Vona de Iedo
| Vona de Iedo | |
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The Antifex Butcher of Magan Culler of Sinners | |
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:Vona.jpg}}|250px]] | |
| Details | |
| Race | Vampire |
| Birthplace | Ixalan |
| Lifetime | Mending Era |
| Colors | |
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Vona de Iedo, also known as the Butcher of Magan and the Antifex, is an infamous vampire conquistador of the Legion of Dusk, a pretender to the papacy of the Church of Dusk, and a noble of Torrezon on Ixalan.
History
The Apostasine Wars
First and foremost, Vona is a fighter. It was through feats of arms that she won her nobility during the Apostasine War, where she ruthlessly sacked towns that were sympathetic to the Apostasine Princes. At Magan, where an enemy army had made camp, Vona earned her moniker by sneaking into the walled village at night and slaughtering a dozen officers, including the army's general. After this grisly work, Vona fought her way to the gate and opened it so that her force could take the village and finish off the enemy.[1]
Conquest of the free cities
Throughout the war and the Vampire Conquest that followed, Vona continued to gain fame by participating in the bloodiest battles. With Torrezon's eventual victory, Vona had difficulty transitioning to peacetime. Though she was now a noble with her lands, the territory was poor and rocky, and she was not an able administrator. After a decade, she slaughtered her own human serfs and abandoned her humble estate. In the larger cities of Torrezon, she offered her services as a duelist.[1]
Ixalan
When word arrived fifty years later that the queen was assembling a fleet to cross the sea, Vona was on the first ship that left port. Across the sea, there would be more fighting and the prospect of true fortune. Then, Vona, at the head of a company of conquistadors, cut a bloody swath across Ixalan. Though officially an agent of the queen, her true goal was to find Elenda of Garrano, in the hope that the first vampire could bring about the same decisive victory that Torrezon won against the Apostasine Princes. With Elenda at her side. Vona was convinced that she could establish a throne in the golden city and rule an empire of her own.[1]
Later, she sought Elenda, the first vampire, to aid in the struggle against the Legion of Dusk's rivals in Ixalan.[2][3] In the race for Orazca and the Immortal Sun, she managed to steal the Thaumatic Compass from Vraska, but was unaware that Jace Beleren was able to follow her mental footsteps.[4] Huatli and Tishana found her first and retrieved the compass, leaving the vampire surrounded with ferocious dinosaurs.
Joining up with Mavren Fein, she managed to reach Orazca and threw Kumena out of the window of the Tower of Triumph.[5] After the vampires, came Huatli and her Sun Empire compatriots, Angrath and his pirate crew, and the unlikely couple of Vraska and Jace. While the four factions struggled to claim the sun's power for themselves, the artifact was stolen by Tezzeret and removed from the plane.[6]
After the Immortal Sun was stolen off the plane, Saint Elenda reappeared and told her followers that they were finally free from their ancient duty. An angry and confused Vona asked her why she had left them and denied them immortality. Elenda answered that immortality was not the purpose of her gift, but protection. Deference to forces greater than themselves and humility would lead them to salvation, not the Immortal Sun. She told them that she had found the sun, and decided to become its sentinel within the Golden City while awaiting the arrival of other members of her order. She asked to be brought to Queen Miralda. Vona denied her, but Mavren Fein punished Vona for speaking ill of the living saint. After reprimanding Vona, the three left and the Legion left the continent of Ixalan.[7]
In an alternate non-canon ending, Vona never returned to Torrezon but tried to claim Orazca for her own. This supposedly ended with her death in the teeth of a dinosaur.[8]
Antifex
In the years since the race to Orazca, Vona grew angry with Elenda's pacifism and began a schism within the Church of Dusk, calling herself the Antifex and the rightful leader of the Church. Most clergy do not support this movement, although Vito Quijano de Pasamonte did before his death.[9]
After Vito's death, the bat god Aclazotz identified Vona as a prime candidate to be his champion and receive his power.[10]
Trivia
- Vona's title of "antifex" is likely a reference to the real-world title of antipope, which refers to a person who claims to be the leader of the Catholic Church in opposition to the legitimately elected pope. In Vona's case, she opposes the Church of Dusk's pontifex.
Gallery
Story appearances
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
- ^† Scryfall does not record flavor text for digital cards. See Alchemy: Thunder Junction/Flavor text.
References
- ↑ a b c James Wyatt (2018). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ixalan". VIZ Media.
- ↑ Explore the Planes: Ixalan
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (October 11, 2017). "The Race, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (October 18, 2017). "The Race, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (January 10, 2018). "The Flood". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (January 24, 2018). "The Arbiter of Law Left Chaos in His Wake". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (February 2, 2018). "Who Tells the Stories". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (February 21, 2018). "Rivals of Ixalan Magic Story: Alternate Endings". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 6". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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