<BB> Cajun's Battle Board [Cygari of the Thousand Steps]

cajun — Karina, the Intern: I like this card a lot, but I have two problems with it. The first is that it just feels like an Okus, not an Okus Karina; none of those abilities feel like something the hat couldn't do on its own. The second is that I've already designed a card named Karina, the Intern, back during the Kinshalan Ices storyline. Anyway, I'll give that a 8/10.

"You sparked!? Well, I'm glad to hear you're unhurt, and I think I have some people for you to meet. There's a former student of mine named Lochana; she's got a way with maps like you wouldn't believe. You'll get along great..."

---

Karina now has access to the Division of Exploration.

The door clicked shut. For the first time since Aylin's earthquake, Okus was alone.

It pulled off the stack of illusions that had been passing as a proper hat and collected the few items from it. It threw the imposter next to the bag of imposter coins it was saving for Rixos. Okus breathed easier as it unfolded itself back to the red hat.

Breathed? The kid was rubbing off on it.

It flopped her down on the bed and opened the letter. An incomplete road home. It just needed a few more directions that Rettai and his ilk were hiding somewhere. And now, it had a lead into the Division of Exploration. A bit more time to draw out information without more suspicion. A bit more time to build the influence to lead the expedition home. And now, it thought, stashing the letter in its folds, it had all the time in the world.

Her thoughts started racing again as they thought about it. They looked down and rubbed at her temples to alleviate one of the few pains Okus couldn't disconnect from. The biggest obstacle in their way was dead. Wanted to be dead. It didn't add up. She had gone so far out of her way to cause trouble before, but with the Arena in her hands, gave it all up without saying a word. Her fingers started twitching, scratching her head as her little brain tried to fit the pieces together. They had fooled Aiden. They had fooled Reyhsia. They had fooled Rettai. They had fooled Kirino. That last one still didn't sit right. She had spoken to us directly. Why had she given up the spark? She had to know what that would mean for the kid. The blind terror in her brain as she tried to scratch away the headache meant the kid knew. Kirino had put so much faith into what was now its one way ticket hom-what. WHAT. NO. NO. KIRINO YOU

The voice finally stopped. The hat was too lost in its own thoughts and pains to worry about the movements shaking it loose. The fancy hat tumbled to the ground with barely a sound. My arms fell into my lap and my back slumped as the hat's spell broke. Needles of pain ran across my body as it returned to me.

The void had returned. Everything everywhere forever was nothing. The Arena was gone. Karina was gone. The spark was gone. Months of lurking and fighting and cozying up to humans who would never know a horror as complete and inescapable as the nothing wrapping around it. GONE.

I took my first proper breath in months. My lungs were on fire. I had never felt so good. Too weak to stand, I kept my eyes locked on that red hat I had met in the alley so long ago.

She knows. The kid. She knows everything. The Arena would be inhospitable for years. Another walker would know it was out there. A walker it had given access to everything she needed to track it down. With a flick of her wrist, everything was unraveling.

I finally kicked the hat with my still-stinging leg. I didn't want it near me for another second. As if it was listening, it erupted into light. A lingering scent of magic hung in the air above it.

The hat was finally gone.

Okus has left the Arena

---

Karina's hand ran over her scalp. The hat's trouble had only just begun. Scars ran across her head, exposed through a bald spot the hat seemed to have chewed through her hair. She'd never be able to explain it.

"You see, mister Rettai, I've been a hat's puppet for Hybriea-knows-how-long. Everything you know about me is a lie!"

Right. That'll go over without a hitch.

She looked over the room the hat had set her up in. Piles of papers from learning to read. Scrolls of Reyhsia's legends. The sack of fake coins. A sadly smaller sack of real coins. The trick hat.

The trick hat. The one hat in the universe that couldn't be it. Her arm shook as she picked up the discarded illusion. It was in the same place she had thrown it last night. The hat couldn't possibly have gotten itself here. Right?

She hesitated. The hat was good. It wasn't that good, she assured herself. It might very well be any other hat she found for the rest of her life. But it wasn't this one. Trembling, she set it over her scarred head.

"Alright Arena. I think we got off on the wrong foot last time. What do you say, should we give it another try?"

---

So. This has been on the agenda for...
a while.

I do want to say, Karina didn't get here on her new spark. She got here cause she's a trooper and figured out the hat before the hat figured out her. The spark is Kirino's present for pulling it off for herself :3

Karina's gonna hold down the fort for the next few days while I sort out the few remaining engagements and reincarnation. After that she'll be lurking around in the background here if anyone wants to check up on her

WindyDelcarlo

"Sister, my whole life has been researching the details," I laughed. "Not often I see something new on the old bloodlines anymore. But I can see someone is antsy about spending too much time talking with Old Lady Reyhs."

"I'll tell you what, if you want to spare yourself the precise details, just drop by some books those classes have, and I'll pour over them myself. Can pay you for your troubles, or maybe show you how to do the energy trick for when I'm not around to do it."

Paper Cut
Enchantment
Whenever you pay life, put that many scroll counters on Paper Cut.
, Pay 1 life: Scry 1.
, Remove two scroll counters from Paper Cut: Draw a card.

this pun has so many layers it became an ogre
Perfect Concentration worries me a smidge, but i don't have an actual abuse case in my pocket. 8/10

Really Reyhs? Another one?

"How was I supposed to know!"

Isn't this like, the fifth one.

"THIRD!"

Still. I told you stay out of this stuff.

"I can't help it. I don't like letting people live like us."

Like you maybe. I'm getting the hang of this solo gig.

"Like I believe that."

I thought you liked your job, she deflected. You're gonna get so fired bringing a Class 7 in.

"I told you, you're off the books now. They figured out it was an accident."

Pfft, what? That spellbook didn't fix squat but stealing it wasn't an accident.

"Spellbook? What are you-"

Alright, hurry up, you're burning moonlight. Who needs to do some forgetting?

---

Below are the ministories for Okus's last two aid sets. Even though the hat's on the way out, these two will still matter with Reyhsia/Karina.

---

Okus plopped the bag of rocks down on their dresser with a thud. We'll show that no good merchant for treating us like kids. One by one, it picked up the round rocks, wrapping each in a golden illusion. Before long, their bag of rocks had turned into a bag of gold coins. It dropped an illusion and a real coin, each of them making the same pleasant ring. Rixos would never be able to tell the difference.

Okus has spent 50 Valor and unlocked Conspiracy.
Achievement Unlocked: Blind Seer

---

"Reyhsia," Karina asked. "What's your last name?"

The older woman gave a polite laugh like she was hiding something. "Well, my little bandar, I told you I was an orphan too, yes? My adopted parents wanted me to take their name, but I wouldn't have it. I needed to find my real parents name." She gave the girl a sad smile. "I never did though, so I was always just Reyhsia."

"Hmm, Karina Reyhsia..." Reyhsia practically fell out of her chair.

"Now what are you doing?"

"Well, I should have a family name too right? My old name isn't really family anymore. And I'm not using Karina Arena." She crossed her arms.

Reyhsia laughed. "Well, don't worry about it right now. You've got plenty of time to work that out."

Karina has unlocked Battlebond.

As Reyhsia returns from dealing with Aylin's knowledge of her parents, a stranger appears and approaches her, bringing with him a dark mist that surrounds them both.
"Greetings" he speaks "My name is Malextros, and I can tell you have information I require. I can feel it: you've figured out a way to break the person I'm chasing, and I need that knowledge..."

Pressing Knowledge 
Sorcery
Name a card, then search your graveyard and/or library for up to X cards with the chosen name, reveal them, put them into your hand, then shuffle your library.
"I know what I want and I'm getting it one way or another."

The Arena was a scary place. She had been attacked by imaginary devils, armor-kitties, angry robots, ancient time gods, and job offers, all before she had taken her first breath. Even once she had lost the hat, the troubles kept on coming.

She was a student learning to be a spy. She was a friend to people she half remembered. She likely had enemies she didn't remember at all.
She had Aiden. She had Hannah. She had Vikalden. She had Rettai. She had Reyhsia. She had Kirino.

And that was a lot more than she had before the hat. She was in over her head, had been that way for years before the hat. But for the first time since her... in a while, things might make sense again.

She straightened the trick hat. It was finally time to pay Kirino a visit.

Karina has unlocked Saviors of Kamigawa.
Okus has reincarnated with 3 achievements.
Reyhsia has entered the Boards.

For people with lingering threads from Karina, she'll still be around to continue them, they'll just be running on Reyhsia's rules and valor now.

Reyhsia smiles, but tries to hide the lonely bloodline behind her hat. "Oh, how rude of me," she said. "I am Reyhsia, Karina's m-mentor. One of them at least."

"And yes, I couldn't forget you, even if Karina didn't have so much to say about you. Karina! Your soldier friend is here!"

"Yaaaaaaay!" I yelled as I ran to Aiden. "What are you doing out here?"

Karina, the Trainee
Legendary Creature - Human
Whenever you draw a card, put a +1/+1 counter on Karina, the Trainee.
At the beginning of your end step, remove all +1/+1 counters from Karina unless you discard a card.
"Ooooh, neat!"
1/1

---

gurfafflekins
Fierce Lieutenant - bit different take on monarch is neat. think this might flow a bit better if it gained first strike while you weren't the monarch rather than always? 8/10

Lost in Transit: Super niche but I can really see this like cool tech for decks that require tutoring (I'm looking at you, pre-GRN Tron!), also it would be devastating in Maralen EDH. 9,5/10.

(NOTE: From now on bold text in the middle of dialogue means things he's thinking, not saying)

If Reyhsia's attitude disturbs or annoys Malextros, he doesn't show it in his face.
"There's no need to waste our time on such trivial activities. Once I succeed, history itself will be my biography! And who knows, you may even be alive to witness it" he replies "Besides, if you truly knew me you'd call me by my proper name, and you'd know that I do not feed on mortal food No, the darkness in your soul is more than enough."
He pauses for a second to rejoice in the idea of triggering the woman's latent malice.
"You may not know what you really want, but I do" he adds as the dark mist feeds him the information he requires "If you help me, I can get you back to your parents" he pauses dramatically "Now, have I got your attention?"

Next of Kin 
Enchantment - Aura
When enchanted creature dies, you may search your library for a creature card that shares a creature type with enchanted creature and has lesser converted mana cost than enchanted creature and put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.
Never forget where you come from.

"I don't know much Malexy, it's why I'd love to start writing." So much for going to S.

"If you help me, I can get you back to your parents. Now, have I got your attention?"

Reyhsia's face turned sour. "Don't you pretend like you know anything." Her hand settled on the hilt of her sword. "I spent over twenty years following dead ends. They didn't want to be found. Or maybe they're dead. I've accepted that. I'm not interested in your necromancy or puppets to trick me into happiness."

"Now, I suggest you leave, or you'll be the person I'll figure out how to break."

Chedhan, the Devourer
Legendary Creature - Spider Demon
Menace
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponents control, if it wasn't cast, destroy it.
"Those who attempt to avoid judgment shall only find themselves in the demon's maw."
-Tirvanian Reincarnation
4/3

---

a wild reyhs-world deity appears
korakhos
Next of Kin - you've got me pondering on ways to break this, but i think requiring lesser prevents this from going too wild without cmc changes. 8/10

(gurf/windy I'll have to get tomorrow :c)

"I've seen it countless times, Malexy. The only person who wins dealing with demons is the demon." I left before I could get any response. I needed a bigger demon.

The Cannibal King
Legendary Creature - Human Noble
Lifelink
Sacrifice a creature: Target opponent loses 1 life, discards a card, and sacrifices a permanent.
With the demons deal, the whole world would pay for the cost of power.
3/3

---

korakhos
Sacrificing whatever you try to steal
Pending Contract is a weird one. flavor's good, and seems probably appropriately costed? but the effects kinda eh. 7/10

---

Reyhsia entered the bakery with a calm pace, despite her mind racing. She knew one person who might match Malextros, and one person who would know how to find her. Maps from across the Multiverse covered the walls. A large map of the Arena stood proudly in a glass case, and Reyhsia sighed with relief that it was just a normal map. She walked up to the elf working at the oven.

"S, we need to talk."

"I'll be with you in just-" "Sevid. Now." she cut her off.

"Oh. Here I was hoping I was finally out."

"Right, like you're not doing anything I should be ratting out already. I'm not here about that though. I just need to get to E."

"Who are you talking about?" the elf was confused. "Look, I don't know all your friends, and I can't keep track of people I don't know."

"Don't play games with me. I know you finally got the Atlas. I know Mei picked up something from that vault too. And I know there's no way either of you got those without Evigal."

"Look," she said in a harsh whisper. "It was me, Lucien, his pet, and his stupid vampire harlot. That was it. I don't know any Evigal."

Reyhsia buried her head in her hands. "Please stop acting like that cannibal cares about you. And please. Tell me where E is."

"We don't serve that here!" the elf yelled so the whole shop could hear her. "Now either buy something we do have or get out of my shop." she growled.

"Oh good, glad to hear you're not exaggerating then." he said, smirking as he watched her.  "Keep it up Karina, with moves like that you'll be as good as I am in no time." he said.  She seemed... happier than before.  It was a welcome change. Turning back to Reyhsia, he said  "You're an impressive fighter.  With you around, I don't have to worry too much about my little --" he paused.  He cast his gaze downward for a moment before looking back to her.  "...about her." as happy as he sounded, a tinge of sadness escaped in his voice.  With such a good guardian, he would return to his shack alone, to another night of inadequacy.  He inwardly scolded himself.  Karina was not his child, nor his student- he had no right to be sad about this.  

But...

Graham, Soldier of Solitude
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier
Lifelink, vigilance
Whenever you would create a creature token, you gain 2 life instead.
"For the good of the cause - I am in exile.  That is all you need to know." - Graham to many visitors
4/4

Nedia, the Outfitter: This feels kind of a more white thing, cause red gets it's bursts of passion but white usually has long-term buffs.  That being said, it seems fine, especially the second clause, and the equipment is a firebreathing. 8/10.

gurfafflekins (If rather than Whenever btw)

"Why, thank you," she bowed her head slightly. "I am not sure it is a warrior she needs though. She has handled herself phenomenally for her age, but she always seemed lost. And then, she had all these stories of her own, of your bravery, of your... family. You seemed to have helped her in a way I never could." She paused for a moment, unsure if she should say what was on her mind.

"I have never been a parent, and have never been in her situation. I understand you have. I think... I think that is what she needs right now." She thought for a moment, then quickly added, "If you are able, of course. I know many around here would not want to spend their time on the Arena with a child."

Vassia, Matron of Blood
Legendary Creature - Vampire Advisor
Lifelink
If you would gain life, create that many 1/1 black Vampire creature tokens instead.
1/4

(blasted lack of white mana forcing me to make vampires)
Graham - how does a solitary soldier have many visitors this is. really hard to evaluate. I think that's a fairly bad trade, and even if you had some way to use it, it's on an expensive body for tokens. Body seems fair tho. 8/10

(I knew that I swear)

The soldier looked a little surprised.  "Umm, umm," he hesitated and stuttered.  Stories about him?  He remembered how Rose always tried to brag that her dad could beat up the other girls' fathers. "Well, I'm... I'm glad I could help however I can." he said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.  He listened to her offer, and his eyes widened.  "Well, I, this is..." he... well, this was his chance.  He could take care of her.  He looked to her, and smiled at the sight of her.  "Are you sure?  I'd like nothing more than to... to..." he couldn't think of a word.  "Well, you know what I mean."

Aiden, the Invincible 
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier
First strike
Whenever a creature you control blocks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is ~'s power.
"You won't get past me.  Try your best, but I will not fall."
5/5

(You said you wanted to do a big ol' Aiden but couldn't because no white - here you go.  Also, ratings be damned, Aiden is cool here)

Vassia, Matron of Blood: the card is neat and better implemented than mine.  Could probably stand to be a 2/4 though for 4 mana.  9/10.

"I do not know of any tools that could do so, unfortunately.  I do know at least one spell capable of doing so, but I imagine that is not especially helpful for you as I would have to be present to cast it."  Arina looks at one of the books she handed Reyhsia.  "Actually, it should also be detailed in Shaidosta Collapses named Sovereign Stasis.  The later generations of my family are well known for it."

Soazoat is a great way of just offing a problem.  And it being repeatable isn't even a meaningful thing because it has such a hefty downside.  I love that he can start picking at the scrap, too. 10/10