Glalactic Empire of Orcus?

[Aaron L]

Am I remembering things, or does anyone else remember reading about Orcus having an empire that included large portions of the Prime Material? I have looked through my 1E Monster Manual, MMII, and Fiend Folio, but can't find the darned bit anywhere. I am going to look at my friends 1E Manual of the Planes, but I don't think it was in there. I was sure that I read it somewhere, but after not being able to find it, I am starting to doubt myself. Anyone know of this?

 

[BOZ]

might have been something in greyhawk lore...?

 

[Drakmar]

I bet it was Spelljammer...don't forget they had the Scro... (the advanced Orcs....)

 

[Skarp Hedin]

Orcus' rulership is mentioned in a few places..

In Return to the Tomb of Horrors, by Bruce Cordell, on page 56, it says that "On the world of Ranais there was a city called Moil. Moil was built on the surface of its world and it daily saw the light of the sun as every normal city did. The uplifting light of the sun, unfortunately, was not sufficient to keep the citizens from dark pursuits: the Moilians were of an evil bent, and gave their worship to a powerful tanar'ri lord they knew as Orcus."

So maybe that's what you meant. There's a nice little PDF file available, called "A Brief History of Orcus," by one Shane O'Connor. You can download that at http://www.necromancergames.com/pdf/HistoryOfOrcus.pdf

Edit: shoulda known where to download it, duh.

 

[William Ronald]

I remember that as well from Return to the Tomb of Horrors.

Also, in Queen of the Demon Web pits, there were several alternate worlds. One was a dark faerie setting, another was like a precursor to Ravenloft, and a third had dwarves fighting gnolls.

William

 

[Upper_Krust]

From 1st Ed. Manual of the Planes:

"...From his empty halls Orcus rules many layers [of the Abyss] and is said to have conquered a number of Prime Material Planes*."

*Almost certainly they meant 'worlds'.

 

[Aaron L]

Thanks everyone! And I did find that quote from MoP just a little bit ago, in the one place I didn't think it was. I plan on using this in a Dragonstar game.

 

[mythusmage]

Planes, Plural

From 1st Ed. Manual of the Planes:

"...From his empty halls Orcus rules many layers [of the Abyss] and is said to have conquered a number of Prime Material Planes*."

*Almost certainly they meant 'worlds'.

No, they meant "planes". There are many Prime Material Planes, which make up much of the multiverse.

 

[Upper_Krust]

Re: Planes, Plural

Hi mythusmage!

No, they meant "planes". There are many Prime Material Planes, which make up much of the multiverse.

I don't buy that.

There is one Prime Material Plane per multiverse (the standard multiverse that is).

The Prime Material Plane is, in effect, a Universe. (and there is no way Orcus has conquered multiple universes!)

Perhaps to some a Prime Material Plane is a Galaxy (which I still couldn't see Orcus conquering) or a Solar System (more specifically habitable planets)?

So there may well be many Prime Material Planes (as you say) but they exist in parallel dimensions each potentially with their own Abyss; own Nine Hells (or Ten Hells); own Orcus, etc.

If Orcus had conquered multiple Universes his resources and power would be near infinite, and certainly that in itself would make a mockery of every peice of evidence we have ever seen about him.

 

[mythusmage]

Hi Krusty

For your information, if Orcus wants to conquer a universe, he can conquer a universe (as long as it isn't mine)

(I post on the Necromancer Games boards, I don't want to try telling him what to do.)