Blackhearted Being. The time of service to Vecna and being confined to the Shadowfell have twisted Kas soul and being. He has the following traits from this;
- Deadly Viscinty. Any critical hit against Kas becomes a normal hit. A creature that grapples Kas takes 12 (4d8) slashing damage. A creature takes 12 (4d8) piercing damage if it starts its turn [Tooltip Not Found] or being grappled by him.
- Eager Betrayer. Kas adds 1d10 to his initiative rolls. He has an advantage on attack rolls against any creature with the frightened condition.
- Embedded Evil. Jump, Mind Blank, Pass Without Trace, Shield, and Spider Climb are all innate spells to Kas. He can climb difficult surfaces, including upside down, without making an ability check.
- Guarded Deceiver (3/Short Rest). If Kas fails an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, Kas can succeed instead.
- Lich Breaker. Kas has advantage on saving throws against all spells and magical effects, and moves 5 ft. in any direction out of the spell's harm. When Kas damages a concentrating creature, it has a disadvantage on the saving throw it makes to maintain concentration. He is immune to effects that turn undead.
- Regeneration. Kas regains 30 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point. If he takes radiant damage, this trait doesn’t function at the start of his next turn.
- Scourging Sunlight. While in sunlight, Kas takes 30 radiant damage at the start of his turn and has a disadvantage on attack rolls and ability checks. He also loses his Regeneration, Shadow Blend, and Vile Awareness traits, the Dread Shapes bonus action, and Ravenous Striker legendary action if he has taken this damage his turn.
- Shadow Blend. While in dim light Kas has Blur, and in darkness the invisible condition. These last unless he is hostile in bright light or is incapacitated. These effects return to him at nightfall.
- Shattering Fall. Kas is immune to fall damage and can descend at a rate of 60 ft. per round. If he chooses, when Kas lands from a height exceeding his movement speed he can cast Destructive Wave.
- Vile Awareness. Kas does not provoke opportunity attacks when he moves out of range.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Kas fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Special Equipment. Kas wears the Armor of Kas, Helm of Kas, and is equipped with his Vengeance Weapon. He can swap the Vengeance Blade for the True Sword of Kas for a harder difficulty. He can attune any weapon he carries to use his Dark General spells and Vengeance Weapon traits.
Scorned by the Day. Kas doesn’t require a coffin and drinks blood to sow terror instead of sustenance. He does not need to eat, drink, or sleep. If destroyed, Kas revives in 1d100 nights in an unoccupied space in Oeth, his home plane. He can be permanently destroyed only by having a stake driven through his heart and then being beheaded. The stake must be cut from a tree growing in soil from Oerth.
The Betrayer (Mythic Trait, Recharges after Long Rest). Kas laughs wickedly, each creature within 120 ft. of him becoming aware of him as a red and black aura flares out into the surrounding area. He regains up to 200 hit points if he was at 0, and refreshes all his Legendary Resistances. He then casts Hallow on his location with 2 extra effects, and Forbiddance targeting living creatures, dealing necrotic damage, and has a password of his choice. While Forbiddance is active, all hostile creatures to Kas provoke opportunity attacks from Kas even if they take the Disengageaction. Defeating Kas in this state rewards an additional Armor of Kas, Helm of Kas, and a Vengeance Weapon of their choice with Dark General spellcasting.
Multiattack. Kas can attack up to 4 times with Vengeance Weapon or Unarmed Strikes and can cast 1 Dark General or Spellcasting attack. He can replace any of these attacks with Vampiric Butcher.
Dark General. Kas gloats with his weapon or knuckles, before unleashing one of the following actions once per turn;
- Final Whirlwind (Recharge 1-2). Melee Weapon Attack: Roll 1d6. Kas makes that many attacks with his melee weapon toward creatures within 5 ft. of him, dealing additional necrotic damage for half the amount if it hits. Kas makes twice the number of attacks against the undead. Creatures under 50 hit points must succeed on a DC 15 Constitution saving throw or be slain instantly.
- Seeking Blood. Ranged Weapon Attack: If Kas has thrown his weapon, he can treat it as if it is a 9th-level Spiritual Weapon. It deals bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage instead of force. He can also use this to recall the weapon to deal the melee damage in a 5ft. wide direct line to all creatures to him.
- Serrated Magic (1 Each, Recharge after Short Rest). Kas uses his weapon as a casting source for one of the following spells once each at 9th level. He cannot use his melee weapon while one of the spells is active; Blade Barrier, Conjure Barrage, Conjure Volley, Steel Wind Strike, Wall of Thorns, Wind Wall.
Charming Tongue (3 per Day). Kas can cast the following spells once per day, and cannot trigger the same condition on a creature that saved on a different spell: Antipathy/Sympathy, Calm Emotions, Charm Person, Command, Compelled Duel, Enthrall, Fear, Mass Suggestion, Sleep.
Spellcasting. Kas can cast the following spells, requiring no material components and using Charisma as the spellcasting ability (spell save DC 21):
At will: Friends, Thorn Whip, Detect Magic, Fog Cloud, Thunderclap, Thunderwave.
2/Day Each: Bestow Curse, Darkness, Dispel Magic, Hold Person, Remove Curse, Shatter, Thunder Step.
1/Day Each: Antimagic Field, Dominate Monster, Earthquake, Imprisonment, Plane Shift, Power Word Fortify, Power Word Stun, Resurrection, Reverse Gravity, Symbol.
Vampiric Butcher. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, with advantage if grappled, incapacitated, or restrained, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 20 (4d8 + 8) piercing damage plus 20 (4d8+8) necrotic damage. Target maximum hit points are reduced by the necrotic damage until they finish a long rest, and Kas regains hit points for the same damage. If a target dies by its hit point maximum being reduced to 0, it rises the following night as a Vampire Spawn under Kas’s control. He can continue using Vampiric Butcher on a grappled target once per turn.
Vengeance Weapon. Melee Weapon Attack: +16 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 14) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. Kas can use a bonus action to hurl the weapon toward a creature up to 80 feet with his choice of damage to anyone in the path. This weapon is made of unbreakable adamantine and can score a critical hit on a roll of 18+.
Unarmed Strike. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5ft., one target. Hit: 12 (2d6 + 8) bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage. On a bludgeoning hit, Kas can knock the target back by 5 ft. while moving 5 ft. toward them. If it is a creature, Kas can forgo damage to make them grappled (escape DC 23). His strikes count as magical to overcome resistance and immunity.
Dread Shapes (Recharge 2-4). Kas can cast Enlarge/Reduce, Etherealness, Feign Death, or Gaseous Form on himself. While in these forms, Kas has a flying speed of 20 feet, can hover, advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws, and is immune to all nonmagical damage except the damage he takes as part of his Sunlight Hypersensitivity trait. Taking this damage ends his Dread Shapes.
Eternal Executioner (Recharge 5-6). Kas casts 9th level Wrathful Smite. If Kas scores a critical hit with the melee weapon or reduces a creature to 0 Hit Points with one, he can make an additional attack with the same weapon.
Menacing Glare. Kas targets one creature he can see within 60 feet of himself. The target must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or have the frightened condition until the start of Kas’s next turn.
Kas can take up to 2 reactions per round but only one per turn.
Life Grasp. If a creature misses a melee attack against Kas, he can make an unarmed attack against the attacker. If the attack hits, he deals damage to them and the attacker is grappled (escape DC 23). He can then knock them prone while still grappled, or throw them if they are Small or Medium creatures. They are hurled 80 feet horizontally in his choice of direction and land prone, taking 1d6 bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet thrown. If they hit another creature, they take this same damage as well and must succeed on DC 23 or also be knocked prone with the first creature landing within 5ft of them.
Parrying Riposte. Kas adds 3 to his AC against one melee attack roll that would hit him. He then makes one Vengeance Weapon against the attacker if it is within his reach. On a hit, the target takes an additional 9 (2d8) slashing damage.
Kas can take 3 legendary actions, choosing from the options below. Only one legendary action can be used at a time and only at the end of another creature’s turn. Kas regains legendary actions at the start of his turn.
Wicked Speed (Costs 1 Action). Kas can dash or jump at triple his movement speed. If he jumps, this triggers his Shattering Fall trait. Until the start of his next turn, he has advantage on Dexterity saving throws.
Uncontained. (Costs 2 Actions). Kas breaks free of any nonmagical or magical restrained effect, such as manacles or a creature that has him grappled. He then can move up to his full 40 feet movement speed.
Ravenous Striker (Costs 3 Action). Kas makes one Vampiric Touch attack using his unarmed action at the 9th level.
If Kas' mythic trait is active, he gains 3 mythic actions to use toward the options below. He can only use the options below as mythic actions, and only once per round as long as he has hit points remaining from The Betrayer.
The Bloody Handed (1 Mythic Action). Kas targets one creature within movement distance and dashes toward them, making 2 unarmed attacks with an advantage. They deal additional force damage for half the amount, and if both the attacks hit the target is knocked back until hitting a wall. The target falls prone in its space, and must make a DC 24 Constitution saving throw. On a failed saving throw, the target is stunned until the start of Kas' next turn.
The Destroyer (2 Mythic Actions). Kas makes a stance with his melee weapon as his aura masks him before he dashes forward in a cone of 40 feet that he moves into. Any creature caught within the cone must make a DC 21 Dexterity Saving throw or take 30 (6d10) necrotic damage. On a success, they take half the damage. Following the swing Kas makes 1 melee weapon attack dealing slashing damage against every creature in the same direction, with an advantage if they failed against the necrotic attack saving throw. He repeats this attack once more, dealing piercing damage with the melee weapon attack instead. He returns to the space where he began the attack when completed.
The Right Hand. (3 Mythic Actions). Kas performs one of his Reaver actions and uses one of his spells at the 9th level without needing to concentrate. He can change their damage type to bludgeoning, force, necrotic, piercing, slashing, or thunder.
Description
"I have earned so many mantles. Survived through as many times. I have lost count, but always one thing is clear to everyone. My name is Kas, and I am the man who severed a god."
Kas, Bane of Vecna is one of the greatest warriors in the entire multiverse. A warlord and respected general of evil once, he conquered much or Oerth long ago and ruled as head of Vecna's governing council during that time. He was the Right Hand of the God of Secrets, but his most infamous act came when his willingness to face down the lich and succeed in mortally wounding him. Using the Sword of Kas, he severed the Eye and Hand of Vecna from the lich before he ascended to godhood. This deed put his name into legend with the lich, his sword-bearing his name across all realities as the only weapon to wound the undead king.
But since then, Kas has been a shadow in Vecna's influence. Trapped within the Domains of Dread in his realm of Tovag, he had made an endless war against Vecna's realm of Corvitus. This came to a cataclysmic end when the lich escaped the Domains of Dread, the only being to do so, and infiltrated the multiversal capital Sigil as a god to damage the multiverse. This shattered the link between the two realms, and Kas became a vestige of evil while Vecna expanded his reach across all the planes after he was defeated. Alone, stripped of his power, and obsessed with finishing his efforts against the lich Kas has scoured the multiverse for the tools to end Vecna.
Using his influence, Kas discovered the location of the Vecn'a personal Book of Vile Darkness within the Book of Vile Darkness (Variant). The book holds the locations locations of Black Obelisks and the Rod of Seven Parts, instrumental artifact needed for the Ritual of Remaking. Kas knows that Vecna needs the relics for the ritual, the Black Obelisks as the catalysts and The Rod of Seven Parts alongside the soul of[monster] Miska The Wolf-Spider [/magicitem] to act as sacrifices of order and chaos. Kas intends to find the book, learn the locations of these relics, and use allies or enemies to gather them alongside his relics lost long ago. These include his Armor of Kas, Helm of Kas, and True Sword of Kas, the original blade that was lost alongside The Rotted Tower where he made his legendary coup. He intends to use the secrets of the lich as his weapons, secrets lost and silenced by Kas and Vecna as he knows more than anyone that secrets hold power against those once held dear.
Adventure
"I cannot fathom which is sadder. The idea you all think you can triumph against him without me. Or that I need you to do the deed myself."
In this version of Vecna: Eve of Ruin, Kas is summoned instead of the party for the Wish spell in Chapter 2: The Wizard's Three, the party being in attendance as connected to Vecna due to their Vecna's Link from the events of Chapter 1: Return From Neverdeath Graveyard. This is because the real Mordenkainan is present in the adventure, and Kas does not use the Crown of Lies. Instead, the wife of Alustriel Silverhand, Malaina Van Talsiv, has it and is an independent False Lich of Vecna who has infiltrated their inner circle. She influences the Wish spell to avoid the Wizard's finding a way to defeat Vecna, in the process pulling Kas into the physical world once more. Kas will know of the Crown of Lies artifact, having sought it out once but was unable to locate it. He like everyone else does not suspect Malaina, who while a False Lich bound to Vecna still has some independence and is using the crown to monitor those involved until Vecna demands she strike while still acting as a assassin like in the book. Mordenkainan and Malaina will be hunting down the Black Obelisks in a new quest line in this adventure, allowing the players to explore other adventure settings briefly to retrieve them but not spoil those adventures.
Kas provides the quest to hunt down the Book of Vile Darkness (Variant) in the adventure Heart of Darkness, the reason being it holds the clues to find the Rod of Seven Parts, which he knows is needed alongside the soul of {monster] Miska The Wolf Spider [/magicitem] for the Ritual of Remaking. In his hands though, he can reveal a different version of the [magicitme] Book of Vile Darkness [/magicitem] that is more powerful but even more precarious to use. This book contains locations for his Armor of Kas in the adventure White Plume Mountain, the Helm of Kas in the adventure Tammeraut's Fate, and the location of the True Sword of Kas in the adventure Tomb of Horrors. Kas will avoid going after the True Sword of Kas in order not to draw attention from the characters and Vecna unless necessary, since he knows if he reclaims it Vecna will know. Kas can fight the party in several moments in the campaign but always in a toying manner, it is not until he goes to reclaim his True Sword of Kas in the Rotted Tower which is the repurposed tower from the free one-shot Don't Say Vecna he truly fights to win. Kas also knows that the party has Vecna's Links, having been the first person to have one himself in this version. He can explain how it works and can offer means of silencing the lich for a price be it them finding his artifacts or some other bargain.
Because of these changes, Chapter 9: The Betrayer Revealed and Chapter 10: War of Pandesmos should be reversed. Kas will still steal the Rod of Seven Parts and head to Pandesmos for himself like in the original Chapter 9 in order to have leverage over the characters or out of his own plans. However, Malaina and the Wizards will try to convince the party to bring him back alive because they still believe he is crucial due to the Wish, and he still will not have told them where the True Sword of Kas is. Confronting him in Pandesmos he will act as a foil to the party but work with them to defeat Miska, since the demon lord will prove overwhelming for him alone still. Willing or not, Kas can be brought back to the Sanctum alongside the soul of Miska and the Rod of Seven Parts. In their peace, this is when Malaina reveals herself as a False Lich by using the assembled artifacts to open a gateway for Vecna to enter The Sanctum physically alongside his forces. Vecna will overwhelm those assembled and cause them to retreat from the Sanctum, converting a section of it into the Cave of Shattered Reflection using the Black Obelisks that are gathered in it while another area becomes Vecna's Grasp. Vecna's plan unknown to Kas from the Book of Vile Darkness needed a place like Sigil with access to the entire multiverse, thus surprising him and the others as they assumed it was safe from the beginning.
Locked out of the Sanctum, this is when Kas can lead the party to the Rotted Tower. If he fled them entirely prior, one of the wizards reveals that they can track him using the Vecna's Link since he too carried one and they have learned enough about it to find him. The party will need to then finally confront Kas at the Rotted Tower, a location repurposed from the Don't Say Vecna free one-shot campaign. While there the party can learn secrets of Kas and Vecna, such as their relation, history, and Vecna's true goals for the multiverse before at last confronting Kas. It is up to the party if they want to confront him armed with the True Sword of Kas or not, but either way, this serves as his lair for his boss battle. In his defeat, the party feels Vecna influencing the area having found them using the Sanctum, and they must flee with the True Sword of Vecna as Vecna drags Kas to his unreality to be seen in Chapter 11: Eve of Ruin.
Using the True Sword of Kas the party can dispel the barriers Vecna placed on the Sanctum and fight their way through the Sanctum with allies to reach Vecna's Grasp. Along the way, they face Malaina perhaps with the Eye and Hand of Vecna who reveals she was the one who summoned Kas with the corrupted Wish. before stating he was never the one to save the multiverse. Kas will be in his unreality, still chained and unable to break free revealing he has been here longer than the party has taken to arrive. He is in a similar state to the original book, showing no remorse for his actions but barely believing he is destined to kill Vecna. He knows the unreality was his old home, and surrounding him are the bodies of those he cared for alongside enemies he has slain. He recognizes the other characters, and they can convince Kas with the default DC 25 persuasion to admit he cannot kill Vecna. If they succeed, the unreality is shattered and Kas will help them in the final confrontation, making some peace with himself. If not, the party can still convince him to relinquish the fake Sword of Kas on his back to free him from the unreality but not have his hand in slaying Vecna once and for all.
If the party succeeds, Kas will have fled with or without his True Sword of Kas, deciding to take the time to wander the multiverse for an exact purpose. He still is evil, but now with Vecna gone or banished, he seeks some measure of finding his peace. Whether it be reclaiming his realm of Tovag in the Domains of Dread, making a new mark on any of the planes, or contemplating his plans to control the multiverse. The party can also deal with him after the battle if they choose, however, he will reveal he saved a spell slot and Plane Shift away if things turn against him.
Personality
"The hardest choices require the strongest wills."
Kas is usually seen by everyone as the ultimate personification of sadism, cruelty, megalomania, spite, and madness who is unrelenting in his goals. In truth, Kas is the most tortured soul at the hands of Vecna due to their genuine former kinship. His past was one of equal tragedy to the lich's own, with the lich the only one to match his willpower for conquest and vengeance toward the world that scorned them. After achieving his power, he was patient, loyal, and faithful to him as the lich in turn seemed to be to him. Kas intimidated everyone with his physical supremacy and brutality and was unforgiving of their failures in contrast to the lich who regarded them as pawns beneath him always. Despite this, Kas was an extremely charismatic and skilled leader, having led countless wars and won unchallenged for untold years and leading Vecna's ruling council.
After being given the True Sword of Kas, Kas' confidence peaked as the weapon set him officially as Vecna's true equal. Arrogance became more common for him, but it was never unjustified when the reality was he could back up his threats. He learned how to be as scheming as the lich and mistrustful, using their allies and enemies for his secret machinations. His patience was on par with Vecna, waiting years to enact plans before carrying out their brutal executions. He was calm, with a dark sense of sarcastic humor as he was unfazed by the majority of wounds both physical and psychological. He would fight with a blade in hand honorably, but when not he was infamous for being like a feral beast using hand, claw, foot, and head to decimate his opposition while taunting their futility.
Despite his vile exterior, Kas did harbor some compassion. He occasionally recruited children in his genocides with care, keeping them from witnessing further bloodshed until they were battle-ready. He treated these adapted beings like guests, showing striking patience and affection to them, unlike his allies or enemies. He showed genuine love when these children were killed, evident by the bodies of those he had taken in inside his unreality. Vecna was the only person who knew this side of Kas, born from the man's desire to be a father but inability naturally. He refuses to sire children because of this, wanting the one thing he wants most to be the only thing pure from him.
Kas's relationship with Vecna was a complex partnership, bordering on something of twisted affection. Neither would confess it was something of love, despite having shared nights with each other secretly in illusions by Vecna. Kas believed himself the only one Vecna was honest with, and by even Vecna's accounts, he tried to be. However, the True Sword of Kas shared an essence of Vecna, and this essence twisted Kas's emotions and concerns about the lich. He doubted his worth to the long-term plans of the lich, and his pride made him refuse to acknowledge the lich did consider him his highest confidant. This would reach its breaking point when Kas made his legendary strike against Vecna, and since then he's viewed their relationship as one of emotional manipulation, narcissism, and knowing only one of them can truly win in the end.
Being recruited in the adventure, Kas has become more mellow and carries himself much as he did when he was Vecna's right hand. He masks his identity to the party and his intentions often, aware of his reputation across the multiverse and its disadvantages. It is only when he is in the unreality that his facade is broken and he exposes himself to the party. The man shows the depression and despondence that he truly never could rival the lich, with everyone across the multiverse viewing him as nothing more than someone who struck Vecna at his lowest point. He has grown tired, harboring no regrets in the lives he kills or wars won but achieving nothing concrete from it in his eternity. His prison by the Dark Master further deepened this, as even his realm there collapsed without the lich to balance him out. The unreality is the reminder that he did matter to Vecna in a twisted way, but that their choices have consequences and nothing can be mended ever again.
Appearance
"Make no mistake by my appearance. I could tear your spine from your flesh while I drink your blood like the most rare of wines."
Kas resembles a well-muscled, raven-haired, human man in his thirties, though he is far older. He stands 6'6, with his fangs revealing his vampiric nature. When he first arrives in the campaign, he is stripped of his gear and weaponry appearing as a regal dressed noble with a red cape. Despite this, he still possesses the skills of a general and can rival many opponents the party may face. He will make do with any armor he finds or weapon, able to corrupt them to become visually like his old artifacts throughout the adventure. These items however lack the shareable attunement of his original one, serving as his garbs until he recovers the real artifact.
Background
"I have earned so many mantles. Survived through as many times. I have lost count, but always one thing is clear to everyone I meet. My name is Kas, and I am the man who severed a god."
The Betrayer, the Bloody Handed, the Destroyer. Kas has earned many epithets during his long existence, being a vampire, legendary swordfighter, and ruthless warlord. But all of it is driven primarily by one thing: his relation to Vecna. Born long before most of the multiverse population in the world of Oeth, Kas was Vecna's most faithful follower and in time his closest confidant. He slew untold amounts of mortals, conquered incredible expanses of territory, and raised entire nations of armies for the lich. His actions speak of a man driven to impress and who met expectations, and was rewarded for it by his master in ways left to the imagination.
Kas was born a bastard son in the forgotten land of Keoland long ago, raised by an ignorant noble mother and a working father. When his mother was betrothed to another kingdom, Kas and his father were hunted down by his mother to deny any right to the new throne that was formed. Kas witnessed his father viciously stabbed to death by the men loyal to his mother, fleeing in fear of his demise but vowed to return to make the kingdom pay. He became a paladin in the lands of Tycheron, a region now known as the Dyvers of Oerth. After excelling among his fellow knights, Kas was invited to his childhood kingdom alongside others loyal to him. Treated with honors and respect, Kas beheld his mother and the new siblings she bore, unaware her first son kneeled before her with vengeance in his heart. That night, Kas and his soldiers slaughtered those in the castle before he confronted his mother. Her body would not be seen, but it was clear a new banner flew over Keoland in the years after belonging to Kas.
It was as he ruled that Kas heard of an evil rising far away, and evil that would find its way to his chambers. Vecna made contact with Kas, the paladin's reputation earning one of concern and respect even to the first lich. Vecna and Kas would exchange conversations over this time, Vecna seeking to recruit the endurable warrior to his cause as he repelled attacks by Vecna and other enemies alike. Kas, having grown amused by Vecna's persistence, would join him as a conqueror if he would share in this reality. Vecna was impressed by the man's backbone to bargain with the more powerful wizard, offering it to the warrior if he proved his worth among his countless ranks. Kas agreed, and as a show of faith, he showed Vecna the fate of his mother as a testament to his devotion to a goal.
Kas then served as lieutenant at the forefront of nearly all of Vecna's conquests, earning his place beside the lich in his legions. Vecna took notice of his service, rewarding him with a differing form of vampirism using his necrotic magic. Kas joined Vecna as he took his Citadel Cavitus, mastered the Black Obelisk magic, and achieved his Occluded Empire. Despite their years apart, the duo understood they complimented each other well in their deeds of evil. And this relationship gave them a reason to pursue more confident affairs with one another.
In an act defying imagination, Kas became the only being to share Vecna's company physically, a secret the two silenced anyone who knew. In addition to this, Vecna bestowed on Kas the True Sword of Kas as a show of his favor to the general and as head of his ruling council. The sword would serve as Kas's symbol for untold eons of his worth to the lich, and his position of power was one no one would contend with given his devotion to the lich prior. This relation would become twisted as the True Sword of Kas warped Kas' beliefs and emotions toward Vecna, a side effect of Vecna's evil influence even on a genuine gift to a beneficial friend.
The True Sword of Kas corrupted his feelings toward Vecna, and the result encouraged him to rebel against the Lich who was more focused on multiversal schemes than their home plane. Conjugating his ritual for godhood in the Rotten Tower, Kas had been invited to bear witness to his master achieving godhood along with other powerful figures in their Occluded Empire. With his most powerful servants gathered, Vecna harnesses their life energies to craft his spell, Kas being the only one spared due to their connection. But Kas knew this was his moment to strike, Vecna being too focused on funneling the powers of the multiverse, his servant's souls, and his personal Black Obelisk. And strike he did, using the gift he was given to slash first at the lich as he tried to achieve his ritual.
Vecna retaliated by knocking off Kas' Helm of Kas, and so the two fought for uncertain time matching brain against brawn in a spectacle of evil awe. At last, Vecna had the upper hand before he approached his former friend, but in a moment of weakness, he let his guard down as Kas confessed how much he hated the lich. Conflicted by this confession, it was with this the general sliced off the Left Hand of Vecna, shocking Vecna as he backtracked to his Black Obelisk in shock. Enraged Vecna shattered the Armor of Kas as Kas pierced the Left Eye of Vecna, the blow also striking the Black Obelisk infused by Vecna's magic. The duo were then consumed in the explosion that sent the Rotted Tower across the multiverse and devastated the surrounding lands. All that remained at the Tower and their battle was the True Sword of Kas, the artifacts within scattered across the planes in different realities or variations to be found by all with the will to seek it.
When Kas came to, he found himself in Citadel Cavitius, Vecna's fortress on the Plane of Ash. Wandering and amassing power once more, this proximity to the Negative Energy plane converted him fully into an enhanced vampire before rebranding himself as "Kas the Destroyer." After untold years went by, Vecna would attempt to ascend to godhood once more only to fail and be banished to Cavitus himself. There, he and Kas engaged in a war of eternal attrition as the pair couldn't deny the scorn felt by the other. As they fought, the Dark Powers in the Domains of Dread pulled them both into their thrall to fight eternally for their amusement. Kas would establish his domain, Tovag, with the two warring for decades in a place known to the Multiverse as the Burning Peaks.
But Vecna would not be stopped, not by the Dark Powers nor by the man he considered more than a friend once. Vecna broke free of the Domains of Dread, the only one to do so, and carried out a plot that gave him temporary godhood to enter Sigil, the City of Doors. As he did so, Kas remained in the Domains of Dread, fighting a war he had not known was already won due to the Dark Powers' influence. But he would learn how Vecna had escaped, the lich using the god Luz, son of Tasha the Witch, and the demon prince Gaz'zt on their home plane of Oerth. The god's power fueled the first lich, becoming a god strong enough to enter Sigil, the multiversal capital ruled by the infamous Lady of Pain. These ripples hit even the Domains of Dread, and Kas understood in this moment of calamity how insignificant he was when their domains caved in and obliterated all he had fought for.
Kas survived as a vestige, a soul outside time and space capable figures could draw on for his power. Despite this weakened state, Kas was still aware of secrets the lich had not told others. He patiently gathered knowledge on the locations of artifacts he knew were a threat to Vecna, chief among them Rod of Seven Parts, Book of Vile Darkness, Crown of Lies, and the mysterious Black Obelisks throughout the multiverse. Kas would use those who called for his vestige favor to gather information on these relics, alongside hunting those belonging to him such as his Armor of Kas, Helm of Kas, and the True Sword of Kas which he knew was in the lost Rotted Tower. He waits to take a physical form again in order to seek out these relics for their use in helping him kill the god once and for all. Even if he has to sacrifice the multiverse to do so.
Special Equipment
"I have no intention to pretend to be proficient in the art of magic. Might has always made right, and if I cannot break you with my hands I assure you I have the means to do so in other ways."
Minus is his signature sword, Kas artifacts are extensions of his actual abilities and allow characters to channel his skills as their own.
Armor of Kas.
This legendary armor belonged to Kas, the legendary betrayer of Vecna. A foreboding item, as black as his heart and as twisted as his mind. Divided up by the efreet in the adventure White Plume Mountain, only by defeating them and reassembling the armor can it find its dark wholeness once more. It possesses the following traits;
- Compelling Malice. While wearing the armor, your moral alignment becomes Neutral Evil. Each day, you must succeed on a Charisma DC 20 saving throw. If you succeed nothing happens. If you fail, you must carry out an act of extreme violence or self-immolation for that day. If you do not, the armor deals 20 (2d20) damage to you the next day.
- Dark Brawler. You have Resistance to Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing damage while you wear this armor. You can take a magic action to give yourself immunity to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage for 1 hour or until you are no longer wearing the armor. Once this property is used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn.
- Deadly Immunity. Any critical hits against you become a normal hit.
- Evil Trained. Your armor class becomes 20 and cannot be lowered. You are considered trained with this armor even if you lack training with Heavy Armor.
- Fall Breaker. You are immune to fall damage and can descend at a rate of 60 ft. per round. If you choose, when you land from a height exceeding your movement speed you can cast the Thunderclap at the 17th level.
- Frightening Aura. Beasts, within 30 feet of you with a challenge rating of 3 or lower are always Frightened and creatures of 6 or lower are always hostile to you.
- Necrotic Spite. This armor is cursed, and you can’t remove it unless you are targeted by the remove curse spell or similar magic. When removed, you take 50 (10d10) necrotic damage and can never attune to the armor again.
- Useful Plating. You can deal slashing or piercing damage instead of the usual bludgeoning damage on unarmed strikes. You gain a +8 bonus to attack and damage rolls of your unarmed strikes. Unarmed strikes count as magical to overcome resistance and immunity.
- Wicked Existence. This armor acts as a Animated Armor with 66 (6d12 +6) hit points and has its traits when not worn. It can only be attuned if is defeated within 24 hours, otherwise it becomes a monster once more.
Helm of Kas. Kas's helm radiates a mind of villainy, wickedness, and eagerness to take what's yours. After the betrayal against Vecna, the helm traveled the multiverse seemingly at its whim. It currently resides with Captain Syrgaul Tammeraut in the adventure Tammeraut's Fate, a driving source of his evil alongside the demon prince Orcus. It has the following traits;
- Burdened Senses. While attuned to the helm, you have the blinded and deafened when more than 10 ft. from it.
- Charming Influence. You can cast one of the following per day at 6th level; Command, Compelled Duel, Fear, Sleep.
- Deception Guard. If you fail an Intelligence, a Wisdom, or a Charisma saving throw, you can succeed instead once per day.
- Kas Command. While attuned to the helm, your moral alignment becomes Neutral Evil. When you cast a spell or use a condition granted by the helm, the helm casts the Suggestion on you (save DC 18; no concentration required). On a fail, the helm compels you to commit an evil act of treachery.
- Menacing Eyes. Your eyes glow a terrifying red and you gain Truesight up to 120 feet.
- Readied Betrayer. You add 1d6 to your initiative rolls. You have an advantage on attack rolls against any creature with the frightened condition.
- Shadow Blend. While in dim light you have the Blur, and in darkness the invisible condition. These last unless you are hostile in bright light, or are incapacitated. These effects return to you at nightfall.
- Unnatural Abandonment. When you no longer want to be attuned to this item, roll a DC 23. On a success, you can successfully remove it from your head. On a fail, the item clamps into your skull for 24 hours and deals 25 (5d10) necrotic damage.
- Vampire's Hunger. You can cast Vampiric Touch at the 5th level once per day, without the need to physically melee but must roll within 5ft. of the target.
Vengeance Weapon. A weapon Kas uses with deadly effect, it twists itself into being whatever weapon to serve its wielder. It has the following traits;
- Dark Adamantine. Kas alters the physique of his weapon, making it unable to be broken.
- Efficient Killer. This weapon scores a critical hit on a roll of 18+.
- Physcial Adaptilbity. It can deal his choice of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing damage.
- Seemingly Ordinary. It can be used to cast Dark General spellcasting, but cannot be used with other spells.
- Warpath Throw. He can hurl it up to 80 feet toward a target, dealing his choice of physical damage to those caught in the path.
True Sword of Kas. Kas is a powerful warrior who served Vecna for countless years and was rewarded for his loyalty with this sword. As the duo's power grew, Kas grew doubtful of his worth to the wizard. In his hubris, the sword amplified his darker emotions to urge Kas to destroy Vecna and usurp his throne. Vecna’s destruction came at Kas’ hand but Vecna also retaliated against his traitorous lieutenant, leaving only Kas’s sword behind. The true sword was lost, with replica Sword of Kas sent across the realities of the multiverse like the Eye and Hand of Vecna. In the hands of its owner or those with his blessing, the True Sword of Kas achieves its greatest potential. It has the following traits;
- Bloodthirst. The sword thirsts for blood, demanding it on its blade within 1 minute of being drawn from its scabbard, its wielder makes a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a successful save, the wielder takes 3d6 Psychic damage. On a failed save, the wielder is dominated by the sword, as if by the Dominate Monster, and the sword demands blood. The spell effect ends when the sword’s demand is met. Only Kas, Vecna, and those with their blessing are immune to this effect.
- Magic Weapon. You gain a +6 bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls made with the sword, which scores a Critical Hit on a roll of 18+. It deals an extra 1d10 Slashing and 1d10 Piercing damage to Undead.
- Secret Message. Hidden in the blade and revealed within 60 feet of Kas or Vecna is the true origin of the blade. A CR 20 or higher creature can make out the words in their native language. When spoken aloud near Kas or Vecna, they are dealt 10d10 psychic damage ignoring immunity and resistance as the words strike their very soul. It reads;
- "With this blade, you are my sword. The Right Hand that delivers my judgments. My will, with the eternity of resolve worthy of my attention. A piece of me for only your use. Now, and forever."
- Undead Icon. While attuned to the sword, you have immunity to Charmed, Frightened, and Poisoned.
- Ambitious Resolve. While attuned to the sword your speed increases to 10 feet, and have immunity to Blinded, Deafened, Petrified, and Stunned.
- Solitary Soul. While attuned to the sword, you kill any nonmagical vegetation you touch that isn't a creature. An aura of 30 feet extends from you that decays the life of all CR 1 or lower creatures. They are dealt 1d10 necrotic damage for every hour they are within proximity of the sword.
- Improper Pairing. When you become attuned to the sword, you take 10d10 psychic damage. Only Kas, Vecna, or those with their blessing are immune to this property.
- Secret Message. Hidden in the blade and revealed within 60 feet of Kas or Vecna is the true origin of the blade. A CR 20 or higher creature can make out the words in their native language. When spoken aloud near Kas or Vecna, they are dealt 10d10 psychic damage ignoring immunity and resistance as the words strike their very soul. It reads;
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Spells. While attuned to the sword, you can cast the following spells (save DC 18) from it at the highest level. The sword is used as the casting source:
- Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting
- Blade of Disaster
- Call Lightning
- Divine Word
- Finger of Death
- Storm of Vengeance
Once you use the sword to cast a spell, you can’t cast that spell again until the next dawn.
- Spirit of Kas. While the sword is on your person, you gain the following benefits:
- Battle Hunger. You add 1d10 to your Initiative rolls.
- Blade of Defense. When you take an action to attack with the sword, you can transfer some or all of its attack bonus to your armor class instead. The adjusted bonuses remain in effect until the start of your next turn.
- Necrotic Resistance. You have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
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Sentience. The True Sword of Kas is a sentient, Neutral Evil weapon with an Intelligence of 17, a Wisdom of 15, and a Charisma of 18. It has hearing and Blindsight out to 120 feet. The weapon communicates telepathically with its wielder and speaks their native tongue.
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Personality. The sword’s purpose is to bring ruin to Vecna, be it in person or anything of connection to him. Killing Vecna’s worshipers, destroying his works, or foiling his machinations all help to fulfill this goal. This is rooted in the sword having manifested the scorn and betrayal Kas felt by the Lich by their former affections. Like Kas, it feels like the Lich cares nothing for it, and uses everyone and anything to achieve his ambitions of godhood.
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The True Sword of Kas always seeks to destroy anyone corrupted by the Eye and Hand of Vecna. It has a pull to these items on the same plane as it, able to be a compass to their exact location due to the trio's connection to one another.
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Destroying the Sword. A creature attuned to both the Eye and Hand of Vecna can use the [spell] Wish[spell] property of those combined Artifacts to unmake the True Sword of Kas, provided the sword is within 30 feet of the spell’s caster. Upon casting Wish, the creature makes a DC 20 Charisma saving throw. On a failed save, nothing happens, and the Wish spell is wasted. On a successful save, the True Sword of Kas is destroyed.
Lair and Lair Actions
Kas lair is the Rotted Tower, the same place where he struck at Vecna eons ago. His former lairs: the Ruined Keep in the Dread Realm Monadhan within the Shadowfell and his Obsidian Keep in a hidden dominion within the Astral Sea. These lairs have been lost to time and reality, but can still serve as places where Kas will make his stand against the party if chosen. If not, he may use the True Sword of Kas and his Mythic Traits to make anywhere he is into a Lair for his confrontation. Kas has a challenge rating of 36 (290,000 XP) if he is encountered in either of his lairs.
Lair Actions
On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Kas can take a lair action to cause one of the following effects, though he can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
- Dark Smash. Kas cracks his knuckles before he targets one creature within movement distance. He dashes at them with untamed speed before making an Unarmed Strike against them with advantage. On a success, they take half damage, however on a fail they take full damage while being knocked [condition[proned[/condiition]. Kas deals an additional 4d6 thunder damage in 5ft. around the target and converts it into difficult terrain for one round.
- Destructive Darkness. Kas creates a wave of black and red force before unleashing it out. Each creature he can see within the lair must succeed on a DC 23 Wisdom saving throw or take 36 (6d12) force and 13 (3d12) necrotic damage.
- Commanding Death. Until the next initiative counts 20, all undead within the lair side with Kas and become enraged, causing them to have an advantage on melee weapon attack rolls. All attack rolls have an advantage against them.
- Pulling Evil. Until the next initiative counts 20, Kas breathes in deep with the power of dark magic causing any light within the lair to become dim light. If there is dim light, it becomes darkness.
Previous Versions
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