In the excellent new treatise, Vecna: Genesis of a Legend, there's a great map of the Occluded Empire of Vecna in its heyday.
There is an unlabelled symbol for what I suppose to be a major settlement or political fortress on the peninsula extending into Woolly Bay south of Safeton.
Is there any information anywhere on what this place is/was? Has it been detailed?
(Anna's 576 map has placed Carse there, which I assume refers to the great old Midkemia Press city, but I doubt that connects in any way to the Occluded Empire.)
It's by Gary Holian and Sam Weiss; it's very new and very, very interesting if, like me, you prefer a Sheldomar-based Vecna to the Flanaess-wide one articulated in OJ#1.
Most folks, including me, are just going to ignore the profluence of halflings and gnomes among the NPCs, and, to give them credit, the authors do state, as did Zeb Cook back in the day, that what they've assembled are rumors of Vecna, so not all information is necessarily true.
This, not WotC's, is the interesting Vecna book of 2024.
I love the idea of Vecna "failing forward", needing to die or be defeated to ascend each step. I love his assumption of the power or profile of the Green Man that begins his divine journey.
There's a lot to love in this—I mean, if you ignore all of the gnomes and halflings.
Oh, the authors mention on Jay's show they did have two blind spots, as it were, material they ignored on purpose or because they didn't have access.
One is the obscure Vecna: Hand of the Revenant comic book from the early 2000s, which provides some history on Vecna as a child, and his mother's herbal magic.
The other is the Age of Worms Vecna mentions. The Ebon Triad, since it's a made-up cult, doesn't really need to be referenced; but Darl Quethos and the Disciples of Darkness from "The Library of Last Resort" should have been, since Quethos canonically possesses the Hand of Vecna in CY 596 or so, according to that adventure.
It's by Gary Holian and Sam Weiss; it's very new and very, very interesting if, like me, you prefer a Sheldomar-based Vecna to the Flanaess-wide one articulated in OJ#1.
It is new, but it was started over 20 years ago, here on Canonfire, with several articles by me.
Quote:
Most folks, including me, are just going to ignore the profluence of halflings and gnomes among the NPCs, and, to give them credit, the authors do state, as did Zeb Cook back in the day, that what they've assembled are rumors of Vecna, so not all information is necessarily true.
But . . . but . . . Kasniz!
Also, the Gnomelord of the Blemu was created by Cook. I only accept responsibility for involving Keraptis.
Quote:
This, not WotC's, is the interesting Vecna book of 2024.
Thank you.
Quote:
I love the idea of Vecna "failing forward", needing to die or be defeated to ascend each step. I love his assumption of the power or profile of the Green Man that begins his divine journey.
As noted, the core of that comes from Eric Menge and the Geoff people in LG.
It was such a good idea I had to incorporate it.
Quote:
There's a lot to love in this—I mean, if you ignore all of the gnomes and halflings.
My poor Kasniz.
Greyhawk needs more evil Hobniz running around. Somebody has to provide them! :P
Quote:
Oh, the authors mention on Jay's show they did have two blind spots, as it were, material they ignored on purpose or because they didn't have access.
One is the obscure Vecna: Hand of the Revenant comic book from the early 2000s, which provides some history on Vecna as a child, and his mother's herbal magic.
Yes, that is simply not accessible.
It also has some "issues", particularly including Acererak.
Quote:
The other is the Age of Worms Vecna mentions. The Ebon Triad, since it's a made-up cult, doesn't really need to be referenced; but Darl Quethos and the Disciples of Darkness from "The Library of Last Resort" should have been, since Quethos canonically possesses the Hand of Vecna in CY 596 or so, according to that adventure.
I wrote about three-part cult like that for Canonfire before the Ebon Triad ever appeared. (The Triune Mother)
I do not hate the idea in principle, I just dislike that particular execution. Vecna really does not have anything to do with the actions and attitudes of Hextor or Erythnul.
With some other power, perhaps Pyremius, instead of Vecna, it could work. But with Vecna it is just too strained for me.
As for the other elements, they can reasonably be added with little effort. However, their canon status is not that cut and dried due to various accommodations that had to be made.
DMs should feel free to let whoever they like have the Hand in 596.
No idea.
Gary made that map, and while I put in my 2 cents about the middle Velverdyva, the extent of Tycheron is his idea.
I will let him know someone is asking.
I just downloaded it without a problem. Maybe deactivate your anti-virus program for a moment (since the source is trustworthy)?
Thanks edmundscott for posting your questions. I had missed this publication and greatly look forward to reading it, hopefully recalling some of those past CF! forum discussions, and considering how to incorporate it IMC.
So far, the PCs have had one introduction to a relic that they suspect is associated with Vecna (or maybe Incabulous?). It's a small box that bears several runes and glyphs (from the World of Greyhawk Guide), which signal danger, evil, and the eye of possession, and evoked a sylvan olve PC's memories of his people’s stories about their ancient enemy.
So my questions concern the settlements or fortifications (Rotted Tower & Tycheron are the only ones named) that you marked on your map of the Occluded Empire on p.11.
Did you base the placement of these on other sources or create them yourself?
Most specifically, what's known concerning the settlement/fortification on the point of land going into Woolly Bay on the Wild Coast?
I'm interested in setting an adventure exactly there and would love to build on existing history of the area if possible.
If you have any ideas on what ruins etc. might remain of the Occluded Empire in the present name, I'd be interested to hear that as well.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Canonfire! is a production of the Thursday Group in assocation with GREYtalk and Canonfire! Enterprises
