Oro Invictus



The Oro Invictus, or "invincible voice" in Latin are the primary antagonists of the Condemned series of video games. The Oro are a cult whose exact origins are unknown, but are known to have existed since ancient times. While the Oro's goals are shrouded in mystery, it is known that they intend to cause chaos, as they believe it will act as a catalyst for further human evolution. They believe this evolution is necessary to protect humanity from a threat whose identity is presumably known only to the highest echelons of the cult, as even Agent Dorland, a high ranking Oro member does not know the identity of this threat.

Agent Ethan Thomas of the FBI's serial crimes unit first encounters the Oro after being framed for a crime he did not commit, a crime actually committed by Leland Vanhorn, also known as Serial Killer X. Ethan engages several Oro Assassins in combat, all of who seem to fight using a stick-fighting technique similar to the Filipino martial art of eskrima. It is not until after Ethan kills a high-ranking Oro member that it is revealed that a cult is involved in the recent crime wave in the city, and the Oro are not mentioned by name.

Ethan first encounters the Oro's sonic emitters in Condemned 2: Bloodshot. The sonic emitters emit a frequency known to destabilize already violent individuals, increasing their likelihood of committing murder or other violent crimes. These emissions are the primary weapon of the Oro in their mission to manipulate humanity.

Ethan first hears of the Oro by name in "Magic Theater" level, and shortly afterwards learns that, in addition to mechanical emitters, the Oro are capable of emitting sonic emissions through their own bodies with the aid of surgical implants. These sonic emissions are used as weapons by Oro members, as they can be lethal in large doses.

The Oro plan to eliminate Ethan because they view him as a threat because of his mutated vocal chords, which allow him to produce more destructive sonic emissions capable of instantly killing a human. The Oro believe that a man with ability known as "the remedy" is destined to challenge their power, and he therefore must be eliminated.

The Oro is shown to possess considerable power, including command over SCU SWAT teams, which Ethan engages in combat multiple times, and include the Mayor of Metro City, the director of the SCU, and even the President of the US among their members. They also can produce technologies related to sonic emissions so advanced that they are mistaken for alien technology by a radio host investigating the mysterious crime wave in the city.

The Oro's primary base in Metro City was the hull of an abandoned ship, which they filled with numerous machines for controlling their sonic emitters, as well as the central node for a network of surveillance cameras mounted around the city. This base is destroyed when Ethan overloads the power source of a large machine, possibly powering or controlling the emitters in the city, causing the entire facility explode.

As the ships hull crumbles around him, Ethan fights and defeats Agent Dorland, a former colleague who reveals himself to be a member of the Oro.