Encyclopedia Dominia Sections E-Y

 Here is the second part of the restoration of the Encyclopedia Dominia, from the pre-revisionist lore days of Magic: The Gathering.  The Planeswalker Taysir's work at making the Encyclopedia Dominia continues here, for your reading enjoyment.  

 You may read the first part here. 

FlyinFlying Carpet: Only planeswalkers may create flying carpets with relative ease. Lesser magic-workers must spend endless hours weaving together the delicate strands and complicated patterns that tie the magic of flight to these valuable objects. Most flying carpets are one adult armspan wide by two armspans long, and can support only one person. However, there are rumors of ancient carpets capable of carrying objects as large as a bull elephant.

Freyalise: This beautiful half-elven planeswalker is most noted for the tremendous spell she wove to end Dominaria's long Ice Age. Considered a goddess by the elves of Llanowar (who are unaware of her half-elven heritage), Freyalise is worshipped to this day by many of the residents of Dominaria. 

Goblin Kites: One of a multitude of artifacts of uniquely goblin manufacture, a goblin kite allows a small humanoid (roughly goblin-sized) to strap the winged contraption across its back and use it as a glider. Although goblins have been known to use these devices strategically in battle (some observers claim any "strategy" is merely the result of random luck), "reliable" is a word not often applied to the gliders.

Ironclaw Mountains: Home to the Ironclaw orcs and goblins, this mountain range forms the northeastern edge of central South Aerona. The Ironclaws are relatively mineral-rich, and the goblins and orcs who make their home here (along with scattered dwarven clans) use these minerals for trade. 

Kaervek: The Burning Isles seared their harsh ethos into the young Kaervek. A ruthless survivor, the mage Kaervek considers everything fair if it advances his cause. Until his recent imprisonment, Kaervek waged an extensive war to exert control over all of Jamuura. With the imprisonment of his enemy Mangara in the amber prison, Kaervek thought he might succeed in this goal. Now Kaervek lies within his own trap while all that remains of his once mighty armies are unorganized bands of roving undead. 

Llanowar Elves: Actually made up of eight major bloodlines, or elfhames, the elves of Llanowar are a relatively diverse lot. Since the Ice Age the Llanowar have had to protect their forest from the ravages of outsiders (who initially came seeking precious firewood). With the help of their goddess, the planeswalker Freyalise, the elves managed to keep their cultures intact throughout even the most desperate times.

The Llanowar elves stand between five-and-a-half and six feet in height. They are generally slender with pale, brown, or even metallic-colored hair. Their eyes are quite narrow and their teeth slightly pointed, giving the elves a feral appearance. Elves remain youthful looking throughout almost their entire lives, with only the ears hinting at their age (the longer the ears, the older the elf). Only in the last decade or so of an elf's life does he or she begin to show signs of aging. 

 Llanowar Forest: This gigantic, lush forest region in South Aerona ranges in width from several hundred miles to over a thousand miles across at its widest point. Home to eight major tribes of elves, or elfhames, the forest contains some of the most ancient trees in all of Aerona. Goblins and orcs almost never enter the forest (save on raids) since the elves are merciless towards these outsiders. Even trading humans, minotaurs, and the like only enter the forest with great caution (and normally seek permission first). 

Mangara: This powerful mage was a force for peace in Jamuura for many decades, that is until he was betrayed and imprisoned inside of a magical stone known as the amber prison. Mangara's disappearance destroyed the balance of power in Jamuura. Only his release could grant the land hope for relief from the assault of Kaervek's undead minions. 

Order of the Steel Leaf (See Llanowar Elves):  This militant band of Llanowar elves were first organized by the goddess-planeswalker Freyalise. Bound to serve her mission, the Steel Leaf helped turn the invaders away from Llanowar during the Ice Age, and have served as the forest's protectors ever since. The Order maintains a strict interpretation of Freyalise's sacred orders, and this rigidity has at times caused some internal conflict within Llanowar. 

All Steel Leaf wear a patch over one eye. Some of these patches were first bestowed by Freyalise; these are said to provide magical sight to the wearer, allowing him or her to see the true nature of any being. In addition to the eye patch, the Steel Leaf all sport tattoos and brightly dyed hair, often worn in mohawk fashion.  

Phyrexian gremlins are short, often hairy, ebon-black beings who serve the will of the Yawgmoth priests and demons. With their fierce, glowing eyes and razor-sharp teeth, Phyrexian gremlins seem at best semi-intelligent servants. They evince an extreme, almost gleeful, excitement at the prospect of destroying artifacts and artificers, and descend en masse upon anyone unfortunate enough to stumble into their domain. 

Phyrexian Portal: The plane of Phyrexia is only accessible through a series of magical gates and portals. Such planar apertures are usually opened through the sacrifice of either creatures or artifacts. However, at times the sacrifice of a great deal of magical energy or knowledge will also open one of these portals. Unfortunately, any individual opening such a portal may find the sacrifice required is far different, and far more dear, than he or she ever imagined. 

Phyrexia (Plane): The dark plane of Phyrexia is a place few beings other than the foul natives of this plane have ever had the misfortune to visit. Creatures living in Phyrexia include Yawgmoth demons, Phyrexian gremlins, and numerous artifact-slaves. 

Phyrexia is often called "the final Hell for artifacts." Its skies are filled with soot and smog, with the constant sound of grinding cogs and screeching metal tormenting the air. Unimaginably large furnaces throw ash and fire into the skies, illuminating in their harsh red glare the tortures of the artifacts trapped here. The plane itself is formed from multiple hollow spheres, each darker and more horrid than the last. Although legend says the true fiend Yawgmoth lives in the innermost sphere, there is no one known who can confirm this tale.  

Purraj of Urborg: This intense female cat warrior was a legendary assassin whose ability to kill silently was unrivaled. Although Purraj viewed herself as a leader of her kind, many cat warriors only followed Purraj out of fear. Purraj's last mission, before her disappearance and presumed death, was the guardianship of the captured mage Mangara and his jail, the amber prison. 

Rabiah (Plane): Rabiah the Infinite is a multifaceted jewel in the realm of Dominia. In ancient days, Rabiah split and refracted across a thousand and one planes. For every refraction, a new Rabiah sprung up, identical to the original. It is for this reason Rabiah is known as "the Infinite."

Of course, over the centuries each Rabiah developed an identity of its own, and today individual Rabiahs may differ dramatically from one another. However, there are some general features that are consistent across almost all variations of this wondrous place.

Rabiah is a desert world. Where Rabiah's plane touches another plane, the sere environment often begins to "infect" its neighbor. However, that seldom worries Rabiah's inhabitants, since they are hardy desert dwellers. Planar links in Rabiah often appear in the form of giant desert twister's. Such a maelstrom violently propels any who venture near it into whatever plane that gate links to.

Although most Rabian cultures are patriarchal and Arabic in feel, the vast range of Rabiahs also includes matriarchies and even a realm of horrific evil rivaling Phyrexia itself for sheer despair and terror. 

Rashida Scalebane: This idle young Zhalfiran woman grew up quickly when several dragons decimated her village, killing Rashida's entire family as well as all her friends. Rashida's anguish quickly turned to rage, and the new warrior vowed to slay all dragons for the harm they did Rashida's village and family. After some struggle, Rashida discovered the location of her family's ancient relic -- a banesword. She dedicated the sword to the slaying of dragons, renaming it Scalebane, so that she could set about avenging her family. As witnesses attest, Rashida is amazingly quick and powerful when fighting her sworn enemy. Already, this great warrior has slain more than a dozen dragons, turning their hides into armor for her warriors. Today, Rashida leads a powerful army dedicated to ridding Jamuura of the dark army of undead that threatens the country's very existence. 

Scalebane's Elite: These three warriors represent the best of the warrior-leader Rashida Scalebane's troops, hand-picked by Rashida to aid her in her quest to rescue the mage Mangara from the amber prison. There are few warriors in Jamuura with the courage, tenacity, and skill of these young fighters. 

Serendib Efreet: The Serendib efreets are a small group of air elementals seldom found anywhere but the plane of Rabiah. Giant pale humanoids with snow-white hair, the efreets are most striking for their double mouths and hooked left "hands," which, legend has it, were transformed long ago by a planeswalker in return for a service one of their kind once performed. Although the extra orifice adds to the efreets' frightening appearance, it does not have any particular function.

Serendib efreets often have bitter, vicious temperaments, although they will serve any who may summon or command them. Unfortunately, the Serendib are cursed and any who request their services will undoubtedly pay with the coin of their own pain and suffering. If anything, the Serendib seem to enjoy this collateral anguish.

Editor's note: The Serendib efreets are closely related to the larger, even more dangerous Serendib Djinns. The djinns also curse those who dare to summon them, although they seem far more interested in creating ever vaster areas of wasteland in the already arid realms they inhabit. 

The Spirit of the Night is a terrible creature that seems part cat, part unspeakable horror. An almost unstoppable killing machine, the Spirit of the Night leaves only death and destruction in its wake. Although there are few recorded incidents of the Spirit of the Night appearing on Dominaria, the entire Femeref grand assembly, known as the Council of Voices, is thought to have been slaughtered by this being last year. Only the Breathstealers guild is said to possess both the knowledge and desire to summon this dreaded being. 

Telim Tor: A Suq'Ata nobleman by birth, Telim'Tor earned his fame as a military leader when he brought back some important maps lost in the Ekendu mountains. Although his troops were decimated in the effort, Telim explained that his elder brother who had originally lead the troops had caused the casualties. Only through Telim's bravery were the maps retrieved and any troops brought back alive. Although some people dispute this story, the mission earned Telim'Tor much glory. Today, Telim'Tor is respected (and feared) as a brutal, but inspiring general. His troops take no prisoners and Telim'Tor allows not the slightest infraction of rules by his soldiers. 

Tobias Andrion: Tobias Andrion was the most famed military administrator in the ancient Empire of Sheoltun. In the earlier, all-important military campaigns of Sheoltun, he was instrumental in establishing the young empire's military dominance over its neighbors. But his true legacy to Central Aerona was his successful campaign to eliminate the long-standing, organized piracy that once tyrannized the waves.

Although Sheoltun already held the mainland with an iron grip when Tobias was born, it was not yet established on the islands. Tobias dared to battle the legendary pirates of the Spice Isles, and, even more daringly, succeeded in turning the tide of the once-invincible raiders. Over the course of three decades, he ran the marauders down and destroyed even their most hidden fortresses. Unfortunately, Tobias was himself slain in an ambush by the captain and crew of the pirate ship Wavespawn.

Although the exact nature of Tobias's death varies widely from tale to tale, most stories suggest he was struck down by magical lightning. A terrible legend claims that Tobias was almost immediately reanimated, to dance upon the lifeless remains of his crew at the bottom of the ocean--a macabre dance he continues until this day. 

Torsten Von Ursus: Originally a member of the legendary Knights of Jenges, Torsten Von Ursus came from the country of Wrenna. After a terrible mage claimed the throne of Wrenna, this great warrior left his Order and traveled southwest. Torsten spent some time at the base of the Hurloon Mountains, and actually entered the dread land of the minotaurs after he had the opportunity to study one that had been captured. His belief that the minotaurs were more than savage beasts was revolutionary at the time (and is still revolutionary to the less educated among us).

After studying minotaur philosophy for several years, Torsten journeyed onwards. When he stumbled upon the blighted city of Benfosa, Torsten immediately realized that he had found his life's work. Benfosa was a perfect place to implement his gathered wisdom and social philosophies. Determined to change Benfosa into his vision of a proper nation, Torsten let nothing stand in his way--including the rather reluctant citizens of the newly renamed Benalia.

Using sometimes-brutal tactics, Torsten brought an entire nation into being using nothing more than the force of his will and the brutal charisma of the natural leader. After succeeding in much of his goal, Torsten died at the age of seventy-two, leaving behind him the legendary Lost Edict, which consigned Benalia to the alternating care of his seven lieutenants and their families. 

Yawgmoth Demons: Servants of the dread entity Yawgmoth, the Yawgmoth demons are intelligent beings that take great joy in constantly attempting to outdo one another in destroying artifacts. Some artificers claim the demons are preparing for the day when Yawgmoth releases them in a rampaging horde to destroy all the imperfect artifacts currently loose in Dominia. This final purge will, in turn, prepare the multiverse for the coming of Yawgmoth. 

Yawgmoth Priests: Yawgmoth priests venerate the entity Yawgmoth. Working in concert with lesser Yawgmoth demons, the priests conduct strange rituals to purge unfit artifacts from all realms of existence. When an artifact creature shows promise, though, the priests guide its evolution towards perfection.

 

This concludes the alphabetical entries to the Encyclopedia.  The next sections will catalog the Histories and fables section of the Encyclopedia. 

The Encyclopedia Dominia: Taysir's Journals and A-D

Dominia (not Dominaria) used to be the name of the magic multiverse.  For a time, in the pre-revisionist era of Magic, there was one planeswalker interested in catalog and study of the denizens and peoples of the various planes, and so, Taysir started and created the Encyclopedia Dominia.  Here we have recovered his progress on such a vast and monumental task, and have put forth all his notes and entries from it.  

Here is the first part of this restoration process.  

Taysir's Journals 

Entry 1: I have existed for thousands of years, one person amid a multitude too vast for even a planeswalker such as myself to comprehend. Yet each of this great throng, each person who exists upon any of the planes in Dominia, weaves his or her thread into the tapestry of history. Unfortunately, few beings can actually gain any perspective upon the worlds they live in or the peoples with which they live. Life is too short and the planes too vast.

Here I presume to take my experience and my knowledge, and set to paper history, legends, and tales from the immense array of cultures found in Dominia. Hopefully, others will come to gaze upon this collection and learn from it. Throughout these volumes I shall provide commentary, yet I vow to never censor the words of others within their own stories.

In my youth, I would not have had the patience for this lengthy task. But, having lived and died--and lived again--I have come to a greater understanding of the necessity for the quietest virtue.

Long ago I loved a woman with greater passion than any other man had ever loved . . . . Of course this isn't true--my love was no greater or lesser than any others, but I was then convinced of its unique worth. It brought me only grief because it was a selfish love that did not truly care about the woman at its center. Since that time, I have learned much.

I dedicate this compilation, which I shall call the Encyclopedia Dominia, to Kristina . . . and also to my adopted daughter, Daria. Both women are brilliant, and the fabric of the world is richer for the shining threads of their lives. 

Entry 2: While I sit among the creature comforts of my library, I can't help but muse upon how important our environment is to who we are.

Imagine, if you will, that I choose to clone a young mortal. The boy and his other self would be identical in all things. If, however, these two identical people were placed in very disparate environments, they would rapidly grow different from each other, no longer truly identical. For example, if one boy spent his time in a tranquil place where he faced nothing more terrible than the teasing of his siblings and the occasional minor injury, where all his physical and emotional needs were met, would not his character and personality reflect this environment? Would not the identity of the other boy, living in a place of constant want, with no one to care for him, grow (or wither) in very different ways?

A truly wonderful or terrible environment leaves a deep imprint indeed upon its inhabitants. The best and worst of places may even affect the other realms with which they coexist. Thus, the literature and myths of numerous cultures again and again reference certain places. One of these places is the realm known as Phyrexia, a black abyss of pain and terror. It is astounding that creatures manage to not only exist, but occasionally even thrive in this place of charnel smoke, metal, and ash; a place where the only light is belched forth by huge soot-spewing furnaces.

The impact of such an environment on any who spend time there is surely great. Undoubtedly the unrelenting misery crushes the bodies and spirits of most creatures, but it is also true that only in the hottest forges are the truest blades formed. Without adversity there is seldom heroism. Without evil, good is meaningless. Thus, I feel it is just as important to record the history and culture of a place such as Phyrexia as it is of one more palatable, such as Llanowar. 

 

Entry 3: I have spent many hours contemplating the way in which the elves of Llanowar have managed to create and maintain a world unto themselves. Though they do have some contact with their neighbors, the Llanowar have done a remarkable job of keeping other peoples and cultures from influencing their home. Some scholars claim it is the tremendous size of the forest that has long protected the elves, but although the forest of Llanowar is, indeed, quite vast, it is not in any way unique in its size. There are other elves in other vast forests throughout Dominia who have been much more "infected" by neighboring cultures.

There are reportedly up to ten separate elven cultures (or "elfhames," as the Llanowar term them) contained within this sprawling forest realm. Each of the elfhames supports in its own way the elves' desire to keep their culture and traditions safe from outside influence. Some elves disappear into the trees and rarely, if ever, venture from their homeland. Others trade with the outside world of humans, minotaurs, etc., but maintain a strict belief, grounded in religion, that they must keep some distance from other peoples in order to retain their mystical connection to nature and their forest home.

This isolationist philosophy is taken to its most disturbing extremes by the Order of the Steel Leaf, a select cadre of Llanowar said to have been first brought together by the goddess-planeswalker Freyalise herself. The Steel Leaf are zealous in their efforts to maintain the purity of Llanowar. To this day, any non-Llanowar risk their lives when entering territory controlled by the Order, which has been known to kill intruders (not merely goblins) without trial. A few arrows and the unfortunate strangers' bodies soon "feed the forest."

The Steel Leaf have even been known to direct their isolationist zeal against other Llanowar, for they disapprove of any cooperation or "collusion" with non-elves. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that someday the Order might turn their swords and arrows on those of their own people whom they consider traitors for consorting with outsiders.

In their fervor to preserve their people, will the Steel Leaf be the Llanowar's savior--or its executioner? 

 

 Main Encyclopedia Entries: 

The Amber Prison: This magical golden stone fits easily in the palm of a large man's hand. Although small, the amber prison contains great power. When wielded by a mage, the prison is capable of trapping a single being (of any size) in its amber depths. The unfortunate prisoner remains in stasis for as long as he or she is trapped in the prison. Although the prisoner apparently retains some vague, dreamlike awareness, time has little if any affect on the physical body. Upon release, the prisoner appears exactly as he or she did at the moment of imprisonment. 

 Asmira, Holy Avenger: Since her youth, Asmira has possessed the gift of prophecy. Although in recent years this gift has grown stronger, even Asmira's early teachers -- Femeref priests -- recognized her ability. Detesting violence and loving all the peoples and lands of Jamuura equally with all her being, Asmira has recently become the reluctant head of the Femeref resistance to Kaervek's advance. Although many Femeref cities have fallen, Asmira remains a shining example of goodness and hope to all the people of Jamuura. Her devotion to Jamuura and her will to see this terrible war ended have forged Asmira into a Holy Warrior of unparalleled skill and power. 

Bassorah is one of the most established cities in all of Rabiah, found in the vast majority of the plane's incarnations. Bassorah boasts a tremendous variety of inhabitants (from bird maidens, to desert nomads, to gypsies) and a truly stupendous bazaar, known for the vast array of merchandise one can find there. Only the Bazaar of Baghdad is larger, and it does not have the same curious variety of goods.

Strange items from other planes somehow make their way into a Bassoran merchant's stall. Often even the merchant has no idea where he picked up an item. Such finds are often called "Shahrazad's gifts" due to their uncanny tendency to fall into the hands of those who most need them.

Bird Maidens: Although bird maidens are found in other lands of Dominia, Rabiah is almost assuredly their true home. A beautiful, flying race of humanoids, bird maidens, as their name implies, are always female. They make their sparse homes high in the craggy caves and outcroppings of rock created by the constant winds and updrafts of the deserts.

One of the more curious arts the bird maidens practice is wind sculpting. Talented maidens place diamond dust in sharply funneled bone tubes, which they tie to rock formations. As the wind blows the dust against the stone, the rock erodes faster than usual. Over the course of several--even tens of--years, the sculpture appears.

Bird maidens mate with humans, and the resulting offspring is either bird maiden if female, or human if male. The human children are given back to their community, while the females are raised by the maidens. All bird maiden births are twins, and all twins are of the same gender. Bird maidens hold their birth-sisters extremely dear, although they seldom feel true kinship to their other siblings. Legends abound about the male offspring's exceptional strength, luck, and magical talent, which is why any village finding abandoned twin boys will almost invariably adopt and honor them.

Brass Man: Clumsy and slow, the brass men are mechanical-magical constructs of limited intellect. Although phenomenally tough and capable of withstanding extremes of temperature and weather, the brass men suffer from a strange malaise. Any action they take seems to use extreme effort, and no brass man will function long without intermittent, regular infusions of mana. Is this a flaw in their initial construction, or in their very nature? Such questions are for planeswalkers and wise ones, and outside the scope of this encyclopedia. 

Breathstealers: The Breathstealers are an ancient assassin guild from Urborg known for their ability to kill with complete accuracy and utter silence. In fact, the Breathstealers pride themselves on being able to kill a man without waking his wife sleeping beside him. The Breathstealers are currently insinuating themselves into Suq'Ata society, and although silent, these killers may be an even greater danger to the noble Suq'Ata than Kaervek's armies. The Breathstealers can work minor magics, including controlling certain darling creatures, and they worship a terrible force known as the Spirit of the Night. It is the ultimate honor for a Breathstealer to sacrifice himself to become part of the Spirit of the Night made manifest. 

The Church of Angelfire is perhaps the most popular church in present-day Benalia. Upwards of twenty percent of Benalkin (a term used by Benalish to describe themselves, particularly within the city of Benalia) proclaim themselves to be worshippers of Angelfire.

The church is named for the legendary warrior Gabriel Angelfire, whose spirit, it is claimed, burns on to this day. The main altar of every Angelfire church glows with the peculiar red-green candlelight of this "spirit-flame." The candles are thought to represent Gabriel's indomitable will, and are almost impossible to snuff once lit. The candle-making formula is considered a religious secret.

A number of historians believe the Church of Angelfire arose to replace the somewhat similar Church of Serra, whose worship is condemned in Benalia. This condemnation dates back to the days of Benalia's forerunner, the Sheoltun Empire. The growing settlement of Epityr cast off the ruling chains of Sheoltun when a priest of Serra called forth the angels of Serra to free the town. This uprising was the straw that broke the empire's back, and the already fading Sheoltun soon after lost all control of eastern Terisiare.

City of Brass: This mystical city is a shining paean to pain and rage. Legend has it that the city was built long ago by an aggrieved planeswalker who wished solace from some great pain. Located somewhere on the farthest reaches of Rabiah (or perhaps even in the plane of Wildfire), the City of Brass constantly shimmers with heat, easily maintaining a temperature some 20 degrees warmer than the surrounding desert. Constructed entirely of stone and brass, the city's structures reflect the sun, shimmering blood-gold from sunup to sundown, and glowing dimly with heat radiance for hours after nightfall. Even the nearby mountains are coated in brass, and although snow and ice often forms in the peaks at night, it melts within an hour of sunrise.

Due to the unbearable conditions of the city only a few creatures make their home there. Djinns and efreets frequent the city, although brass men are by far the most numerous inhabitants. Other beings who attempt entry often do not survive the experience. Despite all this, the City of Brass attracts a number of magic-workers with its high concentration of readily available mana. Unfortunately, the mana burns as hot as molten brass, and no wizard may use it without pain.

Desert Nomads: Found in even the harshest of dunes, the desert nomads are ubiquitous throughout Rabiah. It is difficult to believe that at one time this hardy people was almost lost forever to a series of terrible plagues. Yet today's nomads are tougher than ever, and they are truly unequaled at moving unseen and unheard through desert wastes. The nomads claim that even a desert child of six years can survive a fortnight lost in the sands. Although this claim is undoubtedly an exaggeration, the nomads do possess unrivaled knowledge of the desert and its ways.

The dragon engines were first introduced to Dominaria by the renowned artificer Mishra. Powerful artifact creatures capable of destroying almost anything in their path, Mishra's dragon engines were nevertheless only pale shadows of the original Phyrexian creations. Phyrexian dragon engines are as intelligent and swift as organic dragons, not in the slightest hampered by their mechanical origins. Many of Dominaria's goblin tribes believe that carrying a gear or cog from a dragon engine will keep other dragons from attacking the bearer. 

 

Magic Anniversary Cards and Celebrations!

Magic is approaching its 30th anniversary, and over the next year we’ll be seeing a variety of celebrations, events, and hopefully - promo cards!  One of the more interesting styles of cards that Wizards has released over the last 29 years has been cards for their anniversaries!  And while not every anniversary was celebrated with tons of fanfare (most were before secret lairs, commemorative promos, or instead, were years of masters’ sets), there have been some iconic cards released for each of the anniversaries (and some we now count as a ‘milestone’ card).  

 

In this blog, we’ll be showcasing all the anniversary cards, and how they were released!  Magic began on August 5th, 1993 with the initial release of the game we know and love, Magic: The Gathering (the alpha edition), with a driven game store to game store path to GenCon on August 19th-21st 1993!  There the launch of the worldwide phenomenon began!  

 

In 2003, Magic was turning 10!  There was a new core set (8th edition), a new starter game version, and a celebration event at both GenCon and worldwide at game stores!  The “Global Celebration event” was on July 26-27, 2003, coinciding near the set release, and giving all participants a Rukh Egg promo! Eighth Edition also had a reprinted card from every previous magic expansion, something that no core set had previously done!  Having a sealed deck event with all new cards and borders was a fantastic way to celebrate 10 years of Magic!  I recall playing in this event, and the set release was one sparking diverse opinions: many players didn’t like the new 8th edition border that has slowly become our modern border, others loved the history of the game all in one set.  

 

RUKH EGG 

 

Info: 

10th Anniversary Press Release 

Global Celebration Announcement 

 

But what about the 5 year anniversary?  Well, Magic didn’t celebrate with any events in 1998, but there were two unique releases that we can date to it!  The Anthologies box set with 4 preconstructed decks with white bordered reprinted cards was the main 5 year anniversary release!  The October release of Urza’s Saga, showed a prerelease card which was different than any before; not only did the Lightning Dragon card have the date stamp (the 4th prerelease card ever to have this), but it was the first officially released foil card, with the shooting star in the foiling!  For showcasing a year, and the first foil, the author likes to consider the Lightning Dragon promo the ‘5 year anniversary card’ for the year.  

 

 

LIGHTNING DRAGON

 

 

In 2008, the Magic 15th Anniversary was happening!  Magic released special starter sets alongside the 10th edition expansion, which included a promotional stamped Kamahl, Pit Fighter.  Attendees at GenCon Indianapolis 2008 also received a special 15th Anniversary life counter, and those who attended both the Origins Game Convention and SD Comic Con (SDCC) received a 15th anniversary stamped Char card!  

 

 

CHAR and KAMAHL

 

The 20th anniversary arrived in 2013, and Wizards once again decided to tone things down, not wanting to show the game’s age.  Wizards thought at the time that sometimes fans felt they had missed out on things if told a series number, or learned that they were playing a 20 year old game (for instance, 8th edition Core Set was simply branded “Core Set” to not let players think they’d missed 7 core sets before it in 2008).  However, there was one remarkable thing that Wizards did for the 20th anniversary! A ‘From the Vault 20” release, with 20 cards (instead of the usual 15), all with special foil and one card released for each year of Magic’s history!   This was also the very first reprint of the card: Jace the Mindsculptor, an extremely powerful planeswalker that was for a long time, considered one of the strongest Magic cards ever printed.  

 

FTV 20 card gallery image

The main Magic website also featured some throwbacks and cards important to the game, in their ‘Card of the Day’ series.

In addition, many of the original artists from Magic: the Gathering came together to create ‘The Gathering: Reuniting Pioneering Artists of Magic’ 20th anniversary art book as well, re-envisioning many classic card art pieces, and showing new pieces of art inspired by classic magic art.  

 

Golden Mox Dragon - by Dan Frazier

 

The 25th Anniversary was a bigger deal than the 20th, and in 2018, magic had a full year of events, releases, and occasions!  See this link for a timeline for all 25 years of history of the game and a variety of other stats and history! The world champions, the number of cards printed, and major set releases. (Ex. for those of you in Arizona, Amazing Discoveries in Gilbert held the 9 millionth sanctioned event in 2016! You can find it on the above timeline!)

The full year of the 25th Anniversary started on September 8-9th at HASCON (and Sept 28-29th with the Ixalan prerelease 2017) to July 20th, 2018, with the release of “Magic Core Set 2019” was filled with new releases, all stamped (on the boxes) with the Magic 25 logo.  See the full list of releases here 

One of the main significant releases was the master’s set, Masters 25.  The set repeated similar anniversary releases, with cards from every previous set release, showing a watermark in the textbox for each card’s original release.  

While again there was no worldwide commemorative anniversary promo, in Tokyo Japan, there was a Magic 25th Anniversary exhibit, where attendees received a Serra Angel promo.  If anything, this is the 25th commemorative magic promo (again, author’s opinion)!    

 

SERRA ANGEL

 

Six major celebration events were held across the globe beyond HASCON, and hosted a variety of exciting events, from the world championship, to events with Beta edition draft top 8s.  Special sets like the return of Un-sets in Unstable were released.  

So now, starting in October of 2022, we are starting the Magic 30 celebrations.  Since 2018, we have experienced the COVID19 epidemic and shutdowns of organized play, found the Secret Lairs, relaunched organized play, and are returning to Dominaria for two sets upcoming!  Welcome to the 30th anniversary, from 2022-2023!  

Magi-Nation Duel 2022 Updates (Part 1)

 Welcome to another Magi-Nation Duel community update.  There's quite a bit of found discussion on old cards existing, and fans are making new art and card design.  Check out the history articles below on Tacos and pop-culture, and we hosted another tournament! 

Fan Content and Discussion 

User/16BitShinobi has found an interesting discovery for the game, that in the Base Set, there are some cards missing in foil for 1st Edition.  We knew Only uncommon Magi and Creatures were printed in foil in 1st ed, but some cards were released as promos later.  However, there seem to be no foils, promotional or otherwise, of:

• Baloo Root

• Channeler's Gloves

• Dream Balm

• Mirror Pendant

• Relic Mirror

If you have seen any of these foil in 1st edition (not unlimited!), please contact them or comment below!  It is highly unlikely that they exist in the game!  

User/Zucriyamsuna found a list of Base Set demo cards that are not listed online (on BlueFurok.com or elsewhere).  

list of the demo cards that are not on Blue Furok:

• Thunder Hyren

• Orwin

• Yaki

• Deep Hyren

• Giant Parathin

• Corf Pearl

• Gruk

• Strag

• Agovo

• Cave Hyren

• Ormagon

• Colossus

• Book of Ages

• Water of Life

Edit: User TopDeck sent us scans of these demo deck cards missing!  

 

Are there any others?  We'd love to see the images of things not found yet!  And speaking of Colossus from the demo decks, have you looked at its flavor text? 

 

Who is Wyloce?  Were they a previous Regis of Arderial, or was this just a playtest name that got erased?  We may never know.  

We have a few users making the regional symbol pins!  

Check out their designs so far:
https://sta.sh/2132vlc46h6t  and they're looking for feedback on any needed changes before printing and ordering becomes possible!  Please contact user/silverfang on the discord for feedback or comments.  

Rich Werner has had new commission pieces for the world, take a look at these sketches! 

You can see about getting a commission from him yourself on his website: https://www.richwerner.com/new-products/3kbmz5wunt8lj3t0bc13gj81nlv4lb  

Fans are looking at creating flavor text for the unreleased expansion: Daybreak!  

Check out the link below to contribute:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t3cx7Y2PRxHblHSPNPsALVtWYt7sgI5A_Lw6i1h0wf4/edit?usp=sharing

Tournaments! 

Our 2022 Tournament had 12 players playing online!  Here are the rules for the event:
Allowed cards: All cards that have been officially printed and released.

Banned cards:

•     Tony at a Con

•     Power of the Creators

•     All cards from Traitor's Reach set

•     All cards from Daybreak set

•     All cards from Unreleased Promos

Here is the swiss round bracket: https://magination.challonge.com/2022_Spring 

And the Top 4 bracket: https://magination.challonge.com/2022_Spring_Top 

Congratulations to Pemmin for winning our Spring 2022 event!  

This is two events in a row for them! You can read the tournament results information here.  

Top four players were:
1st: Pemmin
2nd: WhamBamSam
3rd: Torei Dutalis
4th: Nol_Bricks

Found relics from the Vault of Knowledge!

A user u/Frisbey posted their story of visiting 2i in 2003:

I travelled to WA and stopped by 2i while we were there. we got to meet Matt Holmberg, got a print off of the Rainbow Hyren in progress and he signed it. Got a sheet of uncut decks (signed), and a few other cards (signed). we got to rummage through "The Vault" for a bunch of stuff. it was so fun. I miss this game, haha! He also pulled up the PSD file for Blizzard Core, and he proved to us that there was indeed a drawing of a taco in the under layers

They mentioned Tacos!  Check out all the taco art references below in two articles!

Fans found this image from the defunct Brazilian Magi Nation page! 

A user from an in-person play community showed that they still had images of the Magi-Nation League activity sheets.   The secret message by Ulk actually ties into the story, and the learn to draw magi is a great source material for how magi were initially designed! 

This blog also published various articles!  Learn about the hidden tacos in the card art, and read up on all the references in the game's cards and flavor text! 

Artists and Art of official sources all compiled! 

Tacos:

Magi-Nation Taco cards

More Magi-Nation Taco Cards

Pop Culture Connections for Cards in the game!

Pop-culture references of the cards (Base-Awakening) 

Pop-culture references from Dream's End and Nightmare's Dawn

Pop-culture references from Voice of the Storms

Pop-culture references from Traitor's Reach and Promos

 

A flicker account was found, with old Magi-Nation Organized Play documents

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10597889@N04/

 

And that's our community for the first part of 2022!   If we missed anything, or you'd like to contribute to various fan project elements, please let us know!  There's some exciting things moving, and we're excited to have been able to offer prizes to our tournament winners this time! 

The Slow March toward Phyrexia (Part 2)

 We covered the new pathway of multi-plane stories last time for the Magic: the Gathering Lore to head towards New Phyrexia.  Now new tales not connected to blocks have appeared, and they give rise to more context from past stories, both shown and perhaps forgotten.  This article will showcase what the connections and pathways are, and the next steps the story is taking towards New Phyrexia. 

in the Streets of New Capenna story, we learned that Urabrask is seeking revolution against Elesh Norn, and for something on New Capenna, with aid from Tezzeret.  Tezzeret recruits Vivian Reid to assist this idea of revolution, and Urabrask has heard of another walker, one that Elesh Norn fears.  

"Norn fears her. That is all I know." [stated Urabrask]

And an enemy of Elesh Norn was someone Vivien wanted to know.

-From: The Side of Freedom, SNC side story 3. 

At the end of the New Capenna story, Vivian has joined with Elspeth and gained information on how Halo was instrumental to defeating the old Phyrexians on New Capenna - and they both go to return to Ajani on Dominaria, with information on Urabrask.  

Now a new story has appeared, "A Garden of Flesh", where Elesh Norn discovers she can have nightmares, induced by the planeswalker Ashiok.  And who is Norn's nightmare; Elspeth Tirel!  Where previously in life Norn knew no fear or uncertainty!  Her dedication to the Machine Orthodoxy leads her to determine, that Elspeth must be destroyed. In this tale, we also learn that Elspeth did encounter Norn briefly, in the time of Scars of Mirrodin.  

"And Elesh Norn knew then, with the same amount of conviction with which she worshiped the Machine Orthodoxy, that in order to purge this new emotion she was feeling, this fear and uncertainty, she would need to find the human, Elspeth Tirel, and rid the Multiverse of her."

-From A Garden of Flesh, Magic side story 

It is unknown what the goals are for Ashiok, but they did not give aid to Norn in this case, nor were compleated. They had learned of New Phyrexia in the Theros Beyond Death (non)story, when Ashiok sought out and aided Elspeth in her quest to escape the underworld, and found there must be delicious nightmares from monsters who themselves are considered nightmares for others across the multiverse.    

Images from the Scars of Mirrodin lore comics

Elspeth, in Scars of Mirrodin, was recruited by Koth, a native of Mirrodin, in the war for New Phyrexia, with Venser.  The war went unsuccessfully, and Venser gave his life to free and purify Karn.  

Now we see Karn has joined with the Gatewatch, to find a way to defeat Phyrexia.  And while Jin Gitaxias has compleated Tamiyo, the Gatewatch has both Sylex and Elspeth to fight with them, and a traitorous Phyrexian Preator to fight Elesh Norn.  

The second step has moved forwards, and now we return to Dominaria... United! 

(Missed the first step?  Read it here!)

Magi-Nation Pop Culture References - Traitor's Reach and Promos

While Traitor's Reach was never released to the public, a leak has all the card images for the last 10 years!  Here it is, the final article in this series!  

by u/SomethingAboutCards

Traitor’s Reach

And here we are: Traitor’s Reach, the set that could have been. While this set was, sadly, never released, we still know what cards we would have gotten, and there are plenty of great references in there as well.

Bulomp: MC Hammer, “U Can’t Touch This

"Can't touch these." -- Bulomp's motto
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo

If you were born anywhere close to the 90’s, knowledge of this song is already ingrained in your DNA. You know the song, you caught the reference already, I don’t even need to say anything else.

 

Disc of Inferno: The Trammps, “Disco Inferno”

"Burn, baby, burn!" -- Inscription on Disc of Inferno
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5lSeYd_riw

Yes, this is a fun case where the name and flavor text both tie into the reference. “Disc of Inferno” sure sounds a lot like “Disco Inferno,” and the song calls out “burn, baby, burn” pretty frequently. Another self evident one.

 

Sand Sark: Saturday Night Live, “Land Shark”

"Knock, knock." "Who is it?" "Sandygram!" -- Old d'Reshi Joke

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_NS2H55dxI

The classic “Land Shark” sketch features a fierce, clever shark that can walk on land and trick people into opening doors for it. One of its most popular tricks is knocking and saying it’s delivering a candygram. So it’s got a little pun here, with “Sand Sark” and “Sandygram” instead of “Land Shark” and “Candygram,” but it’s still a fun reference.

Rolling Baldar: “A rolling stone gathers no moss.”

A rolling baldar gathers no Moss Trulbs.

This one’s another play on the saying "a rolling stone gathers no moss." Not a reference to a show or anything, but still counts.

 

N'ssah: “The Emperor’s New Groove”

"Don't listen to that guy, he's trying to lead you down the path of the Core. I'm gonna lead you down the path of rocks."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmOc4GLq8xM

In Disney’s underrated but incredibly meme-worthy “Emperor’s New Groove,” the character Kronk often has conversations with his shoulder angel and shoulder devil. When the shoulder devil first appears, he tells Kronk “Don’t listen to that guy, he’s trying to lead you down the path of righteousness. I’m gonna lead you down the path that rocks.” So that’s clearly where N’ssah’s flavor text comes from.

Harvest Feast: “Braveheart”

They may take our land, but they will never take my kitchen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr_OpFxCx-A

Yeah, it’s a play on the “Freedom” speech from “Braveheart,” where he says “they may take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.” Another one that you already knew, even if you never saw the film.  

Sphor Charm: Lucky Charms commercials

"They're always after my lucky Sphor Charm!" -- Quilla
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foghWSflbIA

Here’s another one probably written during breakfast. The Lucky Charms cereal commercials always have the mascot, Lucky the leprechaun, getting chased by children “after me Lucky Charms.” And odds are you already knew that one, too.

Iain, Commando: “Commando”

Remember when I said I'd save you for last? I lied.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mYSE2xWjcI

The Paradwyn-Bograth War is clearly having its effect on Iain, who’s taken up full commando gear, knives and all. And his flavor text? A reference to the Arnod Schwarzenegger film, “Commando,” where he reveals his promise to kill Sully last was… less than truthful.

Nightmare Construct: “The Wizard of Oz”

"I've got something for that meddling Rayje, and his little apprentice too." -- Warrada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ_g6NOo7yo

So this isn’t a direct quote, but saying “and his little apprentice too” is enough like “and your little dog too” to draw the parallel. Could even include a “Scooby Doo” reference by calling him “meddling,” but that might be even more of a stretch.

Keru: “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”

The Tuk Berries taste like Tuk Berries!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pwvB4_Te8A

 

“Come with me, and you’ll be, in a world of pure Magi-Nation.” Yes, this flavor text is a reference to the line “The snozzberries taste like snozzberries.” Just do yourself a favor and don’t look up what a snozzberry is.

Marella, Savant: “The Emperor’s New Groove”

"Oh, right. The relic. The relic for Gia, the relic chosen specially to help Gia. Gia's relic. Uhh... that relic?" Kuzco's poison

 

That’s right, we’ve got another “Emperor’s New Groove” reference! And it’s another line from Kronk, at that, as he remembers the poison. The poison for Kuzco. The poison specially chosen to kill Kuzco. Kuzco’s poison. That poison.

 

Promos (LIMITED)

The promos of Magi-Nation Duel were all marked "Limited" at the bottom, and released throughout the game's history.  Here are the references on them! 

 

Orlon's Ring: “Spaceballs”

"The ring is worthless! I found it in a box of jellybeans. The power is in YOU, Orlon."
https://youtu.be/RI0i_tL-8aU?t=226 

 

In Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs,” characters channel the power of the Schwartz through mystical rings. But when Lone Starr loses his ring in a battle with Dark Helmet, the voice of Yogurt reaches out to tell him “the ring is bupkis, I found it in a Cracker Jack box!”

Chogus Little: Chicken Little  

"Is the sky falling?"    

The children’s story “Chicken Little” (which was adapted into an animated Disney film barely anyone saw) features the titular chicken freaking out over the sky falling. Of course, it’s not, but it did give us this nice little reference.

Furlosk: Bill Withers, “Lean on Me”

"We all need somebody to lean on."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHSOVEqqm44

 

Another musical reference. It’s a clear reference to the lyrics, so I’ll just leave it at that as you listen to the song.

Thunderquake: Professional wrestling

"Are you rrrrready to rrrrrumble?" -- Gogor, Celebrated Hero of the Underneath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoSJCzLlgk0

 

Even if you don’t watch professional wrestling, you’ve probably heard someone shout “are you ready to ruuumble!” or the variation, “Let’s get ready to ruuumble!” So this is another pretty clear-cut one, I don’t think I need to explain any more.

Warrior's Boots: Nancy Sinatra, “These Boots are Made for Walkin’”

"These boots were made for stompin'."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDmidrIDB4o

Stompin’, walkin’, either way, you get the reference. And yes, these boots will walk all over you, thanks to their ability to let players summon a creature before the attack step.

 

And that's all, folks!  This concludes all the pop culture references used on flavor text or art in Magi-Nation Duel!  With luck, perhaps, we'll see the release of both unreleased sets, Traitor's Reach and Daybreak, and we can get our hands on these cards, and new jokes and references for the 2020s! 

This article was written by user SomethingAboutCards, you can find them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EliteslayerX.  Also written with support from user ZucriyAmsuna. 

Want to find more pop culture references from Base Set and Awakening?  Check out the First Article 

Or more from Dream's End and Nightmare's Dawn? Read it here!

The most recent article was on Voice of the Storms