Orcus (Overview)

*"Everything has a price. This is a lesson you will learn sooner or later Youngling. You may revel in your strength and immortality for now; but soon you will understand that Death lies closer now, not further away."* -Assur the Undying

## Introduction

The Orcus, also known as the Central House, are a type of Revenant. More than any other group of Afflicted the Orcus have devoted their unlife to the pursuit of knowledge. They are famed scholars and cruel researchers, placing their macabre studies above anything else.

## History

* **The First Undead-** It was a group of sumerian priests and sorcerers that first broke the wall between life and death. In an attempt to enter the realm of their gods they managed to open a portal into the Underworld atop the mighty Ziggurat of Eridu. Their High-Priest *Ahriman* stepped through the portal and returned as something neither dead nor alive. He soon realised his maddening journey had gifted him powers beyond mortal comprehension, and that he could spread on his affliction to other mortals.
* **Rise of the Eternals-** Ahriman had four children: *Pazuzu*, the father of Ghouls; *Irkalla,* mother of Revenants; *Lamashtu*, mother of Lamien; while his fourth child disappeared from the anals of history. These would sire progeny of their own, spreading the curse of undeath and creating the *Eternals of Eridu*. Ahriman himself began to grew mad with the visions his journey had given him; turning insane and tyrannical. In the end he errected a giant tomb under the city of Eridu and entered an eternal slumber, sending his spirit into the Underworld to become the first Lich. Across the ages many of his ancestors would do the same, beginning to transform the Underworld to their liking.
* **Pazuzus Rebellion-** After Ahriman disappeared the power vacuum caused his children to engage in infighting. In the end Pazuzu and his host of execrators and fleshsingers turned against Eridu; supported by Lamashtu and her Lamien. It was a brutal civil war but the remaining Eternals managed to emerge victorious under the leadership of *Irkalla*. Lamashtu and her kin where exiled while Pazuzu was slayn and his children where enslaved. Those that where exiled or fled began to carry on their curse to the rest of the world, founding the first unliving empires outside of mesopotamia.
* **Decay of Sumeria-** While the Eternals managed to reign over their empire for more than three thousand years, the began to loose power in the mid stages of antiquity. Many of their oldest necromancers chose to forgo the material world and place themselves into eternal slumber, entombed under their mighty cities. Due to their extensive meddling with the laws of life and death *Akasha*, often referred to as the godengine, tried to erase this flaw in its system. Necromancy began increasingly hard to practice and the Afflicted began to require some form of sustenance to retain their unlife and realised they could only turn mortals at certain days of the year. The new strains of Afflicted that emerged across the globe managed to deal with these changed far more effectivly, binding themselves to celestial bodies, animals or blood to sustain themselves; the Eternals grew weaker with each passing century. On the outside they had to face invasions from Nereids, Sphingians and later on the roman empire; on the inside they faced Ghoul-rebellions and political conflicts of powerful local rulers.
* **Convention of Maskat-** The parthians where the first that sucessfully managed to invade and conquer mesopotamia; slaying countless Eternals and their unliving servants. The Parthians where careful to leave their ancient tombs and ruins undisturbed however. It was at the end of this invasion that modern Afflicted date the end of the Eternals. It was *Tammuz*, also known as the last of the Eternals, that send out a call and invited all undead across the globe to gather in the city of Maskat. In the ensuing Convention these unliving rulers layed out a set of tenets that would allow the Afflicted to safely exist within the material world without raising the attention of the forces of Akasha and the Underworld; one of which was keeping mortals ignorant to the supernatural. It was during this time that Tammz and his children where first given the name Orcus, as a friendly gesture from lemurian ambassadors. They would later embrace this new name and reforge the scattered remains of the Eternals into the central House of the Revenants.
* **War with the Zalim-** The Orcus managed to reclaim their homelands and rule until the end of the antiquity through the Sassanids. Although their numbers and necromantic prowess could not rival that of their ancestors, they where powerful enough to fend of any outside attackers. This would change with the rise of islam however. Driven by a new faith groups of devout mortals rode through the Orcus homelands; slaying any undead they could find and destroying the idols of their occult worship. This new movement gained momentum when the Zalim, a group of Strigoi, joined them and employed many of the Orcus secrets against them. In the end their homelands where taken over by the first caliphates and later on the ottoman empire; forcing the Orcus outside or into the ruins of their slumbering ancestors.

## Culture

The Orcus are the most individualistic group of Afflicted. In many ways the emboy the architype of the necromancer, leaving behind their humanity to persue occult secret and forbidden power. Even before they become immortal Orcus cut off all connections to their mortal lifes. Most of them are cold hearted and look down upon those that let passion, faith or personal desires come in the way of knowledge.

This seeming inability to form a personal connection does not only extend to mortals but also to their homeland. After the fall of their ancient empire most Orcus will feel like strangers no matter where they go. Most of them rarely stay at the same place for more than a year until they continue their travels, adding another chapter to their eternal journey. This disconnect to their material surroundings only furthers their obsession with the supernatural.

### Midnight Communions

Orcus are tied to their House and its members through a shared history rather than viewing it as a community that works towards a shared goal. They generally act reserved towards each other, caring little about alliances or forming personal relationships. The only way for the House to come together is known as the *Midnight Communion*. At the last hour of every month the Orcus will gather around a local church, chapel or cemetry to hold a macabre symposium. This gathering is not only an excellent way to make contacts with members of their House, the Orcus also use it to exchange knowledge. During a Midnight Communion each Orcus may ask a House-member a single question that must be answered truthfully, but in return they will have to answer one themselves. Many Orcus expand on this and teach each other necromantic powers and rituals.

### Lich Cults

Almost every Orcus is involved in some form of Lich worship. Unlike other Afflicted they do not worship their unliving masters through a folkloric mask. They put great efforts in understanding their chosen dieties; learning their ancient names and true nature. Most Orcus choose to worship Liches to gain power or knowledge; not out of religious devotion.

The most common Lich they offer their worship to is Irkalla, the Queen of Night. Alongside, many other Liches from ancient sumeria recieve their attention and service. Across the globe Orcus have become part of any Lich Cult in existance, as they choose any diety that is most advantageous to their current position. It isn´t uncommon to worship several Liches from different realms, even when their respective Cults are bitter enemies.

Orcus approach their faith like an Occultist, summoning Wraiths and Spirits to strike bargains with them while always trying to gain as much power as possible. Even though some are bitter enemies of the lords of the Underworld, calling upon them is an efficient way to push them back. This pragmatic approach is unique among most Afflicted and usually not presented openly to other members of their Lich Cults.

### Path to Ascension

While the Orcus have a peculiar curiosity when it comes to necromantic research, must of them place their studies in service to their greatest goal: Lichdom. Transcending their unliving flesh and existance in the mortal realm is the greatest goal of most Orcus and they take any sacrifice necessairy to achieve it. For many their worship of other Liches is a great tool to one day join or even replace them.

Although they consider themselves strict enemies of the Daeva and their dark master, the Orcus dream to leave the mortal world behind. Any Orcus that spend a few centuries immersed in their research will begin to experience their material existeance as incredibly limiting and unpleasent. They dream of a paradise in which they are gods of their own right, wishing to reshape reality to their own twisted imagination. While few Orcus actually ascend to Lichdom, their success serves as a motivator for their entire House.

### Turning

The Orcus are especially high standarts when it comes to the choice of their progeny. Due to their dislike of of mortal soceity they will often favour outcasts and eccentrics share this attitude. More importantly however they must have already had contact with the invisible world and displayed some kind of curiosity to explore it. Most Orcus where scholars in touch with the occult or mortal necromancers before they where embraced into unlife. Once they found a befitting candidate they will approach them disguised as an academic and ask suggestive questions. Should the answers be satisfying they will use their servants to spy on their future progeny and orchestrate more and more supernatural encounters to test their resolve and curiosity. Should the right moment present itself the Orcus will emerge and swiftly kill the mortal, consuming their soul in their final moments. After exposing their progenies soul to their own Essence they will spit it out and force it back into their body to bring them back as a Revenant.

## Kith

* **The Hellrún-** The Hellrún have inhabited the british isles long before Vargr, Vuldonen or the Covenant arrived. They have established a fortress below mount Fyrgen, an ancient barrow that was erected by the Draugr. In it lie the sleeping bodies of the Draugr ancients, unliving creatures older than civilisation. From their undying bodies the Hellrún draw necromantic energies, furthering their forbidden powers. They have never adapted to modern soceity and still associate themselves with celtic rites and their gods.
* **Zemedi-** The Orcus of Ethiopia are the only Kith of their House to have formed an empire after the fall of the Edimmu. Since they founded ancient Aksum they have ruled over the african horn, establishing an unliving dynasty that waged war against the romans, arabs and the Covenant and emerged victorious every time. The Zemedi have erected great Steles across the land that channel the powers of their Lichqueen Ezana, former ruler and patreon of Aksum.
* **Brotherhood of Nirgal-** The Brotherhood was founded in ancient sumeria and worships Nirgal, a Lich that found his end when his consort Irkalla turned against him. Although he is lost to the ages the Brotherhood worships him to this day as an adversary of the Underworlds Corruption. Symbolically they only turn males, believing to therefor achieve a greater connection to their patreaon. The Brotherhood of Nirgal is the greatest enemy of the Daeva and devote their Unlifes to keep the Unnatural at bay. Like other Orcus they eternally seek knowledge, artifacts and ways to achieve power; however they only use these resources to fight off the influence of Liches or Ahriman itself. The Brotherhood is active across the entire globe and works together as a collective.
* **Order of Assur-** Deep in the cthonian ruins of ancient Sumeria rests the Order of Assur. Since ages they have devoted themselves to the service of the slumbering Eternals, protecting their tombs and burried temples. Due to the rise of the Ottoman Empire their numbers have grown desperatly thin as countless resting places have already been destroyed. The mysterious order consists of some of the most powerful necromancers of the Victorian Age who invest all their efforts in protecting their masters and preparing the world for their return.

## See also

* Opinions
* Orcus
* Orcus (Rules)