Vecna
Title(s)
The Whispered One, The Maimed Lord, Master of the Spider Throne, Lord of Secrets
Alignment
Neutral Evil
Symbol
A severed hand holding an eyeball, representing the Eye and Hand of Vecna, his most infamous artifacts. This symbol is often used in dark rituals or carved into secretive places of worship to signify allegiance to Vecna.
Domains
Death, Evil, Knowledge, Magic
Followers and Clergy
Vecna’s followers include power-hungry wizards, necromancers, and those who seek forbidden knowledge. His cult is extremely secretive, with followers operating in hidden cells that guard their dark practices from outsiders. The clergy of Vecna, known as Whispered Ones, are often liches, vampires, or other undead spellcasters who strive to emulate their master. They conduct rituals to increase their personal power, unearth forbidden secrets, and spread corruption wherever they can. Vecna’s priests teach that knowledge is the ultimate power and should be hoarded, and they encourage deceit, manipulation, and betrayal to achieve one's goals. His followers include scholars and mages who seek to control magic for personal gain, as well as necromancers who wish to unlock the secrets of life and death. Those who worship Vecna are always wary of one another, as the cult thrives on secrecy and internal intrigue.
Worship Practices
Worship of Vecna is conducted in the shadows, where his followers can practice their dark arts without interference. Rituals involve blood sacrifices, casting forbidden spells, and the consumption of arcane knowledge. Many of his ceremonies take place in hidden lairs, ancient ruins, or underground crypts, often marked by the Eye and Hand symbol. The cult performs rites to strengthen their connection to their dark god, including the ritual grafting of the Eye or Hand of Vecna to replace their own lost body parts, seeking to gain Vecna's power for themselves. Vecna’s followers regularly gather to share fragments of lost or hidden knowledge, always at the cost of terrible oaths of secrecy. Blasphemous texts such as the Book of Vile Darkness and the Scroll of Mauthereign are read aloud in these gatherings, reinforcing the cult's belief in the righteousness of evil acts.
Character and Doctrine
Vecna embodies the relentless pursuit of power and the hoarding of secrets. His teachings emphasize that knowledge is the true source of strength and that the powerful must dominate the weak. Followers of Vecna are encouraged to betray, deceive, and manipulate to achieve their ends, as no act is considered too heinous in the pursuit of absolute power. His doctrine teaches that the acquisition of knowledge and magical power justifies any means, even if it involves betraying friends or making deals with dark entities. Vecna aspires to be the sole god of existence, seeking to overthrow all other deities and reshape reality to his own will. The cult’s tenets include the suppression of truth, the hoarding of arcane knowledge, and the pursuit of immortality through necromancy and other dark arts.
Manifestations and Interventions
Vecna is usually depicted as a desiccated corpse, resembling a powerful lich with his left hand and eye missing. His presence is often felt through cold whispers, sudden chills, or the inexplicable feeling of being watched. When Vecna intervenes, it is typically to share a piece of dark knowledge or to manipulate events to weaken his enemies and empower his followers. His manifestations may include apparitions of severed hands or glowing eyes, or the appearance of forbidden texts and symbols in unexpected places. Those who seek to use his artifacts, the Eye and Hand of Vecna, may receive guidance in their twisted quest for power, but such gifts often come at a terrible price. Vecna is known to influence the dreams of his followers, granting them visions of dark knowledge and lost secrets.
Divine Relationships and Stories
Vecna has few allies and countless enemies due to his insatiable lust for power and his desire to overthrow all other gods. His former lieutenant, Kas the Bloody-Handed, betrayed him using the Sword of Kas, and the two remain bitter foes. Vecna is also opposed by Iuz, St. Cuthbert, the Lady of Pain, and Pholtus, who stand against his dark ambitions. His only true ally is Mok'slyk the Serpent, believed to be a personification of arcane magic. Vecna's relationship with Acererak, the infamous lich, remains uncertain, though it is known that Acererak once served him. The story of Vecna’s rise from a mortal mage to a lich, and then to a god, is filled with betrayal, conquest, and the pursuit of vengeance against those who wronged him. His legend tells of his near-destruction at the hands of the clerics of Ra and his eventual resurrection through the power of necromancy.
Sacred Items and Symbols
Vecna’s most notorious artifacts are the Eye and Hand of Vecna, powerful relics that grant their wielder dark magic at the cost of a part of their own body. Other items linked to Vecna include the Sword of Kas, a weapon that was used to betray him, and the Book of Vile Darkness, which contains his dark teachings. The Scroll of Mauthereign is another sacred text, offering a twisted account of Vecna's history and teachings. His cult may also possess lesser artifacts, such as enchanted tomes of necromancy, cursed scrolls, and amulets that contain fragments of Vecna's power. The Eye and Hand of Vecna remain coveted items for those who seek ultimate power, though they bring madness and corruption to their users.
Temples and Shrines
Temples dedicated to Vecna are hidden and often take the form of underground crypts, ancient ruins, or secret chambers within other structures. These dark places are marked with symbols of the Eye and Hand and filled with relics and texts associated with the dark arts. The temples serve as places for conducting forbidden rituals and storing arcane knowledge. Shrines to Vecna may also be found in places associated with death, secrecy, or magic, such as graveyards, ancient libraries, or hidden catacombs. Worship sites are often protected by powerful wards and illusions to ensure that only those initiated in Vecna's secrets can find them. The secrecy of these temples and shrines is paramount, as the followers of Vecna seek to operate from the shadows and avoid the scrutiny of their enemies.
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