I am a big fan of the play Hamlet, and I've never tried to make a themed EDH deck before. So here's the first attempt! Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated!
Still working on cuts. Here's a card-by-card explanation so you can see what's the reasoning behind everything:
Oros, the Avenger: Hamlet. His desire for revenge is black, but it's for white reasons (as Claudius both broke the laws of royal inheritance as well as married Gertrude). Add in some red for Hamlet's anger and feigned madness and we ended up with a Mardu deck. I picked Oros because a) he wants revenge and b) everyone dies except for Horatio and Fortinbras, who are both white. (Note that some of my characters in the deck are white so this doesn't play out perfectly in the deck, but oh well.)
Abhorrent Overlord: One of a few Claudius cards in this deck. Mostly picked for the title.
Angel of Despair: Ophelia. Again, mostly picked for the title. I had a really hard time finding an Ophelia card.
Anger: Hamlet is just angry a lot in this play.
Archon of Justice: The Ghost. Yeah, he's not a spirit, but the art and the name were just too good.
Darien, King of Kjeldor: Fortinbras, both for the Nordic-sounding name and because he brings soldiers with him.
Droning Bureaucrats: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Feldon of the Third Path: He's not anyone in particular, but he's doing the "Alas, poor Yorick" pose.
Gerrard Capashen: Laertes, mostly because he looks like a fencer. Yeah, he probably should have been RW then, but none of the RW legendary soldiers felt right to me.
Gonti, Lord of Luxury: Another Claudius card, because of both the deathtouch and taking what other people have (in this case, his brother's crown and wife).
Graveborn Muse and Seizan, Perverter of Truth: More Ghost cards, this time reflecting the less trustworthy side of the character.
Gravedigger: One of the Clowns in Act 5, Scene 1.
Hanweir Garrison: Soldiers for the guard. And Hanweir itself is the "Oh, that this too, too solid flesh would melt / Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!" line.
Steamflogger Boss: Polonius. Because he is USELESS.
Mikaeus, the Lunarch: Horatio. You don't get to use his ability to kill himself. Hamlet won't allow it.
Queen Marchesa: Gertrude.
Royal Assassin: Another Claudius card. I couldn't pass up the double entendre.
Skyship Stalker: Represents the pirates that stalk Hamlet's ship.
ARTIFACTS
Mana rocks: It's an EDH deck, and one without green. Give me a break! Although I did pick the signets because Hamlet uses his father's signet ring to make the false letter. Also, because the play is about royalty, I figured they should have some diamonds around.
Chromatic Lantern: Proper graveyard equipment
Crown of Doom: Because apparently being in line to become king of Denmark is a bad idea.
Sword of the Animist and Sword of Vengeance: The blades Hamlet and Laertes duel with.
Vial of Poison: Used by Claudius to kill King Hamlet.
ENCHANTMENTS
Aura of Silence and Stony Silence: "The rest is silence." Hamlet's final words.
Curse of Vengeance, Grave Pact, Oath of Ghouls, and Oath of Lieges: Hamlet's oath to avenge his father.
Grave Betrayal: Just a good cardname for Claudius killing his brother.
Karmic Justice: Another good cardname for the play.
Mark of Asylum: "Or that the Everlasting had not fix'd / His canon 'gainst self-slaughter!"
Murder Investigation: Reprents Hamlet investigating whether or not Claudius is guilty.
Oversold Cemetery: The scene for Act 5, Scene 1.
LANDS
Bojuka Bog: I picked this as the stage for Act 1, Scene 5 based off the film version with Kenneth Branagh. Also the reason for Tectonic Edge.
Eiganjo Castle and shinka, the blood-soaked keep: Elsinore, at the beginning and end of the play.
Boros Garrison, Command Tower, Hanweir Battlements, and Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion: Parts of Elsinore.
Ghost Quarter: Also where the Ghost is found.
Graven Cairns: Also the stage for Act 5, Scene 1, along with Oversold Cemetery.
Kor Haven: Gertrude's bedroom.
Thespian's Stage: For the play in Act 3.
Westvale Abbey
: The nunnery for Ophelia to get to. No wonder she went nuts!
INSTANTS
Comeuppance: One of the many revenge cards.
Entrapment Maneuver: Represents Hamlet's schemes, such as staging the play and swapping letters.
Hide: Represents both Claudius' secret and Hamlet trying to uncover the truth.
Kor Dirge: Represents Ophelia singing. Yes there is the card Dead that even has the proper lyrics, but that is just TERRIBLE.
Moment of Silence: Act 3, Scene 3 when Hamlet decides to not kill Claudius because he deserves worse.
Murder and Utter End: Represents Hamlet killing Polonius, Laertes, and Claudius. The art for Murder even has a curtain (under the guy, but still).
Path to Exile: "Get thee to a nunnery!"
Slaughter Pact: Another oath card.
SORCERIES
Akroma's Vengeance: Another revenge card.
Ambition's Cost: For Claudius.
Beseech the Queen: When Hamlet asks Gertrude to not share Claudius' bed.
Painful Truths: Basically all of the truths in the play are painful.
Blasphemous Act: Another card illustrating Claudius killing King Hamlet.
Damnation: They end of the play.
Decree of Justice: For when Hamlet declares Fortinbras the new king of Denmark.
Entreat the Angels: Good night sweet prince / and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
Harsh Mercy: Another card for when Hamlet temporarily spares Claudius.
Ill-Gotten Gains: Claudius' crown and marriage to Gertrude.
Morbid Curiosity: Represents Hamlet's... "false" insanity. Also represents my favorite moment in the play, when he's talking to Yorick's skull and realizes that he's gone too far in his jests "Quite chap-fallen?"
Sever the Bloodline: Because the Danish bloodline gets severed.
Tormented Thoughts: Claudius, Hamlet, Ophelia... they got 'em.
