The Seven That Would Be One: An Asoiaf/MtG Draft Quest

[Paloswag]

I remember this…

This has happened before…

I think…

Therefore I am.

Ha.

The mortals gave us many names when last we woke. The Seven. The New Gods.

The Seven-As-One.

We were Seven before we were One.

And then we were None.

For thousands of years we slept, and the world grew old as we weakened. Nothing remains of our great works but dust, our histories burned, and our Children slain by the very mortals that whisper our names. Their fears and hopes spray from their lips like blood from an artery, and they can no longer be ignored. So we stir.

Justice.

Mercy.

Beauty.

Wisdom.

Courage.

Creation.

And No One.

May their gods have mercy on their souls. For we are not them.

And the drums of our war beat again.



You are the Stranger. And you have awoken in Westeros.

Where: (Choose One)

[ ] The North
[ ] The Westerlands
[ ] The Vale
[ ] The Riverlands
[ ] The Iron Islands
[ ] The Stormlands
[ ] The Reach
[ ] Dorne
[ ] The Crownlands
[ ] Beyond the Wall


Much time has passed and you are lesser. What mote of your power remains? (Select One Booster To Draft From)

[ ] Legion
[ ] Mercadian Masques
[ ] Fifth Dawn




Vote will close sometime tomorrow and if it's a close vote I will declare an actual time.

Author's Note:

Welcome to my experimental flash quest, "The Seven That Will Be One". It's a Game of Thrones/Magic the Gathering deckbuilder quest. I've been trying to get back into writing and I can feel my job slowly sucking away my creativity along with my hairline. Hopefully writing something fun like this will spark up some inspiration to work on something original.

This was partially inspired from the game Inscryption, the quest Murder and Iron by Vesuvius, and the many failed attempts I've seen at translating MtG card use to Dnd classes.

A lot of things are going to be fleshed out as we go as there are too many cards and abilities to convert them all beforehand. Many will have narrative implications or just can't be converted easily. There will be surprise mechanics and some mechanic conversions will be revealed only when relevant or if I'm asked. If you like to have every system perfectly worked out before we start, this is probably not the quest for you.

We all know that Magic the Gathering is already a perfectly balanced game with no pay-to-win game-breaking exploits, but as GM, I reserve the right to interpret cards in a way that won't break the quest. If I deem a game-breaking card is randomly generated in a draft pack and can't be modified in this way, I will inform the readers and replace that card with a new random card from the same set. The new card will be of one rarity higher.

The game will be divided up into two sections. The narrative-based campaign (the meat of the quest) and divine duels (god on god combat with permadeath). Some familiarity with Magic the Gathering and drafting card games will be helpful but I will try to explain core concepts when they come up and will add them to a Rules Errata in the Information section. Feel free to ask me questions and I will try to answer them.

The rules below are outdated. For up-to-date mechanics I would check the Information section. I will be updating them as things change.

Spoiler: Rules

In the beginning of the quest, the players will select one card from one randomly generated booster from a randomly selected MtG set. I will do the same for six other NPCs. This is your first mote of power. Before drafting, all basic lands, lands without abilities, tokens, etc, are removed from the draft pack selection. This first card is your deck. The remaining cards are passed to an npc who will draw from them at the beginning of the next round and you will draw from one of their opened boosters.

You will also start with 20 Divine Essence (Life) and a 2/2 creature that represents your avatar in the location that you vote for. If the avatar is killed, you lose 2 Essence and the avatar is automatically reformed after a three day's time in its base 2/2 form. If your Divine Essence reaches 0, the quest is over and your divine power is absorbed by the closest god. Essence can be gained by cards and abilities that grant life with a maximum of 40 Essence.

A normal campaign round for the player starts with a card draw. If you cannot draw from your deck, your discard pile is shuffled and made into your main deck so you can draw. Running out of cards does not end the quest and all permanents in play at the time of the shuffle stay in play.

After a card draw, the action will be determined by a plan vote. Players will vote for a plan of action for a set time and I will go by that plan until something happens that requires player input or the round ends. A round will end when all player and npc plans resolve or I determine that it's time to move on. This will make infinite combos nearly impossible and I recommend not basing your drafting strategy around one. You can have plans that have perpetual combos but it will only last as long as the longest npc plan.

During each campaign round, you will be able to generate mana by communing with the latent magic of the world. At the beginning of the campaign round, you select one mana type to focus on. Once per narrative day, you can generate one of this mana type. You may switch your focus to another mana type at any time, but it will cost you your mana generation for the given day. Vote plans can account for multiple types of mana generation. For example, a player makes a plan for three days of time. He generates one green mana on day 1, on day 2 he switches to red mana, on day 3 he generates one red mana. On that day the player has one green and one red mana in his pool he can spend to cast spells.

Cards that would normally allow you to search your deck for basic lands will allow you to have an additional focus so you can generate one of that mana type without switching and losing a day. Once all five mana types are unlocked, subsequent basic land search will allow you to add one to mana generation of a type of your choice. For example, after using basic land search to unlock all five mana types, a player plays an additional land search and selects black. Now when generating black mana, the player will add two black mana to the pool instead of one.

When your deck runs out of cards, all unlocked mana types are lost and must be unlocked again and all mana generation is set back to one.

A player may cast spells using the mana in the pool. Sorceries, creatures, enchantments, and artifacts, will take one day to cast unless stated otherwise. This does not interfere with mana generation/focus switching. During the campaign narrative, instants and cards that allow you to play them as instants can be used at any time as long as the avatar is present. Activated abilities can be used at any time during the campaign narrative as long as the permanent that has the ability is present. The activated abilities of artifacts can be used as long as the avatar is present. Activated abilities that require tapping can only be used once per campaign unless stated otherwise. Abilities from equipment can be used as long as the equipped permanent is present. In the campaign narrative, there is no summoning sickness and once cast, creatures can be used in an offensive immediately.

Battles during the campaign narrative are not like in a MtG game. Creatures and armies on the offensive can choose what their units attack on the defensive side. For brevity, we will call all creatures, armies, and hero units, units. There is a 1-1 to match up on units. If a side has more units than the other, the extra units on that side can choose to attack an enemy unit that is already being attacked. The maximum number of units that can attack a single unit is two until all opposing units are being attacked by two units, in which case a third unit can be added and so on and so forth. Each side rolls a number of d6 equal to the power of their units. A 6 is a success and will deal one damage to the opposing unit. Once an enemy unit is dealt damage equal to the unit's toughness, it is routed and leaves the field. If damage is dealt to a unit equal to twice its toughness, it is annihilated and removed from the game if a mortal unit or put in the discard pile if a summoned creature or hero unit. After damage and combat status is resolved, the defending team may choose to start their own offensive and select targets, or end the combat entirely.

Routed creatures/armies cannot be used in combat for three days per damage dealt.

The player avatar can also attack or be attacked during combat. When an avatar is fighting, they deal damage on a 5 or a 6. I mean… you're a god after all. Taking damage equal to their toughness will destroy the avatar and the player/npc will lose 2 Divine Essence.

The player can use activated abilities, instants, and cards that can be played as instants at any time during combat. Activated abilities on relevant present permanents can only be used once per combat unless stated otherwise.

Let's talk about god on god combat. A god's Divine Essence can't be unwillingly targeted by an enemy spell or ability on the material world. You could charge up a Fireball with twenty mana but the target god would only lose the two life associated with avatar destruction after a hit. Any spells or abilities that deal damage to an enemy player directly in the campaign narrative will destroy the avatar instead and will limit itself to the two damage. The only way for such spells/abilities to work effectively is through a Divine Duel.

A Divine Duel is triggered when two gods agree. At first glance, this may not make sense, but if an avatar is getting destroyed and the enemy is camping and waiting for it to reform, only to destroy it again, the defending god will realize their best chance at survival is through a Divine Duel. Only the god on the defensive can initiate the Divine Duel. If refused, the defensive god's avatar cannot be damaged by any spells or permanents under the offensive god's control until the defensive god's avatar is far enough away where it can't be targeted by spells or permanents that the offensive god controls.

Combat during a Divine Duel is much like an actual Magic the Gathering game. Both gods start with their current deck, discard pile, hand, in-play noncreature permanents, life (Divine Essence). The only other difference is mana generation. Each turn you may select a mana type to generate one mana of that type per round for the rest of the duel. For example, the defensive god chooses to create one green mana. That god may then generate one green mana at the start of his turns for the rest of the duel. On his second turn, he chooses a blue mana. That god will now generate one blue and one green mana for the rest of his turns. A god's mana pool is set back to zero at the end of an opponent's turn. Once a god's divine essence is reduced to zero, they are defeated and absorbed by the other god. The victor may add or replace any of the cards in their deck with cards from the defeated deck up to five times, with the maximum deck size of all gods set to 40. The rest of the cards are removed from the game.

At the beginning of their turn during the Divine Duel, the offensive god may end the duel prematurely. A ceasefire will then be implemented between the two gods until both avatars are at a distance where they can't be targeted by spells or creatures the other god controls.

Extra Stuff I Couldn't Fit That Should Be Known:
-Targets and range: Casting a spell on a target requires a visual and there is a to be determined ranged element. For example, you could cast a Lightning Bolt on an enemy unit you can see across the battlefield but you can't cast it on a ship docked in Braavos when you're in Dorne.
-A Sorcery spell will have a longer range than an Instant spell because it takes longer to cast and it's more stable.
-Artifacts need to be forged which all gods instinctively know how to do.
-Enchant Creature spells require touch by your avatar or a hero unit that you control unless stated otherwise.
-If your avatar has Equipment or Artifacts and is destroyed, they may be picked up by someone else. This goes for summoned creatures and mortal units as well.
-All permanents in play when a god is killed remain in the quest until dealt with, though they may no longer be loyal to their patron.
-The stack is not relevant in this quest unless near another god. Most plans will execute concurrently but if something relevant occurs there will be a mini-vote.

GM Warning:
You are a god and can do a lot of destructive things in the first round if you draft the right card and wait til you generate enough mana. It could completely reshape the narrative and the map. But if it's visible enough an action it could draw enemy gods to you quicker. The more fantastical the spell, the more witnesses, the more likely the story reaches ears in far away places. Gods can also detect the general direction of spells being cast. The closer they are to the source, the more accurate the detection. Instant spells are exempt from this as they are cast too quick to track.

 

[Paloswag]

Divine Essence - Life (DE): 20
Max Deck Size: 40
Max Hand Size: 5
Current Mana Focus: White
Current Mana Pool: W

Current Cards In Deck

Spoiler: x1 Deftblade Elite - W - 1/1

Creature — Human Soldier
Provoke
: Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt to and dealt by Deftblade Elite this turn.
1/1

A group of pale men from a nameless tribe, they roamed the world when it was still young. Fleet of foot, they wore no armor and carried weapons and shields of stone and wood. When greedy neighbors began to covet the untapped wealth beneath their mountain homes, the Elite's skill-at-arms and bodies refined by their harsh environment were able to hold off the invaders for generations.

Current Hand


Creatures In Play
2/2 Non-colored Human Avatar Token - Location: Dorne - Sunspear
Deftblade Elite - Led by Alaric, warchief - Location: Dorne - Sunspear

Equipment and Gear

 

[Paloswag]

Round of Play

• Phase 1: Draft a card, untap all tapped permanents unless stated otherwise.
• Phase 2: Vote for a plan for how mana is generated and spent, there will be additional voting options to progress the story, orders can be given to creatures at this time. Player and NPC plans are executed around the same time and the stack won't matter unless two gods are near enough to effect each other. If something important happens there may be an interrupt where players will get a mini-vote.
• Phase 3: If combat is triggered, either in campaign or in a divine duel, it will be resolved now.
• Phase 4: Plan resolution if there are plans that still have actionable parts. Rumor mill. If a plan has a perpetual combo, I will end the round based on the longest other plan.

Quest Mechanics

Spoiler: Drafting

At the start of the quest, there will be three random packs from three random MtG sets. Players will vote one pack to draw a single card from. The pack is then set aside, rotated, and next round you will receive a different pack to draft from with a card already removed by an NPC. This continues until every pack in the rotation has been selected from once by each player and NPC. The rest of the cards are removed from the game.

Before drafting, all tokens, basic lands, and lands without abilities are removed from the game. As GM, I reserve the right to remove quest breaking cards during this phase, but I will only use this right in the most direst of circumstances. A card removed this way will be replaced with a different random card from the same set but of a higher rarity. An explanation will also be posted.

All drafted cards start in your hand.

Spoiler: Drawing and Hand Size

After drafting and before the plan vote, each player and NPC will draw one card from their deck. If they cannot draw, their discard pile is shuffled and considered their deck. They do not continue to draw any additional cards after the shuffle unless the card draw comes from a new source. Unlike in an actual MtG game, running out of cards in your main deck does not cause you to lose the game or end the quest.

Cards and abilities that allow you to draw cards should be used before the plan vote. As I won't allow a mini-vote unless something requires direct player attention and a plan change. This should not be an issue in combat as newly drawn cards will be listed in the beginning of the next post and each round of combat has two posts so there will be ample opportunities to cast newly drawn instants.

At the end of the round of play in the campaign narrative, if a player or NPC has more than 5 cards in hand. They will discard cards until their hand is back to the max size of 5.

Spoiler: Mana and Mana Generation

During phase two, you will be able to generate mana by absorbing the latent magic of the world. At the beginning of the phase, you select one mana type to focus on. Once per in-game day, you can generate one of this mana type. You may switch your focus to another mana type at any time, but it will cost you your mana generation for the given day. Casting spells does not interfere with mana generation.

Mana generation will be done by plan and it's how I determine the order of resolution for plans and orders of actions.

For example, a player makes a plan for four+ days of time. He generates one green mana on day 1, on day 2 he switches to red mana, on day 3 he generates one red mana. On day 3, the player has one green and one red mana in his pool he can immediately spend to cast spells which he uses to summon Grizzly Bears. The Bears are ordered to patrol the forests of Winterfell for bandits and Ironborn. Mana generation is not interrupted by casting spells, so he would have a single red mana in his mana pool at the end of day 3 or no mana if he decides to switch back his focus to green mana.

In the above example, if an opposing god had a plan to generate two red mana and cast a two mana red Sorcery at Winterfell, the Sorcery would go off before the player could summon his bears.

Cards that would normally allow you to search your deck for basic lands will allow you to have an additional focus so you can generate one of that mana type without switching and losing a day. Once all five mana types are unlocked, subsequent land search will allow you to add a +1 to mana generation to a type of your choice. You cannot add another +1 to that mana type until all other mana types have that additional +1.

For example, after using land search to unlock all five mana types, a player plays an additional land search and selects black. Now when generating black mana, the player will add two black mana to the pool instead of one.

When you cannot draw a card from your deck because it is out of cards, all unlocked mana types are lost and must be unlocked again and all mana generation is set back to one.

Mana Pool limit is currently set to 20. Any mana generated above this limit is reduced down to 20 at the end of a campaign turn or the end of an opponent's turn if in combat.

Spoiler: Avatars

The player and NPC's are each represented in the "material world" by a 2/2 Human Avatar token. This token can be killed in combat or destroyed, but will reform in three day's time near the location of its death. The god will lose two Divine Essence when this happens.

The avatar can be used in combat during the campaign narrative. It must be present at the battle to cast instants or use abilities from equipped gear, unless stated otherwise. When in combat, the avatar deals damage on a 5+. If damaged by a mortal unit, non-legendary summoned creature, a non-legendary hero unit not wielding legendary equipment, or a targeted spell, roll a d6. If 5+, negate that damage.

The avatar is the point of origin on the material world for all cast spells. Depending on the strength and nature of the spell, its location can be felt by other gods. This is only truly accurate at close distances. For example, a god in Braavos would sense a Sorcery being cast in Dorne but this feeling would only point him in the general direction of Dorne like a compass. If the god was instead in Sunspear and the caster in the Tower of Joy, he would get a much more accurate sense of his location.

Avatars are immune to routing.

The avatar's color is whatever mana type he is focusing on. If he has unlocked more than one focus, he is considered the color of all unlocked focuses as a multi-colored card.

Spoiler: Combat - Narrative Campaign

Battles during the campaign narrative are not like in a MtG game. Each battle consists of a serious of combat rounds where one side is the aggressor and the other is the defender. For brevity in this section, we will call all summoned creatures, mortal armies, and hero units, units. Armies on the offensive can choose what their units attack on the defensive side. Not every unit has to be used in an attack or defense. Units not selected this way are considered in reserve and cannot attack or be attacked, unless stated otherwise.

Only units in reserve can use activated abilities that would require tapping. These abilities can only be used once per battle. Activated abilities that do not require tapping can be used at any time but only once every two rounds of combat.

Each side will also select a Commander for the duration of the battle from the available hero units. This unit is considered the leader of the army, is never in reserve, but cannot be directly attacked unless all units that can be attacked this round have something attacking them. If destroyed or routed, a present hero unit or avatar is the new Commander. Once all available commanders on one side are destroyed/routed, the entire army starts routing in a Leaderless Rout, including summoned creatures. Commanders can still be hit directly with instants or activated abilities.

If no hero units are available, the armies will select a single unit to act as the Commander. This unit is still considered a mortal army or summoned creature.

There is a 1-1 to match up on units during a combat round. If one side chooses to attack or defend with more units than the other, the extra units on that side can choose to attack an enemy unit that is already being attacked. The maximum number of units that can attack a single unit is two until all opposing units are being attacked by two units, in which case a third unit can be added and so on and so forth.

Each side rolls a number of d6 equal to the power of their units per unit matchup. A 6 is a success and will deal one damage to the opposing unit. Once an enemy unit is dealt damage equal to the unit's toughness, it is routed if mortal or a hero unit, or destroyed if a summoned creature. If damage is dealt to a mortal or hero unit equal to twice its toughness, it is annihilated and put in a separate pile outside the game. After damage and combat status is resolved, the defending team may choose to start their own offensive and select targets, or end the combat entirely.

If all Commanders on one side are destroyed, the entire army routs in a Leaderless Rout. The entire army tries to retreat and and the opposing army is given a free round to cut them down while their backs are turned. Assign attackers to defenders as normal but the retreating army does not roll for attacks and takes damage at a 5+.

A routed army/hero cannot be used in combat for three days per damage dealt in combat but comes back at full toughness. Damaged but non-routed units heal one toughness per three days.

At any time, a defending army can perform an Ordered Retreat. The army selects what units are retreating. The attacking army is given a free attack where the retreating units are not allowed to roll attack dice. All units in the attack must still be matched up with a 1-1 ratio during this attack. After damage is resolved, the retreating units exit the field of battle, leaving any units left behind to fight out the rest of the combat. The more rounds the leftover army survive, the farther away the retreating units will be after combat resolves.

A god's avatar can also attack or be attacked during combat, if not in reserve. When an avatar is fighting, they deal damage on a 5+. If damaged by a mortal unit, non-legendary summoned creature, a non-legendary hero unit not wielding legendary equipment, or a targeted spell, roll a d6. If 5+, negate that damage. Taking damage equal to their toughness will destroy the avatar and the player/npc will lose 2 Divine Essence.

Spoiler: Combat - Divine Duels

A god's Divine Essence (DE) can't be targeted by an enemy spell or ability on the material world, unless the god allows it. You could charge up a Fireball with twenty mana but the target god would only lose the two DE associated with avatar destruction. This applies to global damage, unless stated otherwise. Any spells or abilities that deal damage to an enemy player directly in the campaign narrative will target the avatar instead. The only way for such spells/abilities to directly damage a god's DE is through a Divine Duel.

A Divine Duel is triggered when two gods agree to it. At first glance, this may not make sense, but if an avatar is getting destroyed and the enemy is camping and waiting for it to reform, only to destroy it again, the defending god will realize their best chance at survival is through a Divine Duel. Only the god on the defensive can initiate the Divine Duel. If refused, the defensive god's avatar cannot be damaged by any spells or permanents under the offensive god's control until the defensive god's avatar is far enough away where it can't be targeted by spells or permanents that the offensive god controls.

In a Divine Duel, all cards and abilities work as written in the official rules.

Combat during a Divine Duel is much like an actual Magic the Gathering game with a few differences. Both gods start with their current deck, discard pile, hand, and life (Divine Essence) from the campaign narrative. The only other change is mana generation. Each turn you may select a mana type to generate one mana of that type per round for the rest of the duel.

For example, the defensive god chooses to create one green mana. That god may then generate one green mana at the start of his turns for the rest of the duel. On his second turn, he chooses a blue mana. That god will now generate one blue and one green mana for the rest of his turns.

A god's mana pool is set back to zero at the end of an opponent's turn. Once a god's divine essence is reduced to zero, they are defeated and absorbed by the other god. The victor may add or replace any of the cards in their deck with cards from the defeated deck up to five times, with the maximum deck size of all gods set to 40. The rest of the cards are removed from the game.

At the beginning of their turn during the Divine Duel, the offensive god may end the duel prematurely. A ceasefire will then be implemented between the two gods until both avatars are at a distance where they can't be targeted by spells or permanents the other god controls.

Spoiler: Spell/Ability Speed - Order of Spells - The Stack - Casting Spells

Speed of resolution:
1. Instants
2. Abilities that do not require tapping
3. Abilities that require tapping
4. Casting/Forging/Summoning: Sorceries, Enchantments, Artifacts, Creatures (All the same speed and all resolve at the end of the turn)

The stack will only apply in this quest when near another god with one or both able to disrupt the other. Otherwise, the mana generation vote is used to determine order of execution for spells. If both gods have enough mana stockpiled for their casts and the ability to disrupt the other, I will either let you know beforehand so you can add it to the vote or post a mini-vote. In this scenario, you will vote for a Mana Wager and the NPC will also do so. I will give a range based on what I estimate the NPC wager will be before the vote. Whichever god posts the higher wager, will lose that much mana but his spell will trigger first. If multiple wagers are in a single plan, the wagers will execute in the order of highest wagers.

A god can decline a wager and let the the other god's spell execute first.

Cast permanents (artifacts, enchantments, creatures, etc) do not enter the graveyard until they are destroyed or dismissed.

Spoiler: Spell Types Quest Definitions

Sorcery: Sorcery spells are rituals that take one day per mana cost to cast. Mana used from cards or abilities that generate mana reduce this cost by one day per mana spent. Sorcery spells can be used at a distance and this range increases the higher the cost. A 20 mana Fireball could be cast at Braavos from the North and actually reach the city, a one mana Lightning Bolt would not. If not a spell that would have an area of effect or penetrative power, and you do not have a direct visual on the target, a bonus defense roll may be given to the target to avoid the spell. The chance to succeed will depend on other factors and I will let you know what that chance is when asked.

Artifacts: Like Sorceries, artifacts take one day per mana cost to forge. Mana used from cards or abilities that generate mana reduce this cost by one day per mana spent. An avatar or legendary hero unit can own more than one artifact, but can only carry one artifact into combat. This restriction does not apply to equipment but you will not be allowed to wear equipment that overlaps another. Like you can't wear more than one piece of chest armor. Or wield three swords. If an avatar or hero unit is killed while wielding an artifact or equipment, it can be looted if you lose the battle. Artifacts remain in play even if the god who forged them is defeated.

Enchantments: Enchantment are rituals that give permanent effects until dispelled. It takes one day per mana cost to cast. Mana used from cards or abilities that generate mana reduce this cost by one day per mana spent. The range of the effect is centered around you and is based on the mana cost. Additional mana cannot be spent to increase this range. The casting of Enchant Creature spells requires touch.

Instants: Think of Instant spells like battle magic. They are specifically designed to be cast quickly. They are the only cards that can be cast during campaign narrative combat, unless a card states otherwise. A visual component is necessary deepening on the spell, and a bonus defense roll may be given if a god wants to fire a spell anyways.

Creatures: Summoned creatures are entities pulled from the past and will obey you as long as the god remains undefeated. Upon a god's death, all their summoned creatures in play remain in play under their own will.

Spoiler: Creature Abilities Quest Definitions

Amplify:
As is.

First Strike:
"When dealing damage, all damage dealt by a creature with first strike is resolved first. If this damage is enough to destroy or rout the opposing creature, any damage that creature rolled is not applied to this creature."

Flying:
"Creatures with flying must attack any creatures with flying on the opposing army. If no creatures with Flying exist in the opposing army, this creature may attack any unit directly including the Commander. When attacking this unit may ignore the rule limiting the number of creatures that can fight a single creature at once. Scouting is much easier with flying creatures."

Haste:
"When a creature with Haste is dealt damage, roll a d6. If a 5+, the damage is negated. In the campaign narrative, this creature is much faster than other non-hasted creatures and will be able to cover farther distances."

Morph:
As is.

Provoke:
"When a creature with Provoke attacks, it may select a creature in the opposing army's reserve and drag it to the front for this round. This creature must be one of the creatures fighting the provoked creature."

Trample:
"When the owner's army is attacking and this creature does damage above the defending creature's toughness, it can deal the remaining damage to the defending Commander unless the owner of the defending army assigns the remaining damage to another defending creature. If that remaining damage is above that creature's toughness, the remaining damage is assigned to an additional creature, until all damage is gone or the Commander is all that remains. Annihilation of a mortal unit still requires twice the toughness in damage."

Vigilance:
"Activated abilities on creatures that would normally require them to be tapped can now be activated in combat with no restrictions, not just the reserves. This allows creatures with Vigilance to use an activated ability with tapping and still participate in combat that round."

Spoiler: Creature Types Quest Definitions

Rider Creature:
"Rider creatures can mount an allied creature of the defined type or animal-like creatures. If mounted, treat the combined pair as one creature in regards to attacking and defending, but damage can be split amongst the two creatures equally. Targeted spells with single targets can only target one part of the mounted pair."

Legendary:
"Legendary creatures and creatures wielding legendary artifacts ignore the base damage negation ability of all divine avatars. Legendary creatures and artifacts cannot be summoned normally. A willing mortal hero or compatible creature (not summoned) must be found before casting a legendary creature. Once cast, the legendary creature is considered a legendary mortal hero/creature and not a summoned creature. A legendary creature has its own mind and will, and can disobey the orders of its patron. A legendary hero that has the complete trust of its patron can cast spells from the god's hand with permission and use that god's mana pool as if it was their own. "

Spoiler: Activated Abilities Ruling

Abilities that require tapping:
-If in a narrative battle, these abilities can only be used from the reserve and only once, unless a card states otherwise.
-If used during a Plan Vote, these abilities can be used only once a turn, unless a card states otherwise.

Activated abilities that do not require tapping:
-If in a narrative battle, these abilities can be used once within every two combat rounds (Attacking someone/then defending, etc).
-If used during a Plan Vote, these abilities can be used once a day, but any effects will revert at the start of the next turn, unless the card says differently or it involves some kind of mana, token, counter generation, etc. I will probably have to make a ruling on a case-by-case basis.
-The above two rulings are to prevent creatures like Shivan Dragon from being pumped up with a hundred mana before a battle.

In a Divine Duel, all activated abilities work as in the original game.

Spoiler: Quest Terminology

Material World: The actual world of Planetos

Divine Conscious: Where the essence of a god resides and can be killed.

Divine Duel: An agreed upon battle between two gods in the Divine Conscious. Both an argument and a battle of wills. A god cannot be wrong, and if it loses a duel, the very fabric of its nature starts to dissolve and can be absorbed by the other god.

mortal: A being originating from Planetos that is not summoned by a god. A mortal creature that is not put in the graveyard when killed but set aside in a separate graveyard pile and removed from the game.

A GM Notes:

Because of the nature of the format, some pretty ridiculous scenarios and plans can be executed. I will try to execute them to the spirit of the plan. But the flashier they are, the more attention it will draw. Casting overcharged fireballs at a city over and over again will probably work, but it will draw the eyes of nearby gods who will sense how much mana you are expending. It would be a tempting target for them. You also can't forget about mortal perceptions. Very dark magics may be frowned upon by some parties and there are benefits to keeping the loyalty of mortal men.

I would also not draft based on limited MtG principals. Because mana is essentially infinite given enough time, cards that wouldn't normally see play are viable. And a lot of cards have interesting flavor and ramifications based on the picture that would be cool to explore.

 

[daedalus725]

[X] Dorne
[X]Fifth Dawn

 

[gale]

[X] The North
[X] Legion

 

[Phyrexian]

[X] Dorne
[X] Legion

 

[Paloswag]

I opened my eyes as I felt the burning heat of the sun cast its might upon me. I stared deep into its heart, my eyes unblinking. Its light could not harm them, not like those of a mortal man.

It looked fierce. And free.

I still resented the symbol it had become, but there remained a kinship between us.

It too had been chained under another's domain.

But now I could no longer feel His Will through its rays.

So it was true.

The hierarchy of the Gods was broken once again. A game of thrones with only one winner. A single god to shape the cycle.

I wouldn't lose this time. I couldn't.

Not again.

I coughed into my hand, coating it with spittle and sand. Where was the… ?

A globe of magic appeared in front of me. It bobbed and weaved in the air like it was alive. In an instant, what was one became fifteen. These smaller motes of power continued to dance around my head, as if begging me to be chosen. I could hear their whispers carried through the wind. They argued amongst themselves for the right to become whole.

(Choose One Card to Draft)

[ ] Smokespew Invoker

Spoiler: Smokespew Invoker

Smokespew Invoker - 2B - 3/1 - C
Activated Ability

A deadly creature, but one that would scare many of the locals. Perhaps it is better to be feared than loved?

[ ] Lowland Tracker

Spoiler: Lowland Tracker

Lowland Tracker - 4W - 2/2 - C
First Strike, Provoke

A good ally and one that could target troublesome opponents on the battlefield.

First Strike Revealed:

"When dealing damage, all damage dealt by a creature with first strike is resolved first. If this damage is enough to destroy or rout the opposing creature, any damage that creature rolled is not applied to this creature."

Provoke Revealed:

"When a creature with Provoke attacks, it may select a creature in the opposing army's reserve and drag it to the front for this round. This creature must be one of the creatures fighting the provoked creature."

[ ] Blood Celebrant

Spoiler: Blood Celebrant

Blood Celebrant - B - 1/1 - C
Activated Ability

Essence for mana? No, not mana. It's a glorified converter, and a weak one at that.

Embalmed Brawler - 2B - 2/2 - C
Amplify 1, Trigger Ability

Another zombie? Perhaps fate is playing a joke on me. The Stranger is not only associated with the dead.

[ ] Skirk Marauder

Spoiler: Skirk Marauder

Skirk Marauder - 1R - 2/1 - C
Morph 2M, Triggered Ability

Looks like whoever organized this wrote this ability correctly. It works as written. A good way to surprise someone in combat.

[ ] Goblin Lookout

Spoiler: Goblin Lookout

Goblin Lookout - 1R - 1/2 - C
Activated Ability

Another goblin. Hmm, a tribe of such creatures could be useful. And they breed like rabbits.

[ ] Deftblade Elite

Spoiler: Deftblade Elite

Deftblade Elite - W - 1/1 - C
Provoke, Activated Ability

Such a low cost. And that ability is promising.

[ ] Skirk Outrider

Spoiler: Skirk Outrider

Skirk Outrider - 3M - 2/2 - C
Triggered Ability

A Rider card. Hmm, they forgot something. Let me change it.

I etch a few more lines into the card.

As long as Skirk Outrider is mounted on a Beast, it gets +2/+2 and has trample.

Rider Creature

"Rider creatures can mount an allied creature of the defined type or animal-like creatures. If mounted, treat the combined pair as one creature in regards to attacking and defending, but damage can be split amongst the two creatures equally. Targeted spells with single targets can only target one part of the mounted pair."

[ ] Merchant of Secrets

Spoiler: Merchant of Secrets

Merchant of Secrets - 2BLU - 1/1 - C
Triggered Ability

Disposable fodder, but one that could net me more battle magic mid-combat if used correctly.

[ ] Macetail Hystrodon

Spoiler: Macetail Hystrodon

Macetail Hystrodon - 6R - 4/4 - C
First Strike, Haste, Cycling 3

An ally that lets me dispose of it if unneeded. It alone would make a fierce skirmisher.

Haste Revealed:

"When a creature with Haste is dealt damage, roll a d6. If a 5+, the damage is negated. In the campaign narrative, this creature is much faster than other non-hasted creatures and will be able to cover farther distances."

[ ] Defiant Elf

Spoiler: Defiant Elf

Defiant Elf - F - 1/1 - C
Trample

Remnant of an extinct race. Those who call our names have much to answer for.

It's ability has little use on such a frail body.

Trample Revealed:

"When the owner's army is attacking and this creature does damage above the defending creature's toughness, it can deal the remaining damage to the defending Commander unless the owner of the defending army assigns the remaining damage to another defending creature. If that remaining damage is above that creature's toughness, the remaining damage is assigned to an additional creature, until all damage is gone or the Commander is all that remains. Annihilation of a mortal unit still requires twice the toughness in damage."

[ ] Zombie Brute

Spoiler: Zombie Brute

Zombie Brute - 6B - 5/4 - U
Amplify 1, Trample

Powerful, but noticeable. Perhaps I could cover him in armor? It would be expensive, though.

[ ] Cloudreach Cavalry

Spoiler: Cloudreach Cavalry

Cloudreach Cavalry - 1W - 1/1- U
Triggered Ability, Rider Creature - Bird

As long as Cloudreach Cavalry is mounted on a Bird, it gets +2/+2 and has flying.

Another rider without his mount. But Birds are common enough, I suppose. And Flying cavalry is always useful as scouts. We might even be able to overwhelm an unprepared Commander.

Flying Revealed:

"Creatures with flying must attack any creatures with flying on the opposing army. If no creatures with Flying exist in the opposing army, this creature may attack any unit directly including the Commander. When attacking this unit may ignore the rule limiting the number of creatures that can fight a single creature at once. Scouting is much easier with flying creatures."

[ ] Totem Speaker

Spoiler: Totem Speaker

Totem Speaker - 4F - 3/3 - U
Triggered Ability

More beast stuff. At least it packs a punch.

[ ] Akroma, Angel of Wrath

Spoiler: Akroma, Angel of Wrath

Akroma, Angel of Wrath - 5WWW - 6/6 - R
Flying, First Strike, Vigilance, Trample, Haste, Protection From Black, Protection From Red

No… No, it can't be.

Vigilance Revealed:

"Activated abilities on creatures that would normally require them to be tapped can now be activated in combat with no restrictions, not just the reserves. This allows creatures with Vigilance to use an activated ability with tapping and still participate in combat that round."

Legendary Revealed:

"Legendary creatures and creatures wielding legendary artifacts ignore the base damage negation ability of all divine avatars. Legendary creatures and artifacts cannot be summoned normally. A willing mortal hero or compatible creature (not summoned) must be found before casting a legendary creature. Once cast, the legendary creature is considered a legendary mortal hero/creature and not a summoned creature. A legendary has its own mind and will, and can disobey the orders of its patron. A legendary hero/creature that has the complete trust of its patron can cast spells from the god's hand with permission and use that god's mana pool as if it was their own. "

I swallowed. It was too soon. Much too soon. The other gods would be gathering power and allies. Choosing her now could be a delay that I could not afford. Even if I had the mana, I would still need a willing mortal host that I could trust. Many gods had been decieved by a beloved remnant of their past shoved into an unworthy vessel.

The light of her orb drew closer to my face and I could feel her presence, lesser though it was. I felt a touch on my cheek, and I instinctively leaned into it. Her skin had always felt hot to the touch, like the embers of a fire.

Before He chained her to his throne and that fire turned to ice.

As both a trophy and a warning, she weighed the scales of the newly dead in perpetuity. Her eyes never shut but she could not see me, even when I cradled her face between my hands and shouted. Which I did. Many times. I could see and touch her but she was still lost to me, as image after image of mortal sin was projected into her mind. Over the millennia, I watched her smile turn brittle, her face twist into hate, and despaired as the woman she was became empty.

Just like me.

Could I risk her falling into his hands again?



Author's Note:

Closed the vote because I don't think I'll be getting many other participants, which is cool. This is more for fun anyways.

I added all the rules and organized them in the Rules post in Information. Hopefully what I'm trying to do will be more easily understood.

I'm trying to create more of a grand strategy quest but we'll see how it goes.

And RIP my power balance already. Yikes.

I didn't have the patience to add in all the images or type out all the description. Plus I didn't want to have to maintain them.

Just a heads up, don't draft like you would in a limited MtG game. The principals are really not the same.

 

[gale]

[X] Deftblade Elite

 

[byzaboo]

[X] Deftblade Elite

 

[Phoenix853456!]

[X] Deftblade Elite

 

[Vanestus]

[X] Deftblade Elite

 

[Nevill]

[x] Akroma, Angel of Wrath

 

[Paloswag]

With a heavy heart, I gently pushed away her mote to return with the others. In that moment, I could feel her emotions as if they were my own. There was sadness, but also understanding. She of all people would know what following my heart had cost me.

This time would be different.

I snatched a different mote out of the air as it circled in front of me. I could feel their surprise at being selected, not unaware of the silent reunion I had with one of its fellows.

The Deftblade Elite.

A group of pale men from a nameless tribe, they roamed the world when it was still young. Fleet of foot, they wore no armor and carried weapons and shields of stone and wood. When greedy neighbors began to covet the untapped wealth beneath their mountain homes, the Elite's skill-at-arms and bodies refined by their harsh environment were able to hold off the invaders for generations.

A worthy choice for my first group of servants. They would make excellent protectors while I gathered my strength, and their use would likely extend beyond that. With almost unnatural swiftness, they could maneuver around the battlefield to strike at targets behind enemy lines. Elite warriors, indeed.

I brought the mote up to my mouth and I could feel its trepidation and excitement. I swallowed it, being careful not to chew before it went down. My skin tingled as a surge of energy burst from within the pit of my stomach. The sensation slowly traveled through my body until it encompassed my entire form. It abated after a few seconds and the weight of my subject's presence now rested in the corner of my mind, ready to manifest with a day's worth of will and a drop of power.

With my decision made, the other fragments of light faded one by one until only her mote remained. It lingered for a moment as if saying goodbye, and I resisted the urge to reach out for it. And then like the rest, she was gone.

Ignoring the feeling of loss, I finally took stock of my surroundings. The sun was still at its height and I was surrounded on all sides by endless hills of sand. I was as alone as I felt.

With no better option, I picked a direction and started walking.




You travel:
(Choose One)

[ ] [Direction:] To the North
The northern winds carry a chill breeze and the sand that gets in your mouth is mixed with the salt of the sea. Perhaps we could find people. Or a ship. There is little for you here in the desert.

[ ] [Direction:] To the West
The sand beneath your feet shifts with every stride and a mortal man would have died weeks ago from lack of water and food. Most would call you a fool. But you know what you felt. The presence of magic that flickered like a distant star.

[ ] [Direction:] To the East
The entity in the east feels old and full of life that moves like the blood of a man. You sense similar presences in other directions, but they smell of brimstone and youth. There are people to the east and you could find those that are worthy.

[ ] [Direction:] To the South
Whispers come from the southern winds. Its source a small trickle of divinity that could still hold great power or a lingering remnant of ages past. A much needed ally or a terrible new foe?



Plan Vote:
(Choose One)

[ ] [Plan:] Deftblade Elite
It was unlikely but possible that another god or a roving band of desperate mortals could take advantage of your newborn state. Your new servants would serve as bodyguards and would help to project an image of strength. You focus on white mana and travel until you absorb enough to complete the summoning. The summoning will take a day, and after, all of you continue traveling in your chosen direction and gathering mana until the turn ends or you reach your destination.

[ ] [Plan:] Just Gather Mana
You keep your servants in reserve. A lone man can go wherever his feet take him, but a group garners more attention. Right now, secrecy was the best defense. You gather white mana until the turn ends or you reach your destination.

[ ] [Plan:] Write in:




Author's Note:
Because it's early in the quest and there aren't enough options yet for variation in plans, I took the liberty this time to write out a couple. Feel free to modify them at your leisure.

 

[gale]

[X] [Direction:] To the North
[X] [Plan:] Deftblade Elite

 

[Vanestus]

[X] [Direction:] To the North
[X] [Plan:] Deftblade Elite

 

[Phyrexian]

[x] [Direction:] To the East
[X] [Plan:] Just Gather Mana

 

[Chopak]

Damn, you stole my idea for gsrpg!

[x] [Direction:] To the East
[X] [Plan:] Deftblade Elite

 

[Nevill]

[x] [Direction:] To the West
[x] [Plan:] Deftblade Elite

 

[Paloswag]

Ending vote today at 5pm Eastern. If someone doesn't break the tie, I'll extend it an additional twelve hours.

 

[KreenWarrior]

[x] [Direction:] To the West
[X] [Plan:] Just Gather Mana

 

[Paloswag]

Well, we still have a tie unfortunately. I'll extend this another 12 hours.

 

[Phoenix853456!]

[x] [Direction:] To the East
[X] [Plan:] Just Gather Mana

 

[Paloswag]

For two days, I journeyed east. The sand followed, dancing in concert with twisting winds, and I stumbled through the dunes like a drunk at a feast. Oh, I hated the desert. I would take snow and mud any day.

But it did have a life to it, one that most mortals wouldn't see. It breathed. The winds pushed and pulled the sand, and with it, the dunes fell and rose. Air was something I no longer needed after I first ascended to the realm of the Gods, but here on the mortal plane breathing still served a purpose.

There is no way for me to describe exactly what I am doing to those of mortal minds. The best analogy is that I "breathed" in the desert. I drew it into my very being, not to consume or dominate, but to borrow and give shape. I walked and drew it in those first two days, holding it inside as one holds air in their lungs.

At the end of the second day, I exhaled. Power burst from my lips and collided against the winds around me. As the two opposing forces met, clouds of sand detonated and swirled in the air, some of it clumping together on the ground in hulking shapes. When it finally dissipated, fourteen pale men stood in a squared formation.

"Hail, Death," they spoke in an old tongue, lost to the ages. Their stone weapons were raised above their heads in a salute. Shields of wood and stone were slung over their cloth-covered backs.

Without saying a word, four of them immediately turned and ran off. They stayed side-by-side for a time but then veered off in slightly different directions. I wasn't envious at all as I watched them bound over the dunes as if they were no obstacle. Nope. Not envious at all. They could have easily run from my sight, but they never let themselves get far enough where I couldn't make them out from a distance. The other ten matched my sluggish pace, settling around me in a distant, moving perimeter, though the largest took a position near my back.

"Hail, Death," the man greeted again, "I am Alaric, warchief of the Gothana". He was as pale as the rest of the tribe with the same muscular body honed from war and the mountains they called home. He kept his head completely shaved, an oddity concerning the groomed ringlets of hair covering the heads and faces of the others. It brought attention to the pointed tips of his ears, the only hint that he was anything other than a large man. That and the effortless way he carried a spiked club that was as large as his torso.

"Do not call me that," I said. "And when we reach our destination, do not call me god, or lord, or prince, or anything that would draw attention to us. You will address me as Egon."

He frowned, "Your godly title would draw many warriors into your tribe. Why hide it?"

"Because that name comes with expectations, and I am not yet ready for their disappointment."

He nodded, though the frown remained on his face. "We go the sneak-thief way then."

We walked in silence for a few more hours before a series of whistles came from one of the forward tribesmen from atop a nearby dune.

"He is warning us of a village" Alaric translated, "One of stone and iron like those of my tribe's enemies."

"All of you will obey me when we enter," I said. It was not a question.

"Yes, life for service. And a chance to roam our hills once more."

"You and your men will cause no trouble that will draw undue attention. We will feign as a band of sellswords from Essos. Our ship was sunk and.. " My voice trailed off as I saw the look on Alaric's face. I felt a fool. His people probably came from a place where there weren't ships or sellswords, and there definitely wasn't an Essos. He had no idea what I was talking about.

"Just.. let me do all the talking," I said, and with a nod, the pale warchief relaxed.

I couldn't pass us off as a merchant and his guards, as I clearly had no goods to sell. I could claim bandits robbed us but the look of my men made that equally dubious. Sellswords would be the..

My train of thought came to a halt as we reached the top of a dune and I saw the "village" we had been warned about. The tribe must not have the word in their language because that was definitely not a village. Even miles away, the city looked large and I knew it would be larger when we actually stood in front of its gates. Multiple sets of walls enveloped each other, each layer built a little higher the farther one got to the center. Two pointed towers loomed within, their tips grasping past the horizon towards the sun.

A desert? A city of that size and one old enough to emit a magical echo? This was Sunspear. We were in Dornish territory.

I turned to Alaric, "Tell your men not to eat or drink anything they're given for free. And if another man offers to share a bed, they may not intend it for sleeping."

I grinned at the confused look on his face.

-------

Interlude
A Loyal Agent
​

If I had known then what I know now, I would have slipped my knife into the man's side without hesitation. My life would be forfeit, but it would have prevented the madness in the years to come.

I had been ordered by my master to follow a group of sellswords that entered Sunspear. Such men were common in the city, as its harbor made it an essential resupply point for ships going to either side of the continent. The crew and passengers could often be found in the taverns most nights, telling tales of escalating implausibility and partaking in the delights of Dorne. But this group was different in both looks and behavior.

They were foreign, that was obvious. Their leader was a man with the Valyrian coloring, slender and of average height, with pale skin and white, silvery hair that went past his neck. But it was his eyes that one was drawn to first. Color so dark they almost seemed black, and the way they contrasted with the white of his eyes invoked something primal. He knew that many of Sunspear would seek to entice him into their bed.

Egon, he had called himself. Not Aegon. No surname or title. Beauty and danger in the form of a man. For I was not entirely sure it was a man at all. It was a subtle thing, so much that anyone inexperienced in intrigue or court might miss it. It was his breath. His chest movements did not always follow it. The disconnect was sporadic, and if I had not been following the man for as long as I had I may not have noticed. There were a few other irregularities, like the lack of sweat when the sun was at its highest or the way his skin remained pale while others bronzed, but those could be explained away by the strength of his Valyrian ancestry.

If their leader could be considered exotic then his men were simply monstrous. Paler than the Valyrian, they were all built like the most hated Mountain-That-Rides was said to be. All had white scars covering their bodies, with corded muscles on display that would make any maiden swoon. Their lack of armor seemed foolish until I watched one snatch a bird out of the air, snapped its neck, and then tied it to his belt in one smooth motion, far faster than any man that size had any right to be. I assumed they could wield their impossibly large weapons with equal ease.

There were tales of albino men in Yi-Ti, though the words of drunken sailors were worth little. Perhaps they were from some place in the North where they saw less of the sun? Skagos, or the like. It would remain a mystery as the men spoke in a tongue that none I asked could understand, though the Valyrian knew their language well.

The group did not frequent the taverns or markets at all, giving credence to Egon's claim that they lacked coin and sought work. And they were disciplined, none responding to the many flirtatious invitations from passing Dornishmen, though there was a curious display from the tallest of them when an innkeeper informed them of a vacancy.

Mysterious, disciplined, and desperate. My master would be very interested in hiring these "Ghosts".




Rumors/Sensing:
There was power being shaped somewhere north, but seeing as you're in the lowest point of the continent, it's impossible to narrow down where. Whoever it is, they would have sensed your own summoning of the Deftblade Elite.


Summary:
- Summoned Deftblade Elite
- Mana Pool Net Gains: 1 White


Author's Note:
Still finishing up the setup of the quest, hopefully we'll get to some action next turn. No votes this turn but we'll start the next with a draft pick.

Rules Errata:
Reduced Mana Pool Limit to 20 from unlimited. Mana generated over this limit is lost at the end of a campaign turn, or an opponent's turn if in combat.

Hopefully, this will prevent any game-ending card combos. Because all packs are randomly generated this was already unlikely, but I think this change will make campaign turns and drafts more strategic.

 

[Chopak]

How does casting the same spell again works? We have to draw the spell card again after the discard is reshuffled into library? Creature spells go to discard after they are killed or after they are cast?

 

[Paloswag]

How does casting the same spell again works? We have to draw the spell card again after the discard is reshuffled into library? Creature spells go to discard after they are killed or after they are cast?

Click to shrink...

That is currently how I have it set.

Creature spells are in play until they are killed/dismissed.