Bigby

Originally hailing from the city of Leukish in the Kingdom of Nyrond, Bigby’s early years were unremarkable. Ambitious and curious, he became apprenticed to Mordenkainen, who was already establishing himself as a leading force among the arcane elite. Bigby served Mordenkainen faithfully, learning not only the technical mastery of spellcraft but also the deeper strategies of magical influence and political maneuvering.

Eventually, Bigby proved himself far more than a follower. His aptitude for force-based manipulation magic—especially his innovations involving summoned hands—became his signature and his legacy.

Bigby is best known for a family of spells he developed, all of which manifest giant spectral hands that can crush, grasp, interpose, or shield. These spells are a reflection of his personality: direct, forceful, clever, and adaptable. The spells are now so ubiquitous that his name is forever fused with them—Bigby’s Crushing Hand, Bigby’s Interposing Hand, and many more.

Unlike some wizards who bury themselves in obscure theory or distant planes, Bigby believed in practical, versatile magic—spells that could tip the scale in a duel or save a life in a collapsing tower. He was a battlefield strategist as much as a scholar.

Bigby’s inclusion in the Circle of Eight, Mordenkainen’s handpicked group of powerful wizards, marked his full ascension to the upper echelons of magical authority. While Mordenkainen remained focused on maintaining balance across the planes, Bigby often acted as a counterweight—pragmatic, loyal, and occasionally skeptical of his mentor’s grand designs.

Though his loyalty to Mordenkainen is deep-rooted, Bigby has also clashed with him on matters of morality and interference. He is no blind follower. He values stability, foresight, and the protection of the world from reckless magical forces, be they mortal or divine.

Bigby’s influence is immense. His spells are taught in arcane academies from Greyhawk to distant worlds. His name lives on not only through his magic, but through his writings, his role in pivotal events in Oerth’s history, and his defense of magical balance.

He is one of the few mortals whose hand-shaped legacy quite literally reaches across the multiverse—and yet he remains, at heart, a man of discipline, humility, and razor-sharp magical instinct.

Bigby is measured and thoughtful, preferring clarity over complexity, and precision over grandeur. While not as enigmatic as Tenser or as morally flexible as Rary, Bigby occupies a grounded space within the Circle. He speaks when necessary, acts when decisive action is required, and tends to dismiss pompous displays in favor of efficacy.

He possesses a dry wit and a healthy distrust of those who chase power for its own sake. He also has a surprising fondness for young spellcasters and often advocates for the mentorship of new talent, believing that magical power should be earned through discipline, not entitlement.