Beyond the borders
March 19th 2010 01:19
"It is the barless cage. It is the clarion voice, chanting for all worlds."
-- Sarkhan Vol, in Awakenings, Part 2
I’ve seen this guy before.
I don’t mean that in a literal way (I think everyone would have remembered, in that case) or even in a bad way. Like all of the Eldrazi, however, it reminds me strongly of the creatures that inhabit the Far Realm in Dungeons and Dragons cosmology. Not only do they resemble Far Realm beings in appearance, aspects of the Eldrazi lore released so far have a number of similarities, including their destructive effect on the material universe and the difficulty “normal” minds have in comprehending them.
The Far Realm, in turn, draws on H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos, one of the first great secondary worlds of the 20th century. Like many of the Manual of the Planes’ alternate cosmologies, it was an attempt to add further depth and mystery to a product where the lore was rapidly overtaking the gameplay in popularity. Combined with the Zendikar block’s terrifying angels, Merfolk religious writings, and decadent, sensual vampires, Rise of the Eldrazi suggests that Magic is headed the same way.
I know the collapse of the Legacy format has been predicted within two years, but I would go a step further and state that no form of competitive Magic will exist by the time the product becomes unprofitable (heaven forbid). But by then, Magic’s place in the pantheon of fantasy universes that inspired smart people and adults – and changed the world – will be secure, thanks in no small part to Zendikar’s concept artists.
-- Sarkhan Vol, in Awakenings, Part 2
I’ve seen this guy before.
I don’t mean that in a literal way (I think everyone would have remembered, in that case) or even in a bad way. Like all of the Eldrazi, however, it reminds me strongly of the creatures that inhabit the Far Realm in Dungeons and Dragons cosmology. Not only do they resemble Far Realm beings in appearance, aspects of the Eldrazi lore released so far have a number of similarities, including their destructive effect on the material universe and the difficulty “normal” minds have in comprehending them.
The Far Realm, in turn, draws on H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos, one of the first great secondary worlds of the 20th century. Like many of the Manual of the Planes’ alternate cosmologies, it was an attempt to add further depth and mystery to a product where the lore was rapidly overtaking the gameplay in popularity. Combined with the Zendikar block’s terrifying angels, Merfolk religious writings, and decadent, sensual vampires, Rise of the Eldrazi suggests that Magic is headed the same way.
I know the collapse of the Legacy format has been predicted within two years, but I would go a step further and state that no form of competitive Magic will exist by the time the product becomes unprofitable (heaven forbid). But by then, Magic’s place in the pantheon of fantasy universes that inspired smart people and adults – and changed the world – will be secure, thanks in no small part to Zendikar’s concept artists.
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