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The half-fiend Tsojcanth was the son of Fraz-Urb'luu and the human witch [[Vilhara]], who is said to have been the first to uncover Fraz-Urb'luu's True Name. Vilhara named him ''tsoj-canth'', which meant "little deceiver" in the tongue of her people. | The half-fiend Tsojcanth was the son of Fraz-Urb'luu and the human witch [[Vilhara]], who is said to have been the first to uncover Fraz-Urb'luu's True Name. Vilhara named him ''tsoj-canth'', which meant "little deceiver" in the tongue of her people. | ||
In the | In the [[fourth century CY]], [[Iggwilv]] used knowledge she had gained from the [[Tome of Zyx]] to summon and bind Tsojcanth, making him her slave for several generations. In 491 CY, [[Graz'zt]] suggested to her that she could only stop the spread of a rift between the [[Material Plane]] and the [[Abyss]] by binding a powerful magical entity to it. She attempted to bind Tsojcanth, but he resisted, and it left Iggwilv weary and drained before she defeated her former minion. Graz'zt attacked her next, and although she successfully destroyed the demon prince's material form, she was left almost powerless afterwards. Still she managed to bind the unconscious Tsojcanth into the planar fabric, sealing the rift for the time being. | ||
==Creative origins== | ==Creative origins== | ||
Tsojcanth was originally known only from the name of the ''[[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]'' | Tsojcanth was originally known only from the name of the ''[[Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth]]'' adventure. | ||
In an interview [https://web.archive.org/web/20150227211440/http://mux.net/~ulmo/greyhawk/tharizdun.html], [[Gary Gygax]] said, "I have no file of data dealing with Tsojcanth. I imagined him as one of the exceptionally potent magic-wielders who arise amongst humans every so often. I considered him the channel used by the Good deities for the further abridgement of the actual Tharizdun, as it were. Tsojcanth and a circle of other mages of good alignment, and certainly others of like persuasion and other capacities, assailed and defeated the followers of the avatar Tharizdun, and then by sympathetic means, and empowered by deital power, Tsojcanth (and his associated mages lending their power to him so as he could survive channeling of deital energies) forced the avatar Tharizdun to rejoin its parent entity." | In an interview [https://web.archive.org/web/20150227211440/http://mux.net/~ulmo/greyhawk/tharizdun.html], [[Gary Gygax]] said, "I have no file of data dealing with Tsojcanth. I imagined him as one of the exceptionally potent magic-wielders who arise amongst humans every so often. I considered him the channel used by the Good deities for the further abridgement of the actual Tharizdun, as it were. Tsojcanth and a circle of other mages of good alignment, and certainly others of like persuasion and other capacities, assailed and defeated the followers of the avatar Tharizdun, and then by sympathetic means, and empowered by deital power, Tsojcanth (and his associated mages lending their power to him so as he could survive channeling of deital energies) forced the avatar Tharizdun to rejoin its parent entity." | ||
Latest revision as of 10:17, 23 January 2025
| Tsojcanth | |
|---|---|
 Tsojcanth's true form. | |
| General info | |
| Home: | Unknown |
| Alignment: | Chaotic evil |
| Gender: | Male |
| Species: | Half-fiend |
| Class: | Illusionist 18 |
| Dates | |
| Age: | Unknown (but was active for many centuries before Iggwilv) |
Tsojcanth is remembered by most as an Oeridian wizard who fought for the forces of Good, checking the schemes of Orcus, Graz'zt, and Tharizdun, and slaying a wielder of the Hand of Vecna.
This was a facade, a deception. Tsojcanth was actually the half-human son of the demon lord Fraz-Urb'luu, the Prince of Deception himself, and he sought only to eliminate those who worked against his own schemes and those of his father, not to do good.
Description
In his mortal guise, Tsojcanth appeared as an old human man dressed in plain white robes. His eyes were sparkling blue.
In his true form, which he avoided exposing to others, Tsojcanth is over nine feet tall with mottled ash-gray skin, a barbed tail, and a snakelike tongue. His eyes are pitch black.
History
The half-fiend Tsojcanth was the son of Fraz-Urb'luu and the human witch Vilhara, who is said to have been the first to uncover Fraz-Urb'luu's True Name. Vilhara named him tsoj-canth, which meant "little deceiver" in the tongue of her people.
In the fourth century CY, Iggwilv used knowledge she had gained from the Tome of Zyx to summon and bind Tsojcanth, making him her slave for several generations. In 491 CY, Graz'zt suggested to her that she could only stop the spread of a rift between the Material Plane and the Abyss by binding a powerful magical entity to it. She attempted to bind Tsojcanth, but he resisted, and it left Iggwilv weary and drained before she defeated her former minion. Graz'zt attacked her next, and although she successfully destroyed the demon prince's material form, she was left almost powerless afterwards. Still she managed to bind the unconscious Tsojcanth into the planar fabric, sealing the rift for the time being.
Creative origins
Tsojcanth was originally known only from the name of the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth adventure.
In an interview [1], Gary Gygax said, "I have no file of data dealing with Tsojcanth. I imagined him as one of the exceptionally potent magic-wielders who arise amongst humans every so often. I considered him the channel used by the Good deities for the further abridgement of the actual Tharizdun, as it were. Tsojcanth and a circle of other mages of good alignment, and certainly others of like persuasion and other capacities, assailed and defeated the followers of the avatar Tharizdun, and then by sympathetic means, and empowered by deital power, Tsojcanth (and his associated mages lending their power to him so as he could survive channeling of deital energies) forced the avatar Tharizdun to rejoin its parent entity."
Bibliography
- Gygax, Gary. The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth. Lake Geneva: TSR, Inc., 1982, ISBN 0-935696-72-5).
- Marmell, Ari, Edward Albert, and C.A. Suleiman. "Iggwilv's Legacy: The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth." Dungeon #151. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2007. Available online [2]
Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index
The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.
| Topic | Type | Description | Product | Page/Card/Image
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iggwilv's legacy: the lost caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatil, | Dungeon magazine #151 | |
| Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Reference | SEE S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Dragon magazine #059 | 6 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Dragon magazine #067 | 10 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Dragon magazine #225 | 49 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Dragon magazine #241 | 43 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Dragon magazine #339 | 59 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 73 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | Return of the Eight | 56 |
| S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Located in: Yatils, | World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) | 30 |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Dragon magazine #299 | 103 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Oerth Journal #03 | 21 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Oerth Journal #05 | 14,24 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Oerth Journal #14 | 34 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Oerth Journal #20 | 22 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Oerth Journal #26 | 58 | |
| Tsojcanth | Non-player character | Return of the Eight | 55 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Dragon magazine #055 | 17 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Dragon magazine #225 | 51 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Dragon magazine #299 | 103 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Dragon magazine #350 | 29 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess | 73 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Living Greyhawk Gazetteer | 86 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Living Greyhawk Journal #0 | 6 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Monster Manual 1, D&D 5e | 25 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | Return of the Eight | 55 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | S1-4 Realms of Horror, Adventure Booklet | 53-79 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | S1-4 Realms of Horror, Adventure Booklet | 53-79 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | S1-4 Realms of Horror, Illustration Booklet | 47-48 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | S1-4 Realms of Horror, Inscription and Map Booklet | 2, 12-16 | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, Book One | All | |
| Tsojcanth, Lost Caverns of | Place | WG4 The Forgotten Temple of Tharizdun | 1, 3, 5 | |
| WG3 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth | Adventure | Reference | SEE S4 The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth |