A Snail Tale - RPG

LvB

You are a snail. Yes thats right, a snail. And you've been living a happy mindless life minding your own business in your world, surrounded by the Great Worldwall, in the shadow of the world tree who has been providing food for as long as you can think or on the beaches of the ocean which provided food on its ground. Until one night a meteor crashed into the ocean while you were eating the delicious plants on its ground.

And then something happened! You became aware of yourself and you even grew a bit in size and are abit faster than before. But alas, the meteor poisoned the waters of the Ocean and now you must find a new home in this forever changed world! But maybe your newly found powers will help you. As an sentient snail you can communicate with other snails and maybe even with other animals.

You start as a snail level 1, which depending on its color has diffrent abilities

White Snail: Starts as a 1/2 creature. They are good at taking damage and defending others. Hard to kill.

May choose between "Defender and +0/+1" or "Vigilance" on level 1.

Blue Snail: Starts as a 1/1 creature.  Blue snails are the most intelligent snails and have strong magic.

May choose between "T: Tap target creature" or "UU, T: Deal one damage to any target"

Black Snails start as a 1/1 creature. They are quite poisenous and good at killing things, but dont care for themself.

Black Snails start at level 1 with the Rise ability. It can be used once per fight. "Rise: Put this creature back into play."

Red Snails are the fastest of all snails. They generate heat that can be used to improve themself or to damage the enemy.

Red snails can chose between "+1/0 and haste" and "RR: untap this creature".

Green Snails are the strongest snails. They dont get any special abilities at level 1, but start as a 2/2 creature.

Wanna be part of the snail tale? Then chose the snail you wanna be and create a creature card for your snail. (Common, Single colored).

As you level up and your snail gets stronger it will learn new spells and abilities. However, the things it can learn depend on the color. So for example, "trample" is something the green snail could learn while it would be quite unusual for the blue snail.

Yururu

Oh, cute pics! Just as I was bopping to a Snail's House playlist. I'm in. Some questions though:

1. Depending on the type chosen, I get there's a particular statline. Does "level 1" also stand for "mana value 1"?

2. From what Green snail seems to indicate, is the rules text also limited to the abilities above and nothing else? If so, they may not be much different, except for art/flavor (unless that's the point, just checking). For that matter, usable snail art may be a bit hard to find as I don't use an AI generation program, but I think I can make do.

3. On Blue Snail, is the Black activation cost intentional (BB rather than UU)? As the prompt does mention single-color cards (though this'd be color identity I guess). You might've meant "UU, T: [Name] deals one damage to any target". If so, this "ping" effect has in recent years been separated from Blue's slash of the color pie and mostly set to Red (or colorless at a high cost); so it may be a tad strong for low mana value creatures.

4. On Black Snail, does Rise intend for it to "Return [name] from your graveyard to the battlefield"? And what does "once per battle" mean? ("Battle" is a recent new card type, hence my confusion adding it to rules text).

LvB

1. Level 1 is the level everyone starts. To better remember the level of your snail giving it mana value equal to its level is good.

2.  A green snail always starts as a 2/2 creature. While a white snail could start as a "1/2 Vigilance" or as a "1/3 Defender" creature.

Green snails can get abilities later on level ups.

3. Blue snail should have UU of course. i changed that.

4. Rise ability means, you can use this in a fight if your creature is dead to return it to play. But only once. Between fights there will be story elements.

Yururu

Robo_Kitty

[deleted]

Robo_Kitty

jpastor

@LvB ;

Venomous Wanderer by jpastor | MTG Cardsmith

LvB

Alright, three Player-Snails is enough to begin. But others can join later if they want.

"As the meteor crashes into the ocean all snails are washed ashore by large waves. A wave of magical energy hits everything and changes the world forever. Confused you and the other snails gather at the beach and look at the Ocean. It has lost maybe half of its water and far away you can see the meteor, its top reaching out of the water and glowing and pulsing in strange colors. The water around the meteor starts to boil and soon the meteor is covered in steamy clouds.

You gather around the Elder Snail and then it begins to speak:

"These are strange times. I am old, but never before have i seen or heard anything like this. But i feel that our world has been changed forever, and i fear for the worst. Bevor that thing crashed into the ocean we could all see that it is glowing and very hot and im afraid that it could explode and destroy the whole world! We must do something to cool it down! And i also feel that a strange power is radiating from it, slowly changing, twisting and transforming this world. Now listen very carefully, beside the ocean there is a large round thing made of the same material as the world tree. And it is filled with water. But beware, its very dangerous, for you have to climb up to see the water and if you fall into it, you fall for a very long time into its abyssal depths until you drown. But, what i only now realised with this strange new intelligence, there is a device at the side of the abysall depths, probably made by giant beings in ancient times, that can drain the abysall depths into the ocean. If we drain the abyssal depths, we can cool down the meteor with its water."

And so spoke the Elder Snail and all the other Snails believed that this was a good idea. But who should be send to do this? With their new found intelligence the snails found a solution. They would send those snails who were affected most by the meteors impact and had grown larger than the others. And so you were chosen, which was a very wise decision.

But before you should leave, they decided that it was best to feast one last time on the fruits of the world tree, which it dropped from time to time, and have something like a farewell party, before you would leave for your dangerous task.

New Quest for everyone: Create a card that represents the snails farewell party. (All Player-Snails can create their own version of this card.)

Yururu

The World-Tree, in its magnanimity, allowed space for many to flourish below its branches, in-between its very roots. If even the Elder Snail, one of a kind among his peers as he approached his 20th season, could not recall, who could truly tell from hence the carrotshell fruit came? 

                     Last Bites

Maybe from as far as the Twilight Brushlands on the horizon, a tad off-route from their destination, or perhaps more likely from somewhere on the opposite direction, beyond the Wall, from hence bountiful seeds and the trouble that followed them often came.

Such complex thoughts thus plagued the Ambernite's mind, until they were cut short by the sight of the very same Elder scolding some of the smallest, barely grown trickster snails that seemed engaged in some sort of artistic eating contest. Truly hideous was the visage they sculpted, a nightmarish creature unlike any other.

"Oh well", said the Ambernite. "At least the fallen sun's far away, for now. Sand's still warm, but feels like we won't need to be by the shade from start to end. And surely we'll meet nothing worse than THAT on the way there."

jpastor

Feast of the World Tree by jpastor | MTG Cardsmith

Yes - I know it's green and my guy is monoblack

LvB

No problemo. The snails farewell party can be of any color. If a specific color is required for something i will say so.

Robo_Kitty

LvB

While you and your snail friends were feasting on the fruits of the world tree and on some mushrooms that were also growing there, it slowly became dusk. A lush wind was blowing and it brought some clouds from the ocean and it became a bit misty. "Oh, what a nice weather. The moisture will make the way to the abyssal depths easier", spoke one of the snails, but the Elder Snail interfered "I dont think this is normal clouds or mist, but steam coming from the boiling ocean around the meteor. I can feel magic in, dont you as well? And i think i found a way to harness that new magic to our advantage. Look!" Excited every snail watched the Elder Snail as it focussed on a mushroom, and suddenly the mushroom magically grew in size. The snails cheered, as there was much more to feed on now and praised the Elder Snail for its beneficial magical abilities. But, happy and partying, no one had realised the danger that was close. Suddenly there was a strange smell in the air, all insects went silent and a low sniffing and growling could be heard.

And before the snails could even do anything IT jumped out of darkness, grabbed one of the snails, bit of its head and then sucked the remains of it out of the snail house. A terrifying "Slurrrrp" could be heard and then there were only smacking sounds as the Monster ate the snail, gibbering and obviously enjoying the havoc it caused.

"Run you fools!" shouted the Elder Snail "To the beach! It doesnt like water!" and in panic the snails started running, or more like crawling and snailing towards the beach, but it was far away. Meanwhile the Hedgehogging Horror massacred all the snails it could find, crashed the mushrooms under its weight and even desecrated the fruits of the world tree by biting large chunks out of them. Unnoticed the Elder Snail stopped, as it had reached a mushroom and began to concentrate on the mushroom, which began to grew in size. The Hedgehogging Horror noticed it as well and ran towards it, clawing and biting against the mushroom, which was still growing. "Your way is blocked!" the Elder Snail shouted, but you could see that its magical powers were fading. Suddenly the mushroom stopped growing and  the Hedgehogging Horror trampled over it, grabbed the Elder Snail and ate it alive! Then it turned towards the large Mushroom and began devouring it.

And then you realized, the Elder Snail had sacrificed itself so that you could escape to the beach. Sadly you moved on through the night, away from the place that was no longer your home. At dawn you arrived at the beach where you burrowed into the cold wet sand to rest and sleep for a while, exhausted as you were.

New Quest for everyone: Create a card named "The Hedgehog Massacre".

Yururu

(Suggestion: To make cards that represents it, so we don't each make different cards with the same name.)

LvB

Hmm, true, didnt think of that. But youre right, its easier if the cards have different names.

Quest updated: Create a card that represents The Hedgehog Massacre.

FireOfGolden

@LvB
Is there an opening for me to join?

If so, I have Moltnail with me.

FireOfGolden

As for recently quest, here's it.

jpastor

Hedgehogging Horror by jpastor | MTG Cardsmith

LvB

Welcome aboard @FireOfGolden

A quest for everyone means, every Player-Snail should make a card for that quest and contribute to it with their very own version of the card.

Or, if you dont want such quests for everyone, just say so, then every Snail will get their own individuell card-creation-quests in the future.

At the moment, we are waiting for Robo_Kitty's and Yururu's version of the Hedgehog Massacre (the carnage and destruction that the Hedgehogging Horror caused).

Robo_Kitty

Yururu

Sorry for the wait, a bit busy. Welcome aboard @FireOfGolden , what a dark moment Moltnail has found us in.

                      Munch to Bits

LvB

Now these are some truly scary creations! (for a snail).

While the exhausted snails where resting and sleeping, burrowed into the sand of the beach, they had strange dreams. Was it because of the meteors magic that was now in the water and slowly poured through the sand into the snails? Or was it because of the horrors the snails had witnessed?

As the snails slept and dreamed, they somehow gained knowledge about things they never imagined being possible. But what exactly was it that your snail dreamed about?

New individual Quest (everyone choses something for the own snail).

A. - Learn about Telepathy (manipulate the mind).

B. - Learn about Telekinesis (manipulate matter).

C. - Gain arcane knowledge (Use arcane magic to emulate all kinds of effects, but arcane is weaker or more expensive than A or B ).

After chosing one of this options, your creature type becomes either "Telepathic Snail", "Telekinetic Snail" or "Arcane Snail".

FireOfGolden

@LvB
Melt-Melt will become Arcane Moltnail.

jpastor

For our Black Snail, Venomous Wanderer (nicknamed: Slitherscale), I choose option B: Telekinesis (manipulate matter). 

New Creature Type: Telekinetic Snail

Slitherscale's dreams are filled with visions of objects moving at its will, of rocks lifting from the ground and floating in the air, and of barriers being erected with nothing but the power of its mind. It feels a deep resonance with the ability to manipulate matter, understanding that this newfound power could be crucial for its survival in the ever-changing world wrought by the meteor's impact. As it awakens from its dream, Slitherscale feels a sense of determination to master this telekinetic ability and wield it to protect itself and its fellow snails against the dangers that lurk in their path.

Yururu

I'll pick A (Mind manipulation)

Maybe "Telepathy/Telepathic" for it? Since "psychokinesis" and "telekinesis" are synonyms. (-kinesis is the same root of kinetic, standing for "motion/movement", while psycho refers to "mind/soul" and tele refers to "at a distance". So either "movement with one's mind" or "movement from a distance", which are two ways to say the same: moving a thing without using your body.)

New Creature Type: Telepathic Snail

The Ambernite, still but another of its kind vaguely alluded by the color of its shell, stirred in its waterlogged trench. Washed up like when it first gained consciousness, it could finally rest motionless, yet sleep was as foreign as the world it'd been plummeted into, far from the World Tree's "sanctuary".

Grief engulfed it. However mindless both it and the Elder had been most their lives, he had always been there, as ever as the sands, the seasons, the Tree. Gone also were the trickiest lot, the slowest crawlers, the fastest moltnails, the most venomous wanderers, the largest, the smallest, the narrowest, the tallest, even snails it couldn't recall. The Horror, it ended them all.

One would be hard pressed to suppose they weren't... unescorted. A pang of newfound sorrow, that. Before the meteor, being... by one's self wasn't that much an issue. Naught but a vague instinctual sign of a region to be avoided, unfit for life, either for a lack of resources or an abundance of predators. The Ambernite'd never felt so...

Alone.

Another wave suddenly filled the sandy ditch, yet with it much more followed. Wide awake, they dreamed the dreams of being. Tank. Slitherscale. Melt-Melt. At first a relief; their mud burrows were not far. Then the worse of nightmares, as it heard the others. 

Nearly painless was the end of those slurped or whose shells were crushed; unlike a hermit crab's, those were essential parts of a snail's body containing vital organs, the Ambernite realized, at about the fifteenth brutal yet quick death it experienced vicariously. Yet not all were so swiftly consumed. 

As those ends came to be, its mind at last gave up and gave way to blessedly dreamless unconsciousness.

LvB

Changed it to "Telepathy" as thats better^^

Robo_Kitty

For my snail, Crawling Tank (or just Tank) i will gain arcane knowledge. He will use his newfound magic to help protect himself and his friends on their journey. 

LvB

As the snails were resting and dreaming, the day went by and in the afternoon the snails awakened. As they crawled out of the sand of the beach and looked around, they realized that only four of the larger snails (thats you) and five very young snails where left.

But, when you looked around, something was strange. You could not just see the other snails, but with your new magical powers you could feel their presence! That could be useful, should you ever get separated, you thought.

While thinking about this, you felt, that the other snails had gained powers similar to yours, but still a bit different. And then a snail startet speaking: "Look, what i learned! I might be able to cast magical spells now! Let me show you what i can do!"

New Quest: You learned your first spell!

Create a card that is a common sorcery and costs 1 colored mana.

Quest for the white snail (Crawling Tank): Create a spell that restores lost toughness OR create a spell that prevents the death of a creature.

Quest for the black snail (Venomous Wanderer): Create a spell that uses your telekinetic powers to throw things at the enemy OR create a spell that lifts creatures up.

Quest for the red snail (Moltnail): Create a spell that speeds up a creature that already has haste and gives it first strike OR create a spell that throws arcane fire at an enemy.

Quest for the green snail (Ambernite): Create a spell that makes the enemy think he's weaker than he really is OR create a spell that increases the morale of a friendly creature so it can fight better.

And your snail got 2 mana that can be used for spells.

Please remember this: In the future your snail will be able to learn spells that cost more mana and spells that are uncommon/rare/mythic rare. Spells tend to get more powerful the rarer they are and the more mana they cost. So please dont make common spells too powerul.

Robo_Kitty

FireOfGolden

Took me a while, but I finally crafted it.

Upside is I get two combat steps, downside is I cannot untap creature to attack after first combat step. So it's only best counter when someone ends my first combat step.

LvB

As you want to present your new spell to the other snails something strange happens.

The sand on the beach forms a weird symbol and smoke begins to rise from it. Then from one moment to another, two creatures that look exactly the same spawn inside of that symbol.

With a frightening voice they speak simultaneously: "This message is for you: You may use magic, but if you dont use it wisely and go too far, you will be punished! There will be no further warnings!"

Then with a gesture of their clawed hand they tear parts of the spell you just created out of your mind and make you forget that part. Then, laughing, they begin to blur, turn transparent and then they are gone.

Harden Shell: Make it a sorcery.

Scorching Snail: The additional combat phase is gone.

Please rework the card so they match the requirements.

The younger snails have retreated into their houses and are shivering in fear, while you begin to think that it would maybe not be a good idea to anger those forces that seem to have an eye on your newfound magical abilities.