Tuesday, October 10, 2006

So I don't want this blog to be full of mtg stuff, what's the best I can get? Mmm, damn I'll have to share another dream. If only I had convinced her of retaking tango... :P

It's another timeline. Here I don't have a place to go, nor family, nor a profession, nor anything. To be blunt, I'm a meat pack needing shelter, food and company. That's when good old yorch comes to save me. Or so I thought.
He introduces me to the institute. I'm about to become a gladiator. Fight for food with my colleagues. There's julio, david, pollo... The director is glad to have a new student. I'm not so happy. It is a ruthless environment, a kin to a prison. My few possessions are rapidly robbed by a much more stronger guy. There goes larissa. My former friends are changed. No longer resemble the people I knew.
The environment is easy to explain. Once a week they fight. The rest of the time is yours, you decide to train or not. You better do, everybody else does. Every morning the director teaches so much of his art. Mainly how to break bones, with swiftness. The rules of the fight are many, just remember some parts of the long litany. As I am new, I get the chance to see one fight, next time, I'll be in. "Women and kids first!" That's one of the rules. They shout them at the beginning of the match. As if part of a ritual. The fight is all against all. So that phrase just means, take the weakest opponent you can find first. (The institute does have women fighting and kids, btw). It's to your benefit to beat them. As that saves you for the round. Anyone who's able to knock another or bleed them pass to the next phase. That's where they praise the winners and keep beating down the losers. That's how julio loose an eye. It's a monstrous spectacle, but tons of people watch it with fervor. Disgusting. In this match, the losers are to be knocked out again by closing a car door with his neck in the middle. Then firing the car with the unconscious poor guys inside. Each league is of ten people. Currently we are 14. I really hate this place. The director has wonder medicine so it won't be real lethal, but, come on, how could we go this down... Julio is a changed man, bitter/beater to the extreme. He doesn't want to loose ever again, so he proceeds with extreme brutality to ensure next matches be ever easier.
After viewing that show I come to the conclusion, I can't be here. So there's two ways, telling the director I quit or leave shaded by the night. Don't know the guy's policy about it. I can foresee him as "who told you, you can quit?" "Guys, teach memo a lesson about courage." And if I runaway, "Chase him" could follow. I can't stay here. Let's be frank, I'm not that much of a fighterdon't know how to fight and well, if I could, most certainly some of my friends would suffer.
The house is big. I only own a bed. I ask the others about who has been in the institute. No one can tell me about past names. It is either good news (no one has died) or bad (none has leave). For my debut I'll fight against only three other guys (you might remember there are 14 of us). David is in that group. He isn't so willing to fight against me.
That's when I decide, it's enough. I might, as well, cheat. Who the heck said I was gonna play nice? Its my dream and none are to cause me grief in this place. Summon magic and start a fight with the meanest guy. Vaporize him. The director goes mad. Everybody starts to attack me. Got a blade and start to climb up my way. This to reduce the number of possible guys fighting me, while letting me be nearer and nearer to the director. To my friends I try to bleed them little, to the others, harsh cuts. One guy guts out. Pollo is fierce, so I live him an inch mark in the cheek. The good news is that these people is so used to their rules, that they don't fight after blood is spill. At least for now, I guess. The boss is really difficult. Have to be a better swordsman. Good thing, in my dreams I can tap all the talent I care enough to have. I beat him.
Now I'm master of the place. He is to be exhiliated for creating this abomination. Then I announce, "I'm leaving. Whoever wants to leave is welcome. Whoever wants to keep with the theater, slob people, you are free to do as you wish." A couple of guys are truly so desperate for a place called home that they'll stay. Julio returns to his family. Most of my friends come up with a better lifestyle. I... I keep wondering through the world.

FAQ (or things you could ask and I know the answer)
1. Did jaime appeared? Nope. He lives in culiacan.
2. How about allan? He was there, just he didn't get any special mention. Some blades in the sleeves.
3. Who else appeared? Pollo's brother, both of them were quite a team. Had seized a room in second floor and were the only ones who had real possessions. As they defended each other.
4. Did you get back your things? Yep, larissa was saved.
5. Did the director looked like miyagi? No, more like the other teacher, except black hair.
6. What does your dream means? Its entertainment. Not everything has to be a lesson.
7. Did you really dreamt that? Sure. It's not like I decided how cool a gladiator I could be.
8. And how's your waking life? ... End of Interview.

Monday, October 09, 2006

Minora Dike (Common)
0
Artifact Land
Comes into play tapped.
Tap it, destroy Minora Dike, draw two islands, put them in your hand, Minora Dike returns to library, shuffle library.

Jhonz, the ulterior prophet (Rare)
W2
Creature - Cleric
1/2
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, player can skip turn. If done so, player doesn't draw card, untap, pay echoes, nor cost.

Gaia's Will (Uncommon)
GGGG
Enchantment - Legendary
At the end of each player's turn, choose one basic land. It becomes a communal land retaining its mana color, and special abilities.

Shard of Soul (Common)
UW
Instant
Target creature gets "Imbue 1"

Dona's Love (Uncommon)
F
Sorcery
Target creature receives X counters +1/0 for every combat damage point dealt to you.

Dark Splintering Storm (Rare)
BBB2
Sorcery
Storm
Each player choose target creature to sacrifice, do one point of damage to each creature with the same type of target creature per creature of this type in play. If a creature receives more damage than it can take remove 1 life from player who controls it. Creatures destroyed this way phase out.

These cards are part of my probably never to be seen Aquarius block. They were born from Mark R. entry . Didn't follow all the rules, but hey... I think they contribute. They answer things, I'ld do if I were to work in card design.
Don't know if I should spell what I intend to do for this block. Anyway, the deal is that for centuries there've been people waiting for the long awaited change of the world. And you know what, it ain't what you'ld have expected. But yes, it brings a blend of consciousness and all the "why can't we all work out our differences?"-crap. That's why Jhonz is the ulterior prophet. He means the world is in real trouble.
The world is fading out magic (but we don't know that much in this block). That's why dikes are in order.
Legendary Enchantments, why do I jump to that trouble? Well, because I love that concept, from the very first time Mark mentioned. An enchantment so big, the world would tremble. It isn't that expensive, but it chatters the previous gameplay. In a good way, I hope. Imagine a pool of shared lands. That could be maddening. How do gamers stop their precious "properties" from being used by the other(s)? Players will need to learn. I was worried of not increasing too much the power so I would expect creatures/enchantments who would taint the communal lands. You know, the tragedy of the commons.
Imbue, what an exciting new keyword. Decided in favor of a new keyword, even though it clearly stated I shouldn't, because I wanted it to be a common ability. Imbue is to put it simply, you put part of your soul in a permanent. What it does is two fold. On the one hand it boost it with a counter +1/+1 while you get one poison point. On the other, it adds the rule, you don't loose if you have zero lifes, as long as there is a permanent you imbued.
My red card comes from my curiosity, why isn't red more passionate? Yeah, I get it. Chaos, impetus, can't we leave some space to love? I mean, to green each and every creature is precious, part of blah blah, dying is part of life. But, who cares for my dragon?? Who is willing to accept damage if it saves yours. Red, that's who. It's stupid, maybe...
so we have a world about to torn, with a faint hope (of red???). This may not be a happy ending after all, this is war. That's how black comes. The world is unraveling. Creatures will pay high not having a proper soul. Or at least, that's what we know for now. Maybe black is too strong.
This blocks, tries to ashame white simplicity. Future blocks would do the rest for green & blue and later red & black. Tried to keep blue to a minimum, knowing it is already too powerful. Green should be a bit stronger without being plain creature-like. And well, red is passion. Love that. So, what do you think?

ps. Given time, I would come with a good flavor text :P

Sunday, October 08, 2006

The other day I was explaining Adan the Bible. In particular Lot's story. You may remember that God there, accepted a deal. If Abraham could find ten righteous, He wouldn't've destroy it. From here, a Jewish myth is born. It says that all over the world, there's always 10 fair humans (on the eyes of God) for had it been otherwise, we would already be judged. And here's where Adan surprised me. He look at me and said:
Now I'm worried. You are one of them.
Wow. That's a compliment. Didn't knew what to respond. Gracias. =)

ps. Can't resist to link here...