Magic: The Gathering: IC Thread

[BladeofOblivion]

(You guys know the rules. Basic Freeform rules apply, yadda yadda.)

Dominaria - City of Benalish

Jakob, the Blade of Oblivion, was leaning on the side of a building, reading the Planeswalker's Gazette for the day.

PLANESWALKER'S GAZETTEER

Dominaria: Same old, same old.

Ravinca: Gruul Clans have been wilder than usual lately. Otherwise normal.

Phyrexia: Quarantine still active. Travel not recommended, due to residual traces of Glistening Oil.

Mirrodin: Mirrodin is currently under attack by a Phyrexian Infestation. Geysers of Glistening Oil exist in the core, and survival of the plane is questionable. Travel STRONGLY discouraged.

Lorwyn: Lorwyn has been quiet since the dispelling of the Aurora. There has been increased Faerie Activity.

Alara: Alara is in a state of political turmoil. The Independent Nations of Bant, Naya, and Esper are fairly stable, if slightly strained, but the Nation of Jund is highly volatile and could collapse at any moment Politically. The Questionably-Branded Nation of Grixis is in a state of open war with Esper and Jund, though it is making no headway on either front.

Kamigawa is in a mild state of Turmoil in light of the recent Kami War and the unclear succession to the throne. Toshiro Umezawa is the most likely candidate, provided that he goes along with the marriage to Daimyo Konda's Daughter. Still, there is no longer open war occurring and O-Kagachi appears to be contented.

Mercadia is currently attempting to open trade relations with Ravinca and Dominaria, but is making no headway on the problem of interplanar travel. Mercadian Officials are demanding access to Phyrexian Technology.

Segovia is not recommended to travel to, if only because visiting might destroy civilization on the plane.

Shandalar is lush this time of year, and is becoming a popular vacation spot for younger planeswalkers.

Rabiah is in an unstable state, as demands for the Plane's Oil is becoming Excessive. Numot the Devastator, a Dragon of some Renown, is threatening to invade one of the 1001 planes in light of a recent terrorist assault on his home.

No news has been obtained from Zendikar in weeks. It is possible that the Roil has finally wiped out the last vestiges of life. However, there has been some talk of "Eldrazi." It is not possible, at this time, to understand this riddle without risking travel to Zendikar itself.


The man was fairly tall, standing just under six feet, and was currently dressed in a blue robe exposing only his hands and face. Notably, one of his hands was formed from filigree Etherium, marking him as a native of Esper. He had a soft face, with a full beard. The hair on it was no longer than a quarter inch, but it covered much of the lower half of his face.

He wasn't even quite sure why he had taken his title, but it was intimidating enough for him to not make enemies too easily. He shrugged to himself, and Planeswalked to Ravinca, leaving behind the familiarity of Dominaria.

[Lady Tialait]

The Lady of the Woods stood in the Blind Eternities looking through the multitude of worlds, shaking her head as she sees thousands upon thousands of planes, all with their own ideas and reality. She had seen most of them, and she loved them all. However, the wanderlust had struck her and she wanted to see more.

This was why she had her idea, the idea to text the meddle of this new breed of planeswalkers. She had lost much of her power sense the event, but she would live. She could still travel, and her skills in land connection and memory would keep her magic empowered. She had only sent out the message three years ago, she had found a powerful artifact that could help any endeavor of any planeswalker. A single Black Lotus. She held it in her hand and spun it, her letter told the others of both her find and the power it had, it also told them she was going to give it away. No one could resist this. They would be here and she would finally reveal what she was planning.

[IcemanJRC]

A young man, cloaked in inkiest black offset by the white sun that emblazoned it, approaches the walker,

I recieved your message. You have decided to pay your dues to the Church of Deals? The Patriarchs will be delighted to hear of this generous donation.

His words peered of at the end, the word "donation" sounding vaguely like a threat... The Mage straightens and lowers his hood. His stark white hair contrasting his jet black eyes.

Will you be paying this donation out of your own generosity, or do you require the Churches aid?

The man smiles at the good Lady, his grin reminiscent of the common street scammer. The priest of Orzhova keeps his smile wide as he introduces himself,

Telyard of Orzhov, Missionary of the Abroad.

[Lady Tialait]

The Lady of the Woods quirked her brow, "Oh, that place. I'm afraid that the guild of evolution has already paid you, in creatures that can mill through your soul pins. They did so in my name. I will still give you this item, if you can show me wonders I have yet to see. Be forewarned, I am very jaded."

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities

As he began to walk the distance between the Planes of Dominaria and Ravinca, the Planeswalker heard an odd signal.

I don't mind a detour. I'm not even traveling on business.

He walked, finding the Lady of the Forests and the Orzhov missionary.

I must ask, what could be so important as to offer such a treasure? I just have to know.

[IcemanJRC]

Perhaps the twilight dream world of Arkhos?

He congours an image of a stary twilight plane,

Or maybe Turris Island on Ir?

A stormy island with a fortress atop it,

Or even the blazing plane of Wildfire. The intense flames said to be the origin of the goblins of Dominaria's fire magic.

Another image is presented, a blazing sea with a single island.

[Lady Tialait]

The Lady smiles, "The treasure is offered to show me a place I have never seen, an exotic location beyond imagination. There is a catch, I want to see a planeswalker duel, here in the Blind Eternities so the collection of power through memories will shape us. I can visit places of great power and wonder without leaving. The winner of such a duel with the most interesting location will truly be worthy of the Black Lotus."

[IcemanJRC]

I can easily defeat any of the others here and I have been to dozens of planes.

He smiles and laughes

Perhaps I could show you later?

(Gotta go but will be back later.)

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

Jakob listens to the other mage curiously, but he shows a hint of annoyance at the statement that he could beat any other.

I see. The lotus itself is inconsequential to me. But the chance to study it is overwhelmingly tempting. Thus, I will offer some interesting locations.

It is likely that you have been to Mirrodin and Zendikar before, but some recent developments have thoroughly changed both planes. Mirrodin is currently embroiled in a war with Phyrexian Armies, which appear to have escaped the quarantine, and Zendikar...

...Actually, I'm not entirely sure what happened to Zendikar. No one's heard from it in weeks, and most are too fearful to visit. Of course, it may be a coincedence, but there are rumors of something called 'Eldrazi.' No clue what it might be though. I happen to have a Newspaper Available, with a list of known planes and recent news from most of them.

Jakob offers the Planeswalker's Gazetteer.

Ah! It just occurred to me that I failed to introduce myself. I am Jakob of Esper, the Blade of Oblivion.

He bows.

[Lady Tialait]

"An ominous name. I am Lady Tialait Awfullich, Lady of the Forests. I originate from Dominara and was a student of the once great Gaea." she smiles. "I have seen Zendikar, and Mirrodin. Before the black Oil of Phyrexia took over I was on Mirrodin. I heard they are in the throes of a war over that blasted oil. Where is Yawgmoth when you need him to be a rally point and a weak point?"

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

Yawgmoth is dead, naturally.

Jakob projects an image of Urborg, focusing on Yawgmoth's Grave.

It's a good thing, actually. The key to the Legacy Weapon is under Phyrexian Control. I know that there are five Praetors, however, and they lead multiple Allied Phyrexian Factions.

I actually led an army in a few Dominarian months ago. I was able to win the actual battles, but the men were forced to retreat when Phyrexia started using the Oil for Chemical Warfare.

Jakob then turns to the Orzhov Missionary.

You said you could beat anyone here easily. Is that a challenge?

He smiles.

[Lady Tialait]

Tialait shakes her head, "The Phyrexians search for perfection. The time I spent in Ravnica showed me that this will cause only madness. However, I was in Zendikar when the Eldrazi began their assault, Phyrexia has no power over those....things." shaking off the memories, "Anyway, you are from Esper, eh? What part did you play in the event there?"

[IcemanJRC]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

Yawgmoth is dead, naturally.

Jakob projects an image of Urborg, focusing on Yawgmoth's Grave.

It's a good thing, actually. The key to the Legacy Weapon is under Phyrexian Control. I know that there are five Praetors, however, and they lead multiple Allied Phyrexian Factions.

I actually led an army in a few Dominarian months ago. I was able to win the actual battles, but the men were forced to retreat when Phyrexia started using the Oil for Chemical Warfare.

Jakob then turns to the Orzhov Missionary.

You said you could beat anyone here easily. Is that a challenge?

He smiles.

Simply a statement. I am surperior and that is the truth. I can strip your (http://magiccards.info/lw/en/145.html)mind of (http://magiccards.info/query?q=hymn+to+tourach&v=card&s=cname)memory before (http://magiccards.info/query?q=mind+twist&v=card&s=cname) you remember your (http://magiccards.info/query?q=mind+sludge&v=card&s=cname)soldiers' names. (http://magiccards.info/query?q=tidehollow+sculler&v=card&s=cname)And even if you managed to get out a threat, I would purge (http://magiccards.info/query?q=swords+to+plowshares&v=card&s=cname) it from this world (http://magiccards.info/query?q=path+to+exile&v=card&s=cname) swiftly.

The missionary smiles and his eyes flash with the symbol of his guild. (http://magiccards.info/query?q=orzhov+signet&v=card&s=cname)

[Lady Tialait]

The Lady bellows laughter,

What else could we ask from a church goer? That superiority that is unfounded. Unwanted, and in fact, hated. You are nothing more then a dogmatic, sanctimonious, fool. Had I the power of ancient Tolaria to wield, you would see the truth behind my statement.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

Indeed. Threats like that are not lightly tolerated. It is, perhaps, lucky for you that I am a patient person, because no matter your strength, I highly doubt that you are capable of overcoming two planeswalkers, one holding a Black Lotus.

As for my role on Esper, My good Lady, I fought for a period on the Grixis front. That is, in fact, where I originally gained my nickname after removing a large number of Undead Creatures from existence. Contrary to what many think, I actually converted them into topsoil. Nothing is truly wasted, after all.

[Lady Tialait]

Jakob you may be able to forgive the threat, but I have red mana flowing through me. I am battle ready, and I still know a few of Urza's tricks, I remember his great towers, mines, and power plants. I have seen darksteel reactors ready to blow. If you really think an army is the only way to win a war...then you are reading yourself for the wrong foe.

The Lady shows a image of a portal into nothing (http://www.magicdeckbuilder.com/public/cards/6-OK/4-Artifacts/Door%20to%20Nothingness.jpg).

[BladeofOblivion]

Ah, that is one unique thing about Esper. The place is almost entirely devoid of Red and Green mana.

As for the threat, you misunderstand me. I did not forgive the threat, but merely let it pass by for the moment. I do not like to get involved in combat over such trifling things as an overzealous banker who stepped out too far.

As for the army, that was what Grixis sent. It was turned into topsoil. That was amusing.

[IcemanJRC]

Wise and spirited, a potent combination. But I have no quarrel with you. You seem to be of the sophisticated magics. I appriciate that, I have no reason to fight with you.

He smiles at the good Lady.

I do however offer warning, do not think my threats are idle, I can wipe your mind o your precious memories. Urza's tricks? Gone. The darksteel of Mirrodin? Also gone. I realize you appriciate your memories and I wouldn't want to take them from you.

He smiles deviously.
(Sadly I wouldn't be able to play a game till tommorow but I can still roleplay.)

[BladeofOblivion]

Jakob's eyes flare Blue in a cold, calculated rage.

ENOUGH. Lady Tialait called a meeting, and we are all visiting under terms of peace. I would greatly prefer if this peace was not to be broken, and thinly veiled threats of Black and Red Mana use are not at all useful for preventing bloodshed. If there is desire for a formalized duel, that is acceptable, but simple violence solves nothing.

Jakob reverts to his usual composure.

In any case, where do you two think the others are? It is a sad, sad day indeed if we are the only remaining planeswalkers in existence.


(OOC: Commentary - Please Read)

I was thinking about the things that characters should be able to do, and came up with the following system.

Accumulated Power: Power Units are a makeshift currency that can only be obtained by winning a duel against another Planeswalker. Essentially, you get one of these whenever you win a game. Do note that this only counts games that are fully roleplayed, and are properly led up to in this IC thread. Power units can be spent on grand things, like personal Planes, Demiplanes, and Unique Artifacts. This does not give you any actual ingame advantage, but it is entirely for the purposes of Roleplay.
For example, pretend that Jakob has 20 Power Units saved. He decides that he wants to create his own plane. He spends ten power units to create an entire plane of Vast Library, though that library contains only things he already knows for the moment. However, he is not quite content with this. He spends 5 Units to create a legion of Artifact Librarians to keep everything in order. Finally, he spends his last 5 Units to create a powerful shield over his accumulated Knowledge.
Of course, there are few set values. I'm setting the cost to create a Plane, regardless of specifications, at 10 Units. The only Caveat is that you cannot create life in this cost, and must either import it (like Memnarch did) or do something to encourage natural evolution on the plane. Green Magic should suffice. If you want to know what something would cost in power units, do not be afraid to ask.

(Yea? Nay? Hooray?)

[Lady Tialait]

"I do not hide my threats."

Flames burst forth from her hand.

"However, I have a matter to deal with. No, I do not think we are the only planeswalkers to exist. I know of at least one I have spoken to not to long ago, Tezzeret of Esper, that should be emboldening."

That sounds a bit complex. However, it also sounds interesting. It encourages roleplay and card games. Sounds like a plan...gimme a write up before I decided though.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

I do not remember ever meeting him, but I do know that he was last sighted on Mirrodin. He may be dead, or worse. But I get the feeling that there are others coming.


(I'm going to go ahead and introduce an Antagonist for later.)

Mirrodin - Ish Sah Peak

The Chanting came up from the masses.

Holy Yawgmoth, hear our plea,
All Phyrexia serves ye,
We went forth and multiplied,
May Phyrexia never die!

The Ashes of Truth rose to the forefront, listening to the chant with a thin smile. The Negator had no eyes, but he could see well enough that all five Praetors, and the imprisoned Karn, were here along with the New Phyrexian Army.

Maltarus, the Ashes of Truth, stood in front of this veritable audience, and announced his plan.

"PHYREXIA SHALL RISE AGAIN! Our Oil shall cover the Planes, we shall reclaim Phyrexia itself! We shall lay our claim upon Dominaria once again! And we shall be Victorious!"

This was met with great cheer from the assembled hordes, and even the Praetors found themselves nodding in approval.

Maltarus grabbed a barrel of the oil, and strapped it to his back. He was about to leave, when the Whispering One stopped him.

"How do you expect to leave New Phyrexia, Ashes of Truth? You are bound here just as much as I or any of the Praetors. You are no planeswalker."

Maltarus retorted: "That's where you are wrong. I wasn't spawned here. I was alive during the first Invasion. And that Boy was not worthy of a Spark anyway. I go as I please."

And he planeswalked away.

[Lix Lorn]

Elsewhere, on an unnamed plane long uninhabited by sentient beings, a woman sits on a rock, sketching a picture of a great valley, a waterfall, an immense forest, and the eternal sparkling rainbow that hovers over the cliff. She seems to draw one final line with confidence, and then stands fluidly, before bending reality to her whim-tearing it in two and entering the blind eternities. Pure chaos, sheer unreality. Impsosible and wrong on every level.

But she's used to that. She pops into reality in a Ravnica marketplace, and walks into a previously empty stall. Reaching into a small bag, she draws out several sketches, some coloured, some not, and sets them up with a smile.

[The-Mage-King]

Blind Eternities, ???

Standing on a piece of floating rock, an elf looks over the entrance to a plane.

"Hm... Pros: chance to copy one of those things, saying that I was there and survived. Cons: There are three of them, and I can't actually fight them all at once if I get their attention." He mutters, pacing. "So, they're actually balanced."

"Oh, wait, I forgot a con. Con: Nicol Bolas' goon was there before the whole mess started up." He continues, having thought for a moment.

"So, no Zendikar trip for me. Let's see what I can salvage from there instead."


With that, he warped, heading away towards another plane.

[Thelas]

Ravnica
In a space where there is no room, in a structure that was never built, meets the guild that doesn't exist.
Hidden there, he watches.

[BladeofOblivion]

Phyrexia - The First Sphere

The Ashes of Truth arrived, sighting a familiar model of Soldier. It was a highly adaptable design of Urza's. He took it out with a single slash.

Maltarus moved up to his prize, one of Yawgmoth's Holy Dragon engines. He poured a gallon of the oil into it, and it followed him. He planeswalked with it down to the next sphere.

[The-Mage-King]

Phyrexia, First Sphere, Shortly Before

The elf materialized, looking around the desolate plane.

"Man, what's all the fuss about this place? I mean, sure, these guys have invaded Dominara, but hey, it's the center of the multiverse- everyone goes there first." He mutters, before feeling the sensation of another Planeswalker entering the plane nearby.

Pulling his cloak (http://gatherer.wizards.com/pages/card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=191078) around him, he settled down, keeping an eye on the happening.

"Hm... That's interesting." He mutters, after the Ashes leave the sphere. "Phyrexian Oil, delivered by a planeswalker. I should follow him."

"Ooorrrr.... I could keep looking around this layer for one of their ships, which I could steal the tech from."

He ponders the risks of both options for a moment.

"Looting it is."

[BladeofOblivion]

Phyrexia - The Second Sphere

Maltarus, The Ashes of Truth, arrived, and filled several artillery shells with the Oil. It would make a potent weapon later. He planeswalked down.


Phyrexia - The Third Sphere

He remembered that the distortions here would kill him if he tried to planeswalk, but he climbed down one of the smokestacks.


Phyrexia - The Fourth Sphere

The flows of Magma and heat around him hit like a warm breeze. He was home again! As the Dragon engine climbed out of the pipe behind him, he poured what was left of the oil into one of the Newt Vats, and planeswalked down.


Phyrexia - The Sixth Sphere

The Dragon Engine could not come here, but he certainly could. This was Phyrexia's Government, or what was left of it. He remembered that the Seventh and Eighth Spheres were lethal, and skipped over them as he planeswalked further down.


Phyrexia - The Ninth Sphere

Maltarus smiled at finally reaching his prize. This was Phyrexia's Control Center, and the place where Yawgmoth had made himself compleat.

The Ashes of Truth sat in the seat once manned by Yawgmoth himself, and pressed the button that he knew was there, the one that would solve his problems. As he pressed the button, a grotesque sucking noise took place, and the Fourth Sphere of Phyrexia began to extend down its pipes.


Phyrexia - The Fifth Sphere

The reason that Maltarus skipped the Fifth Sphere was that it was merely an infinite sea of Glistening Oil. As the pipes from the fourth extended, great beasts like the Gargantua and Devouring Strossi rose to the top, wanting to return to their homes in the Fourth. As millions of Gallons of Glistening Oil were pulled to power the Automated Facilities in the Fourth Sphere, they rose to their homes.


Phyrexia - The Ninth Sphere

The Ashes of Truth smiled. As the furnaces of Yawgmoth once again returned to life, the Grafting Facilities reactivated and the Newts were once again growing. He planeswalked back to the Fourth Sphere.


Phyrexia - The Fourth Sphere

Maltarus, the Ashes of Truth, had only one task left here. He moved to the great Phyrexian Portal that Yawgmoth had made to the plane of Mirrodin so long ago. Phyrexian Portals were powerful, but they required the sacrifice of Artifice. Thankfully, he had a Dragon Engine for this. The portal opened, and New Phyrexia and Phyrexia were linked for the first time. As several of the lesser Nim moved toward the grafting facilities to become Compleat, several Vat Priests and Vatmothers moved to care to the Newts.

Phyrexia was reborn, but his work was not yet finished.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Blind Eternities - The Black Lotus

This has been an interesting meeting, but I have places to be. Milady, I will alert you if I find anything interesting. Goodbye for now.

He planeswalked on his original path to Ravinca.

[firemagehao]

Mirrodin/New Phyrexia- The Tangle

A tall human, cloaked in green perches in a tree in the tangle of what was mirrodin. He jumps down to the ground, seeming almost to glide, and lands softly. He begins to track the phyrexians that had gone by less than an hour ago.

After a short while, he stops, and pulling out his two greataxes, leaps up into the canopy.

Any reason this thread is not in the FFRP sub-forum?

[BladeofOblivion]

Ravinca - Marketplace

Jakob walked through the market, seeing an occasional useful artifact, but nothing truly interesting. That is, until he came upon her stand. There was a young woman here, selling what appeared to be paintings. There was something off about one of the masterpieces hanging on the wall...

Then it hit him. The painting showed Bant shortly after the Conflux. If you looked, you could even see a few of Esper's Spires in the far background. Either this woman had been to Alara, or she had contact with another planeswalker. Either was an interesting prospect.

Jakob walked up to the stall, and said:

How much for that Panorama of Bant and Esper?

[Lix Lorn]

She raises her eyebrows.
"Bant and Esper? And where might they be?" she says, playing dumb and not well. She must have realised she was a terrible liar, because she amended it. "And how would you know where they are?"

[BladeofOblivion]

Ravinca - Marketplace

From the strange land of Alara, of course. That Palace is the Capital of Eos, and those Spires in the Background are the home of Sharuum the Hegemon. Farther back, where it cannot be seen on the image, is the home of my family. Alara is a beautiful plane.

He stands up fully straight, and his metallic left hand is quite visible.

But perhaps more interesting is that it is quite impossible to get to these places from Ravinca. Without a certain very rare ability, at any rate. I have met no more than two other than myself with this ability, and I believe I now may face a third.

He smiles slightly, in a friendly way.

[Lix Lorn]

She leans forward, looking at him with a wide grin. "Now now, isn't that interesting. What are the odds of two like us meeting in one place like this?"

[BladeofOblivion]

Not that great, I'll wager. However, just a few minutes ago I encountered two others in the Blind Eternities. I have no idea how many of us there are, but it isn't unlikely that I've not seen the majority.

He suddenly gasps slightly.

Ah, but where are my manners? I am Jakob of Esper, the Blade of Oblivion. I am pleased to meet you.

He bows in respect.

[Lix Lorn]

"Elyssia, formerly of Dominaria, Beauty Seeker, at your service." she replies, dipping her head graciously. "And to answer your question, a hundred gold."

It's a good price for an original piece of art, especially of this quality. It'd be worth more to a normal inhabitant of Ravnica, who couldn't even begin to imagine a world without buildings.

[BladeofOblivion]

Ravinca - Marketplace

That's easily a deal.

He tosses out a small bag of exactly 100 gold coins.

Ah, Magic. You can always move the right number into a bag. You can just transmute other things into coins also, but that's cheating.

He slides a scrap of paper onto the stall.

If you need to find me for whatever reason, or simply feel like saying hello, that's my home address on this plane. Another time!

He walks off with the painting in hand, taking special care not to damage such a masterpiece, and calmly Gigadrowses a Gruul Gang that starts to charge through the streets.


Phyrexia - Fourth Sphere

Maltarus' plans were coming to fruition. As the Gauntlet of Compeation neared, well, completion, there was a Gargantua loading its ordinance of choice. As soon as the shrouding unit was active, his conquest could begin.

[Lix Lorn]

She watches him leave with much curiosity, pocketing the paper. Another planeswalker-rare indeed.

[The-Mage-King]

Phyrexia

Eventually making his way down three layers, the elf kept his cloak wrapped around him as he traveled, avoiding the few Phyrexians that he passed.


Finally arriving at the Fourth Sphere, he carefully made his way to where the largest distortion in the plane was, eyes peeled for any hostiles that detected him.

"Oh. Crap." He muttered as the portal came into view and he noticed the smoke being made by the factories. "That isn't good. Not good at all."

Quickly making his way up to the highest point he could reach, he looked over the Fourth Sphere and gathered a mass of Red Mana obtained on the last plane he visited.

"OH MIGHTY HELLKITE! Awaken, and destroy my foes!" He incanted, pulling the memory of a recently slain dragon (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=191340) from his mind and manifesting it and directing its entry flames towards five of the unsuspecting Nim.

[BladeofOblivion]

You actually can't planeswalk to the Fourth Layer from the Third...

Maltarus used the Dragon engine to shield him down a smokestack. I'll excuse it though.

Phyrexia - The Fourth Sphere

As the dragon attacked, many of the unmodified Nim panicked and scattered. However, a few already Phyretic models, such as the Crusaders, attempted to reach the dragon to no avail.

The Ashes of Truth was surveying his new weapon of war, the Gauntlet of Compleation, and walked into its control room. He saw the Dragon on the scanners, and decided that this would make do for testing.

A thin yellow torus of light flew from the forward cannons of the Warship, freezing the dragon in place and immobilizing it. It could only watch as the Light burrowed between its scales, and the Oil was injected into its body. Within ten seconds, there was no longer any hope for the beast. It belonged to Phyrexia now.

Maltarus activated the radio system on the Gauntlet of Compleation, and shouted so all of the Fourth Sphere could hear:

We have an intruder! And a Planeswalker, no less! 5 Gallons of the oil and access to the Grafting Factory will be granted to any who bring me the Intruder's Head! 10 gallons and access to full Compleation will be granted to the one who brings it to me alive!

Immediately, Phyrexian Soldiers, Juggernauts, Gargantua, and whatever else it could muster were fanning out all over the plane, searching for the intruder.

[The-Mage-King]

Listening to the broadcast, the elf muttered a curse.

"Great. Well, at least I got some of the things I needed." He mutters, before warping himself to the Blind Eternities in great haste.

[firemagehao]

The tangle

The man watches and waits a short time, throughout which the stench of the oil grew stronger. Suddenly, a hulking east slammed into the tree, sending it airborne, crashing into another tree. The man however, jumped of of the tree to another, facing the monster. "Vorinclex."

[BladeofOblivion]

(Alright, the plot moves on then.)

Ravinca - Godless Shrine

Jakob entered the Shrine, and waited for his informant. The informant, a frail man, entered the Shrine no more than a few minutes later. They spoke in a hushed conversation.

So you wish to know more of the Dimir? You know the fee.

I do. Jakob tosses a small sack of coins onto the table.


Phyrexia - Fourth Sphere

The Gauntlet of Compleation activated its cloaking device, and it moved towards an inactive portal. Immediately, servile Nim fed hundreds of pounds of imperfect Auriok Bodies into the device. As the Phyrexian Etchings flared up around the room, Maltarus announced:

"Soon, our enemy with the Audacity to lead an Army against us shall be brought under our domain! Ravinca will be ours!"


Ravinca - Skies

At first, nothing changed. The blue skies were filled with clouds meandering by, slowly making their way across the sea of endless cyan. But then something odd happened. The sight of every living being on the plane disappeared for a moment, and then the sky was black. For the first time in thousands of Ravincan Years, it rained. But this was no ordinary rain.

As it hit the ground, odd things began to happen. Goblins went mad in the streets, Circles with Slashes through them appeared on every surface, and the rain itself was thick, oily, and a foul shade of Black.

Lightning began to strike, and for an instant the silhouette of the Gauntlet of Compleation itself could be seen in the sky, behind the shroud of darkness.


Ravinca - Godless Shrine

The informant smiled as Jakob looked at the events outside.

Unfortunately for you, I will not be telling you about the Dimir today. I know nothing of the Dimir. However, another client gave me the promise of power in trade for one special commodity. You.

What happened next was unclear, but Phyrexian Negators crawled out of the shadows at that moment, eventually overwhelming the Blade of Oblivion. He was dragged back to the Gauntlet of Compleation, as far as anyone could guess.


Ravinca - Streets

As the Gauntlet's Weapons compleated Sphinxes in the skies above, Priests of Norn, Crusaders, Eastern Paladins, Western Paladins, and Phyrexian Armies of all types assaulted the streets of the city. They captured any they could, and dragged them back to the Gauntlet. The others, they killed. They are still roaming through the streets.

((Okay, those of you on Ravinca, that's your cue to do something.))

[firemagehao]

Vorinclex slain, the man leaps into the canopy once again, leaving his greataxe embedded in the beast's skull. He then plainswalks to the fourth sphere, searching for a greater prize.

[The-Mage-King]

Stepping through the Eternities, the elf appears on Dominara, flustered looking and moving towards the headquarters of the Coalition at his fastest speed.

Slamming open the doors, he moves to the main chamber, brushing past the guards and takes a sealed bottle from his pocket, clunking it down onto the nearest desk.

"Hi. I'm a planeswalker, and I just got back from Phyrexia. There are phyrexians there, including another planeswalker." He says, motioning to the bottle. "That you would need to drink to think that them coming back is an excellent idea. When I left, the fourth Sphere was active again."


"So, since I'm such a nice guy, I decided to let you know before they attack you. They have a warship already done, and it corrupted a dragon I summoned in one shot."

"Now, I'm going to go lure something much bigger and stronger than a dragon to their plane."

With that, he planeswalks away, back to the Blind Eternities.

[BladeofOblivion]

(Clearly, I did not inspire nearly enough interest with the last post. Time to kick it up a notch.)

Ravinca - Marketplace

As the previously gigadrowsed Gruul Gang was dragged off by Nim, Phyrexian Forces charged down the street. Lix's Stall had only a short time before the Priests of Norn reached it.

Ravinca - Skies

The Sphinxes that had previously attacked the Gauntlet of Compleation now attacked their own city, in their Phyresis-induced madness. The ship itself opened a series of cargo doors, and hundreds of Phyrexian Portal Ships flew out.

The Gauntlet of Compleation

As the Ashes of Truth looked over the data being given to him, he saw that there were no less than four Planeswalkers on Ravinca, at the moment. He knew that one was him, and another was his new prisoner. Still, two more test subjects would be valued greatly. He gave the order. But there was more to do, and he had things to do on other planes. The Gauntlet of Compleation prepared to return to Phyrexia.

Ravinca - Godless Shrine

The old man walked up to the Negators.

Well, where's my reward? I was told there will be a reward.

Compleation.

What?

The Negator stabbed the old man through the heart with an Oil-tipped barb. He collapsed to the ground, entering convulsions. The Negators took their unconscious prize, that Planeswalker, and returned to the Gauntlet of Compleation.

[Lix Lorn]

( :smalleek: I did not see that post)

Elyssia does not believe her eyes for a moment. Several moments-before her instincts kick in. She draws on the blue mana of lost Dominaria-before everything, even before them-and time slows to a crawl as she flees. A tear in reality falls open, and she runs through it, risking the blind eternies, fleeing to the first plane she thinks of-the coastlines of Bant, on the now combined plane of Alara.

It's a mark of her utter terror that she leaves her paintings behind. :smallfrown:

[BladeofOblivion]

(This thread's going to die if the post rate doesn't go up.)

Mirrodin New Phyrexia

It was over, and yet New Phyrexia was in uproar. Vorinclex, the Voice of Hunger, was found dead near the center of the tangle. Command over the Praetor's creatures would have been a great boon for any of the other Praetors. Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur and Praetor of the Synod, was interested in capturing specimens, but stayed out of the conflict. Sheogorath, the Whispering One and Praetor of The Mephidross, claimed Phyrexia's branch of the tangle for her own. Urabrask, The Hidden One and Praetor of the Oxidda Ridge, also claimed Vorinclex's Forces, and sent Compleated Vulshok to fight Sheogorath over them. Finally, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobyte and Praetor of the Machine Orthodoxy, recommended unifying the five factions under one banner. Again.

Despite the Brutal and Unnecessary Civil War, Mirrodin never really stood a chance against the armies of Phyrexia. Except for a few safepoints in the Core, and the Auriok city of Bladehold, all Mirran resistance had been crushed and replaced with Phyrexian Perfection and Obedience. All will be One.


Phyrexia - Fourth Sphere

The Gauntlet of Compleation had returned, carrying its special cargo. As Jakob was unloaded, he was still unable to move. Unfortunately, this was momentary, as the natural urge to struggle against the bindings only increased the pain. He was moved onto an operating table in the nearest Graft Factory, with the Ashes of Truth and six Vedalken Anatomists. First, his robes were torn off, and burned because of their impurity. His Etherium Arm was removed for study. His natural arm was removed for study. His legs were removed for study. Screams and Wails of Agony could be heard for miles as each individual needle of the spinal graft penetrated and attached itself to the central nervous system. More screaming could be heard as hundreds of intravenous syringes replaced his natural red blood with the Glistening Black Oil. His ability to scream became nonexistent as his voice box was also removed for study. His head was left intact, at Maltarus' order, lest he lose the powers that made him useful to Phyrexia. Still, he had to be kept under control, so his central Nervous System was carefully disconnected from the brain, and attached to the removed intelligence matrix of a Negator. Soon, the man was able to stand at command, though the only thing the original owner could do was watch and silently scream at what had happened to him. Maltarus was displeased, however. He wanted to hear the sorrow, but not see the face. A mask was welded over his face, revealing only the eyes, and a voice synthesizer was attached to the original brain. Now that he had his first true Commander, more dangerous than any of the Praetors, he was ready to pull his next plan. As soon as a second Warship was built, of course.

[Lix Lorn]

Elyssia, Shores of Bant
Elyssia hyperventilates as she leans against a tree, slipping down until she sits against it.
Phyrexia. The darkest tale she ever knew, the boogeyman that destroyed her home so very long ago. The fear that you threaten kids with to make them go to bed.

She... she couldn't cope with that. Just no.
That was why she fled. And now she was somewhere between crying and yelling at herself for her cowardice.

What could she do now? What could anyone do now?

[The-Mage-King]

((Yes... What could anyone do against the evil taint that corrupted a dragon in one shot? :smallamused:))

Zendikar


Whistling as he walked along the hedron with no apparent regard for gravity, the elf looked over the horizion, trying to see what he needed to find.

"Hm... One to the North. One to the South. And one to the West." He mutters, finally seeing his targets.

"Now, how to get their attention...?"

[Electrohydra]

Diraden

Alistar only had time to dive for cover before the barbed arrow flew an inch over his head. He rolled in the swampy water and scrambled to his feet to face his assailant. The man standing a few dozen paces away from him was a giant, a natural born killer encased in armor or iron and black magic. He was also an inquisitor, one of the people who still believed red magic should be purged from Diraden. But neither the wicked bow he dropped nor the ink-black blade he drew scared Alistar. Instead, he taunted him.

"Come on, what are you waiting for?"

Enraged that his prey would not cower before him, the inquisitor ran towards his target, sword high above his head. Alistar smiled at the man's foolishness and took a moment to gather some mana before sending a disk of solid shadows hurling directly at his attacker. It made contact and the inquisitor screamed as both his legs where torn off by the spell, his body falling face-first in the murky water. For good measure, and because that arrow had forced him to ruin his clothes, Alistar sent a wave of fire to extract a few last screams from the dying man.

He then turned to the group he could spot only a mile away. Probably more inquisitors, he though. He needed to escape. Funny, it just so happened he felt like going on a little trip. And with that though he planeswalked away, into the Blind Eternities.

Blind Eternities

Rushed in his planeswalking, Alistar was not totally ready for the chaos of the Blind Eternities, and was really less in control of his destination than would be wise. He passed a few planes without them catching his interest, until he noticed a... presence on one, a presence that got him curious. It reminded him of himself, perhaps another planeswalker? Wanting to know more, and hoping he might get a guide to the plane, he stepped out of the Blind Eternities and into the unknown.

[BladeofOblivion]

Phyrexia - Fourth Sphere

The Ashes of Truth was contemplating what to do with his new, if unwilling, servant. He eventually came to the conclusion that said servant needed to be broken. Permanently. As he was contemplating how to do this, one of the Vedalken approached him.

Head Researcher?

Praetor Maltarus, I have news. That mechanical arm we extracted from test subject #01346510XP was identified as Etherium, a metal found only on the plane of Alara. Specifically, the Precinct of Esper. Genetic codes in the biological parts of him suggest the same. Further, this metal is ideal for new constructions. It is a perfect metal for most uses, in many cases even better than the darksteel we currently use for lasting construction. It is somewhat recommended that we claim more of this metal as soon as possible.

Maltarus, the Ashes of Truth, looked at his new slave.

Perfect. I'll have him slaughter his kin in the name of Phyrexia. What deliciously ironic suffering.

[BladeofOblivion]

Ravnica - Boros Garrison

Blood and Oil spattered on the walls as Bloodstocks, Eastern Paladins, and Crusaders swarmed into the fortress. Boros Soldiers and Swiftblades struck back in retaliation, only to find that the Crusader Vanguard was completely invulnerable to their assault. The Eastern Paladins used their unholy smites to unmake the soldiers themselves. Bloodstocks swerved around, cutting down soldiers and eventually exploding in bursts of oil, driving bits of the Legion mad.

Razia, the Archangel of the Boros Legion, finally intervened in an attempt to stop the invasion. She was cut down by a group of Crusaders and Eastern Paladins.


Ravnica - Selesnya Sanctuary

Being in an elevated position in the city of Ravnica, the Selesnya Sanctuary had more time to prepare than most. A small army of Phytohydras had been ushered inside, which they felt was more than enough to stop Phyrexia's Advance. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Reapers, Bloodstocks, Denouncers, Plaguelords, and whatever else could be mustered attacked the Sanctuary in droves, overwhelming even the growth of the Phytohydras. The Oil stunted their growth, and hope quickly began to fade for the Sanctuary. However, at that moment, two Autochton Worms burst in, ready to fight. They fought for the Conclave valiantly, but Crusaders quickly overwhelmed them.

The Chorus themselves attempted to fight, finally, but they were easily destroyed by the swarm of Phyrexian War Machines.

[IcemanJRC]

Telyard sits outside Ravnica, floating in the Blind Eternities aimlessly. He watches as the Boros and Conclave and even the Patriarchs fall to the Phyrexians. It brings a single tear to his eye as he spies the pure devastation being brought to his home. He sighs and sheds his cloak and Guild Signet, the Blind Eternities ripping them from existence. He then wipes his eye and walks away, landing on Esper where he goes to seek solace in the Tidehollow, with the Scullers.

[BladeofOblivion]

Ravnica - Stalemate

As the Cold, Unfeeling hand of Phyrexia stretched its imperial fingers over Ravnica, something interesting happened. The blood spilt over the Boros, Orzhov, Conclave, Simic, and Golgari had taken a severe toll on the Phyrexian offensive, even if they were potential recruits. Survivors of these five had mostly fled to the Azorius, who were immediately beset upon by the Phyrexian Scourge.

The Grand Arbiter, for the first time in thousands of years, read the Guildpact aloud, calling for the leaders of the remaining five guilds. An alliance was formed, and a resistance was forged. Rakdos thrulls and cultists assaulted the streets, Izzet Automatons did the same, Gruul armies charged out to slaughter, Dimir assassins slit the throats of the Chain of command, and Azorius Magicks empowered the Guilds while demoralizing Phyrexia. There was still hope.

Phyrexia's advance had been stopped, and a bloody stalemate was upon the streets of Ravnica.

[The-Mage-King]

Zendikar

The elvish planeswalker is running like hell. Pursuing him are a trio of giant eldritch abominations, all of which had been burnt with the flame that burns colorlessly, and all noticably annoyed.

As he reaches a decent distance from them, he shimmers, slipping into the Blind Eternities and heading towards the plane once called Argentum.

The Eldrazi pursue, and Zendikar is saved. For the moment.

[BladeofOblivion]

Phyrexia - Sixth Sphere

Maltarus stood behind the podium, ready to dispense a ruling.

I hereby call this council of the Praetors and their close associates, in an attempt to discuss a replacement for Vorinclex. As you know, Praetor Vorinclex was found dead in the center of the Predation Center of New Phyrexia. He was presumed to be killed by a planeswalker, as no other could reasonably do so. In any case, he had no Last Will and Testament, so all of you have laid claim to his lands and underlings. May I ask what exactly you intend to do with it?

The first to speak was Praetor Elesh Norn, the Grand Cenobyte.

I intend to advance the Great Work, to flay the skin from all of these beings and to bring them into the folds of a Unified Phyrexia.

The second was Praetor Jin-Gitaxias, the Core Augur.

I intend to advance the Great Work as well, instead to advance Phyrexia's Science, Knowledge, and thus, Power. These predators will be highly valuable to my studies.

The third was Praetor Sheoldred, the Whispering One.

I intend to use these creatures as a strongarmed improvement to Phyrexia's Military, so that we can be far more powerful than ever before.

The Fourth was Urabrask, the Hidden One.

I intend to destroy our enemies, to bring them into the glorious form of Phyrexia, and to slaughter those who would oppose us.

The Final Speaker was unexpected. Out of the back of the room came the form of Glissa, Blessed of Phyrexia. She had perhaps the strongest claim to Vorinclex's Position, having been the most elite of the Voice of Hunger's Minions.

I intend to Fulfill Vorinclex's Dream: To continue creating the perfect predator. Further, giving me control allows you to keep the balance, while giving any of these four the power gives them an advantage over the others.

And You.

Maltarus considered a bit.

I hereby bestow the property and underlings of Vorinclex, the Voice of Hunger, upon Glissa, Blessed of Phyrexia.

He looked at the faces of the four Praetors, Sheoldred and Urabrask's dripping with resentment, while Jin-Gitaxias and Norn's were emblazoned with a grim disappointment. Maltarus had made a great mistake, having turned his most powerful allies' loyalty into resentment.

Return to New Phyrexia. All property of Vorinclex is to be made Glissa's by the time the Green Sun falls below the horizon. If this is not properly carried out, for whatever reason, or any attempts are made to take control of the Copper Forest, the full might of Phyrexia shall be brought down upon the offender. Now go!


Phyrexia - Fourth Sphere

So, what am I going to do with you? I'm going to send you off. You're going to lead an invasion. I've tracked you back to your home plane, and learned where it is. This shard of 'Esper,' or whatever it is called, carries great use to Phyrexia. The lands of Naya, Jund, and Grixis also seem to be waiting for Compleation. The final shard, Bant, is the one most likely to be useless to us. Still, we can make use of them. Their bodies will spill over the horizons.

The battle plan is like this. First, you and two other generals will be airdropped into a remote region of Grixis. Then, you are to begin corrupting the local forms. Grixis seems to be composed largely of necrotic creatures, so this should be easy. Once Grixis is secure, you are to launch careful invasions into Jund and Esper. Compleation is to be enacted on all groups that you come into contact with. All will be One. Hail Phyrexia!

The form of Jakob could do little more than squirm in terror.

[The-Mage-King]

Argentum's Core

Sitting in the emptied throne, the elf smirks, an ear being kept for the appearance of those he lured here.

The "battle" was over quickly when he 'walked into the core, the three Eldrazi in pursuit.

Evidently, phyrexians are bigger threats than the guy who simply hit them with a burst of fire that burns colorlessly. Who would have guessed?

Kicking his feet up on the corpse of one of the plated phyrexians, the elf's grin widens as he scries the destruction of the forest of Argentum.

"Green jerks diserved it. Should have left those darn things alone." He mutters as the phyrexian elves die by the droves.

[BladeofOblivion]

New Phyrexia

In light of the Eldrazi attack, three of the Praetors panicked. Jin-Gitaxias, the Core Augur, was greatly conflicted between the chance of studying these alien creatures and destroying their threats to his mad science. Sheoldred, the Whispering One, was afraid of threats to her power. And Elesh Norn, the Grand Cenobyte, was utterly terrified of these things, so capable of resisting Phyrexia's Pull.
The tangle quickly fell to the Eldrazi, the Blightwidows and many others fleeing to the relative safety of Mirrodin's other regions. Soon, the furnace layer and Oxidda Mountains were overtaken as well, with the Lesser Broods of the Eldrazi eventually storming over much of New Phyrexia. Soon, the situation grew dire enough that Phyrexia activated its secret weapon: A squad of Blightsteel Colossi.
The squad, using its immense power, managed to tear Kozilek apart. Iron and Gore spread across the skies in this epic battle, covering the scenery in both Glistening Oil and Eldrazi pieces. Eventually, the battle wound down the the Blightsteel Warriors as the victors. That is, until they were utterly destroyed by Emrakul and its legions of loyal slaves.

Soon enough, Sheoldred, Jin-Gitaxias, and Norn fled the battlefield, leaving Urabrask and Glissa to die in the wake of the Eldrazi Strike. Karn still lies in the Core of New Phyrexia, waiting for the opportunity to break free.


Phyrexia

Maltarus paced back and forth, pondering the best method to support his new superweapon. He could send some of his personal guard, but that would leave Phyrexia undermanned. He could send Praetors, but that would leave New Phyrexia undermanned. He continued to pace and think until something odd happened. Three Praetors wandered through the gate from New Phyrexia, looking for him.

"If this is about Glissa, don't bother. My decision is FINAL."

"I'm afraid it's not about the whelp, Archpraetor Maltarus. Alien, unfamiliar creatures have invaded. I'm afraid New Phyrexia is no more."

"WHAT?! WHERE ARE URABRASK AND VORIN... ...Glissa?"

"Dead, I'm afraid. New Phyrexia is lost to us for now."

Maltarus' face contorted with rage, then returned to normal.

"Then you're going to conquer me a new one. I've found another plane ideal for compleation, and I was considering who to send on the front lines. Your bumbling incompetence has earned you a place there. Now go, the portal is open."


Alara - Jund

Through the gate, Jakob shuddered a bit at the sudden burst of Red Mana permeating the region. This wasn't even the spot where that Negator said it would be! He couldn't even be competent in his own plans! Still, he wouldn't complain. All he had to do was try to hold this thing implanted into his body back until someone killed the implanted intelligence matrix and dragged what was left of his body back to Esper. There was still a chance, as long as he played it safe, and Esper wasn't destroyed.

Sheoldred was quite happy here, even if the levels of Red and Green mana were uncomfortable. Norn and Jin-Gitaxias, on the other hand, were at a definite state of unease. If there was one thing that Gitaxias and Norn had in common, it was that they didn't like red mana. At all. Sheoldred, while she did quite like it here in Jund, saw Grixis on the horizon and knew it had to be hers. The four invaders marched up to the Maelstrom, created another portal to Phyrexia, and summoned their armies. Jakob stayed here, to manage the portal, and the three Praetors marched off to their Shards of Choice in a sudden, unexpected invasion.

((Okay, Challenge time! Each of the three remaining Praetors are attacking a different shard. If left unchecked, the combination of the Praetor's power, a Planeswalker handling Logistics, Phyresis on civilians/soldiers, and general insanity would allow Phyrexia to make a slow triumph against Alaran defenders. However, this assumes that nobody bothers to defend. Any planeswalker on Alara or who knows about the invasion, or even just feels like dropping in can aid in the defense of a single shard at a time. Only one person can be defending a given shard at a given time, though another can wait on the sidelines in case the current defender is defeated. Remember though: Elesh Norn is attacking Bant (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10956469#post10956469), Jin-Gitaxias is attacking Esper (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10956495#post10956495), and Sheoldred is attacking Grixis (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=10956524#post10956524). Have fun.))

[Lix Lorn]

Elyssia's eyes widen suddenly, sitting on the coast of Bant.
That mana. Here again...
She screams wordlessly, fear and pain.

[BladeofOblivion]

If Elyssia was to look a bit inland, she would clearly see a battle raging in the distance, between an army of Porcelain Soldiers led by a tall, imposing figure and a group of Aven. The Aven are losing, but only just. A timely intervention could save their lives.

((The Duel threads are linked in the post above.))

[Lix Lorn]

She takes a deep breath... and runs towards them, leaping into the air as blue phantom wings form on herself.

(I honestly don't much want to duel for the battles. I'd rather just do it as freeform...)

[BladeofOblivion]

The form of Elesh Norn continues to strike at the Aven, using tendrils of Draining energy to remove life from the poor birds and transfer it into the Porcelain Legion. Eventually spotting the approaching Planeswalker, Norn lashed out with these same tendrils, attempting to remove the threat.

((That works too, but I wanted an excuse to try the deck out. :smallsmile: Oh well. The three challenges are still quite open, and the links are up in the initial invasion post.))

[Lix Lorn]

(oh fiiine. I'll do a deck, but not til tomorrow.)

She yelps, a blast of blue mana striking the tentacles and tearing their power apart.

[BladeofOblivion]

((Fair enough.))

Alara - Bant Invasion

Norn is quite surprised by the resistance offered, and tries diplomacy. A cool female voice washes over the surroundings.

You would make an excellent candidate for compleation. Would you like to experience unity?

If the answer is, as is probable, no, Norn responds with another barrage of life-draining attacks.

[Lix Lorn]

"YOU **** FREAKS! I'M GONNA SEE TO IT YOU ALL *** AND *** DIE AND"

An unending stream of fury kicks off as she launches countermagic to negate the attacks as she closes in...

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Bant Invasion

Elesh Norn is blindfolded, but there is a distinct impression of her eyes widening as Elyssia closes in. She tries a different tactic, as a storm of bright red cloth flies at Elyssia, contorting and trying to grab her. If it does, it transforms into porcelain.

[Lix Lorn]

She growls in fury, attempting to counteract the porcelain-causing-strands with a blast of lightning.

Deck ready!

[BladeofOblivion]

The strands turn porcelain early and shatter!

Norn is running out of ideas. She braces for impact.

((I won't be able to get to the game for a little while, but the duel thread is linked in the invasion post.))

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Bant Invasion

Norn lies dead on the ground, not far from the now-unconscious Elyssia.

Without the guiding hand of Elesh Norn, the Porcelain Legion goes crazy. Some go completely berserk, charging at Bant's forward lines only to be cut down by hardened warriors. Others had a brief return to sanity, during which they took the entirely reasonable action of Suicide. A few just dropped their weapons and ran for it, only to be cut down by Aven Warriors.

One other Phyrexian, a Gore Vassal, began to drag Elyssia's form off with it, in the General direction of Sheoldred's under-construction Compleation facility in Grixis. It only got about three feet with the bleeding, badly poisoned, and unconscious girl before being stabbed through the head by a Rhox soldier. The Rhox looked at Elyssia, saw how bad her condition was, and slung her over its shoulder, running as fast as it could to the nearest town.

As soon as the Rhox found a healer, he slung Elyssia properly onto one of the beds. The healer came, and patched up the basic wounds. The Poison would take longer, but it would fade with enough effort.

Bant was saved regardless, thanks to the Intervention of one Planeswalker. Esper and Grixis are still in need of a hero, but Bant is safe for now.

[The-Mage-King]

((As my last IC postis no longer valid...))

The plane formerly known as Argentum, Furnace layer, approaching core

Slipping past the battling eldrazi and Phyrexian remnants under the safety of his cloak, the elf broadcasts his message through a massive mental missive to the surviving Mirrans, telling them to head towards the core as quickly as they can.

Pausing a moment to destroy a few phyrexian elves, he notices a small passage downwards and takes it, eventually arriving at the chamber housing the plane's ccreator.

"Well, well. Looks like naptime is over, Karn." He mutters, moving towards the controls created by the phyrexians. "Time to pay back my debt to the one who stopped the Tolarian rift."

With that, he looks over the controls, spots the one that will awaken the golem, and throws it.

And then he vanishes, planeswalking to the Blind Eternities.


And back to the surface of Mirroden, where he pulls forth the power of Ghostfire again, targeting Emrakul and Ulamog to get their attention, then vanishing back into the Eternities when he know's they'll follow.

[BladeofOblivion]

New Phyrexia - Core

The lever had been thrown. The two Gitaxians studying the Silver Planeswalker were thrown against the walls like plasticine, and the Golem tore itself free of the restraints. The darksteel walls were rent in twain by the pure unstoppable force of a vengeful planeswalker. Even the Eldrazi vanguard in the core could not withstand his might, as they were teleported to the heart of the Darksteel Forge. As the members of the Mirran Resistance joined him in his rampage against the enemies of Mirrodin, the cries grew more and more powerful. It continued on it's path, dispatching Phyrexian and Eldrazi alike via teleportation to the inescapable forge. It would only stop when every last Pure Mirran had been rescued from the clutches of Phyrexia.

New Phyrexia - Surface

It's incontrovertible that, by this point, Phyrexia's grasp on Mirrodin was no more. If the three Praetors had not fled with their armies, Phyrexia might have stood a fighting chance. As it was, though, Glissa and Urabrask did not have the power required to stop the dual encroachment of the Eldrazi Broods and the Mirran resistance.
Thus, the next event does make a bit more sense. As the Elf attempted to attract the Eldrazi Titans' attention, a head poked out of a rocky outcropping nearby. Whether or not he noticed it, it takes only a second or two before Glissa tries to pounce on him.

"YOU did this! YOU brought them here! You will die!"

[The-Mage-King]

Mirroden's Surface

"Be quiet. More powerful beings than you are talking." The elf mutters, sending a pulse of blue magic to throw Glissa away from him, before continuing his assault of ghostfire on the Eldrazi lords.

Finally catching their attention, he bows, and runs towards the core with a last burst of the flame that burns colorlessly aimed towards each, sending a single request towards what is probably the most powerful being on this plane.

'Mind helping me deal with these guys? I kinda needed something to hold destroy the phyrexians, and they were the best option available. Now they aren't needed.' He projects using his small amount of mind magic to get it to his target

[BladeofOblivion]

Mirrodin Pure

Glissa was struck by the blast, and obliterated. She writhes a bit in agony, then shrivels away. As Urabrask is slowly strangled between the tentacles of Ulamog, Phyrexian power begins to die out completely on Mirrodin. Without the power of the Praetors to stabilize it, New Phyrexia resumed its former aspect. Naturally, the six remaining thanes were a threat in the Mephidross, but Phyrexia's presence was crushed. The roar of battle had shattered Phyrexian Resolve, but the Mirran Resistance was still mighty. Now, they fought for their lives against a new foe: the Eldrazi that were no longer an asset.

Hearing the gist of the message sent to it, the Silver Golem resolved that Emrakul and Ulamog were leading the pack. As both titans were stored in the Darksteel Forge until they were removed or the plane collapsed, the head of the Eldrazi threat was decapitated.

Leaderless, the Eldrazi began to fall to the Mirran Resistance. Still, the battle would last a long time before it finally subsided.


Alara - Esper

In a headquarters set up on the outskirts of Esper, Jin-Gitaxias moved around his markers, describing orders and strategies to his armies all over Esper. They had already more or less removed the defensive tower network, and it was only a matter of time until they reached Sharuum's Spire itself.

His strategies were working well, but he did make one important mistake: His hubris had prevented him from sharing his plans with others. If he was to be killed (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198546), his invasion plan would die with him and his armies would never breach Esper's Walls. He also made a second mistake: His 'secret headquarters' was topped with a very large and clearly Phyrexian Spire, big enough to be seen from anywhere in Esper.


Alara - Grixis

Sheoldred directed the Obliterators to continue putting up the towers. She had the construction plans memorized, and she knew quite well that sharing the entirety of them with another would preclude her usefulness to Phyrexia. That way, without her (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198549), this colonization effort would fail! She smiled at her brilliance in this plan. Yes, soon Grixis would be compleat, and all the glory would be hers...


Alara - Bant

Soon enough, the healer remembered that there was a healer in Naya who knew how to get rid of such nasty poison. Elyssia was ridden towards the nearest Leonin Pride.

[The-Mage-King]

The Blind Eternities

Moving around in the Æther, the Elf plans his next move.

"Hm... I could go to Rabiah..." He mutters, pulling out a small book detailing the best planes for vacations. "Sun, sand, and sufficient drinks..."

"Or I could go to Segovia. I've been meaning to get the gist of some Leviathans..."

He continues his travels, passing the point where Alara is and noticing the taint around the portal.

"Oooorrrr.... I could go smash some phyrexians." He says to himself, pulling his cloak on and sliding through the portal, aiming for Esper.

[Lix Lorn]

Alara - Bant

Soon enough, the healer remembered that there was a healer in Naya who knew how to get rid of such nasty poison. Elyssia was ridden towards the nearest Leonin Pride.
The girl being carried shall remain unconscious for quite some time. She was so close to death, or worse-compleation, that she was barely hanging on at all.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper

As the elf enters the Shard of Esper, the storm clouds around it are far thicker than normal. Clearly visible about half a mile away, is a gigantic Evil Mastermind's Tower, surrounded by Viral Drakes and other such unpleasant creatures. It is clear that this is a rather obvious headquarters for the Progress Engine of the encroaching power of (Newer!) Phyrexia.

There isn't much time to think though, as a small swarm of Thrummingbirds and a Viral Drake immediately attempt to assault the planeswalker. The entrance appears to be wide open, with a series of neon signs declaring where everything is. Either it's a trap, or someone wasn't expecting a counterattack...


Alara - Naya

As the horse entered the jungle, it was quickly surrounded by Leonin Hunters. They immediately recognized the Healer as being from Bant, so she, the horse, and the girl were led safely to the Tribe's Doctor.
The tribal doctor did in fact know one method of removing the poison. 'Leeches (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=3020),' he said. After applying a few leeches to the girl's body, mostly on the arms and lower legs, he began chanting his spells. After all, the specialty of the Leonin magic was healing the spirit, and that was the true ailment spread by Phyrexia. After several hours of chanting and blood removal, the leeches were burned off and exterminated.

Elyssia would need bed rest for a while, and some time to regenerate the lost blood, but the poison was safely gone and she would live.

[The-Mage-King]

Palming his face as he throws a ball of fire at the monsters, the Elf quickly flips the hood up, becoming a part of the background as he makes his way towards the incredibly obvious base.

"Either this guy is a moron, or he's just absent minded..."

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper - EVIL MASTERMIND TOWER

As the Planeswalker enters over the on-fire bodies of several Thrummingbirds, nothing unusual happens. There appear to be a number of poorly-set up pit traps, that anyone with sight could avoid. The Flamethrowers sticking out of the walls are fully visible, and the spike panels aren't even trying to be subtle! This can't be right. One would think that a Blue Mage like Jin-Gitaxias would actually think about his base design, rather than making it a cliched piece of idiocy like this. Or maybe he's a pushover after all. Who knows?

[Electrohydra]

Alara-Grixis

The first thing Alistar saw as he exited the Blind Eternities was oil. A dark, thick oil running across twisted walls like veins. The ground was metallic yet somehow soft, and the only "doors" in the room where no more than holes leading to dark corridors. Slightly disturbed by the whole construction, he engaged himself in one of the passages, looking for a way out, or at least to find out where he was. After a few dozen paces he found himself inside another similar room, yet much larger. And this time, it was occupied by a most disturbing of beings. It had the torso of a vaguely human female, but it was mounted on a huge, four-legged abomination with a thick hide and a mouth equipped with razor-sharp teeth. Before the lost planeswalker could turn back, she turned to him and smiled with both mouths at once.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis - Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

As the planeswalker entered, Sheoldred grinned for many reasons. There was the fact that such a dark (and thus temptible) soul simply wandered in to the Vat room.

"Have you come to be reborn in a new, Phyrexian skin? Or to make a feeble attempt to stop me?"

She laughs, a most devilish laugh to perfectly complement her Diabolical Soul.

If the former, the First Step is right here: A vat of Glistening Oil. If the latter...

She motions to the stairs, leading up to the top of the Vat of Oil. If the planeswalker refuses, as is likely, she orders two Phyrexian Obliterators to grab him, and drag him to it. Of course, a planeswalker stands a better chance than most at resisting such monsters.


Alara - Maelstrom

Jakob looked at the incoming reports. The operation in Grixis was running smoothly. The Invasion of Esper was going exactly as planned. But there was one shining bit of hope: Someone very brave had managed to slay Elesh Norn. He didn't think anyone short of a planeswalker would stand a chance at defeating these monstrosities, but the report was clear as day. Elesh Norn dead, the Porcelain Legion disbanded, and Bant victorious.

He could only hope that the other invasions failed similarly.

[The-Mage-King]

Jin-Gixatais's EVIL TOWER

Slipping under the flamethrower's, the elf casts a minor levitation spell on himself, floating over the floor with care.

'Or, of course, he's a freakin' genius and set up the obvious stuff to hide the real traps.' The elf thinks to himself, moving deeper into the base.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper - EVIL MASTERMIND TOWER

Right on cue, several agile Phyrexians (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=214383) jump out of the shadows, attempting to make a sneak attack. Perfectly timed as well, an audio recording appears from an overhead speaker.

"So, this is the champion of Esper? A bit less than what I was expecting. Their armies are so useless, but I figured maybe they were holding an elite squad in reserve? But apparently they just sent you. So be it, you look like a decent enough candidate for compleation anyway. I'll try to make it as painless as possible. I have no idea why the other Praetors think that torturing people makes them more loyal."

[The-Mage-King]

"Actually, I just don't like you guys." The elf says, releasing a pulse of blue mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4725) and letting the phyrexians phase through him harmlessly. "Given that your boss took out my dragon back on the Fourth Sphere with one shot, when I was just trying to do some salvaging, I feel kinda upset.

"Anyway, you actually sound kinda intellegent. Moreso than that elf back on Argentum who tried to kill me while I was dealing with my bestest friends in the whol multiverse, at least." The elf continues, two bolts of lightning spreading from his hands aimed towards the backs of the agents, and splitting to strike a total of four of them. "Howsabout you stop with the compleation of Esper, go find yourself and your minions a nice, unoccupied plane somewhere and set up shop there? Leave the 'TAKE OVER THE MULTIVERSE!' plan behind, make an academy, and let people come to you if they want to become perfect?"

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper - EVIL MASTERMIND TOWER

The Blighted Agents collide with each other, fall on the ground, and are promptly crushed by one of the obvious deathtraps. No more subtle things occur for now.

To be fair, that was more or less my original plan. The thing is, I'm not sure I could withstand the rest of Phyrexia assaulting me for heresy. I always found the whole 'Invasion' concept to be silly, no matter my skill at it. That Maltarus fellow is exalted by most of the Phyrexian hierarchy. I'm fairly sure he is not really Yawgmoth's Disciple, but Norn, Sheoldred, and Vorinclex ate it right up. The thing is, he's a planeswalker. He also managed to outmaneuver and capture another Planeswalker on Ravnica, who has since been converted painfully.

Actually, that one's technically leading this invasion, though he's very vocal about how much he hates all of us and would slaughter every last one of us if he ever gets control of his body back.

Anyway, the problem is that Maltarus controls the portal ships anyway. Without one of those, I'm pretty much stranded here.

Gitaxias stops speaking a moment.

Wait, did you say Argentum? You were there when those things showed up and I took the opportunity to ditch those idiots? Did you say you killed a crazy elf? Please be Glissa Please be Glissa...

[The-Mage-King]

"Indeed, you could say I was there when the Eldrazi arrived." The elf returns. "The elf I mentioned felt as though she was attuned to both Green and Black mana, and she wound up in a lava pit. So, assuming that the person you speak of is the same..."

"Anyway, on to a more important subject- how long you can delay compleating Esper without your boss catching on." He continues, waving away the last subject. "If you could, say, delay it a massive amount, I might be able to aquire you a single portal ship, and give you the coordinates of a plane I think would be quite fitting for your home. A plane which is currently occupied only by Leviathans, and small ones at that."

[Electrohydra]

Alara-Grixis-Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

So the thing was actually conscious and took the time to talk? That surprised the lost planeswalker somewhat, but it was not as if his interlocutor had very interesting things to say, so he responded with sarcasm.

-You know, I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about, but it doesn't sound like the most entertaining of ideas so I'm going to have to politely decline.

Unfortunately for him that was not the kind of answer Sheoldred was looking for, and two huge beastly abominations dropped in to have him "reconsider" his choice. Not liking such prospect, Alistar dodged the creature's clawed hands and gathered some of the black and red mana for a simple yet efficient spell that turned the first Obliterator into a pile of ashes and dust (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=220524). Then the planeswalker pulled some more red mana to himself, and the black flames who had just consumed the first horror jumped (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=234705) to the second one so it could share it's kin's fate.

Satisfied with his work, Alistar turned back to the woman-beast.

-So, is that how you welcome visitors around here?

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper - Jin-Gitaxias' Tower

I suppose I can delay a bit. Send some troops to check on Norn and Sheoldred, to 'gauge their progress.' Wait...

...Oh goodness. Norn is dead. Someone killed Norn. Good Riddance, I say. She was very annoying. That should throw a decent wrench into the plans. And now I have an idea.

A loudspeaker goes off, telepathically entering a new order into the minds of the rest of the Phyrexian Progress engine: "The plan has been compromised. Return to the tower and wait for further orders."

A video display rolls down.

There's the button I was looking for! Okay. If you can do one more thing, I can help you disrupt the entire invasion.

A map of Alara appears on the display. A red dot appears on the map, near the Maelstrom.

"That dot is the location of the Command Base. It's where all the reports and communication all over Alara are being redirected through. It's also the current location of the Phyrexian Portal designated to go between Phyrexia and Alara. It's where Maltarus gets his news from, and where he sends his orders. It's also the location of Maltarus' most powerful secret weapon: A Planeswalker captured on Ravnica through a Negator Ambush. The interesting thing is that Maltarus didn't want to risk damaging his abilities, and so the man's mind is intact. It's hooked up to the Intelligence Matrix of one of the Negators he destroyed. This means that if you were to disable him, I could probably place him back in control of his own body and remove the Phyrexian Grafts. Given that he's also an Esperite Native, they could likely put him back together. That's my recommended target, if you want to disrupt this invasion. I'll see what I can do about curtailing the invasion effort."

Alara-Grixis-Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

Oh, so that's how it's going to be?

Sheoldred used some of her own Black Magic, quickly reanimating one of the Fallen Obliterators.

Nothing short of a Planeswalker stands any chance of defeating me, and even one of those is inevitably doomed.

She grinned Evilly again, as several Grixis Zombies lined up, diving headfirst into the vat.

My goals here are nearing completion, and Grixis is nearing Compleation. Surrender, and you might even be instituted as a Thane.

[The-Mage-King]

Epser, Phyrexian tower

"I have a better idea..." The elf says, a smirk on his face. "Contact the HQ and tell them you captured a very strange person, and are sending him in unconscious with a group of your agents."With a slight flick of his wrist and a pulse of blue mana, a dozen copies of the slain Phyrexians appear around him.

"And then I'll infiltrate. I'm sure I have enough mana to spare to summon something... inconvienient in there and make my way towards the 'walker while the main force is distracted."

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Esper - Jin-Gitaxias' Tower

Sounds reasonable enough. There's hundreds of excuses I can make later if you fail, and I don't need them at all if you succeed.

Silence for a few seconds.

There, it is done.

A black dot appears in the Grixis region on the map.

Also, that's where Sheoldred is setting up her factories. That's the other place that needs to be hit to stop this invasion in its tracks. If my reports are correct, however, it's already under attack. Just something that might be useful to know.

[The-Mage-King]

"Well then, I suppose I'll take my leave. My thanks for your aid in this matter." The elf replies, heading out the way he came in, the summoned minions following him.




As soon as he was outside of surveilance range, he smirked.

"Like I'll head in there in the hands of my minions when you called ahead... Yeah right." He mutters, conjuring a shapeshifter (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=140200) from his memory.

"You are now Me. You will go with my other summons and pretend to be unconscious. Do you understand?" He asks the shapeshifter, looking at it seriously.

Recieving a nod of assention from the shifter, he pulls the hood of his cloak back up, fades into the background, and makes his way further towards the Maelstrom, the shapeshifter being carried by the summoned agents as it transforms into an almost perfect copy of the elf.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom

As the entourage approached, followed by the hidden elf, they all saw the structure. It was composed mainly of Phyrexian Steel, the kind usually used for compleation. It screamed with the sounds of pain and horror, and was leeching off energy from the Maelstrom itself for its cruel devices. A large, heavily corrupted dragon was perched upon the tallest spire, one that the Elf might find familiar.

It watched constantly, everything passing across its view. It even fixed it's gaze on the invisible elf for an instant, sensing motion, but its gaze soon drifted onto the main group. The Gates opened wide for Gitaxias 'valued test subject,' before a Blightsteel Colossus wandered out. It walked off in the general direction of Bant, intent on recapturing Norn's body, but a section of ground crumbles and it is unmade by the sheer power of the Maelstrom.

It... ...might be wise to watch one's step here. Who knows what traps lurk within?

[The-Mage-King]

Seeing his dragon, the elf knew what to do.


A massive pulse of red mana burst through the ground, forming into the shape of... Another dragon of the same type, which launched a completely unexpected attack on the corrupted one, burning it away, and then swooped towards the largest tower, attacking it in an attempt to create an entryway.


Taking advantage of the commotion, the elf pulled his cloak further around himself and rushed through the door as quickly as possible, becoming part of the background near the entrance thanks to his cloak.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom - Phyrexian Command

As the Dragons fight in the skies above, the Maelstrom amplifies the red mana surge and shatters another ring in the ground around it. Using so much mana nearby is clearly dangerous, but it can't be helped right now.

Getting inside is easy, and the nearby Phyrexian Crusaders, Bloodstocks, and others were busy picking up bows and attempting to shoot down the attacking dragon. The incoming Shapesharer is mostly ignored, due to the more urgent issue with the dragons.

Inside, the hall was great in size, and made largely of recovered Darksteel. Its laid out like a huge barracks, and there are a series of signs in Rathan, on the off chance that the Elf can read it. One leads to the Portal Room (to Phyrexia), one leads to the Command Chamber, and one leads to the actual barracks.

[The-Mage-King]

Muuttering a curse after watching the effects of his mana on the surrounding, the elf thinks over his options, watching the forces gather.

Sending a minute pulse (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=111048) of Red mana into the air, he quickly follows with a second, slightly larger pulse of mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=109686), planning on letting that expand to the amount needed to help him win this battle.

Lurking past the guards at the barracks, the elf does what he does best.

Destroy stuff with massive amounts of prejudice. Several pulses of red mana spaced carefully apart call forth goblins, who set to work smashing everything they can and attacking any phyrexians in the room as the elf makes his way towards the other side of it, where he finds the best possible seat and waits for opposition.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom - Phyrexian Command

The staggered use of mana seems to be more effective, resulting in no more than a random lightning bolt or two zapping something.

The Goblins are met with complete surprise, having been largely unexpected by the Phyrexian invaders. While the Crusaders have no difficulty at all fending them off, most of the other Phyrexians are killed in large, Pyrrhic engagements. At least, the ones that weren't flying around in the skies above. The Dragons were still in combat, though the pure one seemed to hold a clear advantage.

As the Elf sits down on one of the benches that is NOT covered in Glistening Oil injectors, the battle largely ignores him. No one actually notices him there, in fact. Might have to do with the Whispersilk Cloak.

The sounds from the three hallways have changed. The one to the left is filled with the sounds of Goblins shouting battle cries and metal clashing against bone. The one to the right is filled with gruesome sounds, like Phyrexian Reinforcements being gated in. The one in the center is filled only with the sound of metallic, anguished pain, almost showing genuine emotion.

[The-Mage-King]

As the time clicks down, another large dragon bursts into the room, a rift in time sealing behind it as it joins the attack on the Phyrexians. As goblins near their deaths, they vanish, a large shape visible through the timestream getting closer and closer to appearing.


And the elf pulls forth the tiniest possible amount of blue mana, generating a small cup of water, and a flicker of red, heating it.

Reaching into his cloak, he fishes around for a... teabag, before sending another two of the medium sized bursts of red mana into the Æther to grow into dragons.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom - Phyrexian Command

The Dragons begin to outmaneuver the Phyrexian Invaders, even as the Goblins fail to stand. The strongest creatures against them, the crusaders, were unable to fly and thus useless. The Corrupted Hellkite fell to the ground outside with a large thumping noise, and the section of ground undearneath shattered into another Maelstrom tunnel.

The cascading effects of the Maelstrom wer waxing at this moment, so mana was becoming increasingly difficult to control. This was made clear when an explosion randomly occurred, actually blowing a chunk of Darksteel from existence. That usually requires force equivalent to a Planar Collision.

Duh, Maelstrom...

Anyway, there are sounds of the portals going off, and a number of Phyrexian Bowmen exit the hallway that was previously making portal sounds. The sounds up the center hallway have become low groans and semi-coherent, angry shouting. It sounds metallic, but also almost human. The sounds of battle Down the third hallway have silenced, though a few badly injured Order of Yawgmoth Elites charge out into the main fray.

[The-Mage-King]

Another burst of red mana flies to the Æther as another pair of dragons appear, wreaking havoc in the room.

"Right. That's enough sitting around." The elf says, standing up with his tea. "Time to do what I came here to do."

Slipping towards the center hallway, he takes a sip of the tea and sends a bolt of lighting down it, hoping to startle whatever is down there.

[BladeofOblivion]

Well, there's a spiral staircase down at the end of the hallway, so the bolt probably just hits a wall. However, the moaning stops at the sound as the thunder echoes down the stairway.

Whatever it is, the Elf has its attention. There are also large, heavy footsteps coming up the staircase.

[The-Mage-King]

Grabbing one of thee goblins by it's head, the elf flings it down the hall, aiming it towards the stairs so that it will bounce down them and hit the taarget.

As it flies, he takes another sip of his tea.

[BladeofOblivion]

There are several sounds of goblin pain as it bounces five times, then collides with Darksteel. Whatever's down there doesn't sound hurt, but is definitely surprised.

"Wait. Goblins aren't native to Alara, are they?"

Hey, it can talk! The heavy footsteps continue. Then there's a splattering sound.

You just had to crush the poor guy's head, didn't you?

...Huh.

[The-Mage-King]

Grabbing a passing Phyrexian by the head, the elf throws it down the hall too.


"Yeah, they are! Native to Jund!" He yells down the hall as the twisted monstrosity flies.

[BladeofOblivion]

Oh, right. Jund. Nasty place. Kind of like Phyrexia, but, you know, friendlier.

There's no real sound of pain this time, though there is a brutal sound of splattering again. The voice doesn't complain this time.

Oh god, I'm almost at the top. If you're still alive up there, run as fast as you can. I can't protect you from this beast.

A twisted amalgam of Darksteel and Etherium appears from around the corner, shaped into a hand by some excessively cruel means, no doubt.

[The-Mage-King]

"Mystic Restraints." The elf returns, targeting the claw with the chains of blue mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=79188), despite the danger of using it near the Maelstrom. "You're going with me now, friend. We're off to see a wizard."

[BladeofOblivion]

Thankfully, the Maelstrom itself just seems to absorb the mana, rather than causing a gigantic explosion. Maybe it's related to the type of mana used?

On the other hand, a quick burst of mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Discussion.aspx?multiverseid=186327) prevents the restraints from taking hold, and a burst of dark energy strikes at the elf for his trouble.

I'm sorry, but I warned you. I can't stop this thing from controlling what's left of my body. It's abusing my abilities as a planeswalker to strengthen the dark tide of Phyrexia. At the very least, I was able to block my reserve of White Mana from it, but I can't use it myself.

The thing swings a darksteel limb, lashing out with whips of Etherium. It's not risking casting too many spells around here.

[The-Mage-King]

Feeling his energy drain, the elf leaps backwards, phasing through the fray and landing at the other end of the room, untouched aside from the negated spell.

"Hm... Fascinating. I suppose that we'll be forced to duel in order for me to do what I came here to do, but I must say, the fusion of Darksteel and Etherium looks... Useful." He says, holding his hand to the side as a broadsword (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205044) appears in it, followed by a suit of heavy armor (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=213749) over the 'walker.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom - Phyrexian Command

I'm sorry. I can't stop it. I can rail against it all I want, but to little avail. You see -

Jakob's voice was cut off by a sudden interjection. The Ashes of Truth had spoken through the Negator Intelligence Matrix implanted in the armor.

ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.

- Okay, that's even worse.

You have interfered in my plans enough, Planeswalker. Now that you have fallen into my trap, you shall become one of us. It is inevitable, after all. Nobody resists Phyrexia forever.

A gigantic burst (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=43522) of Black Mana comes out, draining most of the life from the area, leaving only the two planeswalkers. And the Darksteel. Of course, this also cascades into a massive energy backlash, causing the Maelstrom itself to expand by a radius of several miles. Good thing these planeswalkers can fly, right?

...Right?

[The-Mage-King]

"Ah, what I wanted! Access to all five colors! Thank you!" The elf says, his levitation giving out and letting him plunge into the Maelstrom, laughing as he fell into the energies while pulling forth various assaulting spells powered by the five colors of mana.


Landing gracefully on a floating piece of rock, he looks up, aiming his left hand up as a wand made of a sphinx's bone (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=193596) appears, and fires the ammassed magical power towards the floating planeswalker.

[BladeofOblivion]

Jakob was hit hard by the resulting blast.

Ouch! Not the face! The control matrix is on the back of my neck! Aim for that!

Shut up! Stop helping him!

The Etherium/Darksteel form was tossed into the Maelstrom, being torn in all directions by the currents until the blast came near to overwhelming the Planeswalker. The White mana stored in Jakob helped to keep him alive, even as the Phyrexian Shell died slightly. The battle was far from over, but the Elf stood a significant chance.

[The-Mage-King]

Reforming the flight magic on himself, the elf takes advantage of the smokescreen, pulling the mana needed to create a pair of shapeshifters and gives them each flight, ordering them to take his shape and distract the enemy while he sets up an attack on his own.

Then he fades into the roiling background, maneuvering to the best place to launch an attack from.

[BladeofOblivion]

Seeing the relative weakness of the form at this point, Maltarus cursed.

My power is dampened through this form! Why would this be so?!

...Because my natural affinity isn't on Black Mana right now?


Oh.

Seeing the shapeshifters, the Ashes of Truth mused a bit. Then an idea entered his head. A Plague Sliver appeared, leaping across the rocks to attack. At the same time, the Changeling power forced the shapeshifters to assume Sliver form. This wasn't going to end well.

The Maelstrom was lashing out in random pulses, bolts, and death magic from all the mana flying around.

[The-Mage-King]

Somewhere in the roiling chaos of the Maelstrom, the elf winced as the feedback hit him. Still, he was in his best environment- pure, unadulterated Chaos, where he had a challenging task ahead of him.

Finally deciding on his course of action, the two shapeshifters evaporate as a Gargudon (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=111048) appears out of the timestream, pouncing on the sliver and destroying it easily.

Looks like that investment payed off.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom

Jakob lept from floating rock to floating rock, grappling the Gargadon and summoning Tidehollow Strixes to circle around, just to be sure. The things flew around, ready to kill quickly should any more creatures appear. The Gargadon was strong, but so are the Phyrexian limbs attached to his form.

Maltarus was using the matrix to emit a dark aura around him. The dead started to rise all over the floating stones, and the Maelstrom Tides began to shift again.

[The-Mage-King]

Pulling the power he needs from the chaos, the elf releases a giant burst of flame and death (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=208009) on the risen dead, vaporizing them, then redirecting more mana to pull a great shape from the Æther.

"Malfegor. Arise." He mutters as the Demonic Dragon (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=185812) is recreated from the power of the Maelstrom.

"You know the cost of my appearance, correct?" The entity asks, and the elf nods, feeling his memories being purged by the mighty demon.

"Now go fight him." The elf says as he watches the few zombies too powerful for a mere pyroclasm to kill explode.

[BladeofOblivion]

The Maelstrom

You have got to be kidding me.

This is... ...bad. I don't even have the Gauntlet handy to corrupt it!

As the armies are instantly brought to destruction, the Phyrexian Shell moved into direct combat with the demon dragon. It would not be easy to kill, sure, but Maltarus could not use Jakob's Oblivion Rings and so it was required. Darksteel punched into its body as Etherium tendrils lashed out at it internally, but it would survive that. Something new was needed.

((I just had a hilarious idea. We can keep RPing the fight until Elyssia wakes up and Alistair beats up Sheoldred, and then a crazy Archenemy game. :smallamused::smalltongue: Yea? Nay?))

[Lix Lorn]

((Haha, could do. :smallbiggrin:))

[The-Mage-King]

((Sure. I'll get a decklist for my EDH up, and use that. It's... Fitting for the character. And the only one I have in the right colors. at the moment))

"Hey, you have three foes to worry about!" The elf says as his two summons launch attacks on the enemy, opening fire with the sphinx bone want. "Keep on your toes!"

[Halae]

Alara - Border Of Jund and Grixis

A figure stands over the charred bodies over phyrexians who had strayed too far from the main body of the army, coming into his native Jund. To scout? an advance warparty? He didn't care - he knew what they were, and knew they what they represented - a threat.

He wears an armored red robe - an outfit he took to wearing when he developed his skill as a wizard. His skin is covered in red scales, and a long tail swishes behind him, and a pair of powerful wings sprout from his back. And he looks angry. These Phyrexians threatened the freedom of Alara. Why wouldn't he be angry?

The ashes of the defeated wretches still smoking, he took wing and began flying towards Grixis. Time to find out how to stop this.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Over the Maelstrom

Maltarus couldn't keep up with three separate attackers, and so he was crushed between a Demon Dragon and a charging Gargadon. Ouch.

Suddenly, a coating of ice (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=45254) froze over both monsters, as the Beast slid out from between them.

It proceeded to summon a pair of Dragonriding Wraiths (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=121151), which fly at the Elf.

Alara - Grixis

As Harnel flies above, the ground becomes less and less able to support life. It quickly turns to blackened wasteland, covered in undead monstrosities. Everywhere. They practically cover the ground in places, and the place is teeming with them. Following the density clusters to the main congregation, there are a series of spires, smokestacks, and factories, with Zombies and Ghouls entering on one side, and literal armies of Phyrexian Soldiers on the other.

The Compleation facility had been found.

[Halae]

Alara - Grixis

Harnel swoops in close to the facility, looking on as the poor shambling wretches were converted into omething they never asked for. Phyrexians desecrating the dead - that was not something Harnel would simply abide by.

He lands a short distance from a clumped group of soldiers, and a bolt of lightning (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201573) jumps from his hand, frying them all in a spectacular display of electricity as it feeds off their numbers to to grow larger and fry those it had hit before once again.

He yells to those remaining around him, "Bring out your leader! I'll face him myself!"

[The-Mage-King]

Maelstrom

As the ice slides over his summons, the elf smirks.

A burst of Red and Blue mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=179544) flies from his hand, dispelling a songle wraith and the ice, while he flings a smidgin of blue (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=193742) towards the other wraith.

"Not happening." He says, mostly to himself, drawing on the sheer force of Blue mana surrounding (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221556) him to reinvigorate his mind.

The two creatures, shaking off the ice, dove towards his foe, swinging and clawing at him.

[BladeofOblivion]

((They aren't animating the dead for compleation, if that's what you think. The undead are Native to Grixis. The plane animates anyone who dies there.))

Alara - Grixis - Inside Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

As Alistair struggled against the swarm of regenerating Obliterators, Sheoldred heard the call and went outside.

Alara - Grixis - Outside Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

Over the din of moaning and random zombies ineffectively lurching for Harnel's Brain, a noise could be heard from inside the facility. A huge, fleshy door opened wide, like a mouth allowing bile to exit. A behemoth creature came out, with full intent to meet the challenge. The top half resembled that of a human female, clad in leather and wearing a mask. She was smiling. The bottom half had four legs, a gigantic, razor-toothed maw, and was about three times the size of the upper part.

Sheoldred spoke.

Oh, how typical. Assuming a Man is in charge, like they all do. At least you're part dragon. That's more interesting.

So, another whelp daring to challenge me? There's a planeswalker in there currently being dipped into the vats. I doubt you stand a better chance.


Alara - The Maelstrom

This is quickly becoming a stalemate, you irksome pest.

I'm still here, just, you know, bored.

A little burst of white mana goes off, doing nothing of note.

Huh. That's a good sign, I guess.

[Halae]

((I figured as much, but if that's their natural state then Harnel figures that's as close to buried as they're going to get. Adjusting them to work for the Phyrexians? That's desecration))

Alara - Grixis - Outside Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

"Oh come on, that was a reasonable guess." Harnel doesn't seem that perturbed by what's around him, but he doesn't look happy, "And we'll never know until I try, will we? Test your power - I'm now pushover." Lightning crackles between the Half-Dragon's fingers, and smoke trails out of his mouth. He stands prepared for anything, his wings extended - He's ready for battle

Duel time maybe?

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis - Outside Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

You are now a pushover? Good to know.

((Okay. There's a thread already set up, somewhere. It's linked in a post on the previous page. I'm going to a baseball game soon though, so I won't be able to post until later.))

[The-Mage-King]

Alara, the Maelstrom

"You know, you're right." The elf says, finally revealing himself from his hiding spot.

"This has gone on long enough. Redirect." He continues, aiming far too much blue magic into the chaos for a normal spell turning.

"Come on at me." He finishes, throwing the wand and sword away, disappating the armor he's wearing.

[Halae]

((Alright, i'll find that and post there. and in the future, please tell about typos before respond to them so I can fix them :smallsigh:))

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

Another half-dragon planeswalker flies through the air. While Harnel is dealing with Sheoldred, this one is killing the Phyrexian soldiers and the undead.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus prepares to throw a great amount of force, then stops as he notices Malfegor and the Gargadon being eaten by something big. Something so enormously big, that he could feel its breath behind him. Uh oh.

(This. (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=179496))

Maltarus instead moves to dash away from the monster. Behind the Elf, if possible.


Alara - Grixis

As Harnel's duel against Sheoldred begins to look more and more bleak, the armies of Phyrexia and Grixis swarm against the second half-dragon planeswalker in a seemingly unstoppable tide of bodies and oil.

Inside the facility, the Obliterators continue to spawn from the vat and gang up on Alistair.


Alara - Naya

By now, Elyssia's wounds are just about healed. White magic really is good at that. She may even awake, since a group of Leonin cubs are lightly poking her with sticks, just to make sure she isn't dead.


Alara - Bant

Bant's Armies are rallying. The tides of Aven, Rhox, and human soldiers quickly march across the plains, intent on protecting the rest of Alara as well.

[Lix Lorn]

Alara - Naya

By now, Elyssia's wounds are just about healed. White magic really is good at that. She may even awake, since a group of Leonin cubs are lightly poking her with sticks, just to make sure she isn't dead..
"Uuugh... did I survive..? If so, what god punished me with that?" she groans.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara- The Maelstrom

"...Carp." The elf says, seeing the hydra appear as he prepared to move the Maelstrom to somewhere else with the massive amount of Blue mana.

"Uh, sorry about messing up your lawn, oh mighty one?" He says, sliding behind the Phyrexian planeswalker.

"I am not the one who started this mess. You're the one who'll have to put this down if it's hostile to both of us." He mutters to his opponent as he speeds by, being further away from the hydra than the other.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

The planeswalker summons Rhys (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=147393), and more elves suddenly start being summoned, until there is at least 20 basic elf soldiers.

The planeswalker then summons some mounted elves (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243432), as well as their leader (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=147439).

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus was... ...not expecting that. On the other hand, maybe that burst of white mana did do something after all. It certainly wasn't strong enough to summon the beast, but perhaps to get its attention...

It didn't matter now. Progenitus was upon them. Maltarus quickly said to the Elf:

"You're kidding, right? That thing's unstoppable. Unless..."

A sudden slashing arc sped across the sky, slicing off one of the heads. It promptly grew back.

Yeah, that's bad for you. Goodbye.

The characteristic aura flared up around Jakob, as Maltarus prepared to planeswalk him back to Phyrexia.

Wait, no! Do something! I'm not going back there!


Alara - Grixis - Outside Sheoldred's Compleation Facility

Elves. Elves that don't stand a chance touching a Crusader, oddly enough. Elves attuned to white and green mana, the two types that the Black-mana attuned Phyrexians specialize in killing.

It's a bloodbath. Not a glistening-oil bath, mind you, a Bloodbath.

Alara - Naya

"Yay! The leeches didn't take too much blood! We saved someone!" The cubs shout, trying to sound intelligent. They really don't. The healer comes in soon enough, an elderly Leonin. A human doctor appears to be sitting in the corner as well, sleeping. Finally, there's a concerned-looking Rhox Soldier trying to shoo the children out. The healer speaks.

"Sorry about that, the cubs are restless and don't hear of things like this very often. You are a very lucky woman, you know. You were found on the brink of death, unconscious, filled with a previously unknown chemical that I found to be highly charged with corrupt white mana. It's a wonder you survived at all, considering that it had replaced the majority of your blood.

You really have to thank those two, though. If the Rhox there hadn't taken you to the doctor, you probably wouldn't have made it at all. And if the doctor hadn't patched up your wounds, you wouldn't have even lived long enough to reach Naya.

That's where you are now, if you were wondering. According to those two, you were found in Bant on a battlefield against a group of assailants. In fact, they went crazy. Their complex formations shattered, their will to fight broken. Someone destroyed their leader, it was said.

But I digress. Do you need some herbs? I have some things to relieve pain, if you want them."

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

"Damn it."

The planeswalker summons two giant warthogs (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=36112). He then summons two four-armed ghost giants (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=36112) to protect them from the Phyrexian's black mana. Finally, he summons a great stag (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=193759).

[Lix Lorn]

Alara - Naya

"Yay! The leeches didn't take too much blood! We saved someone!" The cubs shout, trying to sound intelligent. They really don't. The healer comes in soon enough, an elderly Leonin. A human doctor appears to be sitting in the corner as well, sleeping. Finally, there's a concerned-looking Rhox Soldier trying to shoo the children out. The healer speaks.

"Sorry about that, the cubs are restless and don't hear of things like this very often. You are a very lucky woman, you know. You were found on the brink of death, unconscious, filled with a previously unknown chemical that I found to be highly charged with corrupt white mana. It's a wonder you survived at all, considering that it had replaced the majority of your blood.

You really have to thank those two, though. If the Rhox there hadn't taken you to the doctor, you probably wouldn't have made it at all. And if the doctor hadn't patched up your wounds, you wouldn't have even lived long enough to reach Naya.

That's where you are now, if you were wondering. According to those two, you were found in Bant on a battlefield against a group of assailants. In fact, they went crazy. Their complex formations shattered, their will to fight broken. Someone destroyed their leader, it was said.

But I digress. Do you need some herbs? I have some things to relieve pain, if you want them."
She sits up with some difficulty. "Some pain relief might be good... ugh. You say that Bant repulsed the attack?"

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus was... ...not expecting that. On the other hand, maybe that burst of white mana did do something after all. It certainly wasn't strong enough to summon the beast, but perhaps to get its attention...

It didn't matter now. Progenitus was upon them. Maltarus quickly said to the Elf:

"You're kidding, right? That thing's unstoppable. Unless..."

A sudden slashing arc sped across the sky, slicing off one of the heads. It promptly grew back.

Yeah, that's bad for you. Goodbye.

The characteristic aura flared up around Jakob, as Maltarus prepared to planeswalk him back to Phyrexia.

Wait, no! Do something! I'm not going back there!

"Sorry, but... Negate Arcana." The elf said, slamming into the phyrexian and grabbing his arms as a sphere around him, around 40 meters in diameter, suddenly... Became fairly normal?


What?

"This is the only spell I know that I don't like using." He continues as they fall, parts of the Maelstrom vanishing in front of them. "It completely surpresses any magic, planeswalker or otherwise, in the area until I stop it."

"If I'm going down, you're going with me." He finishes, giving the phyrexian a shove away and then throwing his cloak to the wind around him.
"

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

So what you're telling me is that you're going to destroy all three of us at once? Doesn't it occur to you that there is one small error in your plan?

Progenitus seems to be ignoring them now, what with the sudden deficit of magic. It begins trashing the remnant of the Phyrexian Base, Darksteel or no.

Maltarus would be smiling, but Negators don't really have humanoid mouths. And Jakob's face wasn't visible anyway, except for the eyes. The cold, sorrowful eyes.

I know what he's saying. He's safely back on Phyrexia. He doesn't care much if I live or die, so long as his enemies are defeated. In fact, I'm sure he'd be quite gleeful if I died, since he wouldn't have to worry about Esper putting me back like I was. Or at least close enough.


Alara - Grixis

As the battle continues to rage, the new reinforcements strike well and powerfully against the Phyrexian Armies. Suddenly, off in the distance, Harnel narrowly defeats Sheoldred, and the factory ceases to churn out additional soldiers.

What's this, as well? A group of Thrummingbirds, Viral Drakes, and other such creatures attack the army from behind, in a sudden move of betrayal! This battle might work after all!

Finally, a White Flag is visible on the horizon. Not one of surrender, but one bearing the symbols of Jhessia, Eos, and the other nations of Bant. A small army of Knights charge over the vile bluffs of Grixis, attacking the left flank of the Phyrexian Army.


Alara - Naya

The Leonin takes a series of leaves, powders, and fruits, and mixes them with a mortar and pestle. He stirs the resulting brew into a metal cup (probably traded from Bant, by the worksmanship) and hands it to her.

That should help. And yes, Bant is safe now. I didn't see it for myself, but the Rhox soldier over there says that the army's leader ended up in a single duel with someone, who defeated them. After the leader fell, the army fell into disarray, many went mad, and some slew themselves. He told me that he ran over to near where the leader fell, only to find one of the enemies hounds attempting to drag you off. The thing was cut down and he took you to the nearest healer.

[Lix Lorn]

She sighs in relief. "Good. I would have hated for it to be for nought... do you know what's happening over the rest of the Alara? Have they lost everywhere?"
She takes a deep draught of the drink.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

So what you're telling me is that you're going to destroy all three of us at once? Doesn't it occur to you that there is one small error in your plan?

Progenitus seems to be ignoring them now, what with the sudden deficit of magic. It begins trashing the remnant of the Phyrexian Base, Darksteel or no.

Maltarus would be smiling, but Negators don't really have humanoid mouths. And Jakob's face wasn't visible anyway, except for the eyes. The cold, sorrowful eyes.

I know what he's saying. He's safely back on Phyrexia. He doesn't care much if I live or die, so long as his enemies are defeated. In fact, I'm sure he'd be quite gleeful if I died, since he wouldn't have to worry about Esper putting me back like I was. Or at least close enough.

"Oh, we won't die. I just said that we're going DOWN." The elf returns, smirking as he pulls a knife from behind his back.

Wait, what?

"I've practiced with this sort of situation. You haven't. Besides, pretty soon, the redirect I sent will finally hit the core of the Maelstrom, then funnel it towards that portal. I figure that a crash like this one will take you out for a while, or at least long enough for it to get there." He continues, spinning the blade around as the fall continues.

"So, once more, en guard!"

With that, he kicks towards his cloak, using the falling garment (wait, what? How much does it weigh?) to propell himself towards his foe, somehow dragging it with him.

((Wherabouts would you say the Maelstrom is in comparison to the rest of Alara? I'm working on the assumption that it's above the center of the plane, and the fight was over the Esper covering portion of it.))

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus is dumbfounded. And thoroughly confused. And Terrified. All at the same time. Then he realizes that he's safe in Phyrexia, and lashes out at the other planeswalker using Darksteel Limbs.

((The Maelstrom, as can be seen here (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=198062), is actually in a hole in the exact center of Alara. When mana is used nearby, it expands, widening the hole and (very) slowly consuming Alara. Still, its about as much of a concern as the idea that our sun will someday supernova. In case it matters, the Phyrexian Base was technically in Jund.))

Alara - Naya

Unfortunately, we have heard little. Esper has reported that, despite being on the brink of defeat, their enemies have unexplainably retreated into an Etherium Tower on the horizon. Some groups were seen mobilizing from this tower into Grixis. There have also been a few reports from Jund of occasional scouting parties.

However, one of our sentries on the mountain spotted Great Progenitus attacking two planeswalkers over the Maelstrom not ten minutes ago.

The potion should numb most of the painful areas, but only to the degree required. Elyssia will still be able to move them and feel with them. The pain's just gone.

[Lix Lorn]

Elyssia was momentarily torn. She really wanted to lay down and sleep, but she felt that she had to help finish this. Even if only to prove to herself that she could face up to Phyrexia and survive.
"I... I have to go help them."

[Halae]

[Alara - Grixis, Outside Sheoldred's Facility]

Harnel steps up to Sheoldred's dead torso and kicks her corpse as a final 'screw you' before joining the battle that the other Half-dragon is taking part in. besides, maybe Bant would be willing to heal him - he had just killed a thrice damned Praetor, after all.

fire shoots from his mouth (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=221511), lightning from one hand (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=201573) while the other controlled the land itself (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=214054), as he wades into the battle, trying to make it to the other armies quickly - He's chaotic, not stupid. Best get to the people who can heal him!

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus is dumbfounded. And thoroughly confused. And Terrified. All at the same time. Then he realizes that he's safe in Phyrexia, and lashes out at the other planeswalker using Darksteel Limbs.

((The Maelstrom, as can be seen here (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=198062), is actually in a hole in the exact center of Alara. When mana is used nearby, it expands, widening the hole and (very) slowly consuming Alara. Still, its about as much of a concern as the idea that our sun will someday supernova. In case it matters, the Phyrexian Base was technically in Jund.))

"And think!" The elf replies, taking the hit with a grin. "Imagine the effects of the power drawn from the fusion of Alara on Pyrexia when it's focused through one portal!"

"The explosion will be glorious!" He continues, striking at the sides of the compleated planeswalker with the knife and attempting to get behind him through use of the cloak leaping technique he used.

Taking another hit to the torso, he spun, his blade seeming to blur as he moved for another strike.

((Got it about the Maelstrom.))

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Naya

The Leonin also looks a bit conflicted, then her face grows an odd look of realization.

It was you, wasn't it?

I can't stop you from leaving, though I do recommend a bit more rest. Still, at least take this.

She hands over two bags. One contains live leeches, while the other contains a dehydrated version of the potion.

Just in case.

((Gah! Ninja'd by both of you.))

Alara - Grixis

The battle rages back and forth, though it is clear that Sheoldred's Phyrexians are outmatched. Gitaxias', on the other hand, are busy making careful strikes against the back of the force, trying to shut down their artillery and more powerful units. The Bloodstocks and Reapers are making heavy leeway against the Bant army, but they are persisting. The Grixis undead won't stop getting back up, but Harnel's efforts carve right through just about anything short of an Obliterator or Crusader.


Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus immediately grasps the idea, now that it has been explained. In the most deadpan manner possible, the Elf is reminded:

You know, I'm in the Ineffable's old command center. I can turn on or off any of the portals at will from here. Phyrexia is my domain. Thanks for reminding me.

A switch is flipped, and Phyrexia's portal to Alara is closed off.

Jakob shouts:

Are you sure about this?

[Lix Lorn]

"Thankyou..." she murmurs, picking up her bag which is around somewhere, carefully putting them in as she stands up, wincing.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

The half-dragon summons another great stag to attack the undead, as well as an ancient silverback (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=82950).

[Halae]

Alar - The armies at Grixis

Harnel will make his way to the Bant forces, Ramping his own power (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=197891) along the way. Once he meets with them, he'll yell out to the nearest ones, "Yo! I'm here to help!" at which point he'll start frying phyrexians left and right. It should be obvious to them that he's heavily wounded, and yet he's still grinning like a madman. After all, if you can still stand you aren't dead yet!

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Maltarus immediately grasps the idea, now that it has been explained. In the most deadpan manner possible, the Elf is reminded:

You know, I'm in the Ineffable's old command center. I can turn on or off any of the portals at will from here. Phyrexia is my domain. Thanks for reminding me.

A switch is flipped, and Phyrexia's portal to Alara is closed off.

Jakob shouts:

Are you sure about this?

"Oh no! Now there's only one way to get it to you!" The elf says slightly overdramatically.

"By following your mental link to this guy in front of me! It's the only way to drop the Maelstrom on you!" He continues, pointing to Jakob.

"I guess once he's immobilized, I'll just have to obtain your mental signature from him or his corpse to home in on you!"


With that, the elf swings the blade again, parrying a strike and getting behind the other 'walker, hand on the Control Matrix.

"Checkmate." He says, bracing his foot against Jakob's back and yanking at the device.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Naya

The Leonin healer merely looks upon Elyssia with weary eyes and lays down on one of the beds. She's been up all night.

If Elyssia indeed heads to the Maelstrom, she probably sees two figures plummeting into the Roiling Chaos, and a Hydra of Unbelievably Enormous Size attacking a Darksteel Fortress. And ripping it to shreds anyway.


Alara - Grixis

Harnel's efforts easily slash a path through, once again, everything short of the Crusaders and Obliterators. Eventually, he makes it more or less unscathed to one of the Bant tents. However, the response was less than friendly. Which should probably be expected, given Jund's Political Relationship with Bant. Even Esper is on better terms. In fact, Grixis is the only shard Bant likes less than Jund. So yeah.

Harnel makes it to the Medical Tent just fine. On the other hand, about 50 crossbowmen are pointing their weapons directly at him, and about 15 Aven Spearmen circling overhead like vultures.

"What is your business here?"

Back in the actual Battle, the Stags do just fine. The Silverback is quickly slain by a Reaper, but the enemies' numbers are diminishing rapidly. The downside is that the low-calibre units are the ones dying. The Reapers, Crusaders, Obliterators, and other such monsters continued to slaughter indiscriminately.


Alara - The Maelstrom

At about this time, Maltarus gets bored and RELEASES DIRECT CONTROL. This puts the random Negator back in charge, who panics when it realizes what is going on.

Unfortunately, the attempts to pull off the control matrix don't work. It may have to do with the several hundred pounds of Darksteel and Etherium in the way.

[Lix Lorn]

Elyssia does indeed fly for the Maelstrom on wings of blue mana!

[Halae]

Alara - Grixis, Bant Forces

Harnel just gives the crossbowmen a look like 'Really?'

"I'm here because I'm severely wounded from a battle against the phyrexian commander, who's now dead thanks to me. I was hoping that the Bant white magicians might have a bit of mercy in their heart for the guy who just singlehandedly neutered creature production for your enemy. Or did you not notice that the factories have all but gone quiet?" Harnel isn't trying to be rude - in fact, he's being somewhat diplomatic. But being threatened with about fifty crossbows, on top of the fact that red mages are by nature a bit emotional, kind of puts a damper on diplomacy, "I'm not looking for a fight. I'm looking to get healed so I can fry more phyrexians."

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

When Elyssia arrives, Jakob actually spots her, even with his vision darkening and voice fading.

Elyssia..?

The Negator Matrix wills the body to respond to the Elf's attack via Darksteel Punch.



Alara - Grixis - Bant Medical Tent

"Wait, those are Phyrexian? We thought it was Grixis again! It makes sense now. Sorry, we aren't exactly on good terms with Jund, but, well, Enemy of my Enemy and all that. Go on in. At ease, men!"

The crossbowmen relax and the Aven return to the battle at hand. Inside the tent, a nurse immediately spots Harnel, panics a moment, and then realizes he isn't hostile.

She takes his hand and ushers him to the nearest cot, and gets one of the actual doctors. The doctor gets out some potions, salves, and other such things, and begins working a spell.

[Lix Lorn]

Alara - The Maelstrom

When Elyssia arrives, Jakob actually spots her, even with his vision darkening and voice fading.

Elyssia..?
She stares, glaring, not sure who he is.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

Kalem summons two powerful (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=204980) dragons (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=243464).

[The-Mage-King]

Alara-Maelstrom

Taking the punch, the elf keeps his grip on the other planeswalker, muttering a curse.

Suddenly, the "Normality shell" disappates, blue magic filling his hand and translocating the control matrix through the shell. Or trying to.


"Some help would be nice!" He yells as the free fall suddenly turns more dangrous, the Maelstrom returning aroudn Jakob and himself.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis

The battle is pressing exactly as one would expect, considering that the Phyrexian Army is hopelessly outnumbered and outmatched. Still, the Crusaders, Reapers, and Obliterators simply don't want to die. Dragons or no.


Alara - The Maelstrom

((Uh, TMK? That's some pretty blatant Godmoding. I normally wouldn't mind the hero winning right now, but it's pretty rude to just spontaneously cut another character out of the action that they literally just joined...))

Unfortunately, that's not quite how it worked. The translocation spell was cut off by a sudden counterspell, and the fist swung again.

[The-Mage-King]

((Uh, TMK? That's some pretty blatant Godmoding. I normally wouldn't mind the hero winning right now, but it's pretty rude to just spontaneously cut another character out of the action that they literally just joined...))
((Duely noted. Post changed to reflect that.))

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

Kalem gets a grin on his face.

"What do we do when the enemy won't give up? MORE FIRE!!!"

Two arcs of lightning (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205386) come from his fingertips, weakening enemies for the other forces to strike down, he then releases even more lightning from his fingers.

[Halae]

Alara - Grixis - Bant Medical Tent

Harnel doesn't move away when the good doctor begins his spell. He's just exhausted at this point - that was a lot of mana he was pumoing out, and his wounds aren't something to scoff at.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara- Maelstrom

Skidding through the air thanks to the most recent punch, the elf halts himself with a burst of blue mana.


Wiping blood off of his mouth, he absently reaches up, catching his falling cloak and putting it back on in a whirl of fabric.

"Now, let's try this again, shall we?" He mutters, chains of blue mana (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=79188) reappearing around him, then launching towards the negator.

[Lix Lorn]

Elyssia looks rapidly between the combatants, and then begins forming red mana, before unleashing a searing Blaze towards the negator.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis - Battlefield

The energy bolts deal significant damage to the forces arrayed, though the hit Obliterators redirect a portion of the damage directly into the Bant army. And the Crusaders ignore it completely.


Alara - Grixis - Bant Medical Tent

The doctor patches up the more immediate wounds after stopping the bleeding, and shows Harnel to a cot. The doctor's not going to try and make the Half-Dragon lay down, but he'd certainly recommend it.


Alara - The Maelstrom

The negator uses Jakob's magic again to counter the restraints again, but the fireburst conducts itself through the Etherium strands, causing much of the Etherium substructure to melt into itself.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara- Maelstrom

"Stand still and let me subdue you!" The elf shouts, chains forming once more and being launched.

"Stop with the fire and try to restrain him! You have blue mana! Use it!" He continues, flicking his hand to the side and letting a sword appear in it, before charging the negator, just behind the chains.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Alara - Grixis

"That was a lot of energy I used. I better head to the medical tent. But one last thing..."

He unleashes a blast of fire from his hand, striking one of thee Phyrexians, and summons a huge dragon.

((he uses his -6 ability))

He then flys down to the medical tent.

[Lix Lorn]

Alara- Maelstrom

"Stand still and let me subdue you!" The elf shouts, chains forming once more and being launched.

"Stop with the fire and try to restrain him! You have blue mana! Use it!" He continues, flicking his hand to the side and letting a sword appear in it, before charging the negator, just behind the chains.
"Why?" she shouts. "Why shouldn't I just kill it?"

[The-Mage-King]

"Why?" she shouts. "Why shouldn't I just kill it?"

"Because he's a planeswalker who was captured by the Phyrexians! I know someone who can remove the grafts!" The elf yells back, sidestepping another punch. "I've been fighting this guy for a while now, and I have to say that it was easier when he was being controlled by the new 'Father of Machines'."

[Lix Lorn]

She groans in annoyance. "Fine, fine..."
And tries to think of a helpful spell.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis

As the planeswalker is also admitted to the tent, the battle continues to rage. Despite massive losses on both sides, the roar of battle eventually began to wind down. The betraying group of Phyrexians snuck away as soon as they outnumbered the enemy group, but Bant and the summoned allies eventually triumphed.


Alara - The Maelstrom

Yeah, I'm afraid it's not very fun. I'm still conscious here, in case either of you were wondering.

Jakob's voice is distorted, but still recognizable.

The Negator's still focused on using countermagic.

[Halae]

Alara - Grixis

Harnel won't object to lying down - that fight took a lot out of him. He goes to sleeeeeeeep. That is, if nothing disturbs him

[The-Mage-King]

Slamming the called blade into his darksteel equiped foe, the elf throws aside the now shattered sword, forming a new one for another strike.

And then shoots more chains of Blue magic at the Negator, trying to restrain him again.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Kalem yawns.
"I'm tired," he mutters sleepily. He then lays down on one of the beds.

[Lix Lorn]

Snapping her fingers decisively, Elyssia channels blue mana, and attempts to Unsummon the being controlling her target, not expecting it to work.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - Grixis

Several hours later, Harnel and Kalem both are probably jolted awake when one of the doctors needs the cots for injured soldiers. By this point, the magic has likely healed most of the wounds, though some of the worse ones might still exist as scratches or light cuts.


Alara - The Maelstrom

The unsummon spell sends Jakob all the way back to his home plane. Which is Alara. Hard to tell if it worked or not.

Still, the distraction afforded allowed one of the Mystic Snares to grab his right arm.

The Negator can't quite pull it free.

[The-Mage-King]

Wrapping the end of the chain aroun his left arm, the elf shoots a glance at Elyssia, then at the blade in his right hand.

"Here! Get in close and use that to fight!" He yells, throwing it to her.


Forming another sword in the same hand, he yanks the negator towards him, preparing to stab at the control matrix when it neared.

[Lix Lorn]

"What, are you insane?!" she shouts. "I can't fight!"
She tries to catch it and misses.

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Jakob would facepalm at that last statement, but given the circumstances, he just Groans.

A sword doesn't do much against Darksteel, but the Negator is pulled fairly easily, given that Jakob's fighting his movements every step of the way. The Negator swings again at the Elf.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara- The Maelstrom
Taking the hit, the elf throws away the shattered blade again, forming a different weapon this time.

The axe (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=209033) clashes against the darksteel, holding it without shattering.

"Glad I thought of this." The elf mutters, keeping the tether of the chain of blue mana attached as he leaps backwards to get a better attack plan.

[BladeofOblivion]

((Was waiting for Lix but whatever.))

Alara - The Maelstrom

The Negator doesn't seem to have a proper response to the Darksteel. Maybe it ran out of counterspells? In any case, it remembers the most effective method Phyrexia has of dealing with such indestructable materials...

The elf might notice a Tainted Strike coming his way, along with a sharp tug on the restraint to catch him off guard.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

The strike hits true, sending the elf away, the chain extending as he flies backwards.

Seeing the hole in his left arm as he looks down, he notices the oil.

"Ow. That hurt a bit." He says, testing the arm's range of motion. Which isn't very much.

"Oh well, it'll only slow me down like this." The elf mutters, blue mana surrounding the limb and...

Wrenching the arm into the timestream and replacing it with another?

"Now then, where were we?" He asks, looking back to the phyrexian as he streches his new arm.

"Oh, yes. Epic battle."


With that, he charges.

[Lix Lorn]

Fretting, Elyssia has a bright idea, and attempts to weave mana into some kind of slowing or freezing spell, targetting the monstrosity!

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Having more or less expended all the oil it could risk losing, the Negator prepared a tactical retreat. Which failed because of the binding. Huh.

Then a freezing spell hits! Its' unrestrained arm is now frozen solid!

And then the Elf charges. Ouch.

[The-Mage-King]

Alara - The Maelstrom

"Miss? Another blast like that would be nice." The elf says, feeling the tug of time on his arm.


"Ah, hell." He mutters, throwing his hand back and conjuring another set of the chains (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=79188) of blue mana, wrapping them around the frozen arm of the Negator and flipping over it, using the momentum to slam the phyrexian into the nearest ground he can reach.

That's gonna leave a mark.

As he stands, a small figurine (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=205002) appears in his right hand, the first chain being passed to his left.

"Now then, time to get that core removed from you..."

[BladeofOblivion]

Alara - The Maelstrom

Jakob is slammed into a floating chunk of the land. Hard.

In fact, he appears to be unconscious.