The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye is an insidious one, for those who join it don’t realize its evils until it’s too late.
Prospective cultists come because they feel a connection to nature or the four elements, and the cults tap deeply into their emotions. But the cults of Eternal Flame, Black Earth, and Crushing Wave, and Howling Hatred united against all that opposed them and summoned four Princes of Elemental Evil into the Material Plane.
Imix the All-Consuming Fire, Ogremoch the Mountain of Doom, Yan-C-Bin the Storm Born, and Olhydra the Well of Endless Anguish were brought forth into the Dessarin Valley, but they didn’t succumb to their base instincts and fight one another as they usually do.
Instead, these Princes of Elemental Evil revealed their plan to their followers: to free Tharizdun, the Elder Elemental Eye imprisoned in some forgotten abyssal plane.
Vecna immediately struck a deal, and the princes had no idea how one-sided it was: he’d summon forth their deity, Tharizdun the Chained, if they would terraform the Forgotten Realms as Vecna pleased.
Vecna kept his word to the letter—he brought Tharizdun to the Forgotten Realms, but ironically left him in chains in Vecna’s own sanctum. The princes wait for Tharizdun’s rare moments of lucidity in which he can deliver guidance, but elementals aren’t known for their patience.
Goals & Ambitions
- Shape the Forgotten Realms to their whims, or if they can’t, ultimately destroy it.
- Free Tharizdun from Vecna’s chains.
Leader: Tharizdun the Chained
Joining the Faction
Those with a natural elemental affinity are welcomed with open arms into the Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye. As the cult is a coalition of other elemental cults, it benefits from varying ideologies where all are valued—assassins, spies, cavalry, demolitionists, and warriors alike.
However, the faction is still split into elemental cores of earth, wind, fire and water, and a member can only join one.
The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye dares not openly oppose the Archlich himself, but it moves in secret to recruit Vecna’s enemies.
Characters who choose to join the Cult of the Elemental Eye tend to be naturally destructive through whatever means they have. Maybe they see a broken world that must be completely leveled before it can be rebuilt, or they believe the true path to overthrowing Vecna is one of stone, water, fire and wind.
Renown
The Cult of the Elder Elemental Eye is the purest meritocracy of any of the factions in the Doomed Forgotten Realms. While it’s possible for those without elemental prowess to climb the ranks, they find a “crystal ceiling” at the rank of Essence.
Each element in the coalition favors a certain set of skills. For example, earth cultists revere strong minds and unyielding resolve, whereas wind cultists look for the most opportunistic and perceptive members. Fire cultists seek raw elemental firepower, and water cultists pride themselves on being pragmatic and deliberate. Regardless of which elemental sect a member joins, they proceed through the ranks as follows.
Ranks
- Mote: Motes are mere initiates, those who have proved themselves worthy of joining but have little skill in bending the elements to their whims.
- Primal: Most of the cult’s soldiers are Primals in possession of raw, unrefined, but nevertheless potent elemental skill.
- Essence: Members that attain the rank of Essence stand in more commanding positions, either overseeing a small squad of Primals or taking charge of elemental training.
- Eternal: Eternals are the Elemental Prophet’s trusted enforcers, serving within their sect to carry out their personal inquiries and objectives.
- Senior Eye: Senior Eyes receive visions or messages from Tharizdun directly, and as such are permitted to speak and answer to any of the Princes of Elemental Evil.
- Elemental Prophet: There are only ever four Elemental Prophets at any one time—one for each Prince of Elemental Evil.
Benefits
The cult provides support in these ways:
- The earth cultists can provide reliable mounts and secret tunnels to core locations.
- The water cultists can expedite travel by sea and evade the Bregan D’aerthe.
- The flame cultists can unleash devastation in assault missions.
- The air cultists provide intelligence and assist in stealth excursions.