Welcome to Magic: The RPG. I hope that everyone enjoys it. This is basically the first post to the discussion thread. If you have not read over it please do. This thread is also the place to ask questions to me.
Cyouni, Murphy, Nai, and Caex Kothar are the WPLs for this RPG.
The plane that it takes place on is an alternate Dominaria.
Thousands of years ago, a powerful mage was banished to a far plane, where he planned his revenge.
Forty years ago, Yawgmoth returned, throwing the entire plane into turmoil. Urza's master plan to fight the Phyrexians wasn't complete, and he was forced to throw whatever he had into the fray. The Weatherlight, piloted by Jhoira, led the charge, while Urza and the other eight planeswalkers he enlisted marched on Phyrexia itself, armored in massive titans.
After the mutual invasion, leaving the plane of Phyrexia crippled, and Yawgmoth in control of Urborg and its surrounding areas, Karn takes the Weatherlight and what is left of Urza up into space, behind the Null Moon. They then use the power stored inside the moon to blast into Yawgmoth and the Phyrexian forces, forcing him to retreat into the crippled plane, leaving most of his surviving lieutenants behind. The power unleashed by the moon collapsed the stronghold, sealing the portal to Phyrexia, but not at cost. Most of the Weatherlight's advanced artifice was destroyed, including the planeswalking engine, and that which wasn't was absorbed into Karn, along with the spark of Urza, causing him to ascend.
Unfortunately, the Rathi overlay started to rip open the fabric of reality throughout the plane, and, eventually, the multiverse. This ended up causing the nature of the spark to change, weakening them. Because of this loss of power, most Planeswalkers went into hiding.
Now, the Phyrexians have returned, and they are not the only danger to the multiverse. With the Planeswalkers hiding, multiple factions have cropped up; some to fight them, some to assist them, some to take advantage of the fight for profit and power.
These groups are calling upon the mages of the worlds, vying for power.
Which side will you choose?
House Leaders
Barrin and Rayne
Color: Blue
Homeland: Tolaria
House: Lat-Nam Wizards
Korlash
Color: Black
Homeland: Urborg
House: Shimia Warlocks
Tahngarth
Color: Red
Homeland: Keld
House: Hammerheim Sorcerers
Crovax
Color: White
Homeland: Urborg
House: Benalia Paladins
Rofellos
Color: Green
Homeland: Llanowar
House: Shanodia Druids
Sisay steered the Weatherlight down and into Tantium’s docks. Of all the times for the guild- and house-masters to go to Esturin. The Phyrexians must have known that they would be going for their yearly competitions. They sent their Dragon Engines to Estark when the city would be the most vulnerable, with its leaders off on some godsforsaken mana-less island for their honor duels.
“Don’t tie it off too well,” Sisay shouted to the crewmembers. “We’ll be off soon as we pick up our passengers.”
Speaking of which, she thought to herself as the Weatherlight comes into dock. Crovax, Rofellos, and Tahngarth all leapt aboard moments before the ship comes to a complete stop. “Welcome aboard!” she shouted.
“Sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances,” Rofellos replied.
“I got your message. Where are Ertai and Radiant?”
“Radiant said she was flying there on her own to alert the masters. She took Selenia was with her,” Crovax said. “I have no idea where Ertai is. I assumed he would be here.”
Tahngarth nodded. “Hopefully that means the masters will be ready for us to pick them up once we get there.”
“We can only hope,” Sisay said. She turned and shouted to the crew. “Clear all moorings! Prepare to depart!”
“All right,” Hanna put her arm around her husband. “You were right. This was a good idea.”
Gerrard returned her embrace, as in front of them, the sun slowly set over the ocean. “It feels good to get out of that place,” he said. “It was getting a bit too rowdy in there.”
“I wonder if Korlash and Astor are still going in there?” she said. The fight had not ended by the time they had left.
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Gerrard smiled. “Korlash is not a warrior. He is a juggernaut.”
“Oh, I think you could take him,” Hanna played her finger up and down Gerrard’s chest.
“I thought you didn’t like it when I fight,” he said, smiling.
“Oh, I don’t like it when you fight,” she said, looking up into his eyes, “but I love it when you win.”
“Ah, I see how it is,” he leaned over to give her a peck on the lips. “Perhaps next time,” he assumed a regal posture and voice, “I should enter the arena like the knights of old, flourishing your handkerchief, and proclaiming that this victory shall be for the most beautiful woman in all the planes in all the multiverse!”
She laughed playfully. “Oh, you are such the romantic.”
“Oh? So that’s why you married me,” he said, smiling at her.
They fell into a peaceful silence, watching as the sun continued to slip below the horizon, two seagulls silhouetted against the beautiful reds and golds of the evening sky.
After a few minutes, the two birds made their way closer to the shore, revealing that their bodies were not, in fact, bird shaped.
“Are those Angels?” Hanna asked, sitting up.
Gerrard snapped back from his reverie. “I think they are…” he said, and stands up, helping Hanna to her feet. “Something must have happened back on the mainland,” he said, and ran forward into the surf to meet them.
The two angels went into a dive, flew low over the water, and came to a halt in front of Gerrard, hovering just over the surface of the water.
Radiant smiled. This alone was enough to tell Gerrard that there was going to be trouble much sooner than he had anticipated.
“There has been a change,” Selenia responds, also smiling cryptically.
Gerrard glanced back at Hanna. She had followed, and was a few yards behind him in the surf. The look on her face told him what his mind had already figured out: something was very wrong with these two.
“A change in what?” he asked, much more cautiously.
Both angels drew their weapons. “We no longer work for your houses,” Radiant looked at Gerrard, “nor your guilds,” she said to Hanna.
“The Order of Gix has called, and we have answered,” Selenia says, holding her sword towards Gerrard and Hannah.
A shock of cold fear struck Gerrard’s heart. He grabbed for his weapon…
…which was back in his room in the castle. As was Hanna’s.
With a look of sadistic glee at the terror in Gerrard’s eyes, Radiant swept downward towards Gerrard, both swords ready to strike, as Selenia flew towards Hanna.
Gerrard’s Benalish training took over. He dodged, and kicked his leg up, sending a spray of saltwater into Radiant’s face. She flinched, and tried to strike, but Gerrard jumped under her strike, grabbed her, and sent them both splashing into the surf.
Selenia swept forward towards Hanna. She rolled to the side, but too late. Selenia’s sword bit deeply into her leg. She went sprawling.
From his prone position, fighting Radiant for both of her swords, Gerrard saw Hanna get struck. With a cry of rage, he rolled over, splashing Radiant into the water again, and managed to wrench free a sword. He tried to scramble to his feet and run for Hanna, but Radiant grabbed him by the foot, sending him splashing down again. He barely got his sword down there to block Radiant’s strike that would have severed his leg.
Hanna pulled herself away from the advancing angel, her leg nearly useless from the cut. She backed into a large rock on the beach. Selenia smiled, and brought back her sword for a strike. She saw the clod of sand Hanna threw in her direction, and blocked it easily with her wing. She didn’t see the fist-sized rock that immediately followed it, and it caught her a nasty gash on her head. This rock threw Selenia sufficiently off balance for Hanna to make a leap, despite the searing pain in her leg, for Selenia’s sword. They wrestled for the weapon.
Radiant picked herself up out of the water, enraged. Water streamed off her blonde hair as she struck at Gerrard. They both traded blows, water spraying off of their blades and arms as they fought. Radiant kept flapping her wings at Gerrard, simultaneously sending a huge blast of water at her opponent, and drying her wings out so she could actually use them. Radiant slowly turned the fight, trying to force Gerrard deeper into the water.
Hanna started to twist Selenia’s wrist, trying to get her to drop the sword. “You’ve joined the Phyrexians then?” she says, struggling. “With what they want to do with the planet?”
Selenia grabbed Hanna’s hair with her free hand, and leaned down to her ear. “The Ineffable One shall rule Dominaria,” she whispered with her harmonious voice, and kicked Hanna in her wounded leg. Hanna cried out and fell onto her knees. “As he should have done for millennia,” Selenia said as she wrenched her sword free, and with one clean cut, severed Hanna’s head from her shoulders.
Gerrard, parrying a blow from Radiant, glanced over in time to see his love fall. With a wordless roar of rage, he backhanded Radiant out of the way, and charged Selenia. The other angel barely managed to bring her sword up in time for it to get knocked away from his vicious blow. He tackled her to the ground, lifted his stolen sword over his head…
And was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist from behind. Before he could make a move, he felt the piercing pain in his back as Radiant’s other sword ran him through. He looked at the sword protruding from his chest, absolutely stunned, jerked as Radiant pulled the sword out, and fell to the ground beside Selenia.
Radiant helped Selenia to her feet, and ruffled her feathers to get the seawater out. “Come,” she said, “We have a mission to complete.”
Radiant and Selenia took flight and made their way to the castle.
Gerrard, too wounded to move anything, stared at the only thing in front of him while his consciousness slowly slipped away: the body of his wife, her severed head nearby. “I’m sorry…” is all he could say before the darkness finally took him.
Behind him, the last sliver of the sun disappeared below the horizon.
Chapter 2
"I have identified a mage, my lord," said the shadowy figure.
Gix looked up. "And you are certain?"
"Absolutely," it said, "I will begin attempting to draw it out so it can be harvested."
Suddenly, a flickering image appeared in front of the shadow. "Lord Gix?" it says.
Gix glanced back at the shadowy man. "You may go, Zayor. I expect good reports."
"Yes my lord," the shadow said, and exited.
Turning back to the image, he nodded. "Status report, Ertai."
"We are on the island," the image of Ertai said. "Radiant and Selenia have reported that Gerrard and Hanna are dead. I am on my way to take out Tawnos."
Gix smiled cruelly. "Excellent," he says. "Continue with the operation. You have permission to fall back if they start to mount a defense."
"Yes, my master," Ertai says, and the image winks out.
Gix intertwined his fingers and smiled.
"Prepare for landing!" Sisay shouted out to the crew. "Lower the landing struts, we're coming in on the beach! Prepare to lower the ramp!"
"There's no one wating for us..." Rofellos said.
"Perhaps they're still in the castle?" Crovax said, doubt creeping into his voice.
"Something is very wrong..." Tahngarth snorted. "I can smell it."
The Weatherlight came in and landed on the beach, next to the dock. A ramp was lowered to the ground, and Tahngarth, Crovax, and Rofellos ran down it. Sisay followed, shouting another order to keep it ready for take-off.
“Let’s get to the castle,” Rofellos said.
Tawnos examined the needle on the cork, slowly moved the chunk of iron around it, and watched as the needle and cork slowly bobbed in the cup and followed the iron. “Hm,” he muses, “So it does work in a non-magical area.”
The door opened. Tawnos looked up. “Ah, Ertai. Funny seeing you here. I thought you were in Estark.” He looked down at the needle, then back up at Ertai. “This here is proof that the magnetic force does exist without magical influence… is that a mana battery?”
The blast of pure mana slammed into Tawnos, flinging him into the wall and knocking the wind out of him. Ertai kicked over the table, and walked over to him.
Tawnos finally got a breath in. “What… why…?”
“Well,” Ertai smiled, and picked him up, “times have changed. We need to move past the old, embrace the new order of things. The future is with the Ineffable One.”
Tawnos grasped weakly at Ertai, his body warped and twisted by the mana. “You… the Lord of Wastes?”
“But if you’re looking for an exact reason,” there was a whine as the mana battery was primed for another pulse, “It’s because I can.”
The four charged into the castle. They stared at the many doors off the hall. “Split up, send them back to the Weatherlight,” Sisay says.
Tahngarth ran down the hallway towards the house masters’ rooms. He was halfway down before an agonized cry tore through the hall. The great Minotaur doubled his speed, came to Tawnos’ room, and bashed through the door with one blow.
Ertai turned to the door, and dropped Tawnos’ twisted body.
With a growled “Traitorous WRETCH!” the Minotaur grabbed his axe and charged, horns at the ready.
He got halfway across the room before Ertai let off another blast of mana. It struck him full in the chest, sending him crashing into another table. The mana warped and twisted his body much as it did the late Tawnos.
Ertai checked his mana battery, and noticed that he had spent a lot of the stored mana. It probably had 2 shots left. He cursed, glanced at the Minotaur, and ran out.
Tahngarth groaned, and his hand twitched.
Mirri walked out of the kitchens into the main dining hall, stopping to lean back into the kitchen and say “My compliments to the chef.” She picked up one of the Poached Turin Salmon and took a bite as she walked towards the exit from the hall.
Before she got there, Rofellos and Crovax threw open the doors. “Mirri!” Rofellos shouted as they came over to her. “I’m glad we found you. The Phyrexians are attacking Estark.”
“We need to get everyone back,” said Crovax. “Where are they?”
After a moment of shock, Mirri dropped the plate on the table. “I left Astor, Radha, and Korlash in the arena.”
“Radiant will see to them,” said a beautiful voice from the hall’s entrance. Selenia stepped into the hall, her dark wings spreading out, her sword drawn. The image of radiance and beauty was marred slightly by the drying blood on her clothes and forehead.
“Selenia!” Crovax said in surprise. He started to walk towards her, “Good! Let’s get to—”
Mirri put her hand out, stopping him. “Selenia,” she asked, “whose blood is that?”
Selenia glanced at it as if she hadn’t known it was there. “Oh that?” she laughed, “That was either a servant or one of your fellow masters. I don’t recall which.”
Silence rang out at the causal, dismissive tone. Crovax took a step back towards the table and benches in disbelief.
Mirri drew her blades. “You’ve betrayed us.”
“I have made my choice. I have joined the winning side.”
Crovax tried to sit down, and missed, knocking the plate off the table as he went down. Mirri turned at the noise, and Rofellos barely managed to draw his sword and block Selenia’s surprise strike at Mirri. They both attacked Selenia, forcing her back. The Angel leapt into the air as two downward cuts swept down and scraped across each other. From her new angle, she kicked out, striking Rofellos in the temple. Completely disoriented, he stumbled and faceplanted into the wall.
As Rofellos slid to the floor, Mirri started furiously jabbing at the angel. Whenever she came down to strike, Mirri’s blades forced her back up.
Selenia laughed melodiously. “The kitten has claws!” she practically sang. Using her speed, she launched herself up and over Mirri, managing to land, and they started trading blows once again.
With two quick feints, Selenia threw the cat warrior off balance sufficiently to knock her sword away, and with a quick spin, she opened up Mirri’s stomach.
Selenia turned on her lover, lifting into the air with a slight smile on her face.
“No, please…” Crovax said, a tear trickling down his face. He couldn’t draw his sword… not on her.
Selenia merely approached, her sword outstretched.
“Selenia… my love?”
Selenia pulled back her sword to strike… and yelled in surprise as Mirri leapt upon her from behind. She flung herself into the air, struggling and trying to force the cat away from her throat. Mirri’s teeth tore into her shoulder instead of her intended target. Selenia halted her ascent suddenly, flaring her wings. Mirri’s inertia sent her up and over sufficiently for the angel to get a hold on her, and was flung around and down as Selenia brought her sword towards her target. Selenia drove downward with a cry of “For Phyrexia!”
That was what did it for Crovax. He drew his sword, and was already up and moving when Mirri was slammed into the ground, with Selenia’s sword through her chest.
Crovax grabbed Selenia by the shoulder, wrenching her from the body of his friend, and away from her sword. He grabbed her by the throat, and positioned his sword for a fatal strike.
“Crovax?” Selenia said in her beautiful voice. She looked Crovax in the eye with a look of pleading. “My love?”
Crovax’s sword tip quivered. Tears were streaming down his face. She had killed his fiends, his colleagues, Mirri… He knew what he had to do, but couldn’t bring himself to do it.
In defiance of Crovax’s thoughts, and available evidence, Mirri stood up, breathing heavily. Knowing she only had moments, she pulled out Selenia’s sword, and with her last ounce of strength, buried it into Selenia’s back to the hilt, right between her wingblades. The point protruded from her sternum. There was a look of shock and surprise on her face as Mirri fell forward and leaned her head on Selenia’s shoulder. Through a mouthful of blood, she said “For Dominaria,” before slumping to the floor.
“NO!” Crovax cried, dropping his own sword, and pulling Selenia to him.
Selenia gasped, trying to call a breath that would not come.
“No, no…” Crovax sobbed, holding her closely. “No, please… stay with me…”
Selenia’s eyes focused on Crovax one last time, before they rolled back in her head, and she went limp in his arms.
As his love’s body started to glow and fade away, Crovax broke down completely, and wept.
Chapter 3
Korlash roared, slamming his sword into the ground where Astor had been a fraction of a second before. Astor replies with a slash to the arm. Korlash ignores his wounds, and brings his sword around to block the second strike.
In the stands, Radha let out a whoop when her grandfather’s blow landed. By now, they all had lost track of time. Nobody knew how long Astor and Korlash had been going, nor cared for that matter. Both of them refused to back down, and refused to show any signs of fatigue.
Korlash swung his weapon; it wasn’t the real Blackblade, but a spare huge sword he had. Astor had to roll to the side to dodge it, leaving him off balance and not covering his flank. Korlash kept the sword’s momentum, kept it spinning over his head, and around again towards Astor’s unprotected flank.
It would have connected, had the door to the arena not been kicked out of its frame. The shock of the unexpected entrance caused Korlash to swing his sword over Astor’s head, and its tip to scrape across the ground. In the stands, Radha stood up and walked towards the edge of the arena.
Radiant stepped through the ruined doorway, drew her swords, and spread her wings wide.
Normally, seeing someone do this exact sequence of events was the cue to attempt to disembowel the attacker. In this case, the person doing it was Radiant, one of the higher-ranking members of House Benalia. This was sufficient reason to give pause.
She took this moment of confusion to her advantage. She leaned down, and leapt towards Astor and Korlash, swords out, her wings keeping her almost completely level in her leap. Astor was forced to repeat his roll to get out of range of her strikes, and Korlash flung his sword out, barely managing to block her strike.
The moment Radiant moved aggressively, Radha leapt forward, vaulted off of the railing, and drew her broken sword while in the air. Radiant flung her wings around, and barrel rolled into a catching block with her swords. Radha landed on Radiant, causing them both to slam into the ground. Radha rolled a little less gracefully than she intended, and came up on her knees.
Radiant, on the other hand, propelled herself up onto her feet, and brought one sword towards Astor and Korlash, the other towards Radha.
“Have you lost your mind, Radiant?” Korlash said, keeping his sword pointed at Radiant, and backing slowly away.
“Scared, Korlash?” Radiant said, smiling. She flared her wings once again; the dirt and dust accumulated from her impact with the ground was flicked off. “That’s not like you.”
Radha charged forward. An instant later Astor charged, bringing his sword around behind Radiant. Her first reaction was to block Radha, and she already had the momentum to do so. Instead, she spread her wings, and leapt upwards. Astor’s blade bounced off his granddaughter’s as they both tried to hit the angel, and they both ducked to avoid the Angel’s retaliatory blows, which opened up slashes on both of their backs. Radiant landed a short distance away, and the grandfather and granddaughter charged.
Radiant’s swordplay was almost like a graceful dance, her wings helping her keep her balance as she blocked and counterstriked against the two. Taken individually, Radha and Astor would be fighting like barbarians: efficient, to the point, and no flair. Looked at together, a strangely graceful duet emerged. Astor would parry a blow while Radha came in for a cross-slash. Radha would bring her sword down as Astor thrust upward. Together, the three formed a strange kind of dance, moving slowly around the arena.
The effect was spoiled once Korlash, who had run off to the side to grab his real weapon, re-entered the fray. Suddenly, it was three-on-one, and while Radiant was forced to devote more moves to blocking and defense and give up much more ground, she didn’t need to exert herself any more than she had. Korlash was throwing off Radha’s and Astor’s rhythm, and they started getting in each other’s way; the trio’s blades connected with each other’s as often as they did with Radiant’s.
A wild swing from Korlash gave Radiant an opportunity. She ducked under the swing, and Astor did as well. Seeing them both temporarily occupied, Radiant tucked her wings in, caught Radha’s sword with both of hers, and surged forward, slamming into Radha’s stomach with her shoulder, and propelling her backwards. Radha let out an “oof!” of surprise as the air was forced from her lungs, and fell unconscious as her head connected with one of the safety lamps hanging around the arena. She fell to the ground, metal and glass shards showering around her.
Radiant used the opportunity to get airborne, turned around to face her two standing combatants, and landed on the railing.
“Not playing around anymore, are you Korlash?” she said with a smile. “That the real Blackblade?”
Korlash tightened his grip on his sword. “You’ve joined the Phyrexians, haven’t you?” he growled, “That’s why you’ve turned against us.”
Radiant leapt down to the ground, so that she was level with the two. “Ooo, we’ve got a bright one here,” she said. “You sure you’re not a member of House Lat-Nam in disguise?”
Korlash charged forward, sword ready. Radiant dropped into a defensive stance. At the last possible second, Radiant spun, knocked Korlash’s swing off target, then slashed Korlash’s right leg with one sword, buried her other sword in his back, and with a cry of effort, used that force combined with his own momentum to slam him face-first into the wall, burying his helmed head several inches into the wall. Korlash’s body slumped down, his head stuck in the wall, and the blade clattering from his hand.
After this quick move, Radiant yanked her sword out, and flew forward to meet Astor mid-charge. Astor was forced to take a defensive posture as both of Radiant’s swords moved with angelic reflexes. Astor desperately tried to fight back, blocking blow after blow, sometimes just barely.
His luck was about to run out.
After he blocked a low thrust, Radiant held the blocked sword steady, and slashed downwards with the other at Astor’s wrists. Astor yanked back with his sword to block it, and at that moment, Radiant swung upward with her first sword, scissoring Astor’s sword out of his hands, and sending it spinning away.
Astor had a moment to throw himself backwards before Radiant struck. Instead of taking his head off, her sword merely opened his throat.
As Astor collapsed on the ground clutching at his spurting neck, Radiant stepped over him, and moved to finish his granddaughter off.
Before she could take more than a few steps, a loud crunch drew her attention back to Korlash. He had pulled his head out of his helm, which was still embedded in the wall. He grabbed his sword, and turned to Radiant, rage filling his clearly undead face.
Radiant hesitated, and swung her swords around towards Korlash. This will be tedious… she thinks to herself.
Korlash slowly approached Radiant, moving along the wall, approaching Radha’s location. Then, he leapt forward with a roar of rage, sword ready to strike.
Halfway there, Korlash was blindsided by a huge blast of mana striking him in the side. He was thrown sideways, crashed into the wall, and landed on Rahda.
“I’m sorry,” Ertai said to Radiant from the doorway, “did I interrupt something?”
“I was handling it,” Radiant snaps at Ertai.
He turned back into the hall, and blasted someone charging over. The man collapsed, his sword clattering towards Ertai’s feet. He picked it up. “My battery’s depleted, and they’re mounting a defense. Time to go.”
Radiant looked back at Korlash, who is trying to pick himself up. She flew over to Ertai, and they both made their way out.
Korlash shook his head, and got into a kneeling position. He checked Radha’s pulse, and found one. Barely. He picked her up, headed over to Astor, and found none in his still body. He picked Astor up as well, tossed his body over his shoulder, picked up his sword, and made his way out. He saw a man’s body, staring up at nothing, his chest a scorched mess. What was left of his clothes revealed him to be a crewman from the Weatherlight. Korlash then continued on, looking for Phyrexians and survivors alike.
Chapter 4
Korlash continued on through the castle, stepping over dozens of bodies of servants and general housekeepers. Still carrying Radha and Astor, he made his way to the main dining hall. In there, he found evidence of a huge battle. Blood was everywhere, along with Selinia’s armor, sword, and a few feathers, and the swords of Crovax, Rofellos, and Mirri. Seeing no bodies to check, he moved on.
With sword held at the front, he made his way to the House/Guildmasters’ rooms. One by one, he threw them open. Gerrard and Hanna’s room was empty, and their swords were still in there. Mirri’s was empty. Tawnos’ door had been completely destroyed.
Korlash set down Radha and Astor, readied his sword, and moved in.
He saw a battle zone. Tables had been overturned and destroyed, equipment scattered and shattered. The body of Tawnos was lying near the back wall, blackened and still smoking. A minotaur’s body was lying in the wreckage of another table. Korlash went over to this one; it was still breathing. “Tahngarth?” he asked.
The minotaur lifted himself up, carefully. He groaned every step of the way. He placed his hand on his head, and hesitated. He felt around his face, feeling the cosmetic damage of the mana. “Get me a mirror.”
Korlash would normally have been callous or cold, but since Tahngarth looked ready to shred something, he asked, “Are you sure? Okay, okay…” he added, noting the fury in Tahngarth’s face. He searched around for a moment, and found a half of a mirror that had fallen from the wall. He went over, picked it up, and brought it to Tahngarth.
The minotaur took the mirror, and examined his face, and the mutilation inflicted upon him.
After a few moments, the mirror cracked under Tahngarth’s grip. Immediately afterwards, he launched the mirror across the room, where it exploded. Tahngarth stood up in a rage. “When I find Ertai, I will tear him apart! I will crush his windpipe, and—”
“Tahngarth, Ertai did this to you?”
“Yes, the Godsdamned traitor did! Where is he? He won’t live to—”
“Ertai’s gone. He took Radiant and fled. Radiant killed Astor. Radha is alive, but barely. We have to get help.”
Tahngarth flexed his hands, as if he wanted to strangle something. Then, he took a deep breath. “Alright, let’s get out. The Weatherlight has landed outside. We should get to it.”
“I saw a dead crewman earlier. You sure you’re okay to walk? Okay, you’re the boss,” Korlash said as Tahngarth walked out the door, picked up Radha, and started to make his way to the exit.
Sisay came running into the main hall, sword drawn, dragging a few surviving attendants in tow. She gasped as the mutilated Tahngarth enters. “I’m fine” is all he says before he walked past.
She then saw Korlash carrying the body of Astor. “Gerrard, Hannah, Mirri, Crovax, Rofellos, and Selenia are either missing or dead. We must return to Kush and send reinforcements. A group to wipe out any Phyrexians remaining on the island.”
Sisay looked around, and reluctantly saw that Korlash was right. “Everyone!” she shouted, “We’re evacuating! Get the survivors to the Weatherlight. MOVE IT!”
As the Weatherlight crew got everybody they could out, she mumbled to herself, “Orim, I wish you were here…”
Hours later, Sisay walked out of Orim’s healing shop. “Tahngarth and Radha are going to be okay,” she says to the assembled House members and leaders. “Tahngarth’s mana burns have caused permanent scarring, however.”
Korlash nods, grimly.
“I’ve contacted Barrin and Rayne about their daughter and son-in-law missing,” Orim says, stepping out herself.. “They’re willing to come to Estark and take over for Tawnos in the interim, until a more permanent solution can be arranged.”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Korlash says, “I must go solidify my control of Shimia.” He walks off.
There’s a look of incredulity on Sisay’s and Orim faces at this.
“What are we going to do?” Orim asks.
“Keep fighting,” Sisay says. “We need to help Estark, make sure we can fight off the Phyrexians, and find our missing shipmates.”
“We can only hope the local mages will be able to help.”
Sisay only nods, looking out at the night sky, and the red glow on the horizon.
The new map that Ti'rin found is too large to attach, so here is the link to it.
maybe it's me but you look like you could use another WPL/mod for this...I'd be glad to help if you do.
I do need another WPL working with me on this due to the way that my schedule is. And on top of that this is the first RP that I have every ran.That was why I had BloodyDoves helping me at the beginning, but then **** hit the fan with him in real life and now he is gone from here.
For the moment however it will just be me, but I will be looking into it.
Hi all. I plan on posting up commission for each house, Estark city and Peanut's shop later tonight or tomorrow evening. They will be listed in the First post. Some will be for single characters and some for teams. Please respond to these in the Thread that they are posted in. I will start new threads for each commission after all sign up slots have been filled.
I will also be updating this page with a few of the questions that have been sent to me via PM that should be addressed so that they don't come up again.
Edit: Commissions are up for Benalia, Frankie Peanuts, Shanodia, and Shimia. The remainder will be posted up tomorrow evening.
I don't think using only cards from Xth is really fair for people who like black. Black doesn't really have very much good stuff in Xth\.
If that is your opinion, that is fine. I am not going to change my starting rules, and I am not forcing you to join in. Limiting starting characters to Xth was done for power level reasons. If you can't accept that then please move on to another RP on MTGS because mine is not changing.
If that is your opinion, that is fine. I am not going to change my starting rules, and I am not forcing you to join in. Limiting starting characters to Xth was done for power level reasons. If you can't accept that then please move on to another RP on MTGS because mine is not changing.
Take it easy, I wasn't trying to offend you or anything.
This actually makes me laugh. Black has fantastic spells for this campaign setting in Xth. You honestly just need to know what they are.
Well, let's have another look at the rules and the list then...
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We have laboured long to build a heaven, only to find it populated with horrors.
wondering about the quests and gathering mana, can we "play lands" before we actually face anything (Like Wynn is trying to do in the peanuts' escort thread) or does something actually have to attack us before we gather mana?
also, is the concept of mana burn at all relevant, and if so, how?
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Top 16 - 2012 Indiana State Championships Currently Playing: GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
For quest rewards, I know we can't take legendary creatures from standard, but I have 2 additional questions:
1) When you say creatures from standard, you are including Rares in there, right?
2) Just to make sure, when you say single spell, you mean the full 4 use gemstone right?
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Thanks to Alacar Leoricar -
Former R&D Development Team W leader
I know we can use the gemstones a max of four times, but do they recharge after a set time?
If the gems are one time use only (with four charges) I may want to repick mine, but if they recharge I'll keep.
and even then, you can get them with wishes and such...spells are never totally lost until you no longer have the gem (either by selling, trading, or losing it in a wager)
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wondering about the quests and gathering mana, can we "play lands" before we actually face anything (Like Wynn is trying to do in the peanuts' escort thread) or does something actually have to attack us before we gather mana?
also, is the concept of mana burn at all relevant, and if so, how?
No, you can't. You have to want until you are attacked. I am going to disregard the lands that Wynn played.
Mana Burn goes to keeping track of what you have just like a regular game of Magic, but you take the burn at the end of your post.
For quest rewards, I know we can't take legendary creatures from standard, but I have 2 additional questions:
1) When you say creatures from standard, you are including Rares in there, right?
2) Just to make sure, when you say single spell, you mean the full 4 use gemstone right?
I know we can use the gemstones a max of four times, but do they recharge after a set time?
If the gems are one time use only (with four charges) I may want to repick mine, but if they recharge I'll keep.
I'd say that you shouldn't double post, but that aside you should be alright...that's just me hypothesizing...
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you said we can lay down a mana every post but how long should we wait between posts?
When you are part of a group, wait at least until the others in your group have posted before you lay a land. But, not more then twice between Mod posts.
For combat, as I am doing in the Atalya mission, I listed that I would have mana available in response to an attack, as your post is not clear about how far away the opponents are. I only wish to cast a spell if they are close enough to actually do damage to me. Is it acceptable to wait as I am doing, or should I just cast the spell now, assuming they will come close enough to strike if I don't do something about it?
Oh, and @ Wrath_Of_DoG, I really wonder how you managed to get 3 mana in your opening post for your mission
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he (incorrectly) assumed that we start with 2 mana open before dropping the first land. that is the case in tournament matches, but since this is non-tourney combat, you only have the mana you play. he should only have 1 ranger in play.
Also, I will be gone starting tomorrow due to setting up everything at college. They're giving me a laptop but I won't get it until the 27th, so that'll be the earliest that I'll be able to get back to you.
I'll try to play what I can before then, but I need someone else to post first...
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModCyouni, Murphy, Nai, and Caex Kothar are the WPLs for this RPG.
This also be the main place for OOC Conversation.
For the old general discussion thread see here:Magic: The RPG [Opening Story Teaser; Players Interested?]
The plane that it takes place on is an alternate Dominaria.
Forty years ago, Yawgmoth returned, throwing the entire plane into turmoil. Urza's master plan to fight the Phyrexians wasn't complete, and he was forced to throw whatever he had into the fray. The Weatherlight, piloted by Jhoira, led the charge, while Urza and the other eight planeswalkers he enlisted marched on Phyrexia itself, armored in massive titans.
After the mutual invasion, leaving the plane of Phyrexia crippled, and Yawgmoth in control of Urborg and its surrounding areas, Karn takes the Weatherlight and what is left of Urza up into space, behind the Null Moon. They then use the power stored inside the moon to blast into Yawgmoth and the Phyrexian forces, forcing him to retreat into the crippled plane, leaving most of his surviving lieutenants behind. The power unleashed by the moon collapsed the stronghold, sealing the portal to Phyrexia, but not at cost. Most of the Weatherlight's advanced artifice was destroyed, including the planeswalking engine, and that which wasn't was absorbed into Karn, along with the spark of Urza, causing him to ascend.
Unfortunately, the Rathi overlay started to rip open the fabric of reality throughout the plane, and, eventually, the multiverse. This ended up causing the nature of the spark to change, weakening them. Because of this loss of power, most Planeswalkers went into hiding.
Now, the Phyrexians have returned, and they are not the only danger to the multiverse. With the Planeswalkers hiding, multiple factions have cropped up; some to fight them, some to assist them, some to take advantage of the fight for profit and power.
These groups are calling upon the mages of the worlds, vying for power.
Which side will you choose?
House Leaders
Barrin and Rayne
Color: Blue
Homeland: Tolaria
House: Lat-Nam Wizards
Korlash
Color: Black
Homeland: Urborg
House: Shimia Warlocks
Tahngarth
Color: Red
Homeland: Keld
House: Hammerheim Sorcerers
Crovax
Color: White
Homeland: Urborg
House: Benalia Paladins
Rofellos
Color: Green
Homeland: Llanowar
House: Shanodia Druids
Guilds
Azorius
Color: White/ Blue
Leader: Augustin IV
Boros
Color: White/ Red
Leader: Agrus Kos
Golgari
Color: Black/ Green
Leader: Savra
Gruul
Color: Red/ Green
Leader: Radha
Izzet
Color: Blue/ Red
Leader: Jhoira
Orzhov
Color: White/ Black
Leader: Teysa
Rakdos
Color: Black/Red
Leader: Lyzolda
Selesnya
Color: White/ Green
Leader: Sisay
Simic
Color: Blue/ Green
Leader: Momir Vig
“Damn and blast!”
Sisay steered the Weatherlight down and into Tantium’s docks. Of all the times for the guild- and house-masters to go to Esturin. The Phyrexians must have known that they would be going for their yearly competitions. They sent their Dragon Engines to Estark when the city would be the most vulnerable, with its leaders off on some godsforsaken mana-less island for their honor duels.
“Don’t tie it off too well,” Sisay shouted to the crewmembers. “We’ll be off soon as we pick up our passengers.”
Speaking of which, she thought to herself as the Weatherlight comes into dock. Crovax, Rofellos, and Tahngarth all leapt aboard moments before the ship comes to a complete stop. “Welcome aboard!” she shouted.
“Sorry it couldn’t be under better circumstances,” Rofellos replied.
“I got your message. Where are Ertai and Radiant?”
“Radiant said she was flying there on her own to alert the masters. She took Selenia was with her,” Crovax said. “I have no idea where Ertai is. I assumed he would be here.”
Tahngarth nodded. “Hopefully that means the masters will be ready for us to pick them up once we get there.”
“We can only hope,” Sisay said. She turned and shouted to the crew. “Clear all moorings! Prepare to depart!”
“All right,” Hanna put her arm around her husband. “You were right. This was a good idea.”
Gerrard returned her embrace, as in front of them, the sun slowly set over the ocean. “It feels good to get out of that place,” he said. “It was getting a bit too rowdy in there.”
“I wonder if Korlash and Astor are still going in there?” she said. The fight had not ended by the time they had left.
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Gerrard smiled. “Korlash is not a warrior. He is a juggernaut.”
“Oh, I think you could take him,” Hanna played her finger up and down Gerrard’s chest.
“I thought you didn’t like it when I fight,” he said, smiling.
“Oh, I don’t like it when you fight,” she said, looking up into his eyes, “but I love it when you win.”
“Ah, I see how it is,” he leaned over to give her a peck on the lips. “Perhaps next time,” he assumed a regal posture and voice, “I should enter the arena like the knights of old, flourishing your handkerchief, and proclaiming that this victory shall be for the most beautiful woman in all the planes in all the multiverse!”
She laughed playfully. “Oh, you are such the romantic.”
“Oh? So that’s why you married me,” he said, smiling at her.
They fell into a peaceful silence, watching as the sun continued to slip below the horizon, two seagulls silhouetted against the beautiful reds and golds of the evening sky.
After a few minutes, the two birds made their way closer to the shore, revealing that their bodies were not, in fact, bird shaped.
“Are those Angels?” Hanna asked, sitting up.
Gerrard snapped back from his reverie. “I think they are…” he said, and stands up, helping Hanna to her feet. “Something must have happened back on the mainland,” he said, and ran forward into the surf to meet them.
The two angels went into a dive, flew low over the water, and came to a halt in front of Gerrard, hovering just over the surface of the water.
“Selenia, Radiant!” Gerrard said. “What’s happened?”
Radiant smiled. This alone was enough to tell Gerrard that there was going to be trouble much sooner than he had anticipated.
“There has been a change,” Selenia responds, also smiling cryptically.
Gerrard glanced back at Hanna. She had followed, and was a few yards behind him in the surf. The look on her face told him what his mind had already figured out: something was very wrong with these two.
“A change in what?” he asked, much more cautiously.
Both angels drew their weapons. “We no longer work for your houses,” Radiant looked at Gerrard, “nor your guilds,” she said to Hanna.
“The Order of Gix has called, and we have answered,” Selenia says, holding her sword towards Gerrard and Hannah.
A shock of cold fear struck Gerrard’s heart. He grabbed for his weapon…
…which was back in his room in the castle. As was Hanna’s.
With a look of sadistic glee at the terror in Gerrard’s eyes, Radiant swept downward towards Gerrard, both swords ready to strike, as Selenia flew towards Hanna.
Gerrard’s Benalish training took over. He dodged, and kicked his leg up, sending a spray of saltwater into Radiant’s face. She flinched, and tried to strike, but Gerrard jumped under her strike, grabbed her, and sent them both splashing into the surf.
Selenia swept forward towards Hanna. She rolled to the side, but too late. Selenia’s sword bit deeply into her leg. She went sprawling.
From his prone position, fighting Radiant for both of her swords, Gerrard saw Hanna get struck. With a cry of rage, he rolled over, splashing Radiant into the water again, and managed to wrench free a sword. He tried to scramble to his feet and run for Hanna, but Radiant grabbed him by the foot, sending him splashing down again. He barely got his sword down there to block Radiant’s strike that would have severed his leg.
Hanna pulled herself away from the advancing angel, her leg nearly useless from the cut. She backed into a large rock on the beach. Selenia smiled, and brought back her sword for a strike. She saw the clod of sand Hanna threw in her direction, and blocked it easily with her wing. She didn’t see the fist-sized rock that immediately followed it, and it caught her a nasty gash on her head. This rock threw Selenia sufficiently off balance for Hanna to make a leap, despite the searing pain in her leg, for Selenia’s sword. They wrestled for the weapon.
Radiant picked herself up out of the water, enraged. Water streamed off her blonde hair as she struck at Gerrard. They both traded blows, water spraying off of their blades and arms as they fought. Radiant kept flapping her wings at Gerrard, simultaneously sending a huge blast of water at her opponent, and drying her wings out so she could actually use them. Radiant slowly turned the fight, trying to force Gerrard deeper into the water.
Hanna started to twist Selenia’s wrist, trying to get her to drop the sword. “You’ve joined the Phyrexians then?” she says, struggling. “With what they want to do with the planet?”
Selenia grabbed Hanna’s hair with her free hand, and leaned down to her ear. “The Ineffable One shall rule Dominaria,” she whispered with her harmonious voice, and kicked Hanna in her wounded leg. Hanna cried out and fell onto her knees. “As he should have done for millennia,” Selenia said as she wrenched her sword free, and with one clean cut, severed Hanna’s head from her shoulders.
Gerrard, parrying a blow from Radiant, glanced over in time to see his love fall. With a wordless roar of rage, he backhanded Radiant out of the way, and charged Selenia. The other angel barely managed to bring her sword up in time for it to get knocked away from his vicious blow. He tackled her to the ground, lifted his stolen sword over his head…
And was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist from behind. Before he could make a move, he felt the piercing pain in his back as Radiant’s other sword ran him through. He looked at the sword protruding from his chest, absolutely stunned, jerked as Radiant pulled the sword out, and fell to the ground beside Selenia.
Radiant helped Selenia to her feet, and ruffled her feathers to get the seawater out. “Come,” she said, “We have a mission to complete.”
Radiant and Selenia took flight and made their way to the castle.
Gerrard, too wounded to move anything, stared at the only thing in front of him while his consciousness slowly slipped away: the body of his wife, her severed head nearby. “I’m sorry…” is all he could say before the darkness finally took him.
Behind him, the last sliver of the sun disappeared below the horizon.
Chapter 2
"I have identified a mage, my lord," said the shadowy figure.
Gix looked up. "And you are certain?"
"Absolutely," it said, "I will begin attempting to draw it out so it can be harvested."
Suddenly, a flickering image appeared in front of the shadow. "Lord Gix?" it says.
Gix glanced back at the shadowy man. "You may go, Zayor. I expect good reports."
"Yes my lord," the shadow said, and exited.
Turning back to the image, he nodded. "Status report, Ertai."
"We are on the island," the image of Ertai said. "Radiant and Selenia have reported that Gerrard and Hanna are dead. I am on my way to take out Tawnos."
Gix smiled cruelly. "Excellent," he says. "Continue with the operation. You have permission to fall back if they start to mount a defense."
"Yes, my master," Ertai says, and the image winks out.
Gix intertwined his fingers and smiled.
"Prepare for landing!" Sisay shouted out to the crew. "Lower the landing struts, we're coming in on the beach! Prepare to lower the ramp!"
"There's no one wating for us..." Rofellos said.
"Perhaps they're still in the castle?" Crovax said, doubt creeping into his voice.
"Something is very wrong..." Tahngarth snorted. "I can smell it."
The Weatherlight came in and landed on the beach, next to the dock. A ramp was lowered to the ground, and Tahngarth, Crovax, and Rofellos ran down it. Sisay followed, shouting another order to keep it ready for take-off.
“Let’s get to the castle,” Rofellos said.
Tawnos examined the needle on the cork, slowly moved the chunk of iron around it, and watched as the needle and cork slowly bobbed in the cup and followed the iron. “Hm,” he muses, “So it does work in a non-magical area.”
The door opened. Tawnos looked up. “Ah, Ertai. Funny seeing you here. I thought you were in Estark.” He looked down at the needle, then back up at Ertai. “This here is proof that the magnetic force does exist without magical influence… is that a mana battery?”
The blast of pure mana slammed into Tawnos, flinging him into the wall and knocking the wind out of him. Ertai kicked over the table, and walked over to him.
Tawnos finally got a breath in. “What… why…?”
“Well,” Ertai smiled, and picked him up, “times have changed. We need to move past the old, embrace the new order of things. The future is with the Ineffable One.”
Tawnos grasped weakly at Ertai, his body warped and twisted by the mana. “You… the Lord of Wastes?”
“But if you’re looking for an exact reason,” there was a whine as the mana battery was primed for another pulse, “It’s because I can.”
The four charged into the castle. They stared at the many doors off the hall. “Split up, send them back to the Weatherlight,” Sisay says.
Tahngarth ran down the hallway towards the house masters’ rooms. He was halfway down before an agonized cry tore through the hall. The great Minotaur doubled his speed, came to Tawnos’ room, and bashed through the door with one blow.
Ertai turned to the door, and dropped Tawnos’ twisted body.
With a growled “Traitorous WRETCH!” the Minotaur grabbed his axe and charged, horns at the ready.
He got halfway across the room before Ertai let off another blast of mana. It struck him full in the chest, sending him crashing into another table. The mana warped and twisted his body much as it did the late Tawnos.
Ertai checked his mana battery, and noticed that he had spent a lot of the stored mana. It probably had 2 shots left. He cursed, glanced at the Minotaur, and ran out.
Tahngarth groaned, and his hand twitched.
Mirri walked out of the kitchens into the main dining hall, stopping to lean back into the kitchen and say “My compliments to the chef.” She picked up one of the Poached Turin Salmon and took a bite as she walked towards the exit from the hall.
Before she got there, Rofellos and Crovax threw open the doors. “Mirri!” Rofellos shouted as they came over to her. “I’m glad we found you. The Phyrexians are attacking Estark.”
“We need to get everyone back,” said Crovax. “Where are they?”
After a moment of shock, Mirri dropped the plate on the table. “I left Astor, Radha, and Korlash in the arena.”
“Radiant will see to them,” said a beautiful voice from the hall’s entrance. Selenia stepped into the hall, her dark wings spreading out, her sword drawn. The image of radiance and beauty was marred slightly by the drying blood on her clothes and forehead.
“Selenia!” Crovax said in surprise. He started to walk towards her, “Good! Let’s get to—”
Mirri put her hand out, stopping him. “Selenia,” she asked, “whose blood is that?”
Selenia glanced at it as if she hadn’t known it was there. “Oh that?” she laughed, “That was either a servant or one of your fellow masters. I don’t recall which.”
Silence rang out at the causal, dismissive tone. Crovax took a step back towards the table and benches in disbelief.
Mirri drew her blades. “You’ve betrayed us.”
“I have made my choice. I have joined the winning side.”
Crovax tried to sit down, and missed, knocking the plate off the table as he went down. Mirri turned at the noise, and Rofellos barely managed to draw his sword and block Selenia’s surprise strike at Mirri. They both attacked Selenia, forcing her back. The Angel leapt into the air as two downward cuts swept down and scraped across each other. From her new angle, she kicked out, striking Rofellos in the temple. Completely disoriented, he stumbled and faceplanted into the wall.
As Rofellos slid to the floor, Mirri started furiously jabbing at the angel. Whenever she came down to strike, Mirri’s blades forced her back up.
Selenia laughed melodiously. “The kitten has claws!” she practically sang. Using her speed, she launched herself up and over Mirri, managing to land, and they started trading blows once again.
With two quick feints, Selenia threw the cat warrior off balance sufficiently to knock her sword away, and with a quick spin, she opened up Mirri’s stomach.
Selenia turned on her lover, lifting into the air with a slight smile on her face.
“No, please…” Crovax said, a tear trickling down his face. He couldn’t draw his sword… not on her.
Selenia merely approached, her sword outstretched.
“Selenia… my love?”
Selenia pulled back her sword to strike… and yelled in surprise as Mirri leapt upon her from behind. She flung herself into the air, struggling and trying to force the cat away from her throat. Mirri’s teeth tore into her shoulder instead of her intended target. Selenia halted her ascent suddenly, flaring her wings. Mirri’s inertia sent her up and over sufficiently for the angel to get a hold on her, and was flung around and down as Selenia brought her sword towards her target. Selenia drove downward with a cry of “For Phyrexia!”
That was what did it for Crovax. He drew his sword, and was already up and moving when Mirri was slammed into the ground, with Selenia’s sword through her chest.
Crovax grabbed Selenia by the shoulder, wrenching her from the body of his friend, and away from her sword. He grabbed her by the throat, and positioned his sword for a fatal strike.
“Crovax?” Selenia said in her beautiful voice. She looked Crovax in the eye with a look of pleading. “My love?”
Crovax’s sword tip quivered. Tears were streaming down his face. She had killed his fiends, his colleagues, Mirri… He knew what he had to do, but couldn’t bring himself to do it.
In defiance of Crovax’s thoughts, and available evidence, Mirri stood up, breathing heavily. Knowing she only had moments, she pulled out Selenia’s sword, and with her last ounce of strength, buried it into Selenia’s back to the hilt, right between her wingblades. The point protruded from her sternum. There was a look of shock and surprise on her face as Mirri fell forward and leaned her head on Selenia’s shoulder. Through a mouthful of blood, she said “For Dominaria,” before slumping to the floor.
“NO!” Crovax cried, dropping his own sword, and pulling Selenia to him.
Selenia gasped, trying to call a breath that would not come.
“No, no…” Crovax sobbed, holding her closely. “No, please… stay with me…”
Selenia’s eyes focused on Crovax one last time, before they rolled back in her head, and she went limp in his arms.
As his love’s body started to glow and fade away, Crovax broke down completely, and wept.
Chapter 3
Korlash roared, slamming his sword into the ground where Astor had been a fraction of a second before. Astor replies with a slash to the arm. Korlash ignores his wounds, and brings his sword around to block the second strike.
In the stands, Radha let out a whoop when her grandfather’s blow landed. By now, they all had lost track of time. Nobody knew how long Astor and Korlash had been going, nor cared for that matter. Both of them refused to back down, and refused to show any signs of fatigue.
Korlash swung his weapon; it wasn’t the real Blackblade, but a spare huge sword he had. Astor had to roll to the side to dodge it, leaving him off balance and not covering his flank. Korlash kept the sword’s momentum, kept it spinning over his head, and around again towards Astor’s unprotected flank.
It would have connected, had the door to the arena not been kicked out of its frame. The shock of the unexpected entrance caused Korlash to swing his sword over Astor’s head, and its tip to scrape across the ground. In the stands, Radha stood up and walked towards the edge of the arena.
Radiant stepped through the ruined doorway, drew her swords, and spread her wings wide.
Normally, seeing someone do this exact sequence of events was the cue to attempt to disembowel the attacker. In this case, the person doing it was Radiant, one of the higher-ranking members of House Benalia. This was sufficient reason to give pause.
She took this moment of confusion to her advantage. She leaned down, and leapt towards Astor and Korlash, swords out, her wings keeping her almost completely level in her leap. Astor was forced to repeat his roll to get out of range of her strikes, and Korlash flung his sword out, barely managing to block her strike.
The moment Radiant moved aggressively, Radha leapt forward, vaulted off of the railing, and drew her broken sword while in the air. Radiant flung her wings around, and barrel rolled into a catching block with her swords. Radha landed on Radiant, causing them both to slam into the ground. Radha rolled a little less gracefully than she intended, and came up on her knees.
Radiant, on the other hand, propelled herself up onto her feet, and brought one sword towards Astor and Korlash, the other towards Radha.
“Have you lost your mind, Radiant?” Korlash said, keeping his sword pointed at Radiant, and backing slowly away.
“Scared, Korlash?” Radiant said, smiling. She flared her wings once again; the dirt and dust accumulated from her impact with the ground was flicked off. “That’s not like you.”
Radha charged forward. An instant later Astor charged, bringing his sword around behind Radiant. Her first reaction was to block Radha, and she already had the momentum to do so. Instead, she spread her wings, and leapt upwards. Astor’s blade bounced off his granddaughter’s as they both tried to hit the angel, and they both ducked to avoid the Angel’s retaliatory blows, which opened up slashes on both of their backs. Radiant landed a short distance away, and the grandfather and granddaughter charged.
Radiant’s swordplay was almost like a graceful dance, her wings helping her keep her balance as she blocked and counterstriked against the two. Taken individually, Radha and Astor would be fighting like barbarians: efficient, to the point, and no flair. Looked at together, a strangely graceful duet emerged. Astor would parry a blow while Radha came in for a cross-slash. Radha would bring her sword down as Astor thrust upward. Together, the three formed a strange kind of dance, moving slowly around the arena.
The effect was spoiled once Korlash, who had run off to the side to grab his real weapon, re-entered the fray. Suddenly, it was three-on-one, and while Radiant was forced to devote more moves to blocking and defense and give up much more ground, she didn’t need to exert herself any more than she had. Korlash was throwing off Radha’s and Astor’s rhythm, and they started getting in each other’s way; the trio’s blades connected with each other’s as often as they did with Radiant’s.
A wild swing from Korlash gave Radiant an opportunity. She ducked under the swing, and Astor did as well. Seeing them both temporarily occupied, Radiant tucked her wings in, caught Radha’s sword with both of hers, and surged forward, slamming into Radha’s stomach with her shoulder, and propelling her backwards. Radha let out an “oof!” of surprise as the air was forced from her lungs, and fell unconscious as her head connected with one of the safety lamps hanging around the arena. She fell to the ground, metal and glass shards showering around her.
Radiant used the opportunity to get airborne, turned around to face her two standing combatants, and landed on the railing.
“Not playing around anymore, are you Korlash?” she said with a smile. “That the real Blackblade?”
Korlash tightened his grip on his sword. “You’ve joined the Phyrexians, haven’t you?” he growled, “That’s why you’ve turned against us.”
Radiant leapt down to the ground, so that she was level with the two. “Ooo, we’ve got a bright one here,” she said. “You sure you’re not a member of House Lat-Nam in disguise?”
Korlash charged forward, sword ready. Radiant dropped into a defensive stance. At the last possible second, Radiant spun, knocked Korlash’s swing off target, then slashed Korlash’s right leg with one sword, buried her other sword in his back, and with a cry of effort, used that force combined with his own momentum to slam him face-first into the wall, burying his helmed head several inches into the wall. Korlash’s body slumped down, his head stuck in the wall, and the blade clattering from his hand.
After this quick move, Radiant yanked her sword out, and flew forward to meet Astor mid-charge. Astor was forced to take a defensive posture as both of Radiant’s swords moved with angelic reflexes. Astor desperately tried to fight back, blocking blow after blow, sometimes just barely.
His luck was about to run out.
After he blocked a low thrust, Radiant held the blocked sword steady, and slashed downwards with the other at Astor’s wrists. Astor yanked back with his sword to block it, and at that moment, Radiant swung upward with her first sword, scissoring Astor’s sword out of his hands, and sending it spinning away.
Astor had a moment to throw himself backwards before Radiant struck. Instead of taking his head off, her sword merely opened his throat.
As Astor collapsed on the ground clutching at his spurting neck, Radiant stepped over him, and moved to finish his granddaughter off.
Before she could take more than a few steps, a loud crunch drew her attention back to Korlash. He had pulled his head out of his helm, which was still embedded in the wall. He grabbed his sword, and turned to Radiant, rage filling his clearly undead face.
Radiant hesitated, and swung her swords around towards Korlash. This will be tedious… she thinks to herself.
Korlash slowly approached Radiant, moving along the wall, approaching Radha’s location. Then, he leapt forward with a roar of rage, sword ready to strike.
Halfway there, Korlash was blindsided by a huge blast of mana striking him in the side. He was thrown sideways, crashed into the wall, and landed on Rahda.
“I’m sorry,” Ertai said to Radiant from the doorway, “did I interrupt something?”
“I was handling it,” Radiant snaps at Ertai.
He turned back into the hall, and blasted someone charging over. The man collapsed, his sword clattering towards Ertai’s feet. He picked it up. “My battery’s depleted, and they’re mounting a defense. Time to go.”
Radiant looked back at Korlash, who is trying to pick himself up. She flew over to Ertai, and they both made their way out.
Korlash shook his head, and got into a kneeling position. He checked Radha’s pulse, and found one. Barely. He picked her up, headed over to Astor, and found none in his still body. He picked Astor up as well, tossed his body over his shoulder, picked up his sword, and made his way out. He saw a man’s body, staring up at nothing, his chest a scorched mess. What was left of his clothes revealed him to be a crewman from the Weatherlight. Korlash then continued on, looking for Phyrexians and survivors alike.
Chapter 4
Korlash continued on through the castle, stepping over dozens of bodies of servants and general housekeepers. Still carrying Radha and Astor, he made his way to the main dining hall. In there, he found evidence of a huge battle. Blood was everywhere, along with Selinia’s armor, sword, and a few feathers, and the swords of Crovax, Rofellos, and Mirri. Seeing no bodies to check, he moved on.
With sword held at the front, he made his way to the House/Guildmasters’ rooms. One by one, he threw them open. Gerrard and Hanna’s room was empty, and their swords were still in there. Mirri’s was empty. Tawnos’ door had been completely destroyed.
Korlash set down Radha and Astor, readied his sword, and moved in.
He saw a battle zone. Tables had been overturned and destroyed, equipment scattered and shattered. The body of Tawnos was lying near the back wall, blackened and still smoking. A minotaur’s body was lying in the wreckage of another table. Korlash went over to this one; it was still breathing. “Tahngarth?” he asked.
The minotaur lifted himself up, carefully. He groaned every step of the way. He placed his hand on his head, and hesitated. He felt around his face, feeling the cosmetic damage of the mana. “Get me a mirror.”
Korlash would normally have been callous or cold, but since Tahngarth looked ready to shred something, he asked, “Are you sure? Okay, okay…” he added, noting the fury in Tahngarth’s face. He searched around for a moment, and found a half of a mirror that had fallen from the wall. He went over, picked it up, and brought it to Tahngarth.
The minotaur took the mirror, and examined his face, and the mutilation inflicted upon him.
After a few moments, the mirror cracked under Tahngarth’s grip. Immediately afterwards, he launched the mirror across the room, where it exploded. Tahngarth stood up in a rage. “When I find Ertai, I will tear him apart! I will crush his windpipe, and—”
“Tahngarth, Ertai did this to you?”
“Yes, the Godsdamned traitor did! Where is he? He won’t live to—”
“Ertai’s gone. He took Radiant and fled. Radiant killed Astor. Radha is alive, but barely. We have to get help.”
Tahngarth flexed his hands, as if he wanted to strangle something. Then, he took a deep breath. “Alright, let’s get out. The Weatherlight has landed outside. We should get to it.”
“I saw a dead crewman earlier. You sure you’re okay to walk? Okay, you’re the boss,” Korlash said as Tahngarth walked out the door, picked up Radha, and started to make his way to the exit.
Sisay came running into the main hall, sword drawn, dragging a few surviving attendants in tow. She gasped as the mutilated Tahngarth enters. “I’m fine” is all he says before he walked past.
She then saw Korlash carrying the body of Astor. “Gerrard, Hannah, Mirri, Crovax, Rofellos, and Selenia are either missing or dead. We must return to Kush and send reinforcements. A group to wipe out any Phyrexians remaining on the island.”
Sisay looked around, and reluctantly saw that Korlash was right. “Everyone!” she shouted, “We’re evacuating! Get the survivors to the Weatherlight. MOVE IT!”
As the Weatherlight crew got everybody they could out, she mumbled to herself, “Orim, I wish you were here…”
Hours later, Sisay walked out of Orim’s healing shop. “Tahngarth and Radha are going to be okay,” she says to the assembled House members and leaders. “Tahngarth’s mana burns have caused permanent scarring, however.”
Korlash nods, grimly.
“I’ve contacted Barrin and Rayne about their daughter and son-in-law missing,” Orim says, stepping out herself.. “They’re willing to come to Estark and take over for Tawnos in the interim, until a more permanent solution can be arranged.”
“If you’ll excuse me,” Korlash says, “I must go solidify my control of Shimia.” He walks off.
There’s a look of incredulity on Sisay’s and Orim faces at this.
“What are we going to do?” Orim asks.
“Keep fighting,” Sisay says. “We need to help Estark, make sure we can fight off the Phyrexians, and find our missing shipmates.”
“We can only hope the local mages will be able to help.”
Sisay only nods, looking out at the night sky, and the red glow on the horizon.
The new map that Ti'rin found is too large to attach, so here is the link to it.
The map of this world is attached to this post.
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModI do need another WPL working with me on this due to the way that my schedule is. And on top of that this is the first RP that I have every ran.That was why I had BloodyDoves helping me at the beginning, but then **** hit the fan with him in real life and now he is gone from here.
For the moment however it will just be me, but I will be looking into it.
Also can we please keep the OOC talk here.
@Sengir: That's what I did.
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For your information, it's pronounced Argh + was.
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModI will also be updating this page with a few of the questions that have been sent to me via PM that should be addressed so that they don't come up again.
Edit: Commissions are up for Benalia, Frankie Peanuts, Shanodia, and Shimia. The remainder will be posted up tomorrow evening.
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModIf that is your opinion, that is fine. I am not going to change my starting rules, and I am not forcing you to join in. Limiting starting characters to Xth was done for power level reasons. If you can't accept that then please move on to another RP on MTGS because mine is not changing.
Former R&D Development Team W leader
For your information, it's pronounced Argh + was.
Proud Co-Founder of
Magic Coffeehouse!
Come in, sit down, relax, get to know somebody!
Take it easy, I wasn't trying to offend you or anything.
Well, let's have another look at the rules and the list then...
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModThe Black spells in Xth are IMO pretty damn good for this RP. If you do it right you can come up with some nasty combinations.
If you are still interested post up in The Road to Estark, and send me the satchel that you want to work with.
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Non-Staff Quasi-Modalso, is the concept of mana burn at all relevant, and if so, how?
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
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1) When you say creatures from standard, you are including Rares in there, right?
2) Just to make sure, when you say single spell, you mean the full 4 use gemstone right?
Former R&D Development Team W leader
For your information, it's pronounced Argh + was.
Proud Co-Founder of
Magic Coffeehouse!
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If the gems are one time use only (with four charges) I may want to repick mine, but if they recharge I'll keep.
thanks DarkNightCavalier for the sig!
My Trade Thread
Your spells are never lost unless you actually remove the gems from your Satchel.
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModNo, you can't. You have to want until you are attacked. I am going to disregard the lands that Wynn played.
Mana Burn goes to keeping track of what you have just like a regular game of Magic, but you take the burn at the end of your post.
1. Rares are included.
2. Yes, I do mean a full 4 use gem.
They reset only after combat is finished.
They work in the same fashion as normal basics, but in non-tournament combat they will add a thin layer of snow.
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP
thanks DarkNightCavalier for the sig!
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Non-Staff Quasi-ModWhen you are part of a group, wait at least until the others in your group have posted before you lay a land. But, not more then twice between Mod posts.
Oh, and @ Wrath_Of_DoG, I really wonder how you managed to get 3 mana in your opening post for your mission
Former R&D Development Team W leader
For your information, it's pronounced Argh + was.
Proud Co-Founder of
Magic Coffeehouse!
Come in, sit down, relax, get to know somebody!
Also, I will be gone starting tomorrow due to setting up everything at college. They're giving me a laptop but I won't get it until the 27th, so that'll be the earliest that I'll be able to get back to you.
I'll try to play what I can before then, but I need someone else to post first...
Currently Playing:
GBStandard - Golgari Safari MidrangeBG
RBWModern - Mardu PyromancerWBR
RLegacy - Good Old Fashioned BurnR
Clan Contest 3 Mafia - Mafia Co-MVP