BOOK OF ARTIFACTS

The Eye and the Hand of Vecna: The Most Dangerous and Coveted Relics in Existence

If you are a fan of Dungeons & Dragons, you have probably heard of Vecna, the lich lord who ascended to godhood and became the patron of secrets, magic, and the undead. But did you know that Vecna’s severed eye and hand are still roaming the multiverse, granting incredible power and corruption to those who dare to use them? These artifacts, known as the Eye and the Hand of Vecna, are among the most feared and sought-after items in the game, as they can bestow both great benefits and terrible curses to their wielders. In this article, we will explore the history, powers, and dangers of these legendary relics.

The Hand of Vecna: A Withered and Evil Relic

The Hand of Vecna is a withered, blackened, mummified human hand. It is usually described as a left hand, with long, claw-like nails. It is cold to the touch. The Hand of Vecna is a powerful and evil artifact that grants its wearer access to supernatural strength and powerful spells. However, in order to use its powers, the wielder must cut off his or her own left hand at the wrist and press the Hand of Vecna against the stump. The artifact then magically grafts itself onto the wearer and becomes a functioning limb. Removing the Hand of Vecna invariably kills its wearer.

The Hand of Vecna is one of the remnants of the lich lord Vecna, who ascended to godhood and became the patron of secrets, magic, and the undead. The other remnant is the Eye of Vecna, a shriveled eyeball that grants its wearer enhanced vision and spellcasting abilities. Both artifacts are imbued with a fragment of Vecna’s will and attempt to work his evil deeds wherever they go. The Hand and Eye of Vecna are among the most feared and sought-after items in the multiverse, as they can bestow both great benefits and terrible curses to their wielders.

The Eye of Vecna: A Preserved and Evil Eye

The Eye of Vecna is a preserved human eye, variously encountered as a bloodshot human eye, or a hard, shrivelled red or black clump. When placed in an empty human eye socket, it becomes a golden eye with a slit pupil like that of a cat, and glows red or green in the darkness. The Eye of Vecna is a powerful and evil artifact that grants its wearer enhanced vision and spellcasting abilities. However, in order to use its powers, the wielder must remove their own eye and place the artifact into the empty socket. The item then magically grafts itself onto the wearer’s head, assuming control over their mind and alignment. Removing the Eye of Vecna invariably kills its wearer.

The Eye of Vecna is one of the remnants of the lich lord Vecna, who ascended to godhood and became the patron of secrets, magic, and the undead. The other remnant is the Hand of Vecna, a mummified and shriveled left hand that grants its wearer supernatural strength and powerful spells. Both artifacts are imbued with a fragment of Vecna’s will and attempt to work his evil deeds wherever they go. The Eye and Hand of Vecna are among the most feared and sought-after items in the multiverse, as they can bestow both great benefits and terrible curses to their wielders.

A Timeline of the Owners of the Hand of Vecna and the Eye of Vecna

A timeline of the owners of the Hand of Vecna and the Eye of Vecna is not easy to construct, as these artifacts have been hidden, lost, stolen, and destroyed many times throughout history. However, based on some sources, here is a possible list of some of the most notable owners of these evil relics:

Vecna: The original owner of the Hand and Eye, Vecna was a powerful human wizard who became a lich and then a god of secrets, magic, and the undead. He was betrayed and killed by his lieutenant Kas, who severed his hand and eye with the Sword of Kas.
Kas: The traitor who killed Vecna, Kas was a vampire warrior who wielded the Sword of Kas, a weapon that was specially forged to slay Vecna. He took the Hand and Eye for himself, but soon fell victim to their corrupting influence. He became obsessed with finding and killing Vecna’s spirit, which had escaped to another plane. He also waged war against anyone who opposed him or sought the artifacts. He was eventually defeated by a coalition of heroes and gods, and his fate is unknown.
Mordenkainen: A legendary archmage and one of the Circle of Eight, Mordenkainen was a master of balance and a foe of evil. He acquired the Hand and Eye from Kas’s vault, hoping to use them for good. However, he soon realized that the artifacts were too dangerous to keep, and decided to destroy them. He enlisted the help of his friend Bigby, who had a plan to use the Sword of Kas to slay Mordenkainen while he wore the Hand and Eye. The plan failed, as Mordenkainen survived the attack and lost both artifacts in the process. He later recovered them and hid them in a secret location.
Rary: Another member of the Circle of Eight, Rary was a brilliant but ambitious wizard who coveted Mordenkainen’s power and secrets. He betrayed his fellow mages and attempted to kill them with a powerful spell. He failed, but managed to escape with the help of two allies: Robilar, a warrior who had stolen the Eye of Vecna from Mordenkainen’s vault, and Lord Maure Castlemaine, a noble who had acquired the Hand of Vecna from an unknown source. Rary used both artifacts to enhance his magic and fled to the Bright Desert, where he founded his own empire.
Arkhan: A dragonborn champion of Tiamat, Arkhan acquired the Hand of Vecna after a brief visit to the world of Exandria, where he stole it from Vecna himself during his attempt to become a god. Arkhan attempted to harness its power to free Tiamat from her prison in Avernus, the first layer of the Nine Hells. The artifact was slowly corrupting and decomposing the left side of his body.

The History of the Hand of Vecna and the Eye of Vecna: The Remnants of a Lich Lord

Vecna’s rise to power began in the world of Oerth, where he founded a vast empire of evil and darkness. He was obsessed with uncovering the secrets of life and death, and sought to become immortal and omnipotent. He achieved his first goal by transforming himself into a lich, a type of undead that preserves its soul in a phylactery. He then gathered a loyal army of followers, including his right-hand man, Kas the Bloody-Handed, a vampire warrior who wielded a sword specially forged to slay Vecna.

However, Vecna’s ambition did not stop there. He wanted to ascend to godhood and rule over all creation. He devised a plan to open a portal to the Outer Planes, where the gods dwelled, and challenge them to a battle. He also created two powerful artifacts from his own body: his left hand and left eye. These items contained a fragment of his will and granted incredible abilities to anyone who used them. However, they also corrupted and enslaved their users to Vecna’s evil purposes.

Vecna’s plan was foiled by his own lieutenant, Kas, who betrayed him and attacked him with the Sword of Kas. In a fierce battle, Kas severed Vecna’s hand and eye, but was unable to destroy his phylactery. Vecna’s spirit escaped to another plane, while his body was reduced to ashes. The Hand and Eye of Vecna were left behind, along with the Sword of Kas, as the only remnants of the lich lord’s legacy.

Since then, the Hand and Eye of Vecna have traveled across different worlds and planes, causing havoc and misery wherever they appeared. Many adventurers, villains, heroes, and fools have sought to claim these artifacts for themselves, hoping to harness their power for good or evil. However, none have been able to control them for long, as the artifacts always tried to manipulate their users into fulfilling Vecna’s schemes. Some of these users included Mordenkainen, a legendary archmage who tried to destroy the artifacts but failed; Rary, a traitorous wizard who used them to create his own empire in the Bright Desert; Arkhan, a dragonborn champion of Tiamat who attempted to use them to free his goddess from her prison in Avernus; and Lord Soth, a death knight who was cursed by both artifacts after trying to use them to escape his fate in Ravenloft.

The Hand and Eye of Vecna are still active and dangerous today, waiting for their next victim or master. They are said to be indestructible by any means except one: if both the Hand and Eye are attached to the same creature, and then that creature is slain by the Sword of Kas. Any other attempt to destroy either artifact merely transports it into a hidden vault in an unknown location. However, some sources claim that both artifacts were cast through a dimensional portal on the Dry Steppes and lost in some unrecorded void of the outer planes. Whether this is true or not remains a mystery.

Campaign Use of the Hand and Eye of Vecna: How to Incorporate These Evil Artifacts into Your Game

Using these artifacts in your campaign can create some interesting and challenging scenarios for your players, as well as add some flavor and depth to your world. Here are some possible ways to use the Hand and Eye of Vecna in your game:

The Cult of Vecna: One of the most obvious threats involving the Hand and Eye of Vecna is the cult that worships Vecna and seeks to recover his lost relics. The cultists are fanatical and ruthless, willing to do anything to please their dark master. They may try to steal, kidnap, or kill anyone who possesses or knows about the artifacts. They may also try to perform rituals or experiments with the artifacts, hoping to unlock their secrets or summon Vecna himself. The players may have to stop the cult from achieving their goals, or infiltrate their ranks and sabotage their plans.
The Good NPC: Another possible scenario is that a good NPC, such as a king, a hero, or a friend of the players, has acquired one or both of the artifacts, hoping to use them for a noble cause. However, the artifacts are slowly corrupting and controlling the NPC, making them act more evil and irrational. The players may have to convince the NPC to give up the artifacts, or find a way to remove them without killing the NPC. They may also have to deal with the consequences of the NPC’s actions while under the influence of the artifacts, such as making enemies, breaking alliances, or endangering innocents.
The Depraved Ruler: A third option is that a powerful and evil NPC, such as a tyrant, a warlord, or a villain, has already obtained one or both of the artifacts and is using them to oppress and terrorize their subjects. The NPC may have access to devastating spells, such as disintegrate or dominate monster, or enhanced abilities, such as true sight or x-ray vision. The players may have to find a way to defeat the NPC and destroy or hide the artifacts. They may also have to face other dangers created by the NPC’s use of the artifacts, such as undead armies, dark secrets, or cursed lands.

These are just some examples of how you can use the Hand and Eye of Vecna in your campaign. You can also create your own scenarios based on your own setting and story. The important thing is to make sure that these artifacts are not just powerful items, but also sources of conflict, drama, and horror for your players. Remember that these are not ordinary magic items, but parts of an ancient evil that still seeks to destroy everything.

The Powers of the Hand of Vecna: A Wondrous and Wicked Artifact

The Hand of Vecna is one of the most infamous and powerful artifacts in Dungeons & Dragons. It is the severed left hand of Vecna, a legendary lich who became a god of secrets, magic, and the undead. The Hand of Vecna grants its user access to supernatural strength and powerful spells, but also corrupts them and enslaves them to Vecna’s will.

In order to use the powers of the Hand of Vecna, the user must cut off their own left hand at the wrist and press the artifact against the stump. The Hand then magically grafts itself onto the user and becomes a functioning limb. Removing the Hand invariably kills the user.

The powers of the Hand of Vecna vary depending on the edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but some of the common ones are:

Constant: The user gains a 19 or 20 Strength score, unless it is already higher. They also gain immunity to magic missiles, and deal extra cold damage to plant-based creatures by touch.
Invoked: The user can cast a variety of spells from the Hand, such as finger of death, sleep, slow, and teleport. The number and type of spells available depend on the user’s level and alignment. The user can also cast a special spell called eye rays, which allows them to shoot beams of energy from their eyes that have different effects depending on the color. For example, a red ray causes fire damage, a green ray causes poison damage, and a black ray causes instant death.
Random: The user gains several minor and major spell-like powers that are randomly determined by rolling dice. These powers can be activated by using specific gestures or commands. Some examples of these powers are telekinesis, telepathy, levitation, invisibility, charm person, polymorph self, and teleport.

These are some of the powers of the Hand of Vecna. However, these powers come with a terrible price. The user becomes more evil and paranoid, and is constantly tormented by Vecna’s voice in their head. The user also becomes a target for Vecna’s enemies and followers, who either want to destroy or claim the artifact for themselves. The only way to permanently destroy the Hand of Vecna is if both the Hand and the Eye of Vecna are attached to the same creature, and then that creature is slain by the Sword of Kas. Any other attempt to destroy either artifact merely transports it into a hidden vault in an unknown location.

The Power of the Eye of Vecna: A Visionary and Evil Artifact

The Eye of Vecna is one of the most infamous and powerful artifacts in Dungeons & Dragons. It is the preserved left eye of Vecna, a legendary lich who became a god of secrets, magic, and the undead. The Eye of Vecna grants its user enhanced vision and spellcasting abilities, but also corrupts them and enslaves them to Vecna’s will.

In order to use the power of the Eye of Vecna, the user must remove their own eye and place the artifact into the empty socket. The Eye then magically grafts itself onto the user’s head, assuming a golden coloration and a vertical pupil similar to a cat’s. Removing the Eye of Vecna invariably kills the user.

The power of the Eye of Vecna varies depending on the edition of Dungeons & Dragons, but some of the common ones are:

Constant: The user gains true sight, which allows them to see through illusions, invisibility, darkness, and other forms of concealment. They also gain immunity to gaze attacks, such as those of a basilisk or a medusa.
Invoked: The user can cast a variety of spells from the Eye, such as fireball, lightning bolt, cone of cold, disintegrate, finger of death, and power word kill. The number and type of spells available depend on the user’s level and alignment. The user can also cast a special spell called eye rays, which allows them to shoot beams of energy from the Eye that have different effects depending on the color. For example, a red ray causes fire damage, a green ray causes poison damage, and a black ray causes instant death.
Random: The user gains 3 divination powers that are randomly determined by rolling dice. These powers can be activated by using specific gestures or commands. Some examples of these powers are detect magic, detect evil, and clairvoyance.
Resonating: When joined with the Hand of Vecna, the user gains 6 additional random powers (2 detection, 2 protection, and 2 abjuration) and 70% magic resistance.
Curse: As these were once the living tissue of Vecna, every use requires a saving throw vs. spell (-6 penalty if both Hand and Eye are owned) to avoid artifact domination (see Curses). The artifacts’ goals are to gain more magical power, establish an empire, destroy the Sword of Kas, and summon Vecna to Oerth.

These are some of the powers of the Eye of Vecna. However, these powers come with a terrible price. The user becomes more evil and paranoid, and is constantly tormented by Vecna’s voice in their head. The user also becomes a target for Vecna’s enemies and followers, who either want to destroy or claim the artifact for themselves. The only way to permanently destroy the Eye of Vecna is if both the Eye and the Hand of Vecna are attached to the same creature, and then that creature is slain by the Sword of Kas. Any other attempt to destroy either artifact merely transports it into a hidden vault in an unknown location.

Suggested Means of Destruction of the Hand and Eye of Vecna: How to End the Legacy of the Lich Lord

Many adventurers, villains, heroes, and fools have sought to claim these artifacts for themselves, hoping to harness their power for good or evil. However, none have been able to control them for long, as the artifacts always tried to manipulate their users into fulfilling Vecna’s schemes. Some of these users have also tried to destroy the artifacts, hoping to end their menace and free themselves from their curse. However, destroying the Eye and Hand of Vecna is not an easy task, as they are said to be indestructible by any means except one: if both the Eye and Hand of Vecna are attached to the same creature, and then that creature is slain by the Sword of Kas. The Sword of Kas is a weapon that was specially forged to slay Vecna, and it is also imbued with a fragment of his will. It is said that this is the only method that can destroy either artifact, and that any other attempt merely transports them into a hidden vault in an unknown location.

However, some sources claim that there are other ways to destroy the Eye and Hand of Vecna, which are more difficult and dangerous, but also more permanent and satisfying. These sources suggest that in order to destroy the artifacts, one must also destroy Vecna himself, who still exists as a demigod in another plane. They also suggest that the artifacts must be cast into the heart of Oerth’s sun, or that every shade of Vecna’s victims must be sent to a peaceful rest. These methods are based on the assumption that the artifacts are linked to Vecna’s essence and power, and that by destroying him or his connection to Oerth, the artifacts will also be destroyed.

These are some of the suggested means of destruction of the Eye and Hand of Vecna:

The Sword of Kas: This is the simplest but also the riskiest method. It involves finding both the Eye and Hand of Vecna, as well as the Sword of Kas; convincing someone to attach both artifacts to themselves; and slaying them with the Sword of Kas. This method requires a lot of skill, courage, and luck, as well as dealing with the consequences of using such evil items.
Vecna’s Demise: This is the most difficult but also the most satisfying method. It involves finding Vecna himself in his demiplane; confronting him in a battle; and destroying him permanently with a powerful weapon or spell. This method requires a lot of preparation, resources, and allies, as well as facing one of the most powerful beings in existence.
Oerth’s Sun: This is an alternative but also a very challenging method. It involves finding both the Eye and Hand of Vecna; transporting them to Oerth’s sun; and casting them into its fiery core. This method requires a lot of magic, technology, or divine intervention, as well as surviving the dangers of space travel.
Vecna’s Shades: This is another alternative but also a very tedious method. It involves finding every shade of Vecna’s victims; helping them resolve their unfinished business; and sending them to a peaceful rest. This method requires a lot of compassion, patience, and diplomacy, as well as dealing with many restless spirits.

ADVENTURES WITH THE HAND AND THE EYE OF VECNA

There are several roleplaying adventure modules that feature the Hand and the Eye of Vecna, either as plot devices, rewards, or threats. Here is a list of some of them:

Vecna Lives! (WGA4): This is an adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, set in the game’s World of Greyhawk campaign setting. The adventure concerns the lich Vecna and his disembodied hand and eye —both powerful magical artifacts. The arch-lich Vecna and his cult are plotting to change Oerth forever. The adventure starts with a scene in which the players play the City of Greyhawk’s great Circle of Eight wizards. Vecna has ascended to demigod status, and serves as the ultimate foe for the adventurers in the module. Assuming the players are successful in defeating Vecna, he is transported to and imprisoned within the Ravenloft campaign setting.
Die Vecna Die! (WGA7): This is a crossover adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game that combines elements from the Greyhawk, Ravenloft, and Planescape campaign settings. The adventure involves a plot by Vecna to escape his prison in Ravenloft and invade Sigil, the City of Doors. The players must stop him before he destroys the multiverse. The Hand and the Eye of Vecna play a crucial role in this adventure, as they are used by Vecna to manipulate reality and by the players to defeat him.
Vecna Reborn: Vecna Reborn is an adventure module for the second edition of Dungeons & Dragons, written by Monte Cook and published by TSR in 1998. It is the second part of a trilogy that began with Vecna Lives! and ended with Die Vecna Die!. The adventure takes place entirely within the Demiplane of Dread, also known as Ravenloft, where Vecna and Kas have been trapped by the dark powers. The players must infiltrate Vecna’s domain of Cavitius, a realm of volcanic ash and twisted magic, and stop his plans to escape and conquer the multiverse. The Hand and the Eye of Vecna are among the treasures that can be found in Vecna’s vault, but they also pose a great temptation and risk for those who dare to use them.

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