D&D 5E Feasibility of rewriting Vecna: Eve of Ruin into an Evil campaign? (Spoilers for Vecna: Eve of Ruin)

The title already said Spoiler but I figure it couldn't hurt to write it twice: SPOILERS FOR VECNA: EVE OF RUIN.

Your cell of Vecna cultists has been chosen for the greatest of honors! You shall travel across the Planes and gather the pieces of the Rod of Seven Parts for your master to assure his Ritual of Remaking succeeds! But beware, for Vecna's enemies are numerous and seek to thwart Vecna's ascension. You will need to use every bit of your guile and power to see your way through this perilous adventure. And don't worry about Vecna tossing you aside once he's in control of all existence, if you can't trust a megalomaniacal power-hungry lich god who has no reason to reward you since if he succeeds he'll have changed reality retroactively and might actually see your party as potential threats with Kas the Betrayer as a past example of how letting his servants get too powerful can end badly for him who can you trust? Vecna will definitely reward you appropriately for your efforts.

But seriously, I've looked it over and I think rewriting the adventure to have the PCs as Vecna cultists could work. You'd just need to switch the opening scene to the PCs getting contacted by Vecna/one of his servants with the mission, switch out a few specific encounters that have Vecna's supporters as enemies (or rewrite them as other cult members trying to steal your glory), change up a few details (Vecna's the god of secrets so using Bluff instead of Diplomacy to convince characters who'd be hostile to Vecna's plans to help you for exmaple), and have a different final boss.

I'm actually considering writing this up myself but I want to know if people think it'd work/be fun first.
 

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I think an evil campaign would work fine. However, I wouldn’t make the PCs minions of Vecna. Evil PCs want unlimited power for themselves, not to be chumps helping someone else get it.

Kas could be a PC. Maybe he enlists some allies? Of course they will stab each other in the back at the first opportunity.
 


I think an evil campaign would work fine. However, I wouldn’t make the PCs minions of Vecna. Evil PCs want unlimited power for themselves, not to be chumps helping someone else get it.
I've had Evil campaigns where the PCs are serving a higher power work without them overthrowing their patron. The 3rd Party Pathfinder: Way of the Wicked adventure path did it for example.

And I think the PCs being Vecna cultists would provide a great opportunity for unique character creation and fun roleplay.
 


Step One: Meet the Wizard Three

Step T-ROLL FOR INITIATIVE!!!!
You make a good point. The start of the campaign would be the PCs being given their task by Vecna directly instead of two wizards and Kas summoning them.

It would have the added benefit of not requiring as much exposition since the PCs would just be serving their god for their own benefit instead of needing to believe people they just met that the multiverse is in danger.
 

Not my cup of tea, but if your players are into that, sure. I would definitely give them multiple ways to win, including turning on Vecna. More player agency is more fun. And Vecna typically gets too cocky, anyway.
 

Not my cup of tea, but if your players are into that, sure. I would definitely give them multiple ways to win, including turning on Vecna. More player agency is more fun. And Vecna typically gets too cocky, anyway.
At the moment I'm just focused on figuring out what needs to be changed for the adventure to work for an Evil party before I worry about the endgame.

I think I'll replace the 2 wizards and Kas with a Good organization that Kas has infiltrated. That way the PCs won't have to worry about epic-level wizards stomping them. Plus I can have a party (or parties) of Good characters trying to thwart Vecna's Evil plan as enemies.
 


Vecna deals in secrets, right?

The stated campaign goal is to collect the rod for Vecna.

Perhaps Vecna also gives each PC a secret goal.
That's a good idea. It could work like the secret faction-specific missions in Pathfinder Society used to.

Each PC gets a secondary goal in each section they need to complete. It'd help fill out the parts that will need to be cut.
 

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