Worldbuilder #4 - Praag, a City Divided

It's here. It's finally here.

Praag - a vast city of intrigue, murder and sorcery, firmly divided in two, between the wizards and intellectuals of the old town, and the warriors and warlords of the new town. As rioting and murder grow, and the facade of peacefulness begins to crumble, it is clear that the city is ever edging closer to all out war.

But who will triumph in this conflict? Who's blood will be spilt? And will this battle of epic proportions pan out? All of that is entirely up to you...


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Welcome, cardsmiths everywhere, to the fourth worldbuilder contest (new contest every seventh months).

Worldbuilder contests are a series of related challenges, where we try to create a story around the given map.
So, how it works is that first I'll post a card, along with a short bit of story to do with it, as well referencing where the card belongs on the plane (say, Slaughter Sqaure). The next contestant will have to create a new card leading off that card, and so on and so on.

Additional Lore:
Although the city of Praag was once a small settlement in the very northern most reaches of the known lands, as war approached in the west, the area was quickly militarised, turning the town from an isolated village to a vast war-ready outpost. This angered the sorcerers of the old town, as anger bubbled between the warriors and foreigners who had emigrated to their town and the professors and magicians of the Grand Citadel.

The anger remained mostly under the surface however, thriving only in huddled crowds of drinkers in taverns and rings of gossip-mongers, all until the murder of a warrior by one of the senior elders of the old town. Now, as the old town close their gates, and urge their sympathisers in the merchant quarter to rebel against the immigrants, uncertainty is rampant, and war seems possible...

Rules:
- As many entries as you want, although please don't spam.
- Don't make two entries in a row.
- Please use the formatting I did with the Governor.
- You may make as many cards as you like leaving off the last card.
- Please make sure someone can lead off your card.
- Only NEW cards.

Prizes:

1st place: Three favourites and a follow. You will also have the opportunity to influence what map I should use for the next "worldbuilder" contest.
2nd place: Two favourites and a follow.
3rd place: A favourite and a follow.
Honourable mention: A favourite.

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Comments

  • Place: The Citadel
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dalaria-highcourt-judge-1?list=set&set=18955
    One of the senior elders of the old town, Dalaria's hand of influence still stretches into the deepest reaches of the new town and the West Side, many law enforcers still obeying her rather than the war lord of the new town. A firm believer in the superiority of the old town, Dalaria has often brought down her gavel hard on those who give her even the slightest angst.

    Yet now, as many of those guards and police who obey her find themselves lying dead in backalleys and the more seedier parts of the town, is her sphere of influence of breaking? Will her enemies be able to rally together and overthrow her? Or will she remain the high judge of all the old town?
  • @KJMartin
    Any particular creature types to stay away from? Would elves be fine?
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    As the conflict begins to boil over, the wizards and warriors have taken drastic actions and reckless moves to become the total victor.
  • edited September 2017
    yay our world builder ritual has brought @KJMartin back from the dead
  • edited September 2017
    Going off of @KJMartin's:
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  • edited September 2017
    @Faiths_Guide Story behind the card?
  • @sanjaya666
    I'd say that this Elf is somewhat of a chief that dislikes Dalaria. Probably has something to do with the first sentence of @KJMartin's second paragraph for Dalaria above.

    In this particular case he's attempting to force a prior Dalaria worshiper into a more profitable line of work.

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    Not everyone seemed to have a bad time with the strife and struggles in the city, with many of the gangs constantly upstaging one another. Wether in 'procuring' themselves the necessary funds or by recruiting new members, crime flourished despite the harsher laws in the city.
  • I'm glad Worldbuilding has returned! You can count on my obsessive dedication to this thread in the future ;)
  • edited October 2017
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    Short story:

    Dalaria was concerned. Years of planning and wandering through the multiverse to get her easy life now was being compromised.

    'Damn this all and this backyard excuse of a world.' Thought her while was sitting in a dark corner of a shady bar at the Westside District, her attire well hidden under a large brown cloak and a brown scarf she was currently wearing.

    Although technically she had contingency plans, which also involving of planeswalking away, apparently her current position in her homeplane was still worth to be saved.

    "I see that you're currently deep in thoughts." Said a masked and hooded man who was leaning beside the planeswalker. A knife and a stick were also in his hand.

    "And you are?" Asked Dalaria suspiciously.

    "Garrett. You can say that my job is to complete tasks, for a price of course."

    "A sellsword then."

    "Mmm, more or less."

    'Maybe he can be useful. Let's see about it later then.'

    "Can we make a deal?" Asked the still hidden highcourt judge.

    "If the price is right." Answered Garrett nonchalantly.

    Dalaria reached inside her cloak, and threw a pocket of gold coins in front of the table.

    "There will be more, much more than anyone could offer in this godforsaken city, if you can finish the task I'll give to you of course."

    The hooded man smiled and put his knife and stick back inide his cloak. He weighted the coins, and then pocketed it.

    "I'm all ears." Confirmed the hooded man. All while was still standing with hands behind his back.

    "Now, since we're settled, listen carefully: Retrieve the staff of the Grand Magician. I don't care which method you'll use. Meet me at the same time one week from now on in this place. My password is 'Arrakna'. Ask about it before we talk again. Are you up for the task?"

    "Yeah, yeah, the usual thing. But the staff of the Grand Magician himself? There will be better lots of gold afterwards."

    "Don't worry about it. We speak about more than a trove here. And one thing." Dalaria reached inside her cloak again. This time she pulled a pretty large crystallic rock that was very similar to the staff head of the Grand Magician.

    "Change the staff with this one. I believe the local blacksmith already knows how to make a staff."

    "Got it, milady." Said him jokingly while was pocketing the crystallic rock. "So, do I have the pleasure to know the name of my employee or..."

    "It's none of your concern. Just finish the task, and we'll speak again." Retorted the planeswalker.

    "Alright, I guess it's time for me to go then. We'll see again, milady." He smiled again and bowed himself, then walked out towards the street.

    'If order can't be uphold, then you have to force it by yourself.' Thought the highcourt judge, her eyes fixed on the bar musician who was currently playing her string instrument.
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    "Now, now dearie," A man's voice, high pitched and cackling grated into the Judge's ears as she was still contemplating on what she had done earlier. The very sound of that voice brough shivers through her spine. Oh, how she loathed the man, no, the creature to which it belonged. "It seems you really are rushing to get things into action, are you that pressed for time, hmm?"

    Before she could say a word, the man with his scaly gold-flaked skin came sitting next to her, wearing the finest clothes one could find in Praag or perhaps even beyond. A vest threaded and laced with gold, calfskin boots and a cape with a fur lining of what seemed to be hermelin. There was good reason for the man's pseudonym and cautionary nickname: Master Gauld.

    "I didn't recall we agreed on meeting again so soon, Master Gauld," The woman said with a hiss, not hiding her demeanor towards the man or creature at all. "We struck a deal and we parted ways when the terms of the contract were reached and fullfilled, so tell me what in..."

    "Shush now, dearie, no need for hostility," The weird creature smiled wickedly, showing its crooked teeth. "I'm merely investing in your future."

    Dalaria looked at him, already regretting she even allowed this...foul being to worm its way into her life, her affairs...her dealings. "What do you mean by that?"

    Again, Master Gauld let out a cackling, high pitched chuckle, vanishing from where he had been standing and reappearing again, sitting next to her in the most comfy of manners. "You wanted a way to gain full control over Praag, I gave this opportunity, this chance if you will... to you in return for a favor. As it happens, it is now time to collect on that favor, dearie."

    Another cackle pierced into the Highcourt Judge's ears, nearly scrambling her mind with its atrocious sound. "I need a certain book, a book I hold dear, which was stolen from me long ago by some sorcerers from the citadel. I want it back and your going to fetch it for me."

    "What's it called?" She asked, already being extremely annoyed by his familiarity.

    "That dearie, is simple," The wicked man laughed again, vanishing in a puff of smoke and suddenly standing behind her, bowing down so his breath would gently touch the back of her left ear. "It's called Planeswalking."

    Before she could react, the man and all which could've pointed out his earlier presence, had vanished. "First I'll deal with this crisis, but you're next on my list, Gauld."
  • Culd we avoid having these huge long paragraphs with loads of speech in them please? Most of it isn't needed and it;s really difficult to read
  • @KJMartin
    The story telling is getting a bit much :)
  • @Faiths_Guide Otherwise there's no point by creating this thread.
  • Gauld has had many assassination attempts from people who can't fulfil their end of the bargain: Dalaria's father was one of those many...

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    @sanjaya666 I appreciate what your trying to say but the point of a world builder is you use your card to make a small part of the story and let others carry it on. The power of flavour text!
  • edited October 2017
    @Blazin_Biscuit Yeah... although nobody forced anyone to write a long story, it is better to know what people should do afterwards. At least make a short description of what's going on with your card because a flavor text mostly just won't be enough.

    Or just dump vanilla cards one by one without flavor text because there's no point by creating this thread (sarcasm).
  • @sanjaya666

    I concur, flavortext alone isn't enough... unless if we make cards without any abilities and only flavortext, lol
  • @Credius @sanjaya666
    The story will unfold as more cards are added. Just work on making good cards and it'll work out. :D
  • @Everybody
    Although the story part is esssential to the contest, I agree, try to keep it short.
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    Some members of the citadel desperately wish for the wars of the towns to end, and are going to great lengths to try.
  • edited October 2017
    (Ok card fixed.)

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    So, here's the short description: Master Gauld just gets bored.

    Ha!
  • @sanjaya666
    No creatures for the rest of the game. Lol.
  • edited October 2017
    @modnation675 O shoot, forgot the sacrifice thing. Lol.
This discussion has been closed.