The twenty new cards are likely the ten two-color combination build-around-me-in-draft cards, and a cycle of uncommon duals to also help support each combination.
Sun titan and faith's reward aside, you aren't really running much in the way of recursion for your equipment. Has this been a problem? I recommend adding buried ruin, at least.
I also noticed you could slot ranger of eos in for some easy advantage. You have six targets right now for him. I don't know how many you would consider enough, though. I typically consider him at around this point, depending on the toolbox he could fetch up.
Land tax is a pretty efficient way to get more than seven cards in your hand relatively fast, and it pairs nicely with land destruction, the best use of faith's reward.
I am sorry about your loss. My older brother was the one who introduced me to the game as well, I cannot even imagine how a loss like that would color my opinion of this game.
I don't think any combination of colors (outside of five color, of course) can fully capture the spirit of any one person. We are just too round, too complex to be divided into a couple of colors. With that said, I would take the Deck designing ingenuity aspect of your brother and focus on that.
Niv mizzet, the other genius with time to spare, heading up an incredibly powerful and synergistic deck is what I would suggest.
Now onto the issue at hand: Something I've seen do amazing things in my playgroup is Sek'Kuar, Deathkeeper. The deck can be incredibly synergistic and at the same time about as powerful as you want to make it. I couldn't tell you exactly how to build it, it's not my deck, but I can tell you that it's loaded with deck synergy and plays in a very fun way.
I also suggest trying one or two color commanders. I've found that they tend to be incredibly synergistic. If you are really looking for a tri-color choice, then I second the above. I feel like the most synergy comes out of black-green. Judging by the amount of bg decks you have done you should have a good enough start for a sekkuar deck.
Go with wort. Her ability is just really powerful compared to rosheen.
As for your second question, conspire only triggers once, and only one copy can be made. Unless the spell had conspire before wort gave it, in which case you may conspire up to two times.
U/B with a heavy board control theme can easily lend itself to stax and can also be annoying when it becomes resource denial, but I don't think the deck necessarily has to be built that way.
If you want to stick with those two colors, I recommend dralnu, lich lord in a heavy UB board control draw-go style deck. The bounce and counters should cover his drawback, and in exchange you get a lot more mileage out of each spell. Potentially powerful, and probably challenging to correctly pilot.
The other option is esper, probably zur the enchanter. He fetches up all the needed enchantments to pull you ahead of the pack. People will rush to deal with him while you only really need one good trigger off of him. The white adds some more good control pieces and artifact/enchantment removal as well.
Out of the two, I would pick dralnu. He won't attract as much early hate which could become crucial as the game drags on. I am also partial to two color decks, not getting hated because of my general, and the challenge that building around dralnu without focusing on him would provide.
Creeping tarpit's best friend, sword of feast and famine, is missing. Untapping all your lands is such a powerful ability in a control list.
I would probably cut vedalken orrery for it. They both serve a similar role, but the sword is card advantage and damage.
Sun titan and faith's reward aside, you aren't really running much in the way of recursion for your equipment. Has this been a problem? I recommend adding buried ruin, at least.
stoneforge mystic is still suspiciously absent. How come?
I also noticed you could slot ranger of eos in for some easy advantage. You have six targets right now for him. I don't know how many you would consider enough, though. I typically consider him at around this point, depending on the toolbox he could fetch up.
mageta the lion and jolrael, empress of beasts are both strong.
Artifact-side of things....masticores maybe?
My personal favorite type of discard is during my clean-up step. Cut reliquary tower from your deck, toss in a good draw engine and go to town.
I don't think any combination of colors (outside of five color, of course) can fully capture the spirit of any one person. We are just too round, too complex to be divided into a couple of colors. With that said, I would take the Deck designing ingenuity aspect of your brother and focus on that.
Niv mizzet, the other genius with time to spare, heading up an incredibly powerful and synergistic deck is what I would suggest.
I also suggest trying one or two color commanders. I've found that they tend to be incredibly synergistic. If you are really looking for a tri-color choice, then I second the above. I feel like the most synergy comes out of black-green. Judging by the amount of bg decks you have done you should have a good enough start for a sekkuar deck.
I know that I am very fond of my mono black list because of the synergy. If I were to pick a primary color, it would probably be black.
As for your second question, conspire only triggers once, and only one copy can be made. Unless the spell had conspire before wort gave it, in which case you may conspire up to two times.
If you want to stick with those two colors, I recommend dralnu, lich lord in a heavy UB board control draw-go style deck. The bounce and counters should cover his drawback, and in exchange you get a lot more mileage out of each spell. Potentially powerful, and probably challenging to correctly pilot.
The other option is esper, probably zur the enchanter. He fetches up all the needed enchantments to pull you ahead of the pack. People will rush to deal with him while you only really need one good trigger off of him. The white adds some more good control pieces and artifact/enchantment removal as well.
Out of the two, I would pick dralnu. He won't attract as much early hate which could become crucial as the game drags on. I am also partial to two color decks, not getting hated because of my general, and the challenge that building around dralnu without focusing on him would provide.
Regardless, crystal shard.