The Head of Vecna: Difference between revisions

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.
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{{quote|You remember the ''Hand of Vecna'' and the ''Eye of Vecna'' that were artifacts in the old D&D world where if you cut off your hand (or your eye) and replaced it with the ''Hand of Vecna'' (or the ''Eye'') you'd get new awesome powers? Well, Group One thought up ''The Head of Vecna''.
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|Mark Steuer, recounting the tale}}
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{{quote|You remember the ''Hand of Vecna'' and the ''Eye of Vecna'' that were artifacts in the old D&D world where if you cut off your hand (or your eye) and replaced it with the ''Hand of Vecna'' (or the ''Eye'') you'd get new awesome powers? Well, Group One thought up ''The Head of Vecna''.|Mark Steuer, recounting the tale}}


Two of the best-known<ref>on this side of the fourth wall at least</ref> artifacts in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] are the Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna. These were the remaining body parts of the Maimed God<ref>Vecna, not Tyr</ref> after the betrayal of his most trusted lieutenant, Kas. In order to make use of the Hand of Vecna, a character must be touch it to the stump on his left arm were his missing left hand would be. The Eye of Vecna is less picky, either empty eye socket will do. In either case, you get some of Vecna's powers (at a price). Now imagine what powers a larger body part would grant... and ignore the obvious problems you'd have after decapitation. So many of the people in the tale did.
Two of the best-known<ref>on this side of the fourth wall at least</ref> artifacts in [[Dungeons & Dragons]] are the Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna. These were the remaining body parts of the Maimed God<ref>Vecna, not Tyr</ref> after the betrayal of his most trusted lieutenant, Kas. In order to make use of the Hand of Vecna, a character must be touch it to the stump on his left arm where his missing left hand would be. The Eye of Vecna is less picky, either empty eye socket will do. In either case, you get some of Vecna's powers (at a price). Now imagine what powers a larger body part would grant... and ignore the obvious problems you'd have after decapitation. So many of the people in this tale did.


This gameplay report, as recounted by Mark Steuer, was first published in [[Steve Jackson Games]]' ''Daily Illuminator'' on December 6, 1996, and [http://www.sjgames.com/ill/1996/ill-dec96.html can be found here].
This gameplay report, as recounted by Mark Steuer, was first published in [[Steve Jackson Games]]' ''Daily Illuminator'' on December 6, 1996, and [http://www.sjgames.com/ill/1996/ill-dec96.html can be found here].
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* [[Accidental Aesop]] / [[Broken Aesop]] / [[Fantastic Aesop]]: As added by the SJGames staff, "don't let your head get cut off unless you '''really''' know what you're doing."
* [[Accidental Aesop]] / [[Broken Aesop]] / [[Fantastic Aesop]]: As added by the SJGames staff, "don't let your head get cut off unless you '''really''' know what you're doing."
* [[Corpsing]]: The DM started laughing after the second character in group 2 was decapitated. It's seems like it wasn't completely involuntary, his will simply broke after taking so much abuse.
* [[Corpsing]]: The DM started laughing after the {{spoiler|second character in group two was decapitated|}}. It seems like it wasn't completely involuntary, his will simply broke after taking so much abuse.
* [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]: "'''''SO THEY DID IT AGAIN'''''!"
* [[Crowning Moment of Funny]]: "'''''SO THEY DID IT AGAIN'''''!"
* [[Laugh Themselves Sick]]: While the DM was able to hold his laughter remarkably well until after the the second person in group 2 was decapitated, it didn't stop the pain.
* [[Laugh Themselves Sick]]: While the DM was able to hold his laughter remarkably well until {{spoiler|the second person in group two was decapitated}}, it didn't stop the pain.
* [[Off with His Head]]: Much like the Hand of Vecna, one needed to apply this "artifact" to a body that's missing the matching body part.
* [[Player Versus Player]]: Group One versus Group Two.
* [[Player Versus Player]]: Group One versus Group Two.
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: The Head itself. It worked.
* [[Schmuck Bait]]: The Head itself. It worked.
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: The Druid from Group One and the characters in Group Two.
* [[Too Dumb to Live]]: The Druid from Group One and the characters in Group Two.
* [[Undistributed Middle]]: Artifacts do not radiate magic. The Head of Vecna does not radiate magic.
* [[Undistributed Middle]]: Artifacts do not radiate magic. The Head of Vecna does not radiate magic. [[Monty Python and the Holy Grail|Therefore, "logically"...]]
* [[What an Idiot!]]: The players playing the Druid from Group One and all of the players in Group Two.
* [[What an Idiot!]]: The player playing the Druid from Group One and all of the players in Group Two.



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Latest revision as of 18:04, 9 February 2020

You remember the Hand of Vecna and the Eye of Vecna that were artifacts in the old D&D world where if you cut off your hand (or your eye) and replaced it with the Hand of Vecna (or the Eye) you'd get new awesome powers? Well, Group One thought up The Head of Vecna.

—Mark Steuer, recounting the tale

Two of the best-known[1] artifacts in Dungeons & Dragons are the Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna. These were the remaining body parts of the Maimed God[2] after the betrayal of his most trusted lieutenant, Kas. In order to make use of the Hand of Vecna, a character must be touch it to the stump on his left arm where his missing left hand would be. The Eye of Vecna is less picky, either empty eye socket will do. In either case, you get some of Vecna's powers (at a price). Now imagine what powers a larger body part would grant... and ignore the obvious problems you'd have after decapitation. So many of the people in this tale did.

This gameplay report, as recounted by Mark Steuer, was first published in Steve Jackson Games' Daily Illuminator on December 6, 1996, and can be found here.

Tropes used in The Head of Vecna include:


  1. ↑ on this side of the fourth wall at least
  2. ↑ Vecna, not Tyr
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