Mordenkainen (/ˈmɔːrdɛnkeɪnɛn/ MOR-den-kay-nen or: /mɔːrdɛnˈkeɪnɛn/ mor-den-KAY-nen or: /mɔːrdɛnˈkaɪnɛn/ mor-den-KIGH-nen)

Mordenkainen is a prolific archmage from the world of Oerth who was responsible for many powerful and useful spells.

Spells

Mordenkainen's spells known in the Realms included:

• Mordenkainen's celerity
• Mordenkainen's defense against lycanthropes
• Mordenkainen's defense against nonmagical reptiles and amphibians
• Mordenkainen's disjunction
• Mordenkainen's electric arc
• Mordenkainen's encompassing vision
• Mordenkainen's faithful hound
• Mordenkainen's faithful phantom defenders
• Mordenkainen's faithful phantom guardian
• Mordenkainen's faithful phantom shield-maidens
• Mordenkainen's force missiles
• Mordenkainen's involuntary wizardry
• Mordenkainen's lucubration
• Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion
• Mordenkainen's penultimate cogitation
• Mordenkainen's private sanctum
• Mordenkainen's protection from avians
• Mordenkainen's protection from insects and arachnids
• Mordenkainen's protection from slime
• Mordenkainen's sword

Physical Description

Body Features

Mordenkainen had a hawk-like face, with a permanent frown that gave the appearance of alertness and almost anger, and a penetrating gaze. He kept a close-trimmed beard and wore grey, high-collared robes. His voice was deep and melodic.
While imprisoned in Barovia, his hair and beard were both long, black and peppered with grey streaks. When mad, his eyes crackled with eldritch power.
He later changed his hairstyle, favoring a bald head and a trimmed goatee, but lost none of his penetrating stare.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Although Mordenkainen resided primarily on Oerth, by at least the Year of the Shield, 1367 DR, his spells were not uncommon among spellbooks in Asyur.
Following the demise of the Circle of Eight at the hands of Vecna during the lich's first failed attempt at obtaining greater deity status, a grieving Mordenkainen was consoled by Elminster, as the wizards reflected on the fragility of their good deeds.
Mordenkainen later traveled to Barovia in an attempt to free the local population from its vampire darklord Strahd von Zoravich. However, he underestimated Strahd's power and, after barely surviving a confrontation with him, he lost his spellbook and his staff, eventually losing his memory and being driven to the brink of madness. He became known by the locals as the Mad Mage of Mount Baratok. After he was rescued, and his memory restored, he decided to join the sorcerer Rex back to the Sigma Star System, and the planet of Asyur. 
After founding a town in the Themmit Desert with Rex, Mordenkainen went south-east to Carcino, to become a professor at the Capital University where he has remained until he decides to return to his own world.

Alignment

Chaotic Neutral

Current Location

Carcino

Species

Human

Gender

Male