The Hand and Eye of Vecna are two of the most infamous artifacts in Dungeons & Dragons.
Appearance
The Hand of Vecna is a withered, blackened, mummified human hand. It is usually described as a left hand. The Eye of Vecna is a similarly preserved human eye, said to glitter or glow in the darkness as a cat's eye.
Properties
Destruction
As an artifact, the Hand and Eye of Vecna cannot be permanently destroyed by normal means.
Rumoured ways to destroy the Eye include roasting in the flames of the oldest red dragon in Oerth[1][2], encasing in volcanic glass of the Hellfurnaces and shattering it against the edge of space[2], or wearing the eye and hurling oneself into the Rift of Pyradon[3].
It is said that the Hand can be destroyed by carrying it to the Positive Material Plane by one who has never experienced fear and manually crushing it into powder[2], willingly fixing it the purest person in the Free City of Greyhawk, fixing it to most corrupt person in the Free City of Greyhawk[2], or severing it with a sword of a dead god[3].
Rumoured ways to destroy both at once include casting them into the Golden Forge at the heart of Oerth's sun,[2], permanently destroying Vecna[4], sending the spirit of all of Vecna's victims to rest,[4], or having both worn by the the purest person in Blackmoor[5].
History
Early history
The Hand first appeared 136 years after the destruction of Vecna, during the Insurrection of the Yaheetes. It disappeared after the clan's leader Paddin the Vain was overthrown.[6]
The Hand was discovered by a fisherman named Gisel during the reign of Hamoch of Tyrus, who kept it for several decades until he was murdered by his own brother. It was in turn stolen from the brother by an outlaw named Mace, who overthrew the ruler of Tyrus and ruled for a hundred years before being assassinated by a Yemishite agent.[6]
The Eye of Vecna was used in the extermineation of House Hyeric, the former ruling dynasty of the kingdom of Nyrond.[4]
The Hand later came into possession of the Paladin-King of Miro. He was unable to remove the Hand, which ultimately corrupted him and led to his own destruction.[6]
Recent history
Around the year 585 CY, both the Hand and Eye fell into the hands of the cult of Vecna in the world of Oerth. They were later cast through the dimensional portal at Tovag Baragu and lost to some unknown outer plane.[4]
In 596 CY, the Hand of Vecna appeared in the possession of Darl Quethos, a powerful cleric of Vecna. Quethos used the Hand to establish himself as leader of the Vecna cult Disciples of Darkness after exposing the previous leader's counterfeit Hand and Eye of Vecna as a fraud.[7]
That same year, both the Hand and Eye were reportedly in the possession of Morgan Ironwolf, a human adventurer of legendary stature and prodigous collector of artifacts.[8] A rumour subsequently placed the Hand in the city of Alhaster, where it disappeared after being used against the Wormgod Kyuss.[9]
Publication history
Original Dungeons & Dragons
The Hand and Eye of Vecna first appeared in Eldritch Wizardry (1976). It is described as blackened, as if it has been burned, and the sole remains of an evil lich of great power who imbued his hand with power to survive even if he was destroyed.
The hand can be removed, but each time a primary power is used, there is a cumulative 10% chance that he hand cannot be removed. The eye cannot be removed. Additionally, the user suffers a drawback when using the primary power of either item.
The effects of artifacts in this book are chosen by the Dungeon Master. Different powers are invoked by ten of the sixteen possible combinations of four extended fingers, and one by touch.
AD&D 1st edition
The Hand and Eye of Vecna appear in the Dungeon Master's Guide (1979). The Hand is described as blackened and mummified, while the Eye resembles an agate until it is used, whereupon it glows as a feral creature. Wearing the Eye, or using a primary power of the Hand, turns the character Neutral Evil.
The Hand grants its user 18/00 Strength. The Hand and Eye's other abilities are chosen by the DM.
AD&D 2nd edition
Dungeon Master's Guide
The Hand of Vecna appears in the 2nd edition Dungeon Master's Guide (1989).[6] According to its description, legends spoken in hushed tones say that Vecna still roams the world. This varies from earlier lore, where the Hand was well-established but the Eye was spoken of in hushed tones, speculated to be mythical, and of dubious veracity.
It grants its user 19 Strength, and gradually corrupts its user to evil. The user eventually comes to believe that they are Vecna. It cannot be removed without being chopped off. All who see the Hand covet it. It forsees the user's doom, and its powers will fail at that moment - a change from its OD&D suggested power, in which it is the owner who always sees a preminition of danger.
Its other powers are chosen by the DM, but suggested powers include a broad set of offensive arcane spells.
Book of Artifacts
In the Book of Artifacts (1993), which details both artifacts, the Hand is described as a claw-like left hand, while the Eye resembles a red clot which transforms into a golden slitted eye, reminiscent of its feline glow described in earlier editions. The Hand grants 19 Strength, immunity to Magic Missile, instant death touch and various powers chosen randomly by DM, while the Eye now grants True Seeing and various minor abilities.
The artifacts attempt to control the wearer to follow Vecna's will to summon him, now described as a demigod, to Oerth. This book introduces the idea that possessing both artifacts grants additional powers.[4].
Vecna Lives!
The adventure module Vecna Lives!, the Eye is described as granting constant True Seeing and Foresight, with various minor powers, while the Gand grants the abilities described in Book of Artifacts and additionally describes sixteen hand gestures which invoke individual arcane spell effects.[2]
Possessing both artifacts now grants several great powers, including magic resistance and the permanent ability to Detect Magic. Using an invoked (non-constant) power on either artifact risks the artifact taking over the character, in which case the artifacts follow Vecna's agenda to raise an empire again, gain revenge on Kas, and return to Oerth. The user begins to act like Vecna and even believe that they are him.[2]
=Die, Vecna, Die!
The adventure module Die Vecna Die! (2000) described the Eye as resembling a a black uncut gem, and glowing red. It is otherwise similar to the rules in Vecna Lives![5]
D&D 3rd edition
The Hand and Eye of Vecna appear in the D&D 3e Dungeon Master's Guide (2000), in which they are described as unique major artifacts.
Wearing the Hand permanently reduces the wearer's Dexterity by 2, while the Eye reduces Charisma by 2. Once attached, they cannot be removed without killing the wearer. The wearer is pulled toward an evil alignment even if they don't use the item's powers.
The Hand grants a cold touch and ability score drain, while the eye grants True Seeing and darkvision. Possessing both allows the bearer to summon powerful fiends.
D&D 4th edition
The Hand and Eye of Vecna appear in the D&D 4e Dungeon Master's Guide (2008), where they are intelligent artifacts. They prefer arcane spellcasters, and the two artifacts seek to be re-united in one wielder. They reward the user for betraying a close friend, but penalize them for slaying undead. They are jealous of more powerful arcane spellcasters than their owner.
The Eye grants its wearer darkvision, improved knowledge of magic and superior insight. It shows its wearer terrible visions. The Hand is described as an icy cold left hand, and grants various offensive powers as well as superior ability at climbing.
When the Hand and Eye feel they have achieved their objective, the host's body crumbles to dust. Vecna gains all their knowledge, and one day will send the Hand and Eye back out into the world.
D&D 5th edition
References
- ↑ The oldest dragon in Oerth is probably Ashardalon.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Vecna Lives!, p.69.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 D&D 4e Dungeon Master's Guide, p.164.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Book of Artifacts, p.35.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Die Vecna Die!, p.159.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 AD&D 2nd edition revised Dungeon Master's Guide (1995), p.124.
- ↑ Dragon Magazine #132 (March 2006).
- ↑ Dragon Magazine #342 (April 2006).
- ↑ Dragon Magazine #135 (June 2006), p.55.