Mages of Monvesia - Malefactors

RETCON NOTE: This post replaces portions of "Mages of Monvesia;" see also "Mages of Monvesia - Scholars."

Mastery of the arcane arts can be achieved by strengthening one's connection to the Spheres of Power.  This can be approached through formal study (see scholars), or else through otherworldy pacts or natural power.  The latter typically exist outside of "accepted" society, and are therefore called malefactors--commonly understood as "evil-doers," though originally meant to mean "incorrect doers."  There is nothing inherently evil about the sorcerer or warlock.

Enhancements to the class features of both these classes can be found in Unearthed Arcana.

Sorcerer

Different races have their own traditions "explaining" the nature of sorcerers.  To an extent, each version of the sorcerer story is true.  That is, these different versions of what a sorcerer is represent the sorcerous origins common to that race's history.

According to the omnipresent Senarian churches of the humans in Prace, sorcerers are possessed of an inborn connection to one of the Spheres.  While all adherents of the elemental philosophies believe that every being has such a connection, it is the sorcerers who have accepted it and gained power from it.   A sorcerer's elemental connection may be tied to his or her race (or culture, if human), personal philosophy/temperament, season of birth, etc.--but it does not define every aspect of the character.  Two origins reflect this:  Shadow Magic (Xanathar's Guide) and Storm Sorcery (Sword Coast or Xanathar's Guide).

Until such time as other, official origins are introduced, these two can be used to mimick the other elements.  Use Shadow Magic for Light Magic: reversing references to necrotic and radiant damage as well as darkness and light.  Use Storm Sorcery for other primal elements, such as Flood, Quake, and Wildfire Sorcery:  use alternate damage types and movement speeds as appropriate.

Among the successors races of the Empire of the Morning and Evening Star, it is said that sorcery is the result of having had a Dragon Ancestor.  This connection is not necessarily one of direct ancestry, but could represent a bloodline having been favored by one of the dragon lords of old.

Remember, there are only six types of dragons in Monvesia--each associated with one of the elemental forces of one of the Spheres.  Therefore, this is one origin that also follows the Temperamental beliefs of the Senarian churches.  (An early version of 5th Edition Monvesia used a variation on the Dragon Ancestor to represent Elemental Magic).

In the land of Desolation in Raviq, the HMDJVNW have taken control and cursed the native races into submission with a psychosomatic ailment known as Taint.  This cure is so potent in Desolation, that even the land, the neighboring Frenetic Ocean, and magic itself have become warped.  Some who have been affected by the Taint have also gained a connection to the Wild Magic that was released into the world because of it.

Among rakasta, sorcerers are seen as spirit mediums who have allowed themselves to become the vessels of the various Spirits.  This Divine Soul (Xanathar's Guide) is understood to be an intimate relationship with a single spirit, instead of working with a class of spirits as the shamans do.  In other parts of the world, similar sorcerers are seen as being favored by a particular aeon, saint, or archdaemon.

Another sorcerous origin commonly associated with Taint is the Psionic Soul (formerly Aberrant Mind) (Unearthed Arcana).  Instead of being connected to the disruption caused by the Taint, these sorcerers have demonstrated a resistance to it:  When their minds were threatened, they fought back--and gained power from the struggle.  Resistance to Taint is often a preexisting trait that awakens a Psionic Soul.

Warlock

While sorcerers have an innate command of one of the Spheres in the world, warlocks seek out beings of the Transitive Planes to bargain for power.  The being they choose to make a pact with says as much about them as the plane they seek to pull power from.

• Archfey of Faerie - The Archfey (Player's Handbook)
• Äiti the All-Mother
• Neito the Forest Maiden
• Noitia the Witch Queen
• Sarvipäinen the Horned King
• Vihreät the Green Man
• Deep Reflexions of Infinity -  Man in the Mirror (Torchbearer Gaming)
• Iss'sjern of the Inverse
• Maii'sjern of the Obverse
• Qinn'sjern of the Converse
• Traa'sjern of the Reverse
• Legacies of Eternity - Horologium (The Homebrewery)
• The Deluge
• The End of Days
• The Enlightenment
• The Exodus
• The Imperium
• The Plague
• The Titanomachy
• Any historic, current, future, or even possible event can be considered a legacy; those listed above have enough influence that they have become sentient enough to serve as warlock patrons.
• Muses of the Dreaming - The Seeker (Unearthed Arcana)
• Arithmetica
• Astrologia
• Geometria
• Musica
• Philosophia
• Poeia
• Theologia
• There are dozens, even hundreds, other Muses--but only these seven are powerful enough to make pacts with warlocks.
• HMDJVNW of Limbo - Great Old One (Player's Handbook)
• This is a psionic character option.
• DNXHINTN the Darkness 
• ENSHZRYD the Profundity 
• FVINQRX the Nothingness 
• JXTHALOTH the Stillness 
• NKNTHRAUL the Disquietude 
• MYRQNL the Concealment 
• ZDRANYCH the Endlessness
• Undying of the Abyss - The Undying (Sword Coast)
• Amli the Restless
• Ashra the Embalmed
• Coash the Empowered
• Liltu the Infected
• Orkon the Doomed
• Vices of the Inferno - The Fiend (Player's Handbook)
• Laimargea, Queen of Wastefulness
• Lussur, Prince of Indulgence
• Lypea, Mother of Dispassion
• Orzjea, Mistress of Animosity
• Ybrion, Lord of Vainglory
• Virtues of the Empyrean - The Celestial (Xanathar's Guide)
• Dharadeel the Diligent, Guardian of the Gates
• Eldejeel the Pious, Mistress of the Celestial Steeds
• Ezripheel the Patient, Mistress of Riddles
• Nekheel the Just, Charger Against the Guilty
• Qasreel the Temperate, Keeper of Secrets
• Tzivreel the Prudent, Teller of Truths

Other patron options are rare, or do not have a place in Monvesia:

• Hexblade (Xanathar's Guide) - Unavailable in Monvesia. I enjoy the lore and setup of the Hexblade, but it does not [yet] fit naturally in Monvesia.
• Genie (Unearthed Arcana) - The genie nobles are equal is power and authority to the archdaemons of the transitive planes.  Though uncommon, some warlocks seek out these patrons instead.  In addition to the options presented in Unearthed Arcana are the new genie nobles of Monvesia.
• Khodam, light or positive energy
• Khodam spells TBD
• Shaitan, void or negative energy
• Shaitan spells TBD

Conerning the Ancient HMDJVNW Cult

The worship of the HMDJVNW (commonly pronouned "am-DIV-new," though rarely spoken aloud [if fear of the word's power]) is an ancient human and goliath tradition that preceded the establishment of the Cult of Human Perseverance (and later the Temperamental Philosophies). Small pockets of the cult may still practice in secret. Worship of the HMDJVNW, though traditionally human, is rare for all races.  There is rumor that the cult may have re-emerged in Veldistan (typically a misunderstanding of madjiq) or even Voztok.  Priests of the Old Ones are not warlocks.

Edited May 16, 2020; May 23, 2020.