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!