The Sword of Kas is a sentient, versatile black longsword once wielded by Kas the Bloody-Handed when he rebelled against Vecna. After Kas' death, the Sword of Kas went missing in the depths of Thar Amphala until it was found by Keyleth. It was then given to Grog Strongjaw.
The Sword of Kas seeks blood and the downfall of Vecna. As an NPC, the Sword of Kas is portrayed by Matthew Mercer.
Description[]
Appearance[]
The Sword of Kas is a longsword,[1] and its blade is black, beautiful, and hooked in places.[2]
Personality[]
The Sword of Kas is singularly focused on destroying Vecna and his followers. Besides its thirst for blood, the main thing the Sword talks about is that "the lich must die." When used to attack Vecna, the Sword discussed wanting to usurp Vecna's power for itself.
History[]
Background[]
Vecna forged a relic blade for his new vampire lieutenant with a fraction of Kas's consciousness. Kas used it to terrorize Vecna's enemies for months. When Vecna first attempted to ascend to godhood with the Ritual of Seeding,[3] Yos Varda attacked Vecna directly. Though Vecna defeated Yos, the effort left him winded, and as Yos lay dying, Kas picked that moment to attack Vecna with the blade in an attempt to usurp him. The ensuing battle destroyed both Vecna and Kas, but the sword remained—though it was not recovered.[4]
"Dark Dealings" (1x112)[]
Beaneath Thar Amphala, Vex used a Scrying Eye on the Sword and saw it submerged in muck, but got a good enough description of the object to allow her to cast Locate Object and discover that it was within 1,000 feet.[5] They made their way directly above the object. Keyleth, in earth elemental form, used "Earth Glide" to move down to a small chamber 150 feet below—a room cut off by a collapse—with a pool of acid that had been used for disposing of bodies and other unwanted things. Her elemental form incurred acid damage and avoided being grappled by undead skeletal hands to recover the Sword, and Vex (who had used Oil of Etherealness to drop down to the chamber, unaware that it would make her useless for a full hour) returned to the party with the Sword via a gate stone.[6]
However, the plan to retrieve the Sword had some holes, and it revealed Vox Machina's location to Vecna. Under attack by the Briarwoods, they were forced to retreat to the Feywild. Grog immediately began attuning to the Sword, and the party was introduced to the Sword's motivations and its thirst for blood.[7]
"The Final Ascent" (1x113)[]
"Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114)[]
Kas drove Grog to strike at Vecna before anyone else. After being hurled into the god hard enough to make him feel fear, Kas was banished to a maze demiplane where he couldn't strike again. He remained there for a little more than six seconds before the maze spell was broken by a violent blow from Percy de Rolo's Animus pistol. Kas urged Grog to fight on, but the two couldn't reach Vecna for another twelve seconds when Keyleth of the Air Ashari, in the form of one of the Dawnfather's Planetars, hoisted Grog into the air and threw him into Vecna's chest. At last, Kas tasted the flesh of Vecna and dealt a blow severe enough to deal Vecna's Avatar Form a blow large enough to sustain a divine trammel. The Sword of Kas cut down the god's avatar piece by piece from then on until it was at risk of being destroyed and re-appearing elsewhere, yet Grog had to risk using the blade one last time to try and recover the key to sealing Vecna from one of his banishment spells. Kas struck with a critical wound that left Vecna's form held intact by a thread that just managed to free the Tome of Isolation and allow Keyleth to seal the Whispered One away forever.
"The Chapter Closes" (1x115)[]
Not satiated with the feast of Vecna's blood, Kas compelled Grog to seek out and destroy both the Hand of Vecna and the god himself on the other side of the Divine Gate. Kas sent him to the Platinum Sanctuary to hand the hand of the man who stole the Hand to the clerics their in hopes of tracking and destroying this thief and his artifact of the Whispered One. However, sensing something acting on Grog, Pike Trickfoot broke the curse binding Kas to Grog and left the Sword in the care of Highbearer Vord. Vord said he would keep the sword in one of his well-protected vaults, at least, until there was a need for such a weapon. Past that, the fate of Kas is unknown.
Features[]
Travis receives "the biggest card ever", the item description for the Sword of Kas[8]
- Scores a critical hit on a 19 or 20.
- Deals an extra 2d10 slashing damage to undead.[9][10]
- If the Sword of Kas isn't bathed in blood within a minute of being drawn from its scabbard, its wielder must make a DC 15 Charisma save. On a success, they suffer 3d6 psychic damage. On a failure, they are dominated by the sword (as if by dominate monster) and the sword demands that it be fed blood. The effect ends when the sword is fed.[11]
- Absorbs blood.[12]
- Random Properties
- Minor Beneficial Property: Wielder gains proficiency in one skill while attuned.[13]
- Major Beneficial Property: Wielder's Constitution score increases by 2 while attuned, to a maximum of 24.[14] Grog retained the bonus to his Constitution score from the Sword even after unattuning to it.[15]
- Minor Detrimental Property: Wielder becomes gaunt, their skin turns pale, and their eyes turn a faint red.[16]
- Major Detrimental Property: On attuning, wielder takes (8d10?) psychic damage.[17]
- Spirit of Kas
- While the sword is on wielder, they add a d10 to initiative at the start of every combat.[18]
- The wielder can transfer some or all of the sword's attack bonus to their AC when they use an action to attack. This lasts until the beginning of their next turn.
- Spells: While the sword is on wielder, they can use an action to cast call lightning, finger of death[19], or divine word from it (save DC 18) once per day. Each spell recharges at dawn.
Appearances and mentions[]
- Campaign One
- "Dark Dealings" (1x112) (first appearance)
- "The Final Ascent" (1x113)
- "Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114)
- "The Chapter Closes" (1x115)
Quotations[]
- "The lich must die."[20]
- "Just wield me. Spill blood for me. Bring me to the Undying King and cut his throat with my blade. That's all I ask. That's all I need."[21]
Trivia[]
- When opening a leather case near the beginning of Campaign Three, Sam Riegel joked that it contained the Sword of Kas.[22]
References[]
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:14:10.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 1:58:22.
- ↑ See Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting, p. 38.
- ↑ See "The Endless Atheneum" (1x106) at 1:19:58.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) from 1:56:56 through 2:02:51.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) from 2:31:13 through 3:00:54.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) from 3:07:20 through 3:23:26.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:17:25.
- ↑ See "The Final Ascent" (1x113) at 1:55:34.
- ↑ See "The Final Ascent" (1x113) at 2:32:13. Travis and Matt discuss the extra 2d10 not applying to Delilah because she is alive
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) from 3:11:37 through 3:16:38. Grog is dominated by the Sword of Kas
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:21:03.
- ↑ See "Talks Machina #40: 'Dark Dealings'" (TMx40).
- ↑ See "Talks Machina #40: 'Dark Dealings'" (TMx40).
- ↑ See "Dalen's Closet" (Sx47) at 1:07:56.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:13:05.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:12:56. Grog took 38 points of psychic damage by attuning to the sword. Of the random Major Detrimental Properties in the DMG, two deal psychic damage: one deals 4d10 psychic damage on attunement, and one deals 8d10 psychic damage on attunement. Rolling 4d10 has a 0.1% chance of resulting in 38, whereas rolling 8d10 has a 3.74% chance of resulting in 38; it is more likely that attuning to the sword deals 8d10 psychic damage, but it's impossible to be sure without an official item description
- ↑ See "The Final Ascent" (1x113) at 58:11. Travis notes that he adds a d10 to his initiative roll
- ↑ See "Vecna, the Ascended" (1x114) at 2:54:22. Travis contemplates casting Finger of Death through the Sword of Kas
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:08:57.
- ↑ See "Dark Dealings" (1x112) at 3:10:44.
- ↑ See "Trial by Firelight" (3x02) at 3:19:17.
Art:
- ↑ Fan art of Sword of Kas, by Viktor Engholm (source). Used with permission.