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Orcus and the Blood of Vol

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
joboo
Jun 12, 2008 13:00:47 I have been thinking about how to use Orcus in my own Campaign Setting. With his high connection to the Undead I did not feel that being an aspect of Kyber was enough.

Now the blood of Vol, that sounds cool. Orcus is the actual Blood of Vol. Not Vol herself but a creation from her own blood. When Vol was transformed into a Litch her blood was removed as part of the ritual. The ritual went ary and Orcus was born from her blood. This is Vol's only child. A red demon tied to the power of the dead. Orcus happens to be Vol's pylactery. Her spirit resides inside of him. This makes their tie very important.

The aspect of Orcus is used in certain Blood of Vol rituals, where the aspect is created by large volumes of blood. That is part of the reason that living worshippers are asked to donate blood to the church.
#2
Barachiel
Jun 12, 2008 13:15:08 You'd have to be wiling to upgrade Vol's power significantly to control him, otherwise, he'd be the one in charge not her. That's not a problem for my game, as I tend to make Vol one of the three epic level characters in all of Eberron, but others might have a problem with why a Demon Prince is answering to a lvl 17 sorceress. Also, making him her phylactery would be even more dangerous as he possesses her soul, and thus could enslave him. I"d drop that idea.
#3
joboo
Jun 12, 2008 16:28:00 I am also making Vol an Epic level NPC. As for Orcus being a phylactery for Vols soul Vol houses his spirit as well. This creates a binding and unique relationship.
#4
umbralknight
Jun 12, 2008 16:44:49 I like. I have been thinking along related (though dissimilar) lines. I am geared towards making Orcus the true god of the Blood of the Vol, with Vol being his favoured servant. Thus the BotV is like an extended cult of Orcus'. Vol being the one in charge feels a bit off to me, but your idea is origional, so hats of to you.
#5
joboo
Jun 12, 2008 22:05:11 I decided to go with the first idea. I like Orcus as the living Phylactery of Vol. The Blood of Vol (Orcus) cannot manipulate Vol's soul because it is attached to his living essence. To kill Vol does nothing. She simply reappears next to The Blood. Is The Blood a powerful Demon lord even more powerful than Vol? Yes and he can influence her actions but she is cunning and promises him god like power (which would make her a god as well). She is an Epic level Wizard/Warlock of great proportions and pulls the strings behind the religion of the Blood of Vol. Because of her spirit connection with The Blood (Orcus) she can skim off his demonic power without him knowing.

As long as she continues to promise him power and the Blood of Vol (organization) continues to operate, she has the leverage need to keep him at bay. If they were to become enemies it would prove problematic for Vol, meanwhile she keeps him in check through deception and power.
#6
rekko
Jun 13, 2008 6:43:02 Orcus could also be either an anciant giant of the Xen'drik Giant Empire, or a powerful Qalbarin elf that survived the dragonshard impact by planeshifting in Dolurrh or Mabar.
#7
kaodi
Jun 14, 2008 12:07:36 You could also take it in a radically different direction, with a few minor changes.

I am thinking specifically that Eberron's Orcus could not a male demon at all, but is in fact the transformation that happens to Vol herself if the power of the Mark of Death is awakened (artificially) while she is still a lich... Just make 'im a girl and green, and more evil draconic hybrid looking, and voila.
#8
JohnLynch
Jun 15, 2008 3:25:30
Eberron's Orcus could not a male demon at all, but is in fact the transformation that happens to Vol herself if the power of the Mark of Death is awakened (artificially) while she is still a lich... Just make 'im a girl and green, and more evil draconic hybrid looking, and voila.

I kinda like the sound of that. Although what's the Mark of Death?
#9
kaodi
Jun 15, 2008 12:10:18 The Thirteenth Dragonmark. The one that has only one " surviving " possessor who is as yet unable to use it because she is a lich and they only work when you are alive.
#10
bwcmd1
Jun 15, 2008 17:55:19 I'd always pretty much assumed that all of the demon lords (Demogorgon, Orcus, etc) were part of the all-inclusive category of "rajahs", i.e. pretty much take any powerful evil entity you want that otherwise doesn't fit into the cosmology and bury it in a cuatyl-laced shell (didn't they do this with Tiamat in the Argonesson book?).
#11
kaodi
Jun 16, 2008 20:49:10 Personally, I have never really been a big fan of transplanting demon lords into Eberron as Rajahs, under different names or otherwise. I would prefer to keep most setting elements relatively unique.

Given that gods in Eberron are inherently unstattable, I might be tempted to say that Rajahs occupy that stratospheric mid-upper 30s range of levels that gods seem to occupy in the Core (like Moradin at 38). I do not think it would be out of line with the setting to say that the greatest heroes ever (30) would still need even relatively extraordinary circumstances and a lot of luck to survive a Rajah five on one.
#12
wraithstrike
Jun 16, 2008 22:34:28
Personally, I have never really been a big fan of transplanting demon lords into Eberron as Rajahs, under different names or otherwise. I would prefer to keep most setting elements relatively unique.

Given that gods in Eberron are inherently unstattable, I might be tempted to say that Rajahs occupy that stratospheric mid-upper 30s range of levels that gods seem to occupy in the Core (like Moradin at 38). I do not think it would be out of line with the setting to say that the greatest heroes ever (30) would still need even relatively extraordinary circumstances and a lot of luck to survive a Rajah five on one.

There is a Rajah statted in a dragon magazine and it laughs at a CR 38.It had 40 class levels, and 20 outsider HD to go with a few god-like abilities. As for the Rajahs I just use them as NE outsiders with the others doing their own thing, but a few demon/devil overlords are also trapped in Khyber.
#13
schala_zeal
Jun 17, 2008 17:14:56
There is a Rajah statted in a dragon magazine and it laughs at a CR 38.It had 40 class levels, and 20 outsider HD to go with a few god-like abilities.

I think the other poster was discussing Eberron in 4th, where the highest levels available (so far and without house ruling) are 30.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 joboo Jun 12, 2008 13:00:47	I have been thinking about how to use Orcus in my own Campaign Setting. With his high connection to the Undead I did not feel that being an aspect of Kyber was enough. Now the blood of Vol, that sounds cool. Orcus is the actual Blood of Vol. Not Vol herself but a creation from her own blood. When Vol was transformed into a Litch her blood was removed as part of the ritual. The ritual went ary and Orcus was born from her blood. This is Vol's only child. A red demon tied to the power of the dead. Orcus happens to be Vol's pylactery. Her spirit resides inside of him. This makes their tie very important. The aspect of Orcus is used in certain Blood of Vol rituals, where the aspect is created by large volumes of blood. That is part of the reason that living worshippers are asked to donate blood to the church.
#2 Barachiel Jun 12, 2008 13:15:08	You'd have to be wiling to upgrade Vol's power significantly to control him, otherwise, he'd be the one in charge not her. That's not a problem for my game, as I tend to make Vol one of the three epic level characters in all of Eberron, but others might have a problem with why a Demon Prince is answering to a lvl 17 sorceress. Also, making him her phylactery would be even more dangerous as he possesses her soul, and thus could enslave him. I"d drop that idea.
#3 joboo Jun 12, 2008 16:28:00	I am also making Vol an Epic level NPC. As for Orcus being a phylactery for Vols soul Vol houses his spirit as well. This creates a binding and unique relationship.
#4 umbralknight Jun 12, 2008 16:44:49	I like. I have been thinking along related (though dissimilar) lines. I am geared towards making Orcus the true god of the Blood of the Vol, with Vol being his favoured servant. Thus the BotV is like an extended cult of Orcus'. Vol being the one in charge feels a bit off to me, but your idea is origional, so hats of to you.
#5 joboo Jun 12, 2008 22:05:11	I decided to go with the first idea. I like Orcus as the living Phylactery of Vol. The Blood of Vol (Orcus) cannot manipulate Vol's soul because it is attached to his living essence. To kill Vol does nothing. She simply reappears next to The Blood. Is The Blood a powerful Demon lord even more powerful than Vol? Yes and he can influence her actions but she is cunning and promises him god like power (which would make her a god as well). She is an Epic level Wizard/Warlock of great proportions and pulls the strings behind the religion of the Blood of Vol. Because of her spirit connection with The Blood (Orcus) she can skim off his demonic power without him knowing. As long as she continues to promise him power and the Blood of Vol (organization) continues to operate, she has the leverage need to keep him at bay. If they were to become enemies it would prove problematic for Vol, meanwhile she keeps him in check through deception and power.
#6 rekko Jun 13, 2008 6:43:02	Orcus could also be either an anciant giant of the Xen'drik Giant Empire, or a powerful Qalbarin elf that survived the dragonshard impact by planeshifting in Dolurrh or Mabar.
#7 kaodi Jun 14, 2008 12:07:36	You could also take it in a radically different direction, with a few minor changes. I am thinking specifically that Eberron's Orcus could not a male demon at all, but is in fact the transformation that happens to Vol herself if the power of the Mark of Death is awakened (artificially) while she is still a lich... Just make 'im a girl and green, and more evil draconic hybrid looking, and voila.
#8 JohnLynch Jun 15, 2008 3:25:30	Eberron's Orcus could not a male demon at all, but is in fact the transformation that happens to Vol herself if the power of the Mark of Death is awakened (artificially) while she is still a lich... Just make 'im a girl and green, and more evil draconic hybrid looking, and voila. I kinda like the sound of that. Although what's the Mark of Death?
#9 kaodi Jun 15, 2008 12:10:18	The Thirteenth Dragonmark. The one that has only one " surviving " possessor who is as yet unable to use it because she is a lich and they only work when you are alive.
#10 bwcmd1 Jun 15, 2008 17:55:19	I'd always pretty much assumed that all of the demon lords (Demogorgon, Orcus, etc) were part of the all-inclusive category of "rajahs", i.e. pretty much take any powerful evil entity you want that otherwise doesn't fit into the cosmology and bury it in a cuatyl-laced shell (didn't they do this with Tiamat in the Argonesson book?).
#11 kaodi Jun 16, 2008 20:49:10	Personally, I have never really been a big fan of transplanting demon lords into Eberron as Rajahs, under different names or otherwise. I would prefer to keep most setting elements relatively unique. Given that gods in Eberron are inherently unstattable, I might be tempted to say that Rajahs occupy that stratospheric mid-upper 30s range of levels that gods seem to occupy in the Core (like Moradin at 38). I do not think it would be out of line with the setting to say that the greatest heroes ever (30) would still need even relatively extraordinary circumstances and a lot of luck to survive a Rajah five on one.
#12 wraithstrike Jun 16, 2008 22:34:28	Personally, I have never really been a big fan of transplanting demon lords into Eberron as Rajahs, under different names or otherwise. I would prefer to keep most setting elements relatively unique. Given that gods in Eberron are inherently unstattable, I might be tempted to say that Rajahs occupy that stratospheric mid-upper 30s range of levels that gods seem to occupy in the Core (like Moradin at 38). I do not think it would be out of line with the setting to say that the greatest heroes ever (30) would still need even relatively extraordinary circumstances and a lot of luck to survive a Rajah five on one. There is a Rajah statted in a dragon magazine and it laughs at a CR 38.It had 40 class levels, and 20 outsider HD to go with a few god-like abilities. As for the Rajahs I just use them as NE outsiders with the others doing their own thing, but a few demon/devil overlords are also trapped in Khyber.
#13 schala_zeal Jun 17, 2008 17:14:56	There is a Rajah statted in a dragon magazine and it laughs at a CR 38.It had 40 class levels, and 20 outsider HD to go with a few god-like abilities. I think the other poster was discussing Eberron in 4th, where the highest levels available (so far and without house ruling) are 30.