Mordenkainen is one of the most well-known and most powerful wizards in the Flanaess. A master of high-level magic, Mordenkainen retired from a decades-spanning adventuring career to found the
Circle of Eight, a cabal of powerful mages dedicated to maintaining balance in Oerth. Spells bearing his name are known across hundred worlds.
Mordenkainen's name is pronounced /MOR-den-kay-nen/ or /mor-den-KAY-nen/, with "kai" pronounced to rhyme with "day" or "weigh". His name is also commonly pronounced /mor-den-KIGH-nen/. He is occasionally referred to by the appellation Mordenkainen the Mage. In other realms, he is known as Mordenkainen of Oerth or the Lord Mage of Greyhawk.
Appearance
Mordenkainen is a male who appears to be in his forties, although his true age is around twice that. His most notable figure are his piercing eyes, behind which lie a volatile sense of genius tinged with madness; lesser individuals are readily persuaded by his penetrating gaze alone. He has brown eyes and black hair, though he shaves his head bald. His dark beard is streaked with a little grey, and is kept neatly trimmed to a point. His facial features are craggy, wise, and alert, likened to a hawk looking for its prey.
Mordenkainen stands 5'11" tall. He typically dresses in traditional robes and wears black satin coats, lined with red, or fine dark red cloak. He is known to wear high collared robes of gray, or robes of black or brown with silver decorative threading. He often disguises as a humble merchant when traveling alone, as when he travels to to the village of Bar Strannach along the Jalpa to Rel Deven highway, to consult the prophetic riddles recorded in the Lays of Bar Strannach.
His voice is deep, and melodic.
Spellcasting Mastery
Mordenkainen is without a doubt one of the most powerful wizards in the Flanaess, if not the most powerful. He is of exceptional intelligence, and has mastered the ultimate ninth level of spells, by some accounts knowing forms of magic even more powerful than that.
Powerful spells used by to Mordenkainen include time stop, mind blank, true seeing, Mordenkainen's magnificent mansion, Mordenkainen's faithful hound (and other spells of his invention), and Bigby's hand (a creation of his apprentice). He has a tendency to appear suddenly as if from thin air, taking enemies by surprise.
He sometimes communicates with agents from the distance in illusory form, projected by a ring carried by an agent. In other instances, he appears to people via a simulacrum designed to impersonate him.
Mordenkainen is known on countless worlds for spells of his own creation, which bear his name (see spells, below, for a full list).
Mordenkainen possesses a deep understanding of the nature of magic. While most wizards understand magic as a form of instructions for manipulating reality, Mordenkainen understands magic and the mundane to be part of the same continuum, and that the common understanding of magecraft to barely scratches the surface of the true nature of reality. However, he concedes that this ultimately cannot be truly understood, except perhaps by deities.
Other Abilities
"We who hold discourse with demons and cull reagents from corpses should not be so effete that we fear calluses upon our palms. Indeed, every wizard should take note of the use of martial weapons. If nothing else, you will understand as you die why you should have ducked instead of parried."
—Mordenkainen, Magnificent Emporium
Mordenkainen's command of magical knowledge and obscure lore is unmatched in the Flanaess. His name is frequently uttered in reference to pieces of magical lore known only by a handful of exceptionally learned individuals.
He has some skill with melee weapons, having used various weapons to great effect during his career. He considers a basic understanding of armed combat to be of great use to adventuring wizards.
Acquaintances
Mordenkainen is known to have visited the world of Earth, and has met great mages of other worlds. Among those with whom is is acquainted are Elminster of Faerûn, Dalamar of Krynn, Fistandantilus of Krynn, and Shaan the Serpent Queen of Faeruˆn, and the apprentice Savengriff of Faerûn. He is a particular friend of Elminster, who keeps tabs on Mordenkainen's welldoing.
Mordenkainen is friendly with the eccentric and ancient storyteller Gwydiesen of the Cranes, whose knowledge may exceed Mordenkainen's. He is frequently visited by the hero-deity Heward, and is close with Keoghtom and Murlynd.
He enjoys discussions about magical research, and often communicates by written letter to learned individuals whose rare knowledge is invaluable. Among them are Heward, Otto, Elayne Mystica of Irongate, Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun of Faerûn, and priestess Johanna of Almor.
He is not known for his relationships, though he once competed with Vangerdahast of Faerûn for the hand of an extra-planar beauty. His fame in Greyhawk makes it difficult to openly carry on relationships there, though since he first mastered planar travel he has enjoyed virtual anonymity in Waterdeep in Faerûn for recreation.
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