[Svaran]

Asandir said:

@Svaran
I would like to say just one thing. He did defeat Mossag, it was Trull that killed him.

Thats how I saw it going, but in the end who was left? Mossag, irrespective of how he got there, he won.

[Svaran]

Jimmy said:

No way can the Ceda even be mentioned in the group.

Cowl explained everything to that woman who went with Silchas and co. That all the majic in Letheras was born of the holds and that the malazans and everyone else had moved on to warrens. Meaning more power and greater control.

The Ceda and co were like children compared to Cowl and others.

Cowl?

[Jheral]

I'd say that he's thinking about Corlo. You know, the High Mage that was with Iron Bars.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Given Cowl's performance in GotM, totally whipping Serrat - second-highest among the Andii - again and again and again, there is a lot of hype over what he can do. But we've got no further info on him from later books.

I'd say that Cowl was superior to Corlo in the Crimson Guard order of things though, just my impression, can't back it up with anything.

Half a mind to say that Cowl's prowess is something of a GotMism though...

[Dolmen 2.0]

Okay the finalists for the island are set.

1.Ceda Kuru Quan:
Possessing satutus of the lethari empires Ceda he is the Lethari equivalent to an arch mage. Uses Holds. ALMOST beat Hannan mossag channeling the Crippled gods warren through him and the queen and prince of lethar

2.Tayschrenn:
Possessing the status of High mage of the Malazan empire. Ex priest of drek. Uses demons and flame aspected the highest flame warrens.

3.Cowl
High mage under the avowed command. Beat serrat at her own game. Badly. shows a vast understanding of "things" in general. Apparently the CG is afraid of him.

4.Quick Ben
A High mage with 12 warrens etc. etc. Bridge burner.

5.Pust
Insane old man. Magi of shadow. Beat back dejim nabrahl, a cat lizard d'ivers of the first empire

6.Bauchelain
a Demon using necromancer, using this magic he and his compatriot have defeated K'chain chemail among other things.

Okay these are the names with the MOST positive mention in the thread and AREN'T essentially the most powerfull just the most highly recognized.

[Dolorous Menhir]

The Ceda beat the Warlock King, hands down. Trull's intervention is a separate thing.

[Monoch Ochem]

Definitely agreed there Dolorous. But for Trull's intervention, sorcery to sorcery, Kuru Qan had it ALL under control and he wasn't even sweating!

As for Tayschrenn, I think we've only seen him use Telas as far as the fire-linked/fire-aspected Warrens are concerned (i.e., Thyr, K. Thyrllan and Tellan). Other stuff is along the lines of a Reader of the Deck (possibly Adept?), summoning/binding and his art of transformation...was that some sort of High Mockra? I know there was talk of the Prairie air rejuvenating him and him being a chimaera etc. but if the 'air' was responsible then Tayschrenn probably uses some old earth magic (Hold) as well.

[Father Light]

Tayschrenn on simple fighting ability, especially as he'd have a handful of demons on his person!

having said that i think the ceda could match any mage given sufficient preparation.

[BridgeBurner]

I still think Vorcan is underrated here

[Mane of Chaos]

I recently finished MT and I was very much impressed by Ceda Kuru Quan, so I have to say that I think that he could perhaps beat even Tayschrenn.

[GingerBreadMan]

As far as power goes, Tays and Ceda have to be the big dogs among humans.

Vorcan, Cowl, Pust, Bauchelin we just don't know enough about.

[Svaran]

would have been interesting to see how quick ben would have gone against the Ceda.

[QuickBenDelat]

Based on power the most powerful humans on Wu would be Cowl and the Ceda. However, being the most powerful does not guarantee that they will win. We have Quicky who is very, very smart. Smart enough to deceive ST, Malazan Empire and the CG! He is also moderatly powerful. Put 2 and 2 together and u get a very smart, moderatly powerful mage who can beat up almost anyone, even gods (maybe).
How come no one said Kruppe would be one of the 6. He is a mage (we just havent seen how powerful he is yet) he is one of the smartest if not the smartest person on earth.
If it comes down to raw power, it probably be cowls or the ceda.
If not, than i would think Kruppe, Quicky (and maybe, Iskral Pust) would be the finalists.
After that who knows

[GingerBreadMan]

Ceda strikes me as not only having power but intelligence. Look at the way he manipulates events, the insane amount of knowledge, and his various inventions.

Kruppe- Because we have no evidence of his being powerful, intelligence doesnt seem to equal magical power.

As for QB deceiving ST, I'm not so sure he has/did.

[tiam]

I also think St knew more than he let on. Kruppe isnt powerful just a mage of MOckra and as Sorry says in GOTM violence isnt his speciality. In a duel were someone lets loose intellgence counts for very little.

[Asandir]

Ahh the final. The short version.
Cowl goes all out at Tays while the Ceda idly looks on. Bauch raises a few demons, they advance on the remaining wizards. Bauch has a big smile on his face until he suddenly realises Tays own demon is behind him....CHOMP - one down
Tays and Cowl are raising enormous forces, throwing everything at each other while in the background theres our former high priest of shadow and the priest of shadow whimpering and gibbering as they try to defeat Bauchs demons - poof demons destroyed but oh no so is Iskaral - two down, four left
On no Tays' demon moves in on the Ceda...what What WHAT the hell is doing smiling, Tays' demon is smiling he thinks he's dealing with senile. OOOO there goes the demons legs, my mistake. The demon screaming horrible puts off Tays' for a moment long enough for Cowl to get the better of him....anyone for fried Malazan - three to go
So its Tays and Ceda left facing each other, but wait wheres Quick, hes not dead, then bang he steps out of shadows and unnleashes his remaining warrens on the unsuspecting two. Quick has won, the audience applauses. He is completely drained after the battle. He makes his way to the newly risen podium but wait what was that, someone sniggering..Ha haa I've won. Iskaral appears and unleashes a torrent of shadow magic on poor ol Quick. Ohh he was so close.
Iskaral: Hah they thought I was a shade, which I was but not the kind of shade that they were thinking...hah I am now the Grand Greatest Mage of All Malazan.
Iskaral steps up to the podium
Iskaral: I am the champio..................
Oh no yet another twist. What is that?, where did it come from?...We have a new champion folks.

HEE HAAAWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dessembrae]

ok here goes.

Quick Ben
Tay
Karpolan Demesand
Iskaral Pust
Bottle
Bauchelain

ITseems a little strange including Bauchelain but hes an impressive power nonetheless

[Dolmen 2.0]

@asindar-ROTFL!

No 1 saw the donkey coming, thats rep points for you my friend.

I think Tays and bauchalain would have gone head to head, demon to demon first, then any remaining demons would prove a challenge for quick and pust. Ceda would go against cowl, knowledge of holds is common so they'd have a raw full on battle. Meanwhile Quick and pust work together for some reason and take on tayschrenn. They unleash all they got, coming from every side they make a crater but when the smoke clears taychrenn does his thing and boom! no more quick/pust duo. ignoring this cowl and the ceda go over the top and obliterate their resources, the ceda manages to push through but as cowl dies and the ceda turns to tay, Whoosh, the ceda gets a minutes worth of sorcerous preparation...

...Then the donkey makes its move.