BOCCOB – THE UNCARING

		STAT	Greater Power
		ROR	Common
		AL	True Neutral
		WAL	Any
		SoC	Magic, Arcane Knowledge, Foresight, Non-intervention, Balance
		SY	Eye in a star
SX	Male
MAN	A handsome man of indeterminate age clad in flowing purple garments. His clothing is covered with shimmering golden runes that move and change. He carries a staff on top of which sits his eye within a pentagram symbol
CR	Purple and gold
PN	Concordant Opposition (The Tower Of Lore)
ALL	Zagyg, Delleb (loose contact)
ENE

Boccob (BOK-kob) The Uncaring, Lord Of All Mages, and Archmage of the Deities, is the patron of neutrality, foreknowledge and foresight. He is also the creator and maintainer of magic on Oerth. He has few followers, and is normally distant from all other gods except his servant Zagyg, but this does not appear to concern him in the least. Nevertheless, most humans acknowledge and respect him as the premier god of magic and knowledge even though they do not worship him. All wizards throughout the Flanaess venerate him, seers and diviners entreat him for omens, sages revere him, and those seeking to create new magical items often seek his aid.

Boccob is magic incarnate, his will creating the magic matrix around Oerth containing the energies and “laws” which allow magic to work and to be used by mortals. He maintains and protects this creation, and it is only when a being threatens to unbalance or disrupt the framework of magic that he usually acts. It is up to mortals as to how to use his creation – he inspires practitioners of magic, but does not aid or teach those who worship him. Even devout followers rarely receive aid from this god.

Boccob has a strong creative aspect to his nature. He inspires mortals, particularly mages, to create new magic, either spells or enchanted items. He is said to have a copy of every magic item and spell ever created by mortals in his Tower Of Lore on his home plane of Concordant Opposition.

As a god of non-intervention and balance, it is extremely rare for Boccob to act directly. Events of cosmic significance or attacks on the magical matrix he has created are the only instances where he might leave his tower. For less serious matters, he grants powers to the members of his small clergy, or sends his demi-power servant Zagyg the Mad instead.

At this point in time it is rumoured he is unusually active because magic on Oerth is being drained somehow and that Boccob’s power is waning. The same people raising these concerns also mention the Dark One – Tharizdun – as being responsible for this state of affairs.

All times and planes are open to Boccob. He manipulates the energies of the Positive and Negative Material planes as he wishes. He ever seeks to learn more of planar structures, the intricacies of his magical matrix, and long-lost lore. His quest for knowledge and lore has brought him unwittingly into conflict with other gods of Oerth, making himself an enemy of these Powers. However, he does not personally count any of these as enemies, as he seems to care little what others think of him and possesses the power to counter their spiteful or vengeful acts. His desire for balance means he also has few if any allies amongst the other gods. Only his servant Zagyg is directly linked to him. It is no secret that the followers of Boccob and Delleb have cordial relations despite Delleb’s strong Lawful Good ethos, for Delleb has a similar thirst for knowledge. Both powers also have only small followings, so they have come to an agreement to share knowledge gained.

Boccob does grant omens and magical boons to those who pray for them, but only in special situations or if the supplicant has earned it. Magical research going quicker than expected, the sudden appearance of an important component in magical item creation, or sudden insight to the answer of a great question are all common forms of Boccob’s favour. Lazy wizards who rocket to power serving evil interventionist gods like Vecna, Iuz or Tharizdun may be subtly marked or cursed by Boccob for helping disturb the balance, and can find acquisition of magical lore much difficult.

Boccob’s temples are few and far between, and are usually based in great cities or towns. The City of Greyhawk is a favoured base for Arcanists, but they are also known to frequent the various cities of the Wild Coast. Younger Arcanists travel secretly in the lands of the Great Kingdom, Iuz, the Horned Society, and the Bandit kingdoms. Some priests set up their own temples in locations that are out of the way and hard to access. These temples are repositories of vast amounts of knowledge and magical lore, though few are ever allowed to access it. Needless to say these libraries represent a temptation to those who would use the knowledge for their own nefarious purposes – it is also self evident that they are extremely well protected and it is said no raid on a Boccobite library has ever succeeded. Temples of Boccob are rumoured to have mighty magical scrying enchantments laid on them. Some shrines also exist, dotted around the Flanaess in places where magical phenomenon occur and can be observed and studied.

Services to Boccob include complex rituals, burning of incense, recitals of alchemical formulas, readings from special works honouring knowledge, and sacrifice of minor magical items on the altar.

BOCCOB’S AVATAR

Boccob rarely leaves his own hall. When he does go forth he generally appears as a handsome man of indeterminate age clad in flowing purple garments. His clothing is covered with shimmering golden runes that move and change. He can take other forms; this one is simply his habitual form and the one he normally appears as. He has access to all schools and spheres of magic – he uses them all, and favours none. For purposes of spells and saving throws, he is considered to be a 18^th level wizard and an 18^th level priest, with the following combat statistics:

AC -2; MV 18; HD 14; hp 62; #AT 1; Dmg 1d6+4 (strength bonus, +3 staff); Str 16, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 20, Wis 18, Cha 18; MR 50%; SZ M; THACO 13.

Boccob is generally indifferent and reticent to those he meets, neither seeking nor avoiding confrontations, but he always seeks to gain knowledge.

His most common avatar is hit only by weapons of +3 or better enchantment. No matter what his form, he can draw power from either the Positive or Negative Material Planes. Undead creatures or creatures from the Positive or Negative Material within a 15 foot radius must save versus magic with a –4 penalty or be struck with fear. Alternatively, he can form the energies into a rolling cloud of energy with effects similar to a double strength wall of fire in terms of its area and effects upon them. He can likewise use a net of negative power to affect creatures drawing on the Positive Material Plane.

The avatar has excellent senses, with double normal vision and infravision, as well as keen hearing, taste, smell and hearing. He can regenerate 1d4 hit points per round. He is also immune to all spells affecting the mind, including feeblemind and similar magics.

Once per day, Boccob can create a Disc of Concordant Opposition. The disc is a 10 feet web of force that blasts into nothingness any creature with fewer than 10 levels or Hit Dice, or less than 50% magic resistance unless a saving throw versus death magic is made. Characters or creatures with 10 or more levels or Hit Dice take 50 points of damage, no saving throw allowed. Any creature with magic resistance higher than 50% is unaffected. This ability occurs in the very fast phase of combat. The disc’s range is limited only by Boccob’s line of sight.

Boccob generally carries his Staff of the Archmagi. This staff is the first staff of the magi ever created. It is considered to be a +3 magical weapon, and has the combined powers of a standard staff of the magi and a wand of conjuration. Though the staff may never contain more than 25 charges, it can absorb 24 spell levels per day. Boccob also wears five amulets and protective devices, including items such as a periapt of wound closure, a scarab of protection, an amulet of proof against detection and location, a periapt of health, and a stone of good luck.

BOCCOB’S PRIESTHOOD - ARCANISTS

AB	Int 14 OR 16 Wis
PAL	True Neutral
WPN	Quarterstaff (1^st level), Flail, Mace, Dagger, Knife, Sling
AR	None
RA	Purple robe with gold trim
SPH	Major: All, Astral, Charm, Creation, Divination, Elemental, Numbers, Protection, Summoning, Thought, Wards Minor: Combat, Healing, Guardian, Time
XPT	A (no penalty)
SPL
ADD	Energy Conduit, Boccob's Arcane Polarization, Boccob's Quick Cast, Boccob's Sequestrious Digitalia, Imbue Item With Spell Ability, Purge, Disc Of Concordant Opposition
RAC	Human, Elf, Half-elf
TU	No
PW	1) Select one school of wizard spells as another major sphere of access (character’s choice, but once made cannot be changed); 3) Cast all Divination sphere spells as if two levels higher; 7) Commune (1/week) (P5); 11) May use any magic item normally restricted to wizards
PEN	Sacrifice magic items (see below)
PROF	1) Reading/Writing, 3) Sage Knowledge
FOLL	See below (1x 5^th level wizard, 3 x 1^st level wizards, 1 x 2^nd level bard, 1 x 1^st level priest of Boccob and 8 x 1^st level fighters)

Priests of Boccob, also known as Arcanists, are committed to the study of magic, the creation and preservation of magical items and constructs, and divining the future. They are very conservative folk, expected to be grave and serious, and are devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and the discovery of long-lost magical lore. They believe that their rest in the afterlife will be better if their souls are filled of knowledge, history, and lore. They maintain great libraries and archives in their temples, and maintain contacts with wizard guilds, sages and spell users.

There are very few Boccobite priests, and they are natural recluses. They rarely leave their well protected churches, content with carrying out pure magical research, searching through the archives, or using their contacts with adventuring wizards, wizard guilds and sages, without the need to leave the peaceful environment of their temples. When they do venture forth into the outside world, it is normally the younger priests who go, sent to root out rumours of lost magic items, spells or lore, and then to mount expeditions to locate them. They will also adventure to defend a magical place from destruction. Arcanists must maintain a True Neutral alignment, as extremism in ethos is frowned upon; they are expected to maintain the balance between all alignments. In lands where the forces of Law, Chaos, Good or Evil grow too strong, churches of Boccob have been built to balance those forces.

The tenets of Boccob’s religion also preach that:

· Followers must seek balance above good, evil, law and chaos – without this balance all magic and even all existence will fail

· A true followers must fight to push back the unbalanced ascendance of good just as you would for evil.

· Magic is the most important thing on Oerth and it must be preserved to ensure balance is maintained.

· Creation of magical tools is a sacred task, blessing the world. However, over-production of magical implements can also be harmful, and rampant exploitation of the matrix is to be avoided.

Common folk see Arcanists as wise but mysterious wizard-priests who cannot be entirely trusted. Boccob is an uncaring god, and his followers are also seen as uncaring, perhaps to the point that they might sacrifice anything for knowledge and balance. The priesthood guards its knowledge and lore very carefully less it falls into the wrong hands and creates an imbalance in the world. Visitors to a temple of Boccob are rare, for they usually get a cool greeting. Most visitors don’t usually feel welcome unless they have something the priesthood wants (lost lore, unique magic items to be investigation or for sale). The priesthood will also occasionally sell advice, information or magic items to those with a good enough reason and plenty of money, provided the information or item is not considered too unbalancing in its influence or power.

Boccob’s priests always seek to protect or discover magical items or constructs if within their power to do so. Items that will obviously harm the priest if protected or left alone are not included in this restriction (eg. the priest wouldn’t have to protect an attacking stone golem from his party members if it needed to be passed to achieve more important goals, escape from attacking monsters etc.). Ironically, this religion also believes that unchecked drawing of magic from the matrix in the creation of enchanted items is harmful, for the matrix is a finite resource. The slow bleeding of magic from the matrix from some other source (believed to be the Dark One) has heightened this attitude. Consequently, each priest is required to sacrifice a small magic item once per month, thus returning some magical energy back to the matrix. These are usually commonly available and cheap items such as potions or scrolls. The item needs to be worth at least 200 xp for a month, and must be sacrified on an altar to Boccob. The priest is allowed to accumulate owed sacrifices for up to one year, and may sacrifice a more powerful item (though not one that is rare or unique) or multiple minor items instead to fulfil their obligations in arrears or in advance. Priests who do not fulfil their obligations for a year (accumulated debt of 2400 xp) are stripped of their status in the church and all their granted powers and spells are withdrawn until the priest pays the debt and atones for the indiscretion. Priests may use magic items they’ve created themselves as sacrifices.

When priests reach 9th level they are allowed to construct their own church, and these holy places are referred to as Strongholds of Knowledge. These temples to Boccob are more often than not placed in hard to reach locations, and contain vast amounts of magical and mundane lore collected by the priest over the course of his career. There are no set requirements as to the shape or size of one of these temples, but they are usually guarded with great magical power and many guardians. Stronghold construction is rewarded with followers who come to study at the library. These include one 5^th level wizard, three 1^st level wizards, one 2^nd level bard, and one 1^st level priest of Boccob. There are also eight 1^st level fighters, who serve as guards to the temple.

If a priest has reached 9^th level, and if the priest has constructed a religious stronghold, he or she may enchant one or more of Boccob's eyes in a star symbol to act as a scrying device. Each Scrying device costs 5,000 gp, and takes 13 weeks to construct. The priest can build one of these devices for every 3½ points of intelligence he or she has (round down). The devices function only within the stronghold, each acting as a Crystal Ball, but capable of scrying only the area in which it is placed. The priest may use them from any location on the Prime Material Plane. The chance for successful scrying is 100%. There is no limit to the number of times the prist can scry through these devices, but the total scrying time allowed is three hours per day; the cleric may divide his time between the available devices as he/she sees fit.

The priests of Boccob recognize the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th of Sunsebb as being the Days of Thought. These days are spent in self-examination and study, in which the priest sets aside his or her normal dilemmas and research and attempts to learn more of his or her own inner self. On these days, Boccob's priests receive 95% magic resistance to all mind affecting spells and effects.

Like Lirr, Rao, Ralishaz, and many other deities, Boccob's worshipers celebrate the Feast of Unreason. Servants are promoted to the head of towns, villages, and even royal courts, where they preside over the feast's duration. They orchestrate silly laws (i.e. having farmers push their carts wearing only one shoe, etc.) that must be obeyed, though traditionally they are followed about by a 'true' authority, a person who can overrule any proclamations deemed to be disastrous. The Feast of Unreason is celebrated in many kingdoms, but only in those who are not so strict in their laws; the Theocracy of the Pale totally suppresses the feast as do the Scarlet Brotherhood. Magic is said to sometimes operate in unexpected ways on these feasts, and is even harmful to those who have personally offended Boccob.

AFFILIATED ORDERS

Wizardly guilds are often allied with the priests of Boccob. The largest guild supported (secretly, of course) by the church is the Wizard's Guild of Greyhawk. This guild is given support by the clergy specifically because of it's size and also because of it's diversity; no other guild contains wizards of so many different alignments or views. Many other minor guilds also work under the church of Boccob, but only if they are diverse who entirely neutral.

Some wizards are especially devoted to Boccob and may join the clergy, though this special order is open only to generalist mages. These priestly wizards may be granted minor access (up to 3^rd level spells) to one sphere of priestly magic (character’s choice). The wizard must still use wizard spell slots to learn these spells; in effect they’re translations or adaptations of priest spells the wizard knows through special training. Priest spells must be learned normally and count against the wizard’s maximum number of spells per level. The offset is that the character must pay an additional 5% experience points over normal wizards to advance in level.

SPECIAL SPELLS

Energy Conduit (Summoning)

Level:	2^nd	Duration:	Special (1 round/level)
Sphere:	Summoning	Casting Time:	5
Range:	Special	Area Of Effect:	Special
Components:	VS	Saving Throws:	Special

Although Boccob does not bestow turning abilities upon his priests, he does give them access to this spell thereby allowing them to combat undead creatures causing imbalance in the world or guarding hidden lore and/or magical items in tombs and ruins.

This spell allows the Arcanist to create a safe link with either the Positive or Negative Material planes (the particular plane is specified during the casting of the spell). The priest may use this conduit in one of two ways:

1) Cause Fear: In a burst of raw energy, the priest may cause fear (as the reversed 1^st level priest spell Remove Fear) in a creature to which the energy form summoned is inimical. Free-willed undead creatures or creatures native to the negative material plane would be affected by a conduit to the positive material plane. Conversely, creatures native to the positive material plane would be affected by negative energy. Range is 10 yards, number of creatures affected is 1 per 4 levels of the caster, and the affected creatures receive a saving throw versus spells (with wisdom bonus) to resist the effects. A failed saving throw means the affected creature flees for 1d4 rounds. This version of the spell has no effect on creatures other than those associated with the opposite energy plane to that summoned by the priest.

2) Energy Missiles: Lumps of raw energy form in the caster’s hand. The energy does not harm the caster and may be hurled as a missile weapon (similar to the 2^nd level priest spell Produce Flame). Maximum range is 40 yards (all ranges considered short range), and the missile flashes in a release of energy on impact. If the energy hits a creature to which the energy is inimical, the creature takes 2d4+4 points of damage from the missile. On creatures not associated with the opposite energy plane to that summoned by the priest (eg. Prime Material Planes, Upper or Lower Outer Planes, Elemental Planes etc.), a successful missile attack causes only 1d4+2 points of damage. If the target is from the same energy plane as that summoned by the conduit, it takes no damage at all from a successful attack. Misses are resolved as grenade like missiles. If the caster hurls an energy missile, and if there is any duration left for the spell, another energy missile appears in the caster’s hand. This version of the spell lasts 1 round per level of the caster. The caster can hurl no more than one energy missile per round. There is no saving throw for the damage caused by this spell.

Boccob's Arcane Polarization (Invocation)

Level:	3^rd	Duration:	1 round/level
Sphere:	Protection	Casting Time:	3
Range:	0	Area Of Effect:	30’ radius sphere
Components:	V	Saving Throws:	None

This potent invocation causes the caster to be surrounded by a 5' radius sphere of glowing energy. While this spell lasts, the caster cannot cast other spells due to the nature of the magical globe that has been formed around him. The sphere causes all spells (the class of the caster is irrelevant) cast within 30' to be instantly drawn towards the caster where it is harmlessly absorbed by an aura around the priest. This spell works on targeted and area affect spells. Benign spells are affected no less.

The sphere can absorb 1 spell level for every three levels of the priest up to a maximum of 6 at 18^th level. Once the spell level limit is taken up, the sphere vanishes in a flash of prismatic, scintillating colours. If the spell does not have enough absorption capacity to absorb a spell then the spell remains unaffected. For example if only 1 spell level of absorption is left and a lightning bolt (a 3^rd level spell) is cast nearby, there is no effect on the lightning bolt spell. If in the next round however, a magic missile or cure light wounds spell was cast, the arcane polarisation absorbs the power of the spell. The absorption ability remains either it’s absorption capacity is reached or the spell's duration ends.

Boccob's Quick Cast (Enchantment)

Level:	3^rd	Duration:	1 round/level
Sphere:	Time	Casting Time:	1
Range:	0	Area Of Effect:	Caster
Components:	VS	Saving Throws:	None

This spell is used by Arcanists to shorten the casting times of offensive spells cast during this enchantment’s duration. Only 3rd through 6th level spells are affected by the Quick Cast - 1^st and 2^nd level spells are too simple, and 7^th level spells too powerful. Offensive 3^rd and 4^th level spells can be Quick Cast – the result is that the casting time of other spells is reduced by 5 (though the casting time can never be reduced to less than 1), victims of the caster’s spells suffer a –1 penalty to their saving throws, but all damage caused by the spell is reduced by 50%.. Offensive 5th and 6th level spells can also be Quick Cast with the same effects as for 3^rd and 4^th level spells, except that the saving throw penalty is increased to –3. Spells with casting times of one round are reduced to a casting time of 5; spells with casting times longer than one round are reduced to on round casting time. A spell that takes longer to cast than the duration of the Quick Cast spell cannot be affected by the Quick Cast.

Boccob's Sequestrious Digitalia (Conjuration)

Level:	4^th	Duration:	1 hour/level
Sphere:	Summoning	Casting Time:	1 round
Range:	Special	Area Of Effect:	One object
Components:	S	Saving Throws:	None

Upon pronouncing the final syllable of this spell, the caster brings into being 1 to 4 (determined at the time of casting) invisible hands. These hands or digitalia will magically seek out an object or objects stated by the caster at the beginning of the spell. The Arcanist must also state the present location of the respective targets for each hand, so that the digitalia will be able to find their objects. The digitalia can pass through objects, people, walls, floors, and doors, but magical barriers cannot be bypassed by the digitalia. The digitalia move at 100' per round. The target object(s) must be on the same plane as the caster, but otherwise the digitalia are only limited by the distance they can cover at their movement rate for the duration of the spell.

Once all the digitalia have come in contact with their respective items, they are teleported directly to the caster’s location, and the spell ends immediately. Each digitalia can only teleport objects of 20 pounds for each level of experience of the caster, though multiple hands may be sent to the same object and are cumulative in their teleport capacity. Magical items only have a 50% chance of being teleported, because of their interfering auras. If the object has been moved from the location that the caster stated, the hand(s) sent to that location will immediately disappear with no affect. The hands can be seen by spells such as Detect Invisibility, Detect Magic and True Seeing. The hands cannot be harmed by physical or magical attacks, except Dispel Magic, which can destroy any digitalia in the area of effect.

Imbue Item with Spell Ability (Enchantment)

Level:	4^th	Duration:	Special
Sphere:	Charm	Casting Time:	1 turn
Range:	Touch	Area Of Effect:	Item touched
Components:	VSM	Saving Throws:	None

This spell allows the priest to transfer a limited number and selection of his currently memorized spells, and the ability to cast them, into an item. The item can then be used by anyone who knows the command word, which is determined by the priest during the casting. Only priest spells of an informational or defensive nature or a healing spell can be imbued. Transferring spells of another type negates the entire attempt. The number of spells that the priest can transfer is determined by the table below:

Level of Priest	Spells Imbued
9	One 1^st level
11	Two 1^st level
13+	Two 1^st level and one 2^nd level

A priest who casts imbue item with spell ability loses the number of spells he has transferred until those spells are used by the item wielder. The item is not consumed by the spell.

The material component is the priest’s holy symbol.

Purge (Conjuration)

Level:	5^th	Duration:	Instantaneous
Sphere:	Combat, Guardian	Casting Time:	2 rounds
Range:	10 feet	Area Of Effect:	One creature
Components:	VSM	Saving Throws:	Negates

When the priest casts this spell, he attempts to force a creature that is possessing another body out of the host. This spell will work against any creature capable of possessing someone and against wizards using the magic jar spell. If the possessing creature fails a saving throw it is purged from the host's body. If the possessing creature has a body of its own, it returns to that body, where ever that body is.

The material components of this spell are the priest’s normal holy symbol, a special silver chalice blessed on an altar of Boccob (worth 100 gp), and a vial of holy water. The chalice and holy water are consumed in the casting of the spell.

Disc Of Concordant Opposition (Evocation)

Level:	6^th	Duration:	1 attack
Sphere:	Combat	Casting Time:	9
Range:	10 yards	Area Of Effect:	One creature
Components:	VSM	Saving Throws:	Special

This spell allows the priest to bring into being a disc which will blast most creatures into nothingness unless they are resistant to magic.

Creatures with less than 6 Hit Dice or 35% magic resistance are destroyed if they fail a saving throw versus death magic. Creatures with less than 6 Hit Dice take 75 hit points of damage if their saving throw is successful (which will more than likely kill them anyway). Creatures with 6 Hit Dice or greater take 40 points of damage if they fail their saving throw versus death magic, half damage if the save is successful. Creatures with greater than 35% magic resistance are immune to this spell.

The power of this spell is such that it may only be cast once per day by a particular priest, regardless of other spell effects or magic items that would normally allow a recently or currently memorised spell to be cast again.

The material components of this spell are the priest’s holy symbol and a small iron and electrum with a rod rising from the centre on one side worth a minimum of 250 gp. The disc is hurled at the target while the priest completes a prayer to Boccob and is consumed by the spell.

Sources

Boccob was originally detailed in DRAGON #70. Further details are found in World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (Guide, pages 63-64; Glossography, page 38), From the Ashes: Atlas of the Flanaess, pages 83, Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, pages 19 & 21, Greyhawk Adventures pg 5, and 3^rd Edition Living Greyhawk Gazetteer pages 167 & 170 and Deities and Demigods pages 60-62.

The symbol of Boccob was first depicted in From the Ashes: Reference Card #4, and depicted in a somewhat different form on the gatefold of the Player’s Guide to Greyhawk, in Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins page 92, and in 3^rd Edition Deities and Demigods page 60.

The spell Disc of Concordant Opposition was originally detailed in From the Ashes: Reference Card #5.

The spells Imbue Item With Spell Ability and Purge from ‘New Priest Spells of Greyhawk’ by Daniel Bandera.

‘F&A: Boccob’ posted by Ubiquitous and ‘F&A: Boccob’ posted by Will McPherson on Canonfire website (in Greytalk Archive).

The spells Boccob’s Arcane Polarisation, Boccob’s Quick Cast, and Boccob’s Sequestrious Digitalia from ‘F&A: Boccob’ posted by Will McPherson on Canonfire website (in Greytalk Archive).