Vecna

Vecna is an lesser power of secrets and intrigue, formerly an Ur-Flannae wizard who had carved out a great empire for himself. He hails from the Prime+Material world of Oerth.

Vecna was born in the ancient city of Fleeth, schooled by his mother in magic. His mother, Mazzel, was eventually executed for praticing witchcraft, and Vecna swore revenge. His skill at magic rose to great heights, growing so powerful that he could speak to what he saw as the personification of magic, the+Serpent, and have the Serpent whisper back secrets of power. It is said he grew so mighty that when he came to the end of his allotted years, death itself refused to allow him into its kingdom.

Vecna began exploring the planes. Eons ago, Vecna wrested the Citadel Cavitius from the Doomguard, turning the structure into a prison for his enemies.

On the Material+Plane, he used his magic to raise an empire in and near the Sheldomar Valley. After much scheming, he assaulted the city of Fleeth with an army of undead, led by such luminaries as Acererak (cambion creator of the Tomb of Horrors) and Kas. Though he had agreed to leave the citizens of the city alive, after incessant pleas of mercy from the city officials he slaughtered everyone in the city.

In addition to ruling his empire, Vecna performed continual research on death and undeath, and was known for razing entire villages to provide him with a steady supply of bodies.

As was fitting for his left-hand servant, Kas, Vecna created a sword to symbolize the power and authority he had invested in him. He made the weapon with such skill that something of Vecna himself filled within Kas's blade, whispering dreams of treachery until finally, blade in hand, Kas confronted his master.

In approximately -357 CY Vecna and Kas fought a titanic battle, and both were said to have died in the end. With his last breath before discorporating, Vecna imprisoned Kas within Citadel Cavitius, where negative energies slowly transformed him into a vampire, damned to suffer forever without feeding.

Those who investigated the aftermath of the battle found only three objects: the Sword of Kas, and Vecna's mummified hand and eye.

The spirit of Vecna lived on, inhabiting Citadel Cavitius where he could observe his minion's torment at his leisure. The faith the residents of Vecna's empire felt for their master - as well as the continued malevolent influence of his eye and hand - eventually made Vecna rise to demigod status.

As a demigod, Vecna attempted to make himself Oerth's sole deity through the use of the enigmatic portals of Tovag Baragu. He failed, as the demigod Iuz interfered at the last minute, and Vecna and Kas were shortly thereafter swallowed by the mists of the Demiplane+of+Dread, damned to battle one another until the end of time.

After several attempts at thwarting the will of the Dark Powers and escaping the demiplane, Vecna lured Iuz to the copy of Cavitius he inhabited and absorbed the demigod, increasing his own power to the status of a greater deity. With this power he entered Sigil, attempting to use its portals to recreate his scheme at Tovag Baragu on a larger, multiversal scale. For reasons of her own, the Lady of Pain permitted him inside the City of Doors.

Vecna was ultimately driven out of The Cage by adventures with pieces of his own mortal body grafted to their flesh. In that moment, Iuz escaped from his body, causing Vecna to drop down to lesser deity status. Vecna went to the Material+Plane to reside in a series of hidden fortresses, while he plotted further schemes, while whatever scheme the Lady of Pain had intended was presumably fulfilled.