stronghold assasin-this could give dralnu a quick escape if he was ever dealt damage. Not to mention it also gets rid of another pesky creature as well.
Secrets of the dead-due to all the flashback, it seems like it could be good card draw.
rhystic study-could give card draw or forces the opponents to have their spells cost one more.
My guess: Elspeth isn't actually dead, and we'll have an UR eventually describing how she got away from her predicament. The reason I believe this is that it seems quite contradictory to go through great lenghts to show the story through the cards with stuff like Deicide and then leave out the death of a major recurring character.
It seems even less fitting, as many as pointed out, because her death does not make sense from a narrative standpoint. She's not dying accomplishing anything meaningful, but just because Heliod is the biggest jerk in the multiverse. On top of that, while you can kill important characters mid-story, it's only worth it if it influences heavily the story, but at this point the only character that cares (since we're not returning to Theros just now) is Ajani. At least Venser's death had an impact on three (possibly four if you count Tezz) other planeswalkers, and Venser had relevant ties to earlier characters (Teferi and co.) that might possibly return one day.
If elspeth comes back, then the odds are that so will xenagos.
Xenagos's "death" feels even more open-ended than Elspeth's. All it said was that he fell back into Theros. The book actually was much more explicit about the falsity of Xenagos's "godhood." It seems like he only achieved godhood through syphoning the mystical energies of others, and that he could only maintain it through such means (sucking on the power of the Nyx-born beasts in Nyx). In other words, Xenagos's godhood wasn't self-sustaining, unlike every other gods'. Elspeth may have just "severed the power cord" as it were when she stabbed him in Nylea's arrowhead. He may no longer be a god, and he may be seriously injured, but there are no explicit indications that he is dead.
Elsepth's "death" is much less vague, but it still leaves wiggle-room in case the backlash is such that they want to bring her back to appease fans. All that we know is that she passed out when Erebos's agents were approaching her. Most realistically (you know, in a story without any ulterior motives from the author/publisher), she would be dead. But the reactions so far has been very negative, and I think that she may not stay "dead." And I have to say that the way that she died was pretty poor storytelling. She had JUST given up her idyllic, perfect life during Erebos's ordeal, only to have Heliod kill her 20 minutes later. I kind of thought the point of Elspeth rejecting Erebos's fantasy was that she knew it was a lie, and that she wasn't going to just give up on her life, no matter how difficult it is. And then he just gets stabbed and thinks, oh, now I can have some peace and just gives up. Seriously bad storytelling.
EDIT: Also, on the part about it feeling rushed, I certainly agree. The book really expounded on the siege of Akros, and then it was like someone hit the fast forward button and the characters were running from one place to another just to mark off checkboxes for the story. The interactions with Kiora should have been longer. The Kiora/Thassa conflict should have been longer. They should have done more with Purphoros after he was such a central part of the story in the first part. There should have been SOME interaction with Kruphix. I mean, they spent so much of the first story talking about how Kruphix is the eldest of the gods and that he has special knowledge of the nature of the world that no one else does. And then when Ajani and Elspeth get to his temple, he doesn't say one freakin' word. The story should have been broken down over three parts, the second ending with Xenagos's ascension after the victory at Akros.
The most potentially compelling part of the story -- Elspeth's journey after Xenagos's ascension -- was seriously, seriously rushed, and it didn't make much for an enjoyable read.
Yeah, they basically just went "hey, look there's the end of the world, oh look, kruphix, ok, now we're in nyx" not to mention there was an absence of pharika in the story! and I know there were the Planeswalker guides on the minor gods, but they could have at least expanded on them besides the big five...
My guess: Elspeth isn't actually dead, and we'll have an UR eventually describing how she got away from her predicament. The reason I believe this is that it seems quite contradictory to go through great lenghts to show the story through the cards with stuff like Deicide and then leave out the death of a major recurring character.
It seems even less fitting, as many as pointed out, because her death does not make sense from a narrative standpoint. She's not dying accomplishing anything meaningful, but just because Heliod is the biggest jerk in the multiverse. On top of that, while you can kill important characters mid-story, it's only worth it if it influences heavily the story, but at this point the only character that cares (since we're not returning to Theros just now) is Ajani. At least Venser's death had an impact on three (possibly four if you count Tezz) other planeswalkers, and Venser had relevant ties to earlier characters (Teferi and co.) that might possibly return one day.
If elspeth comes back, then the odds are that so will xenagos. But the question is, will she want to come back? If you thnk about it, she has what she was looking for somwhat (even though we don't know much about what the underworld is like.)
So, for the top five, in order of jerkwads god wise how does this list look?
there we go. Anyhow, I must say, it might have been foreshadowing some stuff when at the beginning of the novel daxos sees phenax go over behind elspeth, and then the whole sarpedon be careful what you wish for thing. You have to feel bad about daxos's freind, if daxos hadn't lied to him, he might have not had such a sad fate. And that ending with daxos......woah....talk about irony at its worst...
EDIT: oh, and why didn't we see more god squabbling like in the last book? Also, pharika wasn't there! She was mentioned a couple of times, but that's it. Basically all of the other gods made an appearance exept her.
And just an interesting detail, on the card deicide it depicts xenagos without his right hand, however during the battle with xenagos in the book, it never says that she cuts off his hand.
Nylea kills anyone who hunts in her forest without permission or if your settlement encroaches on her domain. The big five have some very obvious "do not do these things unless you want to meet Erebos" triggers. If anything, Erebos is the most chill unless you are an oracle since he actively sends guys out to kill them.
It's hard not to be a jerk when you have so much power. As far as the big five goes, I think Thassa is pretty chill (bias). Her description says "hard to anger" and I think the only reason she's mostly pissed in the Theros novel is because Heliod did her dirty. Of course, if you do piss her off, you're pretty much dead but that applies to all 14-15 gods.
Erebos is rather villainous but probably more due to the vanity of the gods in general that is a flaw in all of them rather than the intent to actually be evil. I'm surprised there are temples to him. Hades has no temples because it's fruitless to bother pleasing the god of death. He is the most stubborn of all and only Orpheus was able to move him with music. Beyond that you can just hope for a good afterlife. Perhaps that's the intent but IDK, they don't describe the Underworld enough (yet?) despite the fact it is a major setting in Greek myth. I wonder if Xenagos will go there despite being a god?
Do you think we'll get some more text on athreos in the next book? Also do you think that whole part with the oracle of phenax is going to lead up to something? about being careful what you wish for?
I can see her developing some affection for Daxos, potentially. Even if it's just superficial at first.
Daxos's days are numbered. Medomai told him exactly how he would die and the circumstances surrounding that seem to be fast approaching.
You're right. I forgot about that. I'm interested in what becomes of his friend, too. That he as an Oracle mislead. I was so disappointed in him for it.
Wasn't his freind with him on the plateau when they fought polukranos? I just read it and I think it was pretty good. Erebos kind of seems villainous. Wasn't he supposed to be a pretty neutral Charecter? There were only a few gods that were featured in the book, do you think the other gods will play bigger parts in godsend part II?
Secrets of the dead-due to all the flashback, it seems like it could be good card draw.
rhystic study-could give card draw or forces the opponents to have their spells cost one more.
cast through time-it is a bit expensive, but it could be pretty cool casting a bribery or time stretch every turn.
Phyrexian metamorph- copying any creature or artifact for 3 (or four) might be cool.
http://www.mtgsalvation.com/forums/the-game/commander-edh/543849-commanders-you-dont-like-complaint-about
So, for the top five, in order of jerkwads god wise how does this list look?
1. Xenagos.
2. Heliod.
3. Phenax.
4. Mogis.
5. Erebos.
EDIT: oh, and why didn't we see more god squabbling like in the last book? Also, pharika wasn't there! She was mentioned a couple of times, but that's it. Basically all of the other gods made an appearance exept her.
And just an interesting detail, on the card deicide it depicts xenagos without his right hand, however during the battle with xenagos in the book, it never says that she cuts off his hand.
Touchè. But still, I don't know.
Ahh ok.
Don't we get to vote which commander it is? I voted GW by the way.
(if you have more than one of them as your commander which is your favorite?)
Do you mean if xenagos dies?
Wasn't his freind with him on the plateau when they fought polukranos? I just read it and I think it was pretty good. Erebos kind of seems villainous. Wasn't he supposed to be a pretty neutral Charecter? There were only a few gods that were featured in the book, do you think the other gods will play bigger parts in godsend part II?