Flavor Kitchen: Khans of Tarkir Part 1
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Deco_y
4 April 2018
746 views
4 April 2018
746 views
Last week we took a look at what Zendikar had to offer because Zendikar is my safe place. When I think of Magic: The Gathering, I think of Zendikar. When I compare the power level of a new card, I find the equivalent in Zendikar and compare them. I can only list superlatives for so long before it gets boring, but yeah, it's my jam.
Today we take a look at something new. Cards I have never seen before. I wanted to be outside of my comfort zone to see what great heights I could accomplish. So I scrolled through the sets that have released since I stepped away from Magic, and found our next destination..
It's time to explore the Khans of Tarkir.
I love the idea of tribes in magic. I love Illusions. I love Spirits. I love Vampires. So Khans of Tarkir was attractive because it's essentially the thematic version of tribes, bringing back memories of Return to Ravnica(Rakdos for life). So it seemed right(and fitting) as it was the first set released after I left Magic.
Something that jumped out at me right away was the sheer number of cards in this set that don't have flavor. I scrolled through Gatherer only to find 10...20... 30... it felt like it never ended! But thankfully I got the number of cards I could think of some good flavor text down to.... 26. So I decided, since there was so many cards that I wanted to cover, to do a 2 part article for Khans of Tarkir. Today's article will show entries 20 through 11. I will also reveal the winner of last week's reader challenge, and give you guys a new one as well.
Without further ado, let's get started.
20: Icefeather Aven
"We trudged through the night with snow befalling our heads. We had walked for hours as our hope faded. We saw the glow of a lantern in the distance, and thought we were saved. We were wrong."
I honestly just loved the art of this card and even though he isn't the strongest, he is 100% the coolest.
19: Jeering Instigator
A Goblin's call to larceny is impossible to resist.
I loved the idea of a Goblin riding around on a horse convincing people to fight with him. I figured larceny was a good word for him.
18: Savage Knuckleblade
"Its cries rang throughout the canyon as it danced, leaving devastation in its wake. I found its rage quite beautiful until its blades found our necks." - Eyewitness account, Jeskai report.
I immediately thought how terrifying it would be to see this beast on the battlefield and how you probably wouldn't be able to stop staring at it, whether out of beauty or fear.
17: Trail of Mystery
A path with no destination is the greatest reward an adventurer could ever ask for.
The saying goes it's not about the destination, it's how you get there. So having a trail that goes on forever without a destination would be appealing.
16: Howl of the Horde
Mardu mages spend their lives developing their vocal chords to inflict as much damage as possible.
Trying to figure out why a dude would belch lightning wasn't easy but i'd imagine it'd take a hell of a lot of training.
15: Quiet Contemplation
"I reflect on my past; I live in my present. But with all that I know, the future remains a mystery." - Narset, Enlightened Master
I actually looked up a bit on Narset from the lore articles on her without knowing much about her. She is a really, really cool character and you'll be seeing more of her in the next article.
14: Become Immense
The soil of death will always feed the tree of life.
I actually use this card in my Infect deck and had no idea it was in Khans. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to finishing an opponent casting this for after exiling my other pump spells.
13: Ruthless Ripper
The art of surprise is not often different from the art of death.
Pretty straightforward. Surprise can mean death in a lot of things in life.
12: Dragon's Eye Savants
The Jeskai perform the most elaborate of ceremonies for only a fleeting glimpse at enlightenment.
I love the idea of holding an extremely complicated ceremony for a brief, small reward.
11: Deflecting Palm
"I once crossed paths with a boisterous and loud man, whose very presence I found exasperating. He came upon me in search of a fight, and I ensured it was the last fight he ever picked."
I just imagined Narset walking down the street and some guy running up to her and throwing a punch and how that probably wouldn't work out very well for anyone. *Edited after being informed that it is indeed Narset in the art.
Rite of Replication
The ripples in the water showed him infinity, and he whispered to himself "I'll never be alone again."
This week's challenge is actually a card I like quite a lot. Good luck:
Crater's Claws
Deflecting Palm indeed depict Narset while she's having a fight with zurgo.
April 5, 2018 7:09 a.m.
Pheardemons says... #3
Oh shit I won, thanks Deco_y! Now, let's see if I can make a streak happen haha.
"Volcanoes are among the most powerful forces of nature. Now, watch me control it."
"I have never seen nature's force and hunger targeted to one person before. I hope to never see it again."
"The mage's training had finally come to fruition when she felt the lava move with her. Her blood was burning, her body molten, and her will a force of nature."
April 5, 2018 8:39 a.m. Edited.
Spirit_Logan says... #4
A claw is a good weapon. Fire is a great weapon. A claw made of fire is the best weapon.
April 5, 2018 8:48 a.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #5
"As we approached the crater a fiery claw erupted from within. What sort of beast lay within... we weren't staying to find out..."
-from an old Temur Tale
April 5, 2018 10:01 a.m.
Weird I didnt think it looked like Narset at all. Interesting, thanks for the info guys.
April 5, 2018 10:31 a.m.
I'll give it a shot.
Temur shamans are never alone. The rocks and lava are good company.
April 5, 2018 10:49 a.m.
Crucible_of_Morality says... #8
Hands so furious force reciprocation to stone.
April 5, 2018 12:39 p.m.
Mine that I had for it before I made it the reader challenge was:
"I trained all my life to craft perfection and become the greatest warrior I could become. All it took was an instant to be reminded just how insignificant my effort had come to be."
I already like some of yours way better.
April 5, 2018 9:16 p.m.
Waking a mountain from its slumber is a lot like poking a sleeping dragon. While it slumbers in the earth below, you have nothing to fear. But when awakened, it claws to the surface with such a fury that you would think that all the world had dressed itself in flame.
--Sarkhan the Dragonspeaker
April 6, 2018 2 a.m.
TheVectornaut says... #13
The mountain ogre had shrugged off many a swipe in his life. But not this one.
April 7, 2018 12:03 a.m.
JohnnyBaggins says... #14
Everyone always said waking a dragon was stupid. Nobody ever told him how stupid waking the mountain was.
April 8, 2018 8:07 a.m.
LordMithos says... #16
Mesmerized she reached toward the magma. To her shock, the magma reached back
April 9, 2018 11:58 p.m.
JacctheInsomniac says... #17
Crater's Claw
"Reach into the earth, feel its pain as your own, now unleash it!" - Chianul, Who Whispers Twice
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #1
I'm pretty sure the defender on deflecting palm is narset.
Regarding the challenge:
"If your enemy doesn't come to the volcano, just hit him with it."
- Surrak Dragonclaw
April 5, 2018 4:33 a.m.