SOCUS

Real Name: Socus

Identity/Class: Uncertain (see history and comments), Post-Hyborian (and possibly long before) and modern eras

Occupation: Servant/Herald of Suma-Ket

Group Membership: Unforgiven Dead (Artys-Gran, Suma-Ket)

Affiliations: Faceless Ones, Leviathans, Nereids, Old Ones

Enemies: Atlanteans (Homo mermani), Byrrah, Dara, Fen, Kalen, Morel, Namor, Neptune, Olympian Gods, Tamara Rahn, Seth, Tiger Shark, Vashti

Known Relatives: None

Aliases: Halfling

Base of Operations: Currently unknown;
    formerly Atlantis;
    formerly a place north of the Antarctic kingdom of Atlantis

First Appearance: Namor I#34 (January, 1993)
    (named): Namor I#36 (March, 1993)

Powers/Abilities: Socus had occult knowledge and the ability to perform a number of arcane rites. He could either teleport or cross great distances by other means and pass into otherwise closed rooms undetected. He was experienced with knives and spears, usually striking from the shadows with lethal force. His physical abilities are unknown, but he is a dwarf in proportions. His body is adapted to survive at the oceans depths.

History: The origins of Socus and the Unforgiven Dead remain a mystery. Socus is referred to as a halfling, perhaps referring either to his genetics (being of two races) or his size.

(Namor I#36 (fb) - BTS - Namor I#37 (fb) - BTS / Namor I#38(fb) - BTS) <5800 BC (see comments)> - The Unforgiven Dead came from the North as the saviors of the city of Atlantis. Ket claimed his people to be wise men who could rid Atlantis of the plague of the Faceless Ones; in return, they wished merely to settle among them. After the Faceless Ones were driven off, the Unforgiven Dead took over the city, and the Atlanteans followed Ket in slaying their king, the son of Kamuu, and proclaiming Ket their king. Under his rule the city degenerated into darkness and depravity, worshipping the Old Ones.

(Namor I#38 (fb) - BTS) - Kalen, grandson of Kamuu and wearer of the sacred armor of Atlantis, returned to Atlantis after a long journey and beheld his people's plight. He urged his people to return to the ways of Neptune; in anger, Kalen slew one of Ket's tribe as she prepared to sacrifice yet another child to her thirsty gods. That act rallied Atlantis, and the people rose up against Ket and Artys-Gran and all their dark court.

(Namor I#38 (fb)) - Artys-Gran, last of the Unforgiven Dead, was slain and her body hidden. In this way, Suma-Ket's covenant with his dark gods was broken.

(Namor I#36 (fb) - BTS) - As Ket fell, he prophesied that he would return when the blood of his people possessed the blood of Kalen.
    There they waited for millennia, forgotten, save in myth and legend.

(Namor I#39 (fb)) - Socus located the dying Fen amongst the ruins of Atlantis (destroyed by Paul Destine). He took her to a place of evil and somehow transferred the spirit of Artys-Gran into the body of Fen, switching Fen's spirit into Gran's body. This initiated the first part of Ket's prophecy.

(Namor I#36 (fb) - BTS) - Within a chamber of the Faceless Ones, Socus watched over "Fen" (now Artys-Gran) and the newly arrived Seth.

(Namor I#34) - In a castle some distance from Atlantis, Socus asked a guard to see Byrrah, but was turned away. Nonetheless, Socus then appeared in Byrrah's chambers, claiming to be an ambassador of a mighty lord, and telling Byrrah that the Old Ones were returning. Socus also visited Seth, telling him that his escape from the Faceless Ones was in vain and that the Old Ones were returning.

(Namor I#35) - Socus convinced Byrrah to follow him to "the dark depths, to your far kinsmen, to the old ones." Upon arriving, Byrrah recognized the location as the place of dark waters, the forbidden place. Socus told him it was forbidden to all save the invited, and that Byrrah had been summoned. Byrrah argued that the place was unholy, and they were then approached by the Unforgiven Dead (never truly dead nor quite living) who had come to offer Byrrah greatness. As Byrrah inquired what they were offering, Socus reminded Byrrah that he was a true prince of the lineage and that he could be sitting on the throne of Atlantis. Socus then revealed the Unforgiven Dead's offering for Byrrah: A glorious death. Socus slashed Byrrah's throat with his blade, and his royal blood drifted through the waters, touching the doors to the Grey Waters, which then opened. Socus welcomed his dread lord back into the world of the living.

(Namor I#36) - Socus stood by Suma-Ket as he called back the first of his lost host, the Nereid. Suma-Ket expressed his pleasure with Socus' work, and Socus told him how he had long nurtured Artys-Gran and sought the proper vessel for her that was both pleasing and powerful, and that all had come to fruition. Within Atlantis, Socus appeared before "Fen," expressing his concern that Artys-Gran did not clearly control her form. Artys assured him that it was otherwise, and she ordered the death of Seth. Socus told her he would send the Nereid, and she instructed him to also send them to slay Tiger Shark. Namor and his allies helped Seth and Tiger Shark fight off the Nereid.

(Namor I#37) - As Suma-Ket prepared to confront Namor, Socus cautioned him that Ket was not yet at his full strength and that the prophecies had never spoken of one such as Namor. Nonetheless, Socus stood behind Suma-Ket when he confronted Namor and skewered him through the chest with a sacred blade. Socus then detected that Fen was fighting Artys-Gran's control, and he instructed Ket that they must leave immediately. Socus and Ket then teleported away, after which Neptune himself appeared and revived Namor, arming him with the armor of Kalen.

(Namor I#38) - Socus stood by Ket's side as he amassed the Unforgiven Dead, preparing for their assault on Atlantis. Their people then blew their trumpets, summoning ancient leviathans from beneath the ocean floor.

(Namor I#39) - Suma-Ket again complemented Socus for what he had accomplished, and Socus told him that he lived but to serve, and how everything he had done had been to prepare for this day in which Ket would again claim the throne of Neptune. When Dara tried to stop the Artys-Gran-possessed Fen, he was slain as a traitor for assaulting the queen, and his blood fulfilled the sacrifice necessary for the Unforgiven Dead to enter the city.

(Namor I#40) - As Ket and Artys-Gran were reunited, they again praised Socus, who asked in return that he be allowed to make the first sacrifice on their temple steps. However, the true Fen (in Artys-Gran's form) then appeared alongside Namor and Seth, and Seth slew the Artys-Gran-possessed Fen, killing Artys-Gran. When Namor rallied his people against the Unforgiven Dead, Ket expressed his doubts to Socus. Namor later slew Ket and the Unforgiven Dead crumbled to dust. As the Atlanteans claimed victory, Socus struck from the shadows, hurling his spear at Namor, but the true Fen (in Artys-Gran's form) leapt in its path, dying in her son's place.
    Socus escaped in the shadows, but as the Faceless Ones fed on the fallen Unforgiven Dead, his weeping could be heard off in the distance.

Comments: Created by Bob Harras and Jae Lee.

Several statements refer to the Unforgiven Dead having been imprisoned for 5000 years, but the true date of their imprisonment can be defined by the statement that the Unforgiven Dead arrived in Atlantis in the third decade (20-30 years) after the death of Kamuu, the first king of sunken Atlantis. Kamuu was king around 6000 BC (12000 years after the Great Cataclysm in 18000 BC), and Atlanteans have lifespans around 150 or so years, so 5900-5800 BC would seem like the time of their arrival (meaning they had been imprisoned for closer to 8000 years).

The origins of the Unforgiven Dead were not clearly identified.

• It would seem most likely that they were a nomadic Homo mermani tribe that worshipped the Old Ones (such as Shuma-Gorath, Cthulu, etc.) and degenerated in appearance and form.
• They also might have been humans transformed into amphibious form via such worship.
• They might have been one of the Elder races, who existed before the dawn of humanity.
• They might have been a race that traveled to Earth from a distant planet, dimension, etc.
• Were they reanimated dead people, or was it just a fancy name?
• Maybe they were the spawn of Dagon?

The Unforgiven Dead were also known as the Old Ones, but I'll refer to them as the Unforgiven Dead to clarify them from the demonic race of Old Ones as described above, whom they apparently worshipped. At one point, Ket is described as worshipping the Elder Gods, but I'd ASSume that to be just confusing the nomenclature, though none of their gods are actually named.
    See Elder Gods for clarification.

Good pictures of Scous are hard to come by, as he was always off in the shadows and always in that cloak.

Profile by Snood.

CLARIFICATIONS:
No known connection to:

• Fool, another dwarfish assistant created by Bob Harras around this time--Avengers I#334
• other "Soc" characters

images:
Namor I#40, p4, panel 4 (face)
    #38, p5, panel 1 (body)

Namor I#34-37 (January-April, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Jae Lee (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor I#38 (May, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Jae Lee (pencils), Bill Sienkiewicz, Shawn McManus, Chris Ivy, Malcolm Jones & Jimmy Palmiotti (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor I#39 (June, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Jimmy Palmiotti (pencils), Howard Rourke (inks), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Namor I#40 (July, 1993) - Bob Harras (writer), Scott Kolins (artist), Terry Kavanagh (editor)

Last updated: 06/20/05

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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