That opening section before we reach Shipwreck sea has a lot to take in and think about.
First, there's the fact that Bolas can slip invitations to his Meditation Realm to people who likely don't want to be found. Now this isn't a surprise per se, this is Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker after all. More that with the knowledge of Ral Zarek being a Bolas flunky, I'm guessing he would have been the one to do it. (And as a total aside, the continued fleshing out of Vraska's personality has me totally becoming smitten with her. Curl up by a fireplace with a history book? If this is cliched pandering I am guilty of falling for it.)
Second, for whatever reason, Bolas is happy to dangle guild leadership in front of Vraska. I'm going to guess that's also what he did with Ral Zarek. And it is nice to see Bolas using his mind magic to do more than just rip memories away from people. I'd love to see that represented mechanically where Bolas can download information to someone in a debilitating manner.
Third, and big one, Bolas gave Vraska a one-shot interplanar summoning spell. That's important, since the question becomes "Summon who?" Ral? Tezzeret? Sarkhan? Does Bolas even know that Sarkhan has been on his time travel shenanigans and is playing for Ugin now? With the speculation that Ugin is involved in Ixalan, having the spell summon Sarkhan only to deliver a massive "NOT AS PLANNED" to Bolas could be quite interesting. It could also be the first step to showing Bolas does have his limitations/has to deal with Ugin counter playing him.
I liked this story developments of Jace and Vraska. Show a little bit better why she is so upset about him falling off a cliff on the story spotlight 5. I wonder who the agent Bolas want Vraska to summon is. Might end up being the other walker in Rivals with Angrath. This also sets up Jace return to ravnica and dealing with whats been going on while he's been gone, since he saw the injustice Vraska faced and what happens when the guilds don't have a guildpact to help restrain them.
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
It seems that the story team is consciously making an effort to give the Gatewatch some character development. Both Gideon and Chandra got hard lessons about how limited they truly are, which should come into play later. Liliana got a softer side, but was still a selfish ***** when push came to shove.
It seems like the best thing they could do for Jace was to wipe him clean, and start building him from the ground up. I assume at some point, he'll get his memories back, and become somewhat of a hybrid between New Jace and Old Jace. I like it. It show's that Jace has the capability to be likeable.
Also am enjoying Vraska. She's definitely one of the better anti-heroes they've made for the game.
I'm still in the process of reading this week's story but this: "The whole business felt like a trap, so she put on her flats in the event she had to make an escape" is the most stupid thing I've read all week.
You're not tracking everyone's footwear? Personally I would have gone with a tasteful pair of combat boots. but that's only because Nikes haven't been invented it.
I'm still in the process of reading this week's story but this: "The whole business felt like a trap, so she put on her flats in the event she had to make an escape" is the most stupid thing I've read all week.
Reminded me of the end scene in Jurassic World, which got a laugh out of me.
As if Jace wasn't my husbando enough, they throw in an amnesia plotline and he's just adorable. Baaahhhh gonna buy so much of this set.
I enjoyed this week's story. Honestly I've enjoyed them all so far. Really feeling this plane and its history. I do feel bad for the Legion of Dusk though. Kinda hoping they get the Immortal Sun. It was stolen from them after all, and I can empathize with wanted to be free of their curse too. Might do good for everyone on the plane if they were, perhaps.
The flats comment was dumb, but the story had a few strong lines too. I laughed when Jace went "Let's find out" hnnnnnggg <3 The dynamic of Jace and Vraska is pretty neat.
They don't really want to be free of the curse, they just want the downsides gone. They're still after Immortality, and the people who become vampires are strictly nobles (who choose to become vampires), which means the end goal is still an immortal ruling class, which isn't really good for anyone else.
Demystify caught my eye today. It depicts a member of the Sun Empire and it's flavor text states:
"The River Heralds carve spells into jade, hoping to steer us from our course. But what right do they have to keep us from that which once was ours?"
This would indicate that the Sun Empire at least believes that Orazca and everything in it was once their's. Given the River Heralds' opposition to Orazca's rediscovery, efforts to keep the Sun Empire out of the interior, and the Immortal Sun apparently being within, I'd surmise that the Sun Empire had been using the Immortal Sun against the merfolk at some point in the past.
That doesn't appear line up particularly well, however, since the Sun was supposedly in the Legion of Dusk's possession until it was stolen and disappeared. At least, it doesn't appear to line up until you consider two things:
1. The Ixalan planeswalker binding spell appears to be an amalgam of the Sun Empire and Legion of Dusk symbols.
2. The Legion of Dusk's original home is unknown.
Acknowledging this, I propose that the Legion of Dusk and Sun Empire were once one civilization on the continent of Ixalan before having a falling out between the two groups. This would explain where the Legion of Dusk came from (driven off of the continent by those who'd become the Sun Empire), why the two groups' symbols appear to make up the binding spell (the civilization produced it), why there is a temple to an enemy bat god on Ixalan (once worshiped by those who'd become the Legion, the god became an enemy when those who'd become Legion became an enemy), how Orazca became lost (civil war weakened the Empire to the point where the River Heralds could force them out of the interior), why the River Heralds work to keep Orazca lost (they fear the power that was once used against them), and how the Immortal Sun was stolen from the Legion (they were force to leave it behind when they were driven out by those who'd become the Sun Empire).
I think it makes a lot of sense, but what do you guys think?
Good story this week, the shoe thing aside. I wonder if Bolas knows Ixalan is a Planeswalker gravity well and knows if the Sun is what makes it that. I really like the Vraska characterization, ends justifies the means but she still has standards and morals and for all the freedom she could have in the Muliverse, she still wants to lead her Guild to a better place.
Jace continues to be a better character( and I had no issues with him before), now that his baggage has been removed, for now. Hope when he gets his memories back he'll be closer to who he is now( and it looks like that's more likey, given the 1st Ixalan story), than his old Living Guildpact self.
They don't really want to be free of the curse, they just want the downsides gone. They're still after Immortality, and the people who become vampires are strictly nobles (who choose to become vampires), which means the end goal is still an immortal ruling class, which isn't really good for anyone else.
It's the downsides that make it a curse. Otherwise it would be a blessing.
Good story this week, the shoe thing aside. I wonder if Bolas knows Ixalan is a Planeswalker gravity well and knows if the Sun is what makes it that.
Yes he does, and yes he does. Here are the relevant quote:
"Depart for your voyage. You will not be able to return until your task is complete."
It shows that he knows planeswalkers can't leave (You will not be able to return) and that he knows his mission for her will remove that restriction (until your task is complete).
Good story this week, the shoe thing aside. I wonder if Bolas knows Ixalan is a Planeswalker gravity well and knows if the Sun is what makes it that.
Yes he does, and yes he does. Here are the relevant quote:
"Depart for your voyage. You will not be able to return until your task is complete."
It shows that he knows planeswalkers can't leave (You will not be able to return) and that he knows his mission for her will remove that restriction (until your task is complete).
It appears that Vraska did not PW from Ravnica to Ixalan but from Ravnica to Bolas's Meditation Realm. As such, it would seem that Lightning Bug's 'bug' was due to the spell Bolas provided than anything about Ixalan.
Also brings up... how does Lightning Bug identify the destination plane? Not as in 'sense' but name. Does it actually give the plane's name (as if the plane itself knows its own name) or does it give a description that Ral Zarek identifies, or what? If the latter (which is far more probable) how does it handle a plane that he's never been to?
As for the story itself, it's very good. I don't think they're setting up a romance between Jace and Vraska, but more of a firm friendship. Ironically, the reason that Nicol Bolas 'sent' Jace to Ixalan (and Vraska to Jace: Note the compass points him out) may be to pay Vraska. Could not the Living Guildpact name Guildmasters?
Biggest question from this story is which associate of Bolas's is going to show up? Possible entrants include:
1) Tezzeret. Most likely, especially if Ixalan doesn't jam the Planar Bridge. In fact, obtaining the Immortal Sun might have been one of the main reasons Bolas wanted the Bridge.
2) Ral Zarek. This is highly UNlikely, as Ral Zarek knows both Jace and Vraska quite well.
3) Liliana. This would be Magnificent Bastard levels on Bolas's part, and would immediately kickstart the nasty Love Triangle of Vraska/Jace/Liliana. Remember that Bolas knows Jace is on Ixalan and he has a favor to call in from Liliana (technically).
4) Sarkhan. Quite unlikely. He is, however, the one (past) associate of Bolas that does NOT know Jace, or at least not well or while sane.
5) Someone new.
The other major question is whether Bolas expects Jace to survive Ixalan. I find it unlikely. Given that he knows where Jace is (from information in Hour and podcasts as I recall) and that the compass he gave pointed directly to him... he meant Vraska to find Jace. It's possible that he knew (from Ral) of Jace's and Vraska's past and expected her to just petrify him immediately. Because the trick is, as above, every likely person to go pick up the Immortal Sun knows who Jace is, and would blow his amnesia.
I think it's worth mentioning, from those that bring up the Meditation Realm as the blip in Project Lightning Bug, that we only know about anything the project reads because of Ral, who we now know is an Agent of Bolas. The Meditation Realm doesn't have to be hidden, Ral just has to not mention it.
Also, I don't know if Bolas does know about Jace being there.
I think it's worth mentioning, from those that bring up the Meditation Realm as the blip in Project Lightning Bug, that we only know about anything the project reads because of Ral, who we now know is an Agent of Bolas. The Meditation Realm doesn't have to be hidden, Ral just has to not mention it.
Also, I don't know if Bolas does know about Jace being there.
I think it's worth mentioning, from those that bring up the Meditation Realm as the blip in Project Lightning Bug, that we only know about anything the project reads because of Ral, who we now know is an Agent of Bolas. The Meditation Realm doesn't have to be hidden, Ral just has to not mention it.
Also, I don't know if Bolas does know about Jace being there.
Edit: My phone's autocorrect is super bizarre.
I think Bolas made Jace 'Walk to Ixalan. He left an imprint of the Meditaation Plane for Vraska so she could pay him a visit. Plus it seems the compass pointed Vraska to Jace and the cards show Jace figures out how to use it.
I'm really liking all of the development Vraska's getting. She has goals, a history that explains her quirks and a set of personal rules from her assassin past that she (mostly) abides by.
As for this whole discussion about the high number of captain lady pirates, I find it refreshing. Like it was said before, it ultimately doesn't affect the story. I highly doubt that there are ONLY 4-5 captains roaming the seas of Ixalan. For all we know, there are hundreds of captains and the M/F ratio for Ixalan's captains is still 9:1. R&D and Creative just chose to mention these lady captains by name and gave some of them cards.
Women cannot be as physically strong as their male counterparts. Their upkeep, especially every month, even more so if pregnant, is hindering to being out on high seas like that. And a woman on a ship with deprived men is a recipe for disaster.
Damn, I must not have read the story where Lannery Storm doesn't have her crew plunder a ship because she had her period. A woman's reproductive cycle and her supposed inability to handle it and her ship full of horny men should disqualify her for the position of Captain but you're okay with dinosaurs, vampires and humans coexisting in the same world. Are you choosing to apply all real-world trends or just some?
I think it's worth mentioning, from those that bring up the Meditation Realm as the blip in Project Lightning Bug, that we only know about anything the project reads because of Ral, who we now know is an Agent of Bolas. The Meditation Realm doesn't have to be hidden, Ral just has to not mention it.
Also, I don't know if Bolas does know about Jace being there.
Edit: My phone's autocorrect is super bizarre.
I think its too much of a coincidence that Bolas whips Jace's ass, mind-screws him nearly to oblivion as he tries to walk away, and he JUST HAPPENS to end up in the world that's the next step of the plan.
It appears that Vraska did not PW from Ravnica to Ixalan but from Ravnica to Bolas's Meditation Realm. As such, it would seem that Lightning Bug's 'bug' was due to the spell Bolas provided than anything about Ixalan.
Also brings up... how does Lightning Bug identify the destination plane? Not as in 'sense' but name. Does it actually give the plane's name (as if the plane itself knows its own name) or does it give a description that Ral Zarek identifies, or what? If the latter (which is far more probable) how does it handle a plane that he's never been to?
As for the story itself, it's very good. I don't think they're setting up a romance between Jace and Vraska, but more of a firm friendship. Ironically, the reason that Nicol Bolas 'sent' Jace to Ixalan (and Vraska to Jace: Note the compass points him out) may be to pay Vraska. Could not the Living Guildpact name Guildmasters?
Biggest question from this story is which associate of Bolas's is going to show up? Possible entrants include:
1) Tezzeret. Most likely, especially if Ixalan doesn't jam the Planar Bridge. In fact, obtaining the Immortal Sun might have been one of the main reasons Bolas wanted the Bridge.
2) Ral Zarek. This is highly UNlikely, as Ral Zarek knows both Jace and Vraska quite well.
3) Liliana. This would be Magnificent Bastard levels on Bolas's part, and would immediately kickstart the nasty Love Triangle of Vraska/Jace/Liliana. Remember that Bolas knows Jace is on Ixalan and he has a favor to call in from Liliana (technically).
4) Sarkhan. Quite unlikely. He is, however, the one (past) associate of Bolas that does NOT know Jace, or at least not well or while sane.
5) Someone new.
The other major question is whether Bolas expects Jace to survive Ixalan. I find it unlikely. Given that he knows where Jace is (from information in Hour and podcasts as I recall) and that the compass he gave pointed directly to him... he meant Vraska to find Jace. It's possible that he knew (from Ral) of Jace's and Vraska's past and expected her to just petrify him immediately. Because the trick is, as above, every likely person to go pick up the Immortal Sun knows who Jace is, and would blow his amnesia.
Anyway, it's interesting, to say the least.
Bolas sent Jace to Ixalan? Did they say that on a podcast or something?
This week's storumybwas the best out of three for me hands down. It does a fantastic job of showing Vraska as an actual person and did a good job of addressing why she did not outright kill Jace the minute she found him which had been a sore point for me earlier. Also amnesiac Jace is much more interesting than old jace as everyone is saying and I am glad he is actually doing something more than just reading minds.
About Bolas's associate my personal wager is that its either Tezzeret or someone new. Vraska has been on Ixalan for a while now, at least before Amonkhet. The battle in Amonkhet happened a little over a month ago, which rules out Liliana being the agent. I doubt Bolas has forgotten Sarkhan's existence but since he went rogue Bolas would probably have to confront him first. Ral sounds like he is busy with his own project right now so I'd say no for him too.
Speaking of, do we know the timeframe for Vraska's meeting with Bolas and Mazirek's uprising?
this story hits a lot of warm, fuzzy spots for me.
the budding friendship between Jace an Vraska adds new dimensions to both characters, and is actually kinda fun to read. both of them get made a bit more likable in this story, and one can only hope these two stay in each other's good graces even after Jace has his memories back and is Guildpacting again. Who knows? maybe a certain team of supermages could be convinced to recruit a new member. The jacetus league doesn't have its Wolverine yet, and Vraska could easily fill that role. of course, her working for Bolas complicates things a bit.
Bolas' portrayal was very -for lack of a better term- seductive. if the reader didn't already know who Bolas was and what he was capable of, he would have come across as almost benevolent, or at the very least, kind of Ugin-like.
of course, this begs the question of Bolas' endgame. The only reason Nic would actually honor any agreement is if he thought he could use that person again in the future. While I'm certain it would be beneficial to have an assassin that can turn people to stone on retainer, I can easily see Bolas taking whatever item he sent Vraska for, not fixing the whole antiplaneswalking aura of Ixalan, and leaving her stranded there, or owing him a favor to leave.
Or not. Bolas always thinks of the long game, and maybe waiting a while to screw Vraska over would be a smarter thing to do.
It appears that Vraska did not PW from Ravnica to Ixalan but from Ravnica to Bolas's Meditation Realm. As such, it would seem that Lightning Bug's 'bug' was due to the spell Bolas provided than anything about Ixalan.
Also brings up... how does Lightning Bug identify the destination plane? Not as in 'sense' but name. Does it actually give the plane's name (as if the plane itself knows its own name) or does it give a description that Ral Zarek identifies, or what? If the latter (which is far more probable) how does it handle a plane that he's never been to?
As for the story itself, it's very good. I don't think they're setting up a romance between Jace and Vraska, but more of a firm friendship. Ironically, the reason that Nicol Bolas 'sent' Jace to Ixalan (and Vraska to Jace: Note the compass points him out) may be to pay Vraska. Could not the Living Guildpact name Guildmasters?
Biggest question from this story is which associate of Bolas's is going to show up? Possible entrants include:
1) Tezzeret. Most likely, especially if Ixalan doesn't jam the Planar Bridge. In fact, obtaining the Immortal Sun might have been one of the main reasons Bolas wanted the Bridge.
2) Ral Zarek. This is highly UNlikely, as Ral Zarek knows both Jace and Vraska quite well.
3) Liliana. This would be Magnificent Bastard levels on Bolas's part, and would immediately kickstart the nasty Love Triangle of Vraska/Jace/Liliana. Remember that Bolas knows Jace is on Ixalan and he has a favor to call in from Liliana (technically).
4) Sarkhan. Quite unlikely. He is, however, the one (past) associate of Bolas that does NOT know Jace, or at least not well or while sane.
5) Someone new.
The other major question is whether Bolas expects Jace to survive Ixalan. I find it unlikely. Given that he knows where Jace is (from information in Hour and podcasts as I recall) and that the compass he gave pointed directly to him... he meant Vraska to find Jace. It's possible that he knew (from Ral) of Jace's and Vraska's past and expected her to just petrify him immediately. Because the trick is, as above, every likely person to go pick up the Immortal Sun knows who Jace is, and would blow his amnesia.
Anyway, it's interesting, to say the least.
Some very interesting observations here Scott - definitely in agreement with many of your points.
The Planar Bridge may be the only way out of Ixalan after all. Makes sense why Bolas didn't complete this task himself. Should the Bridge evacuation fail, he wouldn't want to be trapped there himself. I suspect Tezzeret will show up with it, Vraska, Jace and Tezzeret depart, ideally (for Bolas) with the Immortal Sun in tow. Involving a second agent after the Sun is acquired by the first seems unnecessary, unless the second agent is required in order for both (and Jace, since Bolas created the GW) to leave Ixalan. So it must be Tezzeret with the Bridge. I suspect Jace was tugged by Bolas to Ixalan because, as you mentioned, he would appoint Vraska as Guildmaster upon returning to Ravnica (so Bolas doesn't get his hands dirty doing it for her) and Jace's abilities probably secure Vraska's success in her mission.
lol "sexism" - Sultai's post isn't sexist at all. Women cannot be as physically strong as their male counterparts. Their upkeep, especially every month, even more so if pregnant, is hindering to being out on high seas like that. And a woman on a ship with deprived men is a recipe for disaster. Men don't get ahead because they're superior, it's just a logistics thing. Here I can see WOTC wants representation. My issue with equal representation is it makes women less special. Usually, when a woman is a leader (like Queen Miralda for example) in a man's world, I always think to myself damn, she made it to the top in a male-dominated world, and I'm compelled to know more. For me it actually detracts not to have more scarcity. In history the women who defied the odds and made it to the top are always the most interesting, such as Queen Elizabeth being a more powerful monarch than any Tutor men. Here, that appeal feels cheapened "eh, so it's a female ruler in a world where women in leader roles is ubiquitous - and lately, the status quo"
What's sexist to me is hemorrhaging out female characters to get even by the same means. Just to get numbers? Seems disingenuous to me. Look at the native PWs lately from the past several worlds. Not that I mind, but it's pretty transparent. Yet people still complain. Don't even get me started on how people on Blogatog want Maro to be aware of every gender term they identify with.
At least the sexism debate is better than the stupid race/history debate from a few pages ago that made me cringe. I can't believe some of the things people were saying. Quit buying into propaganda and being media sheep by taking everything at face value. I blame the mods for allowing the bait to stay fresh for so long and banning anyone who takes it.
On the bright side - I love Ixalan. It's finally what I've been asking for - a relatively peaceful exploration story that takes a survey of the natural world and its denizens and showcases them all on cards. Not apocalyptic wastelands and war scenes everywhere in a dismal trash heap of world. Cynthia Shepherd took the art in a very welcoming vibrant direction too. Plane is gorgeous and the story is refreshing and equally compelling.
Swing and a miss on the entire point of my post. Thanks for trying though.
The point was that worrying about the number of male vs female pirates, in any position of the hierarchy whatsoever, is entirely irrelevant to the story until Wizards tells us that there is a reason for it. Worrying about the numbers due to a comparison of how it relates to the real world historical writings of what pirates were is even LESS relevant in a fantasy setting that is simply based on our idea of pirates.
Thus, counting the number of males vs. females just seems petty at this point.
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First, there's the fact that Bolas can slip invitations to his Meditation Realm to people who likely don't want to be found. Now this isn't a surprise per se, this is Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker after all. More that with the knowledge of Ral Zarek being a Bolas flunky, I'm guessing he would have been the one to do it. (And as a total aside, the continued fleshing out of Vraska's personality has me totally becoming smitten with her. Curl up by a fireplace with a history book? If this is cliched pandering I am guilty of falling for it.)
Second, for whatever reason, Bolas is happy to dangle guild leadership in front of Vraska. I'm going to guess that's also what he did with Ral Zarek. And it is nice to see Bolas using his mind magic to do more than just rip memories away from people. I'd love to see that represented mechanically where Bolas can download information to someone in a debilitating manner.
Third, and big one, Bolas gave Vraska a one-shot interplanar summoning spell. That's important, since the question becomes "Summon who?" Ral? Tezzeret? Sarkhan? Does Bolas even know that Sarkhan has been on his time travel shenanigans and is playing for Ugin now? With the speculation that Ugin is involved in Ixalan, having the spell summon Sarkhan only to deliver a massive "NOT AS PLANNED" to Bolas could be quite interesting. It could also be the first step to showing Bolas does have his limitations/has to deal with Ugin counter playing him.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
And I'm actually liking him now too.
It seems like the best thing they could do for Jace was to wipe him clean, and start building him from the ground up. I assume at some point, he'll get his memories back, and become somewhat of a hybrid between New Jace and Old Jace. I like it. It show's that Jace has the capability to be likeable.
Also am enjoying Vraska. She's definitely one of the better anti-heroes they've made for the game.
You're not tracking everyone's footwear? Personally I would have gone with a tasteful pair of combat boots. but that's only because Nikes haven't been invented it.
Reminded me of the end scene in Jurassic World, which got a laugh out of me.
I enjoyed this week's story. Honestly I've enjoyed them all so far. Really feeling this plane and its history. I do feel bad for the Legion of Dusk though. Kinda hoping they get the Immortal Sun. It was stolen from them after all, and I can empathize with wanted to be free of their curse too. Might do good for everyone on the plane if they were, perhaps.
The flats comment was dumb, but the story had a few strong lines too. I laughed when Jace went "Let's find out" hnnnnnggg <3 The dynamic of Jace and Vraska is pretty neat.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
"The River Heralds carve spells into jade, hoping to steer us from our course. But what right do they have to keep us from that which once was ours?"
This would indicate that the Sun Empire at least believes that Orazca and everything in it was once their's. Given the River Heralds' opposition to Orazca's rediscovery, efforts to keep the Sun Empire out of the interior, and the Immortal Sun apparently being within, I'd surmise that the Sun Empire had been using the Immortal Sun against the merfolk at some point in the past.
That doesn't appear line up particularly well, however, since the Sun was supposedly in the Legion of Dusk's possession until it was stolen and disappeared. At least, it doesn't appear to line up until you consider two things:
1. The Ixalan planeswalker binding spell appears to be an amalgam of the Sun Empire and Legion of Dusk symbols.
2. The Legion of Dusk's original home is unknown.
Acknowledging this, I propose that the Legion of Dusk and Sun Empire were once one civilization on the continent of Ixalan before having a falling out between the two groups. This would explain where the Legion of Dusk came from (driven off of the continent by those who'd become the Sun Empire), why the two groups' symbols appear to make up the binding spell (the civilization produced it), why there is a temple to an enemy bat god on Ixalan (once worshiped by those who'd become the Legion, the god became an enemy when those who'd become Legion became an enemy), how Orazca became lost (civil war weakened the Empire to the point where the River Heralds could force them out of the interior), why the River Heralds work to keep Orazca lost (they fear the power that was once used against them), and how the Immortal Sun was stolen from the Legion (they were force to leave it behind when they were driven out by those who'd become the Sun Empire).
I think it makes a lot of sense, but what do you guys think?
Jace continues to be a better character( and I had no issues with him before), now that his baggage has been removed, for now. Hope when he gets his memories back he'll be closer to who he is now( and it looks like that's more likey, given the 1st Ixalan story), than his old Living Guildpact self.
It's the downsides that make it a curse. Otherwise it would be a blessing.
Yes he does, and yes he does. Here are the relevant quote:
"Depart for your voyage. You will not be able to return until your task is complete."
It shows that he knows planeswalkers can't leave (You will not be able to return) and that he knows his mission for her will remove that restriction (until your task is complete).
It appears that Vraska did not PW from Ravnica to Ixalan but from Ravnica to Bolas's Meditation Realm. As such, it would seem that Lightning Bug's 'bug' was due to the spell Bolas provided than anything about Ixalan.
Also brings up... how does Lightning Bug identify the destination plane? Not as in 'sense' but name. Does it actually give the plane's name (as if the plane itself knows its own name) or does it give a description that Ral Zarek identifies, or what? If the latter (which is far more probable) how does it handle a plane that he's never been to?
As for the story itself, it's very good. I don't think they're setting up a romance between Jace and Vraska, but more of a firm friendship. Ironically, the reason that Nicol Bolas 'sent' Jace to Ixalan (and Vraska to Jace: Note the compass points him out) may be to pay Vraska. Could not the Living Guildpact name Guildmasters?
Biggest question from this story is which associate of Bolas's is going to show up? Possible entrants include:
1) Tezzeret. Most likely, especially if Ixalan doesn't jam the Planar Bridge. In fact, obtaining the Immortal Sun might have been one of the main reasons Bolas wanted the Bridge.
2) Ral Zarek. This is highly UNlikely, as Ral Zarek knows both Jace and Vraska quite well.
3) Liliana. This would be Magnificent Bastard levels on Bolas's part, and would immediately kickstart the nasty Love Triangle of Vraska/Jace/Liliana. Remember that Bolas knows Jace is on Ixalan and he has a favor to call in from Liliana (technically).
4) Sarkhan. Quite unlikely. He is, however, the one (past) associate of Bolas that does NOT know Jace, or at least not well or while sane.
5) Someone new.
The other major question is whether Bolas expects Jace to survive Ixalan. I find it unlikely. Given that he knows where Jace is (from information in Hour and podcasts as I recall) and that the compass he gave pointed directly to him... he meant Vraska to find Jace. It's possible that he knew (from Ral) of Jace's and Vraska's past and expected her to just petrify him immediately. Because the trick is, as above, every likely person to go pick up the Immortal Sun knows who Jace is, and would blow his amnesia.
Anyway, it's interesting, to say the least.
"Sailing. I know... sailing."
"Show me."
Also, I don't know if Bolas does know about Jace being there.
Edit: My phone's autocorrect is super bizarre.
As for this whole discussion about the high number of captain lady pirates, I find it refreshing. Like it was said before, it ultimately doesn't affect the story. I highly doubt that there are ONLY 4-5 captains roaming the seas of Ixalan. For all we know, there are hundreds of captains and the M/F ratio for Ixalan's captains is still 9:1. R&D and Creative just chose to mention these lady captains by name and gave some of them cards.
Damn, I must not have read the story where Lannery Storm doesn't have her crew plunder a ship because she had her period. A woman's reproductive cycle and her supposed inability to handle it and her ship full of horny men should disqualify her for the position of Captain but you're okay with dinosaurs, vampires and humans coexisting in the same world. Are you choosing to apply all real-world trends or just some?
Because man do I have some bad news for you.
"Kiora is the Aquaman of planeswalkers."
"Useless and everyone pretends to like her?"
I think its too much of a coincidence that Bolas whips Jace's ass, mind-screws him nearly to oblivion as he tries to walk away, and he JUST HAPPENS to end up in the world that's the next step of the plan.
Bolas sent Jace to Ixalan? Did they say that on a podcast or something?
This week's storumybwas the best out of three for me hands down. It does a fantastic job of showing Vraska as an actual person and did a good job of addressing why she did not outright kill Jace the minute she found him which had been a sore point for me earlier. Also amnesiac Jace is much more interesting than old jace as everyone is saying and I am glad he is actually doing something more than just reading minds.
About Bolas's associate my personal wager is that its either Tezzeret or someone new. Vraska has been on Ixalan for a while now, at least before Amonkhet. The battle in Amonkhet happened a little over a month ago, which rules out Liliana being the agent. I doubt Bolas has forgotten Sarkhan's existence but since he went rogue Bolas would probably have to confront him first. Ral sounds like he is busy with his own project right now so I'd say no for him too.
Speaking of, do we know the timeframe for Vraska's meeting with Bolas and Mazirek's uprising?
UBarrin, Master WizardU
USticher GeralfU
UIxidor, Reality SculptorU
UWNoyan Dar, Roil ShaperUW
the budding friendship between Jace an Vraska adds new dimensions to both characters, and is actually kinda fun to read. both of them get made a bit more likable in this story, and one can only hope these two stay in each other's good graces even after Jace has his memories back and is Guildpacting again. Who knows? maybe a certain team of supermages could be convinced to recruit a new member. The jacetus league doesn't have its Wolverine yet, and Vraska could easily fill that role. of course, her working for Bolas complicates things a bit.
Bolas' portrayal was very -for lack of a better term- seductive. if the reader didn't already know who Bolas was and what he was capable of, he would have come across as almost benevolent, or at the very least, kind of Ugin-like.
of course, this begs the question of Bolas' endgame. The only reason Nic would actually honor any agreement is if he thought he could use that person again in the future. While I'm certain it would be beneficial to have an assassin that can turn people to stone on retainer, I can easily see Bolas taking whatever item he sent Vraska for, not fixing the whole antiplaneswalking aura of Ixalan, and leaving her stranded there, or owing him a favor to leave.
Or not. Bolas always thinks of the long game, and maybe waiting a while to screw Vraska over would be a smarter thing to do.
Click the pic for more info.
The Planar Bridge may be the only way out of Ixalan after all. Makes sense why Bolas didn't complete this task himself. Should the Bridge evacuation fail, he wouldn't want to be trapped there himself. I suspect Tezzeret will show up with it, Vraska, Jace and Tezzeret depart, ideally (for Bolas) with the Immortal Sun in tow. Involving a second agent after the Sun is acquired by the first seems unnecessary, unless the second agent is required in order for both (and Jace, since Bolas created the GW) to leave Ixalan. So it must be Tezzeret with the Bridge. I suspect Jace was tugged by Bolas to Ixalan because, as you mentioned, he would appoint Vraska as Guildmaster upon returning to Ravnica (so Bolas doesn't get his hands dirty doing it for her) and Jace's abilities probably secure Vraska's success in her mission.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Swing and a miss on the entire point of my post. Thanks for trying though.
The point was that worrying about the number of male vs female pirates, in any position of the hierarchy whatsoever, is entirely irrelevant to the story until Wizards tells us that there is a reason for it. Worrying about the numbers due to a comparison of how it relates to the real world historical writings of what pirates were is even LESS relevant in a fantasy setting that is simply based on our idea of pirates.
Thus, counting the number of males vs. females just seems petty at this point.