Core Set 2019 as Told by Flavor Text
Inner strength is never seen until it makes all the difference.
Most smiths shape metal, but some prefer more delicate materials.
"When one of us prospers, the pride prospers." ~ Jazal Goldmane
"You cannot defend others if your own well-being is neglected."
She sings for all those who have been silenced.
In their final moments, the demons gazed upon grace in its purest form.
"May the light shine through me to guide the lost."
"These storied halls are under my protection."
"Our duty does not stop at our borders."
The clerics prayed for salvation. The soldiers prayed for victory. Both prayers were answered.
Law protects but it also contains.
"Impossible! How could they overwhelm us? We had barricades, war elephants, … and they were barely a tenth of our number!" —General Avitora
"Let go of all that harms you. Cast your burdens into the darkness, and build for the faithful a house of light." ~ Song of All, canto 1008
Threefold were his crimes, doubled were his pleas, singular was his fate.
"Horse? Who needs a horse?"
"As long as my faith persists, so shall I."
"Those who do evil and those who do nothing are equally worthy of contempt."
The best fighters are skilled in both harming and healing.
When one leonin hunts, many more are surely nearby.
Loxodons are firm in stature and spirit. No matter the odds, they are always first into battle.
"Your part in this fight is done, vampire. Get used to your thirst."
For a moment they stood tall, all fear forgotten.
"In these halls there is no pass or fail. Your true test comes with the first full moon."
"I feel the presence of the God-Pharaoh in the Second Sun, and I rise upon its rays."
Even the greatest hero begins with nothing.
The leonin of Oreskos are quick to take offense—not because they are thin-skinned but because they are always ready for a fight.
A pegasus chooses its rider, bearing the worthy into the clouds and tossing all others to the ground.
A lifetime of keeping up appearances is not enough to earn an eternity of rest.
"A potion is no substitute for a skilled surgeon, but it will hold your bits in." —Torricks, battlefield medic
Native to wide prairies and scrublands, falcons occasionally roost in dragon skeletons.
When it passes, order defeats chaos.
White as starlight on snow, it appears only on the eve of the winter solstice.
"Your death will be a balm, your passing a welcome revision, and all will sigh with peace to know of your demise."
"Margaret has traveled with me to the end of the world and back." ~ Hewen Frit, merchant
"Defeat is no reason for retreat. It is a sign we must redouble our efforts to win this fight."
If you can't find a doorway, make one.
Divining the future is easy when you hold the power to sway it.
"My skill sharpens with each beat of my wings."
"They say that perfection is unattainable, but they say that about flight too."
"I can think of worse ways to go. On second thought, maybe not." ~ Ludevic, necro-alchemist
"I decide what stands in my way."
It's pointless to hold on when you have nothing to hold on with.
"The stars mark your destiny. May you accept the fate thus divulged."
The collection didn't have room to expand, so the wizard improvised a solution.
Dependence on luck is anathema to Kefnet's rigorous studies. Those who hope to escape his maze by chance never succeed.
Successful battles start with knowing who's worth fighting.
"Reel it in. No, wait! Throw it back!" ~ Gertrude, deep-sea angler
Young artificers on Kaladesh let their imaginations run wild.
"Picking locks is for beginners."
The life of a shapeshifter is one of constant change.
Hospitality is of little concern to those who do not wish to be disturbed.
The delight of discovery drives the pursuit of knowledge.
Her prophecies amaze her even as she speaks them.
"The things I once imagined would be my greatest achievements were only the first steps toward a future I can only begin to fathom." ~ Jace Beleren
"When I grafted the Planar Bridge into myself, I felt my Planeswalker spark flare beyond my body. The Multiverse was my plaything. It felt . . . incredible." ~ Tezzeret
Nicol Bolas would not rest until he was restored to his former glory.
"To break another's mind is to deliver a fate worse than death. It is a terrifying power." ~ Jace Beleren
"Industry without artistry is just a fancy way to fill the junkyard."
The greatest treasure of the deep is an echo from above.
"The path of the stars is as reliable as the instruments that measure them."
Dwell longest on the thoughts that shine brightest.
"I give them dreams so wondrous that they hesitate to return to the world of the conscious." ~ Garild, merfolk mage
Foul-tempered, poorly trained, and mule-stubborn, the drake is the perfect test of the master's will.
A king's knowledge does not vanish when the heart stops beating.
When it passes, waves touch the sky.
Say hello to your new friend.
The Tolarian Academies embrace a tradition of study and research while discouraging the kinds of experiments that ruined the original island of Tolaria.
Fblthp had always hated crowds.
The cold slowed their movements until only their panicked eyeballs swiveled beneath the ice.
The seafloor is flecked with the bones of fools who dared sail into the mist.
"Your mind is too filled with foolish concerns to hear the subtle whispers that the breeze brings."
Tenacity prevails when hopes die.
Predicting the future is a messy business.
"They are gentle herbivores, despite their size. Approach cautiously, and hum a tune to let them know you mean no harm." ~ Vivien Reid
Its roar is the clatter of a thousand bones.
Sins that would be too gruesome in the light of day are made more pleasing in the dark of night.
For the necromancer barons, killing and recruitment are one and the same.
A pit yawned open, a column of oily smoke arose, and a towering form hissed, "I accept this offering."
"At least this one still has arms and legs. Well, most of its legs." ~ Enslow, ghoulcaller of Nephalia
There is only one fate left to those banished from the God-Pharaoh's city.
"It hurts more if you think about it." ~ Hooks, Cabal torturer
"Fleshy, with just a hint of leather. A fine vintage."
The Great Mending that healed the Multiverse also unraveled the threads of Nicol Bolas's power.
A full coffin is like a full coffer—both are attractive to thieves.
"Rise and shine, my dears. We have work to do." ~ Isareth the Awakener
"If you want them dead, buy some poison. If you want them to have the worst day of their life before dying, then let's talk price."
Not once in the history of Grixis has anyone died of old age.
"When these intruders are gone, Zendikar will be my throne, my palace, my playground."
One who is marked by a demon in life is sure to be remembered as one in death.
A lich must consume mortal souls to feed its eternal life.
Immortality is worth any price.
Liliana is never one to follow someone else's lead.
Many an inventor has collapsed under the pressure to create a flawless design.
"It's not work if you enjoy it."
That feeling of something on your chest is usually sleep paralysis. Occasionally, it's something else.
It was a night like any other. It would soon become a night no one would ever forget.
When it passes, those who sleep dream of sickness and death.
A harpy's hoard is a filthy, bloodstained pile of trinkets and corpses.
"They may show up with the wrong thigh bone or mandible, but they always show up." ~ Zul Ashur, lich lord
"Death is no excuse for disobedience." —Liliana Vess
"When it comes to killing with precision, a soul is but a hindrance." ~ Isareth the Awakener
From the perpetual shadowsmoke that hung above the ship, a silent form emerged, lips curled with malice and anticipation.
"You have given all to your kingdom, dear knight. Serenity shall be your prize." ~ Queen Lian
No part goes to waste.
Imagine a thousand tiny mushrooms cropping up within your lungs.
"Thread the torsos together with angel hair to ensure they will cooperate in battle." ~ The Stitcher's Tome
One day, they may be paragons of deadly elegance. For the moment, they possess nothing but thirst.
"Your service shall be rewarded." ~ Queen Lian
"Feeding a normal army is a problem of logistics. With zombies, it is an asset. Feeding is why they fight. Feeding is why they are feared." ~ Jadar, ghoulcaller of Nephalia
She learned a tragic lesson that day: even the purest can be corrupted when the heart's emotions are twisted.
"A rare and fascinating phenomenon." ~ Tamiyo
"As I desire, so it shall be." —Nicol Bolas
For Sarkhan Vol, the dragon is the purest expression of life's savage splendor.
He has the biggest bashing stick, so it's a safe bet he's the leader.
As the hyperstormic generator crept past redline, a being emerged from the arc.
Eyes are unnecessary for seeing the future.
A knight's devotion to their steed goes only so far.
"Burn. Burn. Keep. Burn".
First the insult, then the encore.
Dragon birth lairs are littered with treasure to entice the young from their eggs.
"Some hid from the storm. I embraced it and learned its name."
Negotiations reached an abrupt conclusion.
It treads on feet of coals and strikes with the force of a volcano.
"We can take 'em. You go first!"
Small words stoke large flames.
"Folks 'round here are too in love with their contraptions. Does them some good if we smash every one so often."
"I found a new toy. Wanna play?"
For devils, burning things is the highest form of comedy, diversion, and artistic expression.
The bellow of minotaur always translates to "charge."
"Catch!"
When it passes, storm clouds bolt across the land.
To wield lightning is to tame chaos.
The ogres you know are nothing like the Onakke. Possessing both intellect and industry, they had brute strength without being brutish.
The tools of invention became the weapons of revolution.
No rampart can withstand the fury of a giant.
The creation of new weapons demands the destruction of others.
Fools believe that Kolaghan's brood follows lightning storms. The wise know that it is the other way around.
To survive imminent doom, it sometimes takes a foolhardy soul who acts first and fears later.
"You will kneel before me, even if I have to split the earth under your feet!" ~ Ash Kronor, Keldon warlord
"Give 'em a push." ~ Mogwin, goblin delinquent
"Unwelcome thoughts crowd my mind. Are they my own madness, or the whispers of another?" —Sarkhan Vol
The sound of the trumpets lights a fire in the hearts of the bold and snuffs the courage of the cowardly.
"I trained with the Ghitu, and I respect the fire as they do."
Sometimes an eruption in Shiv produces something more dangerous than a mere river of molten rock.
"Fill the sky with stuff!"
"Nicol Bolas destroyed my world. I owe it to Skalla to celebrate all life, no matter how dangerous." ~ Vivien Reid
"The centaurs are truly free. Never will they be tamed by temptation or controlled by fear. They live in total harmony, a feat not yet achieved by our kind." ~ Ramal, sage of Westgate
If you feel the ground quake, run. If you hear its bellow, flee. If you see its teeth, it's too late
"Might doesn't just build empires. It protects them." ~ Inti, Sun Empire knight
Its ventricles weep venom, and it consumes only poison.
"If you think yourself a chief, then prove your might." ~ Gar-Tun, Mistvalley silverback
No welcome for those who trespass. Only fang and horn and claw.
"The wild tangle of the Cowl provides sanctuary to life that watched the first buildings rise."
"The land already knows its destiny. I simply ask it to share the tale with me."
No single root feeds the forest.
They grow closer with every passing season.
Fairgoers were delighted to find that even outside the fairgrounds, Ghirapur was a city of wonders.
"After everything I've survived, it's hard to be frightened by anything anymore." ~ Vivien Reid
"Each tooth is the length of a horse, and new ones grow in every sixteen days. Let's get a closer look!" ~ Vivien Reid
You don't want to know how she got that name.
Within a mile of the woodland, you will feel her eyes upon you. Within its borders, you will feel her blade.
"Bring down a stag and fix its horns upon Arel's head. She hears the wisdom of our ancestors." ~ Chianul, Who Whispers Twice
"And if you threaten me again, your shiny steel trousers will be sprouting daggerthorn vines." ~ Iveta, rooftop runner
"When the beast cloaks itself in the mighty oak, what good is a bow? When the oak wraps itself around the snarling beast, what good is a hatchet?" ~ Dionus, elvish archdruid
It eats what it wants to eat—which is anything that moves.
"Let nothing own the skies but the wind." ~ Dejara, Giltwood druid
"Look at how cute it is now!" ~ Vivien Reid
"You should have seen the look on both their faces." ~ Morkamp, Lambholt innkeeper
"What was once formed by masons, shaped by smiths, or given life by mages, I will return to the embrace of the earth."
"The bones of the past will tell their tales—if you know how to speak their language."
"The further into the future I look, the less certain my vision. Even now, the middle distance is obscured by fire."
The only casualties were a snapped spear, a lost helmet, and some bruised egos.
The Sun Empire's most sacred sites are protected by more than prayers.
"Whether we like it or not, our arrival has altered the landscape." ~ Malcolm, navigator of the Belligerent
"Halana grew brambles to create a barricade around our camp, hoping that it would keep the wolves out. That was a mistake for which we almost paid dearly." ~ Alena, trapper of Kessig
The massive dominate through might. The tiny survive with guile. Beware the tiny who become massive.
Villagers employ watchdogs as guardians and companions. Druids prefer something a little bigger.
When it passes, the dead are displaced by flourishing life.
Like all jungle plants, the vines must fight and claw for sunlight. Once their place is secured, they grow strong, sharp, and impenetrable.
The best of their trade know every bolt of their rigs, stem to stern.
"If I am to die, I will die in the embrace of an immeasurable flame."
Many initiates believe it possesses secrets beyond imagining. Many have become meals trying to learn them.
Cries of anguish quickly spurred cries of action.
Sister of Nicol Bolas. Survivor of the Elder Dragon War. The most vicious of her kin.
"I turn around and see nothing, yet I know it is behind me. Its fingers rummage in my mind, crafting new ideas."
Those of esteemed birth earn a most esteemed death.
"The threads of magic that protect this place were woven by my will."
Whether it is magical, lucky, or merely old, it is cherished, and that gives it power.
Knowledge itself is neither good nor evil. Just as the wrong book in the wrong hands could doom all existence, the same book in the right hands could save it.
Amidst the darkest ashes grow the strongest seeds.
The grave robbers were startled, for the door to the mausoleum was already open.
When it passes, rainbows follow.
"Souls are volatile things. When compressed and loaded into a handheld device, their destructive potential is quite impressive." ~ Dierk, geistmage
As it walks across the fallow field, its awkward, loping gait matches the rattling in its head to create a haunting rhythm that chills the bones.
Entrepreneurs have attempted to sell the water, but to no avail. Whatever magic it contains disappears upon bottling.
"Do not mistake a quiet rampart for one that is unguarded. Some things stir only when they need to." ~ Bonovar, siege commander
Made in its creator's image, though slightly more clangy.
Planeswalkers seek out great monuments throughout the Multiverse, knowing that their builders were unknowingly drawn by the convergence of mana in the area.
A sharp axe solves most problems.
The impact sent the soldiers scattering—then something came out of the crater.
Minds, like mountains, are never so grand and mighty that they can't be reduced to dust.
Thievery requires subtlety, from the beginning of the heist to the end.
The municipal senate makes extensive use of the thopters, mostly to gather dirt on rival senators.
All the books were dusty with disuse, save the one titled Camouflage and Its Practical Applications.
"I do as I choose with what is mine. And it is all mine." ~ Nicol Bolas
Its light exposes enemies and lays secrets bare.
"Prayers will curdle on the tongue and be heard by rotting ears." ~ Minaldra, the Vizag Atum
The stench of rotting meat lures flies, goblins, and young raptors.
"A place like this makes me wonder if there's more to life than blood and treasure . . . Nah." ~ Boyl Bucksalt, Storm Fleet swab
The river split into many channels as it flowed to the Halimar Sea. Few travelers could follow the same one twice.
The most holy treasures are kept far from unclean soil.
The bedrock has many gifts to give.
"Long after the land has given up the last of its secrets, there will still be mysteries in the depths of the sea." ~ Kiora
Tazeem's embrace is harsh, but for those that call it home, nothing else will do.
Beyond the chaos of Ghirapur lies a vibrant world where aether flows through nature.
Waterways carve their routes through the land to reflect the paths the aether streams cut through the clouds.
"The healers of Bant are second to none. I owe then a great deal for their tutelage." ~ Ajani Goldmane
She watches over the city just as Serra watches over all.
A pair of domesticated griffins escaped from captivity a century ago. Now the skies are filled with the songs of their descendants.
"Safe passage requires only a simple answer to a simple question, traveler."
Its elaborate designs reveal secrets of aether's flow.
"More obedient than any dog." ~ Tezzeret
"I'm not picky about what comes up, but the less decay, the better." ~ Liliana Vess
Once every seven years it flies on spectral wings over the moors of ancient battlefields.
The dead who wander beyond the safety of the city crave only to spread their curse.
"Only those who give the dragons the respect they deserve may bear our title."
"I am most myself when I am least human."
The undisputed master of the mountains of Shiv.
"Approach from behind. That way, if it does charge, at least you aren't in front of it." ~ Vivien Reid
"This imprint was the familiar of a friend." ~ Vivien Reid
"Wold you rather feel the edge of blade or the sharpness of my fangs?"
Each of Vivien's arrows is an invocation of a species.
Sarkhan wandered into a tomb and back in time.
Just as the sun rises at dawn and the days lengthen in the summer, the Sun Empire has awakened after long years of quiet.
As the ship approached, the jade totem rose high overhead. Power rippled. Eyes of stone glowed and crackled. Out hissed a breath of the world, and a windstorm came alive.
"The trick to talking sense into Keldons is getting them to hold still."
With matchless stealth, the River Heralds fought a running battle against the three enemy forces.
"I can hear the plunder calling. It asks for me by name."
As the Cabal legions pushed into Shiv, they learned not to stand so close together.
As patient and generous as life, as harsh and merciless as nature.