In the chaotic Abyss, within the desolate realm of Thanatos, dwells Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undeath. Yet, this ancient and powerful figure was once the mortal sorcerer-king Nevik, a ruler consumed by an insatiable obsession with death and power. Nevik delved into forbidden necromantic arts, raising undead armies and making pacts with dark entities to wield death as a weapon against his foes. His descent was swift and deliberate, sacrificing allies and innocents in his quest for immortality.
Through a gruesome ritual, Nevik exchanged his humanity for eternal life, his body transforming into a hulking mass of rotting muscle and infernal energy. This moment marked his ascension beyond mortal bounds, becoming an archdemon of the Abyss. Upon his transformation, Nevik was gone, replaced by Orcus, the Prince of Undeath, drawn to the plane's chaotic energies. His might grew exponentially in the Abyss, allowing his necromantic powers to reach terrifying new heights.
Orcus became a lord of the dead, commanding vast legions of undead and wielding the dreaded Wand of Orcus, forged from a god's spine. Though challenged by countless demons, Orcus crushed all opposition, raising fallen adversaries as mindless husks in his ever-growing army. His influence spread beyond the Abyss over millennia as he sought to plunge the Material Plane into necrotic darkness. His cults, the Church of Orcus, sprang up in hidden corners, destabilizing kingdoms and corrupting the natural order.
Orcus's ultimate desire was to see the world of the living consumed by death, with him reigning supreme over an eternal night. One of his most ambitious incursions involved conquering a remote island, intending it as a foothold for an invasion. However, the mages of Emberfield thwarted his plans, sacrificing themselves to create a powerful ward that imprisoned Orcus and his demonic forces on the island for centuries. Bound to the island by ancient magic, Orcus seethed with rage but continued to plot.
He gathered other demons, forming a hierarchy and forging alliances with cruel beings, promising power in exchange for aid in breaking the ward. During this time, he crafted the Master of Cruelties, making him his right hand and enforcer on the island. The magical barrier also became a prison of contemplation, leading Orcus to learn of the Book of Vile Darkness, an artifact rumored to reveal a demon's true name. Orcus knew this book could not only free him but reclaim his full might.
With mortals and adventurers stumbling into his domain, Orcus sensed an opportunity. He offered deals and bargains, promising riches and power, intending to manipulate them into breaking the ward that bound him. His true goals remained shrouded in darkness, using these "treasures" as a means to return to the Abyss and unleash unprecedented ruin and undeath upon the Material Plane.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, the archmage Ariel Bannister and her cabal sacrificed their souls to imprison Orcus and his legions on Stonewatch Island, anchoring the ward with her soul. Forgotten and tormented, Ariel's spirit twisted, transforming her into a vengeful lich. Seeing opportunity in a band of adventurers—Arcon Domini, Borin Stonehammer, and their companions—trapped on the island, Ariel manipulated them, posing as a tormented spirit seeking release.
Over three days, the party battled demons and navigated treacherous ruins, deceived by Ariel's spectral guidance. They ultimately destroyed Orcus by using the Book of Vile Darkness to learn and speak his true name, "Nevik," in a chaotic final battle. As Arcon Domini, the only one of evil alignment able to carry the artifact, crossed the island's magical threshold, the ward shattered. This banished the remaining demons back to the Abyss but also fulfilled Ariel's plan, freeing her from centuries of confinement.
Orcus, the Demon Prince of Undeath, was killed when adventurers spoke his true name, Nevik.
