Nystul
| Nystul | |
 |
|
| Nystul, as depicted in Living Greyhawk Journal #0 (2000). Art by Sam Wood. | |
| Homeland: | Tenh |
|---|---|
| Class(es): | Wizard 17 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Race: | Human |
| Alignment: | Neutral |
| Born: | 538 CY |
Nystul is an archmage and member of the Circle of Eight. He is also the most famous native of the Duchy of Tenh.
Description[edit | edit source]
Nystul is 53 years old in 591 CY. He stands 6'7" tall and weighs 184 pounds. His lank, uncombed hair is mousy brown in hue, and his features are rather plain, with Flan features and an Oeridian's olive complexion. He has been described as a "ridiculous gangling beanpole," a condition which has inspired him to specialize in magic that disguises his appearance. He often travels disguised as a demure half-elven maiden, a form in which he flirts with chivalrous knights and paladins to gain their protection. He rarely shows his true visage, however (with the possible exception of the Circle of Eight).
Nystul is a flippant sort with a preference for puns and quips that tend to annoy his colleagues Mordenkainen, Bigby, and Drawmij. Nystul is intelligent, subtle, and profound, however, with an unerring tactical sense.
Misattribution[edit | edit source]
In Window on the World, Living Greyhawk Journal #6, Dragon Magazine #290, p108, the author of the article references a concept sketch by artist Sam Wood. The artist refers to the appearance of Nystul resembling the previous work of Ken Frank[1], but the author misattributed them by stating the names of Nystul and Bigby in reverse order in the key to the photo (seen below in the Gallery). Though the most recent depiction of Nystul seems markedly different from the first depictions, the evolution of his appearance can be seen in the Gallery below, following the images counterclockwise from top left to top right.
Relationships[edit | edit source]
Nystul is a member of the Circle of Eight. At one time, Nystul had an apprentice named Janina. Nystul is allied with the Keepers of the Flan, a group of mages, druids, and loremasters of the Tenha clans currently dwelling in the Rakers or the Phostwood.
Nystul, unlike the other members of the Circle, believes that Rary's apparent betrayal of their group is only a ruse. He believes that Iuz and his servants are the true enemy of both the Circle of Eight and his homeland of Tenh.
History[edit | edit source]
Nystul was born to a family of well-connected nobles in the city of Nevond Nevnend. His family's better-connected enemies brought them low, however, charging them with sedition and insurgency in the court of the then-ruling Duke Pet'yeu of Tenh. The nobles in Nystul's house were tried for treason, and the house was disbanded. Nystul was secreted away by servants and raised in a small monastery of Pholtan monks on the border of the Pale, near the Phostwood. A clever old cleric called Friar Nemonicus, obsessed with the powers of light and darkness, encouraged young Nystul's gift for magic and provided him with a permanent protection from evil enhancement. When he came of age, the monks paid for Nystul to study in the Sorcerous Union in Radigast City. There, Nystul befriended Otto. After graduating, Nystul built a home in Redspan and took on apprentices of his own. It was not long before Mordenkainen offered him membership of the Circle of Eight in 571 CY.
During the Greyhawk Wars, Nystul did his best to help evacuate refugees and arm his countrymen against the invaders.
Spells[edit | edit source]
Nystul is responsible for developing such commonly known spells as Nystul's Magic Aura and Nystul's Undetectable Aura.
Nystul has also developed the following additional spells:
- Nystul's Blacklight Burst
- Nystul's Blackmote
- Nystul's Blazing Beam
- Nystul's Crystal Dagger
- Nystul's Crystal Dirk
- Nystul's Dancing Dweomer
- Nystul's Dancing Werelight
- Nystul's Enveloping Darkness
- Nystul's Expeditious Fire Extinguisher
- Nystul's Flash
- Nystul's Golden Revelation
- Nystul's Grue Conjuration
- Nystul's Lightburst
- Nystul's Radiant Arch
- Nystul's Radiant Baton
Writings[edit | edit source]
Nystul is known to have authored the following works:
- Libram of the Great Paravisual Emanations
- Metaphysics of Mathematics
Gallery[edit | edit source]
-
Ken Frank, From the Ashes, Card #13
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Trading Cards #167, TSR, (1991)
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Sam Wood, LGJ #6, Dragon Magazine #290, p108
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Mark Zug, LGJ #0, WotC, cover (2000)
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Compilation showing evolution of Nystul's appearance (left to right)
References[edit | edit source]
Citations[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Window on the World, LG Journal #6. Dragon Magazine #290. WotC. (2001). p108. - “This was an attempt to update some of the old Ken Frank illustrations to the new Greyhawk style. The sketch served as the template for the definitive Circle illustrations in the Living Greyhawk Journal #0, though we made a few significant changes to Bigby and Nystul to better fit earlier descriptions and pictures of them. I liked the sense of encroaching age seen here.”
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- Brown, Anne. Bigby's Curse. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1995.
- ———. Player's Guide To Greyhawk. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
- Browne, David J., and Don Turnbull. The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1981.
- Cook, David. Vecna Lives!. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1990.
- Gygax, Gary. Players Handbook. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1978.
- Heard, Bruce. "Spells Between the Covers." Dragon #82. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1984.
- Holian, Gary, Erik Mona, Sean K. Reynolds, and Frederick Weining. Living Greyhawk Gazetteer. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Mona, Erik, and Gary Holian. "Wheels within Wheels: Greyhawk's Circle of Eight." Living Greyhawk Journal #0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000. Available online:[1]
- Sargent, Carl. The City of Greyhawk. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1989.
- Ward, James M. Greyhawk Adventures. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Paravisual Emanations by Nystul | Item | Book, | Dragon magazine #082 | 58 |
| Great Paravisual Emanations by Nystul | Item | Book, | Encyclopedia Magica - Volume III | 1178 |
| Janina (Nystuls Apprentice) | Non-player character | Bigby's Curse | 89, 90 | |
| Libram of the Great Paravisual Emanations By Nystul | Item | Book, | Dragon magazine #082 | 58 |
| Metaphysics of Mathmatics By Nystul | Item | Book, | Ghosts of Saltmarsh, D&D 5e | 40 |
| Metaphysics of Mathmatics By Nystul | Item | Book, | U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh | 7 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Oerth Journal #33 | 28 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Player's Guide to Greyhawk | 18, 21, 22 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Return of the Eight | 3, 59 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | The Adventure Begins | 7, 23 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | 1992 TSR Trading Cards - Gold Set | 167 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | U1 The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh | 7 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | WGA4 Vecna Lives! | 10, 13, 14, 85, 86, 95 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | WGR2 Treasures of Greyhawk | 38 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Bigby's Curse | 56, 89, 90, 186 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions | 24, 25 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | The City of Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess | 64 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Dragon magazine #082 | 58 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Dragon magazine #290 | 108 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Dragon magazine #293 | 91 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | From the Ashes: References Card | #13 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Greyhawk Adventures | 3, 58-61, 127 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Ivid the Undying | 146 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 112, 114, 156 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Living Greyhawk Journal #0 | 6, 8, 10, 11 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Oerth Journal #03 | 11 |
| Nystul | Non-player character | Male, Human, [M16][3e M17], | Oerth Journal #25 | 31 |
| Nystul's Blacklight Burst (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook | 108 |
| Nystul's Blacklight Burst (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 60, 127 |
| Nystul's Blacklight Burst (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 624 |
| Nystul's Blackmote (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Blackmote (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 624 |
| Nystul's Blazing Beam (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Blazing Beam (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 624, 625 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dagger (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook | 106 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dagger (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dagger (LVL2) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 625 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dirk (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook | 107 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dirk (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 58, 127 |
| Nystul's Crystal Dirk (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 625 |
| Nystul's Dancing Werelight (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Dancing Werelight (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 625 |
| Nystul's Enveloping Darkness (LVL5) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 61, 127 |
| Nystul's Enveloping Darkness (LVL5) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 625, 626 |
| Nystul's Expeditious Fire Extinguisher (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook | 107 |
| Nystul's Expeditious Fire Extinguisher (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Expeditious Fire Extinguisher (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 626 |
| Nystul's Flash (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 59, 127 |
| Nystul's Flash (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 626 |
| Nystul's Golden Revelation (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 60, 127 |
| Nystul's Golden Revelation (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 626 |
| Nystul's Grue Conjuration (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook | 108 |
| Nystul's Grue Conjuration (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 60, 127 |
| Nystul's Grue Conjuration (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 627 |
| Nystul's Instant Daylight (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 627 |
| Nystul's Instant Daylight (LVL4) | Spell | Reference | SEE ALSO Nystul's Lightburst (LVL4) | |
| Nystul's Lightburst (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 61, 127 |
| Nystul's Lightburst (LVL4) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 627, 628 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Player's Handbook, AD&D 1e | 41, 67 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Player's Handbook, D&D 3.5e (Premium Edition) | 182 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Player's Option - Spells And Magic | 182 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 628 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Ranger), | Player's Handbook, AD&D 1e | 67 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL7) | Spell | Spell (Illusionist), | Player's Handbook, AD&D 1e | 42, 100 |
| Nystul's Magic Aura (LVL7) | Spell | Spell (Illusionist), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 628 |
| Nystul's Magical Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Hidden Lore, D&D 3.0 | 2 |
| Nystul's Radiant Arch (LVL5) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 61, 127 |
| Nystul's Radiant Arch (LVL5) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 628 |
| Nystul's Radiant Baton (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Greyhawk Adventures | 60, 127 |
| Nystul's Radiant Baton (LVL3) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Wizard's Spell Compendium - Volume III | 628, 629 |
| Nystul's Undetectable Aura (LVL1) | Spell | Spell (Magic User), | Hidden Lore, D&D 3.0 | 2 |