Cult of Orcus

The Cult of Orcus is one of the most dangerous and active cults in the world of Greyhawk. Devoted to spreading the influence of Orcus, Prince of the Undead, the cult is a threat to all bastions of good and order. From infiltrating cities to enacting fearsome rituals, its disciples thrive on death, destruction, and corruption. Their ultimate goal is to raise Orcus to true godhood, unleashing his power across all planes of existence.

Structure of the Cult

The cult operates as a loose network of cells, each with its own leadership and objectives, but all are united under the dark will of Orcus. Its members range from necromancers and clerics to assassins and sorcerers, with ranks influenced by magical prowess, devotion, and willingness to commit atrocities.

Worship and Practices

Worshipers of Orcus embrace undeath and revel in destruction. They perform heinous rituals, including sacrifices and necromantic ceremonies, to honor their dark lord. The cult actively works to destroy those opposed to Orcus, targeting paladins, clerics of good-aligned gods, and rival demon cults.

Key Practices

• Blood Sacrifices: Victims are offered to Orcus during moonlit ceremonies.
• Raising the Undead: Central to their faith, they create armies of undead servants.
• The March of Bones: A massive ritual unleashing hordes of undead across the land.
• Opposition to Good: Targets include clerics of Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Heironeous, and others.

Enemies of the Cult

• Rival Demon Lords: Demogorgon, Graz’zt, and Lolth.
• Good-Aligned Faiths: Particularly Pelor, St. Cuthbert, Pholtus, and Heironeous.
• Undead Venerating Other Gods: Seen as heretical abominations.

Key Locations

The cult hides its activities in plain sight, infiltrating cities and rural areas while conducting its most fearsome rites in secluded strongholds.

Prominent Locations

• City Cemeteries: A hub for undead creation and ritual activity.
• Verbobonc Dungeon: The cult’s temple beneath the city, plotting to dominate the region.

Prominent Members

The Cult of Orcus boasts powerful and terrifying members who carry out its vile agendas.

Notable Figures

• Duruk Malren, Keeper of the Shadowed Altar, Custodian of the primary shrine in Verbobonc.
• Vaenros the Eternal, Lich of the Claw, Supreme leader of the cult in the region, orchestrating its plots.
• Marathis the Bone Warden, Vaenros’ second-in-command, an undead enforcer and champion of Orcus.
• Nassira Velshar, Assassin of Shadows, A former thief-turned-assassin who now serves Orcus.
• Silvara Duskwind, Necromantic Alchemist, A sorceress providing the cult with potions and magical aids.
• Khaled the Profane, A cleric infiltrating the Caretakers Guild to undermine good-aligned faiths.

Feats of Corruption

The Cult of Orcus has orchestrated some of the most horrifying events in Greyhawk’s history, demonstrating their ability to disrupt entire regions with their dark magic and cunning. 

Notable Atrocities

• March of Bones: Thousands of undead were unleashed, wreaking havoc in Verbobonc and beyond.
• Desecration of Heroes: The cult raised the remains of great heroes to use as undead slaves.
• Infiltration of Water Supplies: Poisoned entire towns to weaken resistance against their schemes.
• Assassinations: Targeted leaders of good-aligned faiths and organizations.

Goals and Future Plans

The cult’s ultimate goal is to raise Orcus to godhood by corrupting mortal realms and expanding his influence. Their current efforts focus on destabilizing Verbobonc. The Cult of Orcus operates amidst constant tension and opportunistic alliances in the Verbobonc, Viscounty. While the cult's ultimate loyalty lies with the Prince of the Undead, its activities are influenced by regional dynamics and occasional collaborations with other nefarious factions like the Temple of Elemental Evil. This interplay creates a volatile environment of rivalry, subterfuge, and destruction centered around Verbobonc City, the villages of Nulb and Hommlet, and the critical merchant roads of the Viscounty.

Internal Rivalries

The Cult of Orcus is far from unified, and disputes between its disciples have sown discord among its ranks.

Verbobonc

Rooted in urban secrecy, this faction focuses on subverting the city's infrastructure, including its religious orders and merchant guilds. They favor subtlety, infiltration, and long-term corruption of the region’s elite. Their operations in Verbobonc City have made them a thorn in the side of Church of St Cuthbert’s clergy.

Nulb

The Nulb faction, based in the lawless village of Nulb, represents a more militant and aggressive arm of the Cult. They rely on undead armies, terror tactics, and brutal force to expand Orcus’ influence. This faction often clashes with the Elemental Cult over control of the village and its resources, though they occasionally collaborate to cause chaos in the region.
Activities

• Raising undead armies to patrol the Velverdyva River and surrounding roads.
• Using the Sister Mercy pirate ship to raid caravans and spread terror along the waterways.
• Performing blood rituals and necromantic ceremonies to empower their forces.

Key Figures

• Captain Redond, commander of the Sister Mercy and de facto leader of the Nulb faction.
• Mallandamus and Senyig, Redond’s sons, who act as enforcers and assassins.
• Barbary, a priestess of Orcus, whose necromantic magic enhances the faction’s power.

Hommlet Fringe

 This splinter cell operates covertly in and around the Village of Hommlet, seeking to corrupt local leaders and exploit the area's proximity to the Temple of Elemental Evil. They tread carefully, knowing the Temple views Orcus as a potential rival to their own dark patron.

Interactions with the Temple of Elemental Evil

While the Cult of Orcus and the Elemental Cults ultimately serve different masters, their shared desire to wreak havoc in the Viscounty occasionally leads to uneasy collaboration.

• Shared Goals: Both factions aim to destabilize the Viscounty’s merchant roads, drain the resources of local villages, and weaken the forces of good in the region.
• Power Struggles: Disputes arise over influence in key areas like Nulb and Hommlet, where both factions vie for dominance. The Elemental Cult’s focus on elemental chaos conflicts with Orcus’ agenda of necromantic domination.
• Temporary Alliances: In times of mutual need, the cults have been known to coordinate raids on merchant caravans or lead joint assaults on religious outposts. However, such partnerships are fleeting, as both sides remain deeply mistrustful of one another.

The Roads of Chaos

The merchant roads of the Viscounty serve as a battleground for the Cult of Orcus, the Temple of Elemental Evil, and the forces of law and order.

• Caravan Ambushes: Cultists from both factions regularly target caravans traveling between Verbobonc City and its surrounding settlements, spreading fear and depriving the Viscounty of vital supplies.
• Undead Threats: The Cult of Orcus often raises fallen merchants and guards as undead soldiers, using them to patrol key routes and attack any who venture too close to their hideouts.
• Elemental Influence: The Elemental Cults use these disruptions to further their agenda, occasionally allowing Orcus’ cultists to serve as pawns in their broader schemes of chaos.

Conflict and Collaboration

• Competing Ambitions: Orcus’ disciples view the Elemental Cults as dangerous rivals but are willing to manipulate them when their goals align.
• Tensions in Nulb: Both factions recognize the strategic importance of Nulb as a hub for illicit trade and criminal activity, leading to frequent skirmishes over control of resources.
• Uneasy Peace: At times, Orcus’ cultists and the Elemental Cults set aside their differences to strike at shared enemies, such as the clergy of Saint Cuthbert or merchant lords funding Verbobonc’s defenses.

Key Points for Dungeon Masters

Rival factions within the Cult of Orcus provide opportunities for intrigue and double-crossing in both urban and rural settings. The shifting alliances between Orcus’ disciples and the Elemental Cults create dynamic threats, as players must navigate overlapping agendas. Merchant roads serve as critical locations for ambushes, resource management, and plot development, allowing adventurers to foil cultist plans or fall into carefully laid traps.

Disciple of Orcus

The Disciple of Orcus is a dark and devout archetype, representing those who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Demon Prince of the Undead. Disciples are the spiritual leaders of the Cult of Orcus, instructing secret cabals in his vile teachings and raising undead armies to prepare for the day when Orcus rises to destroy the world of the living. Their power and influence within the cult rival that of High Necromancers, and their faith in Orcus is absolute.

Origins and Rivalries

The Disciple of Orcus class originates from the High Altar of Orcus in Rappan Athuk, a font of ultimate evil and necromantic power. A theological rift exists between Disciples of Orcus tied to Rappan Athuk and those from the ancient High Altar of Orcus in the ruins of Tsar, who follow an older interpretation of Orcus’ doctrine. These factions are bitter rivals, often clashing when they encounter one another.

Class Overview

The Disciple of Orcus blends divine magic, necromantic power, and martial strength. Their abilities make them formidable spiritual leaders and fearsome opponents.

Features of the Class

• Necromantic Command: Disciples can raise and control undead more efficiently than typical necromancers.
• Divine Power: They wield clerical spells granted by Orcus, specializing in chaos, death, and destruction.
• Unholy Aura: Their presence inspires terror in the living and loyalty in the undead.
• Physical Resilience: Many Disciples undergo rituals to imbue themselves with unholy vigor, making them harder to kill.

Role in the Cult

• Leadership: Disciples of Orcus act as mentors and spiritual guides to the Cult’s followers, spreading the doctrine of undeath.
• Military Strategists: They oversee the creation and deployment of undead armies.

Abilities and Powers

Disciples of Orcus possess unique powers granted by their Demon Prince. They combine clerical magic, necromantic rituals, and physical prowess to serve Orcus' goals.

Signature Abilities

• Touch of Undeath: Inflicts necrotic damage on living creatures and temporarily raises them as undead servants.
• Raise Legion: Instantly animates a group of skeletons or zombies under their control.
• Unholy Resilience: Gains resistance to necrotic damage and immunity to fear.
• Aura of Orcus: Radiates a fear-inducing aura that weakens enemies and strengthens undead allies.
• Dark Communion: Once per day, communes with Orcus to gain insight, power, or direct commands.

Rivalry Among Disciples

Theological disputes between the Rappan Athuk Disciples and the older Tsarite faction often result in open conflict. Both groups claim to represent Orcus' true doctrine and accuse the other of heresy.

• Tsarite Disciples: Believe in the ancient teachings of Orcus and revere his older titles and rites.
• Rappan Athuk Disciples: Represent a more militarized and unified interpretation of Orcus' faith, emphasizing dominance and destruction.
• Conflict: Encounters between the two factions often lead to ritual combat or assassination attempts.

Role in the Cult

Disciples of Orcus are vital to the Cult’s operations, blending faith, magic, and strategy to further Orcus’ plans. They are often placed in key positions within cult strongholds and oversee large-scale rituals.

Responsibilities

• Training New Cultists: They instruct new members in the dark doctrines of Orcus.
• Building Undead Armies: Their necromantic powers ensure the cult always has a supply of undead minions.
• Overseeing Rites: They preside over major ceremonies and blood sacrifices.
• Guardianship of Relics: They protect sacred relics such as shards of Orcus’ essence or pieces of his Wand.

Acolyte of Orcus by 3orcs

"Blood and bone are but the keys to immortality."

Acolyte of Orcus Cleric by 3orcs

"A shadowy web of corruption, undeath, and dark rituals woven by the followers of the Prince of the Undead."

The 'Disciple of Orcus' is heavily inspired by Bard's Gate City by Frog God Games created by Clark Peterson and Bill Webb.

Orcus Cult Hierarchy

• Undead Servants: Entry-level clerics of Orcus.
• Necromancers: Those skilled in raising and controlling undead.
• High Necromancers: Leaders of local cells, distinguished by their purple-bordered robes.
• Undead Monstrosities: Cultists who ascend to undeath, such as liches or vampires.
• The Salvager of Death: The supreme leader of the cult, believed to commune directly with Orcus.

Symbols and Dress

• Robes: White robes with green borders, adorned with runes of death on a red field.
• High Necromancers: Distinguished by purple-bordered robes.
• Goat's Head: All priests wear a goat's head symbol, representing Orcus' form.

Type

Secret, Occult

Leader

Orcus

Divines

• Orcus

Notable Members

• Orcus

Related Species

• Humans of Greyhawk

Related Ethnicities

• Oeridian Oerid
• Suloise Suel

Orcus Symbol

Unholy Symbol of Orcus by 3orcs

Prominent Disciples of Orcus

Duruk Malren, Keeper of the Shadowed Altar

Duruk Malren is a grim and stoic figure with pallid skin and sunken eyes. Once a respected scholar, he turned to Orcus after his family fell victim to a plague, blaming the gods of light for their deaths. Duruk oversees the secret shrine of Orcus within Verbobonc, ensuring the cult’s presence remains undetected. He is meticulous and cautious, valuing subtlety over open conflict.

• Role: Custodian of the primary shrine in Verbobonc.
• Motivation: Duruk believes Orcus offers the only true path to immortality and views his work as a way to punish those who cling to the lies of other deities.

Key Traits

• Knowledgeable about Verbobonc’s politics and layout, using this to shield the shrine.
• Devout in his rituals, often invoking minor undead to protect the shrine.
• Paranoid, trusting few even within the cult.

Vaenros the Eternal, Lich of the Claw

Vaenros is a lich of terrifying intellect, his skeletal visage adorned with arcane runes that glow faintly in the darkness. Formerly a necromancer of great renown, he willingly embraced undeath to serve Orcus. From his quarters in the "thumb" of the Claw of Orcus, Vaenros devises long-term plans to spread the cult’s influence and prepares for the next March of Bones.

• Role: Supreme leader of the cult in the region, orchestrating its plots.
• Motivation: Vaenros seeks to elevate Orcus to true godhood, believing that he will be granted dominion over a vast undead empire in return.

Key Traits

• Master manipulator, skilled in controlling both undead and mortal pawns.
• Ruthless, sacrificing cult members without hesitation to achieve his goals.
• Wields ancient necromantic knowledge, making him a formidable adversary.

Marathis the Bone Warden

Marathis is a hulking skeletal knight encased in jagged black armor that radiates necrotic energy. His presence alone instills fear, and he is utterly loyal to Vaenros. Marathis acts as the cult’s military commander, overseeing the training of necromancers and the creation of undead armies.

• Role: Vaenros’ second-in-command, an undead enforcer and champion of Orcus.
• Motivation: Once a paladin who fell from grace, Marathis harbors a deep hatred for the gods of good and seeks to drown the world in undeath.

Key Traits

• Relentlessly loyal, viewing Vaenros as his savior.
• Deadly in combat, wielding a corrupted greatsword infused with necrotic magic.
• Leads undead legions with strategic precision.

Nassira Velshar, Assassin of Shadows

Nassira is a slender figure cloaked in darkness, her movements eerily silent. Once a skilled thief in Verbobonc, she was caught and offered her life in exchange for service to Orcus. Nassira now carries out assassinations for the cult, eliminating enemies and ensuring the cult’s plans remain undiscovered.

• Role: A former thief-turned-assassin who now serves Orcus.
• Motivation: Nassira seeks power and freedom from the fear of death, believing Orcus will grant her eternal life in exchange for her service.

Key Traits

• Master of stealth and poison, specializing in silent kills.
• Pragmatic and self-serving but respects the power of Orcus.
• Uses her criminal connections to gather information and smuggle supplies.

Silvara Duskwind, Necromantic Alchemist

Silvara is a strikingly beautiful woman whose alabaster skin hints at her use of dark magic to preserve her youth. She joined the cult out of fear of aging and death, trading her alchemical talents for promises of eternal beauty. Silvara creates potions to enhance the cult’s disguises and magical substances to prolong life.

• Role: A sorceress providing the cult with potions and magical aids.
• Motivation: Silvara is obsessed with maintaining her beauty and believes Orcus will grant her immortality if she continues to serve.
  

Key Traits

• Expert alchemist, capable of crafting potent poisons and elixirs.
• Self-absorbed and vain but deeply fearful of failure or betrayal.
• Creates illusions and disguises to protect cult operations.

Khaled the Profane

Khaled is a soft-spoken but imposing figure who blends seamlessly into the community. By day, he tends to graves and administers rites of burial as part of the Caretakers Guild. By night, he desecrates graves and raises the dead for the cult. His knowledge of burial sites across Verbobonc makes him invaluable to the cult’s operations.

• Role: A cleric infiltrating the Caretakers Guild to undermine good-aligned faiths.
• Motivation: Khaled’s hatred of life stems from personal loss, and he sees the cult as a means to erase his pain by erasing the living.
  

Key Traits

• Skilled in subterfuge, maintaining a convincing facade of piety.
• Works to convert grieving families into cult supporters.
• Uses his position to provide the cult with a steady supply of corpses for rituals.