Post by gatalis on Feb 10, 2012 21:21:17 GMT -5
The Uncaring, the Lord of All Magics, the Archmage of the Gods, the Archmage of the Deities
Greater Deity
Symbol - An Eye In a Pentagram
Home Plane - Concordant Opposition
Alignment - Neutral (True Neutral)
Portfolio - Magic, Arcane Knowledge, Balance, Foresight, Nonintervention
Worshippers - oracles, sages, seers, wizards, and similar professions of Arcane descent
Cleric Alignments - Mostly N, Also NG, LN, CN, NE
Domains - Magic, Knowledge, Mind, Oracle, Trickery
Favoured Weapon - Staff of the Magi (first in existance)
Boccob is the god of Magic, Arcane Knowledge, Balance, and Foresight. He is known as the Uncaring, the Lord of All Magics, and the Archmage of the Deities. All times and places are open to him, and he has visited many alternate realities and planes unknown to the wisest of sages, places even the Elder Evils avoid. His symbol is an eye in a pentagram; usually this is worn as an amulet.
Boccob is usually portrayed as a middle-aged man with white hair wearing purple robes decorated with golden runes. He carries the very first staff of the magi with him at all times. In addition, the Lord of All Magics knows every spell ever created and can travel to any time and dimension. He is the possessor of the only magical library that contains a copy of every potion, spell, and magic item in existence.
History and Relationships
Boccob guided the apotheosis of his servant, Zagyg. He is allied with Delleb. The Archmage of the Deities is opposed to Tharizdun, who he believes is slowly draining magic from the Oerth.
According to a myth, Boccob once outwitted and bound a mighty demon prince for a thousand years (the identity of this prince varies from tale to tale), using the enslaved demon to counter the plans of a celestial paragon.
Dogma
Boccob teaches that magic is the most important force in the cosmos, and that balance between Law and Chaos, and between Good and Evil, should be preserved. Magic, according to Boccobite dogma, is an energy source of finite extant, and may eventually wane. Boccob promotes the research and creation of new spells and magical items, under the theory that this increases the amount of magic available to everyone.
Scriptures
The Uncaring's Will
Divided into five chapters and twenty-five subchapters, this is the core text of Boccob the Uncaring's faith. It is a collection of sermons and prophecies discussing the origins of the faith, epistles from early members of the religion, commands from Boccob himself, and obscure predictions of the future.
Words of the Prophets
This is literally a collection of prophecies of all sorts, many of them of doubtful veracity. Acolytes of Boccob study them as much to learn divination's limitations as its successes.
The Rare Water
Considered a heresy by some Boccobites, The Rare Water claims that each spell cast forever diminishes the amount of magic in the multiverse. Those who trust this book therefore seek to use magic as little as possible. The mainstream church of Boccob teaches that the use of and creation of magic actually replenishes the amount of magic available.
Clergy and Temples
Boccob's clerics are usually neutral, though a small minority are chaotic neutral. Some are lawful neutral, neutral evil, or neutral good. The church does not actively encourage others to study magic, but neither does it discourage them; its primarily concern is balance. Boccob is honored with magical research and experimentation, with the burning of incense, the reading from books of arcane lore. Each creation of a new spell or magic item is celebrated (usually once a year, in the holiday known as Great Discovery). High-level followers of Boccob make pilgrimages to other planes of existence. Prayers to Boccob utilize florid and elaborate language, signifying great erudition, labored formality, and a robust vocabulary.
Boccob's temples are generally tall, round towers, although the one in Greyhawk City is a pyramid. Some temples of Boccob are guarded by pious templars who combine arcane magic with martial training. Services performed by Boccob's temples include the identification of magical items and other divination spells.
Holy Days
Celestial Conjuntions
As many clerics of Boccob are astrologers, profound conjunctions of the stars, moons, and Wanderers are observed by the church with the uttering of prophecies and other various complex ceremonies.
Great Discovery
Celebrated early in the year, this holiday honors the magical discoveries made in the previous year. Every five years, the holiday is expanded to include testing for magical talent and expeditions to rediscover lost lore.
The Last Rite of the Prophet
When a powerful cleric or other devotee of Boccob dies, a somber eulogy is held. In addition, some of the magical power is drawn from the corpse to empower a magic item.
