Fri Dec 26, 2025 1:04 am  
Greyhawk's Most Powerful People

I loved Sargent's work and there was one character he described that I thought was intriguing and I wish had been developed further somewhere.

Gywdiesin of the Cranes is a 30th Bard and a 'child of Joyhdee' - and clearly super-powerful, but despite his power did not look to be world-level influential character.

So I've been wondering who are the 'top five' most powerful and influential characters in Greyhawk.

Criteria for assessment:
- they must have some significant degree of personal power, so they are likely epic level characters
- They can't be deities (sorry, not-sorry Iuz), supernatural, or monsters
- They must have influence on outside events and the rest of greyhawk e.g. Mordenkainen's constant behind the scenes manipulations probably has a big impact on the world

We now have several versions of greyhawk. A setting is often partly defined by its key heroic/villain characters - so what does that look like for your Greyhawk?

My list seems to be:
1. Mordenkainen - maybe most powerful wizard, certainly seeking to influence the world
2. Rary - same as above
3. Gywdiesin - clearly super powerful, not sure that he cares about much outside the Ardri?
4. Tenser - powerful wizard, a force for good
5. Canon Hazen - powerful cleric of key nation, powerful force for good, did amazing things (like flight of fiends)

Special mentions: Iggwilv, Philidor the Blue

What are your own thoughts?