Mordenkainen (mor-den-KAY-nen)

The Lord Mage of Greyhawk, Mordenkainen

"Here's the thing about Mordenkainen. He thinks himself to be a very powerful cosmic librarian and thus extremely important, because only he knows how all the books are organised."

— Zagyg

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.
His specialty is Divination magic.

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 gaze alone. He has brown eyes and black hair, though of late he has begun shaving 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.

Personality

"You were warned! You should have kept away from that which you cannot understand. I hope your curiosity has now been sated."

— Mordenkainen

Mordenkainen commonly takes a harsh and serious tone. He is irritated when his authority is questioned, though his judgements are rarely disputed. He is frequently stubborn and difficult to work with, and does not suffer fools gladly.
He is bold and decisive in carrying out his plans, thorough, resourceful, and a skilled leader. He reacts angrily to insults, silliness, or disrespect. Otherwise, he treats those he deals with with respect, though he rarely if ever treats others as an equal. Despite his stern tone, however, he is not entirely without a sense of humor. He typically listens more than he talks, keeps an open mind, and is quick to share pertinent information.
Mordenkainen often acts in secrecy, manipulating politics of the Flanaess from behind the scenes. He is suspicious in nature, a trait which has served him well in numerous occasions. Despite his vast experience and a growing cynicism with age, he is still joyed by the wonder of magic, even relatively well-known items like Quaal's feather token or the portable hole.

Species

Human

Year of Birth

509 CY 67 Years old

Gender

Male

Aligned Organization

Circle of Eight

Ruled Locations

• Obsidian Citadel