Zendikar Rising as Told by Flavor Text

A common foe is the death of old hatreds.

"We shall persevere."

"Archons dispense justice according to an ancient, and flawed, premise." ~ Nissa Revane

"My cats have taught me more about the sacred than anything in some old ruin."

"Move, you wretched thing! You're scaring the hurdas!" ~ Bruse Tarl, Goma Fada nomad

"I swing a sword. It's a simple life. A lot of adventurers just see me as some cheap muscle, but if my steel lets them return home with their lives and limbs intact, then I've done my job."

"From legend it was forged, and to legend it returns."

"The gifts of the past must find their way into deserving hands."

"Iona no longer guards this place. We do." ~ Kasla, Emeria shepherd

In any adventuring party, the cleric is the heart: healing wounds, inspiring courage, and raising morale.

"I've walked every one of the Teetering Peaks and never set a foot wrong. I can get you to safety."

Ondu moas make wildly uncomfortable mounts, but for determined warriors, their speed is enough to make up for it.

"Down below's where things go to die." ~ Kreq of Sunder Bay

Too flashy to ignore. Too fast to catch.

Every kor blade is imbued with the skill of a thousand generations.

"The land bind ritual connects us to our sacred sites. More importantly, it binds us with every other korma's who has visited here, through countless generations.

"We are many, and righteous."

"Rally to my light, and together we will drive out this darkness!"

"May blowflies empty your veins and turn you into a dried leather sack, cow!" ~ Bruse Tarl, Goma Fada nomad

"They say the wind carved out these canyon walls. But the floor was hammered flat by hooves." ~ Kreq of Sunder Bay

Its ferocity is tempered by patience, knowing it must wait for just the right moment to strike a killing blow.

"This is my world, Jace, down to its very bones."

"At first rumble you'd best hold on tight and pray to any gods you still hold dear." ~ Nys Dal, Sea Gate trapfinder

"If we fight as one, nothing can stand in our way!"

Each individual has their own crucial role to play.

Poke a drake in the right place and it becomes as docile as a pet. Poke it in the wrong place and goodbye, hand.

On occasion, felidars leave meaty "gifts" outside the tents of explorers they consider worthy.

"If you practice something often enough, it becomes part of you. That's why we train, and that's why we survive." ~ Tasha, Greypelt veteran

The Sea Gate Expeditionary House was founded after the discovery of the Skyclave over Tazeem. Now its banners fly over every corner of Zendikar.

"It blocks the windswept salt and frigid air, but the loneliness of Sejiri remains." ~ Enwor, Sea Gate Expeditionary House

"Rest, friends. I will protect you."

"Well, she can jump farther than I can." ~ Aelah, expedition cleric

"Darkness always flees from the light, and I am the breaking dawn." ~ Kordain, luminarch of Kabira

"It's good to see the eagles circling the lighthouse again." ~ Tazri

"I think not." ~ Flekon the Mindcensor

"All you minnows in the murk, come to my light." ~ Jejenar, Silundi lullmage

"Perhaps you can't see the path, but that doesn't mean it isn't there."

Zendikar's seas are deeper than anyone can fathom.

"Serves you right for rushing ahead." ~ Kaliea, Sea Gate trapfinder

"Before my people turned to false gods, we built a glittering city beneath the northern sea ice. The magic of ancient Benthidrix lives in me!"

"You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!"

"Come on, Skitch, we'll lose them in the geyserfield."

"I can't see all that the future holds, but I can keep us one step ahead of death."

Wizards' spells twist the fabric of reality to channel elemental energies, peer into the future, and even calm the Roil.

"In the field, speed-reading is a survival skill."

"When I touched the Glasspool, I tasted infinite possibility." ~ Ashen Wal, Akoum Expeditionary House

In theory, the death of the Eldrazi should have stilled the Roil. It did not.

"You worry too much." ~ Nys Dal, Sea Gate trapfinder

"If you don't like the weather, just wait a few minutes and it'll change ... probably for the worse." ~ Amandi, kitesail expert

"One spell to quiet the Roil, one to quash the will. The principle is the same."

Jace traced Nahiri to the Singing City, but the magic of the ancient ruins threatened to overwhelm his mind.

"For generations, we have bred and trained falcons for expeditions into Emeria. Now more sky ruins open themselves to those with the means to reach the heights!"

"The ancient kor were a clever bunch with a taste for nasty traps. Spikes, poison, fire pouring forth with no warning . . . I've seen and disabled them all. If you intend to raid a Skyclave, you'd be wise to hire me on."

"Most days the sea is my friend. But only most days." ~ Jori En, expedition leader

To an explorer, a priceless treasure. To the crab, a rock to call home.

"We have much to remember ... and much we can never forget." ~ Tazri

"Feel the current? Rough waters lie ahead." ~ Jori En, expedition leader

An ancient sea monster dragged the Murasa Skyclave under the waves, then smaller sea monsters moved in.

"I've yet to discover the ruin that can keep me out."

"The Roil can be directed. Observe."

"You see a waterfall. I see a way up." ~ Ko Dari, expedition wizard

"It's and ideal method for exploring sky ruins. The drakes sniff me briefly but then lose interest."

"Now is the death-hour, just before dawn. Wake, sleepers, and haunt the living!" ~ Vivias, Witch Vessel

"If you ever want to get back up, do what I say." ~ Exena, expedition rogue

Blood is the oldest currency.

"We are free. It is our duty to live well."

"He could handle any one of us, but he's no match for all of us!"

Taborax's cultists are the latest in a long line of history of beings who have desired to see Zendikar torn to pieces.

"Hush."

Its silent slithering belies its bulk.

Rogues bring an array of useful skills to the work of an adventuring party: stealth, agility, the ability to locate and disarm traps, and a subtle, deadly fighting style.

"On vile wings and bloody wind, the swarm will rise." ~ Skyclave inscription

Stinking, silent death.

Death comes in many forms on Guul Draz, most of them slow, subtle, and agonizing. At least a monstrous crocodile offers a swift death.

"Din, turn around! Now!" ~ Doros, expedition guide

With the bloodchiefs annihilated in the fight between the free and the enthralled, the swamps around Malakir are full of dangerous, young vampires eager to make their marks.

Heedless of Nissa's warnings, Nahiri repeated history.

"From your veins to mine."

"Those who fail to escape Malakir become part of the city's defense." ~ Doros, expedition guide

"The vampires never had gods. We followed our bloodchiefs. Now they are gone. What is left? Destruction and death, my friends. That is enough."

"The meal was exquisite. The conversation, less so."

Under Drana's leadership, vampires are finding new strength in unity.

"When navigating dangerous terrain, one hundred legs are better than two."

The Free City of Nimana is a great place to recruit adventurers with shady skill sets.

"Indulge the void. Become the void. Consume all you touch." ~ Drana, the last bloodchief

"I knew we shouldn't have come this way." ~ Sneeflebrix, expedition rogue

Vampires are now masters of their own fates, commanders of their own legions.

The shadows of death fall over everyone in the end.

"Perhaps its distant ancestors were radiant felidars, but no hint of their nobility remains." ~ Akiri, kor line-slinger

The Kargan tribes share legends of the victory their ancestors won over the Akoum Skyclave, and its horrendous cost.

Silence is an underrated hunting strategy.

Open conflict between expeditionary houses—or even individual adventuring parties—is discouraged, but "accidents" happen.

"Annihilation surrounds us. Our call is to embrace its ceaseless hunger." ~ Voshk, oblivion priest

Hellhound packs roam the Spikefields, basking in the harsh sunlight and lighting the night with their flames.

"I'm not cruel, but I have no patience for your mistakes." ~ Tyrux, expedition warrior

"Trust me, we won't need torches."

Every inferno begins with a spark.

Every rebirth looks like a death.

Warriors are combat specialists who bring their deadly skills to bear against the many foes that adventurers face in the course of their journeys.

"Down in flames" isn't a destination, but a journey.

He might call up a burst of lava or a raging hellion from Akoum's volcanic depths. Or he might just fall in.

"Her weapon's impressive, sure. But you should see her wield it" ~ Gred, expedition warrior

"Everybody grab a leg!"

Naturally inquisitive and adaptable, goblins can turn their small stature to their advantage as rogues.

"In my years wandering this land I've seen a veritable menagerie of fantastic creatures, but one that has eluded me thus far is the fabled 'easygoing minotaur.'" ~ Ko, expedition wizard

"The toll is steep, but the cliffs are steeper." ~ Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House

Life among the sudden tremors and violent eruptions of Akoum demands a healthy fear of both.

"Zendikar has suffered enough. It is time, at last, for my home to know peace."

"The difference between a hellion and a volcano is that volcanoes don't get hungry." ~ Sachir, Akoum Expeditionary House

"Here, you take it!"

"You can cower from the crushing shards or embrace the danger of Akoum. I've made my choice."

"Our feeble villages and tiny encampments stand only at the whim of the Roil." ~ *The Invokers' Tales*

"Lava flows where it pleases. I'm just happy to be along for the ride!"

"We just pay him and point him at problems." ~ Aro, Sea Gate aventurer

"A thousand sparks can burn through your defenses just as quickly as one massive blaze." ~ Attikar, Akoum elementalist

Wrenched from the ground like a dirt-caked rock, the ancient Skyclave wriggled with life.

"I swear, it's a shortcut."

"I'm not proud of the things I did. But all I could think about at the time was how to make the noise stop." ~ Yavotz, Sea Gate Expeditionary House

"Stop screaming! You'll only bring down more spikes." ~ Raff Slugeater, goblin shortcutter

"If you hear a choking sort of cough, it's about to get really hot." ~ Raff Slugeater, goblin shortcutter

"Ready? One... two..."

Goblins from the Makindi Trenches of Ondu make surprisingly skilled climbing guides due to their habit of scaling the cliffs to drop onto unsuspecting foes.

"Fire is to imprecise for my tastes. I'd rather rely on a single, well-placed bolt of lightning." ~ Lyrus, Sea Gate wizard

"Stay away from my friends!"

Kargan tribal lands rarely have issues with goblin raids. Coincidentally, they also rarely have issues keeping their dragons fed.

As with everything else, goblins believe fortifications benefit from as many spiky bits as possible.

"My ancestors reshaped the world to their vision. I have a few ideas of my own." ~ Tars Olan, stoneforge mystic

Goblin cavalry tactics consist of pointing a beast in a direction and hanging on for as long as possible.

"Good, we're all here. Let's get started!"

When the ruins awakened, so did their defenses.

"Always have a backup plan." ~ Doral, Bala Ged guide

Getting airborne with a kitesail is easy. It's everything afterward that takes focus, skill, and luck.

"You can almost see it calculating—are we a tasty enough treat to risk the jump?" ~ Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House

"I've got a little surprise for you, beasties! Come and get it!"

Where mana flows, the gnarlids follow.

The hatchlings will fill the jungles of Murasa in a glittering tide.

"If you only follow where the paths lead, you merely go where others have gone before you."

"It doesn't obey me. It cooperates with me." ~ Triel, Kazandu tuskcaller

"The scythe-like forelegs are crucial for its survival, because it tastes really good and every inhabitant of Murasa knows it." ~ Arhana, Kazandu trapfinder

Elves revere cycles of renewal, but they prefer cycles that don't involve their homes getting smashed.

"The difference between life and death in Ora Ondar is about three seconds of startled screaming." ~ Raff Slugeater, goblin shortcutter

Its hood blossoms as a warning: receive your gift, but stray no closer.

The continent of Murasa is defined by irrepressible growth, both natural and otherwise.

Some adventuring parties are made up of old friends, their common bonds bolstering them in the face of peril. Other parties simply hire the biggest, meanest muscle they can find.

The seeds of memory grow eternal.

A healthy felidar is voracious yet regal. A rabid felidar is nothing more than appetite lashed to frothing jaws.

"Roots find their way through rock, and even mountains must give way to new growth." ~ Nissa Revane

"Ever onward, ever skyward."

"Survival rule 782: There are *always* more scute bugs." ~ Zurdi, goblin shortcutter

For use on cliffs and other faces.

Hope and courage bloom in her wake.

"This expedition doesn't succeed unless we all succeed!"

Ora Ondar, the Khalni Garden, is a lush tangle of growth in the harsh lands of Akoum. Its plant growth is marvelously diverse: a brilliant spectrum of vibrant life . . . and speedy death.

Elves of the Tajuru Nation spend their lives in the ancient jaddi trees' expansive canopy, some living and dying without ever touching the ground.

"As Bala Ged regrows, new forms of life blossom with unfettered wonder." ~ Doral, Bala Ged guide

"Eyes on me!"

Standing between a scythecat and its prey makes you the appetizer.

"For so long, this land cried out in pain. Now, as the flow returns to its balance point, a new harmony echoes in the trees."

"When you understand nature's ways, you're never unarmed." ~ Eyza, Joraga guide

"How can I be of assistance?"

"It's cute now, but those things tend to get a lot bigger when you're not looking." ~ Fahar, expedition wizard

"No angel bars our ascent. Emeria waits above!"

"No gods. Only each other."

From rebellion against the Akoum Skyclave to fighting the Eldrazi titans, the dragon-riding Kargan tribes have never missed an opportunity to defy the odds.

"What sort of life is that, huddling in the familiar and safe? No thanks. Put me right in the center of the action."

"They store energy in special gastric organs ... but I guess you'd probably rather have me clear the path than ramble about guts." ~ Fahar, expedition wizard

Few other creatures so closely embody Murasa's rapid cycles of growth.

"The Skyclaves are our inheritance."

Survival itself is no small reward.

"We tolerate the North Hada thieves' den, but cutthroats who wander downriver earn a skymanta ride out to sea."

In its hoofprints, barren dust becomes fertile ground.

Made from canvas, wood, and hope.

"We shall forever roam." ~ Ayli, high priest of the Eternal Pilgrims

Old power finds new purpose.

"It's light as a feather, but it hits with the force of a boulder. A very sharp boulder."

"When you are battered and exhausted, look up and be inspired by its resolve." ~ Tazri

Skyclaves held the key to reshaping the world.

"It's better to carry a little extra weight than to find yourself halfway down a baloth's throat with no knife." ~ Doral, Bala Ged guide

It will happily carry home your treasure or drag you back to civilization, as circumstances demand.

"Hold on a second, I have just the thing."

A new dawn, a new adventure.

"Not for the bumble-footed nor wobble-stomached." ~ Kreq of Sunder Bay

"Why risk life and limb exploring the wilds? For this." ~ Yavotz, Sea Gate Expeditionary House

"Just when the river seems most peaceful, suddenly you round a bend and hurtle down a waterfall." ~ Zahr Gada, Halimar expedition leader

"The greatest danger on the path is a failure of nerve." ~ Enwor, Sea Gate Expeditionary House

Zendikar is restless.

"Once you really trust the rope, you'll learn to sleep standing up." ~ Akiri, kor line-slinger

"The wind knows the way. Just let it carry you there." ~ Amandi, kitesail expert