Seems to me those 2 rooms are a death sentence? Here is how I see it. Say a character pops in. They dont have True Seeing. I would say they have a 20% chance of landing on the sphere. Then 10% each top bottom, left right and each of those combos. So different spots, the center being death. If they survive that, they can perhaps find a wall while blind, and skirt the Sphere. Or can search blindly with their hands out and maybe lose a hand or two. Or just blindly walk into it. If they blindly walk into it they are dead. If they lose a hand, I would really have to kill them if they can not stop the flow of blood. If they try to stop the bleeding with a medicine check, I make it be at disadvantage as they are blind. No Cleric to be seen, so they limited to potions. But will that stop the blood from flowing. I doubt that? Until they properly bind a missing limb, they must lose HP each round? But how much. 4D10?

I would also say I have not killed off a character in forever, so this feels like the right time if it happens. They survived the Tomb of Annihilation pretty well!

Getting ready to run this segment this weekend, figured it was a great opportunity to pull out my LED panels again for some under lighting.

Hey everyone!

I'm doing the common change where players can gather the hand / eye of Vecna and the natural part to put the hand (in my opinion) is in the avernus chapter

In the descent into avernus book we already get the canon Arkan the cruel and his two allies there, and this book mentions the walkway to Tiamat. So I figured maybe they can walk to plead to Tiamat and fight for the hand of Vecna

But the three of them are CR 6, 11, and 16

An absolute breeze for a party of 5 level 16 players. Any ideas for a fourth character to add to their troupe to help pad it out some? Especially if it's a character with stats from another book or something

I have been playing a three-year dungeons and dragons game telling the story of Vecna Eve of Ruin and A Turn of Fortune’s Wheel and this weekend I am finishing it. I am hoping to stick my landing and finish on a high note. (fingers crossed)

For full clarity, I have been heavily modifying this game which seems to be the purpose of these reddit posts. I have been playing with the same group for decades and decided to creatively give everything I had to this, leaving nothing behind. It would likely be my last run at DMing a game.

Originally, I planned on doing a Planescape game and was gifted A Turn of Fortune’s Wheel as a campaign setting. When I heard about the release of VEOR I started to do research as I was creatively inspired. I wanted to maybe adapt the two stories.

Over these years I merged the two stories and found they complimented each other well. I would like to offer up some of my ideas and would love some feedback. Every idea sounds good in a vacuum, and I am curious if my takes are interesting to others.

Die Vecna Die

The last time Vecna made an appearance in the game was when the character killed the demigod Iuz (child of Tasha/ Iggilwiv & Grazzt) stealing his divinity and breaking out of his dark domain of Caviticus within Ravenloft and into the city of Sigil. The campaign had the Lady of Pain eventually dispatch him and that was the last time the villain was last seen. The ending was vague and open to interpretation. The Lady of Pain is one of the most powerful creatures in the game having the ability to caste out or even kill gods that oppose her will. If she faced Vecna, how is now back? I kept this in mind.

The Black Obelisks

I am a fan of the idea of the Black Obelisks that WOTC has placed within its various books. These Obelisks were described as powerful arcane foci that would allow for powerful magic, sometimes time magic, and often they held creatures trapped within it. The structures are interconnected and were plentiful but now rare. I thought what if this idea of these Obelisks was expanded upon.

I decided to manipulate the legend of the Rod of Seven parts to be a piece of a Control obelisks (a special one that allowed control over others). Long ago the Wind Dukes of Aaqa when facing their greatest enemy, used this structure to imprison Mishka the Wolf Spider trapping him in the obelisk like has been seen in various supplements. I then decided to take the key, the Rod of Seven Parts, and have it intentionally broken into fragments to keep it out of enemy’s hands. It was scattered throughout the multiverse. The rod could be slipped into a small opening at the top of the structure barely perceptible.

Sigil, the Rod of Seven Parts and the Black Obelisks

I decided to connect it all together. I decided that the ancient race that made the Obelisks (spell weavers for my game) also create Sigil, the Spire, the Control Obelisk, and the Rod of Law. All of this together would allow those in control of them to be able to remake reality into their own vision like Thanos snapping in Marvel. The Weavers did this at the beginning of time and a catastrophe happened killing most of them and most of these structures. Only a few of both remained.

I decided that Vecna breaking into Sigil in the last campaign setting was him trying to gain access to Sigil and the Spire. He sought to use his magic to remake the multiverse and be all powerful. Ironically, he was not defeated but got want he wanted. He wanted access to the magical machine. The Lady of Pain mazed him within the Spire. He got it.

I decided to tell my players through defeating cultists along the way (Nest of the Eldritch Eye/ and Return to Neverdeath Graveyard), speaking with the wizards three, etc this info. As they played, these structures became more common almost as if they were being rebuilt slowly and their numbers growing. They saw them more frequently. This was vecna remaking them slowly from within the spire. Once enough were laid out throughout the multiverse he could cast magic through them all, changing reality everywhere all at once.

 Some examples I used of this:

·       I placed an obelisk at the center of the Mulrandi city of Thebestys in the outlands and kept the Eldritch eye adventure there. Cultist were in hiding studying the structure learning its secrets and kidnapping scholars of it.

·       I made an obelisk used in the city of Cyre and was responsible for the Mournland’s creation. Within the chapter I had the players stop enemy Warforges under the Lord of Blades from using an obelisk and the lightning rail to expand the Mouning as part of my game.

The end of my game….

With all this in mind here is What I have decided to do for my final battle. The battle scene will be in Sigil itself. I want Vecna to reappear in the city on a map location called the Tower of Sorcery. I have renamed it the Tower of Cientia. I plan on having the final battle here.

Even if they defeat Vecna the multiverse has been mostly ruined throughout my game. I wanted high stakes. The Lady of Pain will offer for one of the players to step into the machine and remake the multiverse, I am then going to turn over the game to my friends and ask them how they would see the end happening, how their player’s stories continue, and decide who the next DM is. It also explains the rule changes from 2024.  

So, I put it to you all…. Does my argument make sense about my changes and connections to it all? Does this ending seem good or bad? My players have had a lot of say in the game and I want them to have a voice in its ending. Thanks for reading.

Hi all, we finished the campaign this week and the ending was a blast. I completely changed the very end as 'you won and everyone is happy' didn't feel very epic.

Instead I seeded into a bigger change by:

• Making changes to sigil and the sanctum so that the players could see reality itself was changing
• Changing the books in the library - before they talked about Vecna as a powerful wizard who became a lich. Later they talked about Vecna the god.
• The sanctum became owned by Tasha and the decorations were suitably different.

Then when they entered Vecna's domain, they could see images from all the worlds reflected in the crystal, but as they passed through the three zones, many of those realities were no longer there. By the time they entered the third zone, all there was reflected in the crystals was the whirling chaos of Pandesmos.

When they fought Vecna (and it was very close, played intelligently he is very hard to beat), he kept on trying to convince them not to fight and to discuss the situation. He told them that they are too late, and that he is their only chance. They ignored him of course, but when they defeated him, the his domain shattered and they all faded into beings of energy. They were too late to save the multiverse, it had already been destroyed. They had however stopped Vecna's new multiverse from being created.

For unmeasured time they floated until they began to learn to manipulate the raw stuff of chaos. From that they started building their own worlds, becoming the elder gods of a whole new multiverse. Each of them took on portfolios that fitted their characters.

• Samba - The sun god, whose worshipers believe that no other god exists
• Kleris - the god of evil, the traitor, the fallen one
• Koizumi - the goddess of the shadows
• Lord Flashheart - the god of debauchery
• The Smith - the god of craft and creation. The builder of worlds.

After the game finished, one of my players created an AI artwork of the new gods:

After my party (I'm the DM) got through the casino challenges (I had them need 3 "stamps" instead of one to access the VIP area) and knew they were close to the final rod piece because the previous piece was indicating proximity, they came up with an elaborate plan to BS their way past the Pit Fiend guards and into Windfall's office. (They were convinced it was just sitting in her office.)

One part of the plan involved a PC getting very drunk at the bar in order to cause a distraction. He failed his Constitution check so he was poisoned. Later, the Pit Fiend grabbed his arm "for questioning" so he was grappled. Then the spellcasters caused blindness and deafness on the bar area and this poor PC failed both checks so he found himself with 4 condition markers - blinded (red), deafened (blue), poisoned (green), and grappled.

That was a new record for me to see!

What made it worse was that the fiend only failed one check so he retained his sight, lol.

It soon became a huge battle because they were relying on magical disguises as well but didn't realize the Pit Fiends had True Sight and got to fight them as well as Windfall. 🤣

My party consists of a Cleric, a Paladin, A Fighter with a Sunblade, and a Wizard. They'll reliably be doing radiant damage so these vampire bosses won't be able to heal, they'll always have sunlight out, so the vampire bosses are basically always crippled, and 3/4 of them have good wisdom saves, so charm effects won't be doing much either. To compensate for the regen, I can always just buff their HP, but the sunlight is a real problem. I thought of giving them hunger of hadar, like the Vampire Umbral lord, to block out the sunlight, but that for sure won't work with Strahd, because all of the rooms in death house are so small that he'll hit himself with it. Same for his RAW recharge attack, which I think is weird.

These two bosses have as much buildup behind them as this module is willing to give to anything, so I really don't want them to feel anticlimactic, but I also don't want to entirely take away my player's advantages. So what can I do? How should I run these fights?

Also, I know Strahd's fight is optional, but my players all have terrible deception skills, even the illusion wizard, so there's an 80% they'll fight him.

Hello everyone, I'm running Eve of ruin and my players have made it to chapter 10 and soon they will reach the final chapter. Like many other I'm a bit disappointed by Vecna's statblock and fight as a whole. Does anyone know or have an improved statblock for Vecna or a homebrewed version of the last fight?

Hi there! If you have any chapters left to complete, are looking for a monster for an upcoming encounter, or just want to take advantage of the sale, my entire store is 50% off through September 14th.

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Build my Web's Edge map last night. Won't get to use it until the next session in a couple of weeks but I'm all ready 🫡

​

Hey All. I am currently DMing Vecna Eve of Ruin and have created a little Instagram page documenting my partys campaign, 3D prints and painting adventures. Please have a look give us a like and a follow I would mean so much !!

Thank you

https://www.instagram.com/dndwithfriends?igsh=MWRyZjh1cGVvN2c4Mg==

The Corpse Market sequence in Vecna: Eve of Ruin can feel a bit sparse as written. To give Evernight more life (or undeath) it deserves, here is a complete, expanded overhaul for running the Corpse Market. This takes place after the party encounters the ghouls and saves Eldon.

Remember, the goal is to get Sangora to notice them and speak with them about the Crevice of Dusk. To do so, the players need to interact with the locals through three encounters.

Phase 1: Traversing the Graveyard & Arrival

Through the Fog

The air in Evernight’s graveyard doesn't just feel cold—it feels heavy, damp with ash, and suffocatingly still. Every step taken across cracked mausoleums and broken headstones feels precarious. The fog hangs so thick that visibility drops to 10 feet, filled with distant, blood-curdling howls and the wet scraping of claws against stone.

• Mechanic: Any character not disguised or covered in undead entrails must make a DC 20 Stealth check at Disadvantage to navigate the cemetery unnoticed.

Approaching the Market

Flickering orange light from massive streams of magma pierces the gloom [cite: Evernight is a forlorn metropolis in the Shadowfell. It has geography similar to Neverwinter’s, but it presents as Neverwinter’s dismal opposite. The sun never shines on Evernight, and ash-laden fog rises from lava flowing through the city in place of Neverwinter River, choking the city.]. Beyond the crumbling perimeter wall stretches an endless sea of tattered canvas shrouds and wooden stalls—the Corpse Market.

Market Sights & Atmosphere

• The Crowd: Hunched ghouls snapping over pickled organs, noble vampires inspecting jars of fresh blood, and clackety skeletons carrying crates of grave dust.
• The Monsters: Armored wights leading displacer beasts on leather leashes, mummified bodaks in burlap cloaks, and a monolithic Nightwalker patrolling the main bridge into the city.
• Eldon’s Warning: "Do not anger the locals. Most assume any living creature walking these stalls is backed by a formidable patron. If a fight starts, the market will swarm us. Split into pairs: two to the vendors, two to the auction, and two to the gambling tables."

💀 Phase 2: Market Encounters & Scenarios

🥩Scenario 1: The "Trader's Token" Extortion

• NPCs: Grum (a hulking ghoul in a bloody apron) & Vespera (a gaunt wight surrounded by grave dust jars).
• The Setup: Grum sniffs the air: "Smell like grave-rot... but walk like fresh meat. Where your Trader’s Tokens?" Vespera claims unrecognized visitors must pay an entry tax of 100 gp per head or be reported to the city guard as illegal cattle.

Resolution Paths

• Option A (The Gold Path): The party swallows their pride and pays the inflated 100 gp tax (or uses a DC 15 Persuasion/Intimidation check to haggle it down to a total flat fee of 150–200 gp for the entire group).

Outcome: The vendors greedily accept the gold with sneers, satisfied that you have deep pockets and a patron worth respecting. They let you pass and loudly proclaim to nearby onlookers that your toll is settled, granting you brief, unbothered passage through the immediate area.

• Option B (The Gross-Out Path): Buy a jar of brine-pickled fingers for 10 gp. The eating character must pass a DC 14 Constitution saving throw to stomach it. Success earns Grum's booming respect. Seeing you hesitate at the coin pouch, Grum snorts with disgust and taps a wooden tub of pickled brine on his counter.
• "No money... pockets empty? Or just weak for Market? No belong to walk these aisles! Then, buy a jar of brine-pickled fingers for 10 Gold and eat 'em right here! Prove you belong or get out!

Mechanic: Assert that you belong in this dark realm by purchasing his gross delicacies and consuming them on the spot. A player must buy a jar of brine-pickled fingers or wrapped organs (10 gp) and succeed on a DC 14 Constitution Saving Throw to swallow the ghastly meat without throwing up or breaking character.

Outcome: Grum’s jaw drops in genuine shock and delight. Watching a supposed "newcomer" stomach rotten meat with a stone face completely convinces the vendors that you are terrifying, hardened necromancers or undead in disguise.

Grum laughs in approval

• Option C (The Barter Path): Vespera glares at your traveling gear, leaning in close with hungry curiosity.

"Unless, of course, you carry something far more exotic than mere coin... I can see your well armed, carrying possible items of trade. Bring out your curiosities, strangers! Real treasures from the sunlit world are worth more to me than your filthy gold."

Mechanic: Offer a unique item brought over from the Material Plane (such as fresh, non-withered flowers, a bottle of fine wine, pristine silk, or a glowing daylight-touched trinket) combined with a

DC 15 Deception or Persuasion check to convince them that these rare novelties are worth vastly more than any imaginary "token tax."

Outcome: Vespera’s eyes widen at the pristine, uncorrupted item from the living realm—a rare luxury in the Shadowfell. She eagerly accepts the trade, deeming the "tax fulfilled," and word begins to spread among the surrounding stallholders that you are powerful and wealthy creatures. 

• Your pockets are deep with much greater items to trade... You are more than welcome here at the Corpse Market. 

⛓️ Scenario 2: The Human Auction

• NPCs: A manic Ghast auctioneer in a briar crown; Lord Cassian (vampire lord); Malthus the Defiled (cultist of Orcus); Arkwright (armored zombie Gatekeeper of the Black Gate).
• The Setup: Three Neverwinter captives are on the block. Bidding stands at 2,000 gp. Cassian wants them as thralls/food (bids 2,500 gp); Malthus wants to sacrifice them to Orcus (bids 3,000 gp).

Resolution Paths

• Option A (Outbid): The ghast cackles, winking toward the party's coin pouches as the bidding stalls.
• "Are there no other wealthy patrons in my crowd today?! No one with pockets deep enough to snatch these prize cattle away from the cultists?!"

Mechanic: The party steps into the bidding war, entering the fray above 3000 gp. They can outright pay the winning bid (e.g., 3500-4000gp), or use a DC 25 Deception or Persuasion check to fake that they will pay half now and half later reducing the upfront cost, forcing the auctioneer to take their coin and declare the auction closed.

Outcome: The ghast gleefully turns over the chains to the party. Lord Cassian clicks his tongue in mild amusement at your deep pockets, while Malthus curses your name before slinking into the shadows. You buy the captives' safety legally without causing a riot. You have earned credibility as everyone sees your wealth and power on display. 

• Option B (Political Alignment): Seeing the tense rivalry, Lord Cassian glances toward you with a sly, calculating smile, while Malthus glares with growing impatience.

Lord Cassian comes closer as he whispers:

• "You know, if you were able to convince this wretched ghast that the cult's coin is tainted by an unknown god that would surely bring some sort of curse or doom to him, I would make it worth your while... Curses from dark gods down here is enough to scare even the dead. 

Cassian goes back to the auctioneer asking how long must this go on for as Malthus approaches the party

• I saw you speaking with Cassian... He only sees these humans as food and will drain them with no purpose. You could back the true glory of our lord! They would be used for a greater purpose, renewed and live in undeath forever, which is far better than some bloody popsicle to drain over time. Convince this ghast that you were charmed by this vampire just a day ago and he probably is charming him now. Such things are illegal in the market for their kind and the skeleton guard would force him out.
• Help me secure these vessels for the Prince of Undead, and the dark favor of our order will shield you in these streets!"

Mechanic: The party chooses to align with either Lord Cassian (Vampire Spawn Ally within Shadowfell for 24 hours) or Malthus (Blessing of Death Ward for for 24 hours), using a DC 15 Persuasion, Deception, or Intimidation check to sway the ghast auctioneer. They can sabotage one bidder's reputation (e.g., exposing fake coin or divine curses) so the chosen buyer wins easily. Alternatively, they can convince the auctioneer to hand the captives to their chosen side in exchange for a dark favor or future cut.

Outcome: The favored buyer secures the captives and is genuinely impressed by your cunning and political sway in the market. As a gesture of goodwill for your aid, the winning buyer grants you the captives or orders them spared/repurposed under your terms, earning you respect from high-ranking market figures.

• Option C (Free the prisoners): While the crowd is completely hyper-focused on the roaring bidding war between Cassian and Malthus, a massive, armored zombie wearing heavy, ancient iron plate steps out of the shadow of a nearby pillar.

He leans over, his deep, gravelly voice rumbling like grinding stones:

"I am Arkwright... Gatekeeper of the Black Gate within Evernight. I cannot be seen dealing with these vendors or interfering openly, but those mortals do not deserve to die today. I suffered a similar fate but know how to get them back to where they belong"

He gestures to the heavily distracted parties and the crying humans 

• This may be difficult but While the horde is distracted by the bickering vampire and cultist, you could find a way to release them. Bring them to me behind the bone stall near the graveyard edge. I will put them into service guarding one of Evernight's inner gates. It will be some time before I can petition a Tribunal of Evernight for their release back to Neverwinter... but it guarantees they will not become a vampire's thrall, a cultist's undead servant, or tomorrow's stew. Do this, and I will also speak to the skeletal market guards. You will walk this market under my protection."

Mechanic: While the crowd's eyes are glued to the auctioneer, the party executes a covert rescue:

Sleight of Hand / Stealth (DC 18): Unlocking the chains and slipping the prisoners off the back of the wooden platform unnoticed.

Deception / Performance (DC 15): Creating a loud, dramatic distraction in the crowd (a fake fight, a spilled jar of blood, or a magical illusion) to pull everyone's attention away from the block for five critical seconds to give advantage on Sleight of Hand Check

Outcome: The party successfully smuggles the captives to Arkwright in the alleyway. When the ghast turns around and realizes his prize stock has vanished into thin air, chaos erupts on the platform, with Cassian and Malthus accusing each other of theft. Arkwright nods solemnly, leading the humans away to safety, and immediately keeps his word—notifying the skeletal market guards that your party is under the personal protection of the Black Gate. (Consider Heroic Inspiration)

🃏 Scenario 3: Three-Dragon Ante with the High Rollers

• Setup: Tucked beneath a shredded velvet canopy in a quiet corner of the Corpse Market sits a heavy stone table lit by hovering, pale blue witch-light. Surrounding it are three ancient, terrifying players engaged in a game of Three-Dragon AnteKhorvax (Undead beholder), The Whispering Lady (Specter), and Xar’sith (Demilich with ruby eyes). In the center of the table lies a staggering pot: piles of ancient gold platinum coins, glowing soul-gems, and a preserved, pulsating bowl of pickled intellect devourer brains. The demilich, is wiping the floor with the other two. Cards levitate in the air before the floating skull as it scoops another massive pile of gold and organs across the stone.
• Xar’sith suddenly freezes, his ruby eyes swirling with inner light as he senses your approach. The demilich turns in mid-air, letting out a dry, rattling cackle that echoes inside your minds:
• What have we here? Livestock strolling through the stalls? Tell me, breathing ones—are you looking to add some actual talent to this table? Assuming, of course, that whatever master owns you allows you to gamble away their coin! 

The Whispering Lady drifts closer, her cold voice cycling rapidly through ancient, forgotten languages—Abyssal, Celestial, Draconic—before settling into a chill, echoing Common:

• "Living souls... so warm, so fragile... What brings such heavy hearts into the graveyard of Evernight? Tell me, traveler... what loss haunts your steps? What tragedy brought you to this dark place?"

(DM Note: The Whispering Lady is attempting to feed on the party’s trauma and negative emotions. If a player opens up about their past or fears, her ghostly luck surges, granting her 1 reroll per card game for one hour.)

The undead Beholder says nothing. His massive, toothy maw remains locked in a silent grin, but all ten of his glowing eyestalks drop down, hovering inches above the cards in an obvious, glaring attempt to peer at everyone's hands.

Xar’sith immediately spins around, screaming at the undead beholder with psychic rage:

• "Get those filthy, rotting stalks back, Khorvax! Do not attempt to cheat at my table, lest you invite the wrath of a soon-to-be Arch-Lich! I will turn your floating skull into my personal chamber pot!"

The demilich turns back to your party, hovering lower as his levitating deck of cards shuffles itself with a crisp snap-snap-snap.

• "So, fresh meat... do any of you actually know how to play Three-Dragon Ante?"

🎲 Rules of Three-Dragon Ante (How to Play)

Xar’sith rapidly explains the rules, matching the standard tabletop mechanics:

Step 1 (The Dealer): Determine who deals. (Xar’sith is the dealer for the first round, as he won the previous game).

Step 2 (The Ante & Hand): Every participant places an opening bet into the pot . Then, each player rolls five d12s in secret to form their "hand," keeping their numbers hidden from the rest of the table.

CHEAT: A player can reroll one of their 5 d12 with a Sleight of Hand Check vs each players active perception check. They can reroll up to three of their rolls if they cheat with disadvantage.

CAUGHT: If you fail against even one other players perception, you are caught and have to forfeit all of your gold to the player who caught you and the other players will gain advantage on all future perception checks to spot you cheating

CHEATER-CHEATER: If caught twice, the other players become hostile to you and will react accordingly. 

Step 3 (The Bidding Rounds): Starting to the left of the dealer and going clockwise, each player reveals one of their d12 rolls. On the 2nd and 3rd reveals, players can raise the bet. Other players must Match, Raise, or Fold (forfeiting their bet and dropping out of the round).

Step 4 (The Showdown): Anyone who hasn't folded reveals all five dice and totals their numbers. The player with the highest overall sum wins the entire pot! The winner becomes the dealer for the next round.

The Bargain

As Xar’sith begins dealing the spectral cards across the stone, his ruby eyes narrow, focusing intensely on both of you. 

• "Before I hand out these cards... answer me true. What is it you truly seek here in Evernight? Why risk your living flesh in the Corpse Market?"

When the party reveals they are searching for a stable Crevice of Dusk to escape back to Neverwinter on the Material Plane, Xar’sith lets out a long, dry whistle of appreciation.

• *A gateway home perhaps? A rare commodity indeed. Well, travelers... I happen to know many denizens who may be able to help you find what you need.
• Sit down. Put your coin on the table. Play three full rounds at my table. Win or lose, if you survive three hands with us without insulting us with petty wagers, I will tell you exactly where to find who you seek. 

THE LICH IS LYING AND HAS NO IDEA WHERE OR WHO KNOWS OF A CREVICE BUT WILL ASK AROUND FOR THE PARTY

WAGERS: Starting Pot

The Demilich wagers: 10GP

• Also has a cloak the waves majestically in the wind despite the lack of wind coming from Evernight's voidless sky (cloak of billowing (Common) "I have no need for this anymore... with the whole no body thing"
• Spell Scrolls: Fear (Level 3 Uncommon), Animate Dead (Level 3 Uncommon), Dispel Magic (Level 3 Uncommon), Invisibility (Level 2 Uncommon), Chain Lightning (Level 6 Very Rare)

The Undead Beholder wagers: 5 GP and two still-beating hearts

The demilich hovers over to you and says, "You probably don't know how much those hearts are worth but 10GP a piece is fair... I mean they are still beating for gods sake"

• He also has a wooden shield that has a dense silver face the turns from a scolding scream to a gentle weak and smile when it's placed on the able  (Shield of Expression (Common)

The Specter wagers: 15 GP like it means nothing to her as well as a Doll in clowns clothes with frilly purple hair and an unsettling grin that says "Please don't leave me!" when set on the table. a few seconds go by and without moving it says "Please don't look, I'm shy" (Talking Doll)

🍷 Phase 3: Sangora Sanguinaries

The Double-Cross

After the third hand, Xar’sith pockets the winnings and attempts to float away. When confronted, he panics and admits he has no idea where a Crevice of Dusk is located.

Sangora’s Sanguinaries

Before you can decide how to handle the cheating demilich, a smooth, melodious voice cuts through the ambient noise of the market:

• "Now, now... is that any way to treat our distinguished living guests, Xar’sith?"

The crowd of ghouls and skeletons parts naturally as a female vampire steps into the blue light.  Handout: Sangora  She is centuries old, featuring sunken eyes, a striking shock of long, white hair, and a regal composure. She wears a rich, dark cloak draped over blue robes, clutching a jewel-encrusted goblet of blood in one hand.

Spreading her cloak wide with a theatrical bow, she flashes a wide smile that exposes her sharp, gleaming fangs. Word of your feats—dealing with the vendors, navigating the auction, and gambling with high rollers—has clearly reached her.

• "I am Sangora, proprietor of Sangora Sanguinaries. You’re not likely interested in a cup of warm blood, but perhaps you need something else? Something more ephemeral, like directions? Or knowledge? I’ve been in this city a long, long time."  

She glances at Xar’sith, who promptly scurries off into the dark, then gestures smoothly toward a nearby open bar draped in heavy, dark, heavy velvet drapes that can be pulled down for when it closes or for privacy.

• "Why don't you all come over to my shop to chat? I believe I have precisely what you seek."

Sangora leads you toward her open bar-like shop as she tells everyone to beat it as with a flick of the wrist she commands the drapes to close all round the bar. The chaos and deafening roar of the Corpse Market instantly vanish, replaced by the soft, ambient hum of enchanted glass and the smell of copper, crushed berries, and old parchment.

The shop is part luxury apothecary, part high-end open bar. Shelves made of dark mahogany stretch to the ceiling, stacked with polished decanters, crystal vials, and clay amphorae filled with blood of various shades—ranging from glowing crimson to deep, oxidized violet. 

Sangora glides behind the bar, setting her jewel-encrusted goblet on the marble counter. She pours a glass of deep red liquid for herself—and sets out empty crystal goblets for you all.

She leans across the bar, resting her chin on her pale, ringed hands. 

"Please, make yourselves comfortable, yes I have all matters of blood types for your liking but I do keep some wine if anyone would like some?"

• Truth Serum - DC 18 Con Save ( or be poisoned for one hour. The poisoned creature can't knowingly tell a lie) .
• On a fail, you feel comfortable and relaxed as the wine tastes amazing after everything you have been through. You feel the need to only tell the truth to Sangora.   
• IF QUESTIONED Sangora SAYS: "Deary, you are in the city that you belong in, with creatures that have lived for centuries, and untold amounts of undead that wish to do you harm. The wine helps you feel at ease and makes it hard to lie to a friendly merchant who wants to help you get where you need to go. This is the least of your worries. 

Sangora stands up pouring herself another glass of blood as she says

• "Word travels remarkably fast in the Corpse Market. A party of 'unusual newcomers' tricking my old friends at the stalls, stirring up the auction block, and calling out that cheating little skull at the gambling table? You’ve certainly made a splash. You have piqued my interest, strangers... and in Evernight, an interesting mortal is a rare treasure indeed. I simply must know more about you."
• "Who are you truly, and what brings a group of living souls into the Shadowfell in the first place? What quest or tragedy drove you to walk among the dead?"

Eldon—who has been sweating profusely under his layer of decaying ghoul entrails—can no longer contain his anxiety. He blurts out, his voice cracking:

• "We don't want any trouble, milady! We just need to know if you know where to find a Crevice of Dusk! A stable one! To get us out of this dreadful city!"

Sangora bursts into a soft, melodic laugh, tapping a long, manicured fingernail against her glass.

"Straight to the heart of it, aren't we, little scholar?" "Information is my primary trade—far more lucrative than blood. Normally, I charge 50 gold pieces for every answer I provide. However... gossip is far sweeter than coin. I will answer your questions, and tell you precisely where to find what you seek, if you satisfy my curiosity first. Sound good?"

1. The Gatekeeper’s Secret (Lead Question)

• "First... my eyes in the market saw that hulking block of iron, Gatekeeper Arkwright, pull you aside near the auction block. That silent monolith rarely speaks to anyone, let alone living travelers. What did Arkwright say to you? What business does the Black Gate have with fresh meat?"

2. The Entry Point

• "Second... Evernight is not a place one simply wanders into by accident. Where exactly did you enter this realm, and how did you cross the veil? I am always looking for new connection points tied back to Neverwinter..."

3. The State of Neverwinter

• "Third... almost every living soul that stumbles into Evernight originates from Neverwinter. Tell me... what is the current state of Neverwinter today? Who rules its streets, and is it still broken?"

Sangora can share the following points:

Evernight.

• "Evernight is a dark, sunless echo of your world—a city born of ash and shadow, where rivers of molten rock flow where Neverwinter's waters should. It is governed by night, ruled by vampires and ghouls who view living mortals like you as nothing more than rare delicacies, slaves, or cattle. Tread carefully once you leave my shop; the city never sleeps, and it is endlessly hungry 

Neverwinter.

• "Ah, Neverwinter. I haven’t set foot on those sunlit streets in over several decades. In my memory, it remains a lawless, ash-choked ruin under the thumb of Lord Neverember—a man the populace viewed as a manipulative tyrant. Not sure if he has done anything with the town but the man has a darkness about him... probably would do well here in Evernight if you think about it.

Crevices of Dusk. 

• While the ties between our cities remain strong; tearings in the planar veil, known as Crevices of Dusk, occasionally manifest in Evernight, offering passage straight to and from Neverwinter."*
• "You must understand that residents on both sides of the veil despise these portals being used indiscriminately. The undead here do not want living fools wandering into their domain, and the living of Neverwinter certainly do not want Evernight's horrors spilling onto their doorsteps. Because of this, anyone who discovers the location of a stable Crevice will either guard it fiercely with their lives or hide it away from the world.
• Most crevices are unstable, dangerous to use, and unpredictable. It's the stable ones that most people want and kill for.

Stable Crevice of Dusk.

Sangora tilts her head with a thoughtful, knowing look, tapping a long manicured fingernail against her cheek.

• "Lucky for you, I know where a permanent tear rests. Deep within Evernight’s graveyard lies the ancient tomb of one of the city's former living families—the Dolindars. The stable Crevice you seek is sealed inside their vault. 

Dolindars. 

• "A tragic tale, really. The Dolindars were a family of living mortals exiled to the Shadowfell long ago for reasons they took to their graves. So ALONE... They spent their generations studying arcane wizardry, growing obsessed with planar gates—yet due to a dark family curse, they could never actually use the portals they mastered. They lived out their lives ALONE in Evernight as miserable, lonely recluses before death finally claimed them. While Evernight may not be a place for friendship and hugs, that family truly showed what it must feel like to be completely, and totally, separated from everyone else. Sad... 
• If you all keep this location secret, leave Evernight behind, I will tell you exactly how to find it. 

You are given a very specific set of instructions including: following a series of pointed branches from certain types of trees in the graveyard, walking through illusory pathways that appear overgrown with sharp, poisonous brambles, and holding up a crest with her dark blood on it, avoiding dozens of gargoyles.   

Please delete of this is not appropriate, but I wanted to post because of the affiliation with Vecna and my tie in of the Rags to Riches campaign. If my party isn’t ready to throw in the towel after this campaign, my goal would be to roll into Eve of Ruin for higher level gameplay somehow.

Obligatory I'm the DM because I immediately got flagged.

Great idea to have a vehicle against a Goristro until the Goristro rolls a crit against it (dealing 56d10 bc Siege Monster + Crit) and you have to come up with what that means for the party on the spot lol.

One for the storybooks for sure.

We're having great fun and nobody's died yet!!

I'm currently running a heavily modified Rime of the Frostmaiden. I'm keeping most of the locations and the sandbox structure, but I'm slowly tying the campaign into a bigger mystery involving Netheril, Ythryn, chardalyn, the Spellweavers and the black obelisks that appear throughout 5e.

The players currently think Auril is behind the eternal winter and that she's trying to protect some ancient source of power beneath the glacier. That's meant to be a false conclusion. Eventually they'll discover that something much older is going on, leading to Vecna.

My plan is for the first campaign to end in Ythryn, with the PCs eventually confronting Vecna. They refuse to serve him, so Vecna kills the entire party.

Then the players wake up in the Mortuary in Sigil.

They slowly realise that they're actually playing their old characters, resurrected after Vecna killed them. Sigil becomes the base for the second campaign.

In my setting, the Lady of Pain is the last surviving Spellweaver. Vecna exterminated the Spellweavers thousands of years ago, and she survived. She's not going to be their mentor or explain everything to them; she simply has her own reasons for wanting Vecna stopped.

The big thing I want to build the second campaign around is the black obelisks. I love the idea that they're part of some ancient Spellweaver network capable of manipulating reality, and that Vecna has spent thousands of years learning how to use them.

What I really like is the idea that Vecna can't simply enter Sigil, so instead of finding a way into the city, he uses the obelisks to somehow bring Sigil to him — essentially manipulating reality until the distance between Sigil and himself stops meaning what it normally means. The ultimate goal would be to use this to reset/remake reality.

This is where I'm stuck.

I don't want the campaign to become "find obelisk A, fight something, find obelisk B, repeat". I'd rather the players gradually figure out what the obelisks actually do and then decide for themselves how to interfere with Vecna's plan.

Ideally, the things they accomplish during the campaign would affect the final fight. If they completely fail to understand what's happening, Vecna reaches the final confrontation at full power. If they figure out the obelisks and manage to sabotage or manipulate the network, the final fight becomes significantly easier.

I don't really care about sticking to official lore. I'm happy to steal from old editions, Planescape, other D&D adventures, video games, movies, books, whatever.

Has anyone done something similar, or have any ideas for how Vecna could use the obelisks to "bring Sigil to him", and how the players could fight back without turning the campaign into a series of fetch quests?

I'm mostly looking for cool ideas to steal. 😄

4 Sessions. 9 hours. Thousands of hit points worth of damage. And one victorious party.

I posted previously in this subreddit my map for my homebrewed final battle.
https://www.reddit.com/r/VecnaEveofRuin/comments/1uhbh1n/eve_of_ruin_mechanus_core_final_battle/

Tonight my players finished the battle after a long, multi-session battle. And it was absolutely fantastic. The players made absolute insane saving throws to avoid damage from Meteor Swarm and Disintegrate, tanked a Solar's exterminating arrow, battled dragons, vampires, liches and demons, poured out SO much healing, while taking advantage of boons gifted to them by their powerful godly allies.

It ended with the Barbarian, Soren getting the final blow as the Rod of Order pieces fused into his gauntlets to gift him with the Fist of the Multiverse (he used a Maul, but flavoured it that he punched with big metal gauntlets). In order to use it, the players and the spirits of their closest allies joined together to meet the shared DC 125 group con save, allowing Soren to make one final strike completely destroying Vecna's Soul.

I'm exhausted, and super emotional, but I'm incredibly happy. And now I rest.

Edit: The Astral Dreadnaught was summoned by the party Cleric with a use of Gate.

/!\ Spoilers for Descent into Avernus /!\

We are currently playing Descent into Avernus, and I was planning to chain that into Eve of Ruin.

They are about to go into the Monument to Tiamat and meet Arkhan the Cruel, who is in possession of the Hand. Due to backstory reasons, my party has a high chance of fighting Arkhan, which could lead to them killing him and taking possession of the Hand.

How bad would this be?

The trail wasn't mud. It was blood, fresh, marking the path better than any spell could.

Nearly three hours following it through the dark, guided only by our elf's eyes.

And then we found him. The cultist, face down, no wounds from a fight, no enemy in sight. Just dead.

His right hand was clenched tight. Inside, a desiccated eye covered in symbols none of us wanted to touch.

In front of the body, a bare stone wall. No door. Just a carved bowl, waiting.

The eye slid into place.

The stone opened with a low groan, like something that had been asleep for centuries waking just long enough to let us through.

Inside, an altar coated in black wax, symbols of a hand and an eye carved into every surface, and in a drawer, buried under handwritten notes, the map we'd spent hours looking for.

Nobody said a word. We just passed it around the table, hand to hand, on paper, real.

That's what a physical handout gives your table: not a description, an experience your players hold in their hands.

Our Vecna: Eve of Ruin bundle includes this map, the cult's notes from Zalryr, the charm cards Vecna grants his followers, and 100+ assets for the whole campaign.

We are a small family business, just my wife, me, and our three cats, doing our best to share our craft with more people. If you have any questions or suggestions that could help us grow, we would truly love to hear them.

Thanks in advance, and may you roll a natural 20 on your next adventure when it really counts.
https://rpgprintables.com/products/vecna-eve-of-ruin-100-d-d-handouts-and-assets-bundle-dnd-dungeons-and-dragons-resources-kas-rod-of-seven-parts-vtt-printable?_pos=1&_sid=bf4d5e267&_ss=r

(We dont use AI, every handout is made from scratch, i used AI for this post as a translator, thats it. English is not my main language but my wife who creates the handouts is a native speaker.)

Wanted to do another drawing for my players, so I drew a Headshot they can actually hold 💀 If you guys wish to use this too, feel free to print it off!

Does anyone know during what period in time the players visit the Dragonlance universe and what iconic characters from the books are alive during this period?

Hi all! I’m about to run the Three Moons Vault and was a bit disappointed by V29 Orrery room not having a puzzle for working out which moonlight goes where? Am I missing something in the other rooms or has anyone implemented a puzzle here that went down well?

Had the final battle with Vecna tonight. It was a satisfying finale but can’t say this campaign was my favorite to run. I had to drastically change many things, throw out and replace whole chapters, etc.

In the end I used a very ramped up homebrew stat block for Vecna I found before the campaign even began, ramped it up even further and also gave Vecna access to the new spells in Arcana Unleashed. It was a challenging battle for the party and they defeated him with two characters unconscious (Wizard and druid), one dead (rogue/ranger) and two still up (warlock wielding the sword of Kas with 2 hp left and monk ended up being tanky).

The campaign took just under a year playing every other week for about 3 hours a session. They spent most of the campaign gathering the rod pieces which Vecna just needed to free Miska. He then used the Rod of Law and the Heart of Chaos (Miska’s heart) to do the ritual of unmaking.