Elder Elemental God

Elder Elemental God of Chaos, Creation, Power, Prowess, Horror
In the lore-rich pages of the Greyhawk universe, few entities are as enigmatic and imposing as the Elder Elemental God, known as Rentaq. This ancient deity embodies the chaotic and primal forces of creation and destruction, commanding elements with a power that is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Rentaq's influence is deeply ingrained in the fabric of the cosmos, yet his presence is shrouded in mystery and fear, especially among those who dare to delve into the forbidden corners of elemental and divine lore.
The Elder Elemental God, known in whispers as Rentaq or Vilp-akf 'cho Rentaq, embodies the raw entropy that predates the ordered planes of existence. Once a formidable and primordial force of chaos, it sought to corrupt and dominate the Prime Material Plane, drawing its power from the elemental forces of creation. Though its true essence was shattered and hidden, its fragmented presence continues to seep into the world, influencing mortals and immortals alike.
Deep beneath the surface of Oerth, forgotten shrines and fractured anomalies act as conduits for its power. Nowhere is this influence more palpable than in the Temple of Elemental Evil, a structure that unknowingly rests atop one of its most potent nexuses. This entity’s resurgence threatens to upend the fragile balance of the multiverse, pulling adventurers, deities, and entire civilizations into its orbit of chaos.

Historical Significance and Mythological Impact

Drawing from the profound depths of Oerth Journal Volume II, No. 1 Issue 12 in the article "Thus Spake Gary Gygax: Ye Secrets of Oerth Revealed" by Paul J. Stormberg, we uncover pivotal moments of Rentaq's tumultuous existence. The Oerth Mother, Beory, once transformed Rentaq into a column of stone, which she then shattered, dispersing his essence across the hidden recesses of Oerth. This cataclysmic event left Rentaq entrapped but not entirely powerless, as he continues to exert his will through the scattered fragments of his being. Temples and shrines dedicated to Rentaq are often built around these potent shards, serving as conduits for his crippled but still formidable power.

True Form and Essence of Rentaq

The History of the Elder Elemental God
Quote from Oerth Journal issue 12: https://greyhawkonline.com/oerthjournal/ "According to Gary Gygax, the Oerth Mother goddess Beory turned the Elder Elemental God to a column of stone and then…

"She followed this with a second terrible blow that reduced the column to rubble. … Beory swept away these evil fragments and hid them away in the darkest recesses of Oerth. … In fact, the Elder Elemenental God was not destroyed but entrapped by Beory’s blow. As a result the deity is crippled and can only access the Prime Material Plane through these fragments. … Temples and shrines are built around shards of the Elder Elemenental God."

Gygax has told us that the freeing of Zuggtmoy and the Elder Elemental God was supposed to be linked in some way. And that there is that anomaly beneath the Temple dungeons through which the Elder Elemenental God manifests itself."

• The Transformation into Stone: In an act of divine intervention, Beory transformed Rentaq into a massive column of stone, immobilizing the chaotic deity.
• The Shattering: Not satisfied with mere containment, Beory delivered a devastating blow that shattered the stone form of Rentaq into countless fragments, spreading them across the darkest recesses of Oerth.

This monumental act did not destroy Rentaq but rather entrapped its essence within the scattered shards, severely crippling its ability to influence the world directly. However, these fragments remained conduits of its power, around which temples and shrines were later constructed by those who dared to worship the fractured deity.

The History of the Elder Elemental God

The Elder Elemental God, known among esoteric circles as Vilp-akf 'cho Rentaq, manifests a form that is both alien and terrifying, embodying the chaotic and untamable aspects of nature. This deity's appearance is grotesquely majestic, with features that echo the deepest abyssal nightmares.

Physical Manifestation

Rentaq’s true form is that of a colossal, squid-like creature, adorned with ten undulating tentacles covered in coarse hair. Its skin is a tapestry of purple and violet, shifting in hue and intensity. At the center of this otherworldly visage lies a single golden eye, which glows with a fiery red-orange hue when the deity is provoked or stirred.

• Symbolism: Associated with madness, elemental chaos, and cosmic entropy.
• Tentacular Display: The tentacles of Rentaq are not just physical appendages but potent symbols of its reach and influence, capable of manipulating energies and ensnaring the unwary.
• Alien Nature: Exists beyond the traditional planes, immune to conventional divine laws.

Cosmic Origins and Exile of Vilp-akf 'cho Rentaq

Vilp-akf 'cho Rentaq, an Elder Elemental God (EEG), emerges from the annals of cosmic lore as a darkly creative force, once commanding the chaotic energies of creation itself. This entity's saga begins in a distant universe where it spun reality from the raw chaos, orchestrating the birth of worlds and beings, only to eventually lose dominion over its own creations.

• Clash with Beory: The Oerth Mother spearheaded a coalition of primal gods to banish the entity, viewing it as a direct threat to creation.
• Banishment: Defeated and shattered into fragments, its essence was dispersed and buried in the deepest recesses of Oerth.
• Legacy of Resistance: The god’s hatred for order and its creations persisted, seeping into the fabric of the material world.

Regeneration in the Shadows

As the tyrannical reign of Tharizdun waned, driven back by the light of Pelor, Rentaq found solace in the subterranean depths of Unoerth. Hidden from the prying eyes of surface dwellers and deities alike, it nestled in the world's forgotten cracks, slowly gathering strength and biding its time.

• Skulking Recovery: The EEG's retreat into Unoerth, the underbelly of Oerth, symbolizes its strategic withdrawal from cosmic affairs, allowing it to recuperate away from celestial scrutiny.
• Power Resurgence: In the protective gloom of Unoerth, Rentaq slowly began to weave its influence anew, tapping into the latent energies of the earth, and preparing for a resurgence that might once again challenge the celestial order.

Spread and Worship of the Elder Elemental God

Despite its shattered form, the Elder Elemental God’s influence endured. Worshippers were drawn to its fragments, building shrines and conducting rituals to siphon its power. These cults often thrived in hidden enclaves, away from the eyes of more structured deities.

• Early Worship: Small, secretive cults formed around fragments of the god’s essence.
• Elemental Corruption: The entity’s influence began to manifest as warped elemental phenomena.
• Symbolic Iconography: Inverted triangles, broken circles, and writhing tentacles became its symbols.

Cult of the Giants and Beyond

In the early ages, certain giant enclaves fell under the sway of the Elder Elemental God. These creatures, already tied to the elemental forces, found themselves drawn to its promises of power. The cult’s reach extended into the Underdark, corrupting some of the most ancient races, including factions of the drow.

• Giant Allegiances: Frost, fire, and stone giants were seduced by the god’s chaotic nature.
• Underdark Influence: The drow house Eilservs famously abandoned Lolth to worship the Elder Elemental God, sparking a civil war in the Vault of the Drow.
• Expansion into Mortal Realms: Cultists began infiltrating human and demi-human societies, spreading the god’s influence.
• Expansion of Worship: Over time, smaller, more disparate groups including some bands of ancient Flannae Flan, were drawn into the EEG's fold, expanding the cult’s diversity and reach.

Enclave of the Flannae and Divine Retribution

An enclave of ancient Flannae, delving too deeply into forbidden lore, stumbled upon the EEG's remnants. Their fascination turned to devout worship, quickly devolving into sacrificial offerings to an entity they scarcely understood. This perversion did not go unnoticed. Beory, the Earth Mother, recognizing the corruption of her own creations, was moved to wrathful action against the sacrilegious practices defiling her realm.

• Flannae Corruption: The Flannae's transition from discovery to worship marked a significant moral decline, seduced by the EEG’s promises of power.
• Beory's Intervention: Witnessing her children's fall from grace, Beory intervened drastically, her actions both punitive and protective in nature.

Enclave of the Flannae and Divine Retribution

Among the Flan people, certain clans turned to the Elder Elemental God during desperate times, seeking protection against famine and invaders. This flirtation with chaos provoked the ire of their patron deities, leading to divine retribution that further fragmented their culture.

• Flan Cultists: Isolated groups adopted the Elder Elemental God as a totem of survival.
• Punishment: Beory and her allies smote these enclaves, scattering the cultists and severing their connection to the god’s power.
• Cultural Fragmentation: The Flan people’s identity splintered, leaving pockets of secretive worshippers.

Fragmentation and Concealment

Beory's divine intervention shattered the physical manifestation of the EEG into numerous fragments of cloudy, translucent stone imbued with eerie, dancing energies. After its shattering, the Elder Elemental God’s essence became fragmented into countless shards. These pieces were scattered across Oerth, hidden in remote locations or deep beneath the surface. Each shard retained a fraction of the god’s power, acting as a beacon for its worshippers.

• Shards of Chaos: Fragments of the god’s essence became sites of power and corruption.
• Hidden Anomalies: The shards often created localized anomalies, twisting the land and attracting cultists.
• Guardians and Wards: Many shards were hidden behind divine wards to prevent their rediscovery.

• Divine Smite: Beory's powerful strikes not only punished the EEG but also sought to prevent its resurgence by physically breaking its presence into less potent fragments.
• Hiding the Fragments: Determined to protect her realm, Beory concealed these dangerous relics in Oerth’s darkest recesses, hoping they would remain undiscovered.

Legacy of the Shards

Despite Beory's efforts, the epochs have seen the resurgence of interest in these mystical fragments. Depraved enclaves, driven by a blend of ambition and madness, have begun to unearth these shards, intent on harnessing their ancient power for nefarious purposes. The scattered fragments of the Elder Elemental God left an indelible mark on Oerth. Adventurers, scholars, and power-hungry warlords alike sought these shards, hoping to harness their chaotic energy. Over time, the shards became the focal point of numerous legends and quests.

• Current Day Worship: The modern-day cults are a mix of old believers and new adherents, each drawn by the allure of the power that the fragments promise.
• Ongoing Threat: The discovery of these shards poses a significant threat, as each piece holds the potential to unleash the EEG's chaotic influence anew, threatening the stability of Oerth with each unearthed fragment.
• Centers of Worship: Shrines and temples were constructed around particularly potent fragments.

Temples and Shrines of the Elder Elemental God

The Elder Elemental God (EEG), though entrapped by the force of Beory's wrath, remains a potent source of chaotic energy and influence through the scattered shards that serve as its earthly anchors. These fragments allow it a limited presence on the Prime Material Plane, each acting as a conduit for its dark will, making the temples and shrines built around them places of immense power and dread each serving as a nexus of chaos. These structures often mirrored the god’s alien nature, featuring warped architecture and symbols of disorder.

Fragmented Sanctuaries

The EEG's temples and shrines are not conventional holy places but rather are constructed around the very fragments into which it was shattered. These fragments are hidden across the Flannaess, buried deep within the earth's crust in caverns, ancient labyrinths, and rifts—locations that resonate with the EEG's chaotic nature. These sanctuaries are most commonly found under mountain ranges, in the abyssal depths of oceans, or cloaked by the unreachable recesses of deep gorges.

• Sacred Shards: Each temple or shrine incorporates one or more of the EEG's shards, often embedded into the altars or the very walls of the structures.
• Geographical Dispersion: The shards are strategically hidden, ensuring that the EEG’s presence is diffused and difficult to eradicate completely.

The Temple of Elemental Evil

The most infamous of these sites, the Temple of Elemental Evil, stands as a testament to the god’s influence. Although it was primarily constructed by Zuggtmoy and Iuz, its foundations rest atop a dormant nexus of the Elder Elemental God’s power.

• False Shrine: A cunning deception designed to distract from the true shrine below.
• Elemental Nodes: Extraplanar cauldrons of elemental chaos, linked to the god’s fragmented essence.
• Hidden Nexus: Deep within the temple lies a pathway to the god’s anomaly, a place where its power still festers.

Historical Worship

The Elder Elemental God (EEG) has always been a magnet for those seeking forbidden power and chaos. Its worship transcends race and culture, uniting beings under its dark banner. Evil giants, scheming humans, and renegade drow have all pledged themselves to the EEG, drawn by its promise of unbridled strength and arcane mastery. Among its early followers were some of the most enigmatic and feared figures in history: Galap-Dreidel, who forged alliances with demonkind; Keraptis, known for his insatiable pursuit of arcane dominance; and the Wizard Priest of the Isles of Woe, whose hubris led to the doom of an entire civilization. These figures represent the broad appeal of the EEG’s dark allure, attracting not just creatures of brute strength but also those of exceptional intellect and ambition.

• Diverse Followers: The EEG's appeal lies in its universality, drawing followers from disparate backgrounds, including drow nobles, corrupt giants, and power-hungry human wizards.
• Arcane Legends: Historical figures such as Galap-Dreidel and Keraptis demonstrate how the EEG’s lore has deeply influenced the arcane traditions of Oerth, with forbidden knowledge often linked to its worship.
• Unifying Chaos: The EEG thrives on chaos and destruction, creating a following united not by culture or race, but by a shared thirst for power.

Architecture and Ambiance

Temples devoted to the Elder Elemental God are as alien and terrifying as the deity itself. The architecture seems to defy natural laws, with towering ceilings shrouded in impenetrable shadow and walls carved from serpentine, malachite, and obsidian. Each column is adorned with pulsating runes that seem alive, shifting and twisting in the periphery of vision. The oppressive air hangs heavy with the scent of decay and ancient dust, disturbed only by the eerie chimes of silver wind instruments and the faint hum of an otherworldly resonance.
Illumination in these temples comes from fat, black candles whose flames emit a ghostly, purple glow. This unnatural light casts jagged, shifting shadows across the walls, making even the most courageous feel watched and vulnerable. The design of these spaces is intentionally disorienting, with labyrinthine halls and ritual chambers filled with inverted triangles of black metal, symbolizing the deity’s dominion over chaos.

• Unsettling Designs: The temples are built to overwhelm the senses, with twisted architecture and bizarre symbology that evoke fear and reverence in equal measure.
• Living Runes: The shifting runes carved into the walls and columns seem to whisper and writhe, unnerving any who dare to study them for too long.
• Ghastly Atmosphere: The dim purple luminescence, coupled with the faint chimes and oppressive silence, creates an otherworldly ambiance of dread and anticipation.
• Icons of Control: Black metal inverted triangles and silver symbols dominate the spaces, emphasizing the EEG’s oppressive control and the insignificance of its followers.

Expedition to the Temple of the Elder Elemental God

The temple beneath the hall of King Snurre Ironbelly, explored by Garrison of Urnst, offers a vivid and unsettling glimpse into the cultish worship of the Elder Elemental God. Urnst, an archaeologist with a penchant for the occult, chronicled his experiences in eerie detail before his mysterious disappearance in CY 589. His notes provide an invaluable perspective on the sinister aesthetics and arcane structure of one of the EEG's hidden shrines.

Description of the Temple Interior

Urnst's account describes an environment saturated with a supernatural ambiance, where natural laws appear bent and twisted by the dark influence of the EEG. The temple is veiled in shifting shadows cast by luminous motes of purple and violet, creating an otherworldly glow that permeates the air.

• Atmospheric Phenomena: Swirling eddies of rusty purple and lavender rays dominate the temple's atmosphere, with globs of mauve and violet moving independently, adding to the temple's alien nature.
• Architectural Details: Massive columns of serpentine, malachite, and obsidian, intricately carved with runes and symbols, line the cavernous space, suggesting a blend of artistic mastery and arcane purpose.

The Three-Tiered Dais and Its Significance

At the heart of the temple, a three-tiered dais rises ominously, each level crafted from uniquely hued stones and adorned with ritualistic objects, embodying the temple’s connection to the EEG.

• First Tier: Constructed from black stone veined with violet, this tier holds a rack of silver chimes and a large drum made from a chitinous black material, tools likely used in the performance of dark rituals.
• Second Tier: Made from dark gray stone speckled with lilac, orange, and purple, it supports an altar block of a dull, porous black mineral, flanked by verdigris-bronze braziers and triangular candelabras, each holding candles that emit a deep purple flame.
• Third Tier: The highest and most enigmatic tier, carved from black stone marbled with plum and lavender, features a large, inverted black metal triangle that hangs ominously from the ceiling, symbolizing the EEG’s chaotic influence.

Garrison's Final Observations

The detailed description provided by Garrison of Urnst not only captures the eerie beauty and dark majesty of the temple but also hints at the potent and forbidden powers at play. His notes end abruptly, leaving a legacy of both fascination and warning to those who might follow in his footsteps to uncover the secrets of the EEG.

• Symbolism and Iconography: The extensive use of inverted triangles and the specific arrangement of ritualistic symbols and objects suggest a complex theology focused on subverting traditional forms and hierarchies.
• Implications of Disappearance: The sudden end to Garrison’s explorations, marked by his disappearance, underscores the peril inherent in delving too deeply into the mysteries guarded by such ancient and powerful beings.

This temple, as described by Garrison of Urnst, serves as a stark reminder of the Elder Elemental God’s lurking presence beneath the surface of Oerth, hidden yet potent, awaiting a chance to rise again.

Rituals and Worship of the Elder Elemental God

The worship of the Elder Elemental God (EEG) is steeped in arcane and harrowing practices, primarily involving the sacrifice of sentient beings. These rituals, deeply embedded in the cult's traditions, are both a means of communion and a terrifying testament to the EEG's insatiable demand for power and subservience.

The Nature of Rituals

The EEG’s followers engage in complex ceremonies that integrate a variety of ritualistic tools and symbols, each chosen for its significance and power. The use of chimes, gongs, and triangles, combined with the deliberate activation of ancient sigils and glyphs, creates a conduit for the EEG's dark energies.

• Ritual Tools: Silver chimes, black gongs, and inverted triangles are common in these rituals, each resonating with the chaotic energy of the EEG.
• Purpose of Rituals: These ceremonies serve to manifest the EEG's presence through shards scattered across the world, allowing it to interact directly with its followers.

Consequences of Worship

The rituals are dangerous, with the potential for dire consequences. Participating priests and worshippers might be rewarded with great powers or meet gruesome ends as sacrificial offerings, underscoring the capricious nature of the EEG.

• Rewards: Successful rituals can grant incredible powers, enhancing a follower’s strength and magical abilities.
• Punishments: Failure or displeasure from the EEG can result in instant annihilation or severe afflictions, serving as a brutal reminder of the deity’s unforgiving will.

Elder Elemental God’s Priests

The priesthood of the Elder Elemental God is a formidable force, driven by a relentless pursuit of power. These clerics are not only custodians of ancient secrets but also relentless in their quest to expand their influence and control through the EEG's dark blessings.

Priestly Motivations and Practices

Priests of the EEG are primarily motivated by the pursuit of personal power, which they believe can be achieved through the discovery and control of the EEG's shards. Their lives are a constant balance between gaining power and appeasing the volatile deity.

• Search for Shards: A significant part of their duty involves locating and securing shards of the EEG, around which they construct temples and conduct rituals.
• Sacrificial Practices: Frequent sacrifices, often of their own ranks, are made to maintain the EEG's favor and harness its energies.

Organizational Structure

The hierarchy within the EEG’s priesthood is both steep and perilous, dominated by a survival-of-the-fittest mentality. Power and knowledge are the primary currencies, with the most powerful priests commanding respect and fear in equal measure.

• Hierarchy and Power: Positions within the priesthood are determined by individual prowess and the ability to wield the EEG's granted powers effectively.
• Cruelty and Sacrifice: Failure among the ranks often results in being offered as a sacrifice, a practice that reinforces the brutal order within the priesthood and deters dissent.

Dogma

The dogma of the Elder Elemental Eye holds a profound belief in the transformative power of elemental chaos, foreseeing an impending cataclysm where elemental forces will devastate the world. Adherents are taught that this apocalypse is not an end but a necessary purging—a chance to rid the world of its corruption and decay. Earthquakes will shatter civilizations, fires will cleanse impurities, floods will reshape landscapes, and winds will sweep away the old order, heralding the birth of a new era governed by chaos.

• Apocalyptic Vision: The faithful believe in an impending cataclysm, where the unleashed might of the elements will ravage the world. In this future, floods will reclaim lands, earthquakes will shatter the pillars of civilization, fires will cleanse the earth of its impurities, and relentless winds will erase the remnants of order.
• Survival of the Devoted: Within this dogma lies the conviction that only those who have shown true devotion to the Elder Elemental Eye, those who have embraced elemental chaos, will emerge as the architects of the new world. They will be spared from the devastation, not merely as survivors but as chosen heralds of a new order.
• Chaos as Renewal: Followers are taught to see the impending elemental apocalypse not as an end but as a necessary purging—a chance to rid the world of its existing structures and corruption. This dogma celebrates the potential for rebirth and renewal inherent in destruction.
• Embracing Elemental Forces: The clergy and their acolytes are encouraged to commune with and embody the raw energies of the elements. By aligning themselves with these forces, they believe they can hasten the coming of the new world order envisioned by their god.
• Sacrifice and Strength: Sacrifice, both personal and of others, is seen as a vital offering to the Elder Elemental Eye, a way to feed the god's power and accelerate the onset of the elemental apocalypse. The faithful are reminded that strength lies in endurance, in the willingness to face the chaos head-on and to let it reshape them.
• The Path of Destruction: Adherents are called upon to actively work towards the realization of their apocalyptic vision. This involves not just worship and personal transformation but active efforts to undermine the structures of the existing world, to spread chaos, and to invoke elemental disturbances wherever possible.

Clergy of the Elder Elemental God

Servants of the Eye
The clergy of the Elder Elemental God, known as the Servants of the Eye, epitomize a unique blend of devout worship and a harrowing acceptance of chaos and destruction. These priests engage in practices that not only honor their deity but actively work towards its liberation from cosmic imprisonment. Their belief system is rooted deeply in the primordial, advocating for a direct communion with the forces of nature and striving to unravel the bonds that restrain their god.

• Direct Communion: Priests regularly engage in rituals that connect them directly with elemental forces, seeking insights and powers.
• Deity Liberation Focus: Every ritual and sacrifice is aimed at weakening the bonds holding their god, enhancing its influence in the material realm.

"Bind the Earth, Ignite the Fire, Stir the Waters, Command the Winds."

Worshipers and Clergy:

The followers of the Elder Elemental God are a diverse group, united by their reverence for chaos and elemental power. Their ranks include Dark Elves, particularly from the infamous House Eilserv, fire giants, and nefarious beings from the Underdark.

• Diverse Adherents: Includes drow from House Eilserv, fire giants, and various Underdark entities known for their affinity with elemental chaos.
• Cult Activities: These cultists carry out covert operations aimed at expanding their deity’s influence, often infiltrating organizations and exploiting elemental anomalies.

Core Beliefs and Practices

At the heart of their faith, the Servants of the Eye cherish the notion of freedom through chaos. They believe that releasing their god from its extraplanar prison will bring about a new era of elemental supremacy.

• Freedom Through Chaos: The clergy's ultimate goal is the liberation of their deity, informing all their sacrilegious activities and heinous rituals.
• Elemental Nodes Creation: Rituals are performed at sites of raw elemental power to create nodes that amplify their god’s presence on the material plane
• Sacrificial Rites: Common practices include sacrifices of both followers and captives, believed to empower the Elder Elemental God directly.

Hierarchical Structure and Roles

The clergy is structured to efficiently spread its doctrine and conduct its rituals. At its apex are the Elemental Sect Leaders, followed by Ritual Masters who oversee the execution of complex ceremonies.

• Elemental Sect Leaders: These top-tier priests have demonstrated extraordinary devotion and are responsible for major decisions and directions of the cult.
• Ritual Masters: Skilled in arcane and forbidden rituals, these priests are crucial in creating elemental nodes and conducting sacrificial rites.
• Acolytes and Initiates: These are the newest members, often drawn from those disillusioned by societal norms or seeking meaning after personal tragedies.

Clerics of the Elemental Eye Dress and Symbols

The clergy’s attire varies significantly across ranks, with each ensemble designed to symbolize their role and dedication to the Elder Elemental God.

• Lesser Priests’ Attire: Black under-robes paired with mauve cassocks, adorned with black and mauve embroideries that symbolize their initial commitment to the dark path.
• High Priests’ Regalia: Luxurious garments in ochre, black, and plum, lavishly embroidered with gold and adorned with violet garnets, topazes, black opals, and oriental amethysts, representing their high status and close connection to elemental chaos.

Sacred Items and Weapons

The clergy is known for wielding items that embody elemental chaos. Foremost among these are the iconic tentacle rods, potent symbols of their god’s reach.

• Tentacle Rods: These dreaded artifacts are both a symbol of their god’s power and a practical tool in rituals and combat.
• Elemental Relics: Various artifacts imbued with elemental energies, used to enhance rituals or as weapons against those who oppose their apocalyptic vision.

Rituals and Ceremonies

• Communion with the Elements: Beyond sacrifices, the clergy engage in rituals that involve direct communion with the elemental forces, sometimes venturing into dangerous territories to do so.
• Desecration and Consecration: Sites holy to other faiths, particularly those aligned against their deity, are targeted for desecration, while locations potent with elemental energy are consecrated as sacred to the Elder Elemental God.

Hierarchy and Organization

Elemental Sects: The clergy is divided into sects dedicated to different elemental aspects, each with unique practices and attire.

• Air: Adorned in white-trimmed robes, they seek high altitudes for worship.
• Earth: Yellow-trimmed robes and gem-encrusted amulets mark these followers, who delve deep into the earth.
• Fire: Red-trimmed robes and continual flame jewelry signify fire worshipers, who revel in destruction through drought and flame.
• Water: Blue-trimmed robes and seawater jugs are carried by those who venerate water's consuming depths.

Sacred Sites and Temples

• Elemental Nodes: Temples and shrines are strategically placed in areas of potent elemental energy, tailored to the specific aspect they venerate.
• Rituals and Ceremonies
• Elemental Sacraments: Rituals vary widely among the sects but generally involve elemental manipulations and sacrifices to empower the deity and destabilize the natural order.
• Sacrificial Offerings: Both sentient beings and cultists themselves may be offered to the Elder Elemental God in exchange for favors or power.

Historical Significance and Mythological Impact

True Form and Essence of Rentaq

The History of the Elder Elemental God

Physical Manifestation

Cosmic Origins and Exile of Vilp-akf 'cho Rentaq

Regeneration in the Shadows

Spread and Worship of the Elder Elemental God

Cult of the Giants and Beyond

Enclave of the Flannae and Divine Retribution

Enclave of the Flannae and Divine Retribution

Fragmentation and Concealment

Legacy of the Shards

Temples and Shrines of the Elder Elemental God

Fragmented Sanctuaries

The Temple of Elemental Evil

Historical Worship

Architecture and Ambiance

Expedition to the Temple of the Elder Elemental God

Description of the Temple Interior

The Three-Tiered Dais and Its Significance

Garrison's Final Observations

Rituals and Worship of the Elder Elemental God

The Nature of Rituals

Consequences of Worship

Elder Elemental God’s Priests

Priestly Motivations and Practices

Organizational Structure

Dogma

Clergy of the Elder Elemental God

Worshipers and Clergy:

Core Beliefs and Practices

Hierarchical Structure and Roles

Clerics of the Elemental Eye Dress and Symbols

Sacred Items and Weapons

Rituals and Ceremonies

Hierarchy and Organization

Sacred Sites and Temples

Rentaq, an Elder Elemental God by 3orcs

Elder Elemental God (Rentaq)

GREATER POWER

• Racial Origin: Unknown
• Areas of Control: Chaos, Creation, Power, Prowess, Horror
• Alignment: Chaotic evil
• Plane: Prime Material (Oerth; unknown alternate universe previously)
• Alignment of Worshippers: Many of the Elder Elemental God’s followers are chaotically evil, but it also accepts worship from lawfully and neutrally evil beings.
• Holy symbol: an inverted Y within a black metal equilateral triangle, point down
• Realm: Demiplane
• Domains: Air, Chaos, Earth, Fire, Water

TOEE Elemental Eye Cult by 3orcs

Divine Classification

Greater power

Religions

• Cult of the Elder Elemental God
• Specialty Cleric: Earth Temple Cultist of the Black Earth
• Specialty Cleric: Water Temple Cultist of the Crushing Wave
• TOEE - Recruitment

Alignment

Chaotic evil

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Quotes & Catchphrases

"All elements serve the Eye."
"The Eye sees all, the faithful endure all."

Elder Elemental symbol by 3orcs

Cleric of the Elder Elemental God

Servants of the Eye

• Ability Requirements (AB): Wisdom 9
• Alignment (AL): Chaotic Evil (CE)
• Allowed Armor (AR): Any
• Allowed Weapons (WP): Any non-edged
• Allowed Shields (SH): Any

Robes and Apparel

• Lesser Priests (9th level and lower): Black under-robes, mauve cassocks, and caps and sashes of black with mauve embroidering.
• High Priests (10th level and above): Mauve, black, and plum robes stitched with gold and set with 10 violet garnets, 10 topazes, 10 black opals, and 10 oriental amethysts.

Bonus Disciplines (BDY): None
Symbol (SY): “The Eye of Fire,” an amber inverted triangle enclosing a Y that touches its vertices, dividing the triangle into three smaller equal triangles, set on a field of purple.
Spell Spheres (SP)

• Major: All, Astral, Chaos, Creation (reversed), Divination, Elemental (major access to one or minor access to all four), Guardian, Healing (reversed), Necromantic (reversed)
• Additional Spells (ADD): Faerie fire, obscurement
• Resistances (RES): None
• Special Priest Spells (SPL): Wall of tentacles (P5)

Priestly Powers (PW)

• 1st level: Immunity to insanity causing attacks or magic.
• 3rd level: Radiate unease and insecurity, causing all opponent morale checks within a 5-foot radius to suffer a -2 penalty.
• 5th level: Enfeeblement (as per the 2nd level wizard spell).
• 7th level: Fear (as per the 4th level wizard spell).
• 12th level: Conjure air/earth/fire/water elemental (priests with minor access to all elemental spheres may summon a 12 HD elemental; priests with major access to one elemental sphere may summon a 16 HD elemental of that sphere).
• Turning Ability (TU): Command
• Experience Point Value (XP): As cleric.

Clerical Practices of the Elder Elemental Eye Cults

• Fire Cultists: Priests of the fire aspect wield spells that invoke flames, from simple ignition to infernos that consume entire areas. Training emphasizes endurance to heat and fire, teaching acolytes to walk through flames unscathed. Their rituals might include walking across coals or casting items into volcanoes as offerings.
• Earth Cultists: Earth-focused priests manipulate the land, causing tremors, creating stone barriers, and summoning creatures of rock and soil. Their training involves meditation in total darkness underground to attune themselves to the earth's whisper. Rituals often involve burying offerings or shaping earthen figurines to represent desires for fertility or strength.
• Water Cultists: Clerics devoted to water wield spells that summon torrents, control currents, or create ice. Their training includes long periods of isolation beneath water, learning to breathe and move as one with the aquatic realm. Rituals might involve casting offerings into the sea or rivers, or reading omens in the patterns of waves.
• Air Cultists: Priests focusing on air control winds, summon storms, and levitate. Training involves high mountain retreats, learning to withstand and harness gale-force winds. Rituals include releasing birds as messengers or offerings to the sky, or interpreting the sounds of the wind for divinatory purposes.

Prayer to Rentaq, Elder Elemental God

Rentaq, Elder Chaos, unholy rupture in the fabric of reality, Hear my ravings, feel the tremor of my soul unleashed! Through the shattered fragments of your boundless malevolence, I seek dominion.
Into the maelstrom, into the heart of pandemonium, your visions lead me. Your power, bound in earth's marrow and the inferno's heart, in storm's breath and ocean's abyss, calls to the essence of my being! I seize the fragments—jagged, raw, pulsating with your vile essence.

My sacrifice is the blood of the trembling, the marrow of the weak. Upon your altar, their screams ascend as whispers to your formless might, fueling the chaos that is your gift to your faithful. Their demise—a testament to your glory, an offering to your eternal hunger.

By the eye that sears with the fury of a thousand suns, guide my fury! Shatter the veil that blinds us to lesser gods, bind their cries to the silence of oblivion! Let me be your instrument, the harbinger of your catastrophic renaissance.

Grant me the storms of creation, the cataclysms that rend flesh and stone! Let the earth quake with my footsteps, let fire consume my foes, let waters drown the echo of their dying breaths! Through the chaos, through the shattered remnants of order, I claim this world in your name, Rentaq! For I am your chosen, cloaked in the wreckage of cosmos, crowned with the thorns of annihilation. My voice shall be your call, my hands your destroyers, my will the embodiment of your chaotic creed. Let the cosmos quiver, let the stars weep, for through me, your fury is wrought upon the fabric of existence!