Planeforger 2: Unsung Lands

Welcome to thread 2! Old thread is over here: Here we make a MtG plane, roll by roll. Roll 3d36, the first for color, the second for angle of expansion, and the third for the number of hexes filled.

Also here's a google doc where I copied a bunch of the lore and ideas from last thread. It's super disorganized, but its got most of the stuff in there. docs.google.com/document/d/1qw326stadhmf7syEsmhpqUkOXBHhQvZafycnm2XuTno/edit?usp=sharing

Currently our plane is an unfinished place of myth and legend with heavy native america and mesoamerican influences, as well as music-magic and alt-colored archetypal creatures.

Lets have some fun!

and here is our current map!

Rolled 21, 27, 17 = 65 (3d36)

as a refresher, the archetype races we have here are
>White dragons who build civilization by being giant autocrats and commanders.
>Blue hydras who covet knowledge and can temporarily grant wisdom by riding shamans, loa style.
>Black angels who were originally supposed to lead the living races from out of the earth, but failed, and now teach a philosophy of pure self reliance and self actualization.
> Red sphinxes who are obsessed with entertainment, and make kachina-golems and hang around goblins to satisfy their desire for new ideas.
>Green demons who are primal besital creatures, and teach others to embrace life in the most darwinist way possible, as well as making green wendigo-style vampires.

Rolled 24, 24, 14 = 62 (3d36)

We got important guys for White, Green, and Black, what about Red and Blue? Who are some of the big cheeses for them?

Evergreen the Blightseed wants to wish everyone goodnight.

The orangutan idea was a good one.

Those unsung rock. And good call on the sunset tone.

And I figured someone would take to my spider idea. If only because there was bound to be an Anansi fan. Maybe spider angels could be ones that have tried to become "builders" like the spider spirits, weaving illusions or harnessing the unsung lands and turning their energy into something. Or just badass spider angels.

Pieces
Of the worldsong could be in both. One in a large portion of the unsung lands, another at the underworld mountain. Maybe a sphinx watches over it, content with hiding it away and using its power to bring his musings to life. The hero(es) would have to find a way to entertain him in a way he hasn't been entertained before he'll give it up.>

>53278629
I could see !notGilgamesh in red more than white. (Backstory wise) he was BR and became RG.

Also, here was the wording for Unpainted and Vivid.

>Unpainted - If you paid at least 2 colorless mana to cast this spell, [do this].
>Vivid [color cost] - If you paid [specified cost] to cast this spell, [do this].

Unpainted is meant to be on cards with either 2 in their costs, or the 2/color hybrids. More the later. Vivid states a cost (let's say WW), and then if you use that mana to cast the spell you get that effect. So a spell with Vivid WW that costs 2W would only mean you needed to use WW and 1 generic mana. But a 2/B spell could have Vivid WW, as could one of the colorless unsung spells.

An user had a good Vivid spider idea. 2/B for a 0/1 reach spider, with Vidid G - +1/+1 and deathtouch (presumedly a counter).

So much about this is awesome.

For spiders too, if we have angels have dreamcatchers, that could be where they get them from. Spiders could be angels who have embraced the current world instead of mourning the old one, adding some green to their color pool like most spiders. They now seek to manually create more of the world, via their weaving instead of mourning the old one or the hard reset our BBEG is going for.

I figure whatever portions of the worldsong there are, they're organized into either verses or notes, and there's a a good few of them. Enough to have them both in the Unsung, in the underworld, one for a sphinx, and so on. The final one should be somewhere even more ridiculous, like beyond the edge of the plane.

Evergreen is great, especially in that I can see tons of his acolytes wearing wooden versions of his face as masks, and painting his stomach-mouth onto themselves in hopes that it will transfer some of his strength and power.

Also I'll be heading out in a few minutes, does anyone have any art requests? I'll see if I can get them done and ready by sometime tomorrow.

Rolled 16, 12, 17 = 45 (3d36)

Let's go with a hydra possessing someone, if you're still here.

Uh, I'd vote for either a spider angel, or what you think the goblins in this plane look like.

Throwing out idea for red and blue characters.
>a red performer, traveling from village to village collecting stories and songs, who has somehow been imparted with part of the worldsong
>a goblin warleader, raiding surrounding settlements for supplies. their goal is to maintain constantly collect enough food and materials to appease the sphinx that insists they entertain her
>an asshole sphinx who really just wants goblins and constructs to party with her
>red construct that seeks to escape servitude, as red do
>blue wizard researcher who's collecting information on the plane and the worldsong, trying to locate it based on data and evidence instead of trusting legends
>voodoo fish doing the opposite, acting as possessed head of a hydra while hoarding knowledge

Rolled 32, 4, 27 = 63 (3d36)

Hm... I guess a fun thing to see would be dwellings.

Like I can see "dragon run" viashino tribes being pretty stationary kingdoms, made out of pueblo style mudbrick, or glass brick if the dragons had somehow pitched in. I can nomadic groups using the good ol fashioned animal skin tepees, but where would they be aligned, I'd guess perhaps black because individualism, they strike me as campers, but images of tepees in forests and plains in real life convince me otherwise.

And blue tribes definitely strike me as doing the Aztec thing, big gray stone in the jungles by the lake and rivers, ornate "knowledge writing" on everything.

I guess that leaves the question what Red and Black tribe structures are like.

>53282575
Then again I can see pueblo buildings in red too.

Alright lemme post some color faction summaries, and people can object to whatever or disagree on anything, afterwards I'll do the map.
>Black Faction, Weeping Reverie. Lore goes like this: Angels were originally helpers to the creator of plane, when something stopped that creator from finishing the plane and most likely killed it, the angels fell from losing their link to the creator. Maybe. Something happened and it wasn't good. Nobody is sure what. Now they're stuck on a world that's a farce to their creator's original vision, and they probably fucked up somehow, so they grieve and weep (hence the name). Later learn that the Worldsong actually still exists, if fragmented, and they have a chance to finish what their creator started. They then teach/give all the lesser races under the rule of the mythic races (which is to say practically all the members of the lesser races) absolute free will, the ability to choose, individualism, etc, partly out an actual desire to help out the lesser races, partly out of a dislike for nearly all the members of the mythic races, and partly out of a desire to get more people looking for the Worldsong that will give it to them. Has the highest amount of racial diversity in their faction compared to others, and highest amount of humans.
>Notable Individuals: The BBEG, a B/W angel that feels the world is the way it is because of what she did, even if she's not right. Thinks the only right thing to do, the only way to make amends, is to reset the world to square one, and start over. Proper this time. Personally and selfishly, also just wants to have things go back to before the fall as well. The one who spread the word around about the Worldsong fragments?
>Lands: Marshes, maybe it's what they think the plane originally looked like?
>Mechanics: ???

Not sure if we should do "faction specific" mechanics like out of ravnica or tarkir, but I did think of something for the possible B/W angel villain. Like maybe she's able to "interrupt" performances, like whenever the opponent (or anyone) plays a spell she can just tap a creature, preventing them from being tapped to pay Perform costs.

Yeah that'd be pretty thematic.
And lemme just remove that mechanics bit.

>Green Faction, ??? "Led" by demons, though really all they do is laze about or go on destructive rampages. Demons focus more one the bestial and primal part of nature rather than the flora part, often going out a destroying other factions' shit, while trying to convert people to live a life free of the chains of responsibility and civilization. Contrary to regular demons, usually aren't the type to make elaborate plans or tricky contracts, focusing more on just being plain brutal. Not to say they're complete meatheads, they're dangerously cunning as well. Majority of faction is composed of wild elves, a number of which perform acts of cannibalism, giving them a form of vampirism not unlike that of the wendigo, eventually transforming them into demons. Mesoamerican and bit of amazon influence abound.
>Notable Individuals: Evergreen, demon who is currently fucking shit up on the white island in the middle of the great river, and absolutely not going down. Smarter than his brethren, looks more like an orangutan than a monkey like the other demons.
>Lands: Mostly jungle.

>Blue Faction, ??? All about gaining knowledge. Mythic race is hydras, though "race" is a bit of a misnomer, as their is only one, gigantic hydra, and many, many, many heads, due to their ability to subsume nearly anything and make it a head. "Sprouts" all have independence from each other, so the original hydra doesn't have to deal with all that sensory overload of manually controlling them, but they share the same basic goal, gaining enough to knowledge to figure out the Worldsong. Faction has a voodoo theme to it, such as hydras having the ability to temporary make a being a hydra head, possessing them in exchange for great power, like a loa riding someone. Lotta fishmen are part of this faction.
>Notable Individuals: Someone from, I guess.
>Lands: Seems to be mostly rivers, considering the giant one on the map.

Many thanks to our three drawfags, by the by. Lots of good art in a short amount of time.


>Red Faction, ??? Has a West Coast Native American theme, both south and north. Mythic race is Sphinxes, who represent creativity and passion instead of knowledge hoarding, interact with the tribe(s) by providing things such as powerful constructs or beautiful art, in exchange for entertainment.
>Notable Individuals: again.
>Lands: Sunset-red mountains, painted canyons (sometimes literally), and the occasional volcano.

Ooh, forgot to mention that goblins show up the most in Red.
>White Faction, ??? Has dragons, who probably have the largest amount of influence on their tribe(s), by virtue of actually leading them. Dragons give order in a chaotic and savage world, with the catch that that order is both heavily authoritarian and places dragons at the very top, near equivalent to gods. Inca themed, maybe something to do with rainbows, and populated heavily with viashino.
>Notable Individuals: Viashino born with a silver spoon in his mouth due to having draconic physical qualities, now sets out to prove that he was and is worthy of said silver spoon, rather than simply gaining out of birth.
>Lands: Dusty mesas and deserts, with a bit of plains here and there.

And finally the colorless, who aren't really a faction per se, but are important enough to warrant attention.
As described before, colorless lands aren't just junkyards or wastelands, but rather untapped reality, lacking mana and lacking form, thus the name "Unsung lands." To get an idea for its appearance, imagine thick. swirling fog on a shifting, opalescent desert.
Creatures from there are just as shifting as their homeland, but have the ability to act as distorted reflections against colored creatures.
One notable guy that's somewhat important is a member of a lesser race that gained access to a piece of the Worldsong, and now has the ability to shape unsung land, and has created a kingdom smack dab in the middle of some unsung lands somewhere.

And now to wait until tomorrow, hopefully the thread doesn't die. Maybe writefag some shit up then.

I was thinking about mechanics that might work for the black faction, and I was thinking about something that buffs creatures that attack alone, and I just remembered Exalted exists.

And it would be sort of useful in conjunction with Perform.

You cast a spell, you use Perform to get its extra effect, but you've tapped most of your creatures just doing that, except for one. He doesn't have exalted but this one black angel does and it buffs him a little.

Exalted could be heavy black (again angels championing self improvement and self sufficience), but it could and should be spread out to the other colors for the utility with Perform. Plus its another nice flavor victory, champions being exalted and important, and, when they're not charging into battle themselves, they encourage others to do so as well.

>Unpainted - If you paid at least 2 colorless mana to cast this spell, [do this].
Seems a bit awkward to be forced to use colorless mana. Think the original idea of "pay the 2 in the 2/[Color] instead of just [Color] for [Thing]" works better mechanically.

Rolled 21, 27, 19 = 67 (3d36)

bawmp

Bumping

I'd find exalted in this set pretty interesting. Not just in black, though I could see it appearing either more in black, or with more support (when a creature attacks alone it gets Blank). Worshiping demons and sphinx, an age of epic heroes and unexplored lands. Exalted could represent the brave explorers and heroes, discovering new magics and inspirations (Vivid), and letting their stories be passed into legend (Perform).

I don't really agree that requiring colorless is awkward, but looking at Vivid and Unpainted next to each other again, Unpainted is basically just a specialized Vivid, and 99% of the time paying the alt cost of 2 is fine.

Maybe a cool cycle would include cards that cost something like 2/W 2/W 2/W, and if 5 or more was paid for the spell they trigger an ability.


So if we dump Unpainted as it is now, do we think up a new mechanic for the colorless Unsung theme, or is the hybrid 2 costs and purely colorless (nonartifact) creatures enough that a few cards in the vein of Ghostblade or Tomb of he Spirit Dragon would suffice?

Oh neat, we're back.

>So if we dump Unpainted as it is now, do we think up a new mechanic for the colorless Unsung theme?
Maybe, have to actually design the cards and see. I do like the cycle idea though.

Also, not a lot written for the red faction/color. Anyone got any ideas?

What if the sphinxes acted as patrons? The hydra and the demons are worshiped, and the dragons assume direct control over their subjects, and angels act as examples. What if we treat the red villages and civilizations as Bronze Age city states; each built around a different sphinx or sphinx herd(?) with different tastes and interests.

One sphinx is a tyrant, forcing a tribe of goblins to entertain it day and night, follow it around, and bend to its will.

Another sphinx inspires in its people the desire to explore, conquer, and battle, a culture glorifying battle and glory.

Other sphinxes would inspire song and art, while others magical ingenuity personal freedoms. These sphinxes may act more like a pantheon of muses than one direct patron, the different between being in a smaller Red area with one sphinx and being in a larger Red area with multiple.

Also, as much as I imagine humans being heavy in red, can we please make goblins the artisans and bards?

That could definitely work, and it reflects the shifting/chaotic personality of red.
And I also see no reason as to not make goblins more musically inclined then other races.

So I was talking with some friends about this and it made me realize that the "living free" ideal for the demons was pretty red, even if it's through green-tinted lens by saying "freedom from civilization."
So I changed the primary goal around a bit, while still keeping them mostly the same. How does this sound?

Demons are envoys of nature, but not the peaceful, providing part, they (obviously) represent the destructive part of it, the tidal waves, the hurricanes, the ferocious beasts. But they also represent the eternal march of nature against the works of man, like the waves slowing eroding the coast or the moss creeping over the stone ruins. They appear unfeeling and brutal in personality, but that's because nature is unfeeling and brutal in personality.
And the "eternal march" thing is why they laze about, they know they win in the end. Whatever civilization does, it'll eventually collapse in itself, and the cycle of life will return to the original status quo. No need to rush.
But if people want to become free to get rid of the shackles of man-made invention, to know they are part of a community rather than trodded on minorities, well, who are they to refuse them? It is their job to help the growth of nature, after all.
And a little bit of destructive rampage helps out in the end, doesn't it? Not hurting their goals in the slightest.

Like how regular demons corrupt mortals, these do as well, though with a green goal and with green tactics.

So I was talking with some friends about this and it made me realize that the "living free" ideal for the demons was pretty red, even if it's through green-tinted lens by saying "freedom from civilization."
So I changed the primary goal around a bit, while still keeping them mostly the same. How does this sound?

Demons are envoys of nature, but not the peaceful, providing part, they (obviously) represent the destructive part of it, the tidal waves, the hurricanes, the ferocious beasts. But they also represent the eternal march of nature against the works of man, like the waves slowing eroding the coast or the moss creeping over the stone ruins. They appear unfeeling and brutal in personality, but that's because nature is unfeeling and brutal in personality.
And the "eternal march" thing is why they laze about, they know they win in the end. Whatever civilization does, it'll eventually collapse in itself, and the cycle of life will return to the original status quo. No need to rush.
But if people want to become free to get rid of the shackles of man-made invention, to know they are part of a community rather than trodded on minorities, well, who are they to refuse them? It is their job to help the growth of nature, after all.
And a little bit of destructive rampage helps out in the end, doesn't it? It's common sense to do such thing when you're this strong. Not hurting their goals in the slightest either.
They're not perfect representations of nature, but they're damn good at it, especially the murderous bits.

Like how regular demons corrupt mortals, these do as well, though with a green goal and with green tactics.

Goblins being adept at music, but less adept at dance.
Red Dolls being great at dance, but voiceless or quiet.
Humans being better storytellers, and having more human outlets for heir craft outside of mountain regions.

So is there a head sphinx or dragon? Presumedly there's a prime demon, and one hydra that just sprouts a billion hydra heads (creature - hydra serpent?), but is there an original/head dragon and sphinx, or is that a matter of who's in charge at the time?

I'm at work at the moment, so replies will be haphazard at best, and I wont be able to post the art until later.

As someone who loves black exalted, I second this notion.

Bard goblins sound great, and I like the chaotic nature of sphinxes forming a crude pantheon. Maybe incorporate the northwest coast style totem poles into the themeing somehow, like as a way that the various sphinx-tribes mark territory and history?

Nice doublepost, but I love the idea. Green Demons being as patient and inexorable as the wild seems like a perfect fit. They want the world to be as it should, pure and simple.
Speaking of that, I feel green demons should have lots of enchantment and artifact removal, to fit their abhorrence of civilized, complicated nonsense.

Rolled 8, 4, 14 = 26 (3d36)

Dunno. I could see a head dragon that's in charge of one of the larger white areas, like the one in the middle of the map. Head sphinx seems less likely, or maybe they're in a point of isolation somewhere. Maybe that's the one that's guarding a piece of the Worldsong.

Rolled 10, 25, 23 = 58 (3d36)

buomp

I figure the head sphinx is less of an actual leader in the sphinx tribes and more of an incredibly influential art critic, the kind who can walk into your gallery and declare it all shit with complete impunity and support. What they say goes, due to their influence, style, and possibly their fraction of the Worldsong giving them the ability to MAKE what they say go.

Frankly I'm picturing the sphinx equivalent of Meryl Streep from The Devil Wears Prada, or perhaps sphinx Andy Warhol.

In terms of a head dragon, I threw around the idea of a dragon in the last set who managed to basically cement itself as the ruler of a confederacy of dragons by tripping them up on their laws and declarations until they were bound to its nation as members. A dragon who is equal parts indomitable and wily, which is a rarity compared to the usually straightforward dragons of this plane.

by last set I mean last thread.

I've totally slept in the past 24 hours you guys, I swear.

Rolled 1, 7, 2 = 10 (3d36)

Bumping

I like the head sphinx idea, but why exactly is it the head sphinx? What's so special about it?
Dragon's pretty good idea as well, no qualms with it. Think his area would probably be the Inca-themed faction.

While the bumping is appreciated fellas, it'd be better to try and start up some conversation by talking about mechanics or lore.
For example, What mechanics would blue and/or red would have or focus on? I vote something to do with card draw, like cycling for red or looting for blue.

yeah I think something like that would work, if X amount of mana was spent on them they'd get an extra something, especially if they have the hybrid costs.

That said I think another option would be to say... fit Colorless into Vivid. And make colorless vivid more about 'removing' its color and giving it an "instant or sorcery" effect.

Like lets say

Fog-Eyed Spirit 2/U 2/U
Creature - Spirit
When Fog-Eyed Spirit enters the battlefield prevent all damage this turn. (Kind of as if it was spitting out a fog that makes everyone lose their way and not know where they were going).
Vivid Colorless-If Colorless Mana was spent in casting, creature gains flash and is no longer blue. (It becomes kind of useful being able to "run in" right as someone is gearing up to stomp you, but then also it has its "true nature" revealed.)

I don't know am I onto something here?

Just an idea I had for a character in our eventual plot.

>Goblin who has inadvertently found and carries a fragment of the worldsong, joins the party for adventure and story.
>The fragment manifests itself as a inuit style overtone throat singing, making their songmagic incredibly powerful, but unstable.
>The fragment in question is the fragment representing "Destruction" as the primary element of the worldsong, disassembling the Aether to prepare for the creation of the plane. The fragment, as all worldsong fragments are, is kind of sentient, and can take control of the goblin to sing.

I'm thinking this could possibly be how they find other fragments of the song. Each verse of the worldsong resonates with the others, and so one of the party members is a living detector, if one who occasionally gets possessed by a fragment of the prime creative force of reality.

Rolled 5, 23, 13 = 41 (3d36)

Speaking of the fragments, how many should there be? Is there a set number? If so, how many, and what do they represent?

With the mention of "destruction" being a fragment the Goblin has, perhaps what each fragment represents is sort of the opposite of each of the Archetypes, a "flipside" to each of their aspects, that actually plays an important role.

Destruction: Sphinxes with "Creativity"
It might be a natural part of the creative process, that few would like to admit.

Purpose: Angels with "Individuality"
They had at one point a purpose greater than themselves, and now that they're individualists they're out to find a purpose.

Harmony: Demons with "Savagery"
While they're brutal savage jerks, demons ultimately live in harmony with the natural order one could argue, or at least believe in it.

Mystery: Hydras and "Knowledge"
You can't know everything.

Unity: Dragons and "Order"
Being the big guy on top ordering people about isn't going to last beyond yourself, and a united community is more likely to keep a lasting order.

Maybe a mystic 6th fragment located elsewhere... that ties it all together.

I think doing 5. There are 2 ways to do it. Either have the worldsong pieces be enemy color pairings to fit with how each faction is clearly some weird enemy color pairing.
The other way is to make the pairings allied colors to have the lore of, "The factions are so fucked because they are missing part of their mana identity." and thus the true form of each action is meant to be wedges/shards.
Or I guess we could have it be is there used to be like, 10 factions, but when the world song was broken to not collapse after losing the magic of it as support, they all merged with another which is why there are only 5 out-of-place factions.

>wrongneighborhood.fish

We should probably set an amount, though I don't think prior to the story starting anyone should know how many are out there. Honestly, we should see how many set pieces and characters we can fit into 2-3 sets, and decide which ones are tied to a fragment.

That feels like a way to turn Vivid on its head in set 2 and/or 3, but I like the color idea. In early sets Vivid would give colored spells options and colorless creatures "color", but would strip the color away from either the Unsung or other creatures later on.

Love that sphinx idea. Similar to the controlling dragon, but ruling with shame and social status instead of force of will (and regular force).

Well...
Perform - R and G mostly
Vivid - B, W, and U mostly
Harmonic - W, R
Exalted - B, G, U (getting really New Phyrexia in here)

White: not getting eaten by a dragon!?
Blue: enchantments (hydra sprouts)
Black: mercenary-mechanic
Red: looting, construct tokens
Green: sacrifice and consumption

Both of these ideas are pretty nice, so how about we combine them?
15 pieces to the song, 3 to each color, 5 pieces already sung, forming the base factions. The factions were then supposed to get 2 more colors and be shard/wedge themed, but then the great fucking up happened, and they're like they are now. Each piece also represents a third of a cycle or at the very least an idea, like Creation -> Preservation -> Destruction, for example.

Guess we should decide on 2 or 3 sets then.
I vote 2, 1st one setting the setting up, 2nd focusing on the world tearing up as it's already shaky foundations fall. Though my vote can change easy.

A Blaze in the North

>Harmonic
What's harmonic?

Sorry I haven't been drawing too much today. been a bit busy.

Pic semi related, Its an initial concept for Viashino (am i spelling that right) hero. I'm thinking the birthmark that marks him as a "Chosen One" is perhaps he has teensy little horns, like the Horned Toad dragons. With them being based off of Zebra-Tailed Lizards, little critters that mimic scarier ones (specifically scorpions), Viashino warriors tend to wear horned helmets and armor, being born with something "dragon-y" could be taken as a sign or type of predetermination.

Horned ones being destined warriors, perhaps more colorful members being destined leaders.

One of the mechanics spitballed last thread.
>Harmonic X - when this creature attacks or blocks with another creature with Harmonic, it gets +X/+X until end of turn.

interesting. so basically encourages having creatures untapped to work together.

Incidentally, any requests anons? Currently sketching out angels.

Some animal spirits?
I'll take requests too if anyone's got them as well, not for drawing, but for writing.

15 pieces, or more accurately 15 lines sounds super cool. Each fragment could be a line of the worldsong, and we could place them through the entire set/sets as flavor text, eventually creating something kind of similar to the opening poem from Endless Legend. I also like the idea of each faction originally being a wedge, since wedges need more love, and frankly the idea of Temur Evergreen is fucking terrifying.

That vivid idea is great, and thats a pretty good split for keywords so far I think. I like the idea of blue getting really weird janky exalted things though, mostly loa riders and other such creatures that aren't straight hitters. Maybe give white a staple of exalted lands/artifacts, but fewer exalted creatures compared to black?

That's adorable, and I like the idea of the horns being his predetermination trait. Also as an idea, gila monster colored diplomats.

Harmonic could actually be what the Destructogoblin has as its ability, since throatsinging is basically harmonizing with your own vocal vibrations. Maybe give it something that either lets it count as harmonizing itself to become a weird red Konda-lite, or have it boost other harmonization.

You know I was a little worried that 15 was too much, but then i realized, we haven't really even said what the world song is "written on". And suddenly its sort of becomes brilliant.

It exists in all things after all. so each fragment of the world song could be anything from, floating musical notes/tune simply in the air, An entire species of bird with a particular call, the hum and sound of drums stuck in a goblin's head. It can be inscribed on a rain stick, or weapon, it could be written in the land, in how the wind passes through a hoodoo or stone hole thing in a desert.

Its 15 fragments, can be embedded in Anything.

quick before I go, spider angel! Be back on soon!

Idea for an Unsung creature. He's sort of like an eldrazi Titan. he's a six cost but gets additional benefit for each color mana used to cast him.
>if two different colors were used to cast __ gains a +1/1 counter
>if three different colors were used to cast gains haste
>if four different colors were used to cast ___ gains vigilance

Putting together mechanics. Here is what I got so far. Thoughts/critism/ect welcome. Trying to get each keyword to fit the theme of a plane based around song.


Faction emblems would be nice. Right now it sounds like we are operating on a 5 faction system with each being enemy colors.

Welp I'm dumb. Here are the card examples this time.
Harmonize is meant for all colors. Conduct is meant to be primarily white, and a little in Red. The card should always give whatever keyword it has printed, nothing else.
Harmonize is an obvious music reference, and Conduct is in reference to the Conductor, common at large performances for music.

That is way more unsettling than I thought it would be.

I'm no mechanical expert or even intermediary, so I can't give you actually good advice, but looks good from my novice standpoint user.

Is each faction enemy colored? Or is that just the general vibe? I thought we weren't caring too much about colors for each faction. Sorry If I missed a few memos.

Either way here are some ideas.

I quite liked the design i did on one of the angel's wings, but i wasn't sure if that would work for a faction symbol. But here's a "First run"

A theme I was going for was "trying to capture the spirit of the old mana symbol" the black faction has a Dream Catcher symbol reminicent of the sun, the red could have some "teary eyed" symbol for the blue water drip. I was trying to make white faction a sort of "Dragon head" or "Campfire". A green "horned skull" Blue was pretty easy, hydra heads sprouting like branches of a tree.

Alternatively the Red symbol could be red as a stylized Sphinx or Sphinx face.

All of them are enemy color pairings atm.
Black angels, red sphinxes, green demons, white dragons, blue hydras.
>Emblems
I like the Red one, and the black on on the far left is nice.
For the dragons I'd consider doing a flame surrounded by a halo.

The far left angel symbol was very quick, and its something I definitely want to improve. Going with an "angel out of the web" to compare to the "Man In the Maze" symbol of Tohono O'odham tribe.

Basically its a symbol that depicts the creator god I'itoi at the entrance to the maze. He lead the people out of the underworld through caves at the Baboquivari Peak. Its neat, and a big feature of the basketweaving tradition is to leave a different "exit" to the maze each time, to symbolize the different paths of life.

and yeah I like the idea for the dragon one. I was trying to make it geometric to sort of reference the Inca Cross. but that might be better. something "brickworky" was the goal.

hmm this gives me an idea on angel lore:
TL;DR
Leader of evil angels thinks the plane is Purgatory and that everyone in it has to some how earn their way out back into the real world, which is far nicer. Death isn't true here, and thus the most selfish and vindictive attempts at reaching one's most powerful state is encouraged by her faith.
>Angels lose their hope in humanity, and see that the suffering and discourse caused by the breaking of the world song to show this world is not worth saving
>For XX years they abandon all duties, and are completely rouge
>Angel Bitch of High Order is old and wise, but loses no hope and instead sees this world in another way
>Angel Bitch of High Order thinks this plane is not falling apart, but Purgatory, or the underworld
>All the suffering and turmoil is but a trail or test, and that once you live through it, if you are strong enough, you return to the True World, the great Chorus of Between
>She believes that those that die in this Purgatory are simply born again to suffer through the tests once more, and thus considers sacrifice and death just a necessary step to achieve redemption
>Angel Bitch has even claimed to have died herself to further others on their quest for redemption

Rolled 23, 3, 13 = 39 (3d36)

I figured that going spider they'd lose the feathers and flesh on the wings, and it'd help keep a spidery kind of silhouette. Also, I liked the idea of them hanging things from the wings like freaky wind chimes.

These are great! I'm especially a big fan the idea behind the angel symbol, and the sphinx mask one.

I've basically had this idea since we introduced the angel BBEG that she's genuinely trying to help people by her point of view, to the point where during the big final battle she can't even comprehend why people are doing this. This fits really well with it, at least in part.

>"All I'm trying to do is help you, why do you keep fighting!?"

Also lets roll some more dice, help finish out this plane.

Picture done. Little fish are my idea for this plane's homunculi. And the more I think about them, the more I want to brainstorm for the constructs.

Drawing wise, I definitely want to give the angels (spiders included) a try.

Cute

I like the idea. A below curve creature in one or two colors, but three or four make it worth it, five or six making it mighty. We'd just have to change the wording to "types of mana" since colorless isn't a color.

I like Harmonize. One of those mechanics that save your ass in sealed, but aren't broken. If we keep it and Harmonic we'd have to rename one.

Is conduct a token-only mechanic?

They're not like Ravnica or Tarkir factions no, but the general feel of the colors seems to lean toward enemies working better together. And having symbols for a pantheon of sphinxes, a dragon federation, a hydra cult, demon worshipers, and wanderer markings would be cool lore wise.

I'm digging all of them so far. The split white one looks best of that color to me. And the lower green one. And I'd go with the leftmost black symbol, since it's more unique from the Orzohv symbol and angels embracing black might drift away from sun or star images. BBEG using that one would be cool though. We need a name for her other than's Bitch.

I think the only reason I'd be against 15 is how long it would make the story... but we're not commissioning novels or web shorts, so we can make the story as "long" as we want. And I agree that it's cool that it's a huge song.

Maybe since white is more structured, the Exalted triggers are on artifacts and lands to show "worship" is conducted through structure and obedience and accomplishment. And in general-
Artifacts for white, enchantments for blue, tokens for red?

More angels is all I ask. Though, with the lore and Exalted theme, an angel offering a traveler advice or assistance would be cool.

Rolled 15, 30, 9 = 54 (3d36)

Rolled 15, 25, 34 = 74 (3d36)

I was looking up some hopi mythology, and I found the god of the sun Tawa, said to be the first being in all existence.

Maybe a name playing off of that somehow? Alternatively, we also have Koyangwuti, or Grandmother Spider, who led the hopi out of the underworld and into the world as inspiration. Maybe we could combine them?

Kowa?

>Conduct only tokens?
Yes. It's meant to be White leading the band, and the band being the tokens. Sometimes the Red bard steels the funny hat the conductor wears and leads instead though.

>Harmonic
Really not a fan of a mechanic that only triggers in combat and requires multiple things to swing. I kind of just am not into it as a mechanic.

Rolled 24, 22, 28 = 74 (3d36)

>Kowa
Love it. Love everything about it. Just sounds really good.

Again I like the idea of her being "totally the mentor to the hero/heroes" type before turning around to try an initiate armageddon. I think there was some character in Kotor that had that as their motivation, "I'm gonna mentor you for a bit, but then betray you to do "the right thing".

On the one hand we don't have very many token makers or token making abilities. but on the other we could have more, which would make sense given that Perform costs are tapping so many creatures.

Perhaps certain "conductors" can say, create tokens too. Or better yet as a way to give it utility on non tokens, conduct could target "tribes" perhaps specifically say warrior for white, wizard for red. that way your white warrior creature and your white warrior token both get the benefit.

Alternatively alternatively, it could work as a sort of inverse Batallion, from return to ravnica. "If X other creatures are attacking, pay something, and get something.

So like say, Lowhoard Gaurdcaptain stays hangs back from an attack, and 3 other guys attack, his conduct activates and he gives them all first strike (perhaps with a "payment" thing).

Rolled 36, 17, 10 = 63 (3d36)

I really like the idea of inverse Battalion, especially because it kind of also works as an inverse Exalted for the tribes that don't get it. Some of them go ham on one creature, while the others swarm and have conductors buffing in the back.

I very much like this idea of Kowa. She's someone who does what she does because she believes it is right, but still regrets that she has to do it. Also, these kids picking up Worldsong pieces makes it a lot easier.

I'm gonna be heading out for the night, keep on rocking everybody! I'll try to get some loa-riding fishmen and more art for tomorrow. Any requests?

Rolled 19, 34, 25 = 78 (3d36)

Don't want to overload you man, seems you got enough in the backlog as-is.
Meanwhile I'll try coming up with something for the fragments. A bit tough to link them without stepping on too many toes, tougher still to decide what was supposed to go to who.

Same here. I uh... also have to look through my backlock myself.

In the meantime here's a quick thing I did for fun.

>Torch Juggler Kachina
Artifact Creature - Golem
0/3
"When this creature dies it deal 1 damage to up to 3 target creatures or players."

Basically he dies, he stops juggling tortches and people get hurt. Not
sure if including players as a target is too powerful though.

He could make a great chump blocker, since yeah, if he dies he'll deal damage, but he could also be fun to swing with, especially in conjunction with exalted.

Not sure about his cost, should he be cheaper because he can't do damage directly? Or be priced on curve?

I think making conduct tribal based would really make set design wonky. It would shift the effect from RW or just general W to all over the place.

3 pings isn't that good in a lot of situations, and a 0/3 is kind hard to make die.

Rolled 27, 25, 12 = 64 (3d36)

Rolled 28, 19, 26 = 73 (3d36)

This is what I have for the song fragments so far, how they lookin'?
>3 fragments to a color, each represents an ideal of their color and a part of the world
>Red is Freedom, Destruction, Chaos
>Black is Individuality, Death, Sin
>White is Unity, Law and Order, Virtue
>Green is Instinct, Life, Nature
>Blue is Creation, Advancement, Knowledge

Kowa sounds great.

Something like
>Conduct 3 - When three other creatures attack, do a thing
?

Rooting it to tokens wouldn't really restrict it if we make enough token producers, but I'm liking reverse Battalion.
I agree.

I could see that at 2R at common, 1R uncommon, 3R if you want it to be a trash card. Like said, three pings are situational, especially if you can't throw all three damage at a player. And harder to burst that it first looks. A 0/3 with a death trigger for 2? That's not broken. Potentially able to kill three other creatures, but only in fringe cases. 3cmc if you want to be safe, or testing shows 2 is dumb.

Great flavor though, fuck.

>Red is Freedom, Destruction, Chaos
I'd say replace Chaos with something like expression or passion. Chaos is red, but art and expression are a big part of this plane's red.
>Black is Individuality, Death, Sin
Maybe replace Sin with something like preservation of survival?
>White is Unity, Law and Order, Virtue
Works
>Green is Instinct, Life, Nature
Tame for our violent green, but it fits.
>Blue is Creation, Advancement, Knowledge
Creation -> control maybe?

Those changes sound good.
And a rough idea for what were supposed to be the original wedges, with everyone only getting the first piece:
>Demons: Nature, Preservation, Unity
>Dragons: Law, Destruction, Control
>Hydras: Knowledge, Life, Death
>Angels: Individuality, Virtue, Freedom
>Sphinxes: Passion, Advancement, Instinct
I dunno though, feel like green should be changed to fit better.

Well if our demons are all about inevitability, maybe Respect instead of Unity. The demons were suppose to be a reminder that everything ends, but something can move on from it; that an option may look evil or good or wrong or right, but we all end up the same.
They got that ideal strained through GREEN.

Art requests or ideas?

More sphinxes I guess

Rolled 31, 26, 6 = 63 (3d36)

Bump

That's a good idea, switching Unity to Respect, and lemme switch Death and Preservation as well.
The only thing that's really bothering me is Instinct on Sphinxes, though I suppose that can just be like inherent ingenuity or something.

Instinct seems fine to me. Relying on inborn instinct and passion as the motivation/tools of advancement. Find something you want to do, and do what feels right.

Rolled 4, 3, 5 = 12 (3d36)

So what's the main plot line for the plane?

Rolled 12, 18, 33 = 63 (3d36)

>Something goes wrong during plane creation, plane is not finished
>The "song" used to create the plane is now fragmented and spread across the world
>Finding all the fragments means you're God (Notice the capital G) and can do whatever the hell you want, including reshaping the world to what you see fit
>Hell, just having one of the fragments is immensely powerful
>BBEG wants to complete the song so she can reset the world
>Protagonists are ??? and therefore their goals are ???
Though I could the important Viashino guy mentioned earlier as a/the main protagonist. Destruction goblin guy too.

From what I remember, from the various things in the thread so far the party seems to be a bunch of novice heroes and people setting out on their quest, with Kowa our BBEG acting as mentor and instigator on the quest to gather up the fragments of the worldsong, only to snatch them once they've got all but the one she has, and kickstart the apocalypse.

Here's the map as we currently stand.

So if I've gotten the earlier posts right, our fragments are
>Demons: Nature,Death, Respect
>Dragons: Law, Destruction, Control
>Hydras: Knowledge, (Not sure about life and death, I want to say maybe something like Fate or Dreams or something)
>Angels: Individuality, Virtue, Freedom (maybe replace one of these with Purpose? Not sure)
>Sphinxes: Passion, Advancement, Instinct (I think its the word instinct that sounds wrong, since its such a green keyword. Maybe Genius?)

Rolled 12, 34, 35 = 81 (3d36)

Fate is a good stand in for Life, and looks green enough, since green is all about acceptance of your natural place in the world. Maybe then switch Fate with Nature, not sure. And the black fragment for hydras is Preservation, not Death, but that still could not fit very well.
Purpose could replace Virtue easily, seems like it would be white's thing to give purpose through community or order or some such.
And after thinking about it, Instinct now seems fine despite being really green. Just a different way of saying "It's in your nature," like how describes it.

A new one of these? Cool.
Sometimes I kick around the idea of working on Anefor stuff again. Time to read through this stuff.

Im still kind of iffy on instinct, but its mostly just word choice. The idea is totally sound.

Yeah, I really enjoyed Anefor back in the day, so I wanted to start up a new thread with the same kind of idea.

Maybe the BBEG is the guy who was making the plane, left because he had to deal with some shit, came back, and is now super pissed off the someone fucked around with his project when he was gone as shown by a shitton of new things he didn't bring to the world

Eh, while it ain't a bad idea, we seem to get the BBEG set down pat already.
Though we're still up in the air as to what actually happened to the creator, so that's a possibility.

Not sure about having a really defined creator, beyond there being one. I figure we might be able to make it in the form of a big mythical narrative that actually points to how the plane happened. Part of me wants to make the plane's mythical creator a Coyote or Kokopelli style trickster who stole the secrets of creation from something, and then is in reality a planeswalker who did something nuts like chop of a chunk of a plane from reality, transmuted it to raw manastuff, and started to sing it into being.

>The day Coyote stole the world.

Rolled 33, 3, 5 = 41 (3d36)

Coyote character would be fitting, especially since it's pretty much the most well known native american god.
Which actually brings to mind about gods, are there any worshiped, even if they don't exist?

I figure that for the most part, the world worships the archetype creatures, but not so much gods. Maybe the Angels worship the plane's creator, even if they don't really remember much about them, and the Hydras might worship the theoretical "Root Hydra" that started their whole species. Demons might worship a kind of theoretical Primal Heaven, as an ideal/inevitability they believe in. Sphinxes might worship the trickster stories of the Coyote-Creator, but they might just also worship the idea of "Change" as a kind of all encompassing philosophy. The world must change, and should keep changing, and it is good.

I'm not sure what dragons worship. Probably Law, in a kind of Confucianism-styled philosophy.

Otherwise, I kind of like the idea of this world not having gods more as it has Legends. Its got stories with cultural heroes and villains and monsters but not really divine figures, ala American Gods interpretation of it.

Also looking at this map, that little plains in between two Unsung plots might be a barely surviving fortress or something, could be an interesting area.

>>Hydras
>Lore
Each Hydra carries with it lore from generations passed, whither they lived through it themselves or learned from another. This fits into classic U by them valuing knowledge, but still is G sense G loves to honor their people's stories and such.
>Adaptation
U is all about becoming as well refined and perfect as possible, and G likes to do this too through more physical means. An unending ability to become more perfect, for example, when a hydra grows a new head, it's often an adaptive response to whatever killed the last one, would fit into the nature of G to strive and survive, and U to try and become the best of what it can be.
>Fate
Fate is like the rivers that the hydras rise from. Those that chose not to act shall be taken down the river of fate and find themselves wherever it deems fit, but all have the ability to chose their own course along it's unending rapids.

I hope you like these suggestions for our UG wigglers key philosophy points.

We might want to better decide on the land's design once we have the plane map finished. It might be a good idea to just spam out a bunch of rolls and finish it up. With all this blank space it's hard to say what really fits the map.

I like these actually, and not just because it gives a chance for the Hydras in set two to use my favorite mechanic, Fateseal. Adaptation is also something that can be argued as blue, in terms of planning and contingencies.

Also just an idea on hydras with the lore, and perhaps in lore worship, they should write their lore in to EVERYTHING. Their architecture hides it, their people's clothing hides it, their cities designs hide it. The write the world as a book, for future hydras to read.

I'm heading off for the night, but if someone wants to just pump out a massive bunch of rolls, I can add them in when I get back on tomorrow.

I'll try to be back with art and things when I return tomorrow.!

Rolled 25, 21, 3 = 49 (3d36)

Will do, captain.

>Fateseal
Fateseal is a toxic mechanic that shouldn't be brought back as a primary mechanic. There is a reason why Wizards hasn't made any effects like it ever sense.
If you want to do library interaction mechanics, I think doing a soft-core dig might be good.
>Weave Fate
"Whenever you weave fate, reveal the top three cards of your library. Target opponent may put one of them into your graveyard. Put the rest on the top or bottom of your library in any order."
We should probably try to find a term used to describe writing music for the name, if this mechanic is popular.