I recently wrote a high level adventure for my gaming group set in the ruins of the Rotted Tower. In developing this adventure I researched Vecna and as usual got sucked into the vagaries and arcana of Greyhawk lore. From various sources I distilled a Venca timeline that other might find interesting and/or useful:
CY |
SD |
OC |
FT |
Notes |
-1747 |
3769 |
2716 |
|
One of the small tribes of Flan, the Ur-Flannae, located just west of Aliador send servants as hostage to the Gray elven kingdom, in return for land rights. The 7th High King, Galitholian Glitterhelm, is especially taken by the sharp mind of a young man of promise, named Vecna. Vecna, inspired by the glories of elven splendors, began to study magic. He discovered in the libraries a book from the Suel entitled "The Fate of Tilorop." He secretly begins to worship Tharizdun. |
-1716 |
3800 |
2747 |
|
Vecna asks Galitholian's permission to visit his homeland. This permission is granted. |
-1711 |
3805 |
2752 |
440 |
Vecna erects a black tower in the middle of the Nyr Dyv. He claims chieftanship of his tribe, the Ur-Flanae and slays the former chieftain in combat by use of magic. |
-1710 to 1683 |
3806 to 3833 |
2753 to 2780 |
441-468 |
Vecna shields his presence from the Elves by use of magic. He studies "The Fate of Tilorop" and was driven by an insatiable lust to live as long as the elves. His established towns on the model of the Gray Elves, and began to experiment with his Ur-Flanae for the "Ultimate Solution to Death." Several undead are created. |
-1671 |
3845 |
2792 |
480 |
Vecna perfects the technique required for Lichdom. He transforms himself. He goes north to the plains and brings forth many humanoids to his banner. He corrupts and twists his people, and, through his breeding program, now has a host that far outnumbers the elves to the East. |
-1669 to 1643 |
3847 - 3883
|
2794-2820 |
|
Vecna marches against Galitholian, bringing back his slaughtered soldiers as an undead hoard. Slowly his alliance of humanoids, undead, and Flanae drive the Gray Elves back to their mountain fastness. |
-1655 |
3861 |
2808 |
496 |
Vecna forges the sword which he later passes to Kas. |
-1642 to 1563 |
3848 to 3857 |
2821-2900 |
|
Galitholian's forces are driven in a lightning strike from the plains west of the Griff's. Vecna's forces sweep the central plains east of Nyr Dyv and North, they hold the plains to the feet of the Griff's. |
-1557 |
3763 |
2906 |
|
Celene fields an army to assist Galitholian. Although they meet with initial success, Vecna calls on the powers of Tharizdun and unleashes a magical burning force which causes the Bright desert. Many perish and the elven host is thrown into a panic. They retreat to Celene, but Vecna does not advance. His eyes are fixed to the east. |
-1538 |
3982 |
2925 |
|
The first of the Grey Elven mountain cities falls to Vecna's armies. This is the beginning of the 400 Year War. |
-1221 |
4299 |
3242 |
|
Galitholian's armies slowly give way before Vecna, no aid reaches Gilthonial. Vecna's armies destroy all but 5 Grey Elven cities in the Griff Mts. |
-1154 to -1148 |
4362 to 4368 |
3309-3315 |
|
Galitholian left his capitol with the host of that city. He marched against Vecna and drove him from the mountains. But once in the plains, Vecna revealed a new weapon, a black sword forged of material from the stars. Vecna met Galitholianin single combat and slew him. The army of Vecna then destroyed the elven host, and marched into the mountains. They inhabited and defaced the elven cities, remaking them in the image of Vecna. Four cities, however, were never found. The capital, Erieadan, the height of Gray elven architecture and power, was destroyed to a stone. So ended the Elven Kingdom of Aliador, the seat of the High King. |
-1156 |
4369 |
3316 |
995 |
Kas becomes Vecna's chief lieutenant. Vecna gives Kas his fabled sword. |
-1154 |
4371 |
3318 |
997 |
The City of Summer Stars, after being revealed, defends itself from Vecna's incursions by Prince Darnakurian use of his dark blade. Vecna's armies are broken by this defense. Queen Sharafere and the remnant of her people head to the islands in the south. |
-1142 |
4374 |
3321 |
1000 |
Because of the energies he expended in the attack upon the City of Summer Stars, Vecna is weakened. Kas, aspiring to Vecna's position, is able to vanquish Vecna. Vecna's body is destroyed, except for his hand and eye. Kas dies in this battle as well. Some of Vecna's followers found a "Cult of Vecna". Vecna's empire collapses. Despite this, the three remaining hidden Gray Elven cities of Aliador do not reveal themselves. |
586 |
6102 |
5049 |
2728 |
Cult of Vecna attempts to restore Venca to the world as a god. The plot is defeated and Vecna is cast into and imprisoned in the Demiplanes of Dread. |
591 |
6107 |
5054 |
2732 |
Vecna attempts to free himself from the Demiplanes of Dread by ensnaring Iuz and using his power to break free and enter the City of Sigil. In 591 CY, the Old One came across some ancient tablets purporting to explain a process by which a demipower could ascend to full godhood. It required a piece of another demigod's body, and involved reciting a mystical phrase in the Language Primeval that would transfer all of the other demigod's power to the reader of the tablets. Enticed by this discovery, Iuz sought out the Hand or Eye of Vecna, and brought them to the lich's prison-realm in the Demiplane of Dread, intent on adding Vecna's power to his own. Unfortunately, the tablets were a trick prepared by Vecna long before, and the magic actually did the opposite that Iuz intended; the lich-lord absorbed Iuz's entire being into himself, catalyzing Vecna's own apotheosis to the status of a greater god.
When Vecna was defeated, however, Iuz pulled himself free of Vecna and returned to Dorakaa to recover.
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