"The World Serpent Inn itself is said to be centuries-old, though each culture has its own tales about the builders of the inn and their motivations for constructing it. In most descriptions, the builders of the World Serpent Inn include two of the following individuals: the archmage Alaurum of Toril, Ilyndele of the Arcane (a mercane trader), or the illithid High One, Sharth. Most also include a third creator, who varies depending on who is asked, but all tellers of the legend claim the third builder to be from their home worlds."
So who should the "third creator" be on Oerth? Naturally, it could be a new character - we don't need to use the same names over and over again - but of the existing Greyhawk NPCs, who do you all think would be most appropriate?
Zagyg would be an obvious choice, experienced in creating demiplanes. His alignment (chaotic neutral with chaotic good tendencies) would be diametrically opposed to the LN mercane and the LE illithid (taken together), which might fit his preoccupation with balance. However, he's a bit overused.
Heward has lots of experience with planar travel, and lives in a dimensional nexus of his own. He seems the sort that would appreciate a good tavern, too. Since he has access to portals to a variety of points in history, he could have helped build the inn pretty much any time you can name.
Daern is known for building things, but mostly military installations, not bars. However, she has a connection to Irongate, where one of the entrances to the World Serpent Inn is located. As a lawful neutral character, her alignment is compatible with the other creators (maybe too compatible), and she has the advantage of not being an overused character. She's mysterious eniough that she could be responsible for all sorts of things we don't know about.
There are other possibilities, too - Keoghtom, Murlynd, Gwydiesin of the Cranes, even Lyzandred. Anyone have any ideas?
Zagyg, even though overused, is the obvious choice for me. I imagine on Oerth all of your choices would probably be mentioned as the third creator in legends.
I'll toss in Johydee because of the strength of her worshippers in Irongate, and it sounds like the kind of place she might hang out in.
My vote is for Heward, for the points aleady noted by Rasgon, but that is only considering mortals/ascended mortals. It could also have been created by a deity in disguise; Celestian and/or Fharlanghn being the most obvious choices. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
Good topic. I like Murlynd from Rasgon's latter list. He is known to have an extradimensional residence as well, he is clearly an alternate prime visitor given his apparel and as a pseudo-cowboy what better place to front his plane hopping than an Inn/Tavern?
Actually, I would vote for someone who predates those listed here. To be old (in a world where dragons live thousands of years) I think it should be ancient Suel or Baklunish, or maybe a Wind Duke.
One of the Wind Dukes would be a very interesting choice. Could possibly even predate the Battle of Pesh Plain. _________________ Michael Erin Sandar Bard of Midwood
I've been using the World Serpent Inn since the original printing of OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes, so my campaign far predates Boyd's (or anyone elses) opinion on this. In my campaign there is only one creator, and he has been running the place ever since. I hate to further feed my oft-times unfair reputation, but when I looked at the Inn and tried to decide exactly HOW something like that - basically a synthetic demiplane with a potentially infinite interconnectivity through permanent, yet reconfigurable gates - could be created, I came up with only one answer. Yes, most of you already know what I'm going to say....
Date: 3319-3328 SD [-2196 to -2187 CY] [the dates he possessed the Codex]
Name: Mitch Spinifer, spelljammer and trader in fine beverages. Now calls himself Mitchifer.
Method of Acquisition [of the Codex]: Discovered when searching out the cause of the destruction of the dwarven outpost in the Grinder that he regularly traded with. [Previous unfortunate owners of the Codex in my timeline]
Use: Creates the World Serpent Inn (see OP1 Tales of the Outer Planes) and becomes immortal (6,10,12) [numbers indicate the powers of the Codex Mitchifer used, see website for full descriptions]
End: Decides not to push his incredible luck and seals the Codex back up in the deep chamber. One of only two beings to use the Codex in a score of millenia without ending in disaster. Zagig was the other. [Xodast was the next being to find the Codex]
As a side note, because Mitchifer once was attuned to the Codex, he can now sense the presence of any "Priests of the Codex", although they cannot sense his past link. He watches any that visit the Inn with great interest (and often amusement).
Denis "The Codex Did it ALL!" Tetreault, aka "Maldin"
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Maldin's Greyhawk http://melkot.com
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... Irongate, where one of the entrances to the World Serpent Inn is located.
Is this canon? If so, from what source? I seem to have missed the reference.
It is now. The World Serpent Inn -themed Dragon Magazine issue #351 this January describes the Irongate connection in the "Irongate: City of Stairs" article written by Gary "PSmedger" Holian and myself. Other articles within that issue describe WSI links to other campaign worlds. No WSI enthusiast should be without that issue.
It is now. The World Serpent Inn -themed Dragon Magazine issue #351 this January describes the Irongate connection in the "Irongate: City of Stairs" article written by Gary "PSmedger" Holian and myself. Other articles within that issue describe WSI links to other campaign worlds. No WSI enthusiast should be without that issue.
Well, I'm not so much a WSI enthusiast as I am a GH enthusiast. I have OP1, but had avoided using it due to its FR ties. This might just prompt me to give it a second look (which I'm sure was the intent of the issue).
Ah! Well, then you should know that the first canonical connection between the WSI and Greyhawk is a tavern in the City of Greyhawk. I'm responsible for that piece of canon as well, I'm afraid, as I've used the WSI in my own campaign, and its my design of the CoG that became canonized when Erik and I published the poster-map in the Living Greyhawk Journal #2. Aren't I naughty!
The Wild Goose (A18) is in a dead-end alley near the Druids Gate. Its marked with a red dot on my java-scripted City of Greyhawk map on my website, and briefly described in the LGJ#2 article that accompanied the map.
Maldin's home is covered in Codex of the Infinite Planes wallpaper, so anytime he begins to ponder what the cause of something could be, his gaze will invariably wander to only one conclusion...
I ran three of the adventures from Tales of the Outer Planes, one of which I used the World Serpent Inn for, shortly after it came out. That seems like a very long time ago now. The adventures turned out quite well and I highly recommend the collection. You need not use the World Serpent Inn to use the adventures. I actually chose to tie them into the symbol engraved into the ground near the Unopenable Doors of Maure Castle. I think the symbol is described as an 8-pointed star, which I subdivided into twelve triangular sections corresponding to plates made of various materials and inscribed with a rune corresponding to the plane they are the key to. I have drawings of the diagram and the materials of the plates, so perhaps I'll post them soon. There is still mayhem planned around the planar keys that has yet to be realized. _________________ - Moderator/Admin (in some areas)/Member -
I ran three of the adventures from Tales of the Outer Planes, one of which I used the World Serpent Inn for, shortly after it came out. That seems like a very long time ago now. The adventures turned out quite well and I highly recommend the collection. You need not use the World Serpent Inn to use the adventures. I actually chose to tie them into the symbol engraved into the ground near the Unopenable Doors of Maure Castle. I think the symbol is described as an 8-pointed star, which I subdivided into twelve triangular sections corresponding to plates made of various materials and inscribed with a rune corresponding to the plane they are the key to. I have drawings of the diagram and the materials of the plates, so perhaps I'll post them soon. There is still mayhem planned around the planar keys that has yet to be realized.
Cebrion, I would be quite interested in your take on this. If you have the opportunity to post this, it would be well received! _________________ Michael Erin Sandar Bard of Midwood
Maldin's home is covered in Codex of the Infinite Planes wallpaper, so anytime he begins to ponder what the cause of something could be, his gaze will invariably wander to only one conclusion...
The Codex does tend to have lasting effects upon its user.
In this particular case, especially, it seemed to be a parsimonious fit.
Has anyone seen 23? I haven't, but I wonder is this loosely based on Maldin and the Codex. There are similarites: A book, an obsession, and a long slow descent into insanity
Well... Being a carpenter myself, I would imagine it was built to some degree off the blood and sweat of some type of peon's backs. Unless there is some epic spell "create inn" that I am unaware of. _________________ Kneel before me, or you shall be KNELT!
From Volo’s Guide to Cormyr: “the large green plovers’ eggs eaten as a delicacy in the Flanaess in Oerth”, apparently known in the Forgotten Realms via the World Serpent Inn. _________________ Plar of Poofy Pants
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The World Serpent Inn -themed Dragon Magazine issue #351 this January describes the Irongate connection in the "Irongate: City of Stairs" article written by Gary "PSmedger" Holian and myself. Other articles within that issue describe WSI links to other campaign worlds. No WSI enthusiast should be without that issue. 
