<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.deviantart.com/algenpfleger">Johannes Voss</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to the legendary creatures to whom <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to give a story. I’ll guide you through each fragment that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them a little extra background love. This time around we’ll be highlighting <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thantis, the Warweaver" href="#" target="_blank">Thantis, the Warweaver</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thantis, the Warweaver"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>A giant and malevolent spider who spins a monstrous web of burning mana across a vast forest, inciting rage in every creature that stumbles into its tangle. The fury of her prey feeds her own ferocity before she feasts on their corpses.</p>
<p>What is the influence of this spider on the forest where she spins her burning web? What is life like for the denizens of that very same forest? Tainted.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Peak"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Tainted Wood"></div></div>
<p>The monstrous web of mana creates an energy source for creatures and plants to feed off of, inciting rage and filling their hearts with hate. Beasts grow larger, humans grow sour, and the land grows lush with rot. Thantis sits atop the food chain of nasty critters and bog dwellers in her dank, humid swamp. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Haze Frog" href="#" target="_blank">Haze Frog</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>s, hags, and horrors fight for control of areas most saturated with the web's mana. There is an <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Overabundance" href="#" target="_blank">Overabundance</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of mana in these locations, but it comes at a cost. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Manabarbs" href="#" target="_blank">Manabarbs</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Burning Earth" href="#" target="_blank">Burning Earth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are additional great representations of the Thantis's influence on the world.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Haze Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hag Hedge-Mage"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Overabundance"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34739 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_name2.jpg" alt="" width="389" height="105" /></p>
<p><strong>Weave: </strong>interlace; contrive - to plan with ingenuity or form designs.</p>
<p>Her name implies a rather large intelligence. Was this creature born with that intelligence? Is it something she harnessed from the world around her? Was she herself tainted from the start? Or was she created by someone or something to serve a malicious purpose?</p>
<p>Thantis was once the familiar of a witch that lived in this forest, an intelligent hag that made deals and took what she wanted. The hag has died, but Thantis has carried on her master's work. Continually growing in size from constant feasting, her power has reached new heights and expanded her area of influence, whipping more creatures into a frenzy, drawing them to her, feasting on them, and growing more powerful, etc., etc.</p>
<p>For this reason,our final deck will include a Witch/Hag subtheme, and I've even given them their own familiars. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thunderscape Familiar" href="#" target="_blank">Thunderscape Familiar</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> works quite well as ramp (and is part of a familiar cycle you should probably take a look at). Additionally, boggy Frogs are <em>excellent </em>familiars, especially ones as deadly and powerful as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The Gitrog Monster" href="#" target="_blank">The Gitrog Monster</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Thunderscape Familiar"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Desecrator Hag"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="The Gitrog Monster"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34740 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_cost.jpg" alt="" width="171" height="83" /></p>
<p><strong>Black: </strong>"Do what you want until someone more powerful stops you."</p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>"Live life how you want, rules be damned!"</p>
<p><strong>Green: </strong>"Life is a cycle - what lives must die."</p>
<p>Jund is the color combination that embodies the most raw and brutal aspects of nature. Green makes creatures large, red makes them act with minimal foresight, and black makes them take power for power's sake. A high instinct to survive must be instilled in order to exist in Thantis's forest. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in its fiercest form. To embrace the feel of natural selection the majority of our removal is in the form of fight cards; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ulvenwald Tracker" href="#" target="_blank">Ulvenwald Tracker</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nature&#039;s Way" href="#" target="_blank">Nature&#039;s Way</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are a couple versions of the effect we are looking for. And after the beasts fight, they <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Feast on the Fallen" href="#" target="_blank">Feast on the Fallen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Survival of the Fittest"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Ulvenwald Tracker"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Feast on the Fallen"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-34734 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_art.jpg" alt="" width="430" height="316" /></p>
<p>Thantis is a creature that I do not want to mess with; she has all the warning signs of being horrifically dangerous, and her design is reminiscent of a Red Widow, also called the <em>Latrodectus Bishopi</em>, one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet. It boasts a neurotoxin in its venom that can cause permanent muscle spasms in its victims. Yippee!!</p>
<p>Luckily this spider is only located in central and southern parts of Florida, living primarily in Palmetto bushes.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34972 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/palmetto.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></p>
<p>You know, these things that are everywhere in Florida? Yeah, they hang out in these... I'm never going to Florida. A bite from a Red Widow is rarely fatal, as they are too small to deliver more than 1/5th of a lethal dose to a human, but still.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Also, is something crawling on me...? Let's move on.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type Line:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34738 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_type.jpg" alt="" width="594" height="55" /></p>
<p>Tribal is a huge theme on EDHREC, and not only for Thantis: a large majority of the creatures I have written about have many tribe-related cards in their top cards. Thantis being the first legendary Spider with the colors to run all previous Spiders (minus <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ancient Spider" href="#" target="_blank">Ancient Spider</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Pale Recluse" href="#" target="_blank">Pale Recluse</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>), it makes sense that nearly every playable Spider makes an appearance on her <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/thantis-the-warweaver">EDHREC page</a>.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, Spider tribal doesn't have enough support yet to make a dedicated Spider deck. The best Spider-related card (and the only one we are running) is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It fits really well in this deck; combat is going to be a huge component of these games, and there are going to be plenty of times where we will be unable to block. This spell is perfect for Thantis and belongs in every one of her decks, which means that the 59% of Thantis players who aren't running it need to step their game up!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arachnogenesis"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Rules Text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-34737 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_rules.jpg" alt="" width="446" height="174" /></p>
<p>I love the flavor in her abilities. Vigilance allows Thantis to block and attack with impunity, while reach ensures the she can block almost anything coming at you. She feeds off of the energy from attacking creatures, increasing her power and toughness. She also puts a definite clock on the game; forcing attacks will draw a lot of hate towards us, which is good for Thantis, but bad for our supple, soft bodies, so defense is going to be just as important as offense.</p>
<p>We're going to come at this from two angles: preventing combat damage, and encouraging combat between other players. As mentioned before, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fantastic Spider card, but it also helps with our plan of preventing damage. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Constant Mists" href="#" target="_blank">Constant Mists</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lull" href="#" target="_blank">Lull</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Moment&#039;s Peace" href="#" target="_blank">Moment&#039;s Peace</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> fill out our protection package. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Crown of Doom" href="#" target="_blank">Crown of Doom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="No Mercy" href="#" target="_blank">No Mercy</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> are going to have our opponents looking elsewhere for attacks, while <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Disrupt Decorum" href="#" target="_blank">Disrupt Decorum</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> leaves them with no other choice.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Constant Mists"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="No Mercy"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Disrupt Decorum"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor Text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34735 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/thantis_flavor.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="64" /></p>
<p>"Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble."<br />
<em> - Shakespeare's Macbeth; The Weird Sisters</em></p>
<p>Thantis's flavor text reminds me of a witch's brew, or the witch from Hansel and Gretel, luring unsuspecting victims and modifying their minds with one concoction or another. This line of thinking is what brought me to the sub-theme of Witches in the first place. It reminded me of the "combo" of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Festering Newt" href="#" target="_blank">Festering Newt</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bogbrew Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bogbrew Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bubbling Cauldron" href="#" target="_blank">Bubbling Cauldron</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p>Without much tutor support, these three cards would be really hard to find, and even when they are together, the effects are pretty underwhelming. So unfortunately, these cards did not make the cut. Instead, I decided to go the route of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Accursed Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Accursed Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Bitterheart Witch" href="#" target="_blank">Bitterheart Witch</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, using curses to hinder our opponents. I also found a gem of a removal spell for this deck in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Witch&#039;s Mist" href="#" target="_blank">Witch&#039;s Mist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which repeatedly destroys any creature that tries to block.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Accursed Witch"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Curse of Bloodletting"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Witch&#039;s Mist"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-34961 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/TBasics.jpg" alt="" width="687" height="317" /></p>
<p><em>Shadowmoor</em> has the perfect scenery for this deck. It's dark, misty, and overgrown. I can visualize Witches and Spiders living all over this place. *shivers*</p>
<p>The most expensive card in the deck by a long shot is <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Survival of the Fittest" href="#" target="_blank">Survival of the Fittest</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. It is incredibly powerful and cannot be printed again. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Fauna Shaman" href="#" target="_blank">Fauna Shaman</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is a fine approximation of the effect and will do the job in a deck like this if you're looking to trim the budget. She also fits well flavorfuly as another forest-dwelling sorcerer.</p>
<p>This is a very slow deck. Take your time to set up and wait for a good handful of creatures to hit the battlefield before Thantis arrives. This is some true "battlecruiser" <em>Magic</em>, waiting until late in the game to throw down haymakers.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Companion for a Witch" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Thantis, the Warweaver
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Spore Frog
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Hunted Horror
*1 Instigator
*1 Spiteflame Witch
*1 Tattermunge Witch
*1 Thunderscape Familiar
*1 Bog Witch
*1 Hag Hedge-Mage
*1 Maddening Imp
*1 Rhonas the Indomitable
*1 Accursed Witch
*1 Desecrator Hag
*1 Hunted Troll
*1 Bitterheart Witch
*1 Garna, the Bloodflame
*1 Haze Frog
*1 Hunted Dragon
*1 The Gitrog Monster
*1 Pathbreaker Ibex
*1 Sower of Discord
*1 Tsabo Tavoc
*1 Archfiend of Despair
*1 Stonehoof Chieftain
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Dolmen Gate
*1 Fellwar Stone
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Gruul Signet
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Sword of the Animist
*1 Coalition Relic
*1 Crown of Doom
*1 Jar of Eyeballs
*1 Cauldron of Souls
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Sylvan Offering
*1 Domri&#039;s Ambush
*1 Flesh // Blood
*1 Nature&#039;s Way
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Cultivate
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Disrupt Decorum
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Constant Mists
*1 Fall of the Hammer
*1 Heroic Intervention
*1 Lull
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Arachnogenesis
*1 Sudden Spoiling
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Survival of the Fittest
*1 Feast on the Fallen
*1 Overabundance
*1 Witch&#039;s Mist
*1 Burning Earth
*1 Defense of the Heart
*1 Endless Whispers
*1 Manabarbs
*1 No Mercy
*1 Curse of Bloodletting
*1 Curse of Death&#039;s Hold
*1 Lost in the Woods
[/Enchantments]
[Lands]
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 Canyon Slough
*1 Cinder Glade
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Forbidden Orchard
*10 Forest
*1 Mana Confluence
*6 Mountain
*1 Mountain Valley
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Rocky Tar Pit
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Sheltered Thicket
*1 Smoldering Marsh
*6 Swamp
*1 Swarmyard
*1 Tainted Peak
*1 Tainted Wood
[/Lands]"></span></div>

<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>This deck went through more iterations than I usually do for <em>Lore Seeker</em>. I have been fascinated by the idea of a combat-focused deck, but making it five colors with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami" href="#" target="_blank">O-Kagachi, Vengeful Kami</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> as the general. You get access to more tools, and I think by adding colors you are able to hone in on the very specific disadvantage that Thantis forces upon you. There are also a larger number of defensive cards available to you in blue and white that prevent people from attacking you. I think a deck like that is what will more likely be seen from Thantis, as attack and combat triggers are all over her page. Even so, I think this version of Thantis would be a lot of fun to pilot. I can't imagine it will win many games, but it will make a serious impact on those games by spinning a sinister web.</p>
<p>Thank you for reading! As always, let me know which legendary characters you’d like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - Fevered Forest Fervor

Lore Seeker - A Terrible Thing to Waste

<h6 style="text-align: right;">(<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Allure" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Allure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://www.steveargyle.com/gallerymagicthegathering">Steve Argyle</a>)</h6>
<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Hello and welcome to another installment of <em>Lore Seeker, </em>an article series devoted to writing about the creatures <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> forgot to write about themselves. I'll guide you through each fragment that makes up a legendary creature and finally give them the story they've been waiting for. In this installment we're going to be breaking down <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Xira Arien" href="#" target="_blank">Xira Arien</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, a creature that has been waiting quite some time for her time in the limelight.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Xira Arien"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Story Circle</h2>
<p>The story of Xira Arien is somewhat contested, as the name has shown up in two stories that do not play nicely together without making some concessions. Neither version is terribly intricate so I chose the one with the most substance to work off of (and which, in my opinion, feels most like the correct lore).</p>
<p>Xira was a type of sapient insect knows as a Eumidian, a race of humanoid wasps with brilliant gold exoskeletons, four transparent wings, and large green compound eyes. Eumidian culture typically follows that of a hive mind, each individual following the same commands. However, individuals with particularly powerful minds (such as Xira Arien) are able to break free and live independently.</p>
<p>After gaining her independence, Xira became an assassin beholden to <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ramses Overdark" href="#" target="_blank">Ramses Overdark</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (a minion of Nicol Bolas). Her claim to fame was the assassination of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lady Caleria" href="#" target="_blank">Lady Caleria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Xira's particular assassination method of choice was to infect her victims with her own offspring, hitting them with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tainted Strike" href="#" target="_blank">Tainted Strike</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. The offspring, if they failed to kill their prey, would mutate those infected into horrifically disfigured Eumidians. Truly a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Malicious Affliction" href="#" target="_blank">Malicious Affliction</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. One such assassination attempt against <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kei Takahashi" href="#" target="_blank">Kei Takahashi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> ultimately lead to her death at the hands of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Tetsuo Umezawa" href="#" target="_blank">Tetsuo Umezawa</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, taking revenge for his now permanently disfigured ally, Kei.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deathgrip"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Massacre"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Stench of Evil"></div></div>
<p>The two notable assassination targets, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lady Caleria" href="#" target="_blank">Lady Caleria</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kei Takahashi" href="#" target="_blank">Kei Takahashi</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, share colors, so I have included a couple cards to either benefit from opponents playing white/green or to specifically hate out those colors as a nod to Xira's specific assassin toolbox.</p>
<p>No assassin worth their salt would have specific tools as their only trick, so I have added a few more goodies to this assassin's arsenal: smoke bombs (in the form of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Darkness" href="#" target="_blank">Darkness</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and similar effects) and the ever useful <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grappling Hook" href="#" target="_blank">Grappling Hook</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, which is used to get into all those hard-to-reach areas. I'm sure you're thinking, "But Xira can fly..." I promise we'll find a use for that grappling hook in due time.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Darkness"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Spore Frog"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Grappling Hook"></div></div>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">Card Analysis</h1>
<h2>Name:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28723 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraName.jpg" alt="" width="172" height="66" /></h2>
<p>Some of the confusion surrounding this character can be traced back to the <em>Legends</em> cycle of novels. The author of this trilogy, Clayton Emery, has <a href="http://www.phyrexia.com/forum/messages/11/4714.html?#POST9076">stated</a> that Xira Arien appeared as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Johan" href="#" target="_blank">Johan</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>'s apprentice in the Johan novel, but it was something an editor changed last minute without consulting him. Originally, a wizard known as the Glass Mountain was Johan's apprentice and for some reason was replaced with the name Xira Arien. Adding to the confusion, this version of Xira was a human, not an Eumidian as the card depicts.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-28757 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/johan.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="312" /></p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28721 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraCost.jpg" alt="" width="111" height="70" /></h2>
<p><strong>Black: </strong>The color of amorality. Black does what it needs to and doesn't care who it treads on to get there.</p>
<p><strong>Red: </strong>The color of emotion. Red follows it's heart and most base desires, wanting freedom over all else.</p>
<p><strong>Green: </strong>The color of nature. No color knows better the ideals of the survival of the fittest.</p>
<p>The culmination of these colors in Xira show her passionate strive towards the top of the food chain. Backstabbing and espionage are the way to the top in the crowds she finds herself in. She thinks with her gut and uses every advantage she can leverage, including the superior and physical form of a Eumidian.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Art:<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28720 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraArt.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="304" /></h2>
<p>This magnificently dressed Eumidian has chosen to wear primarily red; a clever choice when you deal in blood. No stranger to costume changes, Xira looks fabulous in everything. The amount of flair and regality shows us the type of clientele she consistently works with, or hunts down. It also shows us that she has the means to acquire such elaborate costumes, a sign that business is booming.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type line:</h2>
<h6 style="text-align: center;"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28725 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraType.jpg" alt="" width="206" height="49" />Oracle text: <em>Legendary Creature - Insect Wizard </em></h6>
<p>Xira is obviously an Insect and a tribal Insect theme is heavily represented on <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/xira-arien">Xira Arien's EDHREC page</a>. I am far more interested in her career as an assassin, due to her lore, and believe that the Wizard type in the oracle is based off of the first Xira Arien to appear in the novels rather than the Assassin version (appearing in the second cycle of the <em>Legends</em> novels). The Assassin theme lends itself well to a control deck, running a multitude of kill spells, and gives us a more lore specific tribe to include as support/inspiration to pull from.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The Assassin's Guild<br />
</strong><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska the Unseen" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska the Unseen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ochran Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Ochran Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Royal Assassin" href="#" target="_blank">Royal Assassin</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virtus the Veiled" href="#" target="_blank">Virtus the Veiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span><br />
<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Nekrataal" href="#" target="_blank">Nekrataal</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span></p>
<p>There are a ton of small Assassin dorks with deathtouch, so we're going to follow that trend and select creatures with deathtouch wherever possible. Maybe one of those deathtouch creatures would like to use Xira's <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Grappling Hook" href="#" target="_blank">Grappling Hook</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? (I told you I had a plan!) Taking a cue from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virtus the Veiled" href="#" target="_blank">Virtus the Veiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and his partner <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorm the Great" href="#" target="_blank">Gorm the Great</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> there is going to be a small "must be blocked" package to manipulate combat to our advantage. Xira uses her <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Deadly Allure" href="#" target="_blank">Deadly Allure</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to ensnare her victims, letting her red influences push her to be a real black widow killer.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Virtus the Veiled"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Gorm the Great"></div></div>
<hr />
<h2>Rules text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28724 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraRules.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="74" /></p>
<p>With a generic built-in card advantage ability, it is no wonder Xira's EDHREC page seems a bit generic as well. Some people seem to be building a "lands matter" deck, while other go with Insect tribal. It feels like people don't really know what to do with her because she kind of fits any Jund strategy just fine.</p>
<p>For a control deck, though, this ability is perfect. It enables us to hold up a removal spell and at the same time not waste mana if there is not a threat we need to take care of that round. More cards is always better for a control deck. In very rare cases, I can even see the ability to let someone <em>else</em> draw a card coming in handy when trying to make a political ally. Her ability to fly will also come up a surprising amount, but commander damage is quite unlikely to matter.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Flavor text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-28722 aligncenter" src="https://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/XiraFlavor.jpg" alt="" width="352" height="89" /></p>
<p>Thinking of all the dirty deeds Xira has to commit, it is no surprise that she constantly requires a costume change. A wardrobe change is hard to find on a <em>Magic</em> card (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Quickchange" href="#" target="_blank">Quickchange</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, perhaps, but it's not in our colors) but masks are thankfully not that difficult to come by in <em>Magic </em>art, and since Xira frequents the Royal Masquerade, this kills two birds with one stone. (I tried to squeeze <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Conjurer&#039;s Closet" href="#" target="_blank">Conjurer&#039;s Closet</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in here as well, but the synergies were just not there.)</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Cloak of Confusion"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mask of Memory"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Nemesis Mask"></div></div>
<p>On top of everything, Xira is able to wear a cloak (an important piece of fashion that enables a grand reveal of her next costume). The fact that she is in such public view gives a glimpse to the deceitful nature of Xira Arien, a magnificent and multifaceted masked murderer.</p>
<hr />
<h1 style="text-align: center;">The Deck</h1>
<p>This deck plays similarly to a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Virtus the Veiled" href="#" target="_blank">Virtus the Veiled</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Gorm the Great" href="#" target="_blank">Gorm the Great</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck. It is control heavy and is going to destroy a lot of creatures, ours included. The heavy control shell will buy time for us to either sneak a win in with <em>Infect</em>, flood the board with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rise of the Dark Realms" href="#" target="_blank">Rise of the Dark Realms</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or even have a chance of assassinating our opponents with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vraska the Unseen" href="#" target="_blank">Vraska the Unseen</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="The Queen Bee" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Xira Arien
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Birds of Paradise
*1 Caustic Caterpillar
*1 Elves of Deep Shadow
*1 Spore Frog
*1 Ulvenwald Tracker
*1 Deathcap Cultivator
*1 Plague Myr
*1 Sakura-Tribe Elder
*1 Glissa, the Traitor
*1 Ochran Assassin
*1 Royal Assassin
*1 Skullwinder
*1 Virtus the Veiled
*1 Gorm the Great
*1 Meren of Clan Nel Toth
*1 Nekrataal
*1 Poison-Tip Archer
*1 Ravenous Chupacabra
*1 Solemn Simulacrum
*1 Acidic Slime
*1 Master of Cruelties
*1 Harvester of Souls
*1 Phyrexian Swarmlord
*1 Hornet Queen
*1 Sheoldred, Whispering One
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Executioner&#039;s Capsule
*1 Expedition Map
*1 Sol Ring
*1 Golgari Signet
*1 Mask of Memory
*1 Rakdos Signet
*1 Nemesis Mask
*1 Grappling Hook
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Deadly Allure
*1 Demonic Tutor
*1 Cultivate
*1 Last One Standing
*1 Read the Bones
*1 Damnation
*1 Decimate
*1 Massacre
*1 Phyrexian Purge
*1 Stench of Evil
*1 Decree of Pain
*1 Rise of the Dark Realms
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Darkness
*1 Status // Statue
*1 Tainted Strike
*1 Worldly Tutor
*1 Assassin&#039;s Trophy
*1 Malicious Affliction
*1 Moment&#039;s Peace
*1 Terminate
*1 Beast Within
*1 Putrefy
*1 Windgrace&#039;s Judgment
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Phyrexian Reclamation
*1 Cloak of Confusion
*1 Deathgrip
*1 Phyrexian Arena
*1 Deathreap Ritual
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
*1 Vraska the Unseen
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
*1 Blood Crypt
*1 Bojuka Bog
*1 City of Brass
*1 Command Tower
*1 Exotic Orchard
*10 Forest
*1 Grand Coliseum
*1 High Market
*1 Mana Confluence
*4 Mountain
*1 Overgrown Tomb
*1 Rogue&#039;s Passage
*1 Savage Lands
*1 Stomping Ground
*10 Swamp
*1 Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth
[/Lands]"></span></div><br />
</p>
<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>My previous three articles ended up as aggro decks, so I am glad Xira allowed me to fall back into my true comfort zone of control. When I decide to take on a character, I don't know the type of deck their tale will influence, but I like that this list gives Xira's EDHREC page a bit more cohesion. I hope this deck has sparked your interest in this wicked winged woman, and as always, let me know which legendary characters you'd like to see get the story spotlight in the future!</p>


Lore Seeker - Masquerade Massacre

Lore Seeker - A Perfect Storm

<h1>Prologue</h1>
<p>Cowabunga! Welcome to <i>Lore Seeker</i>, a series devoted to the legendary creatures left by the wayside of <em>Magic</em> story. In this series, I analyze a legendary creature card in depth, one that does not have much mythos surrounding it. I consider everything from the name and mana cost to the art and flavor text, extracting the essence of the card, refining that essence into a sticky wax, and applying that wax liberally to the deck. I also investigate a play style that fits the flavor and personality of the commander. For this installment, we’re building around <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle" href="#" target="_blank">Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-25902 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/arixSmall.png" alt="" width="215" height="301" /></p>
<p>After exploring the <a href="https://articles.edhrec.com/lore-seeker-the-floor-is-lava/">blustery cold mountain peaks of Kamigawa</a> (and trudging through this winter hellscape we call the Midwest), I decided that I needed a vacation to somewhere tropical. Since I can't afford that, I made due with this article.</p>
<hr />
<h1>Story Circle</h1>
<p>Arixmethes is a Kraken from the plane of Theros. It is an ancient beast of great power that disappeared long ago. The legends surrounding Arixmethes have become obscured, and the name is now used to refer to the city, a major polis, that once existed on the dormant creature's back. It is believed that Heliod (the God of the Sun on Theros) smote the city and cast it into the sea. However, learned Therans know the truth: that Arixmethes was the island itself, awakened at last and hungry to dive back into the depths whence it came.</p>
<p>More recently, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kiora, the Crashing Wave" href="#" target="_blank">Kiora, the Crashing Wave</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> heard of the true nature of Arixmethes and attempted to find and enlist it in her sea monster arsenal. Thassa (the God of the Sea on Theros) would not allow Kiora to take this beast from her. The two battled it out and, realizing she was outmatched, Kiora fled, taking Thassa's bident with her.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25896" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/kiora.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="301" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25897" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/thassa.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25898" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/bident.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="300" /></p>
<p>The main question I want to answer is this: what sort of city was on this creature's back? It has to be a Merfolk city; if it wasn't before the submersion, it better be now! This means the bulk of the deck is going to be focused on Merfolk tribal. With the influx of support for tribal decks in the past couple years, <em>Wizards</em> has made it much easier to construct a tribal deck. Building around a creature type equates to a larger number of creatures in the deck; it takes a critical mass to make this strategy hum.</p>
<p>If we are going to designate a large number of slots to creatures we have to ensure that our hand stays full, the best way to do this is to include cards that allow you to draw a card each time you cast a creature (or a creature of a certain type enters the battlefield). In blue and green we have plenty of options for this ability: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary" href="#" target="_blank">Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kindred Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Kindred Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Vanquisher&#039;s Banner" href="#" target="_blank">Vanquisher&#039;s Banner</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zendikar Resurgent" href="#" target="_blank">Zendikar Resurgent</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the most recent addition of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Beast Whisperer" href="#" target="_blank">Beast Whisperer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25899" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/lifecraft.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25901" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/kindred.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25900" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/whisperer.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /></p>
<hr />
<h1>Card Analysis</h1>
<h2>Name:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-25802 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ArixName.jpg" alt="" width="493" height="88" /></p>
<p>This is a big sleepy creature, and when it wakes, it is rather devastating. Since those inhabiting its back are Merfolk, I have this amazing vision of a relaxed tribe of wanderers following the currents and flow of the sea, accepting the chaotic nature of the beast they find themselves beholden to. They adapt and learn the nuances it takes to survive in the conditions they find themselves in. As such, I believe the Merfolk society has learned to take advantage of their situation and have become amazing surfers. Can you imagine the wake this beast would generate? Righteous barrels galore! Not to mention those massive open ocean storms. We're talkin' 90 footers! Ride that pipe!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25906" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/whelm.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25907" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/engulf.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25905" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/warp.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /></p>
<hr />
<h2>Mana Cost//Color Identity:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-25801 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ArixColor.jpg" alt="" width="493" height="88" /></p>
<p><strong>Green:</strong> Tapping into the awesome power of nature, green relies on instinct and natural symbiosis while embracing the duality of nature; both orderly and chaotic as it is.</p>
<p><strong>Blue:</strong> Slow, methodical, and passive. Seeking opportunity, blue is a collection of resources and is an advocate of tinkering and creating the things needed for survival.</p>
<p><strong>Simic</strong> (green-blue)<strong>: </strong>Green wants nature to evolve while blue wants to tinker and generate change through will. The combination of the two ideas imparts blue's desire to tinker with green's natural evolution to create a society of advanced adaptation.</p>
<p>Having already explored how the Merfolk have adapted to their new home, the ideas of Simic ring true with our deck building decisions thus far. The symbiotic nature of the relationship between Arixmethes and the city is also in tune with the fundamentals of green. Add blue's desire for creation and resourcefulness to the resourceful Merfolk surfers. They created a way to survive, thrive, and greatly enjoy their harsh ecosystem.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Art:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-25800 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ArixArt.jpg" alt="" width="569" height="418" /></p>
<p>A peaceful merchant port, active with ships coming and going. Just beneath the surface of the serene waters lies the head and massive claw of this gargantuan beast.</p>
<p>This art is a thing of nightmares. The deep and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> of the sea are hiding more than anyone can imagine. The scale of this piece instills how massive Arixmethes is, and as a 12/12, that is rather important. These stats put this beast up in the category of the world-eating Eldrazi titans (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Kozilek, Butcher of Truth" href="#" target="_blank">Kozilek, Butcher of Truth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and the like). Arixmethes is more a force of nature than a creature, unconcerned with predators of any kind. It makes me wonder if the creature grew bored and that is why it became so sleepy. The world may never know.</p>
<hr />
<h2>Type line:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-25799 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ArixType.jpg" alt="" width="597" height="56" /></p>
<p>Krakens are a creature of myth and legend originating from old <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraken">Norwegian folklore</a>. They were said to wander the Greenland Sea, and when they breach the surface they appear more like land than like a fish. Arixmethes is not even <em>Magic's</em> only living island; <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Island Fish Jasconius" href="#" target="_blank">Island Fish Jasconius</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has been around for quite a while. In some tales, it is said that the beasts feast for three months and take three months to digest. This could be an explanation for the slumbering Arixmethes as well. Given the size of our living island, it could take even longer for it to digest, potentially many years in hibernation.</p>
<p>The appearance of great sea beasts from the <em>MTG</em> perspective is often associated with returning permanents to their owner's hands. The size of these massive creatures creates such an upswell that it washes the board clean. The top end of this deck will be focused on large ocean beasts that will help to end the game as well as functioning as additional board wipes.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25917" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/islandF.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="299" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25910" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/slinn.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25912" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/keds.jpg" alt="" width="216" height="300" /></p>
<hr />
<h2>Rules text:</h2>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-25803 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ArixRules.jpg" alt="" width="496" height="255" /></p>
<p>Though this card does not contain any flavor text, the rules themselves create a story. Slumber counters provide a narrative element to the card. Not only do they cause Arixmethes to be considered a land, they show that this beast is waking up over time. Similar mechanics have been used before for similar types of creatures. I slipped <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dark Depths" href="#" target="_blank">Dark Depths</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in earlier without really talking about it, but even though the ice counters on Marit Lage work slightly differently, they represent a very similar event. (I have, of course, included this card, along with its combo partner, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thespians Stage" href="#" target="_blank">Thespians Stage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.)</p>
<p>Massive hibernating beasts seems to be a reoccurring theme with <em>Magic,</em> as there is yet another sleepy Kraken: <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Thing in the Ice" href="#" target="_blank">Thing in the Ice</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Awoken Horror" href="#" target="_blank">Awoken Horror</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (the transformed side of Thing in the Ice) is yet another sea creature board wipe that fits our deck flavorfully and mechanically. I have also included a very small subtheme of the Awaken mechanic (<span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Coastal Discovery" href="#" target="_blank">Coastal Discovery</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Part the Waterveil" href="#" target="_blank">Part the Waterveil</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, etc.) to cement the idea of the world coming to life around the player.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25920" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/darkdepth.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-25921" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/titi.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-25919" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/awoken.png" alt="" width="215" height="300" /></p>
<hr />
<h1>The Deck</h1>
<p>There were a lot of cuts I had to make to the deck; anytime a deck is focused on a tribe, it eliminates a lot of utility spots to reach the ever looming critical mass. It is a mid-range/aggro deck that relies on cheap creatures and multiple board wipes to get a game win. The average <a href="https://edhrec.com/commanders/arixmethes-slumbering-isle">Arixmethes deck</a> on EDHREC seems to be tribal as well, but people seem to be focusing on 'sea monster tribal' or general Simic goodstuff. Though there are plenty of creatures better suited to command a Merfolk tribal deck, I think Arixmethes has a spice factor that people will not see coming.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="Big Wave" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Commander]
*1 Arixmethes, Slumbering Isle
[/Commander]
[Creatures]
*1 Cursecatcher
*1 Mistcaller
*1 Deeproot Elite
*1 Kiora&#039;s Follower
*1 Lord of Atlantis
*1 Master of the Pearl Trident
*1 Merfolk Branchwalker
*1 Merfolk Looter
*1 Merfolk Mistbinder
*1 Merfolk Trickster
*1 Sea Scryer
*1 Silvergill Adept
*1 Thing in the Ice
*1 Thrasios, Triton Hero
*1 Cold-Eyed Selkie
*1 Jadelight Ranger
*1 Kopala, Warden of Waves
*1 Kumena, Tyrant of Orazca
*1 Merfolk Sovereign
*1 Merrow Reejerey
*1 Shapers of Nature
*1 Thada Adel, Acquisitor
*1 Thassa, God of the Sea
*1 True-Name Nemesis
*1 Beast Whisperer
*1 Forerunner of the Heralds
*1 Master of Waves
*1 Reef Worm
*1 Seafloor Oracle
*1 Seahunter
*1 Surgespanner
*1 Waker of the Wilds
*1 Empress Galina
*1 Salvager of Secrets
*1 Tatyova, Benthic Druid
*1 Island Fish Jasconius
*1 Tishana, Voice of Thunder
*1 Kederekt Leviathan
*1 Slinn Voda, the Rising Deep
[/Creatures]
[Artifacts]
*1 Aether Vial
*1 Lifecrafter&#039;s Bestiary
*1 Bident of Thassa
*1 Vanquisher&#039;s Banner
[/Artifacts]
[Sorceries]
*1 Preordain
*1 Serum Visions
*1 Rampant Growth
*1 Research the Deep
*1 Search for Tomorrow
*1 Coastal Discovery
*1 Pull from the Deep
*1 Whelming Wave
*1 Time Warp
*1 Part the Waterveil
[/Sorceries]
[Instants]
*1 Counterspell
*1 Blue Sun&#039;s Zenith
*1 Scatter to the Winds
*1 Voidslime
*1 Engulf the Shore
[/Instants]
[Enchantments]
*1 Deeproot Waters
*1 Coastal Piracy
*1 Kindred Discovery
*1 Zendikar Resurgent
[/Enchantments]
[Planeswalker]
1 Kiora, the Crashing Wave
[/Planeswalker]
[Lands]
1 Yavimaya Coast
1 Breeding Pool
1 Command Tower
1 Dark Depths
10 Forest
15 Island
1 Lonely Sandbar
1 Remote Isle
1 Slippery Karst
1 Temple of Mystery
1 Thespian&#039;s Stage
1 Unclaimed Territory
1 Vesuva
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<hr />
<h1>Epilogue</h1>
<p>This deck was way fun to craft. Gnarly chop, wicked barrels, and all the tools to navigate that sweet open ocean without getting pitted. Wapahh!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-25933 aligncenter" src="http://articles.edhrec.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Dk1h-L.gif" alt="" width="403" height="302" /></p>
<p>Please leave your criticism, desired future lore-seeking legends, and any further comments down below! I read it all and have a growing list of creatures to cover. And for those of you who actually surf... I apologize.</p>


vorthos

Lore Seeker - Fevered Forest Fervor

Lore Seeker - A Terrible Thing to Waste

Lore Seeker - Masquerade Massacre

Lore Seeker - A Perfect Storm

Lore Seeker - Big Wave

Lore Seeker - Galvanized Goddess