Best god of Undead? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Best god of Undead? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
hammer_hand
01-15-06, 12:08 PM Now, I'm running an undead orientated game and I was wondering: Which god should be the patron of the unholy land of undeath that is my campaign setting?

I know that the original answer would be Nerull or possibly Wee Jas but I really want to alienate the main pantheon as above and beyond mortal affairs.

I have the Libris Mortis and at the moment I'm plumping for Orcus but I wondered if there is an even better god of undead?
Opinions please!
ubernex
01-15-06, 12:26 PM I know Vecna has now been promoted up to major status, but I personally like:

Orcus and Vecna
at war.

That way you get two styles of undead. Orcus' slightly chaotic, crush all who oppose him methods, and Vecna's more insiduous "I know all your secrets" way of going about things.

Imagine, the party has just tracked down the Vecna serving lich who has been slowly corrupting the local lands, when just as they break into his ante-chamber the whole room is swarmed by screaming thralls of orcus and their own hoard of undead.
Elven Doritos
01-15-06, 02:10 PM VEEECNAAA!

Yeah, I'm a Vecna fan, but any evil-aligned god will do. As ubernex mentioned, Orcus makes a fine patron for the scions of undeath, though if you don't mind straying a bit from core and going into more detailed Greyhawk deities, I would suggest the following:

From Libris Mortis:
-Afflux
-Doresain
-Evening Glory

And from Complete Divine:
-Tharizdun, maybe
-Incabulos
kallisti23
01-15-06, 02:55 PM My favorite god of undeath is definitely Evening Glory. To me, she represents undeath with a good reason; the reason, of course, being for eternal love. This may not fit your campaign, though. If not, I'd go with Orcus. I mean, come on, undead AND demons? How much cooler could you get?
MasterOfPsychic
01-15-06, 02:59 PM 1) You want to alienate the phantheon?

2) Are you playing Grayhawk?

If the answers to these questions if 1: Yes, 2: No, quit mumbling about and start making your own campaign... not a half-way-wanabe-grayhawk-campaign...
Rez
01-15-06, 03:07 PM I'd say: Nerull. :) I made a Human Necromancer 4 (Lawful Evil) that worshipped her working towards Pale Master. Very fun char. Used intimidation to make others think he was 'stronger' then he really was.

Orcus works well, as does Vecna too.
Bane
01-15-06, 03:22 PM I've always liked Doresain. I once sent a ghoul cleric of Doresain after the party. They killed him, then wasted about a week of game time trying to find a phylactery. It sure kept them on their toes, though.
LugWrench
01-15-06, 05:42 PM As I recal, Orcus is a demon that is close to achieving godhood. Hes close, but not quite.
An interesting expansion on the Vecna Vs. Orcus line would be Orcus threatening Vecna's status as Top of the Undead Heap. Nerull could be introduced as a wild card, if you feel that a three-way war for God of the Undead would be more interesting.
Elven Doritos
01-15-06, 05:45 PM As I recal, Orcus is a demon that is close to achieving godhood. Hes close, but not quite.
An interesting expansion on the Vecna Vs. Orcus line would be Orcus threatening Vecna's status as Top of the Undead Heap. Nerull could be introduced as a wild card, if you feel that a three-way war for God of the Undead would be more interesting.

Orcus is often listed as a deity, and archfiends are well-known to be able to siphon deific-like power to mortals. And it really depends on which interpretation you take of Orcus. I believe the Dicefreaks treatment to archdevils would be a parallel to demon princes. By that approach, Orcus would likely be CR 70-80. Also, Ghostwalk lists him as a deity.

And it's been my experience that Nerull, being a more powerful deity than Vecna, would be "at the top of the undead heap", with Vecna being a wild card.

-Elven Doritos
Millennium
01-15-06, 07:42 PM I'm a fan of Toldoth myself: the philosophy of undead as merely the next stage of evolution is an interesting one. However, Toldoth doesn't really work well unless you also have Elishar, and when you introduce them as a pair you introduce all sorts of other issues.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
hammer_hand 01-15-06, 12:08 PM	Now, I'm running an undead orientated game and I was wondering: Which god should be the patron of the unholy land of undeath that is my campaign setting? I know that the original answer would be Nerull or possibly Wee Jas but I really want to alienate the main pantheon as above and beyond mortal affairs. I have the Libris Mortis and at the moment I'm plumping for Orcus but I wondered if there is an even better god of undead? Opinions please!
ubernex 01-15-06, 12:26 PM	I know Vecna has now been promoted up to major status, but I personally like: Orcus and Vecna at war. That way you get two styles of undead. Orcus' slightly chaotic, crush all who oppose him methods, and Vecna's more insiduous "I know all your secrets" way of going about things. Imagine, the party has just tracked down the Vecna serving lich who has been slowly corrupting the local lands, when just as they break into his ante-chamber the whole room is swarmed by screaming thralls of orcus and their own hoard of undead.
Elven Doritos 01-15-06, 02:10 PM	VEEECNAAA! Yeah, I'm a Vecna fan, but any evil-aligned god will do. As ubernex mentioned, Orcus makes a fine patron for the scions of undeath, though if you don't mind straying a bit from core and going into more detailed Greyhawk deities, I would suggest the following: From Libris Mortis: -Afflux -Doresain -Evening Glory And from Complete Divine: -Tharizdun, maybe -Incabulos
kallisti23 01-15-06, 02:55 PM	My favorite god of undeath is definitely Evening Glory. To me, she represents undeath with a good reason; the reason, of course, being for eternal love. This may not fit your campaign, though. If not, I'd go with Orcus. I mean, come on, undead AND demons? How much cooler could you get?
MasterOfPsychic 01-15-06, 02:59 PM	1) You want to alienate the phantheon? 2) Are you playing Grayhawk? If the answers to these questions if 1: Yes, 2: No, quit mumbling about and start making your own campaign... not a half-way-wanabe-grayhawk-campaign...
Rez 01-15-06, 03:07 PM	I'd say: Nerull. :) I made a Human Necromancer 4 (Lawful Evil) that worshipped her working towards Pale Master. Very fun char. Used intimidation to make others think he was 'stronger' then he really was. Orcus works well, as does Vecna too.
Bane 01-15-06, 03:22 PM	I've always liked Doresain. I once sent a ghoul cleric of Doresain after the party. They killed him, then wasted about a week of game time trying to find a phylactery. It sure kept them on their toes, though.
LugWrench 01-15-06, 05:42 PM	As I recal, Orcus is a demon that is close to achieving godhood. Hes close, but not quite. An interesting expansion on the Vecna Vs. Orcus line would be Orcus threatening Vecna's status as Top of the Undead Heap. Nerull could be introduced as a wild card, if you feel that a three-way war for God of the Undead would be more interesting.
Elven Doritos 01-15-06, 05:45 PM	As I recal, Orcus is a demon that is close to achieving godhood. Hes close, but not quite. An interesting expansion on the Vecna Vs. Orcus line would be Orcus threatening Vecna's status as Top of the Undead Heap. Nerull could be introduced as a wild card, if you feel that a three-way war for God of the Undead would be more interesting. Orcus is often listed as a deity, and archfiends are well-known to be able to siphon deific-like power to mortals. And it really depends on which interpretation you take of Orcus. I believe the Dicefreaks treatment to archdevils would be a parallel to demon princes. By that approach, Orcus would likely be CR 70-80. Also, Ghostwalk lists him as a deity. And it's been my experience that Nerull, being a more powerful deity than Vecna, would be "at the top of the undead heap", with Vecna being a wild card. -Elven Doritos
Millennium 01-15-06, 07:42 PM	I'm a fan of Toldoth myself: the philosophy of undead as merely the next stage of evolution is an interesting one. However, Toldoth doesn't really work well unless you also have Elishar, and when you introduce them as a pair you introduce all sorts of other issues.