As someone who dms (boring I know) Orcus in my version, summons 1 lich, 1 death knight and one vampire. and a few shadows. the party still beat him the monsters.
I simply love the lore fact that Orcus started out as a wiggling piece of filth to somehow rise up ranks from a literal vile maggot wormlike thing to one of the most powerful and evil creatures in the lexicon. Talk about starting off in the mail room.
Orcus hates going outside. Orcus also hates going INSIDE. Orcus hates doorframes slightly less Orcus doesn't appreciate physical contact. Orcus despises inconveniences Orcus dislikes being misinterpreted. Orcus loathes stealing,Orcus is a respectable member of society!
Got to respect him. It can't be easy working your way up from mortal man, to larvae to one of the most feared beings in the multiverse. It'd make a great series of books.
If someone were to take a dead body and try a Charisma (Performance) check using it in a "Spooky Scary Skeletons" and rolls a 20 in a game I'd run, I'd say "It didn't really do anything, but somewhere in the depths of The Abyss, the demon lord Orcus cracks a very, very small smile of amusement, and he's not sure why."
Our group found a painting of Orcus once that was glyphed with a suggestion spell that forced one of us to read the plaque at the bottom which of course had only one word on it: Orcus. He stepped out of the painting and someones first reaction was to say "Pleased to meet you" which made the DM think of the song "Sympathy for the devil". That character was picked up by the neck and thrown into the painting (a temporary portal to the abyss), Orcus followed him back into the painting. We spent about 6 months trying to jailbreak him out of there.
I don’t care what anyone says about that scitzo tentacle monkey excuse of a demon “prince”, Orcus is the real threat to the multiverse. By far my favorite of the demon princes, he’s menacing and determined and I could use that in a D&D campaign.
Orcus sounds like a D&D Demon version of Níðhöggr; a being who (like Surtr) predates the events of the Norse creation myth and thus lusts to see creation unmade. Though, Níðhöggr is clearly portrayed as a Dragon; one might say the "original dragon".
In Roman/Etruscan mythology, Orcus was the god of death and the dead. He was later replaced by the Greek god Thanatos and Pluto took the role of Hades, also from Greek mythology, as the god of the underworld. Tenebrous was the Roman god of disease or plague, as I recall.
There's an interesting possible conclusion to a 3e adventure called "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits", where the PCs are sent to prevent an alliance between Lolth and various demon lords from being formed. You are sent as representatives of Orcus, who actually doesn't want the alliance to happen. If you succeed, one of the places you can escape to is Thanatos, Orcus' layer. I can only assume that the PCs get an audience with the Demon Prince of Undeath where he'd thank them and grant them the most generous boon he can think of (aside from becoming undead and working in his service full-time) - a promise that when the time comes for all things to be destroyed by his hand, they and their loved ones and/or descendants will be granted quick, painless deaths.
At the end of days as Orcus watched his strategies intertwine and obliterate reality in an orgy of unmaking, ygorl appears over him, laughing as he swallows the pig of death.
In Roman or Greek mythology, Orcus was the god of punishment in the realm of the dead, the underworld. He was responsible for the eternal suffering of all tortured souls.
There is a God of Punishment in Greek mythology? Isn't tartarus bad enough to be in, there is a guy who also tortures you? Greek pantheon is fucked up to the max
@@cavareenvius7886 Tartarus is also a deity. The entire abyss that serves as a prison of horror, is actually sentient. He is one of the primordial deities, the first beings to rise from the chaos that was the start of the universe, which makes Tartarus older and more powerfull than any Titan or Olympian.
@@cavareenvius7886 well, he should torture the wicked ones, or the ones the gods detest for whatever reason. The real worst sin in Greek mythology is Hubris, the arrogance to put oneself in defiance of the Gods. Killing your relatives was a close second. So maybe you decided not to follow an oracle and try to change your destiny? Well, it's eternal torment in darkness for you . Which makes for great tragic characters .
AJ, as always, you are hands-down, the best D&D UA-camr that there is! You have single-handedly reignited my interest in, and excitement for, all things D&D! Thank you so much for your hard work, and all the time and effort that you put in to your work for us! You are amazing!
AJ Pickett OMG! You are the first person to get it! :) Most people that I meet online just assume that this is my real name. Which is fine, I answer to it! :) That, along with my "stage name," that I used up until I retired from modeling work, mostly. Speaking of Facebook, I'd love for you to send me a friend request! Or I can send you one, I haven't been on there much for the last year or so, but I plan on using it more often as its a good way to network for my business that Im trying to launch in the early part of 2018! :)
AJ Pickett Besides, I can relate to Gabrielle Aderre, in a few ways. Very few! :) Initially, the idea was to choose an angel name, since my birth name is Michael. And once I decided on Gabriel, rather than Raphael, I inmediately thought of Gabrielle Aderre, since I was buying and reading a lot of Ravenloft material at the time. And, well, that was that! :)
I always think of it that he hates everyone especially his own followers and that what people perceive as gifts are actually curses meant to give them prolonged agony
Thank you so much for this video. I keep coming back to this and your videos on the Obyriths because I find the lore so fascinating. I'd love to run a campaign through some planes of the abyss one day, and Thanatos has always captivated my interest.
Even at max health, a 4 person, lvl 20 party could easily take him down in a turn if the dice serve them.... (this stat block is just the avatar though, right?)
Or, he could annihilate them in an instant and they could start rolling new characters. I've seen it happen. Time stop, summon demons, summon undead, touch with wand...it's all over but the crying.
You clearly spent the time on this one! Thanks a ton for that in depth history of Orcus. I've been flirting with the idea of creating an Orcus influenced demon campaign, so this was PERFECT timing :)
Most welcome, and yeah, it really helped that I had the free time to put in the research and compilation this video needed. Graz'zt will be much the same.
It’s so funny that a cult worshiping Orcus had an undead glabrezu come up to tell them to knock it off. To which the priest invited it to a private room, killed it, came out, and declared themselves the new exarch. And everyone just fkn clapped!
I always love looking up the historical real world sources of these things... He was actually an ancient Italian underworld deity of oaths, and not considered necessarily evil.
I knew you'd do one eventually. I never made the request but it was a good suprise to see you'd done Orcus. When I had requested Oni you had it out two weeks later and for that I am still greatful.
What is the audio text ? I got that : "Life is a disease and I am the cure! your fears your souls your ambition are nothing! I am stillness, I am emptiness and unity. I am eternity. I am the the blood that never ????. I am Orcus I am the bloody lord I am death"
Life is a disease, I am the cure. Your fears, your suffering, your ambitions, your soul I am stillness, I am emptiness, I am unity, I am eternity I am that which never dies I am Orcus I am the Blood Lord, I am death
I really enjoyed this video, as Undead are one of my favorite creature types, and liches my favorite monsters, but I really struggle to figure out how his cult works, when getting to become undead. I imagine some mighty wizards seeking his aide, hoping the Prince of Undeath will share with them the secrets of Lichdom, though he might them elect to hold the phylactery in his own possession, or grant them the power of Vampirism, but skipping the phase where they are servants to greater vampire, but I don't understand how such a hateful being is persuaded to go along with it, instead of just reaching out and extinguishing them? If he were a Devil, maybe; there could be a contract that compels him, regardless of his personal desires, to do it, but Demons are already bizarre to me, in how anyone gets them to give anything, when they seem to just be destruction incarnate, but Orcus is worse. Graz'zt is destructive, but I almost feel like Lord Decadence would actually get lonely without other people to party with, bang, or torture. Fraz-Urb'luu would want people to dupe, and fall for his plots. Demogorgon needs things to rule over, but Orcus seems so...detached, except for his unbiased disregard, I don't get how my evil archmage persuades him to grant boons, to say nothing of boons on a scale of Lichdom. Oh well, fun writing, all the same, and thanks for the historical dig up into this famous monster of monsters!
Well Orcus demands death, pretty simple. He wants to be the last intelligence in existence, he wishes to rule a totally controlled multiverse... His multiverse.
He gives out gifts of undeath with the expectation that his new minions will further his cause. That way, he'll just have a few liches and vampires to large and he'll be done.
Been a fan for awhile and I gotta say these are the most insightful D&D videos on UA-cam. Could you do a video on baphomet? I thought you did one already but you just mentioned him in your video in minotaurs.
After making a massive video on 3 demon lords, wich demon lord (not only previous 3) is your favorite? Personally, mine is Pazuzu for many reasons, his goal isn't to destoy/kill everything, but to corrupt all that is good and he's pretty much the one that corrupted Azmodeus and aided him to kill his god.
Probably, a lot of people seem to thing Pelor is pretty simple as a Deity, I enjoy adding a lot of story and plot to the parts of the game that commonly get overlooked.
Your videos are great. Great lore. However I wish you'd do something about the odd echo feedback in the audio. it makes it hard for me to listen for more than a few minutes at a time because it gives me a headache.
Pun-Pun is spoken of in breathy whispers in the beard sweaty halls of ultimate munchkinry, I dare not subject the uninitiated plebs to the mind breaking, rule tweaker who rules over all the dimensions of Min-Max!
Ah! I love Orcus. Great video!! I just recently started Dming and I just introduced Orcus' avatar in the form of a pact necklace that prevents death, but loses one of its 6 beads everytime they fail 3 death saving throws. Can't wait until the 6 are gone. If you could do Some Archfey that would be amazing as I have a warlock looking for a patron. Cheers
Orcus is cool although I did him different in my world. • He was originally a Cambion from a growing nation known for their search for dark secrets and use of Necromancy, as well as worshipping Scorpio, God Of Death & Secrets. • He and his brother (more sworn brothers than biological brothers) Hades worked hard to fight a cult subjugating their land growing undead hordes to use to spare the people from danger while Hades was wiser, Orcus was very bloodthirsty and quick to anger. • The two brothers wanted the affection of a human druid named Persephone but she fell for the gentle & wise Hades as well as Hades being favored by Scorpio for his wisdom. • Orcus turned away from the people who didn't appreciate him and shunned him for his temperament using a ritual that cast away his humanity turning him into a full blown demon and growing to the Demon lord that plagued the Vanir people for thousands of years. • He was eventually killed in his realm by a group of adventures consisting of a 4'10 evoker, Vanir teifling necromancer/long death monk, Elven monk, Aasimar Cleric, & Kobold Moon Druid. • His wand destroyed as well as the schematics for it but other stuff of his was taken. • His blood stored for other purposes & his head kepted as a trophy.
Damn. I was hoping to find info on the city of everlost. Ive been told there is a street of vampire elders there near the entrance to the center where the throne and palace are. I need details and cant find where i learned of them. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Yours truly, Silas, high priest of orcus/skull/necromancer/vampire/multidimensional being. I will destroy your worlds.
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if Orcus ran up against Elric. Demigod vs Eternal Champion? Please remember that even a greater god can't permanently kill an Eternal Champion.
thank God you employ information from EVERY edition of the game i have played since its inception! i constantly find these idiots that think D&D is only the 5th edition. (yes, I'm talking to you Matt Mercer)
God I love demons, although I usually make a few cosmic-level modifications to make the FR more interesting. Just imagine that the Abyss is actually the manifestation of the infinite parallel universes (that come about via the infinitely branching decisions made by the entities in it) as they asymptotically reach some awful end. Each demon lord is simply the being who became the most powerful in that timeline, each layer of the abyss a potential end of the world. Demon lords control multiple layers of the abyss because their power meant they were more likely to ascend in across more timelines, and when they fight for other layers they do so across the entirety of the timeline that lead to their ascension. This dynamic really plays up the "evil entropy" aspect of demons - that they represent something so awful but so inevitable. Your world, too, will one day result in a layer of the abyss. If you gain enough power, you might be able to avoid ending up a mane. And if you strive for power that desperately, then you might begin to understand how the demon lords came to be the way they are.
I love d and d it is just the best series of games and stories I love the books as well. I have the Baldurs gate 3 digital deluxe pre ordered for ps5 I cant wait man. Thank you for these great lore vids.
Have you considered creating a discord chat for your community AJ? It's always so active in the comments and it would be a really good way for people to get together and discuss lore, plan characters, campaigns or even offer advice to new DMs. Just a thought. I'm sure you could find people in the community to help with managing it.
AJ Pickett it's a program a little like Skype that's designed for gaming but one of its perks is you can create open group chats. A league of legends UA-camr I watch by the name Necrit has a channel for his community and you can always find someone active to answer questions or discuss lore with other members. I just wondered if it was something that you had possibly thought about because it's a great way to engage the community and allow people to share and develop their own ideas and skills plus I love the idea of having an active community for dungeons and dragons discussions.
Late comment, don't care haha. I really wish I could incorporate that at my D&D table. It would be so perfect for an encounter with Orcus. Although, from our point in the campaign, that's years away. 5th level players have no business running into Orcus himself.
Orcus sounds very Neutral Evil, much like the Daemons from the Pathfinder campaign setting. He doesn’t seem to care about Law and Chaos as much as he doesn’t care about a Good or Evil. I’m not sure of the lore for Neutral Evil outsiders in Grey Hawk and the Forgotten Realms, but in Pathfinder all Daemons pretty much have the point of view as Orcus.
But it’s everyone. There is no chaotic randomness, no whimsy of selection. He wants to kill everyone, and if you help him he’ll save you for last. Seems clear cut and structured with little chance of deviation no matter who you are. Sounds Neutral Evil to me.
@@boldcitylongsword9941 I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree then. The everyone part is pretty chaotic, the lack of structure seems very much not neutral no?
I decided to look at the Wikipedia article as I listened to this and read the "description" section at the same time you said with almost no changes lol
At 9:52 ! That's THE Paladin of Arton! Arton is the name of the continent on the Tormenta setting, by far, the most popular medieval campaign setting in Brazil! What he is doing in a Orcus video... I dunno. Maybe he wet there to kill Orcus? As he has the power of 20 gods in him... (Those rubies in his armour, each one was forged by one of the gods)
Yeah, people seemed to like the idea of a thematic intro, but not the length of the last one, though I got some forgiveness thanks to the lore packed into it.
Bloodstone mines were some of my most favourite adventuring days back in the 80s. The tarraque was even in the module as A test of might (Nearly A six party wipe) even at high level. Handed him his arse with some outside box thinking and A few wish spells. Good times
I habe had an idea. What of once a demon becomes a demon lord that state becomes a template? And that is why demon lords don't seem to permanently die? That even if they perish a new demon will simply rise to assume all that they were.
I always wondered why Orcus is so dependent on his staff. Didn't he make it in the first place? Just make another. Make two for that matter, one for each hand. I do understand that it's a narrative device to make the story progress and a cool magic item, just seems to me it makes him less scary. ( In the sense that Orcus is less powerful without the staff and that you can destroy the staff and cripple him )
I would assume its like sauron's one ring. With the wand he is much more powerful than he ever was before it was created. Also like the one ring the wand also contains part of his essence causing it to be sentient and completely loyal to him. This is to the point he sometimes willingly gives his wand to a mortal if he's bored or thinks it will further his plans, knowing that it will eventually come back to him. Also unlike the one ring when destroyed it will reform on its own in about a century (which do a demon lord probably isn't that long of a time)
Can you make stream explicitly about the warrior. I have a party that wants to bring the worrier back to life, free the spirit and destroy the Orcas’s rod. Any information about the origin of the warrior would greatly help.
Orcus is the one who taught Vecna how to become a Lich IIRC. It is the reason many DMs are suspicious that Lichdom does not have to be so intensely harmful to the wizard.
Hey AJ. I notice you reference tons of adventures. I often search for them for games I run, but never really find a whole lot. I was wondering if you could do a video sometime naming off longer campaigns of the past.
Unless I read it wrong Orcus can stop time then summon 3 Liches. Now *thats* an opening move and certainly implies power to challenge lesser gods.
As someone who has fought and defeated Orcus, I can indeed confirm he can do this. He's a jerk like that.
As someone who played Orcus I'm disappointed in both of you and want you all dead.
As someone who plays Tenebrous, kindly gtfo, I hate you worms walking on me when I'm hating floating around the Astral Plane.
@@shloopydoopersontheloreguy9069 As someone who loves comment chains I am greatly dissapointed in you for breaking this chain.
As someone who dms (boring I know) Orcus in my version, summons 1 lich, 1 death knight and one vampire. and a few shadows. the party still beat him the monsters.
I simply love the lore fact that Orcus started out as a wiggling piece of filth to somehow rise up ranks from a literal vile maggot wormlike thing to one of the most powerful and evil creatures in the lexicon. Talk about starting off in the mail room.
Orcus is just the American dream of the demon world - started out as lowly larva and ended up as a tyrannical demon lord
Also fat and wants everyone to get off his lawn
@@svekolj7534 I think I see 3 depictions of Orcus being packed and the only time he look the most undead is in 5e
It's kind of a rags-to-riches story isn't it. He started out at the bottom and now he's pretty freaking awesome
You meant to say from rags to Liches
You mean, freaking awful, right?
Wait I thought he was a Primordial turned demon lord
I cant see being a demon, much less a the demon lord of undeath as anything but torture. Unending, horrific, rotten torture.
And you're groveling and sycophantic ways he will hate you for it 😆
Orcus hates going outside.
Orcus also hates going INSIDE.
Orcus hates doorframes slightly less
Orcus doesn't appreciate physical contact.
Orcus despises inconveniences
Orcus dislikes being misinterpreted.
Orcus loathes stealing,Orcus is a respectable member of society!
SKARBAND HATES TRADEMARK VIOLATERS!
@@waterpicker6879 i have issues internalizing my accomplishments and absolutly would do something that petty!
So Orcus is a Republican? Jk
@@jacobfreeman5444 nobody mentioned politics my dude
I approve of this reference.
The "wand" is better thought of as a mace, since Orcus enjoys pummeling foes with it.
Got to respect him. It can't be easy working your way up from mortal man, to larvae to one of the most feared beings in the multiverse. It'd make a great series of books.
I'd probably read them.
"Demons are bad. D&D has demons. D&D is bad"
"We're literally trying to fight and destroy the demons though.
Also, it's _imaginary_ ."
Dave Marx Also you are a huge nerd who will never know the touch of a woman
@@staticcharm3808 not true - he is a woman
The bible mentions demons. Thus, it's evil
Dave Marx Mazes and Monsters is a far out game
@@gargoyles9999 If only we could have Pardue the Adventurer in our party.
If someone were to take a dead body and try a Charisma (Performance) check using it in a "Spooky Scary Skeletons" and rolls a 20 in a game I'd run, I'd say "It didn't really do anything, but somewhere in the depths of The Abyss, the demon lord Orcus cracks a very, very small smile of amusement, and he's not sure why."
Our group found a painting of Orcus once that was glyphed with a suggestion spell that forced one of us to read the plaque at the bottom which of course had only one word on it: Orcus.
He stepped out of the painting and someones first reaction was to say "Pleased to meet you" which made the DM think of the song "Sympathy for the devil". That character was picked up by the neck and thrown into the painting (a temporary portal to the abyss), Orcus followed him back into the painting. We spent about 6 months trying to jailbreak him out of there.
Nice
I don’t care what anyone says about that scitzo tentacle monkey excuse of a demon “prince”, Orcus is the real threat to the multiverse. By far my favorite of the demon princes, he’s menacing and determined and I could use that in a D&D campaign.
Orcus sounds like a D&D Demon version of Níðhöggr; a being who (like Surtr) predates the events of the Norse creation myth and thus lusts to see creation unmade. Though, Níðhöggr is clearly portrayed as a Dragon; one might say the "original dragon".
"The crime is life! The punishment is DEATH!!!"- Judge Death
"Little Orcus on his throne, Little Orcus all alone."
Orcus: SHUT UP!!!
"If you look closely at his chair, you'll soon see your own bones rotting there"
Little? He's huge lol
@@BrianM-44041 It's a joke in the form of a nursery rhyme.
@@Damienx247 it's not funny. As a priest of Orcus I curse your soul. Now that makes me smile. 💀
Hahaha 🤣😂
In Roman/Etruscan mythology, Orcus was the god of death and the dead. He was later replaced by the Greek god Thanatos and Pluto took the role of Hades, also from Greek mythology, as the god of the underworld.
Tenebrous was the Roman god of disease or plague, as I recall.
Yanogu is the most effective demon Lord in my opinion. He's like I need to just get there and fuck shit up until they manage to kick me out
There's an interesting possible conclusion to a 3e adventure called "Expedition to the Demonweb Pits", where the PCs are sent to prevent an alliance between Lolth and various demon lords from being formed. You are sent as representatives of Orcus, who actually doesn't want the alliance to happen. If you succeed, one of the places you can escape to is Thanatos, Orcus' layer.
I can only assume that the PCs get an audience with the Demon Prince of Undeath where he'd thank them and grant them the most generous boon he can think of (aside from becoming undead and working in his service full-time) - a promise that when the time comes for all things to be destroyed by his hand, they and their loved ones and/or descendants will be granted quick, painless deaths.
That do sound like a pretty good deal
L;
At the end of days as Orcus watched his strategies intertwine and obliterate reality in an orgy of unmaking, ygorl appears over him, laughing as he swallows the pig of death.
Nice face reveal at the beginning!
In Roman or Greek mythology, Orcus was the god of punishment in the realm of the dead, the underworld. He was responsible for the eternal suffering of all tortured souls.
There is a God of Punishment in Greek mythology? Isn't tartarus bad enough to be in, there is a guy who also tortures you? Greek pantheon is fucked up to the max
And he enjoyed his work.
@@cavareenvius7886 Tartarus is also a deity. The entire abyss that serves as a prison of horror, is actually sentient. He is one of the primordial deities, the first beings to rise from the chaos that was the start of the universe, which makes Tartarus older and more powerfull than any Titan or Olympian.
@@cavareenvius7886 well, he should torture the wicked ones, or the ones the gods detest for whatever reason. The real worst sin in Greek mythology is Hubris, the arrogance to put oneself in defiance of the Gods. Killing your relatives was a close second. So maybe you decided not to follow an oracle and try to change your destiny? Well, it's eternal torment in darkness for you . Which makes for great tragic characters .
1:02
Scary? Pfft, sounds like me when I wake up on the wrong side of the bed.
Planescape is my fav campaign setting. Lays every plane of existence out with details and pantheons.
Agreed. My games are usually a combination of prime material planes within planescape.
AJ, as always, you are hands-down, the best D&D UA-camr that there is! You have single-handedly reignited my interest in, and excitement for, all things D&D! Thank you so much for your hard work, and all the time and effort that you put in to your work for us! You are amazing!
*blushes furiously*
AJ Pickett Ironically, you're the third guy that credits me with a "blush attack" today. Those two aren't nearly as cool as you though! ;)
I'm just not used to such high praise from the dark lord of Invidia. :)
extensive-enterprises.net/images//tcg/Spellfire/Ravenloft/093.jpg
AJ Pickett OMG! You are the first person to get it! :) Most people that I meet online just assume that this is my real name. Which is fine, I answer to it! :) That, along with my "stage name," that I used up until I retired from modeling work, mostly. Speaking of Facebook, I'd love for you to send me a friend request! Or I can send you one, I haven't been on there much for the last year or so, but I plan on using it more often as its a good way to network for my business that Im trying to launch in the early part of 2018! :)
AJ Pickett Besides, I can relate to Gabrielle Aderre, in a few ways. Very few! :) Initially, the idea was to choose an angel name, since my birth name is Michael. And once I decided on Gabriel, rather than Raphael, I inmediately thought of Gabrielle Aderre, since I was buying and reading a lot of Ravenloft material at the time. And, well, that was that! :)
Orcus really just tryna take a nap and those living bastards are keeping him up.
Love that he has the knowledge to make people liches.
Velsharoon?
He has the knowledge to enslave people to his will. Of course he will share with them how to enslave themselves to his will.
Orcus asmr video when?
LOL, so that is why it gave me goosebumps!
😂
D E A D M E E M lol
No but seriously if yall know any dark deep base asmr shit thats right up my alley
@@AJPickett Where that orcus intro from might i ask?
I always think of it that he hates everyone especially his own followers and that what people perceive as gifts are actually curses meant to give them prolonged agony
A Lolth Video like this would be amazing
Thank you so much for this video. I keep coming back to this and your videos on the Obyriths because I find the lore so fascinating. I'd love to run a campaign through some planes of the abyss one day, and Thanatos has always captivated my interest.
Dude. Amazing job. Thanks for your hard work.
Most welcome Scott :)
Even at max health, a 4 person, lvl 20 party could easily take him down in a turn if the dice serve them.... (this stat block is just the avatar though, right?)
Correct
Or, he could annihilate them in an instant and they could start rolling new characters. I've seen it happen. Time stop, summon demons, summon undead, touch with wand...it's all over but the crying.
If the DM is brand new to the game. A party can beat him, but it wouldn't be easy.
You clearly spent the time on this one! Thanks a ton for that in depth history of Orcus. I've been flirting with the idea of creating an Orcus influenced demon campaign, so this was PERFECT timing :)
Most welcome, and yeah, it really helped that I had the free time to put in the research and compilation this video needed. Graz'zt will be much the same.
so much for leaving a link in the description to the pact of the fiend orcus patron thing
My favorite demon, thanks for covering this!
Most welcome Aliper :)
Wow that opening was kinda terrifying.
Thank you :)
AJ Pickett Yeah with headphones on you can hear the walls shaking as he talks it is really cool.
Special thanks to Audacity's Reverb "Large Room" effect for that little tweak :D
AJ Pickett Well then thank you Audacity Reverb for making me think a demon lord was in my house or head.
That opening though
Yeah, I actually enjoy the opening for this and the demogorgon video. Creepy as hell. Or, I guess, creepy as the Abyss?
Oh Orcus you are a silly, naughty but lovable little scamp. Also, million thanks for the interesting insight into the lore
The design change to a skull head instantly massively improved his design for me.
It’s so funny that a cult worshiping Orcus had an undead glabrezu come up to tell them to knock it off. To which the priest invited it to a private room, killed it, came out, and declared themselves the new exarch. And everyone just fkn clapped!
Orcus: life is a disease
Warforged: well i'm not alive so-
I always love looking up the historical real world sources of these things... He was actually an ancient Italian underworld deity of oaths, and not considered necessarily evil.
I've been waiting for this guy. Thanks AJ!
You're welcome Strix, thanks for your patience
I knew you'd do one eventually. I never made the request but it was a good suprise to see you'd done Orcus. When I had requested Oni you had it out two weeks later and for that I am still greatful.
Imagine if orcus has secret weapon in his realm a undead tarrasqe aka the Godzilla of D&D and he would use it either against demogorgan or graz'zt
kiara sanders thanks for my campaign idea
Asmodus has a half fiend Tarasque so...
kiara sanders just send it to the realm of water
Wouldn't that just make weaker because it would lose its regeneration.
Hardest part of creating an undead Tarrasque would be creating a dead tarrasque. :)
What is the audio text ? I got that : "Life is a disease and I am the cure! your fears your souls your ambition are nothing! I am stillness, I am emptiness and unity. I am eternity. I am the the blood that never ????. I am Orcus I am the bloody lord I am death"
Life is a disease, I am the cure.
Your fears, your suffering, your ambitions, your soul
I am stillness, I am emptiness, I am unity, I am eternity
I am that which never dies
I am Orcus
I am the Blood Lord,
I am death
Oh, typo, add "are nothing" on line two.
Seems I did not follow my own script on the audio recording, lol.
I really enjoyed this video, as Undead are one of my favorite creature types, and liches my favorite monsters, but I really struggle to figure out how his cult works, when getting to become undead. I imagine some mighty wizards seeking his aide, hoping the Prince of Undeath will share with them the secrets of Lichdom, though he might them elect to hold the phylactery in his own possession, or grant them the power of Vampirism, but skipping the phase where they are servants to greater vampire, but I don't understand how such a hateful being is persuaded to go along with it, instead of just reaching out and extinguishing them? If he were a Devil, maybe; there could be a contract that compels him, regardless of his personal desires, to do it, but Demons are already bizarre to me, in how anyone gets them to give anything, when they seem to just be destruction incarnate, but Orcus is worse. Graz'zt is destructive, but I almost feel like Lord Decadence would actually get lonely without other people to party with, bang, or torture. Fraz-Urb'luu would want people to dupe, and fall for his plots. Demogorgon needs things to rule over, but Orcus seems so...detached, except for his unbiased disregard, I don't get how my evil archmage persuades him to grant boons, to say nothing of boons on a scale of Lichdom. Oh well, fun writing, all the same, and thanks for the historical dig up into this famous monster of monsters!
Well Orcus demands death, pretty simple. He wants to be the last intelligence in existence, he wishes to rule a totally controlled multiverse... His multiverse.
He gives out gifts of undeath with the expectation that his new minions will further his cause. That way, he'll just have a few liches and vampires to large and he'll be done.
+5 points for pronouncing Grazzt properly
Sheer fluke, but I will take it!
I love your D&D videos, I wish I could make some myself but I have no idea what to do them about. Please keep up the good work!
Vids on playable races of D&D are always very popular.
Been a fan for awhile and I gotta say these are the most insightful D&D videos on UA-cam. Could you do a video on baphomet? I thought you did one already but you just mentioned him in your video in minotaurs.
Baphomet is going to feature in the Lords of Ruin series for sure :)
12:20 So Orcus found Jaren Ward's handcannon?
After making a massive video on 3 demon lords, wich demon lord (not only previous 3) is your favorite?
Personally, mine is Pazuzu for many reasons, his goal isn't to destoy/kill everything, but to corrupt all that is good and he's pretty much the one that corrupted Azmodeus and aided him to kill his god.
Asmodeus, I think, I have yet to do the vid on Graz'zt and he seems quite popular so I may change my mind.
That opening though 😤😱👌🔥
I like how you do a very descriptive lore on all the demon Lords.
You think you could do one for the Pantheon's, the good ones, like Pelor.
Probably, a lot of people seem to thing Pelor is pretty simple as a Deity, I enjoy adding a lot of story and plot to the parts of the game that commonly get overlooked.
There are gods that are pretty much ignored, like Erathis or Avandra.
@@AJPickett THAT'S why this is my fav DnD channel on UA-cam.
Thanks for the video and I hope you are feeling better.
Yes, much improved thank you, my voice was pretty rough on this vid though :)
Thank you for inspiration. Currently running undead PC campaign. This gave me a lot of ideas for Roleplay and event in the game.
Your videos are great. Great lore. However I wish you'd do something about the odd echo feedback in the audio. it makes it hard for me to listen for more than a few minutes at a time because it gives me a headache.
Do one on pun-pun the divine creator of the D&D Multiverse.
Pun-Pun is spoken of in breathy whispers in the beard sweaty halls of ultimate munchkinry, I dare not subject the uninitiated plebs to the mind breaking, rule tweaker who rules over all the dimensions of Min-Max!
Ah! I love Orcus. Great video!! I just recently started Dming and I just introduced Orcus' avatar in the form of a pact necklace that prevents death, but loses one of its 6 beads everytime they fail 3 death saving throws. Can't wait until the 6 are gone.
If you could do Some Archfey that would be amazing as I have a warlock looking for a patron. Cheers
Another vote for Archfey seems like a trend :)
Orcus is cool although I did him different in my world.
• He was originally a Cambion from a growing nation known for their search for dark secrets and use of Necromancy, as well as worshipping Scorpio, God Of Death & Secrets.
• He and his brother (more sworn brothers than biological brothers) Hades worked hard to fight a cult subjugating their land growing undead hordes to use to spare the people from danger while Hades was wiser, Orcus was very bloodthirsty and quick to anger.
• The two brothers wanted the affection of a human druid named Persephone but she fell for the gentle & wise Hades as well as Hades being favored by Scorpio for his wisdom.
• Orcus turned away from the people who didn't appreciate him and shunned him for his temperament using a ritual that cast away his humanity turning him into a full blown demon and growing to the Demon lord that plagued the Vanir people for thousands of years.
• He was eventually killed in his realm by a group of adventures consisting of a 4'10 evoker, Vanir teifling necromancer/long death monk, Elven monk, Aasimar Cleric, & Kobold Moon Druid.
• His wand destroyed as well as the schematics for it but other stuff of his was taken.
• His blood stored for other purposes & his head kepted as a trophy.
Damn. I was hoping to find info on the city of everlost. Ive been told there is a street of vampire elders there near the entrance to the center where the throne and palace are. I need details and cant find where i learned of them. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Yours truly,
Silas, high priest of orcus/skull/necromancer/vampire/multidimensional being.
I will destroy your worlds.
Just out of curiosity, what would happen if Orcus ran up against Elric. Demigod vs Eternal Champion? Please remember that even a greater god can't permanently kill an Eternal Champion.
No idea... A saga I imagine.
Never even heard of the term "Eternal Champion" thanks for giving me another dnd rabbit hole to delve into! Lmao
@@MisanthropicHaze Start with the writings of Michael Moorcock.
Orcus is an absolute chad. he only likes skeletons.
thank God you employ information from EVERY edition of the game i have played since its inception! i constantly find these idiots that think D&D is only the 5th edition. (yes, I'm talking to you Matt Mercer)
God I love demons, although I usually make a few cosmic-level modifications to make the FR more interesting. Just imagine that the Abyss is actually the manifestation of the infinite parallel universes (that come about via the infinitely branching decisions made by the entities in it) as they asymptotically reach some awful end. Each demon lord is simply the being who became the most powerful in that timeline, each layer of the abyss a potential end of the world. Demon lords control multiple layers of the abyss because their power meant they were more likely to ascend in across more timelines, and when they fight for other layers they do so across the entirety of the timeline that lead to their ascension. This dynamic really plays up the "evil entropy" aspect of demons - that they represent something so awful but so inevitable. Your world, too, will one day result in a layer of the abyss. If you gain enough power, you might be able to avoid ending up a mane. And if you strive for power that desperately, then you might begin to understand how the demon lords came to be the way they are.
I love d and d it is just the best series of games and stories I love the books as well. I have the Baldurs gate 3 digital deluxe pre ordered for ps5 I cant wait man. Thank you for these great lore vids.
Have you considered creating a discord chat for your community AJ? It's always so active in the comments and it would be a really good way for people to get together and discuss lore, plan characters, campaigns or even offer advice to new DMs. Just a thought. I'm sure you could find people in the community to help with managing it.
I don't know much about discord.
AJ Pickett it's a program a little like Skype that's designed for gaming but one of its perks is you can create open group chats. A league of legends UA-camr I watch by the name Necrit has a channel for his community and you can always find someone active to answer questions or discuss lore with other members. I just wondered if it was something that you had possibly thought about because it's a great way to engage the community and allow people to share and develop their own ideas and skills plus I love the idea of having an active community for dungeons and dragons discussions.
Great video! I would love to hear about Titania, as i am playing a warlock with her as my patron :D anyway, great vid!
The Archfey Queen Titania of the Summer Court? Cool, have not had a request for many fey lords thus far.
Yes her :) I hope you get enough to make a vid on her at some point :p
There is enough material for me to put a vid together, at some point :)
Sweet! :D
Nice.
I love your videos! Would you make one on Grazzt? He is a main demon lord in my game currently and I would love more info about him!
Jake Gabel Graz'zt is the next lord of ruin vid
That voice was awesome
I gave myself chills.
AJ Pickett did you do the voice or did you get it from somewhere else
I believe he used voice modification on himself.
Late comment, don't care haha.
I really wish I could incorporate that at my D&D table. It would be so perfect for an encounter with Orcus. Although, from our point in the campaign, that's years away. 5th level players have no business running into Orcus himself.
Thank you for condensing this lore
Probably the wrong word translated there, but, you're welcome :)
Thanks for catching that
Orcus sounds very Neutral Evil, much like the Daemons from the Pathfinder campaign setting. He doesn’t seem to care about Law and Chaos as much as he doesn’t care about a Good or Evil. I’m not sure of the lore for Neutral Evil outsiders in Grey Hawk and the Forgotten Realms, but in Pathfinder all Daemons pretty much have the point of view as Orcus.
He aims to kill every living being in the multiverse. That’s about as chaotic evil as you get.
But it’s everyone. There is no chaotic randomness, no whimsy of selection. He wants to kill everyone, and if you help him he’ll save you for last. Seems clear cut and structured with little chance of deviation no matter who you are. Sounds Neutral Evil to me.
@@boldcitylongsword9941 I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree then. The everyone part is pretty chaotic, the lack of structure seems very much not neutral no?
Chaotic evil
Who else would watch the 2 hour version of this?
this monster inspired one of my favorite comedic fantasy series (demons of Astlan)
"Life is a disease, I am the cure," that sounds like it's from SCP-049 The Plague Doctor. In D&D that could be a servant of Orcus or something.
Victor Valdez That would be utterly terrifying.
I ripped it directly of Judge Death from 2000AD, as I am a megacity fan boy.
8:45 YES! I knew I was sending Orcus in the right direction by researching Nar!
Orcus is my third favourite demon lord.
As long as your first two are orcus and Orcus that's excellent
I decided to look at the Wikipedia article as I listened to this and read the "description" section at the same time you said with almost no changes lol
Next demon Lord I would like to see Malcanthet Queen Succbi😈💯
Graz'zt is up next, I have Malcanthet noted down, so she will get her vid soon.
At 9:52 !
That's THE Paladin of Arton!
Arton is the name of the continent on the Tormenta setting, by far, the most popular medieval campaign setting in Brazil!
What he is doing in a Orcus video... I dunno. Maybe he wet there to kill Orcus? As he has the power of 20 gods in him...
(Those rubies in his armour, each one was forged by one of the gods)
Am I the only one that thinks the dude at the very beginning of the video seriously needs a snickers? 😜 he was PISSED! 😂
Had a hexblade player i was going to have find out his patron was Teneberous
Hmm....If I was a crazed D&D cultist it would be difficult to choose between him and the Pale Night.
lol I miss those days. if I remember right I had a high powered mage who wanted to attain demi god statues. my friend was a warrior general.
That was even better than Demogorgon's intro! Would the husk of Tenebrous be useful to Orcus?
Yeah, people seemed to like the idea of a thematic intro, but not the length of the last one, though I got some forgiveness thanks to the lore packed into it.
It sounded cool, but I could not understand what he was saying.
Bloodstone mines were some of my most favourite adventuring days back in the 80s. The tarraque was even in the module as A test of might (Nearly A six party wipe) even at high level. Handed him his arse with some outside box thinking and A few wish spells. Good times
14:48 Lol, so.....if someone actually did do something to impress him, he would hate them because he didnt do it 1st 😂🤣
I habe had an idea. What of once a demon becomes a demon lord that state becomes a template? And that is why demon lords don't seem to permanently die? That even if they perish a new demon will simply rise to assume all that they were.
Here comes orcus claws here comes orcus claws all the unholy day
You also can’t forget about the awesome dungeon super adventure rapan athuk, the dungeon of graves
Just the idea of WotC releasing a "remake" of the adventure The Throne of Bloodstone makes me giggle to myself.
That would be a game or story changer for sure
Are you planning on doing a video about Juiblex? I want to know more about it.
I always wondered why Orcus is so dependent on his staff. Didn't he make it in the first place? Just make another. Make two for that matter, one for each hand. I do understand that it's a narrative device to make the story progress and a cool magic item, just seems to me it makes him less scary. ( In the sense that Orcus is less powerful without the staff and that you can destroy the staff and cripple him )
Sauron likes this
I would assume its like sauron's one ring. With the wand he is much more powerful than he ever was before it was created. Also like the one ring the wand also contains part of his essence causing it to be sentient and completely loyal to him. This is to the point he sometimes willingly gives his wand to a mortal if he's bored or thinks it will further his plans, knowing that it will eventually come back to him.
Also unlike the one ring when destroyed it will reform on its own in about a century (which do a demon lord probably isn't that long of a time)
Yes he made it, but that requires putting part of himself into it. Thus the dilemma in losing it.
Can you make stream explicitly about the warrior. I have a party that wants to bring the worrier back to life, free the spirit and destroy the Orcas’s rod. Any information about the origin of the warrior would greatly help.
What I included in this video is about as much information as I could find.
Orcus is hot right now.
Well done on the video
Great stuff AJ
Incredible stuff!
I’m totally gonna use this when my players meet orcus
Didnt he have a city full ir ghouls, with a king ghast?
Dorsian the ghoul king, yes you are correct
What is Orcus' relationship to so someone like Vecna?
Orcus hates him.
Hate is such a mild word aj
Orcus is the one who taught Vecna how to become a Lich IIRC.
It is the reason many DMs are suspicious that Lichdom does not have to be so intensely harmful to the wizard.
Hey AJ. I notice you reference tons of adventures. I often search for them for games I run, but never really find a whole lot. I was wondering if you could do a video sometime naming off longer campaigns of the past.