Adokas's Opening Move

Adokas made his first move, pressing into Grixis. His opening strike was met by the Grand Necromancer’s rearguard. The frontline was primarily made up of the poisonous Kederekt Creepers. Adokas’s minions were struck down by the poisoned fiends along with weakening Grixis spells. Rallying his forces Adokas prepared his banishment charms to deal with the most dangerous Grixis creatures. The progressive Esper advance was slow, but with Adokas banishing charms making key holes in the Grixis line they made their way next to a training ground.

In Bant Adokas met with a Naya force lead by the Elven leader Searyn. Adokas was caught entirely off guard by the Elven attack. After being driven back Adokas identified the Gargantuans as threats, but mismanaging his resources he was unable to stop the elves from slipping through in darting attacks. Searyn was intrigued by the capsules with potent deathmagic inside, seeking to mirror his life and death magic.

Marcial struck out into Esper, hitting hard and fast and pushing back the Sphinx Adokas’s forces. Adokas rallied his troops and formed a second line, ready to repel the invading army. His line held, pushing back Marcial’s men. Both sides reformed and squared off, ready to strike the finishing blow. Marcial and Adokas each used all of their tactical skill, but Marcial took careful effort to preserve his forces from Adokas’s death spells, and his Aven regiments flew through for the victory.

Grixis Invade Naya

The Arch Daemon sent out expeditionary forces into both Jund and Esper. In both plains his minions met not the locals, but Nayans in Jund and Marcial’s men in Esper. Both times the Arch Daemon unleashed a vast horde of zombies, crushing the opposition under wave after wave of undead. Returning to Grixis the Arch Daemon was approached by the Grand Necromancer. The pair entered a long discussion about combining their resources to invade another shard and further spread their influence. Eventually an invasion of Naya was agreed, and both poured in an equal amount of resources, sending a large force of undead in the verdant shard of Naya.

Once there Captain Rosendo marshalled his force and moved to engage the newfound foe. His men moved in quickly, catching the Arch Daemon’s men off guard. The Arch Daemon pulled back his minions and regrouped, preparing to strike back. Pushing in hard with a great horde of undead the Arch Daemon left Rosendo with little choice but to withdraw.

While the Arch Daemon drove of the Bant army off the Grand Necromancer drove into the Nayans. Searyn rallied his Elves and marshalled Gargantuans to defend his homeland. The Grand Necromancer had much experience against Imanu’s tribe, and was more than ready to deal with the beasts. His undead horde surged forward before Searyn could get the Gargantuans in position, his death magic crippling them and driving them back from the rich source of mana he could sense up ahead. Now all that remained was to storm the place and seize this power for himself before the Arch Daemon did.

Seeing a path to a rich mana source now open thanks to the Grand Necromancer the Arch Daemon moved in to face it, but had to fend off another assault from Bant forces first. This time it was from General Sebastian Maximillian. A Valeron veteran Sebastion believed himself ready for anything that he might encounter in Naya. What he wasn’t expecting to find was an army from Grixis. Hastily he formed his man up and drove into the ranks of the Arch Daemon’s minions, but he couldn’t break through on the ground, and Kathari were threatening to sweep past them. Aven regiments arrived in the nick of time, but the Arch Daemon was ready and used his magic to pluck them from the sky, forcing the soldiers of Valeron to withdraw. Sebastian rallied his troops and struck back hard, smashing through the Arch Daemon’s line and devastating his undead forces. However, a small group of humans working for the Arch Daemon blasted back with powerful offensive magic, turning the tide just when it looked like the Grixis line would crumble. Reluctantly Sebastian pulled his forces back, withdrawing from the field.

With the Valeron army out of the way the Arch daemon moved on the mana source. Searyn had left a force behind with orders to defend it to the last as he went in search of new magics to use in the fight. The Elves dug in and awaited the oncoming onslaught. Surrounded on all sides things looked grim for the Nayans. The Arch Daemon ordered an advance, and his undead minions moved in. The Elves fought valiantly, and defeated many of the Arch Daemons minions, but in the end it was too much for them. As night fell the place of power was now in the hands of the Arch Daemon.

Maps

Conflict in Esper

Marcial finally received the orders he had been waiting for. Advance! He gathered his forces and pushed into Esper. He was met by the forces Arkamodas. The metal creatures of Esper proved a mighty force, slowly crushing Marcial’s force until he was forced to withdraw. Regrouping Marcial formed a new line, but the force of Esper ground forward with an ominous sense of inevitability. Marcial and his men fought bravely, but to no avail as the forces of Esper advanced into Bant.

In Bant Arkamodas’s forces met with Imanu’s tribe, who had finally found their way to a more civilised land. Imanu brought forth his mightiest Gargantuans, but Arkamodus had gathered some of the most potent poisons from Esper, along with a powerful banishing charm, and could keep the great beasts under control. With the Gargantuans dealt with it was just the Humans, Elves and Nacatl to oppose Arkamodas’s metal monsters. Arkamodas paused to study the events of battle as Imanu launched a counter attack. The Nacatl came swift and strong, leaving the Gargantuans behind and crashing into Arkamodas’s forces before they were ready and the Esperites were driven back. Nayan potent deconstruction magic proved most useful as Imanu dismantled the metal monsters and banishment charms. Arkamodas struck back reigning death and banishment upon the Nayans, defeating beast after beast as his forces ground forward. Returning to Esper with what he had learned and fortified the area near the Grixis incursion.

Deciding that a metal face would prove more durable, and less flammable, than a flesh one the Grand Necromancer relocated to Esper in search of new parts for his body. Arkamodas was ready to meet him in battle. Unlike his previous foes the hoard of minions that the Grand Necromancer unleashed was unending, as previously defeated zombies would rise again, clawing at the Etherium covered creatures. Arkamodas retaliated by gathering a force of flying creatures and soaring over the hoard of undead to attack their master. The Grand Necromancer fell back from the aerial onslaught, rallied his hoard and drove back into Arkamodas’s force, drowning the Esperites in an unending tide of corpses, and pressing towards an Esper stronghold.

Kurgan the Hunter

Imanu was now convinced that this was a land more savage than Naya. He needed to get his people out before they were overwhelmed, and gathered his tribe and attempted to head back to Naya. Their movements attracted unwanted attention however, as a thrash of Viashino lead by Kurgan the Hunter picked up their scent and tailed them. The Hunt Thrash fell on them with all the ferocity of Jund, initially catching the Munashe tribe off guard. Imanu kept his wits about him though, and rallied some Gargantuans and drove the lizards back. The Nayans were expecting a chance to rest, thinking the Viashino would take a chance to regroup. They didn’t. The Viashino hit the Nayan’s straight away, not offering them a moment’s respite. Caught off guard the Nayans were overwhelmed and forced to fall back. Knowing another attack was imminent Imanu gathered the Gargantuans and struck back. Kurgan and his people fought hard, but the behemoths of Naya proved too much, and they were forced to flee.

With the Giants of Naya proving themselves more than a match for the Viashino Kurgan turned round and headed towards the other new land. In particular the members of the Carrion Thrash in his group seemed most eager to explore Grixis. The Grand Necromancer’s rearguard were better prepared for this incursion than the last one, giving the Viashino a tough fight. At one point the dust cleared and the field looked empty, only for Kurgan to watch in horror as all of the fallen Grixis warriors rose again and charged. Undeterred Kurgan rallied his people and struck back, eventually pushing further into Grixis.

In Jund the Grand Necromancer managed to lure both Imanu’s tribe and Kurgan’s Thrash to battle. The opening exchanges saw Kurgan sending his warriors into both sides before the Grand Necromancer gathered his minions and Imanu brought the Gargantuans into play. Eventually all sides put their best into play, Kurgan’s best Viashino stood opposed to a collection of Nayan Gargantuans and a horde of the Grand Necromancer’s minions. The Grand Necromancer was the first to break the standoff, attacking with his Kathari minions at Imanu, believing him weak. He was very wrong, as Imanu channelled the ferocity of a Cavern Thoctar into an enormous Blast of fire straight at the Grand Necromancer. It took all of the Grand Necromancer’s power to keep himself in one piece, holding his skeleton together as the flesh burned away. With his body damaged and his powers drained the Grand Necromancer withdrew. As Imanu turned to face Kurgan all he saw was a massive lightning bolt. With the Nacatl blown aside Kurgan pressed into Naya in search of tasty treats.

In the Jungles of Naya the Hunt Thrash met the Bant army lead by the Aven Captain Rosendo Celestino. In the opening stages of the battle Rosendo had his men form a solid line, but Kurgan put his most powerful warriors on the field and smashed into the Bant line. Rosendo used his magic to banish the powerful attackers time and again, but the Hunt Thrash were relentless and new warriors stepped up to take their place. Slowly the Viashino ground down Rosendo’s force, causing him to sound a withdrawal. Rosendo chose a different course of action, sending forward an aggressive attack, hitting the Hunt Thrash as they were feasting on the fallen. The counter attack caught Kurgan’s people off guard, driving them back. Kurgan amassed a hoard of goblins to strike back, feeding them to his mightiest warrior before sending him into the fray. Rosendo removed the warrior, but Kurgan blasted aside the Bant defenders with blasts of lightning. Bant’s elite swordsmen proved more than a match for the warriors of Jund, carving a path to victory.

Imanu had a target in his sights, a prime training area in Jund where their battlemages can practise. Rallying his tribe he moved in to take it. The Hunt Thrash were tasked with defending it, and determined not to lose their land to these invaders. Imanu’s probing strike was without Gargantuans, which proved costly as Kurgan’s warriors were mightier than the Nayans, and his magic more destructive. Falling back Imanu desperately sought to bring the Gargantuan’s to bare, but Kurgan’s people kept up the pressure, and the Nayans were driven far from the training ground.

The Grand Necromancer's Plan

In Esper the battle between the Grand Necromancer’s advance force and Marcial of the Skyward Eye’s expedition continued. Marcial had learned from their previous engagements and regiments of archers and heavy infantry formed an impassable line. A small group of champions would volunteer to lead the attack into the hoard of undead, charging into the massed corpses. They’d destroy many foes before finally being felled, but another group of volunteers would take their place. Slowly but surely they ground through the undead, until the Grand Necromancer’s commander was forced to withdraw. Marcial’s hand was stayed but his commander’s orders, preventing him from pressing forward, much to his displeasure. Instead Marc Pio instead kept their forces tight and continued to gather resources in preparation for the oncoming invasion.

In Jund the Grand Necromancer himself continued to harry the Munashe tribe, but to his dismay stumbled into a trap set by Imanu. The cunning Nacatl had gathered a host of Gargantuans and unleashed them on the Grand Necromancers forces. Scores of zombies were crushed underfoot as the great beasts charged, and Kathari were tangled up in the webs of giant spiders. Falling back the Grand Necromancer rallied his force and counter attacked in strength. The Gargantuan’s were resting, so it was left to the Elves, Humans and Nacatl to hold the line. While they used ancient relics to prevent the Grand Necromancer from reanimating his forces over and over, but this didn’t stop the undead from pounding them down. Imanu was forced to press the Gargantuans back into the fight, but this time there was a solid wall of dead between them and the Grand Necromancer. Interspersed amongst the dead were the creepers, dangerous beasts with poison potent enough to fell the Gargantuans. The stand off was broken by a cabal of living shaman under the Grand Necromancer’s sway. Blasts of lighting flew out from the group, wreaking havoc among the Munashe, and Imanu was unable to counter attack for fear of getting all the Gargantuan’s killed. Eventually he was left with no choice but to flee once more before the Grand Necromancer’s army of the dead. The Grand Necromancer gathered more corpses for his force, now determined to move through Jund and into the land of Naya. Teeming with life as it was he was sure that he’d be able to carve himself a great empire.

Opening Engagements

Imanu Khamori’s search for a more civilised way of life started out poorly as he lead his tribe into the unknown land of Jund. A hoard of goblins descended upon them with such savagery that initially the Nayans faultered. However, gathering several Gargantuans Imanu struck back, driving back the goblins and pushing towards a nearby encampment.

Forces of Jund had greater success in the land of Grixis, charging the woefully unprepared rearguard left behind by the Grand Necromancer of Vithia. The shambling hoard were caught off guard and overwhelmed as the goblins surged forward into Grixis, a building in the distance firmly in their sights.

The Grand Necromancer’s advance force in Esper didn’t meet any locals at first, but instead some of Asha’s people. Undead met soldier as a fierce battle erupted. It was a close fought engagement, and eventually the living trumped the dead, but only just. The people of Asha withdrew to prepare their defences back home. One among their number seemed most pleased to have engaged the Grand Necromancer’s forces.

In Jund the Grand Necromancer met Imanu’s tribe. The proud Nacatl rallied their Gargantuans and attacks, but the Grand Necromancer’s sorceries were too much for the gentle Nayans, and as the strength of the Gargantuans was sapped by unknown magics they were no match for a bizarre creature with magical claws of lightning. The Munashe tribe fell back in disarray, the hoard of the dead following them, their leader riding what appeared to be a dead Gargantuan. Imanu rallied his people and prepared to stand against the vile creatures. A mighty Thoctar was brought up to halt the advance of the dead, but the Grand Necromancer merely shaped one of his minions into a volley of sharp bones, impaling the mighty beasts vital organs. With their champion beast dead the tribe scattered. The Grand Necromancer began gathering the dead in preparation.

As the Grand Necromancer was gathering the dead he saw two forces massing on the horizon. The Rip-Clan, angered by the invaders on their land came in force to try and dislodge them. A forward force of Bant had pressed so far ahead that they had travelled all the way through Naya into Jund. As the forces gathered the Rip-Clan unleashed such potent fire on the Grand Necromancer’s minions that they were impossible to reanimate. However, the Bant force was much larger than the Rip-Clan and the Grand Necromancer had realised. Despite their combined magics the forces of Bant were too numerous and had potent antimagic. The Rip-Clan was scattered and the Grand Necromancer forced to withdraw soon after. Rejoicing in their victory the Bant force withdrew to prepare the defences of their homeland.

The remaining Bant forces in Naya met a marauding force of Jund warriors. Battle mages from Bant had stronger countermagic than the Jund spells, shattering the Jund mages repeated attempts to destroy the Bant forces. While it took time, eventually the martial might of Bant ground down the Jund warriors. They returned to Bant and continued the work fortifying in preparation for the Esper invasion.

Bant

Esper

Grixis

Jund

Naya

The Rules

The stars are training grounds. The circles are places of power. Finally the triangles are mage towers.

Each player picks a shard. Each player makes a 60 card deck and 15 card sideboard. You may only use commons of your shard from Shards of Alara at first (there will be a list at the end of the post detailing which commons are in which shard), more cards will become availible as time passes and through conquest. The campaign begins at the beginning of the Conflux, so at the start of the campaign the neighbouring shards will bleed into one another and you will gain territory in the two shards either side of you. Likewise they will gain territory in your shard. From there you can start the battle for Alara. You might seek simply to expunge the intetruders from your home or to conquer the new lands.

A battle is a best of three match against another player. If you win 2-1 you may claim 3 territories. If you win 2-0 you may claim 6 territories. Note because of Grixis's larger size a 2-1 win in Grixis claims 4 territories ands a 2-0 win claims 8. Simillarly because of Esper's smaller size a 2-1 win in Esper claims 2 territories and a 2-0 win claims 4 territories. You can only take territory off a shard by beating someone of that shard. If you play someone who is not next to any off your territory you instead get conquest points, 1 for a 2-1 win and 2 for a 2-0 win, which can be used to fortify territory or to launch new invasions.

I will allow 2HG, 3HG, Emperor and Chaos multiplayers to count for the campaign, but will deal with them on an indivudual basis.

To fortify you spend a conquest point to increase the value of a territory that isn't a training grounds, place of power or mage tower to 2. Territories cannot be further fortifide by spending more conquest points on them. To invade a new shard you must have no territory on the shard and be able to reach it and spend 8 conquest points.

Training Grounds, Places of Power and Mage Towers:

To capture a training ground, place of power or mage tower you must be next to it a launch a dedicated attack. This is declared before the battle. In a dedicated attack against an unsurrounded training ground, place of power or mage tower you must win 2-0 to capture it. If you have surrounded the training grounds, place of power or mage tower then you only need to win 2-1 to capture it. Unlike elsewhere training grounds, places of power and mage towers are controlled by individuals rather than sides. If you want to take a training ground, place of power or mage tower off someone on your team you can by playing them and beating them, either 2-1 or 2-0. If you control a training ground not on your shard you may add a Battlemage of your shard to your deck. If you control a place of power not on your shard you may add a triple land of your shard to your deck. If you control a mage tower not on your shard you may add a Charm of you shard to your deck.

Card Pools:

Here's a list of which common belongs to which shard.

Bant:
Akrasan Squire
Angelsong
Bant Panorama
Call to Heel
Cancel
Court Archers
Deft Duelist
Excommunicate
Guardians of Akrasa
Hindering Light
Jhessian Lookout
Knight of the Skyward Eye
Obelisk of Bant
Outrider of Jhess
Resounding Silance
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer
Sigil Blessing
Steward of Valeron
Tortoise Formation
Waveskimmer Aven
Welkin Guide

Esper:
Cloudheath Drake
Coma Veil
Courier's Capsule
Dispeller's Capsule
Esper Panorama
Etherium Sculptor
Executionar's Capsule
Glaze Fiend
Marble Chalice
Obelisk of Esper
Oblivion Ring
Onyx Goblet
Resounding Wave
Sanctum Gargoyle
Spell Snip
Steelclad Serpent
Tisdehollow Strix
Vectis Silencers
Windwright Mage

Grixis:
Agony Warp
Banewasp Affliction
Blightning
Bone Splinters
Cathartic Adept
Dreg Reaver
Dregscape Zombie
Grixis Panorama
Incurable Ogre
Kathari Screecher
Kederekt Creeper
Lightning Talons
Obelisk of Grixis
Resounding Scream
Shadowfeed
Shore Snapper
Skeletal Kathari
Undead Leotau
Viashino Skeleton
Viscera Dragger
Vithian Stinger

Jund:
Blister Beetle
Bloodpyre Elemental
Branching Bolt
Carrion Thrash
Deathgreeter
Dragon Fodder
Goblin Deathraiders
Goblin Mountaineer
Hissing Iguanar
Jund Panorama
Magma Spray
Obelisk of Jund
Resounding Thunder
Rip-Clan Crasher
Savage Hunger
Thorn-Thrash Viashino
Volcanic Submersion

Naya:
Bloodthorn Taunter
Cavern Thoctar
Cylian Elf
Druid of the Anima
Elvish Visionary
Gift of the Gargantuan
Goodtoucher
Gustrider Exuberant
Jungle Weaver
Lush Growth
Mosstodon
Naturalize
Naya Panorama
Obelisk of Naya
Rakeclaw Gargantuan
Relic of Progenitus
Resounding Roar
Ridge Rannet
Soul's Fire
Soul's Grace
Soul's Might
Wild Nacatal
Yoked Plowbeast