Orcus (Dungeons & Dragons)

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The demon prince Orcus emerging from a gate created by his followers on the cover of the adventure module "The Mines of Bloodstone". Art by Keith Parkinson.

Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game. He is named after Orcus of Roman mythology.

[edit] Description

In many Dungeons & Dragons books, Orcus is typically being described as having the head and legs of a goat, although with ram-like horns, a bloated body, bat-like wings and a long tail.

Orcus cares for nothing save himself - not even his devotees and undead servants - and focuses only on spreading misery and evil. One of his most identifiable symbols is the artifact, the Wand of Orcus, a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being. In earlier editions of the game, Orcus also wielded a powerful artifact known as the Orcusword.

[edit] History

After a string of successful wars with Graz'zt and Demogorgon, Orcus was slain by the drow demi-goddess Kiaransalee, who took over rulership of Orcus' layer of the Abyss, Thanatos. Orcus was restored as the undead demon Tenebrous. With the power of the Last Word he managed to kill several gods (including Primus and Maanzecorian) in search of his wand. Resurrected by Quah-Nomag, Orcus reclaimed his kingdom and his original name, proclaiming himself "Prince of the Undead" (despite his hatred of undead).

The shell of the undead demon god Tenebrous now exists as a vestige, and can be called upon by binders.

[edit] Cult of Orcus

The cult of Orcus is mainly composed of twisted creatures with a morbid fascination with the undead, such as necromancers, as well as creatures deliberately seeking the path to unlife, such as would-be liches and vampires.

Orcus has a chance of hearing his name whenever and wherever spoken, and of reacting by manifesting to the speaker in an irritated mood. Unscrupulous merchants in various parts of the D&D multiverse have used this by selling parrots trained to speak only innocuous phrases until at a predetermined location, when they scream Orcus' name non-stop. This summons the demon, who slays the adventurer, allowing his or her equipment to be looted by the merchant's associates.

[edit] Wand of Orcus

The Wand of Orcus is a powerful artifact. This skull-tipped wand has the ability to automatically slay any living creature it touches.

The Wand is highly coveted across the planes, and Orcus sometimes lets it fall into the hands of mortals in order to allow them to wreak chaos and evil.

The Wand of Orcus is currently thought to be in the possession of a cult called the "Lurkers In Shadow."

[edit] References

• Collins, Andy and Bruce R Cordell. Libris Mortis (Wizards of the Coast, 2004).

• Cook, Monte. Book of Vile Darkness (Wizards of the Coast, 2002).
• Cook, Monte. Dead Gods (TSR, 1997).

• Dobson, Michael, and Douglas Niles. The Mines of Bloodstone (TSR, 1986).
• Dobson, Michael, and Douglas Niles. The Throne of Bloodstone (TSR, 1988).

• Gygax, Gary. Dungeon Master's Guide (TSR, 1979).
• Gygax, Gary. Monster Manual (TSR, 1977).

• Gygax, Gary, and Brian Blume. Eldritch Wizardry (TSR, 1976).

• Henson, Dale, and Doug Stewart, eds. Encyclopedia Magica Vol 4. (TSR, 1995).

• Jacobs, James. "Headless." Dungeon #89 (Paizo Publishing, 2001).

• Jacobs, James, Erik Mona, and Ed Stark. Fiendish Codex I: Hordes of the Abyss (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).

• Sernett, Matthew, Dave Noonan, Ari Marmell, and Robert J. Schwalb. Tome of Magic: Pact, Shadow, and Truename Magic (Wizards of the Coast, 2006).