This is my first thread. Yay. I've been dabbling in custom sets in magicmultiverse.net for a while, but in light of another person posting here, I think I wanna try my hand in this forum. Without further ado... (Also I may be taking formatting from various sources.)
Al-Weh'jed
Set Name: Al-Weh'jed, 1st of the Al-Weh'jed block Theme: Top-down design with Egyptian and Classical Islamic World mythos Subtheme: Cycles, Djinn, Shabti Mechanics: Excavate, Transfigure, Cycling, Etch Size: 115 commons, 62 uncommons, 55 rares and 16 mythics, 248 cards in total
Primer:
Do you believe in Order? In the plane of Al-Weh'jed, every aspect of life is a battle between the forces of Order and Chaos. "Ma'at" and "Isfet", as the Al-Weh'jedeen call them. Yet it has been aeons, and some of the people of Weh'jed are tired of the same traditions. "Ma'at", they thought, was becoming just a word for Oppression instead of Order. True Isfet, is freedom. From chains of slavers, from doctrination of the Sanctum and from the endless cycle of Ma'at.
Yet for all that these troubling elements are making, chaos was just another aspect of "Change" that is Isfet, just another aspect of Ma'at. No, the Sanctum is not worried of these troublemakers. Cleokhara, the de-facto high priestess of the Sanctum foresee bigger trouble brewing in the horizon, and it comes to her in one unrelenting Word: Nu'un.
Step into the world of Al-Weh'jed, where life revolves around upholding the Cosmic Order of everything there was, is and ever will be. Discover the cyclical forces that hold the plane in place and each and every institution that makes it possible. Join in the struggle between the Forces of Ma'at and the Forces of Isfet. Between order or oppression, and chaos and freedom.
Which side will you choose?
Hwet's Herald2W {U}
Artifact Creature — Shabti
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a 1/1 white Shabti Soldier artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
Cycling 4W(4W, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Hwet’s Herald, put two 1/1 white Shabti Soldier artifact creature tokens into play. “Behold Hwet, he who oversees Providence.”
0/1
Cycling makes a come-back in this cyclical plane. Notice the creature type: Shabti. Endemic to this plane are animated clay figurines that help the citizens of Al-Weh'jed. They are considered to have no wills of their own, and most wear metal chains as a symbol of their servitude to the people of Weh'jed. They serve as mentors, soldiers, even scribes and entertainers. Mechanically, they are 0/1 artifact creatures that have abilities that augment OTHER you or other creatures.
Syah's Faithful2UU {U}
Enchantment Creature — Djinn Wizard
Flying, indestructible
Whenever a spell or ability an opponent controls targets Syah's Faithful, return it to its owner’s hand. 2UU, Exile the top three cards of your library: Counter target triggered ability you control.
2/2
Whoa! A flying indestructible dude in blue? This is too good to be true! What's the downside? Turns out, quite a lot. When someone else other than you targets it, this poor Djinn gets forcefully whisked back to your hand. On one hand, it makes removal AND combat extremely difficult when it comes to dealing with these creatures, on the other hand, you run into the risk of the opponent playing a Gideon's Lawkeeper. It's all about the tempo, and.
Let's talk about the second ability: the countering of your own triggered ability. This works out so you can keep your Djinn, but as you can see, it comes at a very high price. 4 mana, two of which is blue AND two cards of your library. Finally, enchantment creatures! Like therosian enchantment creatures, all of these Djinns have abilities akin to Enchantments, and well, Djinns are creatures of enchantment, so...
Sanctum Seer3B {C}
Creature — Human Cleric
When Sanctum Seer enters or leaves the battlefield, you draw a card and lose 1 life.
Transfigure 2BB(2BB, Sacrifice this creature: Search your library for a creature card with the same converted mana cost and put it into play, then shuffle your library. Activate only as a sorcery) "Do not tempt the Forces with your hubris, child. Only disaster will come when you toy with the Cosmic Order."
2/2
Last time we saw Transfigure was a card in Future Sight: the lovely Fleshwrither. By paying mana, you turn a creature into lions and tigers and bears! Oh my! This plays well within the mythos of my black-oriented Force: the Force of illusion, deception and reality. What great creature Sanctum Seer is! Yet at the whims of Heka (you will be acquainted with her very soon), that creature can very well be, well, a Desecration Demon... or a Restoration Angel. The possibilities are endless. Just remember to activate this on your turn and at sorcery speed, or you'll be cheating!
Chaotic Rout3R {R}
Instant
For each attacking creature, put a 2/1 red Shabti Avenger artifact creature token onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.
Etch (If you cast this card from your hand, exile it as it resolves. As long as this card is in exile, you may cast it.) As the troops scatter, Isfet reign supreme.
Now let's talk about chaos. Chaotic Rout might seem like a different Trumpet Blast, but this new mechanic Etch makes it so you get to cast it again if you have 3R lying around. But that's not the only reason why this card is at rare. Look at the time restrictions and the wording: an instant and it doesn't say "creatures you control"... Yup! You can play it on an opponent's turn. In that case, your opponent will have creatures attacking you AND you will have creatures attacking them. They better have untapped blockers to cover their backs from these "Avengers." or they might just lose out of nonwhere. Whew, chaotic indeed!
Etch itself is an alchemist mechanic, as you will see. The Alchemists of Al-Weh'jed is a major proponent of the "Isfet is freedom" faction. Exile is a great place for alchemy to happen, and these pesky alchemists have no qualms abusing this forbidden zone to their advantage(much to the Sanctum and the House's irk).
Stifling Hieroglyph1GG {U}
Artifact 1, t: Add GG to your mana pool. GG, Sacrifice Stifling Hieroglyph: Shuffle target noncreature permanent into its owner's library.
Excavate 3 (Exile three other cards from your graveyard: Return this card from your graveyard to your hand. Activate only as a sorcery.)
Other than the weird mana filter, will ya look at that. Deglamer with an upgrade. Not only that, if it ever gets lost, all you need to do is to go to your nearest excavation site and dust around three cards to find this gem of a hieroglyph. What a great thing to have. Excavate gives everyone a chance to channel their inner Indiana Jones, and gives those graveyard decks a chance to have some fun.
Set Name: Al-Weh'jed, 1st of the Al-Weh'jed block
Theme: Top-down design with Egyptian and Classical Islamic World mythos
Subtheme: Cycles, Djinn, Shabti
Mechanics: Excavate, Transfigure, Cycling, Etch
Size: 115 commons, 62 uncommons, 55 rares and 16 mythics, 248 cards in total
Primer:
Do you believe in Order? In the plane of Al-Weh'jed, every aspect of life is a battle between the forces of Order and Chaos. "Ma'at" and "Isfet", as the Al-Weh'jedeen call them. Yet it has been aeons, and some of the people of Weh'jed are tired of the same traditions. "Ma'at", they thought, was becoming just a word for Oppression instead of Order. True Isfet, is freedom. From chains of slavers, from doctrination of the Sanctum and from the endless cycle of Ma'at.
Yet for all that these troubling elements are making, chaos was just another aspect of "Change" that is Isfet, just another aspect of Ma'at. No, the Sanctum is not worried of these troublemakers. Cleokhara, the de-facto high priestess of the Sanctum foresee bigger trouble brewing in the horizon, and it comes to her in one unrelenting Word: Nu'un.
Step into the world of Al-Weh'jed, where life revolves around upholding the Cosmic Order of everything there was, is and ever will be. Discover the cyclical forces that hold the plane in place and each and every institution that makes it possible. Join in the struggle between the Forces of Ma'at and the Forces of Isfet. Between order or oppression, and chaos and freedom.
Which side will you choose?
Cycling makes a come-back in this cyclical plane. Notice the creature type: Shabti. Endemic to this plane are animated clay figurines that help the citizens of Al-Weh'jed. They are considered to have no wills of their own, and most wear metal chains as a symbol of their servitude to the people of Weh'jed. They serve as mentors, soldiers, even scribes and entertainers. Mechanically, they are 0/1 artifact creatures that have abilities that augment OTHER you or other creatures.
Whoa! A flying indestructible dude in blue? This is too good to be true! What's the downside? Turns out, quite a lot. When someone else other than you targets it, this poor Djinn gets forcefully whisked back to your hand. On one hand, it makes removal AND combat extremely difficult when it comes to dealing with these creatures, on the other hand, you run into the risk of the opponent playing a Gideon's Lawkeeper. It's all about the tempo, and.
Let's talk about the second ability: the countering of your own triggered ability. This works out so you can keep your Djinn, but as you can see, it comes at a very high price. 4 mana, two of which is blue AND two cards of your library. Finally, enchantment creatures! Like therosian enchantment creatures, all of these Djinns have abilities akin to Enchantments, and well, Djinns are creatures of enchantment, so...
Last time we saw Transfigure was a card in Future Sight: the lovely Fleshwrither. By paying mana, you turn a creature into lions and tigers and bears! Oh my! This plays well within the mythos of my black-oriented Force: the Force of illusion, deception and reality. What great creature Sanctum Seer is! Yet at the whims of Heka (you will be acquainted with her very soon), that creature can very well be, well, a Desecration Demon... or a Restoration Angel. The possibilities are endless. Just remember to activate this on your turn and at sorcery speed, or you'll be cheating!
Now let's talk about chaos. Chaotic Rout might seem like a different Trumpet Blast, but this new mechanic Etch makes it so you get to cast it again if you have 3R lying around. But that's not the only reason why this card is at rare. Look at the time restrictions and the wording: an instant and it doesn't say "creatures you control"... Yup! You can play it on an opponent's turn. In that case, your opponent will have creatures attacking you AND you will have creatures attacking them. They better have untapped blockers to cover their backs from these "Avengers." or they might just lose out of nonwhere. Whew, chaotic indeed!
Etch itself is an alchemist mechanic, as you will see. The Alchemists of Al-Weh'jed is a major proponent of the "Isfet is freedom" faction. Exile is a great place for alchemy to happen, and these pesky alchemists have no qualms abusing this forbidden zone to their advantage(much to the Sanctum and the House's irk).
Other than the weird mana filter, will ya look at that. Deglamer with an upgrade. Not only that, if it ever gets lost, all you need to do is to go to your nearest excavation site and dust around three cards to find this gem of a hieroglyph. What a great thing to have. Excavate gives everyone a chance to channel their inner Indiana Jones, and gives those graveyard decks a chance to have some fun.
Full card spoiler link: http://www.magicmultiverse.net/cardsets/869/visualspoiler
(I'll get around with the text links and other stuff when I understand how to do it)