Rhymnir The land where you fashion your self and your reality
Rhymnir is my first set design project. Rhymnir is a dreamworld, a plane Ashiok created within her own mind. It is a world that exemplifies the creative exuberance of possibility, and one that highlights the power that we all have to shape and craft our person. The creative skeleton was inspired by the Gathering Magic "We design the plane" community thread. I participated in that thread; indeed, it was that experience that probably put card design on the map for me personally. However, beyond the initial idea of designing a dreamworld that involved Ashiok in some way, this project will not bear a strong resemblance to the world created by that community; this plane will be my own and that of those who contribute to this project.
Rhymnir is the first of what, I believe, will be a two-set block. It will be intended for draft as any Standard expansion should be. It will be of standard size for a large set. I'm very excited to be formally working on this project, and am very happy about the help I've already had along the way. (Thank you Flatline, Rocco, and Exodus! )
Design Goals
1) I want to create a fun and novel limited environment, and I want that limited environment to be unique and memorable. Ultimately, I want the limited experience to be (i) immersive and supported by the lore and world and (ii) one that gives players agency and meaningful decisions to make, both during the draft portion and during the games themselves.
2) Philosophy, art, and culture all can deepen and enhance Magic set and card design. Indeed, all are necessary. I am hoping to explore in a robust way the themes of (i) permanence and fleetingness and (ii) the freedom of love and the human pulls toward and away from love. Not only does a setting of a dreamworld with a potential musical subtheme aid in the exploration of these themes, but so does Ashiok's own story.
Mechanics
These mechanics are still under development. However, I'm laying out ones that, at the moment, are at least possible to make it into the set. Vanishing and Vivid will be the flagship mechanics of the set.
1. WUBRGVanishing N (This permanent enters the battlefield with N time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
2. WUBRGVivify [COST] (If a nonland permanent you control would untap, you may reveal this card instead. If you do, transform it).
3. WUBRGImpress – When ~ enters the graveyard or at the beginning of your next upkeep after it enters the graveyard, you may pay [COST]. If you do, [EFFECT].
- I wish I could make this less wordy, but it is worded this way both to reduce gameplay complexity (no instant-speed activations) and to allow for greater mana flexibility. Initially I had it be only trigger *when* it entered the graveyard, but I need mechanics to supplement Vivid that allow for greater mana flexibility, not less.
- We're definitely going a little on the scholarly side with the name here. While this naming would be fine in most other languages, in English the word "impress" has evolved a lot more from its initial meaning. The word "impress" comes from the Latin "imprimo, imprimere" which means "to press upon, to mark". The image that the word classically conveys is that of a seal being pressed upon heated wax. Fittingly for this set, that image is used to describe memory all the way back in Plato's dialogues (the Theatetus) and is a philosophical trope picked up later in our Western tradition. I would like to consider "Imprint" as well, but that word is already taken. I like "impress" better than other words I've been bandying around (remembrance, impact, resound), even if it is more archaic.
- I don't think I want the card to be exiled after you use the effect. If I let the card be exiled, then the mechanic could be simpler. "During your upkeep, if ~ is in your graveyard, you may pay [COST] and exile it. If you do, [EFFECT]."
- saying "or" instead of "and" precludes you from activating the ability both as it enters the graveyard and during your next upkeep right?
4. GWUReplenish N(Choose a type of nominal counter. You may put N counters of that type on a permanent you control. If you don't, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Rule 121.7: There are two types of counters - effective counters and nominal counters.
Rule 121.7a: Effective counters are counters which have ubiquitous meaning and intrinsically alter the battlefield and alter cards regardless of the rules text of a card. Types of effective counters in Magic include: -1/-1 counters, +1/+1 counters, and loyalty counters.
Rule 121.7b: Nominal counters are counters which lack intrinsic meaning. They are markers and have meaning only as a consequence of rules text on cards or in mechanics. Examples of nominal counters include time counters, charge counters, and brick counters.
- This conception of Bulwark requires ample support in its limited environment. Without Exodus's suggestion I might not have arrived at this conception, so thanks to Exodus for his inspiring suggestion. This is basically what Exodus wanted except with one tweak: you won't be able to put, say, four +1/+1 counters or four -1/-1 counters onto something.
- Riffing off of the above point, this rendition of Bulwark is in keeping with MaRo's thoughts about not utilizing +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters to a great extent when you're using other counters in a big way. This is a mechanic that works with counters and plays off of them without introducing added gameplay complexity.
- This rendition is still subject to change, as are its colors. As written though, this mechanic will play out differently than the +1/+1 counter mechanics while still feeling Green-White, and I think it looks fun. Bolster, Support, Outlast, and Renown were all liked by players, and I think players will like Bulwark as well.
5. UBRNightmare (when this enters your graveyard, flip it) // Nightmare [COST](You may cast this spell from the graveyard for its Nightmare cost)
- The back side of the card will always be a curse.
- This mechanic accomplishes a few different goals. It gets the nightmares into the first set without the Nightmare creature type. Nightmare creatures will be reserved for the second set. It increases the enchantment count for a potential enchantment subtheme that supports a dreamworld, helping to leave the option open for the 2nd set to develop the enchantment theme further. Thirdly, it just seems fun and flavorful and is a mana sink mechanic which was desperately needed.
Sentient Creatures LoxodonGW: Loxodon are the most populous sentient creatures that inhabit Rhymnir. These are mythical creatures for the people of Aenyr, creatures described only in tales and song, figments of the imagination of many an Aenyr child. How Loxodon found their way into Aenyr tales is unknown. In Rhymnir, Loxodon live close to the land. They are farmers, carpenters, natural healers. They tend to be stubborn and conservative, seeking cultural, religious, and economic stability and resisting change.
SirenUBR: Siren are elusive creatures that inhabit Rhymnir's less-trod places. One may find them along coasts and amongst the crags of the tallest mountains. Always gravitating toward the minor keys, the music they produce is more eerie and melodic than the music found on Ashiok's home plane of Aenyr. Some adventurers are drawn to their music, finding in its melancholy an appealing loneliness and solitude. Others mistrust them.
SatyrRG: The Satyr on Rhymnir should resonate with the cultural depiction from ancient Greece and Rome, but they will be slightly different here. Their hedonism will be muted, but their association with bounty and growth and excess will be manifest. I decided to use Satyrs on Rhymnir because they are a musical race and because they represent a lot of what Red and Green are doing on Rhymnir. Satyr on Rhymnir constitute the necessary machinery of Ashiok's imagination, machinery which helps enable vivid and creative imaginings and mental creations.
WendigoUB: Wendigo are among the most feared native creatures on Rhymnir. Their combat prowess is feared; their ability to survive Rhymnir's coldest harshest living environments the subject of much consternation and angst among the Loxodon. Little do the Loxodon know - Wendigo are the corporeal manifestation of guilt-inducing actions Ashiok has made in her life. As such, they feel no remorse, no pity, no love.
SandbornR: The Sandborn are mountain nomads that are sustained by the imagination-laden earth of Rhymnir. Their lean bodies take on the texture and appearance of whatever ground they are on, indeed their bodies emerge from the ground itself. They are most happy and at their most powerful when dwelling in dry, sandy, mountainous terrain, for there their connection to the core of the earth is most direct. Plato, Plotinus, and various Christian theologians like Anselm all analogize created being as an excess and result of God's activity. In the Proslogion and Monoslogion, Anselm analogizes created being as the deposits left by the flowing of a river. This is sort of how I envision the Sandborn - they are created by the teeming activity of Ashiok's mind and heart. Known throughout Rhymnir as lightning-fast creatures and skilled combatants, they draw their energy and prowess from the vividness of Ashiok's mental imagination. More so than the other races on Rhymnir, the Sandborn seek not to destroy or preserve, but instead deal with the chaos of change and imagination. The shamans of the Sandborn have even learned to harness it.
HumansW: Humans are not populous on Rhymnir. Ever since the beginning of song and written history, humans have dwelt amicably among the Loxodon. More so than the Loxodon, they gravitate to urban dwelling, often fulfilling roles in civil service and government. As on Aenyr, humans on Rhymnir are adept at music (of the Classical variety, contrastic with the Romanticism of the Siren's music).
NymphsRGU: Nymnphs are female water spirits that are sometimes seen around the more secluded and peaceful lakes and rivers. All of the Greco-Roman connotations will be maintained - these exist on Rhymnir as a consequence of Ashiok's inner sexual desires and her desire for freedom.
Non-sentient Creatures
Will-O'-WispGWUB: Will-O'-Wisps are a common sight in the wilds of Rhymnir. Some are delightful to the eye, and others induce fear. Only a select few wisps appear in broad daylight - more wisps will be found where they are covered by a canopy of trees or at nighttime gliding along the roads. They are elusive, alluring, and seemingly flicker in and out of existence.
NightmaresUBR: Once the stuff of myth and legend on Rhymnir, they have become more and more common the more and more time Ashiok spends on Rhymnir. The Loxodon have noticed this correlation and have grown concerned. Nightmares defy the basic rules of existence, fading in and out of being and time. They appear in dreams and sometimes can be seen gliding across the landscape. Their goal is the unravelling and disintegration of worldly being. With Nightmares, I will have to make a design choice. If Rhymnir is the first of a 2-set block, then I will want to weight their appearance in favor of the 2nd set. If Rhymnir will be a 1-set block, then Nightmares will be the most common creature type across the Grixis colors in Rhymnir.
UnicornsWGR: Unicorns are beloved by the races that inhabit the capital city Alabastra. Their gait, the soft sound they make as they gallop, the music they emit with their horns, their powerful charge...all give them a majesty and pride of place in Alabastran culture. It is illegal to hunt unicorns, and it is a capital offense to cut their horns off. Unicorns are symbols of luck and of an abundance of promise and freedom. Some species of unicorn are known for their elusiveness, while others are as common on Rhymnir as horses are on earth.
KelpieUB: Kelpie are mythical horses that dwell in rivers and the ocean. They are wild and vicious. Akhtaman, the high shaman of the Sandborn, believes that the metaphysical first principle of the universe is Janus-faced, the side valuing life creating unicorns and the side valuing dissolution and death creating Kelpie. Horses are indeed an iconic creature type on Rhymnir, spanning across all 5 colors.
KitsuWBR: Kitsu are a breed of fox commonly found on Rhymnir. This creature race is derived from the Japanese Kitsune - foxes with up to 9 tails, sometimes benevolent, sometimes mischievous, sometimes malevolent, that can induce dreams. In Japanese folklore they can shapeshift after 100 years, but on Rhymnir they won't. On Rhymnir, Kitsu can be found in the wild, and some have been tameable by the dwellers of Alabastra. Their presence in a home is said to bring good dreams and peaceful sleep. Wild Kitsu enjoy sneaking around tradesmen's camps and inducing dreams - the type of emotion the dream induces is based upon the will and disposition of the individual Kitsu.
ShadesB: Shades are creatures of the void, emerging out of nothingness. The religions of Rhymnir's various peoples have always believed in spontaneous generation and creation in part because of Shades' connection to emptiness and nothingness. Ashiok was told by one of Alabastra's religious leaders that Shades, unlike the recent emergence of nightmares, have always been present on Rhymnir. It is reported that the Wendigoes worship shades, and one or two hunters have reported that the Wendigoes worship a sentient Shade. Shades are ethereal creatures that have physical power and can interact with physical objects on Rhymnir. Although not aggressive, it is generally advised to keep one's distance. Unlike previous incarnations of shades in Magic's history, shades will not be tied to black pump abilities.
PhelddagrifGWU: Phelddagrifs are mythical beasts that can sometimes be seen flying across the natural wilderness of Rhymnir's forests and mountains. They represent youthful hope and the endless possibilities of imagination.
Birds: Birds will be used to give Rhymnir a light, dreamy, aerie vibe. Phoenixes or Alerion (R) will be representations of teeming imagination. Nightingales (GUB or UB) will further the musical subtheme. PeacocksG, HippogryffsUW, and PegasusW may also make an appearance.
HellionsR: Hellions are known to lurk the mountainsides. Sometimes they appear forged not only by fire but by rock as well, perhaps indicating that anger and vengeful wrath are as deep a part of human nature as are more benevolent qualities. They are the primary reason why the hunters of Rhymnir shy away from hunting mountain goats. If I decide to make this a 2-set block, Hellions will likely be moved to the second set.
Ashiok's origin story takes us to the plane Aenyr, the land where art is the source of all magic. On Aenyr, Ashiok was born to a peasant family on the edges of Duskwood in a town called Jarrah, far from the populous city of Delsani. This town had been erected during her grandfather's life when a special wood was discovered there which added healing and medicinal properties to whatever was crafted out of it. Known as Ambross, it became wildly sought after throughout Aenyr, used to make cups and goblets for drinking to antidote the poisons of the spiders of Duskwood, and used to craft musical instruments which, when played, would heal the mind and body of soldiers engaged in battle. Ambross quickly became the favorite wood of the clerics and druids of Aenyr. [The satyr of Aenyr even found a way to make a hallucinagenic drug out of it to use in their revels.]
Lorptin, Ashiok's grandfather, leapt at the chance to move to Jarrah, trading in life in the overcrowded poorer quarters of Delsani for the relative serenity of a pastoral life which Jarrah promised. He established a small orchard on which he grew the fabled Ambross tree, and he also harvested vegetables at the Jarrah community farm, which was used to supply food to the local Ambross growers. This was the orchard and community into which Ashiok was born, and it was the community she would grow up in. The people were simple as is often the case in most rural farming communities. Basic necessities dominated the minds of the people there - defending themselves against the creatures that emerged out of the forests of Duskwood, worshipping the god of harmony, putting food on the table, seeing their sons and daughters getting married. But this community was unique in that its families shared roots in the urban life and a shared fleeing from it. They were determined to live closer to nature and in nature, and often shunned the habits and practices of those living in Delsani. They were hearty and determined to carve out a new way of life for themselves.
Ashiok, though, was different. From a young age she was drawn not to the manual labor demanded of farm life but to the magic of the Ambross wood itself. She was enfatuated by its healing properties. Where her family and fellow villagers saw something to be avoided for the sake of a simple, idyllic life, Ashiok saw great power and meaning. The connection of the wood to the musical magic of Aenyr spoke to her, and her parents began to notice, much to their dismay.
One day at the tender age of 13 her life's course would change forever. Ashiok was walking toward the Duskwood forests when she spotted a hurt unicorn crying from a nearby thicket. She saw that the unicorn was young, no more than three, had been dealt a serious leg injury and was having a hard time walking. Its horn was white and gold, but smaller than an adult's, and now bloodied. Feeling a strong connection to the unicorn, Ashiok was overcome with emotion and instinctively determined to help it. Naturally, she sought the aid of the Ambross. When she applied the sap of an Ambross tree limb onto the young unicorn's leg, the unicorn stopped whimpering in pain and, although still limping, was now able to stand under its own power. Ashiok was overcome with joy, and began scratching the unicorn's back with the Ambross limb, and then something startling overcame Ashiok. The unicorn was not fully healed. It felt loss, fear, and longing. Ashiok shuddered. How could she know this? Where did this thought come from? Had a god just spoken to her? Had the unicorn spoken to her? After regaining her composure, she focused her mental energies even more on the unicorn, probing it. Why do you feel this way? What is wrong? What is it that you seek and need? The answer came to her - the unicorn's mother had been killed and it was terrified and without a home to go back to. She led it back to her home and explained to her parents what had happened. Upon examining the unicorn and seeing the leg wound in recovery, they were shocked. Word quickly spread around town, and soon enough the news caused quite a hubbub amongst the bard circles in Delsani. Alhendra, the chief lyricist at the Bard College of Restoration, requested the headmaster of the college to send Ashiok an offical summons to the college, and the headmaster granted the request.
Alhendra went to Jarrah as part of the band of the official summons. She never forgot her first encounter with Ashiok. Ashiok's eyes were of a dark brown, almost black. Her hair was black. She was quite tall for her age. But it was her piercing eyes - they seemed to peer right into your soul. She was quiet and discerning, happy but not bubbly or talkative. Alhendra felt that she stood before a girl who could wield the complex power of magic on Aenyr, a magic that required training in the musical and vocal arts. She asked Ashiok if she wanted to come back to Delsani with her to the Bard College of Restoration and commit her life to studying and wielding the magic of Aenyr. Ashiok had always loved the healing power of magic, and had seen that very power in action when she healed her now-pet unicorn, which she had named Corun, and so begged her parents to let her go. Her parents relented, her father feeling that he was perhaps betraying his father's flight from Delsani, but ultimately recognizing that Ashiok belonged at the college.
Ashiok proved to be a star pupil at the college, and within a few years she became an apprentice to Alhendra. Ashiok's musical power was greatest when she wielded the cello, for that instrument's depth and lower notes matched her penchant for mental healing and psychological peace. Ashiok's power was unique in her ability to discern that which lay beneath the surface. What she had detected in the unicorn proved to be something she could detect in others. She was more than a doctor, she was a priest, a spiritual healer.
During her 17th year, she experienced a particularly rough week. Alhendra had been pushing her to the brink of exhaustion in having her learn one of the hardest pieces in the Tome of One Thousand Songs. And her fellow students, who had never grown particularly fond of or close to Ashiok, were not making her struggles any less burdensome. When Friday came, she went up to the spire where the elder apprentices resided, and after drinking some tea, collapsed on her bed.
Ashiok opened her eyes. She lay in a meadow, not in her night gown but in her favorite yellow dress. It was dusk, and fireflies buzzed all around, lighting up the area around the meadow. The meadow sloped down to a brook, beyond which lay a seemingly endless forest. She could barely make out glowing silhouettes among the trees' limbs, but knew not what was it. The air felt light, as did the grass and thistle beneath her. She turned her head and saw a nearby hut with smoke rising from its chimney. Lost and confused, yet content and unafraid, she ventured to the hut. She knocked, and what opened the door surprised her. It was a loxodon! She knew of these creatures only from fable. No one knew the origins of the mythical wisened humanoid elephants. None existed on Aenyr, but yet there were a few stories and songs that made mention of them.
The Loxodon was burly and gruff, and looked to Ashiok as if he could taken on anything Mother Nature threw at him. He peered down inquisitively at her and said, "All sorts of unexpected visitors today at the Bjorn residence. Where have you come from?" Ashiok replied - "I don't know. I was asleep in my bed in Seleyn back in Delsani, and then I was here in this unknown world. I think I'm dreaming. I know of your kind only in tales and song." Under his breath, the Loxodon muttered a prayer of some kind, as old ladies are often want to do with there crucifixes. He said, "Well, I'm as real as real can be. And so is that unicorn over there. Though that thing is acting mighty strange for a unicorn. I've never seen one be so friendly to a stranger before. Strange times we live in." Ashiok looked over into the other room, a room strewn with hay with some farming equipment strewn here and there. Corun lay in a corner, on top of some hay. He looked palid. "Corun!" Ashiok shouted. The unicorn began nickering as Ashiok embraced it. "Am I dreaming?" Ashiok sensed that this was in fact Corun, his personality and being seeming too deep and real for a dream. Could this be a real world? To Bjorn this was all one great curiosity. What a day! "Miss," he said, "Is this your unicorn?"
Bjorn had just an hour before found this unicorn on his land. It was nearing dusk at that time, and he was out trying to finish up chopping lumber, some to keep for his fireplace, and some to sell to a merchant who would bring it to the craftsmen in Alabastra. Bjorn had seen unicorns before - few souls on Rhymnir hadn't -, but none had ever approached him before. Unicorns on Rhymnir cannot be tamed. Sometimes they choose a master, a great mark of honor to the Alabastran people and a sign that one had been blessed by the cosmos. In Alabastran parlance, a unicorn "destines" itself to a master. Most, however, live in the wild. This one looked sick, and Bjorn figured that it had come from the woods to receive treatment of some kind. Bjorn had walked it to the shed attached to his small home and had given it water, where it collapsed in seeming exhaustion. Many questions now swirled in his mind. I've never seen this girl before, who is she? Unicorns rarely destine themselves to so young a person. How did she meet this creature? What did it see in her?
"Were y'all traveling through? Had y'all lost your way?" Bjorn asked. "Were you looking for him?" Ashiok looked confused and overwhelmed, uttering an undiscernable reply with her head down. Bjorn invited her to have some tea. "Your unicorn will be fine, don't worry. Let him rest, and let's get you a cup of tea. It's cold outside and you look like you could use something warm." Ashiok acquiesced, gently patting Corun and laying his head back down onto the bed of hay. She followed him into a larger, more open room. Though decorated simply, the room had a warm feel to it, with rich mohagany wood furniture and given color by various cloths and curios. On one side there was a humble fireplace. A few rocking chairs were placed by the window, each with its own red woolen blanket. In between the two rocking chairs was a small table with a set of glowing red feathers. Despite it being dusk, the feathers provided plenty of light for the room. "What are those?" Ashiok asked. "Those are the feathers of a phoenix," Bjorn replied, a bit startled and a bit bemused by her ignorance. "Phoenix feathers are magical. They generate warmth, allowing phoenixes to live even on the high snow-covered peaks of mountains. Even after a phoenix dies, their feathers emit warmth for decades and grant light for several more. These feathers came from a phoenix that my father and I found laying injured in the snow a little to the north of here. We put it out of its misery, and now we have the rare gift of phoenix feathers, hopefully for the rest of our lives. These are already beginning to give out though - they are barely warm to the touch now, although their light is still strong." Ashiok touched the feather and felt its warmth. She even felt a certain power, as if it were an Aenyr wood. Then she saw a glimpse of the unthinkable. She saw a phoenix, this phoenix, soaring and then diving toward a pond to drink water. A Loxodon startled it and threw a spear at it. The phoenix was hit in the shoulder and screeched, fluttering away unsteadily. It found a place in the snow to rest, hardly able to move. Then in a flash Ashiok saw two Loxodon approaching, the spearman and a little young loxodon. The young loxodon shouted, "Daddy look! That's a phoenix, like in the stories!" Then in a tone laden with horror, "Daddy, I…I think it's injured!" The father rushed up to inspect the bird, "Bjorn, this might be the only time you ever see one. They are indeed majestic creatures. I've sought them my whole life, and this is the first time I've ever been this close to one." Then in another flash, "Bjorn, we need to put it out of its misery." Then in a final flash, its last utterance. Ashiok sensed that Bjorn had been deceived.
Once tea had been prepared, Ashiok and Bjorn commenced a fairly lengthy discussion. Ashiok shared her own history, describing the world of Aenyr, describing her consternation at this world which Bjorn called Rhymnir. At some point, Bjorn interjected. "This is all so much to take in. And your story, it is almost inconceivable to me. A willingness to leave your family and live elsewhere. Here….life is so precious, so fleeting. We cling to our familes and clans and communities. Life and the bonds of love and togetherness are precious things. We live in fear that they could vanish at any moment. Creatures can meld into form before your eyes. Years later after you've developed a relationship with someone, that person can simply unravel into the aether, joining the bubbling cosmos once more. "Love!" our priests say. "Give yourselves to your community. Do what you can for your community. Cherish those around you. Our mortality necessitates that we give ourselves unto others." Ashiok replied, "Yes, yes. I love my parents, I love my siblings, I love the people with whom I grew up with before I started training at the College of Restoration." But her reply lacked the sense of urgency that the mortal realities of this world seemed to have instilled in the denizens of Rhymnir. Ashiok had always been an independent mind and actor. She hadn't practiced her healing art blindly, as if throwing her love toward everything and everything. She had never viewed her magical power as a font whose flowings were to be dispensed to the many drinking troughs of mankind, to be lapped up without personal connection.
Ashiok awoke, back in her small bed at the College. She dismissed this episode as a dream, but she remembered every last detail more vividly than other dreams, and in the coming weeks she would no longer be dismissing the realities of the world of Rhymnir. But for the moment, only Aenyr was real.
2nd Set: A World into Abeyance
Changelog:
7/1/17: Rhymnir page created. Overview created. Story section created.
7/2/17: Design Goals and Mechanics pages created.
7/3/17: Bestiary page created.
7/21/17: Bestiary is functionally complete and subject to tweaking, expansion, and revision.
8/5/17: Mechanic Brainstorm page created.
8/5/17: Potential Reprint Pool page created.
8/22/17: Color Philosophy brainstorm page created.
8/23/17: Color Philosophy brainstorm page complete, subject to revision and expansion.
I would welcome thoughts on potential sentient creature types for this world. I would like one more sentient race in Bant colors (leaning toward humans, possibly open to dryads/nymphs). I may use Satyrs to serve as a glue between Green and Red ( Rhymnir is a world fundamentally divided along a Bant-Grixis axis). I'm wondering whether I need a sentient Grixis race, and what that would be if I were to include one. I think I would like at least one.
Since the world is based on (Ashioks) dreams, it would make sense for humans to be there. Humans tend to dream of other humans, after all.
As for the sentient Grixis race, if you want another race of animal-people, I think Salamanders would be a cool choice. I've personally been waiting for more sentient Salamanders ever since Amphin Cutthroat was printed.
I like the ideas of incorporating Satyrs, but the Satyrs you briefly mention in the story sound a bit too similar to the Theros ones imo. It'd be neat if you could differentiate them somehow.
I think you're probably right Soramaro. I had hoped to avoid humans being in Rhymnir, but I think they need to be there.
Do sentient salamanders have a specific name? I will consider them - they seem really cool.
I'll try to have a provisional bestiary done in a few days, then we can add/subtract from there. Definitely want to finish a bestiary before finishing the story.
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This seems cool to me. You could just call the salamanders, amphin it works. Also this is ashiok's Dreamworld so it would contain creatures she dreams of so because of her unicorn pet you could add those.
This seems cool to me. You could just call the salamanders, amphin it works. Also this is ashiok's Dreamworld so it would contain creatures she dreams of so because of her unicorn pet you could add those.
Unicorns are definitely going to find a place in this dream world - thank you for reminding me. Her pet unicorn is going to be a legendary creature for sure Thanks for checking out the story too.
Amphin sounds legit - might definitely roll with that if I use this race.
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Do sentient salamanders have a specific name? I will consider them - they seem really cool.
So far, Amphin Cutthroat is literally the only instance of a sentient salamander on a magic card. So if you decide to use them, you can use "Amphin" either as a generic or plane-specific term (like Goblin VS Akki).
Regarding the story: Ashiok doesn't sound very UB here. Will the larger story of the block deal with her "color change" or the activation of her Planeswalker spark? That'd be interesting.
Regarding the story: Ashiok doesn't sound very UB here. Will the larger story of the block deal with her "color change" or the activation of her Planeswalker spark? That'd be interesting.
Right now you can see subtle hints (she's unique in her penchant for mental magic), but she's still very much GW. I'm tempted to tell you exactly how it will go down, but you'll enjoy it more if I wait. It will be believable, I promise. I will say that yes, a color change will accompany her planeswalker spark.
A solid working Bestiary is now complete. No doubt creatures will need to be added, and I will definitely need hone and craft them once mechanics are finalized and need to have the creature suite support the mechanics of the set. Nevertheless, this creature suite gives me all the various tools I need for a dreamworld. All of the sentient races (besides humans) are conducive to establishing the central themes of the set. Some - the humans and sirens - will help me develop a musical subtheme if I continue down that path. The non-sentient creatures all contribute to the central themes and help instill a dream-like atmosphere. A final note - I only included what I considered to be important creatures to the bestiary.
I tried to get the Amphin in there but I couldn't craft them believably in such a way that they contributed to the atmosphere or themes, so I opted for Sandmen and Sirens instead.
I have some questions:
(1) When you look at this bestiary, do you get excited? Does it immerse you in a world that is believable and enticing?
(2) Is the mixture of different cultures too jarring? I have a lot of Greek creatures here, but there is a sprinkling of different cultures here, all the way from Germany/Arabia (Sandmen) to Japan (Kitsu) to Native American (Wendigo) to creatures endemic to Magic the Gathering (Loxodon). This doesn't bother me personally since this is not a set tied to a specific place or culture, but I just want to make sure that the diversity of origins for this creature suite feels right and feels cohesive.
(3) Lastly, do you have any suggestions or ideas not related to (1) or (2)? I'll definitely consider them ASAP as I continue working on the story. Now that I have a working bestiary I can actually move on with the story and world building stage of this project.
The story looks great, and the bestiary does too. I don't find the mixture of different cultures jarring at all. The fact that the plane is created from a person's dreams makes it appropriate for pretty much any kind of creature that person can imagine to exist, at least in my opinion. I look forward to continuing to monitor this as you progress through the set.
Edit: BTW, where did you get that painting?
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It's from a painter who goes by "Kennyfiddler". Dunno who he is or even where I saw his painting. It's really good though and captures Ashiok's beauty and seriousness. It also befits some of the imagery of Aenyr. It's definitely in the running for face image of the set.
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Ethereal is all but the same mechanic as vanishing, the only difference being that vanishing sacrifices, whereas ethereal exiles. Why not just have vanishing return? I know it has only been seen on creatures thus far, but I see no reason why it can't be put on other permanents, just like fading.
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At the moment, I envision having Nightmares (probably in 2nd set, but possibly in 1st set) have a Flashback + Vanishing mechanic. Nightmare 2 -3R, for example, would bring a creature back with 2 "Vanishing" counters for 3R. But some method has to be found to preclude the nightmares from recurring over and over again. One way is for the creature to become exiled when the vanishing counters expire.
What I could also do is have the Flashback variant be an Embalm variant (which is nice in its own way because that prevents blinking from resetting everything). If I take this approach, I could just bring back Vanishing without introducing a new keyword. Perhaps that would be cleaner?
EDIT: Another method: The Nightmares could exile themselves from the graveyard and all create the same token, say: "Past Nightmare", a 2/2 blue, black, and red Nightmare token with Flying and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player mills 2". So that's a second way to avoid the problem without creating a Vanishing variant.
Nightmares are the hallmark race of Grixis in this world. With that said, I'm unsure I want to bring them in during the first set (Nightmares are the flavor creature that depicts Ashiok's inner struggles and torments. The first set would be dainty in tone, and the second would be more dark. Very similar to the Amonkhet vs. Hour of Devastation.). If I choose not to, then there is definitely a Grixis bestiary hole that needs to be filled in the first set. Djinn feel strange to me since they occupy the same philosophical space that the nymphs are occupying (the desire and freedom angle), but Djinn offer some unique mechanical gameplay benefits that nymphs don't, namely the ability to be big fat creatures. I'll mull that over. Really appreciate your feedback Exodus! Much thanks
I'm going to change the Etheral mechanic to the Vanishing mechanic right now. I've heard enough from you and Flatline to convince me to try to work around Vanishing. I'm also going to add another mechanic (Vivid) to the list and experiment with some variations of it in the DCC. Feedback is welcome for Vivid. If Vivid makes it through to the final product, we can expect some Dream Thrush to be flapping their wings on Rhymnir! I'm pretty excited about Vivid's potential.
Unless I'm missing something pertaining to your future unearth-like mechanic, I think changing ethereal to vanishing is the right call. Out of curiosity, how do you intend to handle this unearth-like mechanic? I would avoid the idea of referencing a mechanic within a mechanic, which is something I think we talked about in a PM. I'm assuming it will go something like this.....Ability name <N> <cost> (<cost>, Return this card from your graveyard to the battlefield with N time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, exile it.) That seems like a pretty solid ability to me.
I love vivid. It is a solid mechanic that makes perfect sense from a flavor standpoint. Bulwark is a bit strange though. I'm not sure I like that the first part of the mechanic cares about permanents, while the second part only works for creatures. I'm not saying that it can't work, it just doesn't seem to gel properly.
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@Flatline: There remains one problem with that new rendition - it needs a Whip of Erebos "if this would leave the battlefield, exile it instead" clause to prevent a sort of infinite loop. Once you add this clause to close the loophole, I become less thrilled about it. I could consider "unearth" except the name doesn't fit (which really sucks btw). I wonder if you could just rename a mechanic. I'll continue to mull this over. I've been consumed with Vivid, but now can turn my attention to this nightmare problem and the bulwark problem (the "grixis problem" and the "bant problem", respectively).
@Flatline: Bulwark feels functional, but like you I don't like it right now. It's a real clunker. Vivid (using +1/+1 counters as a marker of sorts) and Vanishing make me want a mechanic that works nicely with all sorts of counters on all sorts of permanents (unless I limit Vanishing to creatures). Other than the clunkiness of Bulwark, the other problem is that +1/+1 counters might just be more valuable than Vanishing counters, which would defeat much of the purpose of the mechanic's design goal. If Dromoka's Gift read "Bulwark 4" instead of "Bolster 4", it seems that more often than not the right choice would be to put 4 +1/+1 counters on the creature. That intuition might be wrong, but it is an intuition I have. White and Green and the rational-philosophic side of Blue are focused on permanence and longevity. Would be great to find a mechanic that *feels* like Outlast from Khans of Tarkir.
@Flatline: There remains one problem with that new rendition - it needs a Whip of Erebos "if this would leave the battlefield, exile it instead" clause to prevent a sort of infinite loop.
Yes, you're probably right, especially if you want to use a non-mana cost on a card or two. Actually, unearth itself has the same clause, so I'm kind of surprised I didn't think to include it. Come to think of it, you would probably need the "unearth only as a sorcery" clause too.
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Does anyone know how to format the Brim ability? Use this card below as a reference:
Hone Skill 2W
Instant (U)
Untap target creature. Untap target creature.
Brim – W: Untap target creature. (As you activate this ability, put ~ onto the battlefield as an enchantment with N time counters on it. When the last time counter is removed, return ~ to your hand)
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I don't think it can be an alternate cost because it does not cast the rest of the card. In that sense it is like Aftermath.
You could do it like the Channel ability, but then you have to spell out everything as part of the cost at the beginning (i.e. putting it onto the battlefield as an enchantment with time counters and then returning it to your hand when the last time counter is removed).
You could do it like the Forecast ability. Brim N - [COST]: [EFFECT] (As you activate this ability, put ~ onto the battlefield as an enchantment with N time counters on it. When the last time counter is removed, return ~ to your hand).
I changed the ability from "When you activate this ability" to "As you activate this ability" to block the capability to repeatedly activating the ability. Is that fix sufficient or do I need to spell out "Activate this ability only once per turn"?
Please let me know if there is a better way to do this. I think this mechanic would play out simpler than it reads, so it'd be nice to narrow the complexity gap between the gameplay (less complex) and the reading (more complex).
Are there any other ways to do it?
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Mechanics Update: Here's where we're at regarding the mechanical architecture of the set.
Let's first take a look at how the two definitive mechanics - Vivid and Vanishing - affect the limited environment.
(I) Vivid is a mechanic that, depending upon its implementation, can have a few different and divergent pressures on the format. First and most obviously, it can incentivize mono-color drafting if the vivid costs are more extreme, or if there is a high frequency of vivid cards at CMC 2-4. The resulting environment would be a very powerful one, probably even more so than the Kaladesh x3 limited environment. Secondly, Vivid makes "casting your powerful spells" more important than usual, and thus incentivizes playing extra lands. Vivid incentivizes playing extra lands in yet another way - if you are playing a two or three color deck, you would be more likely to play extra lands so that you can meet the more stringent mana requirements of your powerful Vivid spells. In this regard, so long as Vivid is minimized at lower CMCs, Vivid pushes deck construction to have spell to land ratios resemble Khans of Tarkir x3 than any other format I've ever played.
In my mind, this is a pretty big problem. The reason that that was good for Khans x3 (see the note at the bottom) is that Khans offered a lot for you to do with your mana. Yes you had your mana sinks like Sentinels of Arashin and Archer's Parapet, and your mechanics that acted as mana sinks (Outlast, available to all wedges to varying degrees), and an abundance of cards that let you keep drawing cards. But the primary reason why it worked for Khans was Morph, which was the supreme mana sink of the format, giving you a card that allowed you to sink a whole turn's worth of mana into a card twice and was ubiquitous throughout the format!
Vivid wants you to play the same number of lands as you would for a mana-intensive deck, but without requiring you to spend a high amount of mana. That will lead to a lot of flooding out if I don't design the set well and ignore this reality. Flooding out is not only boring and frustrating, but also places you the drafter into the hands of Lady Luck, a situation in which I have no desire to place the player. But anyway, the TLDR of this section is that Vivid leads to a mana imbalance problem.
(II) Vanishing is actually quite malleable. You can design cards that are more aggressive (like Blastoderm or Cloudskate or cards that are more defensive like Aven Riftwatcher that have strong leave the battlefield triggers. Looking over the list of cards with Vanishing/Fading that Wizards has created, there's actually a lot of design space they haven't explored that would allow Vanishing to be a mechanic that pushes in a more defensive direction. Consider this card which I'll submit to the DCC tonight, a card which acts like a planeswalkwer in a way because it nets you incremental advantage each turn and incentivizes the game to go long:
Luminescence 1W
Enchantment (U)
Vanishing 4 (This permanent enters the battlefield with 4 time counters. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from Luminescence. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
When you remove a counter from Luminescence, you gain 2 life. Reverberate - As Luminescence enters your graveyard, you may pay 2WW. If you do, create 3 1/1 white Moth creature tokens with flying and lifelink.
Fundamentally, though, Vanishing is a sort of cost-reduction mechanic because part of the spell's cost is shifted away from mana and toward time. Again, then, unless carefully considered and built around, Vanishing could exacerbate the "What do I do with my mana?" conundrum brought to the fore by Vivid. Fortunately, I think Vanishing is a very malleable and deep mechanic, so there are nifty ways like the Luminescence card to eliminate this potential drawback.
(III): Once I decided that Vivid was a cool enough mechanic to put into the set and was worth building around, I contemplated much of the above and decided that mechanics that acted as mana sinks would buttress the overarching mechanical architecture of the set. Flashback was an easy and fitting consideration, but I opted against it to try to preserve the psuedo-rule to only have one repeat mechanic in a set. Yesterday on the airplane when flying to Houston, this rendition of Brim hit me like a truck and I wanted to try it. It offered some of what I wanted - a flavorful mechanic (a mind brimming/teeming with activity) that would help me make sure that players had stuff to do with their mana at all stages of the game. It also seems like a lot of fun, and isn't too restrictive. Emanation (see the mechanics WIP page) is similar, although more fore creatures. Brim is intended only for instants and sorceries. Both of those mechanics are under consideration, as are various Bulwark variants, including the one Exodus proposed.
Another thing I've noticed about "reality vs. idealism" in Magic is that a lot of them revolve around enchantments. Cards like Freed from the Real come to mind. This makes some amount of sense, since artifacts are human-made whereas enchantments come from nature or the divine, that which is beyond man's control. It also reminded me of Theros, with Bestow and how it aided Devotion. I don't really have any thoughts beyond that, but an enchantment sub-theme or the potential to keyword it is in the back of my mind now. Constellation could be a returning mechanic in the next set, for example. Always welcome to other ideas on this subject, but I'll chew the cud on this subject.
Reverberate seems interesting. I've designed a few cards with it, and it is extremely open-ended. I like a focus on "leave-the-battlefield triggers" in a set with Vanishing and blink effects, and if I feel that a focus on those could enhance the gameplay experience and variety of deck archetypes, then it seems like a good inclusion. Whether or not to continue including mana costs, or whether to make it simply like the Revolt mechanic and be a simple trigger, is something I'm unsure about.
Anywho, that's it. Just wanted to update y'all on my thoughts as I progress through designing the mechanical architecture of Rhymnir. Mechanical architecture is perhaps the most important part of set design, so I'm glad I'm not rushing through it. I wish I were better at coming up with ideas in this sphere more quickly, but it is what it is.
Note: For the record, Khans x3 was a format I liked alright but didn't love due to color imbalance and generally single-minded gameplay and drafting technique. FRF-KTKx2 was significantly better in both regards, offering a greater diversity of playable deck archetypes and offering the drafter a wider array of novel draft strategies and techniques. I'm definitely in the minority in this regard, but I've liked SOIx3, FRF-KTKx2, and AKHx3 much more than KTKx3. KTKx3 is roughly on par with EMNx2-SOI at the top of the "good draft format" category.
Hey Exodus. What do you think of my rendition of Bulwark (now Replenish)? I used some new rules language to simplify the wording of yours and balance it more for this set. It's basically a slight tweak of yours
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I've now created an "Under the Hood" tab that links to PDF copies of various important pieces of developmental architecture to the set.
I completed a Color Pie Philosophy page, which I did to inform my development of limited archetypes, which I'm doing now to hopefully help me finalize a suite of mechanics so I can begin creating the cards. I will finish this story and lore eventually. I keep finding myself wanting to work on the set design instead. When I begin making cards I suspect I'll want to finish writing the story and lore and make a world geography to help me brainstorm ideas for cards. I think it's going to take that impetus to get me motivated to finish writing the story.
One thing I'm struggling with is how to incorporate Beauty/Aesthetics/Music (Art) into the set. I've always wanted to include them, but I've never decided how exactly I want to do it. I've decided to shy away from making musical asethetics a subject of conscious reflection on Rhymnir. I think this is the best route because this is a set exploring the philosophy of love, not the philosophy of "techniques of the self" in a Foucaultian sense. In this exploration I did come up with a great idea for a different design project, a design project that explores how aesthetics relates to individuality and individual self-creation. But I think that that deeper exploration needs its own set to breathe, and I think the below utilization of music is supportive of the world of Rhymnir without subduing it. I'll definitely be incorporating music into Rhymnir in the way proscribed in #1, and I would like feedback on whether to add #2 as well. The contents of #2 could form the basis of another world, another design project, but I am open to including it in Rhymnir, to greater or lesser degrees.
1) Music and Aesthetics as world features: In this conception, Music and Aesthetics are characteristics of the world of Rhymnir in a way that directly supports how they are done on Aenyr. Absent is a deep philosophical exploration of the way music is instrumental as an artistic mode of self-creation and community formation. Instead, music is simply the way that magic is utilized and conducted in this world. I would utilize them to support the dream-like quality to the world of Rhymnir. They could play an important mechanical role in the set as well, potentially.
2) Music and Aesthetics to highlight the inner psyche: In this conception, Music and Aesthetics will be used to highlight Ashiok's own inner psychology and inner turmoil. This is something that would supplement, not replace, the above use of music on Rhymnir. In practical terms, this would involve using music on Rhymnir to (i) highlight its use in community-formation and uniting a community around an ideal (White) (ii) highlight how music deeply resonates with the human experience. Music has a natural and innate resonance with the human psyche which suggests an idealistic origin (Green) (iii) highlight how music serves as an expression of human emotion and feeling and a view of the world from man's point of view (Red) (iv) highlight how the artistic act is self-shaping, how artistic endeavor helps creates a self (Red, Blue) (v) highlight how the composer himself is a fashioner of meaning, how music and art can be used consciously to change one's inner constitution and compel others to see the world in the way you want them to (Black).
The land where you fashion your self and your reality
Rhymnir is my first set design project. Rhymnir is a dreamworld, a plane Ashiok created within her own mind. It is a world that exemplifies the creative exuberance of possibility, and one that highlights the power that we all have to shape and craft our person. The creative skeleton was inspired by the Gathering Magic "We design the plane" community thread. I participated in that thread; indeed, it was that experience that probably put card design on the map for me personally. However, beyond the initial idea of designing a dreamworld that involved Ashiok in some way, this project will not bear a strong resemblance to the world created by that community; this plane will be my own and that of those who contribute to this project.
Rhymnir is the first of what, I believe, will be a two-set block. It will be intended for draft as any Standard expansion should be. It will be of standard size for a large set. I'm very excited to be formally working on this project, and am very happy about the help I've already had along the way. (Thank you Flatline, Rocco, and Exodus! )
Design Goals
1) I want to create a fun and novel limited environment, and I want that limited environment to be unique and memorable. Ultimately, I want the limited experience to be (i) immersive and supported by the lore and world and (ii) one that gives players agency and meaningful decisions to make, both during the draft portion and during the games themselves.
2) Philosophy, art, and culture all can deepen and enhance Magic set and card design. Indeed, all are necessary. I am hoping to explore in a robust way the themes of (i) permanence and fleetingness and (ii) the freedom of love and the human pulls toward and away from love. Not only does a setting of a dreamworld with a potential musical subtheme aid in the exploration of these themes, but so does Ashiok's own story.
Mechanics
These mechanics are still under development. However, I'm laying out ones that, at the moment, are at least possible to make it into the set. Vanishing and Vivid will be the flagship mechanics of the set.
1. WUBRG Vanishing N (This permanent enters the battlefield with N time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from it. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
2. WUBRG Vivify [COST] (If a nonland permanent you control would untap, you may reveal this card instead. If you do, transform it).
3. WUBRG Impress – When ~ enters the graveyard or at the beginning of your next upkeep after it enters the graveyard, you may pay [COST]. If you do, [EFFECT].
- We're definitely going a little on the scholarly side with the name here. While this naming would be fine in most other languages, in English the word "impress" has evolved a lot more from its initial meaning. The word "impress" comes from the Latin "imprimo, imprimere" which means "to press upon, to mark". The image that the word classically conveys is that of a seal being pressed upon heated wax. Fittingly for this set, that image is used to describe memory all the way back in Plato's dialogues (the Theatetus) and is a philosophical trope picked up later in our Western tradition. I would like to consider "Imprint" as well, but that word is already taken. I like "impress" better than other words I've been bandying around (remembrance, impact, resound), even if it is more archaic.
- I don't think I want the card to be exiled after you use the effect. If I let the card be exiled, then the mechanic could be simpler. "During your upkeep, if ~ is in your graveyard, you may pay [COST] and exile it. If you do, [EFFECT]."
- saying "or" instead of "and" precludes you from activating the ability both as it enters the graveyard and during your next upkeep right?
4. GWU Replenish N (Choose a type of nominal counter. You may put N counters of that type on a permanent you control. If you don't, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)
Rule 121.7: There are two types of counters - effective counters and nominal counters.
Rule 121.7a: Effective counters are counters which have ubiquitous meaning and intrinsically alter the battlefield and alter cards regardless of the rules text of a card. Types of effective counters in Magic include: -1/-1 counters, +1/+1 counters, and loyalty counters.
Rule 121.7b: Nominal counters are counters which lack intrinsic meaning. They are markers and have meaning only as a consequence of rules text on cards or in mechanics. Examples of nominal counters include time counters, charge counters, and brick counters.
- Riffing off of the above point, this rendition of Bulwark is in keeping with MaRo's thoughts about not utilizing +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters to a great extent when you're using other counters in a big way. This is a mechanic that works with counters and plays off of them without introducing added gameplay complexity.
- This rendition is still subject to change, as are its colors. As written though, this mechanic will play out differently than the +1/+1 counter mechanics while still feeling Green-White, and I think it looks fun. Bolster, Support, Outlast, and Renown were all liked by players, and I think players will like Bulwark as well.
5. UBR Nightmare (when this enters your graveyard, flip it) // Nightmare [COST] (You may cast this spell from the graveyard for its Nightmare cost)
- This mechanic accomplishes a few different goals. It gets the nightmares into the first set without the Nightmare creature type. Nightmare creatures will be reserved for the second set. It increases the enchantment count for a potential enchantment subtheme that supports a dreamworld, helping to leave the option open for the 2nd set to develop the enchantment theme further. Thirdly, it just seems fun and flavorful and is a mana sink mechanic which was desperately needed.
Mechanics Brainstorm: https://1drv.ms/b/s!AsiQWgrr7nacubdxm7ZuLWDGAszkeg
Loxodon GW: Loxodon are the most populous sentient creatures that inhabit Rhymnir. These are mythical creatures for the people of Aenyr, creatures described only in tales and song, figments of the imagination of many an Aenyr child. How Loxodon found their way into Aenyr tales is unknown. In Rhymnir, Loxodon live close to the land. They are farmers, carpenters, natural healers. They tend to be stubborn and conservative, seeking cultural, religious, and economic stability and resisting change.
Siren UBR: Siren are elusive creatures that inhabit Rhymnir's less-trod places. One may find them along coasts and amongst the crags of the tallest mountains. Always gravitating toward the minor keys, the music they produce is more eerie and melodic than the music found on Ashiok's home plane of Aenyr. Some adventurers are drawn to their music, finding in its melancholy an appealing loneliness and solitude. Others mistrust them.
Satyr RG: The Satyr on Rhymnir should resonate with the cultural depiction from ancient Greece and Rome, but they will be slightly different here. Their hedonism will be muted, but their association with bounty and growth and excess will be manifest. I decided to use Satyrs on Rhymnir because they are a musical race and because they represent a lot of what Red and Green are doing on Rhymnir. Satyr on Rhymnir constitute the necessary machinery of Ashiok's imagination, machinery which helps enable vivid and creative imaginings and mental creations.
Wendigo UB: Wendigo are among the most feared native creatures on Rhymnir. Their combat prowess is feared; their ability to survive Rhymnir's coldest harshest living environments the subject of much consternation and angst among the Loxodon. Little do the Loxodon know - Wendigo are the corporeal manifestation of guilt-inducing actions Ashiok has made in her life. As such, they feel no remorse, no pity, no love.
Sandborn R: The Sandborn are mountain nomads that are sustained by the imagination-laden earth of Rhymnir. Their lean bodies take on the texture and appearance of whatever ground they are on, indeed their bodies emerge from the ground itself. They are most happy and at their most powerful when dwelling in dry, sandy, mountainous terrain, for there their connection to the core of the earth is most direct. Plato, Plotinus, and various Christian theologians like Anselm all analogize created being as an excess and result of God's activity. In the Proslogion and Monoslogion, Anselm analogizes created being as the deposits left by the flowing of a river. This is sort of how I envision the Sandborn - they are created by the teeming activity of Ashiok's mind and heart. Known throughout Rhymnir as lightning-fast creatures and skilled combatants, they draw their energy and prowess from the vividness of Ashiok's mental imagination. More so than the other races on Rhymnir, the Sandborn seek not to destroy or preserve, but instead deal with the chaos of change and imagination. The shamans of the Sandborn have even learned to harness it.
Humans W: Humans are not populous on Rhymnir. Ever since the beginning of song and written history, humans have dwelt amicably among the Loxodon. More so than the Loxodon, they gravitate to urban dwelling, often fulfilling roles in civil service and government. As on Aenyr, humans on Rhymnir are adept at music (of the Classical variety, contrastic with the Romanticism of the Siren's music).
Nymphs RGU: Nymnphs are female water spirits that are sometimes seen around the more secluded and peaceful lakes and rivers. All of the Greco-Roman connotations will be maintained - these exist on Rhymnir as a consequence of Ashiok's inner sexual desires and her desire for freedom.
Non-sentient Creatures
Will-O'-Wisp GWUB: Will-O'-Wisps are a common sight in the wilds of Rhymnir. Some are delightful to the eye, and others induce fear. Only a select few wisps appear in broad daylight - more wisps will be found where they are covered by a canopy of trees or at nighttime gliding along the roads. They are elusive, alluring, and seemingly flicker in and out of existence.
Nightmares UBR: Once the stuff of myth and legend on Rhymnir, they have become more and more common the more and more time Ashiok spends on Rhymnir. The Loxodon have noticed this correlation and have grown concerned. Nightmares defy the basic rules of existence, fading in and out of being and time. They appear in dreams and sometimes can be seen gliding across the landscape. Their goal is the unravelling and disintegration of worldly being. With Nightmares, I will have to make a design choice. If Rhymnir is the first of a 2-set block, then I will want to weight their appearance in favor of the 2nd set. If Rhymnir will be a 1-set block, then Nightmares will be the most common creature type across the Grixis colors in Rhymnir.
Unicorns WGR: Unicorns are beloved by the races that inhabit the capital city Alabastra. Their gait, the soft sound they make as they gallop, the music they emit with their horns, their powerful charge...all give them a majesty and pride of place in Alabastran culture. It is illegal to hunt unicorns, and it is a capital offense to cut their horns off. Unicorns are symbols of luck and of an abundance of promise and freedom. Some species of unicorn are known for their elusiveness, while others are as common on Rhymnir as horses are on earth.
Kelpie UB: Kelpie are mythical horses that dwell in rivers and the ocean. They are wild and vicious. Akhtaman, the high shaman of the Sandborn, believes that the metaphysical first principle of the universe is Janus-faced, the side valuing life creating unicorns and the side valuing dissolution and death creating Kelpie. Horses are indeed an iconic creature type on Rhymnir, spanning across all 5 colors.
Kitsu WBR: Kitsu are a breed of fox commonly found on Rhymnir. This creature race is derived from the Japanese Kitsune - foxes with up to 9 tails, sometimes benevolent, sometimes mischievous, sometimes malevolent, that can induce dreams. In Japanese folklore they can shapeshift after 100 years, but on Rhymnir they won't. On Rhymnir, Kitsu can be found in the wild, and some have been tameable by the dwellers of Alabastra. Their presence in a home is said to bring good dreams and peaceful sleep. Wild Kitsu enjoy sneaking around tradesmen's camps and inducing dreams - the type of emotion the dream induces is based upon the will and disposition of the individual Kitsu.
Shades B: Shades are creatures of the void, emerging out of nothingness. The religions of Rhymnir's various peoples have always believed in spontaneous generation and creation in part because of Shades' connection to emptiness and nothingness. Ashiok was told by one of Alabastra's religious leaders that Shades, unlike the recent emergence of nightmares, have always been present on Rhymnir. It is reported that the Wendigoes worship shades, and one or two hunters have reported that the Wendigoes worship a sentient Shade. Shades are ethereal creatures that have physical power and can interact with physical objects on Rhymnir. Although not aggressive, it is generally advised to keep one's distance. Unlike previous incarnations of shades in Magic's history, shades will not be tied to black pump abilities.
Phelddagrif GWU: Phelddagrifs are mythical beasts that can sometimes be seen flying across the natural wilderness of Rhymnir's forests and mountains. They represent youthful hope and the endless possibilities of imagination.
Birds: Birds will be used to give Rhymnir a light, dreamy, aerie vibe. Phoenixes or Alerion (R) will be representations of teeming imagination. Nightingales (GUB or UB) will further the musical subtheme. Peacocks G, Hippogryffs UW, and Pegasus W may also make an appearance.
Hellions R: Hellions are known to lurk the mountainsides. Sometimes they appear forged not only by fire but by rock as well, perhaps indicating that anger and vengeful wrath are as deep a part of human nature as are more benevolent qualities. They are the primary reason why the hunters of Rhymnir shy away from hunting mountain goats. If I decide to make this a 2-set block, Hellions will likely be moved to the second set.
White: Flickerwisp
Blue: Dream Thrush, Spreading Seas, Reality Acid
Black: Thoughtseize, Duress
Red: Tormenting Voice
Green: Pulse of Llanowar (functional only)
Multi: Mystic Snake, Phelddagrif
Artifacts:
Other: Filter Lands
Ashiok's origin story takes us to the plane Aenyr, the land where art is the source of all magic. On Aenyr, Ashiok was born to a peasant family on the edges of Duskwood in a town called Jarrah, far from the populous city of Delsani. This town had been erected during her grandfather's life when a special wood was discovered there which added healing and medicinal properties to whatever was crafted out of it. Known as Ambross, it became wildly sought after throughout Aenyr, used to make cups and goblets for drinking to antidote the poisons of the spiders of Duskwood, and used to craft musical instruments which, when played, would heal the mind and body of soldiers engaged in battle. Ambross quickly became the favorite wood of the clerics and druids of Aenyr. [The satyr of Aenyr even found a way to make a hallucinagenic drug out of it to use in their revels.]
Lorptin, Ashiok's grandfather, leapt at the chance to move to Jarrah, trading in life in the overcrowded poorer quarters of Delsani for the relative serenity of a pastoral life which Jarrah promised. He established a small orchard on which he grew the fabled Ambross tree, and he also harvested vegetables at the Jarrah community farm, which was used to supply food to the local Ambross growers. This was the orchard and community into which Ashiok was born, and it was the community she would grow up in. The people were simple as is often the case in most rural farming communities. Basic necessities dominated the minds of the people there - defending themselves against the creatures that emerged out of the forests of Duskwood, worshipping the god of harmony, putting food on the table, seeing their sons and daughters getting married. But this community was unique in that its families shared roots in the urban life and a shared fleeing from it. They were determined to live closer to nature and in nature, and often shunned the habits and practices of those living in Delsani. They were hearty and determined to carve out a new way of life for themselves.
Ashiok, though, was different. From a young age she was drawn not to the manual labor demanded of farm life but to the magic of the Ambross wood itself. She was enfatuated by its healing properties. Where her family and fellow villagers saw something to be avoided for the sake of a simple, idyllic life, Ashiok saw great power and meaning. The connection of the wood to the musical magic of Aenyr spoke to her, and her parents began to notice, much to their dismay.
Alhendra went to Jarrah as part of the band of the official summons. She never forgot her first encounter with Ashiok. Ashiok's eyes were of a dark brown, almost black. Her hair was black. She was quite tall for her age. But it was her piercing eyes - they seemed to peer right into your soul. She was quiet and discerning, happy but not bubbly or talkative. Alhendra felt that she stood before a girl who could wield the complex power of magic on Aenyr, a magic that required training in the musical and vocal arts. She asked Ashiok if she wanted to come back to Delsani with her to the Bard College of Restoration and commit her life to studying and wielding the magic of Aenyr. Ashiok had always loved the healing power of magic, and had seen that very power in action when she healed her now-pet unicorn, which she had named Corun, and so begged her parents to let her go. Her parents relented, her father feeling that he was perhaps betraying his father's flight from Delsani, but ultimately recognizing that Ashiok belonged at the college.
Ashiok proved to be a star pupil at the college, and within a few years she became an apprentice to Alhendra. Ashiok's musical power was greatest when she wielded the cello, for that instrument's depth and lower notes matched her penchant for mental healing and psychological peace. Ashiok's power was unique in her ability to discern that which lay beneath the surface. What she had detected in the unicorn proved to be something she could detect in others. She was more than a doctor, she was a priest, a spiritual healer.
During her 17th year, she experienced a particularly rough week. Alhendra had been pushing her to the brink of exhaustion in having her learn one of the hardest pieces in the Tome of One Thousand Songs. And her fellow students, who had never grown particularly fond of or close to Ashiok, were not making her struggles any less burdensome. When Friday came, she went up to the spire where the elder apprentices resided, and after drinking some tea, collapsed on her bed.
Ashiok opened her eyes. She lay in a meadow, not in her night gown but in her favorite yellow dress. It was dusk, and fireflies buzzed all around, lighting up the area around the meadow. The meadow sloped down to a brook, beyond which lay a seemingly endless forest. She could barely make out glowing silhouettes among the trees' limbs, but knew not what was it. The air felt light, as did the grass and thistle beneath her. She turned her head and saw a nearby hut with smoke rising from its chimney. Lost and confused, yet content and unafraid, she ventured to the hut. She knocked, and what opened the door surprised her. It was a loxodon! She knew of these creatures only from fable. No one knew the origins of the mythical wisened humanoid elephants. None existed on Aenyr, but yet there were a few stories and songs that made mention of them.
Bjorn had just an hour before found this unicorn on his land. It was nearing dusk at that time, and he was out trying to finish up chopping lumber, some to keep for his fireplace, and some to sell to a merchant who would bring it to the craftsmen in Alabastra. Bjorn had seen unicorns before - few souls on Rhymnir hadn't -, but none had ever approached him before. Unicorns on Rhymnir cannot be tamed. Sometimes they choose a master, a great mark of honor to the Alabastran people and a sign that one had been blessed by the cosmos. In Alabastran parlance, a unicorn "destines" itself to a master. Most, however, live in the wild. This one looked sick, and Bjorn figured that it had come from the woods to receive treatment of some kind. Bjorn had walked it to the shed attached to his small home and had given it water, where it collapsed in seeming exhaustion. Many questions now swirled in his mind. I've never seen this girl before, who is she? Unicorns rarely destine themselves to so young a person. How did she meet this creature? What did it see in her?
"Were y'all traveling through? Had y'all lost your way?" Bjorn asked. "Were you looking for him?" Ashiok looked confused and overwhelmed, uttering an undiscernable reply with her head down. Bjorn invited her to have some tea. "Your unicorn will be fine, don't worry. Let him rest, and let's get you a cup of tea. It's cold outside and you look like you could use something warm." Ashiok acquiesced, gently patting Corun and laying his head back down onto the bed of hay. She followed him into a larger, more open room. Though decorated simply, the room had a warm feel to it, with rich mohagany wood furniture and given color by various cloths and curios. On one side there was a humble fireplace. A few rocking chairs were placed by the window, each with its own red woolen blanket. In between the two rocking chairs was a small table with a set of glowing red feathers. Despite it being dusk, the feathers provided plenty of light for the room. "What are those?" Ashiok asked. "Those are the feathers of a phoenix," Bjorn replied, a bit startled and a bit bemused by her ignorance. "Phoenix feathers are magical. They generate warmth, allowing phoenixes to live even on the high snow-covered peaks of mountains. Even after a phoenix dies, their feathers emit warmth for decades and grant light for several more. These feathers came from a phoenix that my father and I found laying injured in the snow a little to the north of here. We put it out of its misery, and now we have the rare gift of phoenix feathers, hopefully for the rest of our lives. These are already beginning to give out though - they are barely warm to the touch now, although their light is still strong." Ashiok touched the feather and felt its warmth. She even felt a certain power, as if it were an Aenyr wood. Then she saw a glimpse of the unthinkable. She saw a phoenix, this phoenix, soaring and then diving toward a pond to drink water. A Loxodon startled it and threw a spear at it. The phoenix was hit in the shoulder and screeched, fluttering away unsteadily. It found a place in the snow to rest, hardly able to move. Then in a flash Ashiok saw two Loxodon approaching, the spearman and a little young loxodon. The young loxodon shouted, "Daddy look! That's a phoenix, like in the stories!" Then in a tone laden with horror, "Daddy, I…I think it's injured!" The father rushed up to inspect the bird, "Bjorn, this might be the only time you ever see one. They are indeed majestic creatures. I've sought them my whole life, and this is the first time I've ever been this close to one." Then in another flash, "Bjorn, we need to put it out of its misery." Then in a final flash, its last utterance. Ashiok sensed that Bjorn had been deceived.
Once tea had been prepared, Ashiok and Bjorn commenced a fairly lengthy discussion. Ashiok shared her own history, describing the world of Aenyr, describing her consternation at this world which Bjorn called Rhymnir. At some point, Bjorn interjected. "This is all so much to take in. And your story, it is almost inconceivable to me. A willingness to leave your family and live elsewhere. Here….life is so precious, so fleeting. We cling to our familes and clans and communities. Life and the bonds of love and togetherness are precious things. We live in fear that they could vanish at any moment. Creatures can meld into form before your eyes. Years later after you've developed a relationship with someone, that person can simply unravel into the aether, joining the bubbling cosmos once more. "Love!" our priests say. "Give yourselves to your community. Do what you can for your community. Cherish those around you. Our mortality necessitates that we give ourselves unto others." Ashiok replied, "Yes, yes. I love my parents, I love my siblings, I love the people with whom I grew up with before I started training at the College of Restoration." But her reply lacked the sense of urgency that the mortal realities of this world seemed to have instilled in the denizens of Rhymnir. Ashiok had always been an independent mind and actor. She hadn't practiced her healing art blindly, as if throwing her love toward everything and everything. She had never viewed her magical power as a font whose flowings were to be dispensed to the many drinking troughs of mankind, to be lapped up without personal connection.
Ashiok awoke, back in her small bed at the College. She dismissed this episode as a dream, but she remembered every last detail more vividly than other dreams, and in the coming weeks she would no longer be dismissing the realities of the world of Rhymnir. But for the moment, only Aenyr was real.
7/1/17: Rhymnir page created. Overview created. Story section created.
7/2/17: Design Goals and Mechanics pages created.
7/3/17: Bestiary page created.
7/21/17: Bestiary is functionally complete and subject to tweaking, expansion, and revision.
8/5/17: Mechanic Brainstorm page created.
8/5/17: Potential Reprint Pool page created.
8/22/17: Color Philosophy brainstorm page created.
8/23/17: Color Philosophy brainstorm page complete, subject to revision and expansion.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
As for the sentient Grixis race, if you want another race of animal-people, I think Salamanders would be a cool choice. I've personally been waiting for more sentient Salamanders ever since Amphin Cutthroat was printed.
I like the ideas of incorporating Satyrs, but the Satyrs you briefly mention in the story sound a bit too similar to the Theros ones imo. It'd be neat if you could differentiate them somehow.
Do sentient salamanders have a specific name? I will consider them - they seem really cool.
I'll try to have a provisional bestiary done in a few days, then we can add/subtract from there. Definitely want to finish a bestiary before finishing the story.
Unicorns are definitely going to find a place in this dream world - thank you for reminding me. Her pet unicorn is going to be a legendary creature for sure Thanks for checking out the story too.
Amphin sounds legit - might definitely roll with that if I use this race.
Regarding the story: Ashiok doesn't sound very UB here. Will the larger story of the block deal with her "color change" or the activation of her Planeswalker spark? That'd be interesting.
I tried to get the Amphin in there but I couldn't craft them believably in such a way that they contributed to the atmosphere or themes, so I opted for Sandmen and Sirens instead.
I have some questions:
(1) When you look at this bestiary, do you get excited? Does it immerse you in a world that is believable and enticing?
(2) Is the mixture of different cultures too jarring? I have a lot of Greek creatures here, but there is a sprinkling of different cultures here, all the way from Germany/Arabia (Sandmen) to Japan (Kitsu) to Native American (Wendigo) to creatures endemic to Magic the Gathering (Loxodon). This doesn't bother me personally since this is not a set tied to a specific place or culture, but I just want to make sure that the diversity of origins for this creature suite feels right and feels cohesive.
(3) Lastly, do you have any suggestions or ideas not related to (1) or (2)? I'll definitely consider them ASAP as I continue working on the story. Now that I have a working bestiary I can actually move on with the story and world building stage of this project.
Edit: BTW, where did you get that painting?
What I could also do is have the Flashback variant be an Embalm variant (which is nice in its own way because that prevents blinking from resetting everything). If I take this approach, I could just bring back Vanishing without introducing a new keyword. Perhaps that would be cleaner?
EDIT: Another method: The Nightmares could exile themselves from the graveyard and all create the same token, say: "Past Nightmare", a 2/2 blue, black, and red Nightmare token with Flying and "Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player mills 2". So that's a second way to avoid the problem without creating a Vanishing variant.
I'm going to change the Etheral mechanic to the Vanishing mechanic right now. I've heard enough from you and Flatline to convince me to try to work around Vanishing. I'm also going to add another mechanic (Vivid) to the list and experiment with some variations of it in the DCC. Feedback is welcome for Vivid. If Vivid makes it through to the final product, we can expect some Dream Thrush to be flapping their wings on Rhymnir! I'm pretty excited about Vivid's potential.
I love vivid. It is a solid mechanic that makes perfect sense from a flavor standpoint. Bulwark is a bit strange though. I'm not sure I like that the first part of the mechanic cares about permanents, while the second part only works for creatures. I'm not saying that it can't work, it just doesn't seem to gel properly.
@Flatline: Bulwark feels functional, but like you I don't like it right now. It's a real clunker. Vivid (using +1/+1 counters as a marker of sorts) and Vanishing make me want a mechanic that works nicely with all sorts of counters on all sorts of permanents (unless I limit Vanishing to creatures). Other than the clunkiness of Bulwark, the other problem is that +1/+1 counters might just be more valuable than Vanishing counters, which would defeat much of the purpose of the mechanic's design goal. If Dromoka's Gift read "Bulwark 4" instead of "Bolster 4", it seems that more often than not the right choice would be to put 4 +1/+1 counters on the creature. That intuition might be wrong, but it is an intuition I have. White and Green and the rational-philosophic side of Blue are focused on permanence and longevity. Would be great to find a mechanic that *feels* like Outlast from Khans of Tarkir.
Hone Skill 2W
Instant (U)
Untap target creature. Untap target creature.
Brim – W: Untap target creature. (As you activate this ability, put ~ onto the battlefield as an enchantment with N time counters on it. When the last time counter is removed, return ~ to your hand)
---------------------------------------
I don't think it can be an alternate cost because it does not cast the rest of the card. In that sense it is like Aftermath.
You could do it like the Channel ability, but then you have to spell out everything as part of the cost at the beginning (i.e. putting it onto the battlefield as an enchantment with time counters and then returning it to your hand when the last time counter is removed).
You could do it like the Forecast ability. Brim N - [COST]: [EFFECT] (As you activate this ability, put ~ onto the battlefield as an enchantment with N time counters on it. When the last time counter is removed, return ~ to your hand).
I changed the ability from "When you activate this ability" to "As you activate this ability" to block the capability to repeatedly activating the ability. Is that fix sufficient or do I need to spell out "Activate this ability only once per turn"?
Please let me know if there is a better way to do this. I think this mechanic would play out simpler than it reads, so it'd be nice to narrow the complexity gap between the gameplay (less complex) and the reading (more complex).
Are there any other ways to do it?
Let's first take a look at how the two definitive mechanics - Vivid and Vanishing - affect the limited environment.
(I) Vivid is a mechanic that, depending upon its implementation, can have a few different and divergent pressures on the format. First and most obviously, it can incentivize mono-color drafting if the vivid costs are more extreme, or if there is a high frequency of vivid cards at CMC 2-4. The resulting environment would be a very powerful one, probably even more so than the Kaladesh x3 limited environment. Secondly, Vivid makes "casting your powerful spells" more important than usual, and thus incentivizes playing extra lands. Vivid incentivizes playing extra lands in yet another way - if you are playing a two or three color deck, you would be more likely to play extra lands so that you can meet the more stringent mana requirements of your powerful Vivid spells. In this regard, so long as Vivid is minimized at lower CMCs, Vivid pushes deck construction to have spell to land ratios resemble Khans of Tarkir x3 than any other format I've ever played.
In my mind, this is a pretty big problem. The reason that that was good for Khans x3 (see the note at the bottom) is that Khans offered a lot for you to do with your mana. Yes you had your mana sinks like Sentinels of Arashin and Archer's Parapet, and your mechanics that acted as mana sinks (Outlast, available to all wedges to varying degrees), and an abundance of cards that let you keep drawing cards. But the primary reason why it worked for Khans was Morph, which was the supreme mana sink of the format, giving you a card that allowed you to sink a whole turn's worth of mana into a card twice and was ubiquitous throughout the format!
Vivid wants you to play the same number of lands as you would for a mana-intensive deck, but without requiring you to spend a high amount of mana. That will lead to a lot of flooding out if I don't design the set well and ignore this reality. Flooding out is not only boring and frustrating, but also places you the drafter into the hands of Lady Luck, a situation in which I have no desire to place the player. But anyway, the TLDR of this section is that Vivid leads to a mana imbalance problem.
(II) Vanishing is actually quite malleable. You can design cards that are more aggressive (like Blastoderm or Cloudskate or cards that are more defensive like Aven Riftwatcher that have strong leave the battlefield triggers. Looking over the list of cards with Vanishing/Fading that Wizards has created, there's actually a lot of design space they haven't explored that would allow Vanishing to be a mechanic that pushes in a more defensive direction. Consider this card which I'll submit to the DCC tonight, a card which acts like a planeswalkwer in a way because it nets you incremental advantage each turn and incentivizes the game to go long:
Luminescence 1W
Enchantment (U)
Vanishing 4 (This permanent enters the battlefield with 4 time counters. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from Luminescence. When the last is removed, sacrifice it.)
When you remove a counter from Luminescence, you gain 2 life.
Reverberate - As Luminescence enters your graveyard, you may pay 2WW. If you do, create 3 1/1 white Moth creature tokens with flying and lifelink.
Fundamentally, though, Vanishing is a sort of cost-reduction mechanic because part of the spell's cost is shifted away from mana and toward time. Again, then, unless carefully considered and built around, Vanishing could exacerbate the "What do I do with my mana?" conundrum brought to the fore by Vivid. Fortunately, I think Vanishing is a very malleable and deep mechanic, so there are nifty ways like the Luminescence card to eliminate this potential drawback.
(III): Once I decided that Vivid was a cool enough mechanic to put into the set and was worth building around, I contemplated much of the above and decided that mechanics that acted as mana sinks would buttress the overarching mechanical architecture of the set. Flashback was an easy and fitting consideration, but I opted against it to try to preserve the psuedo-rule to only have one repeat mechanic in a set. Yesterday on the airplane when flying to Houston, this rendition of Brim hit me like a truck and I wanted to try it. It offered some of what I wanted - a flavorful mechanic (a mind brimming/teeming with activity) that would help me make sure that players had stuff to do with their mana at all stages of the game. It also seems like a lot of fun, and isn't too restrictive. Emanation (see the mechanics WIP page) is similar, although more fore creatures. Brim is intended only for instants and sorceries. Both of those mechanics are under consideration, as are various Bulwark variants, including the one Exodus proposed.
Another thing I've noticed about "reality vs. idealism" in Magic is that a lot of them revolve around enchantments. Cards like Freed from the Real come to mind. This makes some amount of sense, since artifacts are human-made whereas enchantments come from nature or the divine, that which is beyond man's control. It also reminded me of Theros, with Bestow and how it aided Devotion. I don't really have any thoughts beyond that, but an enchantment sub-theme or the potential to keyword it is in the back of my mind now. Constellation could be a returning mechanic in the next set, for example. Always welcome to other ideas on this subject, but I'll chew the cud on this subject.
Reverberate seems interesting. I've designed a few cards with it, and it is extremely open-ended. I like a focus on "leave-the-battlefield triggers" in a set with Vanishing and blink effects, and if I feel that a focus on those could enhance the gameplay experience and variety of deck archetypes, then it seems like a good inclusion. Whether or not to continue including mana costs, or whether to make it simply like the Revolt mechanic and be a simple trigger, is something I'm unsure about.
Anywho, that's it. Just wanted to update y'all on my thoughts as I progress through designing the mechanical architecture of Rhymnir. Mechanical architecture is perhaps the most important part of set design, so I'm glad I'm not rushing through it. I wish I were better at coming up with ideas in this sphere more quickly, but it is what it is.
Note: For the record, Khans x3 was a format I liked alright but didn't love due to color imbalance and generally single-minded gameplay and drafting technique. FRF-KTKx2 was significantly better in both regards, offering a greater diversity of playable deck archetypes and offering the drafter a wider array of novel draft strategies and techniques. I'm definitely in the minority in this regard, but I've liked SOIx3, FRF-KTKx2, and AKHx3 much more than KTKx3. KTKx3 is roughly on par with EMNx2-SOI at the top of the "good draft format" category.
I completed a Color Pie Philosophy page, which I did to inform my development of limited archetypes, which I'm doing now to hopefully help me finalize a suite of mechanics so I can begin creating the cards. I will finish this story and lore eventually. I keep finding myself wanting to work on the set design instead. When I begin making cards I suspect I'll want to finish writing the story and lore and make a world geography to help me brainstorm ideas for cards. I think it's going to take that impetus to get me motivated to finish writing the story.
One thing I'm struggling with is how to incorporate Beauty/Aesthetics/Music (Art) into the set. I've always wanted to include them, but I've never decided how exactly I want to do it. I've decided to shy away from making musical asethetics a subject of conscious reflection on Rhymnir. I think this is the best route because this is a set exploring the philosophy of love, not the philosophy of "techniques of the self" in a Foucaultian sense. In this exploration I did come up with a great idea for a different design project, a design project that explores how aesthetics relates to individuality and individual self-creation. But I think that that deeper exploration needs its own set to breathe, and I think the below utilization of music is supportive of the world of Rhymnir without subduing it. I'll definitely be incorporating music into Rhymnir in the way proscribed in #1, and I would like feedback on whether to add #2 as well. The contents of #2 could form the basis of another world, another design project, but I am open to including it in Rhymnir, to greater or lesser degrees.
1) Music and Aesthetics as world features: In this conception, Music and Aesthetics are characteristics of the world of Rhymnir in a way that directly supports how they are done on Aenyr. Absent is a deep philosophical exploration of the way music is instrumental as an artistic mode of self-creation and community formation. Instead, music is simply the way that magic is utilized and conducted in this world. I would utilize them to support the dream-like quality to the world of Rhymnir. They could play an important mechanical role in the set as well, potentially.
2) Music and Aesthetics to highlight the inner psyche: In this conception, Music and Aesthetics will be used to highlight Ashiok's own inner psychology and inner turmoil. This is something that would supplement, not replace, the above use of music on Rhymnir. In practical terms, this would involve using music on Rhymnir to (i) highlight its use in community-formation and uniting a community around an ideal (White) (ii) highlight how music deeply resonates with the human experience. Music has a natural and innate resonance with the human psyche which suggests an idealistic origin (Green) (iii) highlight how music serves as an expression of human emotion and feeling and a view of the world from man's point of view (Red) (iv) highlight how the artistic act is self-shaping, how artistic endeavor helps creates a self (Red, Blue) (v) highlight how the composer himself is a fashioner of meaning, how music and art can be used consciously to change one's inner constitution and compel others to see the world in the way you want them to (Black).