| Category | Higher Powers |
| Power | Minor |
| World | Thanatos |
| Race | Demon ( Demon Lord, Undead) |
| Gender | male |
| Alignment | chaotic evil |
| Symbol | black skull-topped rod |
| Domain | Deathless, Domination, Tyranny |
| Enemies | Asmodeus, Demogorgon, Graz'zt, Tarâk |
| Born | |
| Godhood |
The demon lord Orcus maintains his primary domain within the fortress stronghold of Naratyr located in the Abyssal world of Thanatos. Unlike other powerful fiends such as Asmodeus and Demogorgon, Orcus has never mounted a concerted campaign to expand his influence across the realm of Bal-Kriav. His following is primarily composed of small cults and fanatical demon worshippers. Orcus also employs mortal enchanters to create sentient weapons, which he then deploys to spread terror across the various realms.
In the year 105 GE, the armies of Orcus invaded the world of Bal-Kriav, joining the ongoing Demon Spawn War, which had raged from 89 GE to 269 GE. Orcus's base of operations was Ghak, a fortified location constructed to safeguard the rift connecting Bal-Kriav with the abyssal world, providing a steady stream of reinforcements. From Ghak, Orcus orchestrated the planned conquest of Bal-Kriav's Aerie of Dragons and the subterranean region of Adunamar beneath it.
In the Hoof Front ( 215 GE - 230 GE ) , Orcus engaged in battle with the armies of Asmodeus and Bahamut. Concurrently, Orcus expended considerable resources and time, dispatching saboteurs, assassins, and spies into the domains of his demonic rivals, Demogorgon, Baphomet, and others. In the Lands of Purity, Orcus's machinations resulted in swaying those with tenuous allegiances to the side of the Covenant ; one such group was the goblins of Crimson Nails.
The Demon Spawn War saw the Covenant capture numerous demon agents, one of whom revealed that Orcus, their master, had invested resources into the conflict solely to counter the scheming of Demogorgon within Hells Womb and the northward reaches of Grashakh.
In the Demon Spawn War, Orcus sought to seize the Aerie of Dragons solely to outflank Demogorgon's incursion into Lirgaza and Inirthak. He was never overly committed to the war effort, only wishing to vex the machinations of his rivals, and engaging the Covenant only when it impeded his designs.
Asmodeus, from the fifth volume of his historical account - "Orcus Indifference"
In the year 230 GE, Orcus was defeated in the Hoof Front. Departing from Ghak, he returned to his former capital on the world of Thanatos.
On the world of Bal-Kriav, Orcus assisted a coven of Theegan witches in imbuing dragon magic into the artifacts Blizzard and Firestorm. During the Third Epoch, he supported Defilnus in the construction of the artifact Tiamat's Spur.
| Core Worship | Proselytizers |
|---|---|
| Stalag | Khaa'khas |
| Zoethall | Crimson Nails |