User blog:CuchulainSetanta/Varnae vs. Gul'dan

Varnae: the ancient Atlantean sorcerer who became the first and mightiest vampire!

Gul'dan: the orc warlock who pledged his fealty to the Burning Legion and created the Orcish Horde!

Who is Deadliest?



Originally a human sorcerer and member of the Darkholder cult, Varnae was mortally wounded during a battle with the Atlantean king Kull that also ended in the death of the cult's leader, Thulsa Doom. The other cultists used a spell from the black magic Darkhold book to transform Varnae and other volunteers into supernatural creatures to seek vengeance on Kull. The spell ended up turning Varnae and his brethren into the first vampires, but when the other sorcerers tried to control him, Varnae slew them and raised them as more vampires. Surviving the destruction of Atlantis, Varnae became the first Lord of Vampires, battling Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, and Thor in the years to come.

Growing weary of battling humanity, Varnae selected Vlad the Impaler as his successor, manipulating events so that Vlad was turned into a vampire and grooming him into Dracula, the new Lord of Vampires, before allowing himself to die in the morning sun. However, when the Montesi Formula, a Darkhold spell which had temporarily destroyed all vampires on Earth, was broken, Varnae was restored by the voodoo sorceress Marie Laveau, whose immortality required a potion in which vampire blood was a key ingredient. Breaking Laveau's control, Varnae battled the vampire hunter Blade and continues to be a significant threat, though Dracula, for the most part, retains the title Varnae gave him.

Weapons and Abilities:

As the first vampire, Varnae possesses powers far beyond his normal kin. He can lift seven tons, has superhuman speed, agility, and durability, and can regenerate from most wounds. He can transform into a wolf, a monstrous, humanoid bat, or mist, typically using this latter ability to avoid attacks. Furthermore, he is a highly-skilled sorcerer, capable of summoning thunderstorms or increasing his height to 25 feet. He can hypnotize humans, and can mentally control wolves, bats, and rats. As Lord of Vampires, he can mentally control nearly any other vampire, except for those with an exceptionally strong will, like Dracula. He can only be harmed by silver weapons, sunlight, or the destruction of his heart or head.

Minions:



Varnae is served by lesser vampire servants, whom he can mentally control should the need arise. They are superhumanly strong, capable of lifting up to a ton, and have heightened speed, agility, durability, and senses. They can transform into bats (normal or humanoid), wolves, or mist, as well as mesmerize humans. They are vulnerable to silver, sunlight, religious objects, and sunlight.

X-Factors:

At least 21,000 years of experience

Physically stronger than Gul'dan

A cunning stratigist capable of thinking years ahead of his enemies

A skilled enough fighter to battle Blade, Conan the Barbarian, Red Sonja, and even Thor to stalemates



Originally a shaman of the Shadowmoon clan, the orc Gul'dan was an apprentice to the Shadowmoon chieftain and shaman Ner'zhul, who was contacted by an ancestral spirit who promised great power in exchange for rallying the orc clans against the Draenei race that had recently settled on the world of Draenor. Ner'zhul did this, but found that he had lost the power to contact the other ancestral spirits. Seeking answers at the holy site of Oshu'gun, Ner'zhul learned that the spirit who had originally contacted him was actually the demon lord Kil'jaeden. Gul'dan, watching from the shadows, warned Kil'jaeden that Ner'zhul had learned of his true nature before Ner'zhul returned, so gaining Kil'jaeden's favor in his master's place.

Gathering other power-hungry orcs, Gul'dan created the Shadow Council as his personal acolytes, using them to convince Grom Hellscream and the other orc leaders to drink the blood of the demon Mannoroth, binding them to the service of the demonic Burning Legion. Driven by crazed bloodlust because of this, the new Orcish Horde slaughtered most of the Draenei. Knowing that becoming ruler of the Horde would only make him a target, Gul'dan decided to lead from the shadows, convincing the Blackrock chieftain Blackhand to be Warchief of the Horde.

While the orcs had conquered Draenor, the lack of any remaining enemies caused them to turn on each other. Knowing the Horde would self-destruct unless something was done, Gul'dan was contacted by the human mage Medivh from the world of Azeroth, who promised him the power of a god in return for opening a dimensional portal that would bring the Horde to Azeroth. Unknown to Gul'dan, Medivh was possessed by the Dark Titan Sargeras, master of the Burning Legion. Gul'dan did as he was instructed, and the Horde clashed with humanity in two wars. However, eventually losing control of the Horde, Gul'dan tried to take the power promised to him by Medivh, sailing to the Broken Isles to find the lost Tomb of Sargeras. Gul'dan found the tomb, but was torn apart by the demons who guarded it.

Weapons and Abilities:

Gul'dan was once described by Medivh as the most powerful warlock of the orc race. Though physically frail (at least for an orc), Gul'dan can summon bolts of demonic fire, open dimensional portals, summon demons, and even alter the land, raising islands from the ocean or creating enormous, demonic volcanoes. However, his most dangerous weapon is his cunning mind. Gul'dan is a master manipulator who can convince even the fiercest orc warlords or demonic monsters to do his bidding.

Minions:



Gul'dan prefers to let his minions, whether fellow warlocks or summoned demons, do his fighting for him, providing magical assistance from the sidelines. For this battle, his retinue will be composed of felguards, the basic infantry of the Burning Legion. These demons are six to eight feet tall and covered in bony spines. While other demons use magic and trickery, felguards are built for hand-to-hand combat, wielding massive polearms in battle. While intelligent enough to follow orders and tactics, they enjoy savage fighting, wading into combat and letting their brute strength do the work. They will typically refuse to flee from battle until no survivors are left.

X-Factors:

Physically weaker than Varnae, but relies more on magic

Mostly relies on his minions, likely to try and flee if the battle turns against him

Highly skilled at manipulating his enemies and playing them into his hands

Arrogance and lust for power has worked against him in the past

The battle will be between Varnae, with six lesser vampires, and Gul'dan, with six felguards.