| Category | Higher Powers |
| Power | Minor |
| World | Thanatos |
| Race | Demon (Demon Lord, Undead) |
| Gender | male |
| Alignment | chaotic evil |
| Symbol | black skull-topped rod |
| Domain | Deathless, Domination, Tyranny |
| Enemies | Asmodeus, 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 8979 GE, began his invasion of Bal-Kriav. The demon hold Ghak was built to protect a rift between Bal-Kriav and the Abyss. Orcus became another entrant into the Demon Spawn War, with his operations focused on taking claim of the surface region Aerie of Dragons and its Underdark counterpart Adunamar.
In the Hoof Front, he battled the armies of Asmodeus and Bahamut. Orcus also sent agents to distance areas to cause trouble behind the enemy's lines - this included not just the angels but demon rivals like Demogorgon, Baphomet, and others. In the Lands of Purity, Orcus's machinations resulting in flipping those with shaky allegiances to the angels and turning them against against his enemies. One such group that was turned were the goblins of Crimson Nails.
In the Demon Spawn War, one of the many demon agents captured by the angels 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, seeking to annoy the machinations of the demon lords, and fighting the angelic armies whenever they got in his way.
- Asmodeus, from book five of his History of the Demon Spawn War, "Orcus Indifference"
In 9262 GE, Orcus's armies were defeated in a mini-war of the Demon Spawn War called the Hoof Front. Orcus fled back through the rift in the bowels of Ghak, leaving Bal-Kriav for his Abyssal world Thanatos.
The conflict between Asmodeus and Orcus came alive again on Bal-Kriav in the First Epoch. This was proxy war between agents of these two fiends which cumulated in the downfall of Draguron.
In the Grashakh region is a hag named Thryunkian. This hag once served Orcus, but betrayed him when she conspired with Demogorgon and Graz'zt leading to Orcus's death. Unfortunately, Orcus did not truly die, instead coming back as an undead fiend of even greater power than before.
Orcus has a penchant for working with female mortals. He helped a covet of Theegan witches imbue dragon magic into the artifacts Blizzard and Firestorm. In the Third Epoch, he aided Defilnus with ancient enchanting magic and a spur of Tiamat. This spur was used in the construction of the artifact Tiamats Spur.
| Core Worship | Proselytizers |
|---|---|
| Koron Kilith | Khaa'khas |
| Stalag |
| Trait | Description |
|---|---|
| Divine Toughness | +2,000 hit points as Minor Power |
| Modulating Energy | +15 modulating energy damage for all attacks |