Friendship is Card Games: Legends of Magic Annual · 12:29pm Nov 10th, 2019
Quick reminder, the submission period for Imposing Sovereigns II ends at this coming midnight! If your story is still in the submission queue when the clock strikes twelve, send me a PM with an image of it.
Now for your regularly scheduled horse cards.
This has been an exercise in frustration. I was going to do the last of the EqG shorts, but a few of them have yet to be released on an official channel and all the clips I could find were blind reactions, and I'd much rather point you to clean audio. This was my backup, but apparently the IDW online store can’t sell PDFs of an issue when it’s out of stock of the physical copies. 
Thankfully, I have backup plans, so we can conclude these tales of antiquity.
I do still love seeing young Celestia’s much pinker mane. A neat way to show how she’s grown in power over time. I also love the idea of Starswirl rambling on any topic that actually captures his interest, to say nothing of the portal gallery. Honestly, the only part of this I don’t like is how royal guard armor apparently hasn’t changed for over a millennium.
Always nice to see a proactive approach to exploring the multiverse. It’s a wide, wonderful, and wicked place out there. Best to understand what you’re dealing with than let it all sneak up on you.
Also, the other ends of Star Swirl’s portals apparently come with chameleon circuits. Certainly explains the statue in front of CHS… though I do have to wonder what it was in the sirens’ day.
“A princess should always want to understand others.” A wizard, on the other hand, can dismiss former allies without ever hearing their side of things. Though it’s not currently clear if Stygian has made his attempt to copy the Pillars’ abilities yet.
Oh! Well, that escalated quickly. Also, this is why you make sure the portal isn’t freely open from both sides, camouflaged or not.
Fascinating study in contrasts with the sisters. Celestia’s blasting the shades with sunfire. Luna’s just bubbling them like they’re corrupted Gems. Poor dear; her compassion is touching by misplaced. Even the shades seem surprised by it.
Welp. That could have gone better.
“It’s me you want anyway!” Oh, that hurts. Luna’s still carrying some pain from her last brush with portals…
Northern Equestria?
… Oh. Huh. Based on map analysis, Rockhoof’s home village was indeed fairly north, located on the Griffish Isles. That’d explain the accent.
Ah yes, then as now, cloud cities give the pegasi peerless mobility.
Points lost for a twofold “as you know,” Flash. Still, nice to see Meadowbrook brokering peace between species. A peace that’s apparently almost unprecedented for the Legion. Puts things into perspective, that.
More Steela is always a good thing.
“And remember, we’re in the high desert,” she says, surrounded by plant life.
For shame, Flash. A good commander never asks of his troops what he is unwilling to do himself.
Ah, Stygian hasn’t yet fallen from grace. Good to see.
“These are crops, not flowers.” Stygian, you’re ponies. What’s the difference?
Still, I have to agree with Meadowbrook. It is an adorably polite argument.
Seriously, comics Somnambula is great.
Hmm. This presents an interesting question. Should I treat Star Swirl as a planeswalker? He certainly has spells for that, though given that he’s tearing space-time a new one rather than slipping between worlds, I’m going to say no.
Heh. Rockhoof still proudly displays the record of his triumph against the Oat Boat.
Hmm. Flash Magnus canonically has a rambunctious niece. And, by implication, at least one sibling. Good to know.
Good. On. Stygian. He is taking precisely zero of Star Swirl’s guff, nor should he. Seriously, it is a delight to see him stand up against the old stallion when he’s so clearly in the wrong.
Wait, why is there still a lot of broken glass? It’s been days at absolute minimum. Why has nopony swept up?
Okay, now you’re taking it too far, Stygian.
Star Swirl planned on keeping the exploits of the other Pillars a secret? That runs against the entire premise of Legends of Magic, to say nothing of how most of them survived in folklore one way or another.
Meadowbrook has a fair point. Extradimensional kindappings should not be a common occurrence in a child’s development.
Hmm. That’s an interesting proposition. Would more ponies take Stygian seriously if he grew a beard? Sunburst makes a compelling counterargument, but post-timeskip Sunburst…
Hmm. I haven’t taken a close look at the Sword/Shield leaks. Any new Bug/Electric types? Because I could definitely see the lightning bugs as Pokémon.
Mistmane’s going full Nissa.
Ah, the plight of the alchemist. At least wizards can’t have their daily spell slots all pour out at once. Well, not against most creatures.
Speaking of D&D, Mistmane’s attempts to purify that lumber bear and the resulting explosion looks like a textbook positive energy-negative energy reaction. Makes sense.
Very cool design for the Pony of Shadows. The green flames are a nice bit of Warcraft-demon-chic.
Excellent character note: When the Pony of Shadows says his Star Swirl turned on him, this Star Swirl doesn’t ask what his analogue did or who the Pony is. He just asks what happened to his analogue afterwards. If he turned on this creature, clearly he was in the right.
Ah, the joys of parallel universes. When making sure your minions only obey you, make sure they know which you to obey.
Alicorns are rife with potential, for good or for ill. Though I have to wonder how the local Star Swirl stopped the Pony from exploiting the local princesses. Rather grim implications there…
So… how did he get his scouts behind every mirror? That implies a degree of multiversal logistics that would offer countless Celestias and Lunas. I suppose waiting for the known factor held more appeal than searching infinity.
And, of course, there’s the question of what the Pony of Shadows will do after he’s made all realities as empty and corrupted as this one, but this sort of villain never thinks about what happens should they actually claim victory.
Ah, like meeting like to disastrous effect. Very nice.
Huh. That’s an ogre? Spiky one, isn’t he?
And Stygian gets a wonderful one-liner. Good for him.
The princesses being unconscious through this whole adventure certainly explains why they never knew about the Pillars.
Yeah, it was pretty obvious who the mysterious black alicorn was. It does feel rather absurd that he didn’t recognize himself, but when’s the last time he looked in a mirror?
In all, a thrilling adventure. And one that simultaneously builds on and undermines the tragedy of Stygian. On the one hand, getting a share of the glory for himself rather than being marginalized diminishes his motivation to be just as mighty as the others. On the other hand, that same taste of victory might only spur him on more. But it still weakens the refrain of the last issue of Legends of Magic: “I am no hero.”
Still a fun read, though. Let’s see how I can twist it to my own purposes:
Celestial Halo 1W
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has lifelink and vigilance.
Bearing the light of the heavens doesn’t automatically make you innocent, but it does make it much easier to make the claim.
Treaty of Meadowbrook 1W
Enchantment
As Treaty of Meadowbrook enters the battlefield, each player chooses a creature type.
Each creature that’s one or more of the chosen types can’t attack unless its controller pays 2.
Tyrant’s Will 1W
Instant
Kicker 2B (You may pay an additional 2B as you cast this spell.)
Tap up to two target creatures. If this spell was kicked, those creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.
“The very land here wants to crush our souls.”
—Mistmane, Pillar of Beauty
Antithesis Burst 2W
Instant
Exile target black or red permanent.
Cycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
Mistmane wished to free the lumber bears. In a sense, she did.
End of Discussion 1UU
Instant
Counter target spell. You may roll the planar die at the beginning of your next upkeep.
“Enough talk. Through the portal before I must open another.”
—Star Swirl the Bearded
Expunging Vortex 1UU
Sorcery
Return all creatures of the color of your choice to their owners’ hands.
“A single spell to eliminate all creatures of darkness is basic prudence and economy of action. I just have to make sure Luna isn’t in the room first.”
—Star Swirl the Bearded
Corrupt the Portal 2U
Instant
Kicker 1B
Counter target creature spell. If that spell was countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner’s graveyard. If this spell was kicked, you may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any type to cast that spell.
Grasping Darkness BB
Creature — Horror
When Grasping Darkness dies, you may pay BB. If you do, target creature gets -4/-4 until end of turn.
Claws of coherent filth raked at the princesses from every angle, beginning their corruption.
2/2
Shadow Infusion 1B
Enchantment — Aura
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has menace and has “B: This creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.”
The warped mana of Umbria flowed into the alicorns, remolding them in mind and body.
Decapitate 3B
Instant
Destroy target non-Hydra creature.
“The head is always a weak point. If there’s no head, call something else a head and make that a weak point.”
—Flash Magnus, Pillar of Bravery
Portal Shade 3B
Creature — Shade
B: Portal Shade gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
Pay 1 life: Add C. Spend this mana only to roll the planar die.
Just behind the glass lies a skin’s thickness of safety from the Blind Eternities.
1/1
Stygian, Lord of Corruption 4BB
Legendary Creature — Unicorn Warlock
Stygian, Lord of Corruption’s color identity is all colors. (It’s still only a black card.)
Eminence — If Stygian is in the command zone or on the battlefield, you may spend black mana as though it were any color and whenever you cast a red, green, white, or blue spell, you lose life equal to that spell’s converted mana cost.
Lifelink, menace
5/5
Planar Conquest 5B
Enchantment
When Planar Conquest enters the battlefield, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Whenever a player planeswalks, return target creature card from that player’s graveyard to the battlefield under your control.
Caldera Cheerleader 1R
Creature — Pegasus Citizen
Flying
Other red creatures you control have haste.
Pegasi happily go where the sane fear to tread.
1/1
Subvert 1R
Sorcery
Untap target creature if it shares a color with the mana spent to cast this spell. If you do, gain control of that creature until end of turn. It gains haste until end of turn.
Parallel universes present unique tactical opportunities.
Corrupted Ogre 3R
Creature — Ogre Horror
Trample
2B: Corrupted Ogre gains deathtouch until end of turn.
Stygian reshaped the inhabitants of his world into an army meant to lay waste to the Multiverse.
3/3
Arboreal Gateway 2GG
Artifact
T: Add GG.
Whenever you cast a creature spell, untap Arboreal Gateway.
Each of Star Swirl’s portals is linked to an innocuous object in another plane, one endowed with wondrous power by the connection.
Warped Lumber Bear 4G
Creature — Elemental Bear Horror
Warped Lumber Bear can’t be blocked by creature with power 2 or less.
2B: Warped Lumber Bear gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Every part of Umbria has been twisted to its master’s service.
4/4
Helm of the Pitiless Sun 3
Aritfact – Equipment
Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has trample.
Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage, exile that many cards from the top of your library.
Equip 1
Lightning Bug RW
Creature — Insect
Flying, haste
When Lightning Bug enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to any target.
Filled with its namesake and just as fast.
1/1
Foul Essence 2BG
Enchantment
If you tap a land for mana, it produces twice as much of that mana instead.
Whenever a land you control becomes tapped, you lose 1 life.
Meadowbrook knew better than to harvest local ingredients.
Ray of Obliteration 4BR
Sorcery
Choose one or more —
• Destroy target artifact.
• Destroy target creature.
• Destroy target land.
“What a treat. I get to end you all over again.”
—Stygian, to Star Swirl
Dissent 2U//Descent 1B
Instant//Sorcery
Dissent: Counter target spell unless its controller pays 3.
Descent: Target creature gets +3/-3 and gains menace until end of turn.
Everfoul Forest
Plane — Umbria
When you planeswalk to Everfoul Forest or at the beginning of your upkeep, reveal the top card of your library and put that card into your hand. You lose life equal to its converted mana cost.
Whenever you roll chaos, each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
Hall of Portals
Plane — Ungula
Players play with the top card of their planar decks revealed.
The planar die costs 1 less to roll.
Whenever you roll chaos, put the top card of target player’s planar deck on the bottom of their planar deck.
Join the Fray
Phenomenon
When you encounter Join the Fray, each player creates two 2/2 green Pony creature tokens. (Then planeswalk away from this phenomenon.)
I see what you did there.
Note that this will trigger when its controller planeswalks. To go for more "stupid complicated game" points, stealing the enchantment while that trigger is on the stack won't steal the resulting creature as well, even if it's with something that would have stolen the creature if you'd just waited a few more seconds. (Another case of vaguely remembering a card and then needing to use another card to make things work the way I was trying to, but the latter card existing because again, stupid complicated game)
For the past week straight I have been balancing on the knife's edge of "I think I still have time to finish but if I fall any further behind now then I should probably give up". It's been remarkably stressful
I finished the first draft earlier today, and have the rest of the day to figure out how to make it, um, good. So it will probably be submitted, but I can only hope that won't be the best thing there is to say about it.
And it has the Pillars in it so that's not totally irrelevant to the actual topic of this blog post...? Maybe...? But yeah, the comic was good.
And that's why she's PInkie's counterpart.
He does recognize his counterpart after the fact, so I guess the answer is 'he's been the PoS for a long time.'
They sell digital copies on comixology.
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(With downloadable PDF backups!)
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I was very similar! This week has been a constant "Yikes, there's not much time left, and I'm not writing quite fast enough to get this done in time, but almost... So if I get some time on Sunday I might just about manage it...?!"
I did. Just about. Now I want to sleep for a week.
As to the post: Not having read the comic, but having read this post, I now (a) want to read the comic, and (b) am tremendously impressed with Stygian, Lord of Corruption. A commander for a five-colour-base-black deck, allowing you to splash whatever subset of other colours you think you can afford the life for. As long as your commander doesn't get bounced or turned into a darksteel insect or a Forest, of course.
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Hell, Chromatic Black is enough of a deck in Standard (which doesn't get Cabal Coffers) for that to be a legitimate niche, and it's really only a matter of time before we get a cheap mono-black "send your commander from the command zone to the graveyard" effect to make Haakon less sad.
Ah, the Legends annual. I remember this one. It was probably my favourite Pillar-related story. I liked the first few issues of the Legends miniseries, when each issue focused on an individual Pillar, but the crossover that made up the latter half of the series took way too long to get them all together, and then they only had the one adventure left. It was good to finally see the Pillars here as an established team.
An out of context quote from the Mystery Booster Release Notes: