Erac's Cousin
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, the man known as Erac's Cousin is a mysterious figure who has not revealed his real name. He is also called simply the Unnamed.
. Later, he created a wizard who, due to a personal issue as part of his backstory, refused to reveal his name, simply referring to himself as "Erac's Cousin". Gary Gygax knew that Ernie liked the Barsoom
stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs
, and at one point, whisked Erac's Cousin off to a very Barsoom-like Mars, where the inhabitants refused to let the wizard use magic. Erac's Cousin was forced to become a fighter instead, and learned to fight proficiently with two weapons simultaneously. Eventually he was able to teleport back to Oerth, but when he acquired two vorpal
blades, co-Dungeon Masters Rob Kuntz
and Gary Gygax
decided he had become too powerful, and lured him into a demon's clutches. The demon took him to an alternative plane that drained the magic from the vorpal blades, destroying them.
The profile of Erac's Cousin was published in TSR's Rogues' Gallery in 1980, and Gary Gygax mentioned Erac's Cousin in several articles in Dragon magazine in 1980 and 1981.
When Gary Gygax was forced out of TSR
in 1985, the rights to most characters used in his stories and columns, including Erac's Cousin, remained with TSR, and Erac's Cousin was mentioned in further material by both TSR and Wizards of the Coast
.
The Unnamed may have been reborn as a greater devil
.
. He gave up being a spellcaster to become a fighter
with a penchant for wielding a pair of vorpal swords.
In one adventure, Erac's Cousin and his cleric
companion Ayelerach are purported to have stumbled upon the stone prison of the demon prince
Fraz-Urb'luu
in the dungeons below Castle Greyhawk
. The Prince of Deception, with his honeyed words, tricked the pair into reading from a scroll that released the demon from his prison. The two hapless adventurers were then whisked away by Fraz-Urb'luu to his layer on the Abyss
to become his slaves, and the vorpal swords were destroyed. Erac's Cousin and Ayelerach were eventually able to return to the Material Plane, but describe the Abyssal realm they visited as depressing and sickening, due to its totally flat and featureless terrain, and ability to drain the magic out of any item.
Upon his escape from the Abyss, an unknown form of insanity overtook Erac's Cousin and he slew all of his friends to steal their possessions, forsaking his former deity who he blamed for not saving him from the demon prince. Erac's Cousin, now thoroughly evil, made a pact with the archdevil Baalzebul
. As a reward for the souls of those he slew, Baalzebul agreed to make Erac's Cousin into a major devil
upon his death, despite Erac's Cousin's fear of dying.
There is speculation that Erac's Cousin may have helped form the Horned Society
. Many of the Hierarchs were killed by Iuz
's vengeance, but one was able to return. This being, known only as the "Unnameable Hierarch" was reborn as a greater devil thanks to a pact with the archfiend Baalzebul.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, the man known as Erac's Cousin is a mysterious figure who has not revealed his real name. He is also called simply the Unnamed.
Creative origins
Gary Gygax's son Ernie originally had a character he called "Erac", in addition to other well-known characters Serten and TenserTenser
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Tenser is an archmage who actively seeks to rid the Flanaess of evil...
. Later, he created a wizard who, due to a personal issue as part of his backstory, refused to reveal his name, simply referring to himself as "Erac's Cousin". Gary Gygax knew that Ernie liked the Barsoom
Barsoom
Barsoom is a fictional representation of the planet Mars created by American pulp fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote close to 100 action adventure stories in various genres in the first half of the 20th century, and is now best known as the creator of the character Tarzan...
stories of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.-Biography:...
, and at one point, whisked Erac's Cousin off to a very Barsoom-like Mars, where the inhabitants refused to let the wizard use magic. Erac's Cousin was forced to become a fighter instead, and learned to fight proficiently with two weapons simultaneously. Eventually he was able to teleport back to Oerth, but when he acquired two vorpal
Vorpal
Vorpal sword is a phrase used by Lewis Carroll in his nonsense poem "Jabberwocky".- Context and definition :Carroll published Through the Looking-Glass in 1871. Near the beginning, Alice discovers and reads "Jabberwocky"...
blades, co-Dungeon Masters Rob Kuntz
Robert J. Kuntz
Robert J. Kuntz is a game designer and author of role-playing game publications. He is most famous for his contributions to various Dungeons & Dragons-related materials.-Works:...
and Gary Gygax
Gary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
decided he had become too powerful, and lured him into a demon's clutches. The demon took him to an alternative plane that drained the magic from the vorpal blades, destroying them.
The profile of Erac's Cousin was published in TSR's Rogues' Gallery in 1980, and Gary Gygax mentioned Erac's Cousin in several articles in Dragon magazine in 1980 and 1981.
When Gary Gygax was forced out of TSR
TSR
The Three-letter abbreviation TSR has a variety of meanings, depending on context:-Science and technology:* Terminate and Stay Resident, utility programs used in MS-DOS* Thermo Sulfate Reduction, relevant to the Kraft process...
in 1985, the rights to most characters used in his stories and columns, including Erac's Cousin, remained with TSR, and Erac's Cousin was mentioned in further material by both TSR and Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
.
Description
Erac's Cousin was a mage who was able to wield swords with great proficiency. He was seldom seen without a red-eyed rat on his shoulder, his imp familiar. He commanded an army including 50 medium cavalry, 50 light cavalry, 50 light horse archers, 100 heavy infantry regulars, 100 heavy archer regulars, and 100 pole armed infantry regulars. Many of his troops were rumored to be evil humanoids.The Unnamed may have been reborn as a greater devil
Devil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
.
History
Erac's Cousin was once a lawful good human magic-userWizard (Dungeons & Dragons)
The wizard is one of the standard character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A wizard uses arcane magic, and is considered less effective in melee combat than other classes.-Creative origins:...
. He gave up being a spellcaster to become a fighter
Fighter (Dungeons & Dragons)
The fighter is one of the standard playable character classes in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. A fighter is a versatile, weapons-oriented warrior who fights using skill, strategy and tactics....
with a penchant for wielding a pair of vorpal swords.
In one adventure, Erac's Cousin and his cleric
Cleric (Dungeons & Dragons)
The cleric is one of the standard playable character class in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. In the game, clerics are versatile figures, both capable in combat and skilled in the use of divine magic. Clerics are powerful healers due to the large number of healing and curative...
companion Ayelerach are purported to have stumbled upon the stone prison of the demon prince
Demon lord (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, demon lords are demons who have gained great power and established a position of preeminence among demonkind. Each demon lord has a unique appearance and set of abilities. Most control at least one layer of the Abyss...
Fraz-Urb'luu
Fraz-Urb'luu
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Fraz-Urb'luu is a demon lord, sometimes known as the "Prince of Deception." In Gary Gygax's Gord novels, Fraz-Urb'luu is alternately called Var-Az-Hloo.-Publication history:...
in the dungeons below Castle Greyhawk
Castle Greyhawk
Castle Greyhawk is one of the central dungeon settings in the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. The Castle was originally developed by Gary Gygax for his own campaign and later detailed for publication...
. The Prince of Deception, with his honeyed words, tricked the pair into reading from a scroll that released the demon from his prison. The two hapless adventurers were then whisked away by Fraz-Urb'luu to his layer on the Abyss
Abyss (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the Abyss or more fully, the Infinite Layers of the Abyss, is a chaotic evil-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons cosmology, used in the Planescape...
to become his slaves, and the vorpal swords were destroyed. Erac's Cousin and Ayelerach were eventually able to return to the Material Plane, but describe the Abyssal realm they visited as depressing and sickening, due to its totally flat and featureless terrain, and ability to drain the magic out of any item.
Upon his escape from the Abyss, an unknown form of insanity overtook Erac's Cousin and he slew all of his friends to steal their possessions, forsaking his former deity who he blamed for not saving him from the demon prince. Erac's Cousin, now thoroughly evil, made a pact with the archdevil Baalzebul
Baalzebul (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Baalzebul is a fictional character, described as an Arch-Devil of Hell , also called the "Lord of the Flies."Baalzebul is lord of Maladomini, the Seventh Plane of Hell...
. As a reward for the souls of those he slew, Baalzebul agreed to make Erac's Cousin into a major devil
Devil (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, devils are a powerful group of monsters used as a high-level challenge for players of the game. Devils are Lawful Evil in alignment and originate from the Nine Hells of Baator. True to their Lawful Evil alignment, devils are locked in a strict and brutal...
upon his death, despite Erac's Cousin's fear of dying.
There is speculation that Erac's Cousin may have helped form the Horned Society
Horned Society
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the Horned Society is a secret society devoted to evil and Devil worship...
. Many of the Hierarchs were killed by Iuz
Iuz
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Iuz is the chaotic evil demigod of Deceit, Evil, Oppression, Pain, and Wickedness. Iuz is variously called "The Old One" and "Old Wicked," among other titles. Unlike most Greyhawk deities, Iuz makes his home on...
's vengeance, but one was able to return. This being, known only as the "Unnameable Hierarch" was reborn as a greater devil thanks to a pact with the archfiend Baalzebul.