I am not really sure I understand the measuring of story in word count. Is that an actual criteria? Like, does a set have more story if the marketing team wrote more surface level (and often contradictory) summaries than another set with weekly online stories?
Not quiet. As I realized a planeswalker's guide is a given on the first visit to a plane, after that its a short summary for a plane that is being returned. So where OG Innistrad only had its massive planeswalkers guide, Theros Beyond Death won't even have that.
Previously, on Theros . . .
To fight the sun god Heliod, the forge god Purphoros created a sword capable of damaging the divine. The two gods battled, disrupting the celestial resting place of an ancient and powerful hydra: Polukranos, World Eater. Enraged, the hydra stormed through the mortal realm of Theros until it was sealed by Heliod and the hunt god Nylea.
The Planeswalker Elspeth arrived in Theros during the climax of Heliod and Purphoros's battle. She saw Purphoros' sword flung from his hands, and planeswalked away with it. She returned to Theros fifteen years later and faced an angry Heliod. But the god regained his bearings and realized Elspeth could help him, so he reforged the sword into the spear Godsend. Wielding this weapon, Elspeth was able to defeat the newly awakened Polukranos.
Meanwhlie, the satyr Planeswalker Xenagos had hatched a plan to ascend to godhood. By cultivating belief and devotion among his followers, he was able to transcend mortality and join the other gods in their home of Nyx. Xenagos planned to use his new status for ill, so Elspeth vowed to stop him. She journeyed to Nyx and stabbed Xenagos with Godsend, destroying him once and for all.
Fearful of her power and knowledge of the multiverse, Heliod stabbed Elspeth with her very own weapon, which shattered afterwards. Dying, Elspeth's soul became trapped in the Underworld of Erebos where it remains . . . for now.
Now, we return to Theros . . .
Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis
Dying on Theros doesn't mean your story is over, and Elspeth's next chapter is just beginning. Something has been disturbing her well-deserved rest in Ilysia-and whats up with that strange black spear?
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
Ashiok continues to spread a unique brand of nightmares throughout Theros. Not even the Underworld is safe from such dark power, and Elspeth's twisted memories are all too delicious for Ashiok to ignore.
Athreos, Shroud-Veiled
Athreos is the god responsible for taking the dead across the Rivers That Ring and into the Underworld. When he lays his staff across the water of one of the five rivers, it becomes a boat to carry the dead.
^
Word Count: 352 words
Character Count: 2,123 characters.
Its still in progress but this is basically where all the story they want to share on the website will be. They even state that you should check in with this page to see updates to it later on as more cards get revealed.
World building and plot summary =/= real prose.
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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"
Not quiet. As I realized a planeswalker's guide is a given on the first visit to a plane, after that its a short summary for a plane that is being returned. So where OG Innistrad only had its massive planeswalkers guide, Theros Beyond Death won't even have that.
Previously, on Theros . . .
To fight the sun god Heliod, the forge god Purphoros created a sword capable of damaging the divine. The two gods battled, disrupting the celestial resting place of an ancient and powerful hydra: Polukranos, World Eater. Enraged, the hydra stormed through the mortal realm of Theros until it was sealed by Heliod and the hunt god Nylea.
The Planeswalker Elspeth arrived in Theros during the climax of Heliod and Purphoros's battle. She saw Purphoros' sword flung from his hands, and planeswalked away with it. She returned to Theros fifteen years later and faced an angry Heliod. But the god regained his bearings and realized Elspeth could help him, so he reforged the sword into the spear Godsend. Wielding this weapon, Elspeth was able to defeat the newly awakened Polukranos.
Meanwhlie, the satyr Planeswalker Xenagos had hatched a plan to ascend to godhood. By cultivating belief and devotion among his followers, he was able to transcend mortality and join the other gods in their home of Nyx. Xenagos planned to use his new status for ill, so Elspeth vowed to stop him. She journeyed to Nyx and stabbed Xenagos with Godsend, destroying him once and for all.
Fearful of her power and knowledge of the multiverse, Heliod stabbed Elspeth with her very own weapon, which shattered afterwards. Dying, Elspeth's soul became trapped in the Underworld of Erebos where it remains . . . for now.
Now, we return to Theros . . .
Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis
Dying on Theros doesn't mean your story is over, and Elspeth's next chapter is just beginning. Something has been disturbing her well-deserved rest in Ilysia-and whats up with that strange black spear?
Ashiok, Nightmare Muse
Ashiok continues to spread a unique brand of nightmares throughout Theros. Not even the Underworld is safe from such dark power, and Elspeth's twisted memories are all too delicious for Ashiok to ignore.
Athreos, Shroud-Veiled
Athreos is the god responsible for taking the dead across the Rivers That Ring and into the Underworld. When he lays his staff across the water of one of the five rivers, it becomes a boat to carry the dead.
^
Word Count: 352 words
Character Count: 2,123 characters.
Its still in progress but this is basically where all the story they want to share on the website will be. They even state that you should check in with this page to see updates to it later on as more cards get revealed.
Yeah no clue what your going on about. If all Mirage block got was summary and world building info then yeah no prose there either.
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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"
Mirage block was literally a summary, some character portraits with information, and some worldbuilding. And was also the first triple set. Couple years before Thran.
Mirage block was literally a summary, some character portraits with information, and some worldbuilding. And was also the first triple set. Couple years before Thran.
Then yes it was a joke for story.
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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"
Mirage Block: Am I a joke to you?[/quote]Mirage block was literally a summary, some character portraits with information, and some worldbuilding. And was also the first triple set. Couple years before Thran.[/quote]
Pretty sure that Mirage and Visions got only backstory (albeit with a very pretty CYOA minisite), while Weatherlight got some short stories in the Rath and Storm Anthology
So, Calix sets an interesting precedent that some created beings can harbor a natural spark. Does this open up possibilities of a future angel planeswalker?
UNLESS Creative is throwing us a curveball and Calix actually houses Xenagos' spark (A calyx is a husk or pod). But how likely is that. I am also curious if they keep the nightsky effect on Calix when appearing out of Theros, considering it was established that the nightsky is a Theros phenomenon and the effect vanishes off world as shown with Thassa's Bident on Zendikar. Then again, it is a key component to Calix's character design and we know how fast and loose Wizards plays with established canon these days. :T
Also in other news, male nymphs. Male angels next, pretty please?
Yes, I believe Calix in fact houses Xenagos' spark. And I am a little bit disappointed that he isn't "Legendary Enchantment Planeswalker - Calix", but I get the line would be too long.
And about Bident of Thassa - on her regular card it seems Thassa holds other kind of tool, but in her "celestial" art, she has her old bident (which kind of makes sense, according to how myths and legends works on Theros).
Unfortunately the only info we have on Calix and probably the only thing will be that small paragraph. I hope we at least got a summary page with description of the events in this block, and more depth to Klothys. I have a theory about her but without any more info it is just pure speculation
Yeah, the Calix thing definitely needs to be explained.
Then again the defnition of "born" in MTG is inconsistent. For example Lorwyn flame-kin are "born" and apparently can theoretically hold a spark but they're just elementals spawned fully grown from a specific volcano.
Yeah, the Calix thing definitely needs to be explained.
Then again the defnition of "born" in MTG is inconsistent. For example Lorwyn flame-kin are "born" and apparently can theoretically hold a spark but they're just elementals spawned fully grown from a specific volcano.
And Bolas and Ugin where "born" from the Ur-Dragon essence (if that bit is indeed true).
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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"
Its fine, its fiiiiine , its fiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnneeeee.
Everyone thought Tezzeret would be the one to help the Phyrexian, but Ashiok has a much better reason to do so.
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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 appears Thassa’s new spear was forged for her by Purphoros. I wonder why he didn’t just forge her a second Bident?
Just to annoy you.
Anyway, I would be really disappointed if Heliod's Punishment is the only card regarding his fate. There is so many things to be explained...Calix's spark igniting, Elspeth meeting and slaying/wounding Heliod...they simply CANNOT do this offscreen, or it is even greater narrative failure than expected.
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100% Vorthos Spike and Storyline Expert
Former Fact Prospector of the Greek Alliance.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
It appears Thassa’s new spear was forged for her by Purphoros. I wonder why he didn’t just forge her a second Bident?
Just to annoy you.
Anyway, I would be really disappointed if Heliod's Punishment is the only card regarding his fate. There is so many things to be explained...Calix's spark igniting, Elspeth meeting and slaying/wounding Heliod...they simply CANNOT do this offscreen, or it is even greater narrative failure than expected.
There are many critical events that appear to be occurring offscreen unfortunately. Which is strange. Frankly I wanted follow up on Purphoros’s mind wipe, Thassa and her new weapon, the titans, Elspeth’s escape, Ashiok, Klothys, the titans, the gods warring and their demigods, Elspeth vs. Heliod vs. Erebos vs. Ashiok and finally Heliod’s fate (which I hope is humiliating tasks and pondering as opposed to death or divine removal)
-I wish we got a something more for this, this story looks awesome and would love to seen the mythology of the plane full explained
-The titans are indeed "real" while the gods where later born of mortal players for protection. This defiantly sets up that the current gods wound't have known about the titans and Klothys.
-Klothys is stuck in the underworld as the seal on the titans and it does look more like set up for Theros 3
-Gods damnit Ashiok is going to go learn about Phyrexians.
-The story suggests all the demigods where dead heros the gods raised into something more
-Heliod starts the war between the gods which leads to the drifts opening up
-Calix bit is puzzling and maybe dumb. Looks like somehow he or Klothys magic where able to give him a spark. Though it dose seem to have to do with him being made to fetch Elspeth back to the underworld.
-I have no idea what they are going with with Erabos. First he's like original greek hades and more neutral except when it comes to those who try to escape the underworld. Then he pulls the BS deal with Elspeth over Daxos. Then we get the blurb that he's basically pop culture petty tyrannical hades. And how after all this he gives Elspeth his gratitude and lets her leave for helping subdue Heliod?
-Overall this wasn't the best for vorthos at all. The cards telling a story is fine enough but its the extra details that not only gives context and such but there are just some little things they can't put down unless we get a war of the spark like set where every card is a story moment.
EDIT: Also some of the minor gods got epithets;
Kruphix Far-Seeing
Mogis Rage- Crowned
I really wish we had another set with the other minor gods, maybe their demigods and more titans.
Also Phenax was mortal once too, idk if they will expand on that but as Kruphix said maybe Phenax himself might have forgot this fact himself.
“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"
Two things came of this. Ashiok's visions are more real than most, and in one of them, Elspeth seized Heliod's spear Khrusor. When the vision had passed, a twisted version of the spear remained, dripping with darkness and power. Secondly, Ashiok learned of the Phyrexians' existence and promptly planeswalked away to learn more of these true living nightmares.
[quote]
Two things came of this. Ashiok's visions are more real than most, and in one of them, Elspeth seized Heliod's spear Khrusor. When the vision had passed, a twisted version of the spear remained, dripping with darkness and power. Secondly, Ashiok learned of the Phyrexians' existence and promptly planeswalked away to learn more of these true living nightmares.
I said that
It’s happening phyrexians are the next villian
Ashiok could be the next yawgmoth
And with Forsaken we know Teferi, Ajani and Karn are also on thier way there too.
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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"
Agreed, maybe Calix got a spark because his *fate* is to defeat Eslpeth and that can only be acomplished by him being able to planeswalk.
According to the story summary, it seems the titans are proto gods in the sense they're born out of primal feelings (hunger and wrath). In which case, why aren't they also enchantments? (could it be Nyx isn't the only medium through which beliefs and feelings are made real? Ashioks magic works independently)
They're made of flesh. Curiously like the Amonkhet gods they have a form of pseudo-devotion, so the actual question is why they're not gods aside from the mechanics perspective.
They're made of flesh. Curiously like the Amonkhet gods they have a form of pseudo-devotion, so the actual question is why they're not gods aside from the mechanics perspective.
Ok, so this is only a theory, but I suspect that the titans are generated by the plane itself, they seem to have more in common with the primordial greek gods than the greek titans or olympians: Incarnations of nature itself that are more than simple elementals. Nature's wrath, nature's hunger etc. Then, once sapient life began to develop on Theros, their beliefs affected Nyx, which birthed Kruphix, whose creation in turn caused a metaphysical change that allowed the other gods to come into existence through belief. And the rest is theran history.
I have to say, it's extremely frustrating that this summary and a few card illustrations and blurbs are the only thing we are getting out of this story, because all in all it seems to be quite the interesting one! The problem as others have said before is that too many details are lost and might not even exist as far as we know.
It also leads to the usual decrying of plotholes that might not even be ones if we had gotten a full story.
Why didn't Kruphix stop the gods from carrying out their fight against each other? He did so in Godsend with much less incentive (as far as I can remember)? On that note he is barely in the set, being mentioned once and being in an illustration once, without any card dedicated to him, which I'm quite disappointed by.
Erebos' characterisation is more in line with his previous appearance than people remember. He WANTS people to accept death so that they can be part of his domain and he is not happy at all about them wanting to leave (which is why letting Elspeth do that IS an enormous sign of gratitude). He is more melancholic in contrast to Heliod (who banished him, making his rage against him quite understandable) but still vain and despotical in the underworld. Not entirely unsympathetic and with understandable goals, but still not nearly as neutral as Hades (though also not nearly as tyrannical and satan-like as his usual depictions). What I want to say is: It fits.
Compressing the whole Calix story into a few sentences (with multiple battles being mentioned between him and Elspeth) makes it nearly incomprehensible. What was the fate the Klothys had thought of for Elspeth that was so important that she created an entire being to enforce it? What exactly is Calix purpose, simply returning Elspeth to Illysia? What is Calix anyway? A formerly dead human like the demigods, a nyxborn...? And of course how did he aquire a spark? There is just too much missing. Could be interesting if we get a follow-up to that.
Did the Titans escape or not? Did only the monocolored gods fight against each other? It is quite frustrating how many details we didn't quite get and how many events are only hinted at. Oh well.
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Are you happy that is all the story you will get out of it? There is no more articles after it, no comics, no novels, not even a planeswalker's guide.
|| 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 ||
World building and plot summary =/= real prose.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Yeah no clue what your going on about. If all Mirage block got was summary and world building info then yeah no prose there either.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Then yes it was a joke for story.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Pretty sure that Mirage and Visions got only backstory (albeit with a very pretty CYOA minisite), while Weatherlight got some short stories in the Rath and Storm Anthology
UNLESS Creative is throwing us a curveball and Calix actually houses Xenagos' spark (A calyx is a husk or pod). But how likely is that. I am also curious if they keep the nightsky effect on Calix when appearing out of Theros, considering it was established that the nightsky is a Theros phenomenon and the effect vanishes off world as shown with Thassa's Bident on Zendikar. Then again, it is a key component to Calix's character design and we know how fast and loose Wizards plays with established canon these days. :T
Also in other news, male nymphs. Male angels next, pretty please?
And about Bident of Thassa - on her regular card it seems Thassa holds other kind of tool, but in her "celestial" art, she has her old bident (which kind of makes sense, according to how myths and legends works on Theros).
An you've already got male angels on Amonkhet ;-)
Then again the defnition of "born" in MTG is inconsistent. For example Lorwyn flame-kin are "born" and apparently can theoretically hold a spark but they're just elementals spawned fully grown from a specific volcano.
And Bolas and Ugin where "born" from the Ur-Dragon essence (if that bit is indeed true).
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
Ulrich the Politician
Zur the Rebel
Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
O-Kagachi, Mathas, Mairsil
"Non-Tribal" Tribal Generals, Eggs
Its fine, its fiiiiine , its fiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnneeeee.
Everyone thought Tezzeret would be the one to help the Phyrexian, but Ashiok has a much better reason to do so.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
|| 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 ||
Just to annoy you.
Anyway, I would be really disappointed if Heliod's Punishment is the only card regarding his fate. There is so many things to be explained...Calix's spark igniting, Elspeth meeting and slaying/wounding Heliod...they simply CANNOT do this offscreen, or it is even greater narrative failure than expected.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
|| 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 ||
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/theros-beyond-death-story-summary-2020-01-10
My big take ways
-I wish we got a something more for this, this story looks awesome and would love to seen the mythology of the plane full explained
-The titans are indeed "real" while the gods where later born of mortal players for protection. This defiantly sets up that the current gods wound't have known about the titans and Klothys.
-Klothys is stuck in the underworld as the seal on the titans and it does look more like set up for Theros 3
-Gods damnit Ashiok is going to go learn about Phyrexians.
-The story suggests all the demigods where dead heros the gods raised into something more
-Heliod starts the war between the gods which leads to the drifts opening up
-Calix bit is puzzling and maybe dumb. Looks like somehow he or Klothys magic where able to give him a spark. Though it dose seem to have to do with him being made to fetch Elspeth back to the underworld.
-I have no idea what they are going with with Erabos. First he's like original greek hades and more neutral except when it comes to those who try to escape the underworld. Then he pulls the BS deal with Elspeth over Daxos. Then we get the blurb that he's basically pop culture petty tyrannical hades. And how after all this he gives Elspeth his gratitude and lets her leave for helping subdue Heliod?
-Overall this wasn't the best for vorthos at all. The cards telling a story is fine enough but its the extra details that not only gives context and such but there are just some little things they can't put down unless we get a war of the spark like set where every card is a story moment.
EDIT: Also some of the minor gods got epithets;
Kruphix Far-Seeing
Mogis Rage- Crowned
I really wish we had another set with the other minor gods, maybe their demigods and more titans.
Also Phenax was mortal once too, idk if they will expand on that but as Kruphix said maybe Phenax himself might have forgot this fact himself.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
It’s happening phyrexians are the next villian
Ashiok could be the next yawgmoth
I said that
And with Forsaken we know Teferi, Ajani and Karn are also on thier way there too.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Agreed, maybe Calix got a spark because his *fate* is to defeat Eslpeth and that can only be acomplished by him being able to planeswalk.
According to the story summary, it seems the titans are proto gods in the sense they're born out of primal feelings (hunger and wrath). In which case, why aren't they also enchantments? (could it be Nyx isn't the only medium through which beliefs and feelings are made real? Ashioks magic works independently)
Ok, so this is only a theory, but I suspect that the titans are generated by the plane itself, they seem to have more in common with the primordial greek gods than the greek titans or olympians: Incarnations of nature itself that are more than simple elementals. Nature's wrath, nature's hunger etc. Then, once sapient life began to develop on Theros, their beliefs affected Nyx, which birthed Kruphix, whose creation in turn caused a metaphysical change that allowed the other gods to come into existence through belief. And the rest is theran history.
I have to say, it's extremely frustrating that this summary and a few card illustrations and blurbs are the only thing we are getting out of this story, because all in all it seems to be quite the interesting one! The problem as others have said before is that too many details are lost and might not even exist as far as we know.
It also leads to the usual decrying of plotholes that might not even be ones if we had gotten a full story.
Why didn't Kruphix stop the gods from carrying out their fight against each other? He did so in Godsend with much less incentive (as far as I can remember)? On that note he is barely in the set, being mentioned once and being in an illustration once, without any card dedicated to him, which I'm quite disappointed by.
Erebos' characterisation is more in line with his previous appearance than people remember. He WANTS people to accept death so that they can be part of his domain and he is not happy at all about them wanting to leave (which is why letting Elspeth do that IS an enormous sign of gratitude). He is more melancholic in contrast to Heliod (who banished him, making his rage against him quite understandable) but still vain and despotical in the underworld. Not entirely unsympathetic and with understandable goals, but still not nearly as neutral as Hades (though also not nearly as tyrannical and satan-like as his usual depictions). What I want to say is: It fits.
Compressing the whole Calix story into a few sentences (with multiple battles being mentioned between him and Elspeth) makes it nearly incomprehensible. What was the fate the Klothys had thought of for Elspeth that was so important that she created an entire being to enforce it? What exactly is Calix purpose, simply returning Elspeth to Illysia? What is Calix anyway? A formerly dead human like the demigods, a nyxborn...? And of course how did he aquire a spark? There is just too much missing. Could be interesting if we get a follow-up to that.
Did the Titans escape or not? Did only the monocolored gods fight against each other? It is quite frustrating how many details we didn't quite get and how many events are only hinted at. Oh well.