse, not counting the gods. The group grew in power and renown, advancing in both their respective fields and the graces of the people. It now rests some hundred feet below the waves in an unknown location. The final member to join this merry band was the ranger Otis, and together they became the Citadel of Eight. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Dungeons & Dragons: Weirdest Monsters In Monsters Of The Multiverse, Dungeons & Dragons: Way To Keep Your Party Interested On The Board And Not Their Phones, Dungeons & Dragons: Party Roles Explained, Dungeons & Dragons: Things You Should Never Do As A Wizard, Things You Didn't Know About The History Of Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering Commander Masters Sliver Swarm Precon Budget Upgrade Guide, Disney Lorcana: Every Starter Deck, Ranked. How can I change elements in a matrix to a combination of other elements? Mordenkainen invented several spells used widely across the multiverse, including Mordenkainen's faithful hound . No official products have advanced the World of Greyhawk timeline past the D&D 3e era (590s CY), meaning that, for all we know, the timeline of other worlds may not match up with the Greyhawk timeline in the expected manner. According to most wiki pages surrounding the character. Mordenkainen (pronounced:/mrdnkenn/MOR-den-kay-nen[10]listen or:/mrdnkenn/mor-den-KAY-nen[11] or:/mrdnkann/mor-den-KIGH-nen[11]) was a prolific archmage from the world of Oerth who was responsible for many powerful and useful spells. Statistics for Mordenkainen and other notable characters appear in The Rogues Gallery (1980); however, Gygax asserts that he did not supply Brian Blume his original characters to create the work, and the statistics depicted there do not accurately reflect his original statistics. If we are to use the conversion table provided in "5e official adventure timeline", 587 CY is 1361 DR. CY consists of 364 days in a year while DR consists of 365, so if present campaigns take place in 1491, then that would mean 130 years have passed by (making 717 CY the current year in the world of Greyhawk). He was a very successful scholar and believed to be the strongest mage in all of Greyhawk. Mordenkainen Legends & Lore Learn more about the mysterious archmage from Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Clearly, this method would be a bad gamble to get you to an age of 212 years, even using the old potion rules. Algebraically why must a single square root be done on all terms rather than individually? And he who turns back on his heels will not harm Allah at all. Occupation Once Gygax was forced out of TSR, Inc., he lost creative control of Mordenkainen. Alignment Undeterred by this, Mordenkainen would later reforge the group with the remnants of the original and a few new members, creating the Circle of Eight. Karsus and Ioulaum are both level 41 Arcanists as of 2nd edition. [8], Mordenkainen's policy of distancing himself from the operations of the Circle paid off in 581 CY, when the lich Vecna slew the entire Circle. Is 'unicorn blood' a thing in Forgotten Realms, or am I mixing up my fantasy settings? ", Gygax: "The background I created for Mordenkainen was Finnish-like in nature, and his master was a chap called 'Old Waino' [] I picked the name because one, Q: "Of the characters you have played, which is your favorite?" This changed as the wizard ventured out into the Flanaess. So anyways, what are the methods in Forgotten Realms are used to prolong or extend your life, and/or to flat out give immortality? Gygax: "My first PC was a fghter named Yrag, back in 1972. Magic-user 12 Mordenkainen's faithful hound (4th level conjuration spell); Mordenkainen's private sanctum (4th level abjuration spell); Mordenkainen's sword (7th level evocation spell); Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion (7th level conjuration spell); The above might imply that conjuration is his . Mordenkainen was Gary Gygax's first-ever player character. It turned out that wasting a childhood playing video games, reading comic books, and watching movies could be used for finding employment, regardless of what any career advisor might tell you. After creating a fighting man named Yrag ("Gary" backwards), he created the magic-user named Mordenkainen, controlling both on a solo adventure.[89][90]. Represented in . I mean, 9th level spells can reshape time and reality, so, one doesn't get much bigger than that. The 5eD&Drulebooks are generally linked to iconic characters from theD&Dmultiverse. Mordenkainen had achieved many accomplishments in his life. [4] In other realms, he is known as Mordenkainen of Oerth or the Lord Mage of Greyhawk. Monstrous Compendium Vol 3: Minecraft Creatures. I'm using the amped up Strahd from . Mordenkainen appears in several Dragon magazine articles from 1992 onward. It is set in Maure Castle. Mordenkainen is described in the D&D Gazetteer (2000) and the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer (2000), set in 591 CY. Spells named for Mordenkainen once appear again in the Player's Handbook, specifically his Faithful Hound, Lucubration, Magnificent Mansion, Sword, and Disjunction. Mordenkainen was known to travel to other settings in theD&Dmultiverse. When people hear the name Mordenkainen, there are typically two responses you get from them. They probably won't be looking to fight Strahd in the immediate future, but I wanted to start wrapping my mind around Mordenkainen, who was revealed as their ally from the Card Reading. Can YouTube (e.g.) 12 ", Who is Mordenkainen in Dungeons & Dragons, https://greyhawkonline.com/greyhawkwiki/index.php?title=Mordenkainen&oldid=72065, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, Mordenkainen, as depicted on the cover of, Cosmogony of Magnetic Fluids By Mordenkainen, Epic Saga of the Great Conjurers By Mordenkainen, 126, 131, 200, 218, 229, 230, 232, 236, 321-324, 326, 330, 331, 333, 347, Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus, D&D 5e, 60, 62, 117, 246, 247, 248, 256, 290, 371, 372, 373, 375, City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions, 8, 63, 66, 74, 83, 84, 116, 123, 136, 137, 146, 157, Living Greyhawk, Living Onnwal Gazetteer, D&D 3.5e, 2, 3, 5, 10, 12, 18, 20, 32, 45, 53, 54, 58, 59, 62, World of Greyhawk Boxed Set: Glossography, Mordenkainen's Defense Against Lycanthropes (LVL3), Mordenkainen's Defense Against Nonmagical Reptiles and Amphibians (LVL3), Spelljammer Boxed Set: Concordance of Arcane Space, Unearthed Arcana, AD&D 1e (Premium Edition), Player's Handbook, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition), Mordenkainen's Encompassing Vision (LVL2), Mordenkainen's Faithful Phantom Defenders (LVL5), Mordenkainen's Faithful Phantom Guardian (LVL6), Mordenkainen's Faithful Phantom Shield-Maidens (LVL4), Mordenkainen's Involuntary Wizardry (LVL5), Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion (LVL7), Mordenkainen's Penultimate Cogitation (LVL7), Mordenkainen's Protection From Avians (LVL1), Mordenkainen's Protection From Insects and Arachnids (LVL3), Mordenkainen's Protection From Slime (LVL4), On The Rise of Magecraft and Modernity By Mordenkainen, Weapons of the Ether By Melf & Mordenkainen, ----- "Goodbye and Hello, as Always: One Last Evening with the Wizards Three. Additionally, Ed Greenwood's The Wizards Three series continued in Dragon #344 and the final print issue of #359. Mild spoilers ahead. He operates a market booth named Mordenkainen's Grand Junction, where he dispenses mostly made-up "facts" about the Circle of Eight. [17] Among his known agents are the wealthy fighter Cendol Fallow,[36], mercenary turned political activist Gustin Longspike,[37] and the snow barbarian ranger Kendyra of the North. [6][7][8] His facial features are craggy, wise, and alert, likened to a hawk looking for its prey. [8] He is quick to add new arcane spells to his library as they are discovered. Alrassa Silverhand: Died at 713 years old. Maure Castle appears in Dungeon #112, making significant references the adventuring history of Mordenkainen in Rob Kuntz' original dungeon. Elminster as a spellcaster only has around 26 or so levels. So how has he survived to write such epic books? Mordenkainen's name appeared in certain spells within the core rulebooks of the game's 3rd edition's as one of the few elements from Greyhawk, even though that was designated as the core setting. Which generations of PowerPC did Windows NT 4 run on? Records state that the wizard spent a great deal of time on the Wild Coast as well as the city of Greyhawk and Highfolk. From the shores of Nyr Dyv, Mordenkainen recruited a fellow wizard named Tenser and the dimwitted, but good-hearted, Serten. [12], While imprisoned in Barovia, his hair and beard were both long, black and peppered with grey streaks. [30], He sometimes wears a Robe of Useful Items when in his tower, for the convenience of having useful items to hand. There are dozens of magic items that prolong longevity, several planes where time may flow slower relative to the material, and many many spell effects that reduce, reverse, eliminate, or temporarily forestall the effects of aging. Mordenkainen has visited other worlds and is a good friend of Elminster of the Forgotten Realms; he may share whichever secret of longevity is used by the Sage of Shadowdale. Join two objects with perfect edge-flow at any stage of modelling? Lord Mage of Greyhawk[1] Originally, he was a way for Gygax to get out from behind the Dungeon Master's screen and actually play . Robilar, accompanied only by his orc henchman Quij and the cleric Riggby, resolved to accomplish this task. He is irritated when his authority is questioned,[7] though his judgements are rarely disputed. He meets Elminster and others in Dragon #185's Magic in the Evening, #196's 3 Wizards Too Many, and notably Ed Greenwood's article series The Wizards Three, appearing in Dragon #188, #200, #211, #219, #238, #242, and #246. Letters written by or about Mordenkainen appear in Dragon #230's The Orbs of Dragonkind and Dragon #241's Legacies of the Suel Imperium. [2], In late 1972, Gary Gygax created Castle Greyhawk and the dungeons beneath it. Countless D&D sourcebooks would later reference these or other spells, including Unearthed Arcana (1985), which describes Mordenkainen's Lucubration, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, and Mordenkainen's Disjunction. As strong and mighty as he is he is also going up against other Kombatants with fighting skills and powers all their own, so thi. ", Greenwood, Ed. I am an online author and sci-fi lover who plays table too roleplaying games in his free time. Originally hailing from the Greyhawk . [18], Mordenkainen is described as tall, with a greyly streaked Van Dyke beard, wearing long boots and carrying a staff. The dark wanderer's answer is of course correct. Raiden is a god, therefore, he is immortal. ", This page was last edited on 29 July 2023, at 23:18. [13], Typically stubborn and one who did not suffer fools gladly, Mordenkainen could be difficult even with his friends. All rights reserved. In his eyes, the scales of celestial power were in a constant state of unbalance, and he feared what would occur should there not be a line of defense to keep the peace. [13], He is bold and decisive in carrying out his plans, thorough, resourceful, and a skilled leader. That's the magic of an NPC - he can be exactly as powerful as is needed for his role in the story of whatever campaign he pops up in. This places his birth at around 511 CY, and Greyhawk wikis tend to assert an implied date of 509 CY, which is well within that range. Mordenkainen Edit 5e 3e 1e Various depictions of Mordenkainen. He believes recent history has been predicted in the Tome of the Black Heart, a work prophesying dark times ahead. [33], Mordenkainen's personal philosophy of neutrality and meddling in affairs of the Flanaess with have made him a vast number of enemies, including former allies Evard the Black and Terik. As a God, she would be reborn, but killing herself would also kill Karsus, allowing the newly reborn Mystra to bring magic back into balance. Rob respected my wishes and didn't use Mordie's actual stats and information [in, Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse, "D&D: Mordenkainen's Magnificent Backstory", "Dungeons & Dragons Creator Gary Gygax Passes Away; Interview", "10 Must-Have NPCs In Dungeons & Dragons Lore To Make Your Campaigns Awesome", Dungeon Master Option: High-Level Campaigns, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mordenkainen&oldid=1167798802, Fictional arcane spellcasters (Dungeons & Dragons), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 4.0, "The Wizards Three" series of articles from, Greenwood, Ed. The newest D&D sourcebook will hit shelves this May 17, 2022, and, like other Dungeons and Dragons books, a . He has previously written articles and video scripts for websites like Cracked, Dorkly, Topless Robot, and TopTenz. While Mordenkainen is a very well-known and powerful wizard, his past is shrouded in mystery. He was forced to retreat, losing his staff, spellbook, and, eventually, his very mind. We use necessary cookies to allow our site to function correctly and collect anonymous session data. Plumbing inspection passed but pressure drops to zero overnight. [15] In other instances, he appears to people via a simulacrum designed to impersonate him.[27]. Mordenkainen was concerned that this artifact would disturb the balance of the universe, and asked them to chop off Vecna's hand and bring it back to him. send a video file once and multiple users stream it? The name Mordenkainen has appeared in hundreds of Dungeons & Dragons works, whether as a character or in reference to one of the many spells named for him. Gygax subsequently created several characters, including a 1st-level wizard in early 1973.
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