Vecna is the secret whispered in the dark, the deathbed confession that topples an empire, the lost spell fragment that can shackle the mortal races forever. As the god of destructive and evil secrets, he waits in hidden places, unearthing dark knowledge and horrible, long-buried things to further his goals of taking the world for his own. And from there all worlds and planes of existence.
The everyday sayings, dogma, and adages of Vecna’s faithful tell a great deal about their beliefs and morals. The samples here represent the many sayings common to clerics of Vecna. Unlike other cults, Vecna’s followers do not seek out converts. Only those with darkness in their hearst, ambition in their souls, and the lust for power within their heart may join the Cult of Vecna.
The Sacred Chant. This chant is spoken at the start and end of any religious service dedicated to Vecna and is sometimes used as a calming ritual. New members of the cult are sometimes forced to chant it for hours until they enter a hypnotic state. Minor transgressions against the faith might be forgiven by repeating the chant as a penance, or scribing the words into a book over and over with one’s own blood. The words are ’‘Vecna guide us. We whisper your name. We seek the knowledge. We find the secrets. For power, for Oerth, for your will, for your rule. In the name of the Hand and the Eye.“
Secrets Never Die. This is both a promise and a warning. The promise is that if a secret exists, it can be found and exploited. Even if the secret is supposedly destroyed, there is someone somewhere, alive or dead, who knew it, and it can be learned again. In other words, there is always the opportunity to discover a secret, it just might take more work. Conversely, this is a warning, as you can never fully bury a secret you wish to remain hidden. There is always the chance that someone might unearth it and use it. Even killing those who know it does not work, as magic foils the silence of death in many ways. This phrase is often used in messages to those being blackmailed as a reminder that they can never escape their past.
The Power of Secrets. Secrets have the power to hold immense influence over individuals and their relationships. They can be as harmless as a surprise birthday party, or as significant as a hidden addiction or betrayal. While secrets can provide a sense of control or privacy, they can also lead to feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety. Vecna cultists seek out secrets as a way to blackmail people into following their orders.
A thousand years ago he ruled as a lich but was betrayed in a moment of crisis by his vampire lieutenant, Kas. Long thought destroyed, but still feared more than any living being, he nurtured his legacy with artifacts formed of his own hand and eye. Only in recent times has he achieved godhood, giving him limitless fuel for his ambition: his desire to dominate all things. Mortals fear to speak his name, and even the gods are cautious in dealing with the Arch-Lich. Long used to immortality, Vecna is never rash in his plans, every detail calculated to his advantage. The Maimed Lord knows every secret and he plans to use each in turn until all of creation bows before him.
Children of the Ampersand 