Lophiiformes - Patron of All that Sinks (law-fi-form-ay-z)

Something calls from the deep. A place so far down that people from the surface might not believe anything could live. The crushing depths underneath the earth in a vast subterranean sea. Teeth that are long and sharp, like a nest of swords scooping and catching its unsuspecting prey. It's body has no color, but it absorbs the light. Bony fins propel this fishgod forward. lanternfish
Followers of Lophii can be Warlocks, Clerics, or Paladins and have a variety of alignments, but many suspect that their true purpose is sinister and evil. Cleric domains of Peace, Trickery, and Order. They almost uniformly keep their worship secret. Few welcome followers of the Patient Hungerer.
Lophiiformes may be selected for a warlock patron. Best suited to Celestial, Fathomless, Great Old One, and Hexblade subclasses. But can be used as flavor for any subclass. Lophiformes' power is great and can manifest in personal ways for every one of his warlock vassals. Warlocks who are granted his powers gain the ability to ritually cast Audience with Lophiiformes once every 21 days. Additionally they gain the Lantern Against the Night trait.

Lophiiformes

Audience with Lophiiformes

3-level Divination

Ritual - does not require spell slot, takes 10 minutes longer

Casting Time: 20 minutes

Range/Area: Touch

Components: Somatic, Material

Materials: A fish killed at least a day ago, to be wrapped against the recipient's eyes

Duration: 1 minute, and then 8 hours

Through a ritual practice of preparation and incantations, the warlock is able to enchant a floppy fish corpse into an appropriate vessel for contacting their patron, Lophiiformes - Patron of All that Sinks . The process is solemn, and silent. Just like the deep horror being contacted.
At the end of the casting time the target (either the caster or an individual of their choice that participated in the ritual) becomes incapacitated for one minute. During which time their body is a conduit for Lophiiformes. He sees through their eyes as they see through his. For the duration the target may speak to Lophiiformes in private, or anyone around the target may speak to Lophiiformes through their otherwise incapacitated body.
When the minute has passed the connection breaks. As a result of Lophiiformes' touch, the target's eyes have been opened. They may increase their darkvision by 30', and they gain the ability to see through magical darkness. From their forehead a small bioluminescent blue lobe dangles. Marked by Lophiiformes' Lantern. These benefits lasts for 8 hours.

Available for: Warlock, Cleric

Lantern against the Night

The interests of Lophiiformes are at odds with those of the Swarm of Eternal Night, one thing he calls on his vassals to do is to eliminate them.


Warlocks who have Lophiiformes as their patron are prefferred targets of the Swarm of Eternal Night. However, once per round the dark powers of Lophii allow such a warlock to do additional 1d6 force damage on one successful melee, ranged, or spell attack against any standard creature of the Swarm of Eternal Night.

Followers of Lophiiformes tell that he lurks somewhere deep below, they believe somewhere in the prime material plane. But theologians and scholars argue that the tales of such a leviathan in and ocean beneath the deepest reaches of the earth are nothing but myths. And yet, the warlocks who pledge to him draw power and wield it in his service, or in their own. How close an eye a deep being keeps on his followers is unknown. Certainly he has greater things to deal with than the goings on of a few Eldritch actors.

In Art

Because Lophiformes is oft referenced as an anglerfish, those loyal to him mark their homes with lanterns of particular make. The ironwork gives it away. Beware any home that bears a lantern of lophiformes.

Related Organizations

• Adherents of the Deep Shepherd