As I've said elsewhere on the forums, I enjoy retrofitting bits and pieces of Greyhawk lore to try and create a (reasonably) harmonious whole. (Working out a list of pre-Wars Hierarchs form 1st, 2nd and 3rd edition sources one example.) Now I am faced with the puzzle of Philidor - I'd like to find a fit for him and I figured: "Why not get everyone else in on the fun too?" With that said....
I've had copied of E.G.G.'s Saga of the Old City and Artifact of Evil novels for about two years now. Only recently has the tumult of life slowed enough to permit me some reading time. Based on what I have read, I have a question to pose to all my fellow Greyhawk enthusiasts.
In the book, Gord and company leave the Cat Lord's realm and use a series of gates they are directed to. The end result is that they wind up in Tenser's castle on the Nyr Dyv. What intrigues me is the description of Tenser given by Gygax on page 215:
"Tenser seated himself in an oddly carved chair with a high wooden back and a padded seat. The thing seemed very old, for the sheen of its wood was blue, the mark of ancient sablewood. The archmage was clad in garments the shade of a robin's egg with a sash of deep ultramarine and boots to match. Much of the room was also decorated in blue - rugs, arras and various sundry and decorative pieces. All shades and admixtures of azure were evident."
Next, I remembered a very brief mentioning of Tenser always wearing blue in the Folk, Feuds and Factions booklet and looked it up. Yup, there it was in his description on page 22:
"He always dresses in blue garments, light predominating over dark, and his home is decorated in the same way."
So, Tenser loves blue, we have that established.
Jump now to Carl Sargent's first mention of the Blue Wizard in From the Ashes. Tenser is now amongst the missing after the events carried out in Rary's betrayal of the Circle. Right around this time, we have the appearance of Philidor. Another wizard who likes blue, right down to having skin that color. Hmmmm...
Now for the question: My assumption from this is that Phillidor was a way to keep the spot held by Tenser open so the mage could be brought back if so desired. Also it was a nice way to keep Gary in the Hawk after his debacle with TSR. (I know Carl did this in a number of different ways throughout his published Greyhawk works, as an aside.)
So, if this is the case, why did Tenser ultimately wind up being a blue dretch tormented by Tuerny in Return of the Eight? And, if this is used as canon in a DM's campaign, then what exactly should be done with Philidor?
One possibility is that he is one of "Johydee's Children", first described in Ivid. I've never been completely satisfied with that particular piece of lore, since it reminds me strongly in some ways of Toril's "Chosen of Mystra". (Not that I think there is anything wrong with them per se - they fit Realmslore just fine. But, transplanting the concept to Oerth doesn't feel quite right.)
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So, there you have it gang. How about some creative ideas? Feel free to play with (or without) cannon as you see fit... I'm open minded. I'd really enjoy and appreciate some thoughts on this particular conundrum.
Comments, speculations, suggestions or insights? (Heck, I'll even accept insults if they are creative. ) _________________ <div>Braggi, Swain and Varlet at Large<br /></div>
This may help a bit: in my GH campaign one player had a character who was a wizard . He knew very little about Greyhawk, so he said that his past was a mystery even to himself. So I took over for him.
Basically, he was one of many clones of Otiluke, who, fearing the vulnerability of having stationary clones, gave his false identities and turned them all out in the wild.
This being post-Wars, Otiluke had ceased to be. All of these clones were made with a dominant character trait of Otiluke's (the PC's being Vanity) and had a compulsion to slay each other upon meeting, the idea being that when one dies, all the others gain a portion of the departed one. When all the clones were destroyed, Otiluke would once more have an identity. I designed this as an unplanned aspect of the spell that Otiluke was unaware of.
Thalius (the character) ended up being slain, and then Reincarnated as a kobold. This made him exempt from the compulsion of being a clone. The ultimate conclusion was that all the clones died but Thalius and one other--the one other reverting (mostly) to the original Otiluke, sans vanity.
As an added bit of fun for the mix, I should toss this one in too: What if you didn't use the Greyhawk Wars and Rary's betrayal of the Circle as canon for your campaign, yet still used many of the other very useful items put forward in the post-wars setting? I.E. various details on Furyondy/The Vesve/Nyrond given in the Marklands, previous history snippets for the conquered realms from Iuz the evil and so forth, right on up to Philidor himself?
I'm asking this belatedly, since I forgot to mention it in the original post (Doh!) as a to make sure all the corners get looked at. Say someone decides to whomp up a "Prevent the Greyhawk Wars"-type campaign, as one possibility, or for the DM who just doesn't use the Wars themselves since they and their group enjoy the continuity established in pre-Wars Hawk. _________________ <div>Braggi, Swain and Varlet at Large<br /></div>
I think Tenser is a completely different, though very firmly grounded but just a human wizard ahead of his time, with eyes on making sure the continent doesn't plunge into darkness. In my campaign, since his 'rebirth' (his last surviving clone on Luna) he's been quietly very busy reconnecting with his network of spies and informants and adding new protection wards and traps to his strange Fortress of Unknown Depths. In his remote tower, he's actually building an golem army and he has old scores to settle.
Now, if we are talking good ol' Philidor the Blue Wizard, his motivations are completely different. He maintains a known home (and warehouse) in Greyhawk and in Highfolk, slightly changing his appearance to suit the situation as to whom he might be selling magical items with that day. You see, Philidor is not a human or elf or anything most people from Oerth even know about. He's an Arcane and he's come to sell Spelljamming tech and other items to the people of Greyhawk. _________________ For the last time... I'm not a vampire! I was bleached a bewitching shade of white by The Gem of Souls!
I actually did run a campaign where the premise was to prevent the GH Wars. A wizard time-traveled back to two years before the whole diggity broke out to stop it.
Basically, they still happened only Iggwilv was behind them, instead of Iuz (whom was killed by the PCs).
Ah! A topic that has been much bandied about over the decades... who or what exactly is Philidor?
In my article Secrets of Mordenkainen and the Circle of Eight I summarized the more popular theories at the very end of the article. Myself, I was always fond of the time-travelling Tenser theory. However, if your question is not "what do you prefer/use in your home campaign" (a perfectuly legitimate question!), but is "what was Carl Sargent's true intention" (i.e. what Philidor really was in the mind of his creator), then you'll find the answer to that in that paragraph as well. ;) Despite his penchant for blue, he is indeed a unique NPC, and not the reincarnated/resurrected/time-traveling Tenser. The information came directly from Carl himself.
Denis, aka "Maldin"
Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
Where many mysteries are revealed.
Now, if we are talking good ol' Philidor the Blue Wizard, his motivations are completely different. He maintains a known home (and warehouse) in Greyhawk and in Highfolk, slightly changing his appearance to suit the situation as to whom he might be selling magical items with that day. You see, Philidor is not a human or elf or anything most people from Oerth even know about. He's an Arcane and he's come to sell Spelljamming tech and other items to the people of Greyhawk.
I share this view. _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
I always fancied that Philidor was from an alternate Prime Material Plane, one named Arda, in fact, where he was once known by the name Pallando. Or was it Alatar?
I always fancied that Philidor was from an alternate Prime Material Plane, one named Arda, in fact, where he was once known by the name Pallando. Or was it Alatar?
Now this is a great collection of replies. Thank you everyone. Individual replies to follow...
illust8tor:
Arcane works for me, quite nicely. One of the things I miss is the various Spelljammer tie-ins that used to be a very common part of the fan scene. I've always liked the premise of crystal spheres and skyships in general. Plus, I have to admit, when I first ran across the tag line "In space, weirder is better" my eye lit up with sheer delight.
Chaoticprime: My thoughts on running an anti-Wars campaign run something like this:
The whole thing would start from level 1 for a party. They would have to do a lot of traveling and intrigue-style adventure to defuse the three main aggressors namely, Aerdy, Scarlet Brotherhood and finally Iuz. Although I hadn't figured out what to use for early play, there is certainly qwuite a bit for mid and higher levels, culminating with a run through Paul Rokuskie's Soul Husks adventure as the final master stroke to keep the Old One reasonably contained. Now, take your idea for Iggwilv, shake and serve.... intriguing!
Maldin: I was actually hoping for both your answers - the popular theories and Carl's original intent. I had never heard that last one but it is gratifying - I had hopes he was more then just a Tenser stand-in and this certainly confirms it. I like Philidor as he is written, a lot. Thank you for the article link - I'll be off to read it after this reply.
Mortellan: I stand (sit?) corrected. I forgot about Tenser's connection to WG6. Now I'll have to do some idea mining there on Tenser just for completeness' sake. Thank you.
abysslin: Good to see you! I'd welcome any expansion you have on your idea too - personal plot twists or anything that stands out for you with the Blue Wizard.
Robbastard: That one fits it nicely too, right up there with the earlier idea that he might be an Arcane. Are those two items, the alternate Prime and the two names you gave, personal creations and if so what was their inspiration?
SirXarsis: (I almost missed you. We were posting to the thread at exactly the same time.) Care to expand on that?
All: What an excellent collection of information and ideas folks - very gratifying. I like each NPC to be able to stand on their own in a campaign and not just be a "placeholder" or cardboard cutout of some kind. For some time, I was concerned that Philidor might be just that. I am really happy to see he isn't.
Feel free to keep things rolling, please! _________________ <div>Braggi, Swain and Varlet at Large<br /></div>
SirXarsis: (I almost missed you. We were posting to the thread at exactly the same time.) Care to expand on that?
Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman wrote the Dragonlance sagas wherein we were introduced to Fizban, the eccentric wizard who was really the god Paladine in disquise. In another, seven-book series (can't remember the name), these two authors use the same eccentric wizardly character in exactly the same manner to shape world events. When first met he's asked his name and replies, "Raistlin! No, Gandalf! Err... Fizban! No, that's been used too. Uh, it's Zifnab!" or something to that effect. We then had to go through the rest of the saga reading his name as 'Zifnab'.
My point was that Philador may be used in the same or similar manner. He could be the avatar of a god who wants his/her identity to remain anonymous (perhaps because it is a violation of the pact of the gods of Greyhawk or some other reason).
Robbastard: That one fits it nicely too, right up there with the earlier idea that he might be an Arcane. Are those two items, the alternate Prime and the two names you gave, personal creations and if so what was their inspiration?
See the parts about Zifnab. Zifnab can't legally be the same as Fizban according to Hickman but it's clear that they are meant to be (along with Zanfib from another series).
SirXaris wrote:
Braggi wrote:
SirXarsis: (I almost missed you. We were posting to the thread at exactly the same time.) Care to expand on that?
Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman wrote the Dragonlance sagas wherein we were introduced to Fizban, the eccentric wizard who was really the god Paladine in disquise. In another, seven-book series (can't remember the name), these two authors use the same eccentric wizardly character in exactly the same manner to shape world events. When first met he's asked his name and replies, "Raistlin! No, Gandalf! Err... Fizban! No, that's been used too. Uh, it's Zifnab!" or something to that effect. We then had to go through the rest of the saga reading his name as 'Zifnab'.
My point was that Philador may be used in the same or similar manner. He could be the avatar of a god who wants his/her identity to remain anonymous (perhaps because it is a violation of the pact of the gods of Greyhawk or some other reason).
I like to think of the Blue Wizard as the protector of the Vesve since times long past. It is not one individual, but rather, when the person acting as the Blue Wizard dies another takes his place.
I think he's meant to be a Gandalf-like figure. I imagine him as a half-celestial being, a kind of positive reflection of Iuz. He may be the son of Elena the Fair (Iggwilv's adoptive sister) and a planetar.
I also think he may have strong ties to the same world as the demigoddess Mayaheine, who appeared on Oerth at about the same time. He may have played a role as her mentor before her apotheosis, and arranged for her transfer to Oerth.
I also imagine him as a graduate of some school of magic in the Upper Planes.
One thing that an enigmatic and famous wizard of singular and vivid appearance is useful for is a scapegoat. One of my characters, who wished to keep a low profile, but who wanted to assist in the Great Northern Crusade, would appear disguised as a blue-skinned wizard whenever he wanted to aid the Shield Lander's in an important battle. Everyone just assumed it was Philador, and since Philador actively opposed Iuz, he never saw any reason to correct the error.
Now this is a great collection of replies. Thank you everyone. Individual replies to follow...
abysslin: Good to see you! I'd welcome any expansion you have on your idea too - personal plot twists or anything that stands out for you with the Blue Wizard.
Feel free to keep things rolling, please!
We'll off the top of my head, he could have something to do with Zagyg. In WGR1 Greyhawk Ruins, there is a Wasp spelljammer ship in the bottom (6th level) of the Tower of Zagyg. I would assume it belonged to Zagyg, but perhaps he received it from Phil or Phil is after it to return home? _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
I was going over some old Dragon Magazines, felt inspired, and wrote this up for fun. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. :)
****
The Legend of Philidor
Phillip Arder, a banker for one of these banks that just went out of business, was depressed. He'd just been let go. His bank was now another bank and it all seemed silly to him. He packed his desk and put it in his old model, used Hyundai and decided to stop at a bar on his way home.
It was funny how everything that mattered to him fit into this one cardboard box. His favorite mints. A picture of his dead white cat, Moz. Two little metal figurines he painted himself when he was a kid, a wizard in orange robes, an elf chick with short brown hair, and a third one he made himself out of plasticine, some watch springs and several clear marbles.
"Home", he laughed. Home? Home was nothing but some cheap furniture made of cardboard, paint, and with some Swedish-sounding name that sounded like something rude in English, overpriced coffee beans, and some questionable magazines in a cheap apartment.
The blue neon sign outside the bar was busted. It made the word "Arcadia" on the awning look like it said the word "Arcane". Arcadia was a slow bar on a Tuesday night. The air was sultry which was strange for a spring night. To Phil, everything seemed too bright, with it being night and all, but he noticed other things too. The crickets at the edge of the parking lot chirped louder. Birds hooted in rhythm overhead. Three dogs in the distance, barked in complete unison. Phil thought, at first, he was just being sensitive.
Blue neon bathed the interior of the bar, giving Arcadia this faux sun-drenched, inverted light that washed all the colors out of everything else. It made Phil's hair on his arms stand on end. It always freaked him out coming here, but tonight things felt… different.
Patsy Cline's, Crazy, played on the jukebox. Shawnda, the bartender, wore lipstick that under the weird lighting pronounced all the cracks in her lips, wrinkles around her eyes and what Phil believed to be sandy-blonde hair to look like a white fright wig.
"What'll it be, Phil?" She weakly smiled.
Phil stared at her face. She looked really jacked up. Shawnda's eyeliner made her eyes look like they receded and it didn't help that her eyebrows matched her hair. Or that the blue's of her eyes looked like they fluoresced.
"My favorite Irish stout."
Shawnda placed the pint down in front of Phil and he put his hands on the cold surface of the glass. Phil suddenly noticed a man sitting right next to him where he was sure there was nobody when he chose the bar stool!
The bald man, dressed in a bright white linen shirt smiled at Phil. He was no nicer to look at and the light did similar things to this man as it did to Shawnda, so he hoped his new "friend" wasn't wearing lipstick too. His teeth and whites of his eyes were as white as his shirt. Phil stared at the man's face a long time and was glad there were no mirrors nearby because he was afraid he'd look like them too. This bought the odd bald man and Shawnda all the time they needed to each place a tablet into Phil's beer. Just two tablets from the laboratories of some new pharmaceutical conglomerate called Pelor & Corellon.
Phil turned away and stared at his beer, payed for it and picked it up, muttering to himself and began to walk away. He turned and saw the man and Shawnda staring at him. They both seemed to force their smiles this time and it creeped him out. Freaks, he thought but instead he said, "What is it all for?"
It wasn't that he was really asking the question as he didn't really expect an answer, but the strange man spoke.
"Are you serious?" The man said directly to him.
Phil snorted, and thought he'd call the man out with sarcasm, "Yeah. You sound like you know what. What, I said, what is it AAAALL about?"
A few moments of staring and awkward silence passed between the trio before anyone spoke. Phil took a few big gulps of his beer.
"Life is a gift," the bald man stated calmly, "We all have a purpose. Even you, Phil. People don't appreciate you, Phil Arder, but we do."
Phillip Arder laughed into his bitter brew. No kids, no wife, no parents, no kitty, no job. No. Nothing. Phil decided to chug his beer. This scene was way too weird for him and he felt the urge to escape. He slammed his pint glass down on the bar and watched the suds collect in the bottom.
"Thanks, Gandhi." Phil turned to leave.
Shawnda waved at him, "You're a good man, Phil Arder."
Phillip slapped the air as if to push her compliment away from him and headed out into the night. Shawnda and the bald man looked upon each other timidly and briefly touched blue hands then pulled them away from each other.
"He'll be reborn soon. He's ready," the bartender stated.
The bald man nodded, "Yes. We chose wisely. Groomed him for so long."
***
Outside, Phillip Arder, produced the keys to his beat-up Hyundai and climbed in. He felt too tall for it and had to move the seat back. He must be drunk he thought, then he changed his mind as he didn't feel drunk. In fact, he felt happier. Not for any particular reason, because he certainly didn't have much to smile about. He just did. He started the car and drove it away.
He had to take the highway to get to his apartment. It was an ok neighborhood. Quiet. Phil liked that. What he didn't like was the jerk with the high beams coming up fast behind him. He adjusted the mirror so the reflection wouldn't blind him so much, but the car soon passed him quickly. Phillip still winced. Another car filling his rear view mirror with light. Bright light. Not from a car, but as he could see from his own reflection in the mirror, the light was coming off him!
Mild mannered Phillip Arder was so frightened by his own countenance as he headed home over that bridge that night. So frightened, indeed, that he didn't see the guard rail and having no air-bags in his old car, Phil crashed through the windshield and out into the inky black void.
The stars were so vivid, Phillip thought as he flew through the air. His hands, no longer the color he was accustomed to, but with the same blue cast of the light that was back in the bar. His skin felt weird. He blazed and arced up into the night sky and disappeared.
***
Phillip lay there flat on his back with his eyes closed, wherever "there" was. He felt that while he was perfectly still, he was moving forward smoothly across a flat surface. Oxygen was supplied to him via a clear glass mask. He could make out voices talking over him.
"He's stable and improving, Markkeeton."
"Good. We'd be the laughing stock of Refuge*** if he didn't make it over to this dimension. We'd surely be demoted!"
"Surely! I heard this one is being promoted immediately. A new sales quadrant has opened up in Greyspace."
"Really? The place with the silly war, Pammines? Prestigious with lots of untapped sales opportunities. The Council of Cogs says it, it must be so."
"Yes? May the wheels of the Cog spread far and wide!"
"Look. He awakens!"
Phillip opened his eyes to just barely slits and groaned at the bright overhead lights as they passed. He felt hungover, but okay. He moved his hands and his legs just fine. Where was he? He fluttered his eyes again and saw blue faces in white masks and cream colored robes. A man, at least Phillip thought it was a man, with blue skin pointed a metal stick with a bright light, similar to a thin and tiny flashlight into each of Phillip's eyes.
"Sir? Can you hear me?" it asked and Phillip nodded, "Excellent."
Another asked, "What is your name?"
He mumbled his name through the mask and his caretakers asked him twice more to repeat it. His hand touched something at his side. He looked down at his blue hand and next to him were his mints, the picture of his dead cat Moz, and the 3 figurines. Phil smiled.
A third blue being stated firmly, "You all sound like the Bee-Men from Hivespace with all that infernal buzzing! He said 'Philidor'. Now, get him over to the waiting bay and prepare a spelljamming vessel for The Great Vault for orientation. We mustn't lose time and we've much to prepare. The Phlogiston stream to Oerth waits for no one, not even Philidor!"
*** You can find out more about Refuge, the Arcane homeworld, it's crystal sphere, and inhabitants and defences in Dragon Magazine, Issue #159 _________________ For the last time... I'm not a vampire! I was bleached a bewitching shade of white by The Gem of Souls!
Somebody left out that Tenser features in Isle of the Ape too.
Yes, and there Gary also makes clear that he favors blue. _________________ My campaigns are multilayered tapestries upon which I texture themes and subject matter which, quite frankly, would simply be too strong for your hobbyist gamer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mp7Ikko8SI
Yes, in more ways than one. Not just a powerful wizard, but someone not of the world, someone sent to watch over and protect it. Not human, in some way an angel encased in flesh.
And color-themed. Galdalf the Grey, Saruman the White, Radigast the Brown, and Philador the Blue.
Phila- = friend of, lover of (Latin)
-dor = land (Tolkein elven)
"Friend of the Land" = someone sent to defend Oerth _________________ My campaigns are multilayered tapestries upon which I texture themes and subject matter which, quite frankly, would simply be too strong for your hobbyist gamer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mp7Ikko8SI
Now *that* was a fun bit of fiction! I had a good time reading it. I actually started by skimming through it, and as I got interessted, went back and started reading the whole thing from the beginning.
I liked it. A lot. It had a very strong feel of "Kingdom for sale. SOLD!" Which is to say one of my favorite novels of light-fiction. It was entertaining and whimsical. Almost an element of Piers Anthony's "Incarnations of Imortality".
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