So Ono is basically Xenagos with Blue instead of Red right?
Yeah, Oko is basically what Xenagos could have been if not killed. He's less directly violent than Xenagos (blue instead of red), but even more manipulative. Xenagos caused chaos outright, Oko just nudges here and there and enjoys the chaos unravel by itself. Xenagos made Elspeth kill Daxos under a spell, Oko changed Algenus Kenrith to a stag and led it to be the target of the Midwinter hunt in order for the elves to slay it (compelled by spell and tradition) and by that incite the war between the Realms and the Wilds. But he e.g. ordered Garruk to mercilessly slay the King's entourage (two people) before transforming him, so it depends.
And whereas Xenagos was basically content with overthrowing Theros gods, Oko wants to topple every rule-bound sovereign (in his eyes, rules are tyranny), demask hypocrites, liars, false preachers etc.
Overall great writing very engaging. Elliot is able to again really able to draw you into her writing. I spent 3 hour being reading it and it didn’t feel all that long. I also feel like she does a better job giving out all the explosion that the setting and backstory for character very well. Loved her for Chronicles of Bolas and I’m so happy she was brought back for this.
Characters
I going from who I liked best to worst. I will say I didn’t outright hate or any characters so the character not mentioned I liked just didn’t love them
Will- Will ended up being my favorite character. Similar to current Jace Will is insightful and curious and due to that he was able to see the man under the monster in Garruk. I loved the moments he and Garruk Elliot did a great job at having Will and Rowan both work as a pair but still separate people. Will out of the two is the calm and knowledgeable one. He’s the one who when Rowan has a plan is able to figure out how to execute it. But while Rowan is out for glory, Will is out for knowledge wanting to learn and find out secrets. While a bit bland at just using ice magic, I like that it back up with swordplay and gives Will a combat aspect that we don’t see much in blue. Overall my favorite character.
Garruk
Damn. Just damn. Garruk story in Eldraine was beautiful. Garruk for the most part was a victim for most of his storyline. First off we get info on his mother who was a soldier who seems to be where Garruk giot his fighting skills while his nature magic side is from his father. This story really drove it home with Oko enslaving him and dehumanizing him. Then we finally get Will seeing his humanity and ended up helping Garruk himself. I like the curse free broken Garruk, the man who animals come to and feel claimed by. Also it seems his hate for other humans is leesen some by Will and Rowan since instead of hunting Oko (or Liliana) he chose first to get in on them. Reminded of how Kratos was in the Norse God of War, still a badass but no longer driven by rage and anger. I welcome Garruk back as a mono green druid and now maybe father/big brother like character. While I feel like its kinda rushed that Garruk suddenly got cured, it does fit with creative goal of closing loose ends of storylines that been going on for awhile (Eldrazi, Bolas, Liliana Demons, Jace and Chandra dealing with their pasts and homes ect). I’m really thinking Garruk might be a link to a bigger story arc and might end up joining the gatewatch with a similar goal as Nissa to protect life.
Elowin
I enjoyed the snarky and very blue Elowin. A few times I thought she was really Oko with how tell she was able to get through the Wilds, but I like the twist of how she was able to use a witch hex to survive instead and that she was the one who figured out Oko. I bet she will really loved to hear the secrets of where Will and Rowan went lol.
Oko
I enjoy Oko. I like him as an antagonist even if in person I’d want to hit him. He very much fills that Puck fey trickster, alien, cruel and playing a game in which he does his best to control the rules. As a few people wondered about the red or black, I relaized readin that Oko cruelness was a lack of empathy or caring about emotion of other something blue is known for though more typically a cold scientific minded person. We also saw he can be very charming and manipulative. We also learn he can also transform anyone he's touching when he transforms himself. Also his card is the most flavorful I think I’ve seen, he offers food to the protagonists, he transform their father into a stage (elk) before stealing him.
Rowan
I liked Rowan well enough. She is the typical fairy tale disney princess who “wants adventure in the great wide somewheres”. With WIll she is the bold one who often is the one who makes the (not always thought out) plans and push them into action, but on her own she seeks fame, glory and the freedom of knight hood. As I said with Will, Elliot did great on giving the twins great personalities that work well but still are their own people. While Idid dislike Rowan I just didn’t like her as much as the other characters.
Rest of the Kenriths
More a group but I love how the Kenrtih family is. First I love the message of having a blended family that loves and supports each other. I like that they don’t call Linden their stepmother but rather their mother and the other women their birth mother. I think Erec and Hazel are cute and would love to see them on cards. I also like the psudeo-twist on Lancelot/Mordred where Algenus has the twins out of wedlock and the mother is a witch. Linden using the “one use one life” sword magic on twins makes me wonder if that's why they share a spark. Overall I love the Kenriths and hope Will and Rowan show up again and we get to see their family on Eldraine again too.
Plane/Setting
While a bit differnt then I was hoping for in a fairy tale set I’m overall happy from the book presented the world. I really think the fairy tale elements are needed since the high fantasy elements felt a bit overdone without the odd mention of a fairy tale trope. While I haven't played a huge amount it very much felt like World of the Witcher. We have the Realms with its five courts and the Wilds where “bad” and wild magic is let run. People set off on knighty quest given by a Quest Beast. This is also how the high king is picked. From we story we find out the races of Eldraine include;
Goblins called Redcaps who keep the myth tradition of being blood stained and attack villages in mobs.
An Archon appears so it's likely no angels on the plane.
Elves who split into two groups, the ones in the Realms and the ones in the Wilds.
Some tension between elves and humans but it seems some of the elves are willing to work with decent human rules. They also do a wild hunt each midwinter.
Giants are shown as mostly more tame though not unsure if there are the more evil ones.
Small trickster fairies appear similar to ones normally found in magic, though they poof when killed.
Orge are mentioned as a threat to humans.
When a person dies in the WIlds they can become a lich who uses soul life sucking magic to make more of themselves.
Dragons are mentioned as an untamable creature on Eldraine following no elf or person.
Undine, Merfolk, who live in waters are will trade in secrets or information.
Thanks for the great post, pal. I did not have enough time to read it thoroughly and enjoy it thoroughly yet, but I am stoked now even more.
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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)
Will and Rowan are children of Algenus Kenrith, the High King, but not their mother.
Algenus was bewitched by a witch living in a cottage by a love potion, in order to fall in love and impregnate her
That was successful, the witch needed the child to kill it for its blood and use it for eternal youth potion (Mother Gothel, anyone?)
The twins were born and killed, but Linden, Algenus' wife, used her life-bound sword to revive them.
The book revolves also around Midsummer's hunt, by elves. Kind of "Lords and Ladies" by Pratchett vibe here, only the elves are basically good (with the exception of some hotheads) Oko transforms Algenus into a stag , then assumes the form of the elf queen to shoot him with an arrow, to incite war between elves of the Wilds and the Realm. In the end, Algenus is revived by his own life-bound sword that remained in the witch's cottage.
Along the course, Will saves Garruk from drowning and Garruk is cured from his curse by even stronger magic of Eldraine (some cauldron/well, I just skimmed through). He probably breaks from Oko's control before that, I have to read it thoroughly. The twins need Garruk to track the elven hunt and save their father (who is the target of the hunt after being turned into a stag).
Oko is revealed and almost subdued by Rowan, Will, Garruk & co. but he slips away. The Kenrith twins are revealed their true history and from the psychical trauma, their sparks ignite (together). Garruk, cured and well, promises the parents that he will track them and basically make sure they are safe. They helped him, he'll help them.
More details to follow.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
100% Vorthos Spike and Storyline Expert
Former Fact Prospector of the Greek Alliance.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
>>Banner by Spanglegluppet<<
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Just for the sake of completeness - here it is, as expected.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
We have her art from the very first load of Eldraine pictures Wizards provided. It is an educated guess that it is a card art.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Yeah, Oko is basically what Xenagos could have been if not killed. He's less directly violent than Xenagos (blue instead of red), but even more manipulative. Xenagos caused chaos outright, Oko just nudges here and there and enjoys the chaos unravel by itself. Xenagos made Elspeth kill Daxos under a spell, Oko changed Algenus Kenrith to a stag and led it to be the target of the Midwinter hunt in order for the elves to slay it (compelled by spell and tradition) and by that incite the war between the Realms and the Wilds. But he e.g. ordered Garruk to mercilessly slay the King's entourage (two people) before transforming him, so it depends.
And whereas Xenagos was basically content with overthrowing Theros gods, Oko wants to topple every rule-bound sovereign (in his eyes, rules are tyranny), demask hypocrites, liars, false preachers etc.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Thanks for the great post, pal. I did not have enough time to read it thoroughly and enjoy it thoroughly yet, but I am stoked now even more.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Will and Rowan are children of Algenus Kenrith, the High King, but not their mother.
Algenus was bewitched by a witch living in a cottage by a love potion, in order to fall in love and impregnate her
That was successful, the witch needed the child to kill it for its blood and use it for eternal youth potion (Mother Gothel, anyone?)
The twins were born and killed, but Linden, Algenus' wife, used her life-bound sword to revive them.
The book revolves also around Midsummer's hunt, by elves. Kind of "Lords and Ladies" by Pratchett vibe here, only the elves are basically good (with the exception of some hotheads) Oko transforms Algenus into a stag , then assumes the form of the elf queen to shoot him with an arrow, to incite war between elves of the Wilds and the Realm. In the end, Algenus is revived by his own life-bound sword that remained in the witch's cottage.
Along the course, Will saves Garruk from drowning and Garruk is cured from his curse by even stronger magic of Eldraine (some cauldron/well, I just skimmed through). He probably breaks from Oko's control before that, I have to read it thoroughly. The twins need Garruk to track the elven hunt and save their father (who is the target of the hunt after being turned into a stag).
Oko is revealed and almost subdued by Rowan, Will, Garruk & co. but he slips away. The Kenrith twins are revealed their true history and from the psychical trauma, their sparks ignite (together). Garruk, cured and well, promises the parents that he will track them and basically make sure they are safe. They helped him, he'll help them.
More details to follow.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)