Match 20840 Archmage vs. Vecna

[JohnnyChany]

 

 

In the dim light of a cavern on the side of a mountain cliff, Puck, lounged on a jagged rock with a mischievous smile on his face. The faint glow of three artifacts cast eerie shadows on the walls near him. It was the Phoenix Gate, a talisman that allowed its wielder to travel freely through time and space,  the Eye of Odin, a gem that granted great power and insight to whomever adorned it as well as revealing their true self, and the Grimorum Arcanorum, an ancient book whose pages contained boundless knowledge of dark magic.

The wayward child of Oberon twirled the Phoenix Gate between his fingers and murmured an incantation. Sparks of eldritch fire erupted and a  portal appeared. From the portal, an elderly figure dropped and landed in a disheveled heap. The Archmage groaned as he pulled himself up,  his dark robes were ragged,  and his long, unkempt beard was tattered and twisted. His eyes darted around in confusion.

"I was... I was dying," the Archmage gasped as he clutched his head. His mind was filled with the last moments of his life which included Goliath's claw ripping the Eye of Odin from his brow. His grip on immortality had been shattered by that infernal gargoyle.

Puck chimed in with a grin. "You were indeed. You were just about to kick the bucket when I decided to intervene. Call it a whim."

The Archmage’s eyes focused on the chaotic trickster in front of him.

 “Puck!” he spat out with  great disdain. 

The Archmage’s gaze then shifted to the artifacts behind Puck, and his eyes widened with a mix of greed and recognition. "The Phoenix Gate, the Eye of Odin, and the Grimorum Arcanorum. How do you have them all?"

"Oh, a little here, a little there. You’d be surprised what people leave lying around when they’re not paying attention," Puck said. He flipped the Phoenix Gate into the air and caught it effortlessly. "But what’s important is that I’ve got them. And you, old man, do not."

The Archmage staggered forward with great effort.

“Give them to me,” he demanded in desperation. “With those artifacts, I can try again! I can crush Goliath and claim my rightful place as ruler!”

Puck’s expression turned condescending.. “Really? So you can fail spectacularly once more? I do so love reruns, but I think we can do better than that.”

“I was overconfident,” the Archmage hissed. “I won’t make the same mistakes. Just give me the artifacts!”

Puck rolled his eyes theatrically and then tapped his chin as though he was actually considering the request. “Oh, I don’t know. What’s in it for me? Why save you from your little date with destiny just to watch you bumble it all up again?”

“Then why did you save me?!” the Archmage. “Was it just to taunt me? To mock my failure?”

Puck’s eyes flickered, and his playful tone turned slightly serious. “No. I saved you because, like it or not, Archmage, we need each other. You need me, and I—” he smirked, “well, I need you too.”

The Archmage sneered with skepticism. “Why? What game are you playing, trickster?”

Puck’s grin widened. “Let me tell you a tale, Archmage. A story of power, betrayal, and ambition. The story of Vecna.”

With a flourish, Puck conjured illusions and filled the cave with shadowy, spectral images.

“Vecna,” Puck began, “was once a mere mortal, a lowly human who defied death and the gods themselves. He became the most powerful lich the world had ever seen, transforming himself into a god like being through sheer will and dark magic. Not unlike yourself, Archmage.  He was feared, worshipped, and loathed. He commanded legions of the undead and wielded magic that bent reality itself. But with great power came great hubris. Vecna overreached, as all tyrants do, and his most trusted lieutenant, Kas, betrayed him, severing his hand and gouging out his eye. Even then, Vecna persisted.”

Puck’s illusions shifted, showing Oberon in a fierce confrontation with Vecna’s spectral form. “And then, Oberon himself took notice. Oberon triumphed, and he cast Vecna from the mortal realm, banishing him beyond the reach of time and memory.”

The Archmage furrowed his brow. “I’ve never heard of this Vecna. The Grimorum Arcanorum mentions nothing of him.”

Puck clapped his hands and dismissed the illusions. “Of course it doesn’t. The Grimorum is an Avalon relic, and dear old Dad didn’t want Vecna’s legacy to endure. He tried to erase Vecna’s name from history. But, sadly, Oberon’s not perfect. He failed.”

Puck leaned closer. “Vecna’s cult survived. They’ve been working for centuries to bring him back. They’ve grown strong, and they’re so clever. They’ve developed a little charm, you see, that hides them from anyone with Oberon’s blood. Meaning not a single fae can find them, and certainly not little ol’ me.”

“So what does this have to do with me?”

“Everything, my dear Archmage.” answered Puck. “No mortal has the power to face them, not even the strongest magic wielders. But you, with the Eye of Odin, the Grimorum Arcanorum, and the Phoenix Gate... you would be more than strong enough to wipe them out.”

The Archmage’s mind raced as Puck’s words sank in. “You want me to destroy the Cult of Vecna.”

Puck nodded with a sly smile. “I’ll give you the three keys to power back. In return, you eliminate the cult, prevent Vecna’s return and I’ll let you keep the Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna for your trouble. You see, when they were ripped from Vecna’s body they became magical artifacts in their own right. They grant their wielder great strength, mystical power, the ability to see through all things and even some clairvoyance.  Imagine adding them to your little collection. With those artifacts, you’d be even stronger. Strong enough to finally take out your enemies for good. Perhaps strong enough to challenge Oberon and his children someday. Who knows?”

The Archmage’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous glint.  “And what do you really get out of this, Puck? What’s your true motive? I know it’s not in the service of Oberon.”

Puck shrugged. “Oh, you know me, Archmage. I just want a little fun, a little chaos. Plus, I don’t fancy Vecna making a comeback. Too many liches spoil the broth. So, do we have a deal?”

Puck extended his hand, and the Archmage hesitated. He knew the consequences of making a pact with Puck. There would be no immediate betrayal; the magic of such agreements was binding. But the thirst for vengeance and power that consumed his soul was too great to resist. With a resolute glare, the Archmage shook Puck’s hand. A mystical mist enveloped them and sealed their bargain.

Puck laughed.. “Wonderful! Here you go.” 

With a wave of his hand, the three artifacts floated toward the Archmage. The Archmage donned the Eye of Odin and the Phoenix Gate. He then opened his mouth and swallowed the Grimorum Arcanorum whole. 

Fully restored, the Archmage felt the rush of magic flood his veins and he transformed back into his most powerful state. His body straightened and his eyes burned with arcane fire.He started to plot in his mind how to manipulate others to complete his new task, but Puck’s voice cut through his thoughts.

“Oh, and just a heads-up, Archmage. You’ll have to do this yourself,” Puck announced with barely contained glee. “The Weird Sisters? They hate you now, more than they hate me. They’re still fuming over the centuries they wasted helping you only to see you flub it so spectacularly. Demona, Macbeth, neither of them will be on the table for you without the Weird Sisters. And the rest of Oberon’s children? They wouldn’t help you even if it meant keeping Vecna at bay. They just love to gossip, and the Sisters have been singing your failures to everyone who will listen.”

Puck’s smile was positively wicked as he vanished in a burst of light.

His voice echoed through the cavern., “Happy hunting!”

The Archmage, now alone, fumed at the limitations placed upon him, but his resolve did not waver. The allure of the Eye of Vecna and the Hand of Vecna and even more power was too great. 

He spent months in relentless pursuit, scouring the darkest corners of the world. Finally, his hunt led him to the temple of the Cult of Vecna hidden away in a forsaken land untouched by the passage of time.

The Archmage teleported into the temple’s inner sanctum. The cultists, cloaked in dark robes, gasped in shock, but the Archmage wasted no time. He unleashed torrents of arcane lightning, firestorms, and freezing blasts. He tore through the warlocks and undead thralls with merciless efficiency. He used the Phoenix Gate to effortlessly avoid any counterspell thrown his way. One by one, the cultists fell.  Their screams filled the chamber. 

As the last wicked monk collapsed at his feet, gasping his final breaths, he looked up at the Archmage with a cruel smirk. “It’s too late,” he wheezed. “Vecna has returned.”

The Archmage turned on his heel, and there, standing in the doorway of the temple, was Vecna himself. Vecmca was a towering figure of decayed flesh and unholy power. The lich-god’s eye blazed with malice, and his withered hand pointed in the Archmage’s direction.

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Archmage
Read more about Archmage at Wikipedia
Official Site: Disney Links: Wikipedia

Vecna
Read more about Vecna at Wikipedia
Official Site: Wizards of the Coast Links: Wikipedia Greyhawk Wiki List of Greyhawk characters

[leroypowell3]

You just refuse to let me catch up to you in match counts huh?

I'm going with Vecna.

[Twogunkid]

I love me some Gargoyles, but Vecna is one of *the* most powerful mages in D&D and frequently is a god. I think Puck enabling this may have bitten off more than the Gargoyles universe can chew.

[Macklemore]

I think if people actually got down and read the lore that DnD has to offer they'd realize how absolutely bonkers it is. Vecna wins this, if it wasn't obvious.

[Pizza Guy]

I don’t know much about Vecna but the others here are really talking him up, so I think the Archmage might be in trouble.

[ThePhenomenalOne]

Good set up my man. Vecna gets it done.

[DSkillz]

Good set-up, Johnny. As always, you have the Gargoyles characters down pat. 

As for the match, after looking up this Vecna, he's apparently the "Whispered One" that D&D stories talk about? I'm not even sure how Oberon managed to defeat him in this story. 

Doesn't look like Archmage stands a chance here, even with the Three Artifacts. 

[Callisto]

Match Final Results

Member Ratings:
4.60 - DSkillz
5.00 - Culwych1
4.50 - ThePhenomenalOne
4.20 - Pizza Guy

FPA Calculation:
4 Total Votes cast
18.30 Total Combined Score
18.30 / 4 = 4.58 Final Rating on the match

MATCH SCORE
Archmage: 0
Vecna: 6