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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Apr 08, 2008
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From: Australia
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Sun Dec 20, 2009 4:37 pm
Riggby
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Anyone have any idea when Riggby was born? Judging from the picture of him in Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk I would have put him in his late 70's at the time of his death in 598 (?) CY. So that would be an approximate DOB of 520 CY, I suppose....
Ta.
Damien
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Grandmaster Greytalker
Joined: Nov 07, 2004
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From: Mt. Smolderac
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Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:43 pm
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Damien, looks like your guess is about as good as anyone's. I went through all the sources and it doesn't look like there is anything else to really hint what his age was.
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Journeyman Greytalker
Joined: Feb 01, 2005
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From: Columbus, Ohio
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Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:00 am
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There seems to be a complete history of Riggby at http://riggby.totallyexplained.com/
It seems fair to say that he was younger than Robilar or Mordenkainen based on his first write-up in (The Rogue’s Gallery, p. 46). It states that his rise was meteoric and due to his acquaintance with several high level characters. He is listed at 9th level while Robilar is listed at 15th, and Mordenkainen is listed at 16th. These levels are probably in line with their abilities during 576 CY (the date of the current year in the original Greyhawk Folio and Module WG5 – I’ve ignored its reference to Mordy, as a PC, being only 12th level). Riggby died in 597 CY at perhaps a younger age than his most of his peers, many of whom outlived him. It was 36 years ago that Riggby joined the Citadel of Eight in 561 CY. Robilar is listed at 24th level and Mordenkainen is listed at 27th level by the Epic Handbook which is set for 588 CY (the current year according to the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer).
The picture on page 31 of EttRoG portrays him with long white hair and a balding pate (much aged since his other picture in WG5, p.32). His features seem smooth – he has few forehead wrinkles or jowls. His hands are notably smooth, groomed and free of scars like his face. His expression seems to be stuck in a state of eternal fret as if he had other responsibilities left unfulfilled (as it does in WG5). Perhaps he was a man with many worries or troubles, and he prematurely aged. The Rogue’s Gallery states that he had many pressing demands from his congregation that prevented him from doing what he desired – adventuring. He appears to have retired from regular adventuring at this time. In this latest color image, he looks to be in his early to mid 60s.
Remember, the 1st Edition DMG starts a clerics career between the ages of 19-22. Gygax probably stuck to this when he began Riggby as Mordenkainen’s charmed follower and then aged him accordingly for his actual starting level.
Mordenkainen was born in 509 CY according to http://rfipodcast.com/show/?p=105 and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mordenkainen If the current (or last published setting year is 597 CY), Mordy is 88 to 89 (although magic has kept him looking to be half that age). Mordy would have been 52-53 years old and below 16th level in 561 CY.
Here is a speculative timeline based on minimal evidence as noted above.
509 CY – Mordenkainen born.
561 CY – Mordenkainen creates the Citadel of Eight (Riggby’s first mention; he may have just attained 5th level at this time and essentially served as his adventuring party’s paramedic - 5th level is when the really useful healing spells appear. Its after this date that his career climbs in meteoric fashion.)
570 CY – Riggby takes part in Iuz release with Robilar. (Riggby may have been 8th level at this point).
576 CY – Riggby follows Mordy on his last adventure (WG5) and retires early in the year from adventuring to tend to his flock in Verbobonc. He is 9th level. Robilar is 15th, Mordenkainen is 16th.
588 CY – Twelve years later Robilar is 24th level, and Mordenkainen is 27th. (Not adventuring much Riggby may have been 12th level.)
597 CY – Riggby dies of natural causes.
For my campaign, I am placing his year of birth in 532 CY. He began adventuring in 551 CY at age 19 as 1st level cleric and died at 13th level at the age of 65 in 597 CY.
I’d love to get others’ thoughts on this so that I can revise it to a more accurate form. I hope this rough timeline helps by providing a starting point, Damien.
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GreySage
Joined: Aug 03, 2001
Posts: 3316
From: Michigan
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Mon Dec 21, 2009 11:45 am
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The Adventure Begins says that Mordenkainen's Fantastic Adventure "is assumed to take place before 570 CY, perhaps as early as 560, because of the lower levels listed for Mordenkainen and Bigby."
The Citadel of Eight was formed in 561, so it probably couldn't have happened before then. I don't think most of the characters were at their "starting age" during the 560s, but that seems to be the period the early adventures of Gary Gygax's home game have been retconned into.
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Apr 08, 2008
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From: Australia
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Wed Dec 23, 2009 9:25 pm
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I suppose if one allowed themselves to fret too much that that the Old One's assassin's were right around the next corner they might worry themsleves into an early grave...
Does anyone have a clue what his level may have been when he copped it? I would take a punt on 14th or 15th level tops.
Ta.
Damien.
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Journeyman Greytalker
Joined: Jun 12, 2003
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From: Boston
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Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:35 pm
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IIRC, there was a LG mod in which the PCs protected Riggby's funeral procession from Iuzians intent upon stealing the body. The author of that mod may have done some research into Riggby's age. No idea what the mod was called or when it came out. Creighton probably knows.
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Master Greytalker
Joined: Jun 25, 2007
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From: Neck Deep in the Viscounty of Verbobonc
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Thu Dec 24, 2009 10:04 pm
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aurdraco wrote: |
IIRC, there was a LG mod in which the PCs protected Riggby's funeral procession from Iuzians intent upon stealing the body. The author of that mod may have done some research into Riggby's age. No idea what the mod was called or when it came out. Creighton probably knows. |
Actually, that was Expedition to the Ruins of Greyhawk. It was a hard cover mod, though it was later adapted for LG. I skimmed it, but I didn't see anything about Riggby's age. A more thorough read might reveal more, though, so don't take my word for it.
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Apprentice Greytalker
Joined: Dec 04, 2008
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Mon Dec 28, 2009 7:19 am
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For my own 'vision' of Greyhawk, I have Riggby being born in 518; making him 50 in 568, which is the year I have the events of WG5 occuring. This makes him 73 in 591, which is the current/last year I deal with for all Greyhawk activity. (I.e., I don't consider anything after this point "cannon", ala LG journals or Expedition to Greyhawk).
I have him as a 9th Level Cleric in 568, and a 14th level Cleric in 591. Just my two cents!
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