Vecna: demigod, god, or lich?

[Nifft]

Both are ridiculous.

The god of secrets should be an unknown entity that players aren't even sure exists, to say nothing of the player characters.

Bingo.

"Vecna is either a Lich, Demi-Lich, Ultra-Lich, Demi-God, Uber-Lich-God, or God... so far as you know!!!" (Off-camera: "Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!")

Cheers, -- N

 

[Pants]

He's the god of secrets. Nobody does it better, except Dumathoin, who has a completely different take on the issue.

QFT

He's a deity IMC, with a cult that the players are currently dealing with. I like him as a deity even if his ascendancy may have been meh.

 

[hong]

He's a frontman.

 

[NewJeffCT]

In my game, Vecna was an uber-lich trying to become a demi-god.

Now, after a thorough beating, I made Vecna my wizard's familiar and mounted his hand on my wand so I can use it as a back scratcher. Unfortunately, none of his other belongings were of value to me, so I gave them away to a local orphanage.

(ok, that second paragraph is not exactly the whole truth & nothing but the truth)

 

[Holy Bovine]

In my campaign Vecna is not merely a lich he is the lich. The first lich to ever attain its status. His hand and eye are artifacts that he uses to influence the powerful. If I ever stat him up I would think 20 Wizard/10 cleric/10 Archmage

 

[Blackrat]

I had to vote for the last option but to the guestion about Vecna the ansver is Lich. Yes he is powerful, even more than some gods but he is still just a lich.

 

[Ripzerai]

The god of secrets should be an unknown entity that players aren't even sure exists, to say nothing of the player characters.

You're being overly literal, I think, and not tricky enough. Some secrets are best kept in plain sight, after all; hidden within red herrings and false leads. Perhaps the most effective god of secrets would have a name known by everyone. A name, not a true name.

Vecna, though, is effective as he is. The details of his mortal and undead existence are shrouded in rumors and lies, much of it carefully suppressed by two ruthless Keoish organizations or by his cult. He's the Whispered One - his name (a name) is hinted at to tantalize those seeking for deeper knowledge, but it isn't well-known enough for him to be a bogeyman - he's too esoteric to be used to frighten children. He wants to be a little known - the whispers come from his own dessicated lips. He needs to attract those whose secrets he intends to steal; he needs a lure. A name is useful for this. A name is a promise, and it's also a disguise.

I like Vecna the god, a sinister being with knowledge of things even the gods of magic are ignorant of. Vecna the lich bores me - D&D is full of liches, and we don't need nearly so many.

As for fooling the players, I loved Nfft's comment - there's no need for the players to know his status, or even if he exists or ever existed in your campaign.

 

[el-remmen]

Long Island College Hospital

 

[hong]

Long Island College Hospital

 

[Rystil Arden]

It's also a technology company. The CEO of VECNA Technologies should so rename the position "The Head of Vecna".