"The Sphinx of Abornis"

by Laurence J. Cornford

originally published The Book of Eibon, Chaosium, 2001

In the city of Abornis, the wizard Hormagor is always playing second fiddle to Zon Mezzamalech.  This pisses him off.

He dreams of an entity which instructs him to create a sphinx, by hand, with is face, and he will become the top dog.  So he goes at it.

After days of hard work, Hormagor comes to realize this entity is evil.  He attempts to destroy the still-faceless sphinx, but fails.  He is found dead, with his own face mutilated, but his image carved into the face of the sphinx.

 Another minor but amusing Smith pastiche.