Still missing you, Jack

Since the passing of the irreplaceable Jack Vance (May 26th, 2013), I've been re-reading some of his stories of the Dying Earth. I tell myself it is part of my research into the origins of the D&D game.

It has been pointed out time and time again that one of the great attractions of my own campaign settings lies in the extent and proliferation of memorable details which enhance and solidify the gaming experience. I do detail without noticeable effort. It's just how I am.

So, while I was reading Rhialto the Marvellous, I was immediately struck by the Foreword, which lists a great number of 21st Aeon magicians, often with a brief description of each worthy. The idea tickled me to the core. Of course, my feverish brain began to concoct similar characters for my own game world.

As this is intended to be but a brief sojourn into quasi-Dying Earth arcanology, I will offer the alphabetical listing of those magicians which came to mind as I jotted as quick as possible in the notebook found at my bedside.

The brief descriptions will have to wait for another time. It may also be worth mentioning that I am a great fan of Fritz Leiber's Nehwon, Lankhmar, and the various mad wizards that occupy certain parts.

Magicians: Much like the Dying Earth milieu, the setting is greatly influenced by powerful arcane spellcasters. Throughout history, there have been a number of these puissant men and women...and, other - things. Their names and titles are often ostentatious or downright inscrutable - but they are very, very rarely those of their birth. The following is an incompleat listing.

·         Alaq of the Burning Robe

·         Blue Whisper

·         Bornewine the Collector

·         Cacophonous

·         Carrion

·         Certitude Glim

·         Crethe the Lesser

·         Darl Writhing

·         Diaphon Azor

·         Dim Cunac

·         Dread Unstromm

·         Eye of Impunity

·         Fatan Morganthe

·         Foreshadow

·         Glaomaer the Unmortal

·         Glizzar Half-Glyph

·         Gryphon Azor

·         Haero of the Inverted Labyrinth

·         Irunor Five-Shadow

·         Javelin IV

·         Kailu Wandwright

·         Kalumvar Whence

·         Kestrel Synn

·         Khafac the Importune

·         Logom Sporefane

·         Lord Ratbite

·         Meduin Dawndance

·         Mounce-In-Iron

·         Mulfescance Coil

·         Muntorboq Aun

·         N'roth of Onkse

·         Peculiar Wuel

·         Phoenix Prowl

·         Piper Fray

·         Polemus Lightbane

·         Porcelain Howl

·         Scintillic Briemel

·         Seil-Vartha

·         Shuel of the Final Rune

·         Shunned Topola

·         Sulaes the Impressar

·         Tainoimin

·         Tirithion

·         Uboc Cloudmonger

·         Veil Ephemeral

·         Wayfarer, The

·         Xibrun Eille