Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Real concerns with the court of Paliano


A new declaration was made:


The Reign of Brago! Conspiracy 2!


All hail the King and lord of Paliano.  The Eternal, the just, the undying!

...

...do you hear that?  ...

...



Wait! Assassins! King Brago has been slain!

Apparently, we have an empty Throne!  Conspiracy 2: The Empty Throne!


...

...

...

But this doesn't end there.  A new heir has been appointed.  Conspiracy 2: Take the Crown.









And so we again begin to conspire.



The story begins, with Kaya,
who is very good at her job.


A message was found on the back of the Eternal Masters tokens... lead to two proclamations!

Proclamation of the new Queen.

Response of Adriana, Captain of the Guard.

Daretti has returned to Fiora, and found himself in league with Grenzo.

An envoy from the city state of Trest has been appointed to Paliano, and he writes back with some dossiers.



You can find the original Paliano lore from Conspiracy 1 here.


Notes:
Edric, Spymaster of Trest was no revealed to be part of the plane of Fiora.  Trest is a port city state, ruled by elves. 
His original description was here

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Tarkir Times twist with Dragons and Khans


The storyline article guide to Tarkir.  Follow the path of Sarkhan Vol on the return to his home plane, following the whispers he has heard in his head since the visit to the Eye of Ugin on Zendikar.

World description: http://magic.wizards.com/node/354031


Prelude:

Sarkhan spent time in they Eye of Ugin, where he heard voices. This can be seen in Part 2 of "Journey to the Eye".



Welcome to Tarkir.  A world without dragons, where Khans rule the land. Sarkhan Vol, home again, being led here by whispers...








The Khans of Tarkir (Present)


Planeswalkers Guides to Tarkir (Timeline Khans).
Part 1 
Part 2

The Madness of Sarkhan.


The bear awakens.  (side story, Timeline Khans)

Sorin arrives in Tarkir (Timeline Khans), and searches for Ugin.

Taigam schemes. (side story, Timeline Khans)

The way of the mantis. (side story, Timeline Khans)


The Chensal Twins (side story, Timeline Khans)

Narset, leader of the Jeskai, searches for answer.  (Timeline Khans)

The Salt Road (side story, Timeline Khans)

Sidisi broods about her loss. (Timeline Khans)

Zurgo hunts after Sarkhan, hearing he had returned to Mardu lands.  (Timeline Khans)

Anafenza proves her loyalty to family. (Timeline Khans)

Journey to the Nexus (Timeline Khans)







The Past.  1280 years ago.
Planeswalker's guide to Tarkir (Fate Reforged)

A new Tarkir of Old.  (Past)


Time is unwritten. (Past)

The battle between Ugin and Nicol Bolas. (Past)

The truth of Names of Alesha (Past)

Doom of the Golden Fang (Past)

Abzan has no end and no beginning. (Past)

Khanfall (Past)



The Present.  Sarkhan returns to the Tarkir he knows. But things are different...

Planeswalker's Guide to Tarkir (Dragons Timeline)
Part 1.
Part 2.


A Tarkir of Dragons (Dragons Timeline)

The great teacher's student Transcends (Dragons Timeline)

Sorin arrives in Tarkir (Dragons Timeline), and searches for Ugin.

Anafenza is a guardian (side story, Dragons Timeline)


Sidisi has a poisoned heart. (side story, Dragons Timeline)

Surrak calls for the hunt. (side story, Dragons Timeline)

Unbroken now, Sarkhan is unbowed. He meets a potential ally, and they go to find the Spirit Dragon.  (Dragons Timeline)


Full Story Synopsis.

Notes:
Vraska apparently has visited Tarkir.  In the Mazirek story of the Kraul, there is a purple flag, which was confirmed to be a Silumgar flag by Alison Luhrs.

Updated 7/19/16.  Ugin has left Tarkir for Zendikar, during the events of Battle for Zendikar.   The status of Narset and Sarkhan are unknown, but are believed to still be on Tarkir. 

Update 2018: The backstory for Core 2019 has a frame story set 18 years after Yasova and Sarkhan interacted in Fate Reforged.  It takes place on Tarkir of old, after the battles between Ugin and Bolas. 

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Neowalker Storyline Synopsis

NeoWalker Saga: Magic Storyline Thread

Checking in with them: June 17th 2014
August 19th, 2015



Flashback: The three Eldrazi Titans are trapped on Zendikar, after a long battle between them and Sorin, Lord of Innistrad, Ugin the Spirit Dragon, and Nahiri the Lithomancer. 

Magic Origin: Ob Nixilis

Magic Origin: Liliana
Alternate version in comic form: Liliana meets the raven man, and begins her quest.

The Time Spiral timerifts have all been closed, and the planeswalker spark has changed.  Nicol Bolas, now Nicol Bolas, escapes from the Meditation Plane, and sets upon his plans to regain his lost power. 

With only days left of power after the Mending, Bolas comes to the desolate world of Amonkhet, dominates it's gods, and sets up his plan there.

Magic Origin: Tezzeret.  On Alara, a mage named Tezzeret discovers the secrets of the Seekers of Carmot and ascends to planeswalker when realizing his disappointment.

Magic Origin: Gideon Jura, formerly Kytheon Iora

Magic Origin: Jace Beleren

Magic Origin: Nissa Revane

Some time passes, and as a more experienced planeswalker, Tezzeret steals the Infinite Consortium from Nicol Bolas.  He then uses the Consortium to amass power and wealth, with a primary base of operations on Ravnica.  There, he recruits Jace Beleren and introduces him to another planeswalker, Baltrice.  Tezzeret hopes that Jace will be their mentalist planeswalker.  Jace steals a scroll stolen from Kephalai back from Chandra for the sanctum of stars.  Living with the Consortium doesn't end well, and Jace, with the help of Liliana, defeats Baltrice and Tezzeret, and plans to disband the Infinite Consortium.  However, instead, he becomes the leader of it.

Bolas Plots in the shadows, unrevealed at this time.

Garruk encounters Liliana on Shandalar, and a fight ensues.  Liliana, with her new prize the Chain Veil, leaves Garruk cursed, and Liliana planeswalks away. 

Bolas Plots, and finds a world split into five.

Ajani Ascends, and finds a new plane, where he meets Sarkhan Vol.  His brother is murdered in his absence, and he begins his search for the killer. 
At about the same time, Chandra steals a particular scroll that depicts the way to the Eye of Ugin  on Zendikar, which she finds on the plane of Kephalai.

Magic Origin:  Chandra.

Chandra meets Gideon, has an adventure with the Purifying Fire, and learns the true use of the spell of Ugin.  She and Gideon, while friends, disagree on major issues and part ways.  Chandra leaves for Zendikar, while Gideon cleans up things on Regatha.  Saddened, however, Gideon follows her. 

Bolas plots begin to grow.  He plants sleeper agents on 4 of the 5 Alara Shards. 

Elspeth has taken the vows of a knight on Bant, having found this pristine world after leaving Theros.  Now, Bolas unleashes his plot, which will use the Alara mini-planes to reform into a solid Alara to cause chaos and bloodshed, enabling him to steal all the power of the plane and become an Old-walker again.   Ajani using a reflection trick in the battle against Bolas, wins, and prevents Bolas from attaining all the power of Alara.  Bolas flees for now, and retreats to another world for other plans.  Bolas has gained the loyalty of Sarkhan, and sends him to track and follow Liliana.  Garruk meets with Jace in the Infinite consortium on Ravnica. They share some ideas, though the curse affects Garruk, who is growing more violent and wild.  Jace, tells Garruk that Liliana is on Tavelia, and Garruk, now calmer, tells Jace that the scroll is a map leading to Zendikar.  (All of this can be read in the comic: The Veil's Curse.  Chandra follows the map to Zendikar after leaving Gideon behind, and Bolas then sends Sarkhan to Zendikar to analyze the Eye of Ugin.  Liliana realizes the power of the Chain Veil, and decides to kill her four demon masters instead of giving Kothophed the Veil.  She kills Kothophed, and heads to Innistrad to search for Griselbrand. 

Jace, Chandra, and Sarkhan meet at the eye of Ugin and fight, releasing one of two seals on the Eldrazi.  Nissa is alerted to the change, and finds Sorin Markov by accident, who has returned to renew the seals and keep the Eldrazi imprisoned.  (The Eldrazi are beings of the blind eternities, and could travel to any plane).  They fail, due to Nissa's decision to stop Sorin at the last moment, breaking the seals and releasing the Eldrazi.  She believed that the Eldrazi would leave Zendikar, bringing peace and calm to the untamed world. She's wrong.  Sorin leaves for Innistrad, leaving Nissa with the Eldrazi problem.  Gideon sees the Eldrazi emerge, and the horror they cause, and leaves Zendikar to return to Ravnica to seek help against the Eldrazi.  Nissa swears she will right her mistake of releasing the Eldrazi titans, and will search for Sorin to help her re-imprison them, and so she leaves Zendikar. Jace admits his responsibility, and begins to delve into the Eldrazi secrets while Sarkhan returns to Bolas a failure, and discovers another servant of Bolas.
 
Garruk keeps after Liliana and we see his backstory, while Liliana has some trouble controlling the Chain Veil.  Some backstory reveals that Liliana had plans on Shandalar for the Chain Veil, but the Onnake, keepers of the Veil, may have plans for Liliana.


Bolas reforms and heals Tezzeret, and sends him on a misson of dark discoveries, which, while involving Jace, Baltrice, and Liliana, ultimately fails to gain Bolas anything, or Tezzeret his freedom, and all the walkers part ways, most rather unhappy. 

Ajani next seeks out Elspeth who has left Bant for Dominaria.  He is seeking her help with the troubles of Alara recombining into one world and the stability of the nations/mini-planes.  She declines as she cannot face the people of Bant for abandoning them and ignoring their laws, but instead will aid Koth against the Phyrexians on Mirrodin.  The Phyrexians were the ones who destroyed her home plane and enslaved her as a child.  Venser is forced to come too they form the Trio.  They are all not quite ready for what they find.

Bolas, still plotting, sends his new agent, Tezzeret, to Mirrodin, to infiltrate the Phyrexians and prevent them from getting a new Father of Machines (who was previously Yawgmoth).  The Trio find Karn, and try to free him, eventually purifying his corrupted heartstone which he got from Xantcha by replacing the corrupted heartstone with Venser’s own heart, and using Melira’s purifying powers.  Karn, horrified, decides to fight for Mirrodin with Koth, but Koth and Elspeth are cornered.  Elspeth blindly planeswalks away at the urgings of Koth, and finds herself on Theros. 

On Innistrad, Liliana is seeking Grieselbrand to kill him, Sorin is searching for his lost Archangel Avacyn and is there to clean up the plane from too many vampires, and Garruk is tracking down Liliana to remove the curse.  Also, Dack Fayden is searching for the planeswalker who destroyed his hometown, Sifa Grent.  Sifa escapes after a battle, but he chases her to Ravnica.
(All stories of Innistrad can be found at that page.)

Liliana, while searching for Griselbrand, finds Mikeaus and reanimates him, and learns of the Helvault from his Zombie.  Sorin has felt the absence of his Angel and returns to Innistrad.  Garruk then catches up with Liliana, and they fight, with Liliana coming out the victor, and leaving Garruk fully cursed. Liliana forces Thalia to break the Helvault, releasing Avacyn and Griselbrand.  Liliana kills Griselbrand, and planeswalks away (2 of 4 demon-masters killed).  Avacyn starts the cursemute, transforming the vampires, and semi-healing Garruk.  Odric captures Garruk....

Meanwhile, on Ravnica, Jace begins to delve into the plots of the guilds.  The Dracogenius Niv Mizzet is up to something.  Ral Zarek is a high ranking member of Izzet, but he's not only looking for the implicit maze, but Jace as well, to help him solve it, even if by force.  Dack Fayden, having been forced to give the Blood Fang to Sorin on Innistrad, returns to his home on Ravnica, to find Sifa Grent and stop her from destroying Selesnya... (All Return to Ravnica stories can be found on that page.)

Back on Innistrad, Sorin is cleaning up Vampiric problems, has now acquired the Blood Fang from Dack Fayden, and is facing off against Tibalt.

Dack Fayden tracks Sifa back to Ravnica after some misadventures on Grixis.  He discovers she's trying to destroy all of Selesnya by absorbing the life energy of Vitu Ghazi, and goes to battle her with some Ravnican friends!  He saves Selesnya and kills Sifa with a trick, but one of his friends is killed.  He is finally done with his quest to avenge his family and friends.

Jace runs the Implicit maze after Ral Zarek announces it to all 10 guilds.  He battles Ral and sneaks past him, and, uncovering the plot of Azor, [stops the 10 guilds from killing each other in the Dragon's Maze race.  By doing so, Jace bestowed with the power of being a new Guildpact.  He now has authority over all the guilds of Ravnica in disputes and claims against each other. 

Chandra, upset about the bad information on Zendikar that almost got her killed, tracks down the planeswalker who told her about it in the first place, Ramaz, having given her a pendant from Innistrad. She uses the player (from Duels of the Planeswalkers 2014) for help, and they track Ramaz down across several worlds, eventually defeating him in Kaldheim, although he escapes.  Seems Bolas may have had a hand in his motives. 

Elspeth is tired of fighting Phyrexians, and they've lost the war on New Phyrexia.  She 'contacts' Ajani, and tells him of her hopes on Theros. 

Jace, now the official living Guildpact, finds a new threat to his adopted world, as well as a rumor of problems for Garruk. 

Elspeth's journey in Theros, from the ebooks, is best described in this synopsis from the ebook.  She travels with Ajani to Nyx, and defeats Xenagos.  However, when they attempt to leave, she is slain by Heliod.  Heliod believes that no champion of his should have the power to resist a god, and stabs her with her own spear while Ajani can only watch, and is taken to the Theros Underworld. 

At the same time, Garruk has apparently escaped Odric (off screen?), and is fully cursed by the Chain Veil.  He begins his hunt for planeswalkers, starting with Vronos, a Innistrad native who is tasked by Avacyn to stop him from becoming a worldslayer.  Vronos Fails.   In the 2015 Duels of the Planeswalkers, the player is hunted by Garruk, and manages, with Jace's help, to remove the hedron from Ob Nixilis, which has removed his planeswalker abilities, and defeat Garruk, thereby implanting the hedron into Garruk on Zendikar.  Ob Nixilis awakens, now free of the hedron, plots to destroy Zendikar, in order to regain his planeswalker spark. 

Ajani, enraged at the betrayal of Heliod, is given reason by Brimaz to find a new quest.  [He chooses to campaign against the gods of Theros.

Liliana attemps to return the chain veil, as she thrives on her freedom, and refuses to accept the whispers and control it hints at on her life.  She has defeated two of four demon masters, but does not want to accept the Onnake instead.

Garruk, now sane once more, returns to Shandalar, free from the Onnake curse, is confronted, twice.  He refuses the offer of healing, and simply considers himself a monster now,.  An apex predator.  One you do not threaten, as a planeswalker nicknamed 'Icy' learns quickly. 



From here, the story takes a more structured path.


Follow along in Tarkir, with Sarkhan Vol's quest to find Ugin.

Ral Zarek comes to the Guildpact, in order share some research findings.

Thereafter, the Gatewatch finally comes together in a Battle for Zendikar.

 And searching the multiverse, they find shadows over the plane of Innistrad.

Thereafter, the gatewatch heads to Kaladesh, to determine the source and reason for an uprising.

Now, tracking Tezzeret to a base for Nicol Bolas, they arrive in Amonkhet


Another good synopsis from mtgsalvation.com:  http://www.mtgsalvation.com/articles/49648-magic-story-alara-to-amonkhet
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/articles/49648-magic-story-alara-to-amonkhet
Updated 6/6/17

Monday, May 16, 2016

Shandalar, the wandering plane

Here is the history of Shandalar, the moving plane, featured in M-201X core sets and elsewhere.

"Shandalar is a rogue plane, drifting through the multiverse instead of retaining a steady position or course. It is a relatively small plane and incredibly rich in mana. The magical energy is so prevalent, that it all is sentient, and the common people use minor spells as an everyday convenience.

Shandalar was the setting of MicroProse's 1997 Magic: The Gathering computer game."  -mtgsalvation wiki. 

Shandalar was the plane used to enable the mending of the Ice Age by Freyalise, (see the book: Shattered Alliance) to the rest of the Multiverse, where Lim Dul was taken once Shandalar came close enough to The Shard of the 12 Worlds by Leshrac, where he also interacted with Tevesh Szat.

Here is the basis of the Microprose story, as well as the 2 part comic miniseries:  http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Shandalar

M13: Now, recently, two planeswalkers visited Shandalar, and battled, one on a demonic mission to get the Chain veil; the other now hunting her.  They were Liliana and Garruk and they fought in the Onnake Catacombs. 

Liliana later returns, to try to deposit what she has taken from the Onnake.

Now, we have a new tale from the wandering plane, of Sentos, and his choice not to execute a man, who was once the False King.  And his meeting with a Xathrid Gorgon

We also know that Talrand is from Shandalar, and his reign begins with his tale.

M14 updates:  Shandalar has a unique brand of slivers, found out from this report  from Hastric, Thunian Scout.

A side story possibly on Shandalar, about the "Blessed life".

M15 update:  https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/arcana/welcome-shandalar-2014-07-16
Welcome to Shandalar!
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/arc/arc/spells-shandalar-2014-07-23

The Bard and the Biologist



Wednesday, May 11, 2016

The Return to Ravnica

Welcome to an all new, yet very familiar Ravnica, with its plots, twists, and synopses. Here you can find all the Magic Story articles, videos, and guides to Ravnica and beyond.  First, you can find a  brief history of what came before: Original Ravnica block, written here on this blog. There is also an official description about then and now.



So, please enjoy, peruse, and realize that these stories are put together as chronologically as possible. 

Planeswalker’s Guide to Ravnica:

Selesnya, Izzet and Golgari, and Rakdos and Azorius


Gatecrash!

Dimir and Boros
Simic, Gruul, and Orzhov

Novel, The Secretist 
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3.

Released as an e-book, this is a novel depicting the story of Jace deciphering what Niv Mizzet is up to.  Part 1 of 3 sets up the story, and Jace's interest in the guilds.  Definitely a worthy read (for once, for magic novels).  Part 2 explains the guilds and the maze (sort of).  Part 3 runs the maze, and reveals the true nature of the Forum of Azor.



Videos:
Return to Ravnica Trailer

Dragon's Maze Trailer

Forgotten lore on Ravnica.

RETURN TO RAVNICA STORIES

The Shadow of Pravh- Part 1 - Part 2:  Golgari's got a new shadow, one that might see beyond the world of Ravnica.  (Vraska Origin story)

Krenko, Mob Boss and his interactions with Vinrenn (Feather) and Boros.

Epic Experiments
Izzet's choose your own experiment story:  Die Trying.  Features Krenko.

Slaughter Games: Rakdos' Games and celebrations.

The Great Concourse: The rebirth of the Selesnya guild after Old Ravnica. 

In Praise of the Worldsoul: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3: The start of a Guild Feud.

Gruul Ingenuity:  The Gruul strike first in the Guild Feud started in "In Praise of the Worldsoul". 

The Seven Bells- Part 1- Part 2:The firemind has an experiment for someone to work on...

The Rogue's Passage: An unaligned thief sees the guild interactions, and maybe more...

GATECRASH STORIES

Zegana's Public Address: The Simic announce their reformation.

The Absolution of the Guildpact Theater Performance:  What the dissension storyline meant to people of Ravnica, and what may yet come.

The Persistence of Memories:  The Dimir switch agents, switch memories, switch lives!

Domri Rade's intro, The Burying!  Part 1- Part 2

The Guild of Deals

Gideon Jura comes to Ravnica and joins with Boros for the greater good.  His quest takes a detour... (see the Battle for the Ninth below for conclusion)

The 1st Experiment (1)
Totally Lost = Fblthp

The Bilagru (Orzhov)

The Hard Sell (Dimir)

DRAGON'S MAZE, The Race begins!

The Vital Orzhov Message

Ruric Thar, unstoppable

Teysa Karlov: Here Teysa begins to plot against the Obzedat.  Her story continues below, in 2015, in Family Values.

Jace Beleren not Dimir.

Expectations of debt.

The Pursuit: Part 1 - Part 2

Life in the Ring!

The origins of an officer of Azorius.

Riddlekeeper

Evolution, aka: Paper Trail

Battle for the Ninth District: Gideon Jura completes his work on Ravnica.

Some minor stories have filled in information beyond the Return to Ravnica of 2012.  You can find each year's updates below. 

2013- Commander 2013:
Shattergang Bros - In Ravnica, if you want something destroyed, call the Shattergang Brothers. No job is too small or person too important for this goblin family. They are sought after by thieves and priests alike, and even the Rakdos have been known the hire them for jobs that need a bombastic finesse. These goblins can take out—or blow up—any problem you might have. An Izzet mage giving you trouble? Gargoyle spying on you? Pesky curse upon your house? The Shattergangs will bring the destructiveness you need for a (mostly) reasonable price. The Boros and Azorius have both put prices on their heads, but the Shattergangs have eluded capture time and time again. These brothers take pride in their work and joy in the destruction of others.

2014-The Gorgon and the Guildpact

2015-

Project Lightning bug

Limits of Gideon Jura

Catching up with Jace and Liliana

Family Values- Karlov of the Obzedat and Teysa's Story

2017- Mazirek of the Kraul begins a plot to rule the Golgari.  He has also met with Vraska.

Other important info:
Agyrem, the Ghost Quarter, was created by the Shism/Timespiral Rifts.  Ravnica as a plane was separated from the rest of the multiverse, cutting it off from Planeswalkers.  But with The Mending event, Ravnica rejoined the multiverse, and Agyrem began to vanish. 

“The overlay of Agyrem remains on Ravnica until the Mending, which causes it to become distinct and removed from Ravnica—a kind of ‘metaplane.’ Little is known about Agyrem now; its whereabouts in the Multiverse are a mystery.” –Adam Lee, 8/29/12

Notes on The Mending:

The Multiverse-changing event that occurred when the last of the planar temporal rifts was closed during the Time Spiral plot. The Mending healed the fractures that spread outward from Dominaria across the Multiverse. These fractures were caused by the actions of powerful planeswalkers, and only planeswalkers could seal them. The Mending altered the nature of the planeswalker spark itself.

Pieces of style of Ravnica:

Azorius Most Wanted: Ties in with some of the stories.  Many people are dangerous on Ravnica:  Krenko, Vraska, Massacre Girl...


Guild Descriptions: Description of Ravnica:  http://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planes/ravnica



Last edited:  5/31/17 - Mazirek of the Kraul!

Thursday, April 28, 2016

RGD- Ravnica, Guildpact, Dissension

For those new here- these are story compilations, writing describing or compiling the story for the various blocks of plot for Magic: the Gathering.

This is a republished guide from reddit, about the Ravnica, Guildpact, and Dissension storylines!


Ranvica: City of Guilds' novel synopsis:
Major Players:
Ravnica:
Agrus Kos- A wojek veteran.  He’s a good cop, but over 100 years old, and the decimillenial is coming. 
He’s trying to fight the tide.   He’s also an alcoholic.

Feather- A Boros angel, who is serving her punishment with the legion as a wojek officer with her wings bound.  She is Kos’ sometime partner.

Fonn Zunich- A new Selesnya recruit wolf-rider.  She’s protecting the Saint Bayul of the conclave. 

Jarad vod Savo- The Elvish Huntsmaster of Golgari, brother of Savra, the Matka (priestess) of Golgari. 

Savra: Matka priestess leader of the necromantic casting elves of Golgari.

Sisters of Stone Death- The current leaders of Golgari, leading it to decay and decadence.

Szadek- Parun of Dimir, who’s whole guild is supposed to be fake, he’s enlisted Savra to retake Golgari.

Svogthir- The original parun of Golgari, released by Savra to help retake Golgari from the Sisters. 

Mycil Zunich- Kos’ old dead partner.  Now a ghost.  Leads him places.  Father of Fonn.

Borca- Kos’ new parter.   Not a very good cop.


Basic plot:

Ravnica:  23rd of Zuun, 9999.

Argus Kos and partner/deputy investigate some crimes, and show off the world.  Murder, for instance, is not illegal, unless it’s a guild member.   He’s investigating various cases, and has been promoted to a semi-desk job.  Fonn, meanwhile, is protecting Saint Bayul entering the main part of the city (known as the City of Ravnica) for the Decimillenial.  Savra meets her brother Jarad and gives him a mission, then speaks with Szadek to find Svogthir and overthrow the Gorgon sisters of Golgari, by killing 2 of the 3 [Sisters of Stone Death]( http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=83746).   Kos sees the ghost of Mycil Zunich, who leads him to witnesses a bombing attack on Saint Bayul and Fonn at a restaurant, and Kos and Borca are caught in the blast.   Borca and Saint Bayul are killed, and Kos wakes up in a hospital, and is informed of Fonn’s disappearance. 

Three days later Fonn wakes up with her captor, Jarad, who tells her he was hired to save her from the blast.  Jarad and Fonn, while talking, are attacked by harpies, and the last one tells him Savra sent them to kill them both.  Meanwhile, Kos sees Borca’s ghost, who tells him he had a avenger contract in case of his death, that Kos must avenge Borca’s death.  Feather comes back to help Kos, and they set out to a Orzhov friend of Kos’, Pivlic.  Kos and Feather find Fonn and Jarad at Pivlic’s arena restaurant, and they form an alliance when Selesnya quietmen attack the arena.  Kos receives a falcon that the Saint is actually not dead, and they need him/Fonn there.  The Golgari attack the Boros legion’s headquarters, and it’s war.  Fonn hears Saint Bayul’s last words, and learns that Savra was trying to join the Selesnya conclave and to do so, she needed the gem in Bayul’s forehead.   The Dimir Lupul worms attack (similar to a Dimir Doppleganger/Mindleech Mass), and quietmen (Selesnya) fight Wojeks (Boros).  

Savra had been invited with the Devkarin elves to return to Selesnya, since the City tree had become corrupted (Savra was behind the corruption, and so actually controls the quietmen) and is about to join the conclave (and still control Golgari, and eventually all the guilds).  Szadek appears, and tells her it’s time to join the conclave.  She places Bayul’s stone on her forehead, and when she’s part of the conclave, Szadek snaps her neck.  Szadek announces the end of the guildpact, while Jarad gains control of the Lupul with Savra’s staff, and Fonn saves her mount by putting Bayul’s stone in her mount’s forehead.  The battle ends with Kos arresting Szadek for crimes against the guildpact. 
End of Ravnica's book 1.


Guildpact

Major players (carried over from Ravnica):
Agrus Kos- A wojek veteran. He’s a good cop, but over 100 years old, and the decimillenial is coming.
He’s trying to fight the tide. He’s also an alcoholic.
Feather- A Boros angel, who is serving her punishment with the legion as a wojek officer with her wings bound. She is Kos’ sometime partner.
Fonn- A new Selesnya recruit wolf-rider. She’s protecting the Saint Bayul of the conclave.
Jarad- The Elvish Huntsmaster of Golgari, brother of Savra, the Matka (priestess) of Golgari.
Sisters of Stone Death- The current leaders of Golgari, leading it to decay and decadence.
Szadek- Parun of Dimir, who’s whole guild is supposed to be fake, he’s enlisted Savra to retake Golgari.
Svogthir- The original parun of Golgari, released by Savra to help retake Golgari from the Sisters.
Mycil- Kos’ old dead partner. Now a ghost. Leads him places. Father of Fonn.
Borca- Kos’ new parter. Not a very good cop.
New Characters to Guildpact:
Teysa- A Orzhov lawyer, she’s inherting Utvara.
Crix- An Izzet goblin, she gets captured by the Gruul and is a courier.
Zomaj Hauc - A master mage in Izzet
Guildpact

15 MOKOSH 9965 Z.C. (35 years before the end of Ravnica book 1) The Izzet use a mana bomb to wipe out the Utvara area. It was a Kuga plague area, and the mana bomb didn’t quite work, so Selesnyans have cured some of it with a tree. But a Schism was created, and something happened to all of Ravnica.

14 PAUJAL 10012 Z.C. (12 years after the end of Ravnica book 1) Teysa Karlov inherits the Utvara district, and will become baroness once her uncle passes away and joins the Ghost Council. They travel to Utvara and Uncle reveals that he had Hauc drop the mana bomb to destroy all the beings infected by the Kuga in Utvara, thus being allowed to reclaim the valley sooner. Something went wrong though and the explosion created the Schism, a tear in the fabric of existence, and caused the plague to mutate. On the Lokopede train, they are attacked by Gruul, and her uncle dies. The come to the bar where Argus Kos now works with Pilvic under Orzov. Her contract states that she has to clean up Utvara to habitable conditions before a deadline, or it’ll go back to the Selesnyans. Problem is, that there’s a Yore-Tiller Nephilim there from before the Guildpact (10000 years ago). Kos, meanwhile, is still hoping to find the Angels who never showed up 12 years ago. Teysa meets with the Simic doctor Nebun, and finds out that he can cure the Kuga plague and hires him to do so.
Meanwhile, the Ghost Council and someone in Izzet have a deal about Utvara, something with the mana bomb created a Schism in the sky, which both guilds are very interested in.

Kos and Pivlic meanwhile go looking for Crix as they need her courier spell to fix the valley. They get into a fight with Gruul, and get ambushed by a different Nephilim. They escape and run to rejoin the waiting Izzet guild members. Crix’s master, Zomaj Hauc’s plan is to destroy the Guildpact, with the Ghost Council by overthrowing Niv Mizzet, with the three dragon eggs in the cauldron area of Utvara he’s trying to hatch for his master, Niv Mizzet. They are dragon eggs from before the guildpact, as there are no true dragons in Ravnica proper left anymore.

Teysa quickly hires an army of mixed guild members, and heads to the cauldron to stop them from doing whatever it is they’re doing. They attack, and in the chaos, the eggs are hatching. One dragon is killed and Hauc controls the second with his draconic spell. Teysa and crew get the spell from Hauc when Crix quits his services and steals it, and so Teysa gains control of the third dragon. She orders it to attack Hauc and his dragon, and in the fight, both dragons and Hauc die. In the final battle, Argus Kos is killed, and he sees Feather (the angel) just at his death. We learn that ghosts are stuck in Ravnica when people die, because of the Schism in the sky. Feather has returned to speak at Kos’ funeral.
End of Guildpact, Ravnica: City of Guilds Book 2.

Dissension 

 A few new characters are introduced in this novel, mostly guild leaders; this book rushes through everything...

29 CIZARM 10012 Z.C.
A thief steals some of the cerebral fluid of the dead dragons in the Cauldron. Nephilim are feasting on their corpses. Crix (now Crixizix) is watching the Nephilim grow, she alerts Niv Mizzet. Teysa is requested by Feather, now an inmate under Azorius to be her lawyer. She is charged with abandoning Ravnica, Boros, and guild-matricide. Fonn is investigating a murder and has to pick up her son, Myc from Jarad, the Devkarin Guildmaster of Golgari, who is teaching his son to hunt. Niv Mizzet flies to Utvara, and with dragonfire kills two (Witch-maw and Dune Brood). He is injured, but claims to be leaving to let mortals deal with the remaining three, and retreats. Crixizix is disappointed in her guildleader. Fonn and Myc are attacked by Rakdos cultists, and Myc and her companions are taken. Jarad mistrusts Simic’s cytoplast enhancements, and refuses their offer.

Argus Kos is now a spectral guard outside the senate, and he sees Feather go in. The Parhelion (floating Angel Sunhome of Boros) returns, and the Skyjeks notice it, and send word that it is on a collision course with Prahv (the Azorius Guildhall). The Rakdos buy the dragon cerebral fluid, and Lyzolda meets with Szadek, Savra, and Momir Vig. Fonn wakes and alerts Jarad that their son has been kidnapped. They give chase. Feather takes a stand and tells what happened on her 10 year search. She reveals that Ravnica was cut off from the rest of the multiverse, trapping ghosts on the plane. Planeswalkers were kept out. The Parhelion was investigating this, but was trapped in the schism created by Zomaj Hauc in Guildpact, creating Agyrem the Ghost Quarter, where all the ghosts live. She also reports that Razia was killed by the ghost of Szadek.

Kos is called to find and destroy Szadek, and as a ghost is put inside the body of Obez Murzeddi, an Azorius ectomancer. By arresting Szadek twelve years ago, he broke the guildpact, with a paradox (because he was arrested for crimes against the guildpact). Szadek purposefully let down his guard in order to break the guildpact, but because of this, Kos may be the only person able to harm Szadek. A messenger arrives to warn them that there is a plan to destroy the other guilds by Momir, Rakdos, and Svogthir (inhabiting Savra’s body).

Myc’s blood (as the son of a guildleader) and the cerebral fluid are used by Lyzolda to raise Rakdos the demon, who attacks Vitu-Ghazi and kills a Nephilim. The Parhelion crashes into Prahv. Jarad and Fonn fight their way into Rix Maadi, but Jarad is killed by Lyzolda.

Kos, searching for Svogthir in Simic, finds Momir, who is releasing the Kraj. In the fight, Kos’ temporary body is thrown out a window, so he transfers to Savra’s body, and overpowers Svogthir’s mind. The Kraj is activated to stop Rakdos, but Kos kills Momir before he can take control of the Kraj. The Kraj goes nuts, and kills Svogthir (again), and Kos transfers back to Obez’s body. Fonn and her now freed scouts kill a Nephilim. She is reunited with Kos, Pivlic, and her son, Myc who escaped. Feather comes to bring Kos to the Senate.

Kraj vs. Rakdos! Kraj wins by absorbing Rakdos into its body, and putting Rakdos into a coma. The Kraj stops moving, however. Lyzolda is in the middle of the cultist frenzy, and is eaten alive by her own cultists. When Kos and Feather return to the Senate, Augustin has taken martial law over all of Ravnica. Augustin reveals that he killed Szadek in prison, and wants to take full control over all of Ravnica. Kos, horrified, flees to the Parhelion. They mess with the controls for it to explode, and Kos saves Feather, and Teysa from Szadek by trapping him in a grounder. The Selesnyan conclave’s quietmen, tired of this treachery, attack the Senate, and the Parhelion explodes over the Senate as Kos and crew escape. Szadek’s grounder is thrown at Augustin, and when Szadek escapes, his ghost kills Augustin, then flees.

Epilogue Fonn brings Myc to Jarad, now self-reanimated to let him learn to become a Golgari hunter. Crixizix is still waiting for Niv Mizzet to return. Two years later, the new guild leaders have founded a new guild pact, one not based on balancing magic guilds against each other, but more on laws has been founded. Agyrem is now a full section of Ravnica, and Szadek has hidden himself there. Kos is assigned to hunt down Szadek. In the explosion, it is believed that the Schism has been closed, and so Ravnica returned to the multiverse.

Note: There are tons of plot holes, many things were glossed over, but this is the generic plot-line, for those interested in what happened in preparation for Return to Ravnica.

Thank you for reading, Soon there will be a full Return to Ravnica guide for the story compilation here shortly!


Thursday, March 17, 2016

That which drives us



“When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson



Recently, I've taken on a new endeavor, being a co-owner for a small business. A hobby shop.  What a task, a struggle, many think. I get people telling me "congratulations" as if I won an award, instead of risking my credit, thousands of dollars, and my name and social security number on contracts.  I did this to do what was necessary, to help my community, not for any personal achievement, though that will be part of a long term goal.

Today's blog isn't about my personal struggles and goals, here, but on goals and purpose itself.

I have observed so many people in both the oyster world and the gaming industry searching for a drive and purpose. While working as a judge on the Magic: the Gathering Grand Prix circuit events, I see a lot of loyalty, enthusiasm, and hard work being done by people who are by all accounts considered volunteers at best.

What drives people to fly across the country and the world to work for three days among thousands of people in a convention center room?  What is the goal that makes them stand for volunteer work for 10 hours straight and still be smiling at the end of the day?  What makes working that hard worth it?

On the other side of things, oyster work is not the most glamorous of jobs.  We get up early, the work is wet, often cold, and we're cleaning oyster feces, often in slimy or murky tanks.  Oyster work involves a lot of walking and movement around facilities, a high amount of knowledge on how systems work, the ability to scrub tanks, clean systems, fix pumps, make sure things aren't going dry, setting up pvc piping, moving heavy loads of oysters, etc.  We get dirty, covered in oyster slime, deal with rotting objects at the bottom of tanks, and have often wet clothes from the work.



What purpose do people find in growing and producing oysters?  To make a living on these small bivalves that people like to eat so much, despite them growing on the bottom of the sea and coastline? Why work so hard, in smelly wet conditions? 

The answer to both these questions, to both sides of long hours and hard work is multifaceted, but can be distilled down to a few concepts:  Community, Purpose, and Ehrgeiz.

Now some of you may not be familiar with the concept of the German word: Ehrgeiz, so bear with me, I'll explain below.

Community and purpose, the first two drivers for people in these positions, are some of the most important human conditions.  There are thousands, if not millions of people out in the world seeking both purpose in their daily lives, in the meaning behind their existence, and the membership in some form of community.  People want to belong, to be know that there is some greater meaning behind their actions, their lives, and a need for them to personally work together and do good, to do well. 


To be needed in your community, and to be doing work towards a greater goal and ideal is often vital for everyone- it's being seen at even low level jobs, taught to managers of retails stores, explained to construction workers, given to the leaders in a volunteer community, in order to find ways to instill community and idealism into employees- to build loyalty and appreciation for the organization in which people work. 

And now, Ehrgeiz.  The German word for ambition- but it means a little more in in this context.  The form of the word ehrgeiz in this context is used in order to convey a drive towards better things, to have ambition, but not only personal or individual ambition, but ehrgeiz towards a community purpose, towards goals. To strive to higher things within a community group, to improve not only oneself, but the community as a whole is what brings the term ehrgeiz into this context at least.

For volunteers working long hours, this can mean recognition, involvement in larger things, and building a community with like minded people.  For workers in difficult or dirty jobs, this can often mean purpose or striving towards larger goals within the organization and personally.


So how do these concepts lead to you?  It's nice to be able to describe great things for people to strive for, but how does this affect people in their every day lives?

Realistically, that depends on each individual- your beliefs, interests, and location.  Maybe you want to be more part of your church group, or volunteer at humane societies to help animals.  Perhaps it's looking to find more meaning in your daily job.

For any person, find what parts of your life are inspiring, or can help you set goals, and work towards accomplishing those. 

A retail worker may find more love for their work if they see themselves as a part of a community of employees, or a church volunteer sees their connection to the church grow stronger.  Inspiration in every day life can come from small things.

Another part of the judge community which is very important- evaluate yourself and the program!  As you become part of a workforce, watch what work you're doing, what is worthwhile, or what could be done better.  Being able to give constructive suggestions and feedback can make you a valuable part of whatever community you're becoming a part of, and can make you feel more valued within it as well!  Make sure too, that what you're doing fits within your worldview- is the program doing good or causing harm? What about my actions?  These are excellent questions to ask yourself as you join in with something!

But above all:  Do good.  Do well.  Make the world a better place, no matter how small your actions.  If you can seek and find some purpose and belonging in your daily life, in your workplace and community, you will hopefully see and feel a change and greater satisfaction in everything you do.