Olyphian Mystics
Secretive sects associated with Olyph have existed for over a thousand years, dating back to the aftermath of Olyph's Folly, when a failed experiment ripped the hole in reality known as the Pantesseract and left the erstwhile god of magic changed into a strange hybrid of undead and deity.
In the years that followed, some mortals fascinated by various aspects of decay, death, and what comes after began to seek Olyph's chthonic wisdom, or to enter into dark pacts with him, or to willingly serve as his mortal agents in return for forbidden knowledge. Over time various mystery cults and secretive practitioners of necromantic pursuits venerating Olyph or seeking to follow in his footsteps to acheive undeath took form.
In this way, a broad tradition of many different mystical pursuits collectively described by the term Olyphian Mysticism came into being, unified only loosely by common fascination with certain subject matters and shared patronage. By tradition the ways of Olyphian Mysticism are taught master to apprentice in the old way, but with practitioners who have surpassed what their current masters can teach them periodically seeking new masters to study with. Eventually, those who rise highest might seek out the Master of Masters, Olyph himself.
Common Knowledge
The existence of Olyphian Mystics as a concept is generally known among the populace, but the common narrative is composed of exaggerations, misrepresentations, folklore, superstition, and outright fiction wherein they play the roles of broadly drawn or vaguely sinister death cultists, corpse botherers, graverobbers, and outright villains. Factual accounts are scarce, and firsthand knowledge scarcer, though to be sure there are learned folk as well as governments, other mystical sects, religions, and secular organizations who have a vested interest in opposing or at least keeping tabs on the shadowy doings of Olyphians individually and / or collectively.
Rumors
Following are some rumors or commonly held beliefs which are likely to be mentioned if the subject of Olyphians arises:
- They are deranged death cultists with disgusting and deplorable practices (true of a few, not most)
- They are cruel murderers who kill indiscriminately (false)
- They kidnap people for sacrificial rituals (it has happened, but is not a common practice)
- They kidnap children as slave labor and new recruits for their cult (an offshoot sect did do this in the previous century, but it was wiped out {maybe} with secret assistance from other Olyphian Mystics)
- All undead in the world were created by them (false)
- They are slowly assembling an army of animated dead and undead to take over the world (false)
- Their leaders are all powerful sentient undead (some masters have acheived undeath)
- They're all seeking to become undead (true of some)
Traditions
The God-Who-Remains
Among the various offshoots of Olyphian Mystics is a path walked by those who do not seek the tantilizing promise of eternal unlife, or secret ways to manipulate the cylce of life and death, or insights into the putrescent mysteries of decay, or the dread power of black necromantic magic, but instead bargain with Olyph for protection and esoteric guidance. Though they were once the most typical sort of Olyph's disciples in the decades after the Folly laid him low, in the modern era they are among the rarest. Likely the least objectionable of all the Olyphian Mystics, they are also the least organized. And though there are a few who are individually formidable, as a subsect they are the least relevant as they seek their own personal goals.
- The Warlock subclass The God-Who-Remains is available to players in this setting, with DM approval. Unlike most of the Olyphian Mystics which are best suited to campaigns with a darker tone, this subsect is more about esoteric knowledge and trading favors with their patron in return for protection and arcane secrets and should be viable in most campaigns.
Way of Mastered Mortality
A small tradition of physical mysticism focused on self-mastery, seeking to attune ones soul to necrotic energies, taking on attributes of undeath with the ultimate goal of full transformation into undeath. Their advanced mastery over the forces of life and death, though primarily intended for their own advancement, make them terrifying foes for any mortal who gets in their way.
- The Monk subclass Way of Mastered Mortality is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
The Undying One
Olyph cannot grant divine spells in his current incarnation and thus has no priesthood. However, he can grant knowledge and arcane favors, and is very willing to enter into individual Pacts with nearly any who come to him; working through such individuals in quid pro quo fashion to exert influence and agency upon the world. Further, in addition to the standard exchange of service for favors, Olyph encourages his warlocks to find and develop apprentices, bringing promising recruits to form Pacts of their own with The Undying One.
- The Warlock subclass The Undying One is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
The Folk of the Withering Bloom (Mystery Cult)
A modestly flourishing Mystery Cult calling itself The Folk of the Withering Bloom (Witherbloomers for short) has been gaining followers for a few hundred years. Though it is definitely a strain of Olyphian Mysticism, the public face of the cult is a benign seeming panththeistic faith offers up broad prayers to virtually the entire pantheon of deities, but with special emphasis on those with a role to play in the cycle of life, death, nature, and the seasons; Olyph is hidden in plain sight as one of these deities due to his unique dual nature among the gods of being both living and dead. The much more overt involvement of Olyph in the founding and ongoing affairs of the Mystery Cult is unknown among the layfolk, with only by the inner circle of the initiated who lead the cult (druids and warlocks) being privy to such details.
- The Artificer subclass Brewer is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
- The Druid subclass Circle of the Withering Bloom is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
- The Warlock subclass The Withering Bloom is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
Unlike some of the Olyphian Mystics, the Witherbloomers trend toward neutrality and deliberately seeking balance, and thus can be appropriate to a wide range of campaigns. However, in some campaigns a player character actively engaged with such an expansionary and deceptive cult might be problematic.
Rotters (Mystery Cult)
A secretive mystery cult obsessed with the natural processes of decay and decomposition has survived for centuries. Though the initiated have no formal name for themselves, the pejorative term Rotters has emerged as their defacto identity. Members of this cult venerate Olyph, and indeed some of its members have even studied with him in person, but they revere him less as a god and more as an inspiring and intriguing fellow traveler. Despite the grotesque nature of their obsession and general strangeness, most Rotters are basically harmless. However some are not content to wait for life and death to take their natural course and hurry things along a bit; the foul acts of such Rotters over the centuries are edge cases but their horrific and sensational nature cast the entire cult in a bad light.
- The Druid subclass Circle of Rotting Rebirth is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.
Thanomancers
Some wizards who are fascinated with necromantic mysteries specialize in the study of magics which empower them over life and death. In this setting, this school of wizardry stems from Olyph. Whether an individual necromancer specifically venerates or serves Olyph directly (some do, some don't), the very pursuit of their craft and the necromantic energies loosed upon the world via their spellcasting furthers Olyph's influence nonetheless.
- The Wizard subclass School of Thanomancy is available to players in this setting, with DM approval.