Obex (OH-BEKS)
The Elder Elemental Eye, The Elemental Evil, Glaring One
Father of the Abyss, The Elder Evil, Chained One
The Undoer, He Who Waits, Despised One
The Mad God
Chaotic Evil Elder God
There is no known authoritative depiction of the being known as the Elder Elemental Eye, but there have been many artistic interpretations with some recognizeable themes. One of the most prominent of which is a black eye-like sphere, alternately with a disorienting spiral in place of an iris or roiling black tentacle-like tendrils. Similarly, there are many different symbols that have been used to represent or suggest this entity, none of them definitive. The most common modern symbol is a superposition of the symbols of the four Elemental Tyrants (Aerzeebn, Ergramoq, Fyro, Wydra) with the Elemental Portals removed, which forms a sort of crowned eye. Two much more ancient symbols that occasionally turn up in rare mouldering tomes, or among architectural decoration of prehistoric structures, or sometimes among the shards of archaeological remnants, are an upside down ziggurat and a disquieting tentacled spiralling rune which can mildly hypnotize the unwary.The Glaring One is virtually unknown by the general populace, which is not surprising given that multiple efforts have been made over the centuries to eliminate knowledge of this dread entity's existence, after various incursions of Elemental Evil have been defeated as even awareness of his existence can lead to insanity and dark service among those who are fragile of mind. There are likely fewer than three dozen mortals in the world who knowingly and directly serve the Undoer. Instead, this dread entity's influence is primarily furthered unwittingly by useful idiots such as the cults of the Elemental Tyrants.
Knowledge of the Chained One runs the risk of opening a metaphysical crack in one's own mind, through which the subtle and corrupting influence of He Who Waits can seep. Those who learn too much often become subverted to service, their psyche overwhelmed by the dark tendrils of the Despised One's evil.
The Clave Custodes
For many thousands of years a small, exclusive, and clandestine society of sages and heroes who call themselves the Clave Custodes have served as stewards of the Libra Anathema, a carefully curated and sanitized collection of lore describing all that is considered relatively safe to know about the Mad God. The exact number of copies in existence is unknown, but must surely be fewer than half a dozen. Generations of the society's stalwarts have risked their sanity to know just enough to stand vigilant against a return of the Elder Evil.
The first chapter of that rare manuscript describes the abstract entity as well as it can, all the avatars it has been known to take, and many pages of names and euphemisms by which it has been known. Some of those names and terms continue to hold the power to draw unwanted attention. To avoid such dangers as well as potential confusion, those of the Clave in the modern era use the term Obex to refer to the dark god they stand watch against. Eventually, this name will also become tainted and thus too dangerous to use, requiring yet another new term to be chosen to replace it.
The Clave's inner circle is composed of people from various profession and walks of life, who were invited to join after coming to the Clave's attention in some way and being carefully vetted. All are capable and accomplished (at least mid-level), and have the necessary strength of will to resist the maddening lure of He Who Must Be Guarded Against and the conviction to do whatever is necessary to protect the world from the depredations of the Elder Evil. Associates, allies, and junior agents are used by members of the Clave to aid them in their struggles, but behind the obfuscation of various pretenses and more obvious goals. Occasionally, such helpers are exposed to something approaching the truth or start to put things together on their own. When this happens the Clave will convene to decide if these unfortunates are worthy to be invited into the membership...for if not they must be eliminated as the risk of subversion is too high.
The Way of Four Elements
Though the less accomplished monks of this secretive and remote order are kept ignorant of the true nature of their monastic creed, those higher up the hierarchy are dark souls who know that they serve some nefarious purpose; at the very top the Grandmaster and his chosen successor know that the Way of Four Elements is and ever has been dedicated to the service of the Elder Elemental Eye.
- The Monk subclass The Way of Four Elements is available to player characters, with DM permission. While a player character dedicated to the orders' true evil purpose might not be appropriate in all campaigns, there is also opportunity for a young monk to become increasingly concerned as they grow more aware that something isn't quite on the up and up, or an embittered former member who escaped the monastary after getting a glimpse of the truth and is now either on the run from their former brethren or determined to bring them down...or both!.
The Elder Elemental Eye
A chosen few have been blessed (or cursed) with the attention of the Glaring One and have dedicated to the service of the Elder Elemental Eye. Such servants plunge deeper into madness even as they descend further into their dread patron's schemes.
- The Warlock subclass The Elder Elemental Eye is available to player characters, with DM permission. However, these dark schemers may be too evil for some campaigns.