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| {{Greyhawk Deity|fgcolor=#fff|
| | '''Name''': Boccob |
| image=[[Image:Boccob01.jpg]]|
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| caption=Boccob the Uncaring, as depicted in ''Deities & Demigods'' (2002).|
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| bgcolor=#000|
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| fgcolor=#fff|
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| name=Boccob|
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| title=The Uncaring, the Lord of All Magics, the Archimage of the Gods, the Archmage of the Deities|
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| home=[[Outlands|Concordant Opposition]]|
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| power=Greater|
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| gender=Male|
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| class=Wizard 20, Cleric 20|
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| alignment=Neutral|
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| portfolio=Magic, Arcane Knowledge, Balance, Foresight, Nonintervention|
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| domains=Magic, Knowledge, Mind, Oracle, Trickery|
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| alias=Al-Zarad|
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| super=none|
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| }}
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| '''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. | |
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| ==Description==
| | '''Gender:''' m |
| 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.
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| ==Other aspects==
| | '''Rank:''' Greater Deity |
| The [[Bakluni]] know Boccob as '''Al-Zarad''', portraying him with Baklunish facial features.
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| ==Relationships==
| | '''Areas of Concern/Portfolio:''' Magic, Arcane, Knowledge, Foresight, Balance |
| 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]].
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| ==Realm==
| | '''Titles: '''The Uncaring, Lord of all Magic, Archmage of the Deities |
| Boccob's realm is known as the ''Library of Lore''. This imposing citadel sits atop a barren bluff in the [[Outlands]]. Those who would access the library and its knowledge must climb a single narrow stair guarded by four elder elementals, one of each of the cardinal types.
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| [[Image:Boccob00.jpg|150px|thumb|left|Boccob's holy symbol, as depicted in the ''Player's Handbook'' (2003).]]
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| The walls themselves are proof against ''teleportation'' and astral meddling, and those who try find themselves at the base of the great stair. Within the walls of the library, spells that access other planes do not function. The library is a convoluted mazework of passages that cross beneath and occasionally through each other, leaving no mark of their passage but foiling the most diligent of mapmakers. Within this structure are private meditation cells for spellcasters, sealed armories of magic items, and both true and false libraries that contain much of the magical and mundane knowledge of the multiverse. Those granted access to a true library (done with the approval of Boccob himself) can find the answer to any questions as if a ''commune'' spell were cast. One hour of research is required for each question answered. The Library of Lore contains a copy of every nonartifact magic item created by mortal hands. They are sealed beneath magical wards and traps, and golems and shield guardians patrol the halls. Souls who worshiped Boccob in life may peer over their patron's shoulders, catching glimpses of the secrets of the multiverse.
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| Boccob is a greater power, and as such the effects of his realm can be felt far beyond the walls of his library. Within this area he can limit magic of many types at will. In addition, much magic is enhanced in Boccob's realm. Divinations cast within the domain are extended, and all spells within the Library of Lore itself may be cast without verbal utterances. He has the power to further modify the magic trait of his realm.
| | '''Holy Symbol''': Eye balanced on a pedestal inside a pentagon |
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| The souls of Boccob's worshipers appear as they did in life and have abilities typical to Outlandish petitioners. In addition, they have the ability to know the motivations of others and they often use this ability to determine whether a visitor deserves to receive the information desired. Petitioners are usually librarians, scribes, researchers, inventors, or guides.
| | '''Alignment''': N |
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| ==Dogma==
| | '''Origin of Worship''': Unknown |
| 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.
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| [[Image:Boccob04.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Boccob's holy symbol, as depicted in ''Deities and Demigods'' (2002).]]
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| ===Scriptures===
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| *'''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.
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| *'''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.
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| *'''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.
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| ==Worshipers==
| | '''Favored Weapon''': Quarterstaff |
| [[Image:Cleric of Boccob01.jpg|121px|thumb|right|A priest of Boccob, as depicted in ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]'' (2000).]]
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| Boccob seems not to care whether he is worshiped or not. Nonetheless, he receives devotion from oracles, sages, and seers, and many wizards and archmages consider him their patron. He is known to every culture.
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| ===Clergy===
| | '''Domains:''' Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Trickery |
| 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.
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| ==Temples==
| | '''Special Note: '''Divine spellcasters must adamantly oppose any attempt to destroy a magic item or any magical place. Repeated failure to do so is a gross violation of the code of conduct. |
| Boccob's temples are generally tall, round towers, although the one in [[Greyhawk City]] is a pyramid. The evangelistic patriarch [[Riggby]] ran a cathedral dedicated to Boccob in [[Verbobonc]]. 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.
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| ==Rituals== | | =<nowiki/>= |
| 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.
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| Prayers to Boccob utilize florid and elaborate language, signifying great erudition, labored formality, and a robust vocabulary.
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| ==Holy days==
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| [[Image:Boccob03.jpg|126px|thumb|right|Boccob's symbol.]]
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| *'''Celestial Conjuntions'''. As many clerics of Boccob are astrologers, profound conjunctions of the [[Greyspace|stars, moons, and Wanderers]] are observed by the church with the uttering of prophecies and other various complex ceremonies.
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| *'''Great Discovery'''. Celebrated early in the [[Greyhawk calendar|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.
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| *'''The Last Rite of the Prophet'''. When a powerful cleric or other devotee of Boccob dies, a somber eulogy is held (as was done for [[Riggby]] recently). In addition, some of the magical power is drawn from the corpse to empower a magic item.
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| ==Artifacts and associated magic items==
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| *The ''Rod of Reversal'' looks like a length of unbending steel chain. It reflects spells cast on its wielder.
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| *''Boccob's Blessed Book'' is a thousand-page tome that allows spells to be inscribed into it without the usual costs.
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| *The ''Tome of Ancient Lore'' was allegedly written by Boccob himself and stolen from his Library of Lore. It is said to contain every spell that will ever be conceived, but the index is deliberately difficult to use.
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| *''Darvax's Staff'' was owned by an [[Oeridian]] wizard at the [[Great Kingdom]]'s height. Darvax disappeared on his 40th birthday on an expedition to other planes of existence, but his staff - carved from the thighbone of a black dragon and topped with an [[adamantine]] symbol of Boccob - is occasionally seen in the [[Flanaess]] to this day.
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| *The ''Razor Bands of the Archmage'' is a steel orb that rotates around its owner's head like an ''ioun stone''. It can be ordered to attack like the ''Iron Bands of [[Bilarro]]''.
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| *The ''Sphere of Time Scrying'' is a blue-hued crystal ball that seems to have been made using the wizardry of the ancient [[Suloise]]. It can be used to divine the past.
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| ==Myths and Legends==
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| [[Image:Boccob02.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Boccob, as depicted in ''[[Dragon mag|Dragon]]'' #70.]]
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| ===Boccob and the Demon Prince===
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| According to this myth, Boccob once outwitted and bound a mighty [[Demon lord|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. This myth teaches the importance of the Balance, and how planning and knowledge can be used to overcome a more powerful foe.
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| ===The Wizard and the Spellfountain===
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| Once upon a time, a wizard came across a fount of powerful oerthmagic. He used it greedily, however, sharing it with no one, and eventually its reservoir ran "dry."
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| The moral of the story is that sources of magical power last longer if more people use it, each distinct spell pattern adding to the reservoir of energy. Magic must be used and shared, not hoarded.
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| ===The Lost Spell and the End of Magic===
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| Not so much a myth as a prediction, this story foretells the end of all magic on [[Oerth]]. In the myth, a great spell exists that can prevent this calamity, but it is not found in time due to the laziness and shortsightedness of wizards. The story-prophecy is retold often to encourage scholars of magic to keep up with their research.
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| ==Creative Origins==
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| Boccob was created by [[Gary Gygax]].
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| ==Bibliography==
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| *[[Eric L. Boyd|Boyd, Eric L.]] "Powers That Be: Boccob". ''[[Polyhedron]]'' #128. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
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| *Conforti, Steven, ed. ''[[Living Greyhawk]] Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign,'' version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online: [http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip]
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| *[[Grubb, Jeff]], [[David Noonan]], and [[Bruce Cordell]]. ''Manual of the Planes''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
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| *[[Gygax, Gary]]. "The Deities and Demigods of the [[World of Greyhawk]]." ''[[Dragon mag|Dragon]]'' #70. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, Inc., 1983.
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| *-----. ''[[World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1983.
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| *[[Holian, Gary]], [[Erik Mona]], [[Sean K. Reynolds]], and [[Frederick Weining]]. ''[[Living Greyhawk Gazetteer]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
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| *[[Moore, Roger E]]. ''[[The Adventure Begins]]''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998.
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| *[[Noonan, David]]. ''Complete Divine''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2004.
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| *Redman, Rich, [[Skip Williams]], and [[James Wyatt]]. ''Deities and Demigods''. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002.
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| *[[Sean K. Reynolds|Reynolds, Sean K]]. "Core Beliefs: Boccob." ''[[Dragon (magazine)|Dragon]]'' #338. Bellevue, WA: Paizo Publishing, 2005.
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| *[[Carl Sargent|Sargent, Carl]]. ''[[From the Ashes]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1992.
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| *[[James M. Ward|Ward, James M]]. ''[[Greyhawk Adventures]]''. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1988.
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| [[Category:Characters of the Outlands]]
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| [[Category:Gods of knowledge]]
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| [[Category:Gods of magic]]
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| [[Category:Gods of neutrality]]
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| [[Category:Gods of time and fate]]
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| [[Category:Human deities]]
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Name: Boccob
Gender: m
Rank: Greater Deity
Areas of Concern/Portfolio: Magic, Arcane, Knowledge, Foresight, Balance
Titles: The Uncaring, Lord of all Magic, Archmage of the Deities
Holy Symbol: Eye balanced on a pedestal inside a pentagon
Alignment: N
Origin of Worship: Unknown
Favored Weapon: Quarterstaff
Domains: Knowledge, Magic, Rune, Trickery
Special Note: Divine spellcasters must adamantly oppose any attempt to destroy a magic item or any magical place. Repeated failure to do so is a gross violation of the code of conduct.