This was planned to coincide with an attack on the city of Lemoriax by his armies, although the first legion through is destroyed as part of a trap which also locks the portal to Gaping Maw, and the player characters must assist for the other two legions to get through. Bleak mountains rise feebly into the black sky, and cities and villages in ruins crouch in hidden places as though fearful. [15], The third edition Manual of the Planes (2001), by Jeff Grubb, David Noonan, and Bruce Cordell, notes on page 103 that "Orcus is back. http://www.arwenmclaughlin.com/what-does-orcus-mean-in-astrology/  Thank you. ", Holian, Gary. (Wizards of the Coast, 2004). The following was channeled from my intuition on what Orcus and Pluto mean in astrology. [3] Various other works describe the weapon and its characteristics, and the practice of Orcus to allow the Wand to fall into the material world to be used for mischief there. ", Heard, Bruce A. They both represent unconditional love though they express it in opposite but complementary capacities. Worship usually involves grave robbery and the animation and conscription of the newly dead to the forces of evil. Masculine is to feminine and Pluto is to Orcus. A cabal of greater deities, in response to Tenebrous's predations, has since weakened the Last Word considerably. One of his most identifiable symbols was the artifact known as the Wand of Orcus, a skull-topped wand with the power to slay any living being. I cannot talk about Orcus with out including her compliment, Pluto; because they are both aspects of the same energy. Orcus, a transneptunian, is the mythical symbol of broken promises, contracts and oaths. [33], The Throne of Bloodstone describes the vast Abyssian fortress of Orcus, a citadel which represents the focal point of his power. This page was last edited on 7 August 2014, at 15:26. [18]:137 Orcus actually despises the undead, using them without thought or consideration, but despises the living as well, and hates all things except for achieving personal power and spreading misery and destruction. [9]:42, In "The Book of Chaos" in the Planes of Chaos boxed set, it is revealed that Kiaransalee "recently wrested" the plane of Thanatos "from the former Abyssal lord of the undead. He created this place as a retreat in case things ever went terribly wrong. Although the gods sent a host of angels to slay him, Orcus killed every last one of them.[28]:223. The adventure notes that it is possible to break the sword, and with his connection to the blade, breaking it causes Tenebrous a great deal of pain for a few hours. Each time the suit's probiscus is inserted into the wearer's skull, Negative Material plane energy is transferred from the suit to the occupant, eventually transforming the wearer into a ju-ju zombie after continued use. Required fields are marked *, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Powered by WishList Member - Membership Software. [15]:36–37 A special sequence allows the players to temporarily assume the role of other player characters from the distant past using an item called the Orb of Kadu-Ra, where they explore a tower called the Last Spire. The adventure suggests that he used it when he was still a balor, and allowed his greatest servant to use it temporarily. The mature nabassu Glursidval plays illusion-fueled mind games with visitors to the town, as streets that appear straight to loop back upon themselves in extradimensional ways, while he taunts characters with illusions of fallen comrades or tries to convince them that they have returned to the Material Plane. [2] Although the book states that there are several such demon Princes, only Orcus and Demogorgon are detailed, "two of the greatest of these exceptional demon lords". It is the vibration of the alchemist. He also found the Last Word in the ruins of Pelion on the plane of Arborea, which he could use to slay even gods. Both planets represent power in someone’s chart and they represent the universal plan being carried out in a very sometimes real and tangible undeniable way. The walls and ceiling are formed by a shimmering green dome - transparent, but somehow appearing solid." [13], In the mega adventure The Great Modron March (1997) also by Cook and McComb, it is revealed that on page 11 that Primus of the modrons had been killed and temporarily replaced by a mysterious shadowy entity searching for something he has lost. The book refers to him appearing as an archetypical demon, in fact, his description notes that, "when commoners think of demons, they most likely think of some terrible picture of Orcus that they once saw somewhere." A great lord of the infinite pit, once brought low, shall find his way here, having pulled himself from death's cold embrace. [24]:131, Vadrian is a ruined city described in Fiendish Codex I, the former stronghold of a balor who betrayed Orcus thousands of years ago, and which the undead and demons of Thanatos now avoid. Therefore, regardless of what the truth is, the text states that Kiaransalee is making efforts to find and eliminate every last trace of both Orcus and Tenebrous, leaving her with little interest in interacting with the other gods of Faerun. This war lasted for a thousand years and ended with the Valg Kings destroying the world, reducing it to a land of ash and darkness where their many children could rule with them. Orcus is the fictional demon prince, and lord of the undead in many campaign settings for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role playing game. A square is a problem to overcome. Dead creatures respond to the presence of Orcus, even without his command. This fortress is located on the periphery of "civilized Thanatos", in the center of a sprawling desert of bonemeal known as Oblivion's End. [26], Rob Heinsoo explains in the 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons preview book, Races and Classes (2007), that the first set of design work from 2005 was code named "Orcus I", while the next design phase in 2006 was called "Orcus II". The builders of the Last Spire inscribed a prophecy about the coming of Tenebrous on a brass plug in the spire's interior, which reads: "Here in this Bright World shall trod the feet of ineffable Darkness. This palace "straddles a yawning chasm whose sheer slopes hold hundreds of tombs and burial sites, creating a tiered necropolis below the palace". [9]:63 Five areas contain mazes in one of four shapes (squares, octagons, pentagons, and hexagons), each with different puzzles, traps, and opponents to overcome. Orcus is the Prince of the Undead, and it is said that he alone created the first undead that walked the worlds. It uses all it’s assets to create that which it’s trying to create a new. Seven demon types debuted in that book (which became well known for its provocative cover): the imaginatively named demons Type I to VI, as well as the succubus. [24]:130–131, Fiendish Codex I details Naratyr, noting that the "aristocracy of intelligent undead" that wished to ingratiate themselves to Kiaransalee either fled Naratyr or betrayed one another to prove their loyalty to Orcus upon his return. The characters will discover the sword in a treasure vault, mounted on the far wall, and it is described as "a notched and slightly rusted sword", one of the few items that his servants managed to liberate from Thanatos after Kiaransalee took over. [26]:70–71 The characters must again assist these legions by removing a magical interdiction zone designed to restrict movement, and must also remove the threat of the horde of demons which killed the first legion, before Orcus's remaining forces will begin their siege on Lemoriax. Orcus plays a key role in the adventure The Throne of Bloodstone, which is set in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. When they are ready to enter Death's Reach, she creates a soul gate which allows them passage. [24] The book states that Orcus returned to Thanatos only in the last few years, and set about removing the influence of Kiaransalee and her worshippers, destroying or conscripting the demons who swore fealty to her; a few mortal and intelligent undead followers of Kiaransalee remain in hiding to plot revenge against Orcus. Bennie, Scott. This place has become a central focus of his cult, and mortal Skull Lords are expected to make a pilgrimage here upon first visiting Thanatos. It uses all the aspects it has to create out of love that vision which it holds in its heart. [26]:72–73, 76–77 Orcus is ultimately defeated in his battle against Demogorgon and retreats to Thanatos to heal, but the battle has helped to weaken Demogorgon, and Orcus will return to Gaping Maw shortly thereafter and remain hidden. Like many of the most powerful demon lords who struggle for power in the Abyss, Orcus started his existence as a mortal on the Prime Plane. [17] When the player characters come to the temple where they find the Deadgate, it is described as "a twisted latticework of stone and metal; the gleaming beams of the skeletal tower twist up into the air nearly to the cavern roof almost 200 feet above. He was apparently a wicked spellcaster of some sort, most probably a priest to some dark deity. Anything slain by the Scythe of Orcus (but not beheaded) rises again as a free-willed undead creature, and the wielder of the Scythe can magically summon these undead creatures. His symbol is either a demonic ram-headed skull (the most common), a representation of himself seated on his throne, or a depiction of his skull-tipped wand. [9]:30, In The Throne of Bloodstone, the player characters have the opportunity to search the Abyss for allies to help them against Orcus. He has little but contempt for them and uses them without thought or consideration. "[4]:17, As Tenebrous, he is described in the adventure Dead Gods: "It was as if someone had taken a man and squeezed him until all the light was wrung out like water, leaving only the purest of darkness. The Deadgate goes from dormant to active once it has a number of heads equal to its height, doubling the radius of its aura. Orcus is one of the most detailed demon lords of the Dungeons & Dragonsgame and one of a small handful to be detailed in every edition of the game. Orcus (pronounced OHR-kuhs) is the demon lord of the undead and those who practice vile necromancy, but is also associated with the sin of wrath. [11] An illustration of Orcus's infamous wand appears on page 101 of that book in the section on Pandemonium. Orcus is one of the most detailed demon lords of the Dungeons & Dragons game and one of a small handful to be detailed in every edition of the game. The adventure's prologue on pages 12–13 tells the story of the murder of Primus from Primus's own point of view, and the epilogue on pages 124-125 tells the story of the entity ending his impersonation of Primus to move on to the next phase of his plans, revealing some of his motivations and doubts. Orcus is also about doing nothing to a degree, because it’s about magic. [4]:16 The first edition Monster Manual II reveals that the demon lord Graz'zt is a dedicated foe of both Demogorgon and Orcus. Part of the goal of the adventure "Enemies of My Enemy" on pages 40–85 of Dungeon #149 (August 2007) by Wolfgang Baur is to recruit the assistance of Orcus to defeat his old enemy Demogorgon. Crypts built into the craggy hills contain creatures such as spectres and mummies, and a remote crag conceals the entrance to the Valley of the Crypt Things, a maze which eventually connects to the realm of Baphomet. [15] Later in the adventure, if the characters are confronted by Tenebrous looking to kill them, they can break the Orcusword to distract him and escape. He will assemble a team of demons powerful enough to defeat unfriendly visitors on this gameboard, where squares will vanish every round to send combatants plummeting. But the figure shrinks as if melting, becoming a wormlike larvae. [9] The Lake of Fire is "a long, narrow lake filled with boiling lava", where magmen and lava mephits in the lake use illusions to appear human to fool the characters into rescuing them. [27]:8 Orcus is the sole demon lord detailed in the 4th edition Monster Manual (2008) by Mike Mearls, Stephen Schubert, and James Wyatt, and an illustration of Orcus appears on the book's cover and also on page 207. Your email address will not be published. Where Pluto suddenly vaporizes a dead weight out of your life (depending the prospective of the ego, you may not see it as a hindering dead weight) Orcus suddenly Beams down from the heavens, or just drops into your lap from seemingly nowhere, that which will suddenly enable you to carry out your purpose, and to know what it is. Orcus was also named as one of the greatest villains in D&D history by the final print issue of Dragon. What can we create now? Perceptive characters will get the feeling that they are being watched and followed. [15]:100 In his quest for knowledge, he slew not only Primus, but the powers Bwimb, Maanzecorian, Tomeri, and Camaxtli, and others. [21] Orcus is featured on page 18 Libris Mortis (2004) by Andy Collins and Bruce R Cordell as one of the entities revered by undead. [26]:94–95, The fourth edition Monster Manual names the Raven Queen as a god whom Orcus particularly wants to destroy, as he hungers to usurp her control over death and the souls of the dead. The creatures that dwell within serve to allow only those to pass through who may do so at the will of Orcus. Orcus is the Demon Prince of the Undead. He served this position faithfully, becoming a symbol of the Praetorus Magics. [1], Orcus was first presented in the Eldritch Wizardry supplement in 1976, by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, for the original (white box) Dungeons & Dragons game. [15]:121 The adventure also explains that after being an Abyssal lord, Orcus eventually became a deity, forever giving up his physical form. Orcus is the laying of new groundwork, so where ever its’ transiting will be new things built in that area of your life complete and whole for you to express yourself thru. Monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game are generally the antagonists which players must fight and defeat to progress in the game. In many Dungeons & Dragonsbooks, Orcus has typically been 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. It also rules those ideas of complete clarity coming from a higher source suddenly in your brain out of nowhere that forever change you. The book explains the fate of Orcus/Tenerbous as such: "It is unknown, even to Kiaransalee, whether the Prince of the Undead has successfully transformed himself into an undead god, has been destroyed forever, or simply waits for another opportunity to return to (un)life." 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