Sword of Kas

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Greyhawk Item
Sword of Kas
The Sword of Kas, as depicted on the back cover of Vecna: Hand of the Revenant. Art by Kevin McCann.
Type: Artifact Weapon
Body Slot: N/A (Weapon)
First Appearance: Eldritch Wizardry (1976).

The Sword of Kas is the mighty blade once used by Kas the Bloody-Handed, the dreaded lieutenant of Vecna. It was by this blade, some say, that Vecna lost his Hand and Eye.

Description[edit | edit source]

The Sword of Kas, variously described as a short sword, longsword, or greatsword, was crafted by Vecna. The blade is said to have been magically honed to a razor's edge, enhanced the wielder's strength, and could be used to call down lightning bolts from any stormclouds that might be overhead. The sword itself is intelligent, possessing a vile and murderous spirit.

History[edit | edit source]

The history of Kas the Bloody Handed is irrevocably linked to Lord Vecna, for his Sword was created by Vecna's own skill. Kas was Vecna's lieutenant, his warlord and assassin, and the Sword was his symbol of authority. The Sword was as evil as its maker, and it whispered dreams of treachery to Kas until finally, blade in hand, he confronted his dread master. The battle between the two was titanic, and both are said to have died in the end. All that remained behind were the Sword of Kas and the Hand and Eye of Vecna.

Publishing history[edit | edit source]

The Sword of Kas first appeared in the Original D&D supplement, Eldritch Wizardry. It was one of the first artifacts detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game. The sword has been updated many times and has even been the object of quests as in the adventure Vecna Lives.

Gallery[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

Citations[edit | edit source]

Bibliography[edit | edit source]

  • Cook, David. Book of Artifacts. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1993.
———. Vecna Lives!. Lake Geneva, WI: TSR, 1990.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Index is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, and his work as continued and updated by Eric Johnson, Richard DiIoia, Jason "PupickDad" Jacobson, a French fan group, and numerous other fans over the years. The wiki page for the EGI has a list of sources, full product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

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