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Campaign Settings: Dragonlance | Eberron (Dragonmarked Houses | Religions | Nations) | Forgotten Realms (Gods | Factions | The Legend of Drizzt) | Greyhawk (Deities) | Planescape (Factions | Races) | Ravenloft (Darklords | The Carnival | The Kargatane of Vallaki | Fraternity of Shadows | Great Families of the Core | Faiths) | Spelljammer
The Greyhawk campaign setting and shared universe of Dungeons & Dragons features many characters who inhabit the world of Oerth.
Circle of Eight
- Balance Between Good and Evil: The Circle of Eight's chief purpose seems to be the preservation of the balance of power between the forces of Good, Evil, Law, and Chaos in the Flanaess, ensuring that one does not dominate the other for an extended period of time. To this end, the Circle often works behind the scenes, especially when aiding the cause of evil.
- Non-Indicative Name: Despite the organization's name, the Circle of Eight actually has nine members. The Circle consists of eight powerful wizards and their leader, Mordenkainen the archmage. In fact, the group is sometimes referred to as "Mordenkainen and the Circle of Eight".
Mordenkainen
Mordenkainen is one of the most powerful archmagi of the Flanaess. He has played diverse roles throughout many stories and adventures, but is most notable for being the shadow-leader of the Circle of Eight, a cabal of eight magi. It is clear, however, that he is one of the greater heroes (or antiheroes) of the Flanaess.
- Anti-Hero: He's a morally ambiguos manipulator who will aid the good guys one day and work against them the next day for the sake of balance between good and evil.
- The Archmage: He is a prolific archmage who is responsible for many powerful and useful spells.
- Blue Blood: Possibly. Some claim that he is a descendant of Ganz Yragerne, first Landgraf of the Selintan, which would mean he's also related to Zagig and Heward. According to some sources, he is distantly related to House Cranden, one of the royal houses of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy.
- The Chessmaster: Mordenkainen formed the Circle of Eight as a tool to manipulate political factions of the Flanaess, preserving the delicate balance of power in hopes of maintaining stability and sanity in the region. Mordenkainen's view of 'enforced neutrality' is not a tit-for-tat equality but rather a detailed theoretical philosophy derived from decades of arcane research. He has fought ardently for the forces of Good, most recently during the Greyhawk Wars, but just as often has worked on darker plots to achieve his ends.
- Continuity Snarl: Resources about Mordenkainen sometimes disagree with each other, since even the official publications for the World of Greyhawk sometimes contradict each other.
- Dimensional Traveler: Although Mordenkainen resides primarily on Oerth, he is known to have occasionally visited Faerûn, where he became acquainted with fellow wizard Elminster Aumar and the two exchanged spells and lore. Mordenkainen later also traveled to Barovia in an attempt to free the local population from its vampire darklord Strahd, although he didn't succeed.
- Mysterious Past: His birthplace is unknown, but before coming to prominence in the early 560s, he is thought to have resided on the Wild Coast. He also resided for a time in the City of Greyhawk, as well as Highfolk. He is rumored to be of Oeridian blood, possibly Aerdi.
- Older Than They Look: He looks like he's in his mid-forties, even though he's actually over eighty years old.
Bigby
Bigby is an archmage. Before the Greyhawk Wars, Bigby made his home in Scant, capital of Onnwal. Nowadays, he can often be found in Mitrik, Veluna. His personal symbol is an open palm behind a large, stylized bumblebee. The former apprentice of Mordenkainen, Bigby helped found the Circle of Eight.
- The Apprentice: He was an apprentice of Mordenkainen.
- The Archmage: Bigby is responsible for developing numerous commonly known spells.
- Back from the Dead:
- In 581 CY, Bigby accompanied Tenser, Drawmij, Jallarzi Sallavarian, Nystul, Otiluke, Otto, and Rary to the tomb of Halmadar the Cruel. Every member of the party died that day, though they were brought back to life later through the agency of clone spells.
- In 5E, he got crushed by a giant's boulder, and with no cleric was available, Mordenkainen rushed him to a druid who used a Reincarnation spell on him, explaining why he's now a gnome.
- Blue Blood: Bigby is a scion of the Aerdi House Cranden, who were the first Royal House to rule the Great Kingdom of Aerdy.
Drawmij
Drawmij is an archmage who is reputed to live in a cavernous underwater fortress beneath the Azure Sea, 150 miles south of Gradsul in Keoland, where he deals with merfolk, whales, dolphins, and many other denizens of the ocean.
- Cool Boat: Drawmij possesses a magical metal boat he can pilot underwater.
- Older Than They Look: Drawmij is 63 years old, although he appears to be a young man in his late twenties or early thirties.
- Summon Magic: Drawmij is responsible for developing the commonly known spell Drawmij's instant summons.
- Time Master: For the last decade or so, Drawmij has focused on the theories of chronomancy, magic involving the manipulation of time.
Nystul
Nystul is an archmage and also the most famous native of the Duchy of Tenh. Nystul is intelligent, subtle, and profound, however, with an unerring tactical sense.
- Blue Blood: Nystul was born to a family of well-connected nobles in the city of Nevond Nevnend.
- Impoverished Patrician: His family was eventually brought low by their better-connected enemies, who charged them with sedition and insurgency in the court of the then-ruling Duke Pet'yeu of Tenh. The nobles in Nystul's house were tried for treason, and the house was disbanded. Nystul was secreted away by servants and raised in a small monastery of Pholtan monks on the border of the Pale, near the Phostwood.
- Magical Native American: He's of Flan descent and a powerful wizard. In a variation, his powers aren't tied to his heritage but come from the same kind of magical training all wizards receive.
- Master of Disguise: He specializes in magic that disguises his appearance. He often travels disguised as a demure half-elven maiden, a form in which he flirts with chivalrous knights and paladins in order to gain their protection.
- Pungeon Master: Nystul is a flippant sort with a preference for puns and quips that tend to annoy his colleagues Mordenkainen, Bigby, and Drawmij.
Otto
Otto is a powerful human wizard who is known to be a lover of fine foods and music. He owns a manor house in Greyhawk City's Garden Quarter and is a generous patron of the arts.
- Badass Preacher: Originally a priest of Boccob, in Almor, Otto soon found he had an uncanny knack for wizardry, and became quite skilled in the arcane arts.
- Involuntary Dance: Otto is responsible for developing the commonly known spell Otto's Irresistible Dance.
- Sharp-Dressed Man: He tends to dress in fine, expensive garb.
Jallarzi Sallavarian
Jallarzi Sallavarian is a powerful human wizard of Greyhawk City and the only female member of the Circle of Eight. Jallarzi lives with her servants and her familiar Edwina in an exquisite tower in Greyhawk's Garden Quarter.
- The Ace: Thanks to her training and natural talent, Jallarzi became the youngest wizard ever inducted into Greyhawk's Society of Magi.
- Back from the Dead: Nearly six months after Jallarzi joined, the group met with tragedy when all its members, save Mordenkainen, were slain by Halmadar the Cruel, a former Shield Lands tyrant under the control of the fabled lich Vecna. Once Vecna's plans were thwarted by adventurers recruited by Mordenkainen, the archmage began reassembling the Circle by cloning its fallen members. By the time the clones had matured and become aware, the Greyhawk Wars were in full swing.
- Blue Blood: She's a member of a minor noble family in the Duchy of Urnst.
- Forced Transformation: In 585 CY, Jallarzi was kidnapped, at the direction of Iggwilv, by Tuerny the Merciless. Tuerny transported Jallarzi to the moon and used dark magic to change her alignment, and gender, transforming her into an entity calling himself "Jay". Both Jallarzi and fellow member and captive Tenser were rescued by adventurers recruited by the Circle, and restored to their former states. Tenser left the Circle at this time, though Jallarzi stayed.
- Loyal Animal Companion: She is nearly always accompanied by her familiar, a red pseudodragon named Edwina.
- The Smurfette Principle: She's the first and only woman to join of Circle of Eight.
Warnes Starcoat
Warnes Starcoat is a powerful human wizard and also a Counselor to the Courts of Urnst and Chief Sorcerous Councilor (an office also known as "Chief Magical Councilor") to Duke Karll of the Duchy of Urnst. Warnes was born in Leukish, capital of the Duchy of Urnst, to a merchant family of moderate influence and wealth. The third son of four, he was sent to the city of Seltaren when he came of age, to study magic at the Wizardholme of Urnst. Warnes proved to be quite talented, becoming a well-regarded generalist mage before the age of thirty. He was soon made a junior assistant to the Seer of Urnst, but left the position due to philosophical differences. Warnes' victory over the Weird of Gnatmarsh made him the most respected wizard in the region.
- Badass Longcoat: Warnes wears the Starcoat, a magical coat as black as the night that glimmers with distant stars.
- Court Mage: He serves as a Counselor to the Courts of Urnst and Chief Sorcerous Councilor to Duke Karll of the Duchy of Urnst.
Alhamazad the Wise
Alhamazad the Wise is a powerful human wizard of Baklunish descent and one of the newest members of the Circle of Eight. Alhamazad is a good friend of Mordenkainen, whom he has known for over twenty years. He is wary of Drawmij, and holds great antipathy for Warnes Starcoat. Kermin Mind-Bender of the Boneheart once served as Alhamazad's apprentice, but the two are now enemies.
- Magic Staff: He carries a staff with a crystal ball at the top.
Theodain Eriason
Theodain Eriason is a powerful elven wizard and one of the newest members of the Circle of Eight as well as the Circle's first non-human member. A native of the Yeomanry, Theodain operates throughout the Sheldomar Valley, but he makes his home in a small country estate outside Loftwick.
- Good is Not Nice: He is sarcastic, arrogant, intelligent, and strongly in favor of the Circle of Eight intervening more strongly in world affairs. His cold demeanor has caused some to mistake him for a creature of evil.
- Token Non-Human: He is the first and only non-human member of the Circle of Eight.
