“Know that which is known, Learn that which is unknown, Seek that which is knowable, Create that which is unknowable " - Boccobian koan
Boccob is the Sage and Archmage of the pantheons of Oerth. He knows every spell ever crafted and every magic item ever made, has raised mortals to godhood, and has blasted would-be challengers into oblivion. He sees the past, all the way back to the creation of the world, the present and even the future, when magic itself has succumbed to a slow wasting end. He knows what you are going to do before you know it yourself, and his plans already account for it. His role as god of foreknowledge is a blessing and a curse, for his vision shows him that magic is declining on Oerth and will eventually fade away.
Boccob is an ancient deity known by all cultures of the world, certainly predating all civilizations and all but the oldest of gods. He oversees the maintenance of magic on Oerth and investigates anything that weakens or interrupts the power of magic. As he believes that Oerth’s magic is what makes it a unique and fascinating place, its slow decline is a source of great sadness for him and he works to forestall it as long as possible. He constantly seeks to learn more of planar structures, the logic of magic, long-lost lore, and the underpinnings of magic’s role in the multi verse, hoping to find another clue to delaying the eventual decline of magic on Oerth.
He watches for a possible return of Tharizdun, the dark entity that wishes to unravel the fabric of the universe, using every iota of magic to assist him in this task. That is why he is above mortal concerns, willing to use good and evil, law and chaos, to serve his purposes, gaining strength by keeping them balanced in opposition.
He is venerated by seers, astrologers, and the like but Boccob, called the Uncaring, is indifferent to whether or not people worship him, as his strength is based on the power of magic itself rather than mortal worship.
The Origin
The origin of Boccob, the greater god of magic, is shrouded in mystery and legend, much like the arcane secrets he guards. It is said that before the dawn of time, when the cosmos was but a swirling void of chaos and potential, Boccob emerged from the primordial ether as a being of pure magic and intellect.
Boccob, The Uncaring, sat in his Library of Lore in the Outer Planes and observed the birth of a new prime material plane. It intrigued him, it came an object of study for him for it was a deity that was transforming. He remained practically unnoticed to what was happening in this universe he sometimes wondered if it was worth keeping his attention on.
His unnoticed presence was about to change as Tharizdun, the pitch-black, roiling, amorphous form, crept ever closer, chanting: “The very threads of existence must be torn asunder, then burned, then the ashes scattered, until all is nothing and no one exists to remember existence”. The cosmic Archmage realised that this Dark entity had to be stopped and he designed a god trap of such complexity that it could banish Tharizdun if the seven gods (The Aetherics) focussed their might to defeat it. Boccob also created an enormous magical planetary ring around the planet Beory as an extra measure of defence, but this had an ‘unexpected’ effect of allowing magic to seep into the world. Since that event, Boccob became somewhat more involved with Oerth.
Appearance
In the ethereal expanse of the divine realm, where the essence of magic intertwines with the fabric of existence, there exists a being whose form embodies the boundless mysteries of the arcane. This is Boccob, the god of magic, knowledge, and the unknown.
He is most commonly depicted as a quintessential mysterious wizard. His white hair resting on his purple robes, covered with golden runes and sigils that seem to twist and change on the edge’s of one’s gaze. He carries the original staff of the magi that has a multitude of other magical powers as well as a myriad of other relics. Other details of Boccob’s appearance vary from location to location, as local faiths and races describe him as looking like them.
His voice echoes like the whisper of the wind through the cosmos, carrying with it the secrets of creation and the mysteries of the arcane.
He is not merely a god, but a living embodiment of the mysteries of magic and the vast expanse of knowledge that lies beyond mortal comprehension.
Relationship with other faiths
Boccob is an aloof deity, not out of arrogance but because his work is of the utmost importance and the distractions of celestial politics are a waste of his valuable time. He is coolly neutral toward all other deities, postponing meetings when he must and ignoring taunts.
One may think Vecna is of interest to Boccob as their interests may occasionally overlap, especially arcane knowledge and the pursuit of hidden truths. However, Vecna is all about secrets, his pursuit of power at any cost (necromancy) and his association with undeath puts him at odds with Boccob's more neutral and detached approach to magic and knowledge.
He is slightly more tolerant of the goddess Wee Jas, although he finds her “extraneous" (irrelevant) interests — beauty and death — distract her from her true potential and effectiveness as a deity of magic.
The only other deity he has any regular contact with, the ascended demigod Zagyg, servant of Boccob, who acts as his liaison to other deities and the mortal world.
Teachings
Boccob teaches us that magic and knowledge are intertwined, like the threads of a tapestry. Just as a skilled weaver creates beautiful patterns by combining different colors and textures, Boccob shows us how to weave together the threads of magic and understanding to create wondrous things. Followers learn that one’s own ethical and moral leanings, while personally important, are fleeting and immaterial, while only magic is truly eternal, and thus the study of magic must take priority over considerations of good and evil.
Boccob teaches us to respect the mysteries of the universe. Just like how we're curious about the stars twinkling in the night sky, Boccob encourages us to be curious about the world around us. He wants us to ask questions, to explore, and to seek out knowledge wherever it may be found. He teaches that a person is essentially alone in the world, and that he or she must seek to understand every aspect of the world around them. The study of magic and arcane lore is an essential part of this understanding, for magic permeates everything from the skies to the waters to the souls of the living.
Boccob teaches us that magic is a powerful force that flows through everything in the world. It's like a river that runs deep beneath the earth, unseen but ever-present. Boccob shows us how to tap into this magic, to harness its energy and use it to shape the world around us. But Boccob also reminds us that magic is not something to be taken lightly. Just as a fire can warm us on a cold night, it can also burn if we're not careful. Boccob teaches us to use magic responsibly, to respect its power, and to always consider the consequences of our actions.
Boccob encourages us to share what we learn with others, to help each other grow and learn together.
Symbols
It consists of a simple, yet elegant, open unblinking eye balanced on a pedestal within a pentagon.
The eye represents Boccob's omniscience, his knowledge of all. Sometimes, the eye may be embellished with arcane symbols or surrounded by other mystical imagery, reflecting the depth and complexity of magic and the mysteries of the universe.
Followers of Boccob, such as wizards, scholars, and those who seek understanding and mastery of the arcane, often wear or display this symbol proudly as a mark of their faith and devotion to the god of magic. It serves as a reminder of their pursuit of knowledge, enlightenment, and the power of magic under the watchful gaze of Boccob.
Places of worship
Temples, called the Bastions of Knowledge, of Boccob are rare and either set away from outside interference or in only the largest cities. In fact, most places of worship actually come down to small altars in libraries, schools of magic, or in the home of a worshiper living away from civilization, in places difficult to access.
When the temple is a magical school of sorts, then Boccob favours tall, round towers for his temples, although the one in Greyhawk city is a pyramid, and almost all are magically protected from outside interference. Visitors are as likely to meet wizards as well as clerics inside the colleges, studying both divine and arcane magic.
Visitors to a temple of Boccob usually get a cool greeting at best and are never truly welcomed unless they have some unusual magic item to offer for examination or money to spend on spells, magic items, or information.
(Services)
Worship services involve intensely intricate rituals, the recitation of exquisitely complex formulae, and readings from holy books that fetishize knowledge as an end unto itself. Holy days revolve around complex calculations predicting alignments of stars and planets, as well as the day of Great Discovery in the month of Fireseek, where the priests of Boccob report their findings and discoveries to other temples.
(Afterlife)
The souls of Boccob's worshipers who have stayed true to his teachings are drawn into Boccob's realm, the Library of Lore, an imposing, impregnable citadel sits atop a barren bluff in the Outlands. Their souls appear as they did in life and serve as librarians, scribes, researchers, inventors, or guides in the immense Library. After a while, the soul becomes less and less itself and more and more like the plane that is floating around it, until it melds into the plane itself.
Worship
Anathema
- Pursue mundane paths over magical ones
- Desecration (destruction or suppression) of Knowledge
- Destroying any magical items and relics (even if evil)
- Willful ignorance and close-mindedness
Beliefs
Balance takes precedence over Good, Evil, Law or Chaos
We must reject the incursions of Good as the oppression of Evil. We must repeal overly rigid laws, without sinking into anarchy for that.
Magic reigns supreme
Magic is the most important thing that the world offers us and it is necessary to preserve and strenghten it, in a way that it does not upsets the balance.
The Pursuit of Knowledge
The understanding that the mysteries of the universe lead to enlightenment and empowers individuals to shape not only their own destinies but strengthens against the decline of magic.
Goals
Defeat Tharizdun's influence Tharizdun,
an evil god of entropy imprisoned ages ago, is somehow responsible for the decline of magic despite his confinement. Always investigates news and rumours of Tharizdun’s influence and act against it.
Unravel the Mysteries of the Universe
The relentless curiosity to understand the secrets of the cosmos, to unlock the hidden truths of reality and to explore the depths of magic, pushing the boundaries.
Empower Potential
Empower individuals to realize their full potential as beings of magic and intellect.
Aphorisms
The everyday sayings of the faithful tell a great deal about their beliefs and morals.
Balance above morality, knowledge above all:
This is the central creed of the faith, worn into the mind of every acolyte and apprentice. In times of stress, they repeat this to themselves like a mantra until they can focus on the task at hand, It’s such a conditioned response that if presented with an absurd question or choice of actions a believers first response is usually to quote it.
Magic makes the world stranger than we could possibly imagine:
This is typically used as a response to folk who doubt the existence of something bizarre in the world, such as a sinking island or a forest made of stony humanlike pillars. Those who study the past, future, and the multitude of planes are more likely to accept an obscure report of something that can only be explained by magic.
Magic is the lifeblood of Oerth:
A follower of Boccob is expected to nurture and protect magic as he would his own blood, in this way he extends and invigorates his world just as eating sustains his own body. Just as a sickened body cannot uphold the balance, weakened magic cannot uphold Oerth.
Divine relics
The faithful of Boccob hold all magic items in high regard, but a few are valued above all others and not always for being relics.
Darvax’s Staff
This staff of power was wielded by a mighty Oeridian wizard during the height of the Great Kingdom of Aerdy. Darvax was an accomplished wizard with several personalized teleportation spells, and with the staff he flitted about the Great Kingdom, unearthing troves of ancient lore. He left on a planar quest in his fortieth year and was never heard from again, although rumors of his staff surface every few decades. Easily recognized by the adamantine symbol of Boccob on its top end, the staff is made of a black dragon’s carved thighbone. It is possible that the item has lost all of its charges and is just a magical quarterstaff now, but given Darvax's skill it is likely he allowed for some way to recharge it, especially given that he wielded it for years and wasn’t shy about using it.
Razor Bands of the Archmage: This powerful magic item is held in high esteem by the church, for it received a blessing from the god himself during an encounter on a remote plane. The item is a steel orb about 3 inches across, graven with lines, spirals, and a single instance of Boccob’s symbol. It orbits its bearer’s head like an ioun stone. The orb is also an offensive weapon, unfolding into a tangle of razor-sharp loops on command and functioning like iron bands that, according to records, will stop a wizard from casting 4th level spells or lower. A creature caught in the bands also takes slashing damage.
Sphere of Time Scrying: This crystal ball with special powers dates back almost to the end of the [[Suel]] empire. Although its command words are in an ancient magical language, magical tests show that the spells used in its creation bear spell fragments common to Suloise wizardry, and most scholars believe the item was created by a [[Suel]] wizard. The sphere is usually a blue or green color, but sometimes turns red or even deep violet when used. ancient texts reveal it has various divining powers.
Disk of Concordant Opposition
Boccob's mastery in magic allows him to create the lethal Disk of Concordant Opposition at will, a seemingly grey construct of interwoven positive and negative energy that can destroy any creature, object, or force it comes into contact with. Boccob has used the Disk to obliterate several liches, archfiends, and mortal wizards who sought to challenge him or interfere with his work; so complete was their destruction that even their names are lost and few records even hint at their existence at all. It is rumoured that such a disk is hidden on Oerth as well, in an empty ancient temple of his name.
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