Hand Of Vecna
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Vecna ( ) is a fictional character appearing in the ''
Dungeons & Dragons ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
''
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role-playing game A role-playing game (sometimes spelled roleplaying game, or abbreviated as RPG) is a game in which players assume the roles of player character, characters in a fictional Setting (narrative), setting. Players take responsibility for acting out ...
. Vecna has been named one of the greatest
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in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. Originally appearing in the ''
Greyhawk Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
''
campaign setting A campaign setting is a setting for a tabletop role-playing game or wargame campaign. Most campaign settings are fictional worlds; however, some are historical or contemporary real-world locations. A '' campaign'' is a series of individual adve ...
, Vecna was described as a powerful wizard who became a
lich In fantasy fiction, a lich () is a type of undead creature with magical powers. Various works of fantasy fiction, such as Clark Ashton Smith's " The Empire of the Necromancers" (1932), had used ''lich'' as a general term for any corpse, animat ...
. He was eventually destroyed, and his left hand and left eye were the only parts of his body to survive. Even after the character achieved godhood—being a member of the third edition's default pantheon of ''D&D'' gods (the pantheon of
Oerth Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
) Tweet, Jonathan, Cook, Monte, Williams, Skip. ''
Player's Handbook The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (
Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
, 2000)
—he is still described as missing both his left eye and left hand. Vecna's holy symbol is an eye in the palm of a left hand. Vecna's "right-hand man", who ultimately became his betrayer, is
Kas the Bloody-Handed This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk Campaign setting (Dungeons & Dragons), campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons), wizard who b ...
, a
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whose sword, the ''
Sword of Kas This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. Publication history Acererak ...
'', is also an artifact.


Publication history


Original ''Dungeons & Dragons''

In ''
Eldritch Wizardry ''Eldritch Wizardry'' is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core ga ...
'' (1976), the third supplement to the original ''Dungeons & Dragons'' rules,
Brian Blume Brian John Blume (January 12, 1950 – March 27, 2020) was an American game designer and writer, principally known as a former business partner of Gary Gygax at TSR, Inc., original publishers of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons' ...
invented two artifacts he called the Hand and
Eye of Vecna Vecna ( ) is a fictional character appearing in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Vecna has been named one of the greatest villains in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. Originally appearing in the ''Greyhawk'' campaign ...
. These were supposedly the only remnants of an evil
lich In fantasy fiction, a lich () is a type of undead creature with magical powers. Various works of fantasy fiction, such as Clark Ashton Smith's " The Empire of the Necromancers" (1932), had used ''lich'' as a general term for any corpse, animat ...
, Vecna, who had been destroyed long ago. "The book contains no more detail on Vecna other than the fact that Kas was his bodyguard". The name Vecna was an anagram of Vance, the surname of
Jack Vance John Holbrook Vance (August 28, 1916 – May 26, 2013) was an American mystery, fantasy, and science fiction writer. He also wrote several mystery novels under pen names, including Ellery Queen. Vance won the World Fantasy Award for Life Ach ...
, the fantasy author whose works inspired the
magic system Magic systems in games are the rules, limitations, abilities, and characteristics that define magic in a game. Magic points A magic point, sometimes known as a mana point, often abbreviated to MP, is a unit of measure that indicates either or ...
used in ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The Hand and Eye of Vecna on the other hand were inspired by similar items that appear in the ''
Eternal Champion The Eternal Champion is a fictional character created by British author Michael Moorcock and is a recurrent feature in many of his speculative fiction works. General overview Many of Moorcock's novels and short stories take place in a shared ...
'' series by
Michael Moorcock Michael John Moorcock (born 18 December 1939) is an English writer, particularly of science fiction and fantasy, who has published a number of well-received literary novels as well as comic thrillers, graphic novels and non-fiction. He has wo ...
(the Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn). On the artifacts,
Gary Gygax Ernest Gary Gygax ( ; July 27, 1938 – March 4, 2008) was an American game designer and author best known for co-creating the pioneering tabletop role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') with Dave Arneson. In the 1960s, Gygax creat ...
later said, "nary a detail of those items did lumeever reveal to me".


1st edition

The Hand and Eye of Vecna were then mentioned in the first edition ''
Dungeon Master's Guide The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' (''DMG'' or ''DM's Guide''; in some printings, the ''Dungeon Masters Guide'' or ''Dungeon Master Guide'') is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' co ...
'' (1979) on page 124. During the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' years, Vecna was regarded only as a legend or myth, a long-destroyed legendary lich of great power, only able to threaten player characters who dared to use his Hand and Eye.


2nd edition

Ten years later, in
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition Several different editions of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game have been produced since 1974. The current publisher of ''D&D'', Wizards of the Coast, produces new materials only for the most current edition of the ga ...
's ''
Dungeon Master's Guide The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' (''DMG'' or ''DM's Guide''; in some printings, the ''Dungeon Masters Guide'' or ''Dungeon Master Guide'') is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' co ...
'' (1989), Vecna's history was expanded under the description of his Hand. With the release of the adventure '' Vecna Lives!'' in 1990, written in support of '' The City of Greyhawk'' boxed set, Vecna finally appeared in person, reimagined as a demigod, and the chief antagonist of the adventure. At the end of the adventure—presuming the players defeat Vecna—he is transported to the ''
Ravenloft Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a '' pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land piece ...
'' campaign setting. Vecna's history, via his artifacts, was also further developed in the supplemental sourcebook ''
Book of Artifacts ''The Book of Artifacts'' (abbreviated as BoA) is a supplemental sourcebook to the core rules of the second edition of the ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. This book, published by TSR, Inc. in 1993, details 50 differen ...
'' (1993). After the publication of ''Vecna Lives!'' (1990), "Vecna disappeared throughout the rest of the '90s, until ''Domains of Dread'' (1997)" which confirmed his new location in the realm of Ravenloft. However, it wasn't until 1998 that there was a Ravenloft-centered follow-through, ''Vecna Reborn''. In 2000,
Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
released the last adventure to be written for the 2nd edition ruleset, ''
Die Vecna Die! ''Die Vecna Die!'' is an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ''(AD&D 2nd edition) module released in 2000 ...
'', a three-part adventure tying Greyhawk to the
Ravenloft Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a '' pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land piece ...
and
Planescape ''Planescape'' is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, designed by David Cook (game designer), Zeb Cook, and published by TSR, Inc., TSR in 1994. Description ''Planescape'' encompasses numerous Plane (Dun ...
campaign settings. In this adventure, Vecna was given the rank of a lesser god. ''Die Vecna Die!'' set up the transition between the
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and
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editions of D&D. According to Shannon Appelcline, the adventure "touched upon the oldest locales and the most ancient myths of the ''D&D'' game" by involving the Eye and Hand of Vecna and using them to oppose Iuz the cambion demigod.


3rd and 3.5 edition

Wizards of the Coast continued the character's theme of ascending godhood in Dungeons & Dragons Third Edition (2000–2002) with the ''Player's Handbook'' (2000) listing him as a Lesser deity. Third Edition further raised Vecna's profile in the game, making him a member of the game's "core pantheon". Vecna's alignment was changed from Lawful Evil to Neutral Evil in Third Edition, and no in-game explanation has surfaced. Vecna's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the ''
Living Greyhawk Gazetteer The ''Living Greyhawk Gazetteer'' (''LGG'') is a sourcebook for the ''World of Greyhawk'' campaign setting for the Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition, 3rd edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. Despite ...
'' (2000). Vecna is detailed in ''
Deities and Demigods ''Deities & Demigods'' (abbreviated ''DDG''), alternatively known as ''Legends & Lore'' (abbreviated ''L&L'' or ''LL''), is a reference book for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game (D&D). The book provides descriptions and game ...
'' (2002). On the deities of the Greyhawk setting, Matthew Attanasio, for '' CBR'', wrote, "Vecna, a lich who hordes icdark secrets, covets incredible power and holds dominion over the undead, is perhaps the most infamous of these deities". Vecna appears in the revised ''Player's Handbook'' (2003) for Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003–2007). His priesthood is detailed for this edition in ''
Complete Divine ''Complete Divine'' is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast. It replaces and expands upon earlier rulebooks entitled '' Masters of the Wild'' and ...
'' (2004). Vecna was one of the deities featured in ''
Libris Mortis ''Libris Mortis: The Book of Undead'' is a book which is an official supplement for the Editions of Dungeons & Dragons#Dungeons & Dragons v3.5, 3.5 edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. The book covers the fictional Undead (Dun ...
'' (2004). Vecna and his priesthood were expanded upon in ''
Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
'' #348, in the "Core Beliefs" column.


4th edition

Vecna appears as one of the deities described in the 2008 ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' for Dungeons & Dragons 4th edition. He is primarily the god of secrets. The Hand of Vecna has also made its return for this edition of the game. Vecna was given a set of statistics in ''
Open Grave ''Open Grave'' is a 2013 American post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, starring Sharlto Copley and Thomas Kretschmann, Joseph Morgan, Erin Richards, Josie Ho, and Max Wrottesley in supporting roles. Josie Ho plays t ...
'' (2008). Vecna was the name of the Wizards of the Coast's server that hosted and handled the new online character builder tool.


5th edition

In the 5th Edition ''
Dungeon Master's Guide The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' (''DMG'' or ''DM's Guide''; in some printings, the ''Dungeon Masters Guide'' or ''Dungeon Master Guide'') is a book of rules for the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The ''Dungeon Master's Guide'' co ...
(''2014), Vecna appears as a member of the "Dawn War Pantheon" which is mostly derived from the 4th Edition pantheon. He is also included in the ''
Player's Handbook The ''Player's Handbook'' (spelled ''Players Handbook'' in first edition ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons'' (''AD&D'')) is the name given to one of the core rulebooks in every edition of the fantasy role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') ...
'' (2014) as one of the deities of Greyhawk. In both, he is listed as the god of evil secrets. Additionally, both his hand and eye are listed as artifacts. In the ''
Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide ''Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide'' is a supplement to the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game. Publication history ''Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide'' was written by Joseph Carriker, Brian Cortijo, and Jeremy Crawford, ...
'' (2015), Vecna is mentioned as a possible God for the Arcana Cleric Domain, as well as a Warlock patron of the Undying. In the
Exandria The flexibility of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') game rules means that Dungeon Masters (DM) are free to create their own fantasy campaign settings. For those who wanted a pre-packaged setting in which to play, TSR, Inc., TSR, Wizards of ...
setting, Vecna is a Betrayer God also known as the Whispered One. He was introduced to this setting in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' web series ''
Critical Role ''Critical Role'' is an American web series in which a group of professional voice actors play ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The show started streaming partway through the cast's first campaign in March 2015. Campaign one ended in October 2017 aft ...
'' as the main villain in the last arc of the first campaign. However, the events of ''Critical Role'' were not added to the official ''Dungeons & Dragons''
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until
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's character Arkhan was added to the adventure module '' Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus'' (2019). Further details on Vox Machina's fight with Vecna were then included in the official campaign sourcebook ''
Explorer's Guide to Wildemount ''Explorer's Guide to Wildemount'' is a sourcebook that details the continent of Wildemount from the ''Critical Role'' campaign setting for the 5th edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Matthew Mercer, creator of the s ...
'' (2020) along with details on Vecna's enemies and his commandments. In June 2022, Wizards of the Coast released the ''Vecna Dossier'' as a digital exclusive on
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. This included background information and a 5th Edition statblock for Vecna in the updated style of the edition. This iteration is of Vecna as an archlich before his ascension to godhood. Vecna is the main villain of the adventure module ''Vecna: Eve of Ruin'', released in May 2024. This module also launches a new storyline that will "play out over a five year period, with other adventures bringing back more classic D&D villains".


Related artifacts


''Hand'' and ''Eye of Vecna''

The left hand and eye of Vecna's original "mortal" lich form, which have never been replaced in his later more powerful incarnations, are now high-valued and very dangerous magical artifacts. To use the powers of the Hand of Vecna or the Eye of Vecna one is required to cut off one's own corresponding body part and affix Vecna's in its place. "The new bearer of the Eye or Hand (or both) will gain access to powerful spell-like abilities, but the items will slowly corrupt them, turning them evil over time". These artifacts were introduced in the third supplement to the original D&D rules, ''
Eldritch Wizardry ''Eldritch Wizardry'' is a supplementary rulebook by Gary Gygax and Brian Blume, written for the original edition of the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' (''D&D'') fantasy role-playing game, which included a number of significant additions to the core ga ...
''. They went on to appear in all subsequent D&D editions. They are considered classic items in D&D, with Mordicai Knode of
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commenting "We all agree that the ''Hand and Eye of Vecna'' are the best artifacts, right?" Scott Baird, for ''
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'', highlighted the risk of the items and stated that "a ''D&D'' party that finds one can find itself torn apart. The reputation of these items precedes them and many good adventurers would want to destroy the Eye or Hand of Vecna, but there is always the temptation of power. More importantly, the player will be tempted, simply so they can brag that they used these famous items in a campaign". Joe Manganiello's character Arkhan fought against Vecna with the adventuring party Vox Machina in the web series ''Critical Role''. He then stole the Hand of Vecna and replaced his own hand with the artifact. In ''Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus'' (2019), Arkhan is attempting to master the Hand of Vecna in hopes of freeing
Tiamat In Mesopotamian religion, Tiamat ( or , ) is the primordial sea, mating with Abzû (Apsu), the groundwater, to produce the gods in the Babylonian epic '' Enûma Elish'', which translates as "when on high". She is referred to as a woman, an ...
, however, the artifact is slowly corrupting and decomposing his left side.


''Sword of Kas''

Vecna created the ''
Sword of Kas This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. Publication history Acererak ...
'' for his greatest servant, which contains a "portion of his consciousness." This interpretation is relatively recent. As per the 1st edition ''Dungeon Master's Guide'', Vecna only procured this most powerful sword for his chief lieutenant. Similarly, depending on edition and source, its appearance has varied, from a short sword to a wavy bladed two hander. However, it is consistently depicted that the ''Sword'' is inextricably tied to Vecna's relics. "The reason why Vecna only has a single eye and hand is due to a betrayal by Kas", who used the sword against his former master. "In the third edition of ''Dungeons & Dragons,'' the Sword of Kas is a ''+6 unholy keen vorpal longsword'' that grants a +10 modifier to the Strength score of its wielder".


Other artifacts

A number of Vecna's other body parts are presented as minor artifacts in ''
Die Vecna Die! ''Die Vecna Die!'' is an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ''(AD&D 2nd edition) module released in 2000 ...
'', including the ''First Digit'' (right thumb), ''Second Digit'' (right index finger), ''Third Digit'' (right middle finger), ''Last Digit'' (right pinky finger), ''Incisors'' (a pair of inappropriately named fang-like canines), ''Molar'', ''Scalp'', ''Skin'', ''Heart'', ''Foot'' (left), and ''Right Eye''. These artifacts are collectively known in D&D 3rd Edition as the ''Fragments of Vecna''. The ''Compendium Maleficarum'' is a book of spells, doctrines, and secrets crafted entirely from bone (even the pages) and penned in blood, that is on par with the ''Fragments of Vecna''. The ''Tome of Shared Secrets'' is an illustrated bestiary of relic status, with the ability to impart knowledge of dark and evil creatures at the cost of a portion the user's life force. Those two books were superseded in 5th edition by a combined ''Book of Vile Darkness'', a legacy of dark secrets started by Vecna. The ''Rod of the Whispered One'', while not nearly so powerful as the ''Sword of Kas'', is another item Vecna crafted to connect himself with his highest lieutenants. The final issue of Dragon Magazine, issue #359, featured rules for the "Left Ear of Vecna" as a minor artifact. It grants the owner magical bonuses to hearing and resisting sonic attacks, spell-like abilities to inflict deafness, grant clairaudience and create sonic blasts, and enables them to understand any spoken language. A lich known as Osterneth possesses the "Heart of Vecna" according to the ''Open Grave'' sourcebook.


''Head of Vecna''

The ''Head of Vecna'' was a hoax that one adventuring party played on another in a campaign run by
game master A gamemaster (GM; also known as game master, game manager, game moderator, referee, storyteller, or master of ceremonies) is a person who acts as a facilitator, organizer, officiant regarding rules, arbitrator, and moderator for a multiplayer r ...
Mark Steuer. One of the groups tricked the other into going on a quest for the ''Head of Vecna'', a hoax artifact that was supposedly similar to his ''Hand'' and ''Eye'', but was simply an ordinary severed head. The hoax takes advantage of the fact that the ''Eye'' and ''Hand'' require a person to remove their own eye or hand and replace it with the artifact to function. The characters involved in the story reasoned that they needed to decapitate themselves to gain the powers of the Head of Vecna, and several members of the group actually fought over which character would get to have his head cut off and replaced. After the third character died, the joke was revealed. In the 1999 ''Dungeons & Dragons''
role-playing video game Role-playing video games, also known as CRPG (computer/console role-playing games), comprise a broad video game genre generally defined by a detailed story and character advancement (often through increasing characters' levels or other skills) ...
'' Planescape: Torment'', Fall-From-Grace (a celibate succubus) asks Morte (a disembodied floating skull) "What are you?", to which Morte replies "Me? I'm the head of Vecna." A similar conversation between the two involves Morte saying "It's a long story involving the head of Vecna. I don't want to talk about it." Grace responds with an amused "That was you?" Also in the same game, the ''Eye of Vecna'' is a rare item dropped by a greater glabrezu. The ''Head of Vecna'' made a canonical appearance in the AD&D 2nd edition module ''
Die Vecna Die! ''Die Vecna Die!'' is an ''Advanced Dungeons & Dragons ''(AD&D 2nd edition) module released in 2000 ...
'' (2000), and was the subject of a short adventure on the Wizards of the Coast website in 2007. Familiarity with the ''Head of Vecna'' was cited as an example characteristic of an avid role-playing gamer by writer David M. Ewalt.


Fictional history


Description

Vecna is usually depicted as a powerful magician resembling a desiccated corpse missing his left
hand A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the Koala#Characteristics, koala (which has two thumb#O ...
and
eye An eye is a sensory organ that allows an organism to perceive visual information. It detects light and converts it into electro-chemical impulses in neurons (neurones). It is part of an organism's visual system. In higher organisms, the ey ...
. A constant theme in the adventures in which the character appears is Vecna's never-ending quest for power, ending, should he succeed, with Vecna as the only deity in existence.


Character biography

Vecna was born as a human, centuries ago as a member of the untouchable caste in the Flan city of Fleeth on
Oerth Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
. He was initially trained by his mother, Mazzel, in the art of
magic Magic or magick most commonly refers to: * Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces ** ''Magick'' (with ''-ck'') can specifically refer to ceremonial magic * Magic (illusion), also known as sta ...
, before she was executed by the government of Fleeth for practicing witchcraft. Vowing revenge, Vecna eventually assumed a mastery of the dark arts achieved by no mortal before or since. Some say this achievement was due to direct tutelage by Mok'slyk the Serpent, believed to be the personification of arcane magic itself. Nearly one thousand years after his birth, Vecna, now a
lich In fantasy fiction, a lich () is a type of undead creature with magical powers. Various works of fantasy fiction, such as Clark Ashton Smith's " The Empire of the Necromancers" (1932), had used ''lich'' as a general term for any corpse, animat ...
and ruler of a great and terrible empire (in the Sheldomar Valley, centered near the modern-day Rushmoors), laid siege to the city of Fleeth with an army of arcane spellcasters and undead. Legend has it that Vecna was nearly slain in this battle by clerics channeling the power of
Pholtus This is a list of deities from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Al'Akbar Al'Akbar is the Baklunish demigod of dignity, duty, faithfulness, and guardianship. His symbol is a cup and ei ...
, the god of light. The clerics unleashed a great burst of light, which hit Vecna primarily on his left side. Vecna was rescued and brought to safety by one of his wizard generals, a cambion named
Acererak This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. Publication history Acererak ...
(who would one day himself become a mighty demilich). Vecna eventually recovered. On the verge of conquering Fleeth, the officials of the city came before him to beg for mercy. They offered up the entire city and her wealth if only Vecna would spare the lives of her citizens. When Vecna was not satisfied, the officials offered their own lives. Vecna gave one of their number, Artau, and his family, over to his lieutenant, Kas, who spent the entire day torturing and murdering them before the other officials. Still unsatisfied, Vecna slaughtered all within the city, and had their heads stacked before the officials, with those of their family members prominent. Vecna then granted his mercy, granting the officials leave to depart, and promising them his protection for the rest of their lives. At his empire's height, Vecna was betrayed and destroyed by his most trusted lieutenant, a vampire called
Kas the Bloody-Handed This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk Campaign setting (Dungeons & Dragons), campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons), wizard who b ...
, using a magical sword that Vecna himself had crafted for him, now known as the
Sword of Kas This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. Publication history Acererak ...
. Only his left hand and his eye survived the battle, perhaps because of the previous events in Fleeth. Vecna did not stay gone forever, and rose as a
demigod A demigod is a part-human and part-divine offspring of a deity and a human, or a human or non-human creature that is accorded divine status after death, or someone who has attained the "divine spark" (divine illumination). An immortality, immor ...
of magic and secrets in the world of
Greyhawk Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
. In 581 CY, his cult helped set events in motion that would have granted him the power of a greater god, but the plan was ultimately foiled. After these events, Vecna ended up imprisoned in the demiplane of
Ravenloft Ravenloft is a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' roleplaying game. It is an alternate time-space existence known as a '' pocket dimension'' or demiplane, called the Demiplane of Dread, which consists of a collection of land piece ...
, but broke free again later, emerging with the power of a greater god, after absorbing the power of Iuz. He then broke free into the city of
Sigil A sigil () is a type of symbol used in magic. The term usually refers to a pictorial signature of a spirit (such as an angel, demon, or deity). In modern usage, especially in the context of chaos magic, a sigil refers to a symbolic represen ...
, where he came perilously close to rearranging all existence to his whims. (Vecna's
multiverse The multiverse is the hypothetical set of all universes. Together, these universes are presumed to comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describ ...
shattering campaign in Sigil is used as an in-universe way to explain the differences between the 2nd and 3rd editions of ''Dungeons & Dragons.'') When Vecna was ejected from Sigil by a party of adventurers, Iuz was freed and Vecna returned to Oerth greatly reduced in power, though still a lesser god. In the events of the
Living Greyhawk Living Greyhawk (LG) was a massively shared ''Dungeons & Dragons'' Living Campaigns, living campaign administered by RPGA that ran from 2000 to 2008. The campaign setting and storyline were based on Gary Gygax's Greyhawk, World of Greyhawk settin ...
campaign setting, Vecna's machinations allowed him to reappear on the prime material plane and retake his place in the Oerth pantheon.


Writings

At some point in his history, Vecna penned a tome known as ''Ordinary Necromancy''. He is also rumored to have made significant additions to the ''
Book of Vile Darkness ''Book of Vile Darkness'' is an optional supplemental sourcebook for the 3rd edition of the role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The book was written by Monte Cook and published by Wizards of the Coast on October 1, 2002. Described as a "det ...
''.


Fictional relationships

Vecna has few allies, and countless enemies. In 2nd and 3rd Edition, his greatest, and perhaps only true ally is the mysterious entity known as the Serpent. In 4th edition, the Open Grave book introduces Osterneth, the Bronze Lich, as the mightiest servant of Vecna. The famed
cambion In European mythology and literature, a cambion () is the offspring produced from a human–demon sexual union, typically involving an incubus or a succubus. In the word's earliest known uses, it was interchangeable with changeling. Changelings ...
lich,
Acererak This is a list of characters from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Acererak Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. Publication history Acererak ...
, once served Vecna, but the current status of their relationship is unknown. Among Vecna's staunchest foes are Kas, Iuz,
Saint Cuthbert Cuthbert of Lindisfarne () ( – 20 March 687) was a saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Northumbria ...
, the Lady of Pain,
Pholtus This is a list of deities from the Greyhawk campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. A Al'Akbar Al'Akbar is the Baklunish demigod of dignity, duty, faithfulness, and guardianship. His symbol is a cup and ei ...
, and the
Circle of Eight Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
. He is also opposed by the Old Faith and the Silent Ones. In 4th edition, Vecna's main foes in the realm of death and undeath are Kas,
Orcus Orcus was a god of the underworld, punisher of broken oaths in Etruscan and Roman mythology. As with Hades, the name of the god was also used for the underworld itself. Eventually, he was conflated with Dis Pater and Pluto. A temple to Orcus ma ...
and the Raven Queen (though he would rather she rule the dead than Orcus). Among the gods, Ioun is something of Vecna's antithesis, for she would share with the world all the knowledge he would keep secret.


Worshippers

Vecna's cult is very secretive, and cells have been uncovered, at various points in history, in Diamond Lake,
Greyhawk Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
, and
Verbobonc Greyhawk, also known as the World of Greyhawk, is a fictional world designed as a campaign setting for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. Although not the first campaign world developed for ''Dungeons & Dragons''—Dave Arneson' ...
. Temples to Vecna have also been reported in the Pomarj town of Highport and
Erelhei-Cinlu The drow ( or ) or dark elves are a dark-skinned and white-haired subrace of elves connected to the subterranean Underdark in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy roleplaying game. The drow have traditionally been portrayed as generally evil and c ...
, the debased city at the heart of the
Vault of the Drow Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosure ...
.


Scriptures

Being a secretive cult, there are no real collections of Vecnan teachings. However, copies of the ''Book of Vile Darkness'' are highly prized by the cult for Vecna's role in that work's development. The ''Open Grave'' book offers the "Scroll of Mauthereign", which offers a twisted version of Vecna's history and tells his followers that committing evil acts is holy and righteous. Although not actually penned by Vecna, ''the Book of Keeping'' (a book of Yugoloth summoning) is heavily linked with the cult of Vecna, as the cultists have the only known copies that are free of the intentional errors introduced into the book by the fiends that wrote the volume as a trap for would-be summoners.


Hierarchy

Each position in Vecna's cult is named for a certain body part. At the top is Vecna himself, followed by the Voice of Vecna, which can only be filled by Vecna's manifestation. Next is the Heart of Vecna, the high priest of the cult. The last known Heart of Vecna was Diraq Malcinex of Ket, who was slain by adventurers in 581 CY. Immediately below the Heart of Vecna are two bizarre monsters known as the Hand and the Eye. The Eye of Vecna creature appears as a slender humanoid with an eyeball for a head, whereas the Hand of Vecna appears as a stocky humanoid with a huge left hand where its head should be. Individual congregations are known as organs. Each organ is led by a Thought of Vecna. Lesser priests are known as Memories of Vecna. Lay members of the cult consist of the Teeth, Fingers, Blood, and Spawn of Vecna. The Teeth of Vecna are made up of wizards, and specialize in arcane spellcasting and crafting magical items for the cult. The Fingers of Vecna consist mainly of
thieves Theft (, cognate to ) is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal short ...
, who engage in various forms of subterfuge. The Blood of Vecna are mainly
warriors A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...
charged with protection and enforcement of the cult and its goals. The Spawn of Vecna are the lowest in the cult hierarchy, and consist of the common people who honor the Lich Lord. In 4th edition, the ''Open Grave'' book shows the leader of the cult of Vecna is a lich named Mauthereign. Even when Osterneth, the Bronze Lich, is Vecna's mightiest servant, her position is not revealed among his files.


Other Vecnan organizations

Other Vecnan organizations are known to exist outside of the mainstream cult, and some may have similar or identical names. Relations between these groups and the mainstream cult may vary. Known examples are the Eyes of Vecna (a cult of undeath consisting mainly of rogues), the Fingers of Vecna (Vecna's personal guard), and the
Ebon Triad The ''Age of Worms'' Adventure Path (or simply ''Age of Worms'') is the second Adventure Path for the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game, published over twelve installments from July 2005 through June 2006 in ''Dungeon'' magazine. A campai ...
(a heretical cult seeking to merge Vecna, Hextor, and Erythnul into a single entity). In 4th edition, a secret group known as the Keepers of the Forbidden Lore is devoted to Vecna. Unlike most Vecna worshippers, the Keepers reject most of the nasty and evil rituals and beliefs associated with the god; they worship him as the God of Secrets, and believe that there is some knowledge too evil for the world to know. They instead hunt down secrets and information they deem to be too dangerous for the world at large and keep it secret in the name of Vecna. This puts them in opposition to mainstream followers of Vecna who regard the Keepers as heretics, and makes them enemies of Ioun and her followers, who believe all knowledge should be available for everybody and the moral obligations on how to use it rest on the shoulders of the individuals involved.


Reception

In 2013, Alex Lucard, for ''Diehard GameFAN'', highlighted the use of Vecna in two 2nd edition modules: ''Vecna Lives'' (1991) and ''Die Vecna, Die'' (2000). On the second module, Lucard wrote, "I love Vecna and I love Greyhawk. ..Players will encounter some of the most iconic and evil characters in all of ''Dungeons & Dragons'', and have to witness firsthand the end of the Second Edition Universe, and the beginning of Third Edition". Vecna was #2 on ''
Screen Rant ''Screen Rant'' is an entertainment website that offers news in the fields of television, films, video games, and comic books. It is owned by Valnet, parent of publications including Comic Book Resources, Collider, MovieWeb and XDA Developers. ...
'''s 2018 "Dungeons & Dragons: The 15 Most Powerful Villains, Ranked" list — the article highlights the ''Vecna Lives'' (1991) module and states "the players are given the chance to control the members of the Circle of Eight as they investigate a strange burial mound in the Kron Hills. The players then have to watch in horror as the high-level wizards that they are controlling are brutally dealt with .. The players then wake up and realize that they have to succeed where some of the most powerful wizards in the world failed. ''Vecna Lives'' concludes with the players facing off against an avatar of Vecna". In 2019, Jeremy Thomas, for ''411Mania'', wrote "Vecna is one of D&D’s most well-known villainous characters. While his story has evolved slightly over the years, he has always been a powerful undead lich. The original appearance of the Eye and Hand of Vecna was in 1976’s ''Eldritch Wizardry'' and it was said that Vecna was long-since destroyed. He eventually became an antagonist in the world of Greyhawk, reimagined as a lich who attained demigod status. His hand and eye, which were separated from him, are able to be applied to characters to grant great powers at an equally great cost". Vecna was #4 on '' CBR'''s 2020 "10 Unique (& Powerful) Villains To Spice Up A High Level Dungeons & Dragons Campaign" list — the article states that "Once a humble necromancer, he rose all the way to becoming a lich and finally a god through an act of ascension. Resplendent with evil this figure is a god whose domain encompasses the undead and secrets. This villain is the apex of the living dead. A campaign centered around fighting the undead in any established D&D setting could use him as the big bad at the end. He currently doesn't have a stat block in 5e but some homebrew stats exist for him". Vecna was #4 on ''Game Rant'''s 2020 "10 Must-Have NPCs In Dungeons & Dragons Lore To Make Your Campaigns Awesome" list — the article states that "Aside from being a deity himself, Vecna can take on the role of an Undying Patron for Warlocks. Campaigns with a focus on gods, the divine, and the infernal may benefit from having Vecna. Vecna's cunning means he'll likely have a scheme to achieve domination over whatever pantheon he becomes a part of."


In other media

* In ''
Slash'EM ''Slash'EM'' (''Super Lotsa Added Stuff Hack – Extended Magic'') is a variant of the roguelike game ''NetHack'' that offers extra features, monsters, and items. Several of its novel features, such as the Monk class, "conducts" (voluntary ch ...
'', the ''Hand of Vecna'' is a very useful artifact, gained after killing Vecna himself in the Chaotic Quest. *
WizKids NECA/WizKids, LLC (commonly known as simply WizKids) is an American company based in New Jersey that produces tabletop games. WizKids is best known for its collectible miniatures games (CMGs) Mage Knight, HeroClix, MechWarrior, and HorrorCli ...
, a Wizards of the Coast licensee, released a home display version of the Hand and Eye of Vecna in January 2021 as part of their ''D&D Icons of the Realms'' series. In 2022, they released a collectable resin statue of Vecna which includes the ''Book of Vile Darkness'' under his ribcage. *In the '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion set '' Adventures in the Forgotten Realms'' (2021), a player can sacrifice three cards (The Book of Vile Darkness, Eye of Vecna, and Hand of Vecna) to summon Vecna as an "indestructible token" with all of the features of those three cards. *In ''
The Legend of Vox Machina ''The Legend of Vox Machina'' is an American adult animated fantasy action television series produced by Metapigeon, Titmouse, Inc., and Amazon Studios, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on January 28, 2022. The series is based on the fi ...
'' (2022), an adaptation of ''Critical Roles first campaign, multiple references are made to The Whispered One, whom the Briarwoods attempt to summon during the first season. *In ''
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...
'', a character nicknamed Vecna by the main characters, whose real name is Henry Creel, is the main antagonist in the fourth season (2022) and the perpetrator of the series as a whole. Like the
Demogorgon Demogorgon is a deity or demon associated with the underworld. Although often ascribed to Greek mythology, the name probably arises from an unknown copyist's misreading of a commentary by a fourth-century scholar, Lactantius Placidus. The concept ...
and
Mind Flayer In the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game, illithids (commonly known as mind flayers) are monstrous humanoid ''aberrations'' with psionic powers. In a typical ''Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign setting, they live in the moist caverns ...
, Vecna is not based on the ''D&D'' character, but the main characters in the series name him based on some similarities, such as being a powerful "wizard" who was transformed into a monster, and having an extremely powerful left hand. *In
RuneScape ''RuneScape'' is a fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed and published by Jagex, released in January 2001. ''RuneScape'' was originally a browser game built with the Java (programming language), Java progr ...
, the ''Vecna skull'' is a very rare item, obtained from the Rare Drop Table. It can be activated to provide the player with a boost to their magic level. *In the video game ''
Dead by Daylight ''Dead by Daylight'' is an online asymmetric multiplayer survival horror video game developed and published by Canadian studio Behaviour Interactive. It is a one-versus-four game in which one player takes on the role of a Killer and the other f ...
'', Vecna – known as "The Lich" who wields the Book of Vile Darkness – appears as the "playable killer" in the licensed ''Dungeons & Dragons'' DLC (2024). He is voiced by
Matthew Mercer Matthew Christopher Miller, known professionally as Matthew Mercer or Matt Mercer, is an American voice actor, game designer and gamemaster. He has been an active voice-over artist in video games and animation since 2002. Notable animation cre ...
. Players have a chance to equip either the Hand or Eye of Vecna as they face off against him.


References


Further reading

* Brown, Anne. ''Player's Guide'' (TSR, 1998). * Conforti, Steven, ed
''Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign''
version 2.0 (Wizards of the Coast, 2005). * Cook, Monte. ''
Book of Vile Darkness ''Book of Vile Darkness'' is an optional supplemental sourcebook for the 3rd edition of the role-playing game ''Dungeons & Dragons''. The book was written by Monte Cook and published by Wizards of the Coast on October 1, 2002. Described as a "det ...
'' (
Wizards of the Coast Wizards of the Coast LLC (WotC or Wizards) is an American game Publishing, publisher, most of which are based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science-fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail game stores. In 1999, toy ...
, 2002). * Cook, Monte. ''Vecna Reborn'' (TSR, 1998). * Heard, Bruce. "Spells Between the Covers." ''
Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
'' #82 (TSR, 1984). * Mona, Erik
"Ancient History: Vecna's Realm."
* Moore, Roger E. '' Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins'' (TSR, 1998). * Mullin, Robert S. "Arcane Lore: Greyhawk Grimoires II." ''Dragon'' #241 (TSR, 1997). * Mullin, Robert S. "Campaign Classics: Three Greyhawk Grimoires." ''Dragon'' #225 (TSR, 1996). * Niles, Douglas, and
Carl Sargent Carl Lynwood Sargent (11 December 1952 – 12 September 2018) was a British parapsychologist and author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels, who used the pen name Keith Martin to write '' Fighting Fantasy'' gamebooks. Early li ...
. '' The City of Greyhawk'' (TSR, 1989). * Reynolds, Sean K, and
Chris Pramas Chris Pramas is an American game designer and writer, as well as a founder of Green Ronin Publishing. He is best known as the designer of the ''Dragon Age'' RPG, ''Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay'' (second edition), and ''Freeport: The City of Adventu ...
. '' Slavers'' (TSR, 2000). * Sargent, Carl. ''Ivid the Undying'' (TSR, unpublished). * Thorsson, Modi, and Kevin McCann. ''Vecna: Hand of the Revenant'', (Iron Hammer Graphics, 2002).


External links

;''Dungeons & Dragons'' official content
Who Is Vecna?
(via
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
) by Chris Perkins and Todd Kenreck
The Head of Vecna
(via YouTube) by Chris Perkins and Todd Kenreck ;
Living Greyhawk Living Greyhawk (LG) was a massively shared ''Dungeons & Dragons'' Living Campaigns, living campaign administered by RPGA that ran from 2000 to 2008. The campaign setting and storyline were based on Gary Gygax's Greyhawk, World of Greyhawk settin ...
campaign * Weiss, Samuel
"Grand Sheldomar Timeline, Part I."
* Weiss, Samuel
"The Yaheetes and Tyrus: The Wars Against the Hand and the Eye in the Sheldomar."
* Weiss, Samuel, and Gary Holian
"The Hand and Eye of Vecna."
*
Living Greyhawk Journal The ''Living Greyhawk Journal'' was a periodical published by the Role-Playing Games Association (RPGA) as a stand-alone magazine from 2000 to 2004. It was published by Wizards of the Coast. The publication was intended to supplement the RPGA's '' ...
no. 3 – "Gods of Oerth" {{D&D topics Dungeons & Dragons articles that need to differentiate between fact and fiction Dungeons & Dragons deities Fictional arcane spellcasters (Dungeons & Dragons) Fictional characters introduced in 1976 Fictional characters who use magic Fictional liches Greyhawk characters Ravenloft Ravenloft characters