Orcus

Orcus
CategoryHigher Powers
PowerMinor
WorldThanatos
RaceDemon (Demon Lord, Undead)
Gendermale
Alignmentchaotic evil
Symbolblack skull-topped rod
DomainDeathless, Domination, Tyranny
EnemiesAsmodeus, Demogorgon, Graz'zt, Tarâk
Born
Godhood

Orcus is a demon lord of the Abyss. His primary hold is the fortress stronghold Naratyr of the Abyssal world Thanatos. Unlike fiends like Asmodeus and Demogorgon, Orcus has never made a concerted effort to spread his influence across Bal-Kriav. Most of those that pay homage to him are small cults or demon worshiping fanatics. He also works through mortal enchanters to create sentient weapons that he hopes will spread terror across the realms.

In 105 GE, the armies of Orcus invaded the world of Bal-Kriav, joining the Demon Spawn War (89 GE - 269 GE). Orcus's base of operations was Ghak, a place built to protect the rift linking Bal-Kriav with the abyssal world supplying more fodder. From Ghak, Orcus planned the conquest of Bal-Kriav's Aerie of Dragons and its underside, the subterranean region of Adunamar.

In the Hoof Front (215 GE - 230 GE), Orcus battled the armies of Asmodeus and Bahamut. All the while, Orcus went to considerable expense and time, sending saboteurs, assassins and spies into the lands of his demon rivals, Demogorgon, Baphomet, and others. In the Lands of Purity, Orcus's machinations resulting in flipping those with shaky allegiances to the side of the Covenant; one such group was the goblins of Crimson Nails.

In the Demon Spawn War, one of the many demon agents captured by the Covenant stated that the only reason his master Orcus put resources into the Demon Spawn War was to counter the machinations of Demogorgon in Hells Womb and north into Grashakh.

In the Demon Spawn War, Orcus sought to take the Aerie of Dragons for no other reason than to flank Demogorgon's advance into Lirgaza and Inirthak. He was never too serious about the whole war, only wanting to annoy the machinations of rivals, and fighting the Covenant only when it got in the way.

- Asmodeus, from book five of his History of the Demon Spawn War - "Orcus Indifference"

In 230 GE, Orcus lost the Hoof Front. From Ghak, he left Bal-Kriav for his old capital on the world of Thanatos.

On the world of Bal-Kriav, Orcus helped a covet of Theegan witches imbue dragon magic into the artifacts Blizzard and Firestorm. In the Third Epoch, he aided Defilnus in the construction of the artifact Tiamats Spur.

Sources of Divine Power
Core WorshipProselytizers
StalagKhaa'khas
ZoethallCrimson Nails