# Orcus "Last Word"



## rossik (Feb 24, 2007)

so, i have a question that maybe u guys can answer:
(from wikipedia)
After a string of successful wars with Graz'zt and Demogorgon, Orcus was slain by the drow demi-goddess Kiaransalee, who took over rulership of Orcus' layer of the Abyss, Thanatos. Orcus was restored as the undead demon Tenebrous. With the power of the Last Word he managed to kill several gods (including Primus and Maanzecorian) in search of his wand.

so...whats the Last Word?
i mean, the what it is for?


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## hong (Feb 24, 2007)

Hypersmurf is the wielder of the Last Word. It's used for smacking down rules debates.


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## rossik (Feb 24, 2007)

hong said:
			
		

> Hypersmurf is the wielder of the Last Word. It's used for smacking down rules debates.





dont get it   :\


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## Rodrigo Istalindir (Feb 24, 2007)

rossik said:
			
		

> dont get it   :\




Inside joke.  Hypersmurf is a guy that posts here and is renowned for his rules knowledge, to the point that many consider him the final arbiter on rules disputes.  Also, he's purple.  and hyper.


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## NiTessine (Feb 24, 2007)

Moderators _always_ get the last word...

The Last Word, on the other hand, is an ancient, powerful magic of unmaking that Tenebrous dug up from some ruins on the layer of Pelion, on Arborea. Very little is known about it, apart from that it has sufficient potency to slay deities, and that even the mere knowledge of it was taxing to the undead god.


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## Shemeska (Feb 24, 2007)

All of the relevant information comes from _Dead Gods_, but the gist of it is that the Last Word was only one of a number of similar bits of obscenely powerful magic that Orcus/Tenebrous discovered on Arborea's layer of Pelion/Mithardir. When he found it, it was hidden within one of the last standing structures on the layer, protected by two humanoid guardians of an unknown race, potentially deific proxies. Tenebrous took what he wanted and destroyed the rest, including killing one of the guardians and leaving the other one alive and alone with the knowledge that he'd failed.

Now the origin of the Last Word and the other magic that was there where it was found isn't solidly known. It might have been created by the unknown and possibly extinct pre-Eladrin race that inhabited that layer of Arborea and then vanished, or it might have just been discovered by them (possibly leading to their own destruction) and then just bottled up and guarded.

So powerful was the Last Word that looking at it, attempting to learn and understand it, caused incredible pain and even death (aka no PC is going to learn it). And much to Tenebrous's lament, once he learned it, the Last Word began slowly devouring him, gnawing away at his quasi-existance and providing the feverish motivation for him to find his wand (and the bit of his former power it contained) that Kiaransalee had hidden.


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Feb 24, 2007)

Hypersmurf.  The Fragarach of EN World.


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## Ambrus (Feb 24, 2007)

The Last Word is "plot-device".

In the Dead Gods adventure Tenebrous went around killing gods by speaking the Last Word at them. It's essentially a word that unmakes whatever it is directed at; it's the Omega, the ending. IIRC In the adventure's final notes it is suggested that, after having been preyed upon by a serial-killer, the gods of the multiverse decide to do something about the Last-word, band together and do _something_ to fundamentally change reality in such a way that the Last Word no longer functions or has power. So if Orcus now wants to kill gods he'll have to do it the old fashioned way; roll for initiative!


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## Alzrius (Feb 24, 2007)

Shemeska was spot on. The one thing I wanted to add is that there's one other product that uses the Words: Ravenloft's _Vecna Reborn_. While it's never used in the adventure, Vecna is going to use the Word of _Creation Once Spoken_ to escape his domain. The PCs are there to spoil the ritual (of course, that was in line with Vecna's greater plan anyway).


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## Shemeska (Feb 24, 2007)

Alzrius said:
			
		

> Shemeska was spot on. The one thing I wanted to add is that there's one other product that uses the Words: Ravenloft's _Vecna Reborn_. While it's never used in the adventure, Vecna is going to use the Word of _Creation Once Spoken_ to escape his domain. The PCs are there to spoil the ritual (of course, that was in line with Vecna's greater plan anyway).




Isn't it only speculation however that the _Words of Creation Once Spoken_ in 'Vecna Reborn' are in any way connected to the Last Word and its ilk on Pelion? The stuff that Vecna had was referred to as words in the 'language primeval', which has been a term tossed around once or twice elsewhere. None of the same terms were ever mentioned in Dead Gods, and while the Last Word and its manner of magic devoured Tenebrous in the end, and would obliterate anything but the most powerful beings, Vecna as a mere demigod never had any issues learning the magic he used in Vecna Reborn, etc.

I'll hold that they're both powerful forms of magic, but not related.


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## Alzrius (Feb 24, 2007)

Shemeska said:
			
		

> Isn't it only speculation however that the _Words of Creation Once Spoken_ in 'Vecna Reborn' are in any way connected to the Last Word and its ilk on Pelion? The stuff that Vecna had was referred to as words in the 'language primeval', which has been a term tossed around once or twice elsewhere. None of the same terms were ever mentioned in Dead Gods, and while the Last Word and its manner of magic devoured Tenebrous in the end, and would obliterate anything but the most powerful beings, Vecna as a mere demigod never had any issues learning the magic he used in Vecna Reborn, etc.
> 
> I'll hold that they're both powerful forms of magic, but not related.




It's not explicitly stated, but it seems quite clear. Just because Pelion was never mentioned is no reason to discount it, as Vecna was taught Creation Once Spoken by the Serpent, who is the supposed summation of all magic. Likewise, stating what language the Words are used in (the Language Primeval) doesn't contradict anything in _Dead Gods_, which doesn't mention the language of the Words.

Finally, _Dead Gods_ makes it clear that any god can learn and use the Words safely. Since Vecna was a demigod, it makes perfect sense that learning Creation Once Spoken wouldn't harm him.


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## Siegfried Niemand (Feb 24, 2007)

If you absolutely must have a PC equivalent, try the _unname_ spell (_Tome of Magic_ 260).


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## Piratecat (Feb 24, 2007)

The Last Word: We could tell you, but then it would have to kill you.


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## Banshee16 (Feb 24, 2007)

Shemeska said:
			
		

> Isn't it only speculation however that the _Words of Creation Once Spoken_ in 'Vecna Reborn' are in any way connected to the Last Word and its ilk on Pelion? The stuff that Vecna had was referred to as words in the 'language primeval', which has been a term tossed around once or twice elsewhere. None of the same terms were ever mentioned in Dead Gods, and while the Last Word and its manner of magic devoured Tenebrous in the end, and would obliterate anything but the most powerful beings, Vecna as a mere demigod never had any issues learning the magic he used in Vecna Reborn, etc.
> 
> I'll hold that they're both powerful forms of magic, but not related.




Hmm.....so Vecna and Orcus were introducing the powers of Truenamers!

All kidding aside, you guys have covered everything.  There was something with the Rod of Orcus possessing enough stored up power to allow Tenebrous to survive after having learned th Last Word.  And one diety, a goddess of love, almost survived having it used on  him.

On a side note, I think the whole Dead Gods campaign ties in well with Monte Cook's requiem for a god....which, I guess, isn't a surprise, since he wrote both books.

Banshee


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## Ripzerai (Feb 24, 2007)

Shemeska said:
			
		

> Isn't it only speculation however that the _Words of Creation Once Spoken_ in 'Vecna Reborn' are in any way connected to the Last Word and its ilk on Pelion?




That was Monte Cook's intention, according to his email to the Planescape Mailing List before the book was published. I can't find it now, but it was something like, "For those interested in the Last Word, I elaborate on the subject in the upcoming Vecna Reborn."


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## Alzrius (Feb 25, 2007)

It's also worth noting that before it closed, on the Kargatane website, their notes regarding the adventure on its page mentioned that it was one of the Words originally introduced in _Dead Gods_.


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## Nightfall (Feb 25, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> The Last Word: We could tell you, but then it would have to kill you.




LOL!  Now THAT is sig worthy!  Good job PC.


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## Tharen the Damned (Feb 25, 2007)

There is a very good summary of Orcus doings:A brief History of Orcus. This might give some more insight into the last word.

All Hail to Orcus!


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## Alzrius (Feb 25, 2007)

Tharen the Damned said:
			
		

> There is a very good summary of Orcus doings:A brief History of Orcus. This might give some more insight into the last word.




*sigh* Everytime I see that file, I'm reminded of how badly it needs an update.


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## hamishspence (Feb 25, 2007)

*Word!*

Besides Orcus, where to really, really deadly Words start to appear in fantasy?

I'd say the first of the big ones is in C. S. Lewis: The Magicians Nephew: wielded by the Empress Jadis AKA the White Witch: the Deplorable Word: eliminates everyone except her. At the end of the book  Aslan makes allusions to it which seem like a hint as to A-bombs.

Any other examples?


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## Kae'Yoss (Feb 25, 2007)

rossik said:
			
		

> dont get it   :\




Oh, it's easy: Just open a thread in the rules forum, something like "How I use power attack on my ray attacks" and you'll get it.


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## Ripzerai (Feb 26, 2007)

hamishspence said:
			
		

> Besides Orcus, where to really, really deadly Words start to appear in fantasy?




_The Book of the Righteous_ has a myth where the Creator spoke his own name at the beginning of time, and will speak it again at the end of time, so that the universe will end. _That's_ what I think the Last Word is.


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## Estlor (Feb 26, 2007)

Nightfall said:
			
		

> LOL!  Now THAT is sig worthy!  Good job PC.




I agree (and the sig needed updating - it went all the way back to early 3.5E days)


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## Soel (Feb 26, 2007)

hamishspence said:
			
		

> Besides Orcus, where to really, really deadly Words start to appear in fantasy?




Look here for a little insight perhaps on words of power http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sefirot
Inspiration for the Language Primeval (2e's College of Wizardry,) and I'd suspect the idea of words of power in general.


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## Gez (Feb 26, 2007)

I have seen many threads killed with the Last Word of "*plunk*"


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## BOZ (Feb 26, 2007)

i thought that was clunk?


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## Nightfall (Feb 26, 2007)

Perhaps both were used Boz.  

Estlor,

Who's sig are you proposing to change?


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