King Occulas

KING OCCULAS

Real Name: King Occulas

Class: Extradimensional (Pytharian)

Occupation: King of the Fifteen Worlds

Group Affiliation: None

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Castle Darkmorn, Ichar, Pytharia

First Appearance: Claw the Unconquered #1 (May-June, 1975)

Powers: King Occulas was absolute master of fifteen dimensions of the multiverse. His yellowish left eye was enlarged and diseased.

History: (Claw the Unconquered #1 (fb), 9 (fb)) - The multiverse consisted of eight positive planes ruled by Gods of Elder Light, and seven negative planes ruled by the Shadow-Gods. Pytharia was a world caught in between light and dark, and was the key to the multiverse’s equilibrium. If one side won Pytharia they would control the entire multiverse. A would-be sorcerer summoned a demon to Pytharia by accident, and managed to banish it, but not before part of its’ demonic essence entered him, turning his hand into a demon claw. This trait would pass from father to son, with the man always struggling to control the demonic nature of the claw. King Occulas gained his throne with the aid of his wizard Miftung, who helped him poison his predecessor. Occulas served the Shadow-Gods, and sought to help them conquer Pytharia, but learned of Kregar, the latest inheritor of the demon claw, and knew he was a threat to his dark masters, so he had him killed. Kregar had an infant son, Valcan, and the Gods of Elder Light brought him to their realm to train him as their champion. They raised him to be a mighty warrior, gave him a gauntlet that would control his demonic side, and Moonthorn, a blessed sword that could harm the Shadow-Gods and their servants. The Shadow-Gods could not let this stand and cast a spell returning Valcan to Pytharia and robbing him of his memory and Moonthorn.

(Claw The Unconquered #1) - Occulas learned that Claw had entered his kingdom, and put a price on his head. Inn owner Tarmag tried to assassinate him and failed, but he reported to Occulas on Claw’s latest whereabouts, hoping for a reward. Occulas thanked him for his intel, but said he needed his silence as well and had his guardsman Zedon stab him in the back. Miftung said they’d need sorcery to kill Claw and presented Zedon with a gemstone named the Eye of Kann. After Zedon left Miftung noted that Zedon had grown too ambitious as of late and promised his master the Eye of Kann would not only finish off Claw, but Zedon as well. Zedon had a servant girl lure Claw into the Temple of Kann, promising him a safe place to hide out. Zedon appeared and used the Eye to summon the dark god Kann, but to appear on the material plane Kann had to drain Zedon’s lifeforce. Claw took a support rod from the temple and jammed it down Kann’s giant maw, killing the god. Claw realized Occulas wanted him dead and fled into the wilderness.

(Claw The Unconquered #3) - Elathia was a centauress of the Thylara centaurs, who lived a peaceful, rural existence. The evil King Occulas and his sorcerer Miftuung plotted ways to kill Claw The Unconquered, who was destined to slay Occulas for his vile deeds, and Miftung came up with a plan to make Elathia their patsy. Miftung told Elathia that she was born a human, but had been transformed into a centaur by a long-dead sorcerer. He said only his magic or her death would restore her humanity, and promised to use his magic to make her whole if she agreed to kill Claw. Elathia wasn’t sure, but came to view her fellow centaurs as beasts and came to despise them and herself. She agreed to Miftung's’s demands, and he told her to bring Claw to the Wall of Weeping Mists, the tomb of the sorcerer he claimed had cursed her. Inside the tomb was Kyriach, a spear that drained the lifeforce of whatever it pierced, and he assured her she’d be able to kill Claw with it. There were many dangers on the way to the tomb, and Elathia found herself in quicksand and surrounded by hostile lizard men. By good fortune Claw rescued her, and she told him she was an adventurer seeking to loot a sorcerer’s tomb, promising him half of the plunder. They arrived at the tomb after a dangerous journey, and Claw retrieved Kyriach for her. She thanked him before trying to stab him with it, regretting what she felt she had to do but badly wanting to be a human. Claw’s gauntleted demon hand shot out of its’ own accord, grabbing the spear and draining it of its’ magic. Elathia couldn’t bear to think of being robbed at her chance for becoming human and tried to trample Claw, but he fatally wounded her by piercing her side with the spear. She died thankful that death would restore her to her natural form, and Claw was puzzled that she remained a centauress when she died. Claw wondered who could have corrupted such a pure creature with lies. Occulas and Miftung watched the events unfold in Miftung’s scrying glass, and Occulas said it was time to use his methods to destroy Claw.

(Claw the Unconquered #4) - King Occulas could no longer allow Claw's threat to his control of the Fifteen Worlds, and demanded his mage Miftung summon a powerful demon to destroy him. The work was dangerous, and Miftung was satisfied that he had been able to open small portals to summon minor demons. Occulas demanded results, no matter the cost, and threatened to throw Miftung in a dungeon if he failed. Throwing safety to the wind Miftung opened a large portal summoning the demon N'Hglthss, who laid waste to the village where he was summoned before engaging Claw in battle.

(Claw the Unconquered #5) - Claw sought the Moonthorn, a mystic sword that was his by right, but which was hidden in the nether void. Occulas feared Claw gaining more power, and wanted to interrupt his quest for the Grimstone fragments that would unlock the void. Miftung summoned a Cyclops to kill the hero, but Claw disposed of it. Occulas told him to succeed or he would be beheaded.

(Claw the Unconquered #7) - Occulas continued to have Miftung spawn monsters to stop Claw's progress but something seemed to protect the hero. Occulas feared that his hold on the multiverse would soon be at an end. Miftung summoned a gigantic sea creature to destroy Claw, angry that Occulas did not see that he was the one who truly held power. Claw defeated the monster, and claimed the Grimstone that would allow him access to his sword. Occulas was furious, and struck Miftung, saying he had one more chance to destroy Claw or debts would be settled. Miftung seethed in anger.

(Claw the Unconquered #9) - Claw claimed Moonthorn from Mahan K’handa, a servant of the Dark Ones, and King Occulas cursed Miftung’s inability to keep Claw’s quest from succeeding. Occulas said he knew not why, but Claw was the one thing that would keep him from eventually ruling the fifteen worlds. He promised that if Miftung failed him again he would kill him, and Miftung wondered if he’d have to be prepared to turn on his own master in the interests of self-preservation.

(Claw The Unconquered #10) - Claw’s quest for vengeance took him to the wilderness of Pytharia, and King Occulas followed his progress through Miftung’s scrying glass. Miftung summoned a demon that threatened a woman, and Claw instinctively sprung into action. Claw was getting the best of the demon in combat when the woman struck him from behind and made herself a willing sacrifice for the beast. Claw didn’t know what to make of the situation, so he fled on his horse. He couldn’t help but feel that the gods were still manipulating him, but he couldn’t help but follow his conscience. Occulas raged at Miftung for failing to kill his nemesis, and snapped the neck of his pet Zorinda, saying that if he had no issue killing something that gave him pleasure he would think even less of taking Miftung’s life.

(Claw The Unconquered #11) - Claw located Castle Darkmorn and Occulas dispatched his guardsmen to ambush him. They were no match for Claw’s swordsmanship, and he found the bloodshed to be cathartic. Occulas told Miftung to cast a spell to keep claw from reaching the castle, and Miftung refused, saying he was tired of being treated as an underling, and told Occulas to remember which one of them wielded real power. Occulas chewed him out, telling him his magic meant nothing compared to Occulas’ power because he was weak and a coward. Miftung acquiesced to his master, casting a spell that caused Darkmorn to rise into the sky. Claw managed to reach the castle as it began its’ flight and jumped aboard. He fought through the Hall of Candles, guarded by a wax golem, and made his way to Occulas’ throneroom. Occulas had Miftung cast a spell of transmutation, turning him into a powerful demonic entity. Occulas and Claw clashed fiercely, and Claw managed to stab him through the chest. Miftung’s spell was undone, and because the spell added Miftung’s lifeforce to Occulas’ the sword blow left him fatally wounded. Miftung told Claw he was not always an evil man, he’d been corrupted by Occulas’ abuse and he thanked Claw for ending his life. He cast a spell teleporting Claw to safety and told Occulas that since his lifeforce powered his spells, his death would undue them. Occulas panicked as Miftung passed on and Castle Darkmorn crashed to the ground. Claw observed the wreckage, and although he felt deprived of killing Occulas by his own hand he was at least pleased that his parents were avenged and the whole ordeal was behind him.

(Claw The Unconquered #12) - One of the dark gods visited the wreckage of Castle Darkmorn and found Occulas’ corpse. The god said he and his brethren had overestimated Occulas’ usefulness to them, but they wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

Comments: Created by David Michelinie & Ernie Chan.