<BB> Popcornia's Batteboard // [Arandu of the New Way]

Popcornia

Thirsting Bowl: Not a fan of colorless Phyrexian Arena with upside. I feel like this card really wants to be an enchantment and cost . 7/10.


What do I even have to give? This shell is just a temporary backup.

The beacon.

And lose my ticket home? Not a chance.

That's what makes it a sacrifice. And it will never be your home. Not really.

VIA stands motionless in front of the brazier. Then, finally, she turns to Karina.

"Karina. I can't tell you how much it pains me to ask this. But would you please return my beacon?"


VIA has spent 1 Skill Point to unlock black mana!


Agonizing Quandary
Sorcery
Choose two nonland permanents target opponent controls. That player sacrifices one of those permanents.

cajun , Parasign

The Sphinx observes the two as they consider what to offer, and eyes looking over what innocuous objects they might posses. Her eyes look over the beacon, before nodding and turning to Karina. The sphinx raised a brow, before nodding as well. "Interesting," was all she said, before gesturing to the brazier.

---

Agonizing Quandary: Probably alright. 8/10

Token of Accomplishment: Quicksilver Amulet exists, and is better for that last ability. I honestly would expect that just to be require instead of , given you sac the token along with it. Otherwise it's fine, and I like the flavor. 7/10

Popcornia cajun

Pile Offering - Agreed there's nothing green about this card. I think 2 mana is probably the correct cost, though. 8/10.


VIA delicately takes the floating beacon from midair, then looks to the brazier.


This is quite possibly the worst idea I've ever considered. Why don't we just give it the tokens? It's accepting Karina's.

Only because she thinks they're worth something. Let's not try to cheat a god, okay?

If this 'R' can read my thoughts she'll know I have no interest in serving her anyway. All these Trials were a pointless waste of time and energy.

Those past lives weren't hallucinations, VIA. We can feel their magic. Their memories are so close, now.

I was never meant to exist without AKH, Vi. You and those false memories are just more symptoms of my unraveling mind.

So were they pointless, too? Are we going to throw away everything they worked for, doom every other world they tried to save, just to slave away for the one that betrayed and killed us?

That's ENOUGH, Vi. I've already spent far too long on this rotting plane. I'm leaving. NOW.


VIA snaps the beacon in half.


Nothing happens.


VIA slumps to the ground and stays there for an uncomfortably long time.


VIA's Defeat
Instant
Exile target colorless spell or colorless nonland permanent. If it's a Vi planeswalker, exile the top card of your library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play that card.

I focus on the pretty mixture amulet and pull it up to me. I look back to Via, still slumped over. I try to pull up her token too, put I lose my spell on mine. I catch that one in my hand, then walk over to Via with hers and sit next to her.

"Hey, are you doing okay?"

"I don't really know what you're going through, but, if I can help, let me know, okay?"

Karina's Assistance
Instant
If target permanent would leave the battlefield this turn, instead exile it, then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control.
Flashback

// If VIA continues or leaves, Karina will continue on to Rudara

---

(if VIA stays here Karina will probably move to her board to resolve that and then continue on)
(bit odd as an attack, so feel free to count it as a preemptive assist i guess)
Unexpected Reward - does nothing for my or Parasign's card :\ card's probably fine, don't think it needs to exile itself. 5/10

cajun , Parasign

The sphinx observed the two as they spoke, her task done for the moment it seemed. She merely watches Karina and VIA as they walk further into Rudara's domain, before standing up and returning to the entrance. 

The hall was spacious, with ample space for the two Planeswalkers to walk side by side. Sidling each entrance, the two were observed by guards as they ventured further within the stronghold. Wearing armor that evoked some aspects of Rudara's form, it was obvious where their loyalties were. 

Their journey eventually took them into a large circular room, the hall opening into the expansive center of Rudara's hold. Sitting in the center upon a raised platform was the goddess herself, her amber gaze tracking them even from this far across the room. 

Their approached was stopped by two guards on the perimeter surrounding the throne, spears crossed to indicate they were to go no further. Rudara gestured to them, the spears retracting as she stood up, and began her descent. 

"Karina Oblay. VIA. You have both struggled hard on this day to overcome the trials and yourselves. You are not the same individuals who entered by city earlier this day," she spoke, her voice even, authoritative, a familiar tone for her to speak in. 

To both Karina and VIA, who had met her before, the goddess seemed taller almost, her presence demanding more attention than it had in their earlier encounters. 

"The time has come for your just reward for conquering the trials I placed in front of you."



"Will you accept it?" 

---

Karina's Assistance: Not sure how I feel about this allowing creatures to dodge exile, or a lot of effects that force you to sacrifice stuff (like Vanishing, Echo, etc). I like it though, and it seems reasonable for its cost. 7/10

Brutal Honesty: Hard to make this effect consistently worth it, but I like it nonetheless. 8/10

Popcornia

Godherald: What cajun said. Getting The Flame of Keld's third ability immediately, at the same cost, with multiple upsides, is almost certainly too strong. 6/10.


"I certainly hope so, or else this whole ordeal was a massive waste."


Impatience Module 
Artifact
Each player plays with the top card of their library revealed and may play the top card of their library.
At the beginning of each player's end step, if that player has a nonland card on top of their library, ~ deals 2 damage to them.

cajun , Parasign

Rudara stops her descent, only several feet away from the two as she gives them the faintest smile. "Not at all. Your alliances do not compromise what I offer to you, nor would I decline if they were capable of doing so. You have conquered my trials, your success is all I required." 




"To that end, will you claim your reward?"

---

Karina, Victorious: Jeskai Sun Titan plus. Interesting, but would definitely cost this for at least more. 9/10

Impatience Module: I like this card, because it acts as both group-hug and group-slug. Nothing stupid can be done with this that doesn't already require prior set up. 10/10

I peered over Rudara's shoulder (it was a bit of a challenge, doing that with someone who is half again as tall as you are... but I managed it.)

"I see you didn't retain me for an art project. Interesting."

My glass swirled over the plans, glinting their new impossible color. Some of the ink seemed to flicker - I shook my head to clear out the cobwebs.

"We're going to have to narrow that piece there. I'm not entirely sure why, but I know that otherwise it's going to grind to a halt after a few days of operation." I scratched my head. "Sorry, I've been experimenting with mana, and it seems to have done something to my perception of time."

Ideation - (⁂)(⁂)
Instant -
Put target permanent on the bottom of its owner's library, then that player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a card that shares a type with that permanent. Then put that card in that player's hand and put the rest of the cards on the bottom of their library in a random order.

(Tucking the golem token so that you can grab a new Artifact or Creature, of course. Check the link for the weird new mana symbols - I just bought Pink, so I'm trying to figure that out.)

Auspicious Diagram is a great upgrade to Servo Schematic - and seems like an appropriate cost for dropping a free artifact with an extra 3/3 next to it. I see no issues here. 9/10

Popcornia

(Impatience Module is actually a 0/10 because I seem to have somehow forgotten I can't make rares, oops.)


Simultaneous Oath: I enjoy these kinds of color-scaling cards, and the second ability is a cool bonus. 10/10.


"So, here's a thought, 'R'." VIA gestures toward the Godhead. "Maybe you could tell us what the reward is first, and then ask whether we accept it."


Uncertain Gift 
Instant
Target opponent looks at the top four cards of your library, then puts two of them into your graveyard and the rest into your hand.

Parasign

"The power of my realm, at your command when you need it. You are familiar with the one Rixos of Ker. He succeeded earlier in the Trials of my realm, and was given my blessing on whatever path he took."

"That blessing would be yours to take with, not as a burden, but a gift in your long journeys." 

---

Uncertain Gift: Fact or Fiction but your opponent has full control. Flavorful, but even with the disadvantage, this is a must play. That extra turn for drawing 2, even if it's garbage, is good. 9/10, flavorful, but I have concerns over use within an actual playable environment.

Popcornia

Severed Connection is an interesting take on wheel-effects-as-mill, sort of, and the cycling works well here. 9/10.


Don't anger her now, VIA. We're so close.

Why should I listen to you? She knows nothing. And it seems you know even less.

VIA's metal body tenses and relaxes, as if taking a deep breath. "Yes, 'R'. I know what I must do, because when I fell from what you might call quasi-divine status I at least had the foresight to keep all the salient bits of my memory, not to mention the highlights of my culture's last ten thousand years of history. I know what I must do, because I can actually remember what it was."

That, and so much more. Can't you see...

"How can you see a path forward when you don't know where you've been? What context could you possibly have that justifies these trials, this city? What inexplicable force or instinct inspired all this, and how can you even begin to trust it? How can I trust you, when everything you've done is based on illegible reasoning that you refuse to explain?"

VIA, no! Please...

"When I deal with people, 'R', I expect them to tell me what they want. I expect them to tell me their name. I expect them to justify their actions before I nearly destroy myself three times over just to speak with them. And after I somehow talk myself into doing that anyway, I expect them to justify the time and effort I spent with something I can actually verify exists."

Just...

"How can I know your 'blessing' isn't a curse? How can I know it's not just some placebo magic that does nothing at all? If this is still how you negotiate, 'R', I can accept nothing you have to offer."

Why won't you listen to me?


Skeptic's Refusal
Instant
Counter target instant, sorcery, or enchantment spell. If that spell is countered this way, exile it instead of putting it into its owner's graveyard.

// Karina shrinks down to the floor, her voice full of fear

"I accept, I accept!" she yells at the ground. "Please don't hurt me!"

Cower
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant permanent
Whenever another permanent enters the battlefield, tap enchanted permanent.

// Karina stands back up to look at Rudara, a little braver but still visibly upset

"Thank you," I whisper. What do I do what do I do what do I do. "I will."

Token of Tribulation
Artifact
Ascend (If you control ten or more permanents, you get the city's blessing for the rest of the game.)
: Add . If you have the city's blessing, add one mana of any color instead.
, Sacrifice Token of Tribulation: Draw a card for each color of mana spent to activate this ability.

"And... miss Rudara? Can you tell me where Via went? I was supposed to help her get back home after this." My eyes drift back towards the floor.

---

4 cause she did four trials and no red trials :b
City's Secrets - dece, unfortunately does nothing for Cower :/ 6/10