Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,
If you are just coming back from school or work, we need you to stop your routine right now so you can read today’s official Magic Story fiction, wonderfully written up by Ken Troop over on the mothersite. You will not be disappointed - this story rocked the socks off untold numbers of Magic: the Gathering players waiting for the next story from Shadows Over Innistrad.
Do NOT read onward - - - don't worry, we'll wait until you get back.
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Back ? Dang!! What a story right ?
Avacyn is an archangel who inhabits Innistrad, and is the central figure of the Church of Avacyn, who gives the humanity of that plane the faith to fight for survival. The vampire planeswalker Sorin Markov created her and tasked her with protecting the plane. Through her, the magic of faith would create true power to fend off the darkness. The Church of Avacyn rose from the power Sorin invested in her. The demon Griselbrand defiantly came to the Helvault and challenged Avacyn to combat. Avacyn and Griselbrand battled for days, out of view of all but Avacyn's host, the Lunarch, Mikaeus, and his most trusted bishops. Finally, in an act of desperate effort, Avacyn used all of her remaining strength to drive Griselbrand into the Helvault. As his final act, Griselbrand threw his spear and impaled his angelic nemesis. The binding spell backlashed as she was impaled, and Avacyn was drawn into the Helvault along with the demon. Avacyn was imprisoned in the Helvault alongside every other demon that was trapped within. Liliana Vess visited Innistrad in the hopes of destroying Griselbrand, with whom she had made a demonic pact that would result in her soul's enslavement. She opened the Helvault which released of both the demons and Avacyn, restoring mankind's defence against the darkness.
These angels are associated with the sun, in contrast with Avacyn herself. Once a year during the Harvest Moon season, the sun will not dip below the horizon for two full days, and during this time the moon isn't visible. Known as the Feast of Goldnight, this is the holiest day for the humans. It is the time when the Avacynian enchantments are strongest throughout Innistrad. Angels from this flight are the most battle oriented among the flights. They also oversee the training of cathars. The messenger for Flight Goldnight is Gisela.
These angels personify the Blessed Sleep and are associated with the Hunter's Moon season. They provide magic that wards against the desecration of dead humans. In the absence of Avacyn they remained the most active and continued on to reinforce wards that protected the human populations. The messenger for Flight Alabaster is Bruna.
These are the angels of birth and purity and are associated with the New Moon season. Their magic is said to ward humans against harm in life (as opposed to the Alabaster host, which wards against harm in death). Most of the angels from this flight helped in the efforts of humans against the werewolves. The messenger for Flight Herons is Sigarda.
In today's story, 'A Gaze Blank and Pitiless', Sigarda had not yet been 'turned' or corrupted. Her art clearly shows 'no blood on her wings' but just look into her eyes - is it an Angelic Power or the same evil (thinking Lithomancer shenanigans here) which took Avacyn and Sigarda's sisters ? ? ? ? ?
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