This content was originally included in an issue of Duelist magazine. The original article can be accessed via Internet Archive here.

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Main Magazine Page: The Duelist #3

By Shawn F. Carnes

In Magic, players assume the role of planeswalkers, powerful wizards roving the multiverse of Dominia and clashing in its myriad of realms. This Magic variant brings some of these realms to life, offering background and motivation for a duel, and challenging duelists to adapt to an unusual environment.

As Dominian scholar Valdusian Tomer reveals, the world of Antausia is particularly rich in magical history.

“Magic has always been a part of Antausia—but never a peaceful part. A plane of Dominia seldom visited by planeswalkers, Antausia has been explored only by the world’s few inhabitants.

Powerful, but untutored, some magi began to corrupt the magic of Antausia for personal gain. There were those, however, who understood the destructive powers of magic gone unchecked, and they rose against those who warped Antausia’s magic. Thus began the Great Magus War which consumed Antausia for nearly six hundred years.

The war eventually ground to a halt through attrition, but the aftermath was devastating. Whole parts of Antausia were changed, warped by the very magic which gave the world life. Some parts blossomed with new power, while others tore at the very fabric of magical reality.

Magical wars still rage on Antausia, with new names and faces dueling against one another; these mages, however, seem to have forgotten the principles of their predecessors. The new wizards know they must fight, but their reasons aren’t always clear. Their magical battles often take place in the realms created by the war, further fragmenting Antausia into isolated realms… some fantastic, some frightening.”

Below are some of the realms of Antausia where dueling wizards may find themselves. Each of these realms should be treated like an Enchant World spell from Legends™, and any subsequent Enchant World cast will replace the original realm. These realms are special, however, in that they cannot be taken out of play by normal means; a realm cannot be Disenchanted or otherwise removed by a normal spell. Consider each of the realms an untouchable permanent. However, if a realm is changed with an Enchant World spell and the spell is later disenchanted, then all effects are eliminated and play reverts back to normal. This reflects the powerful Enchant World spell cancelling out the innate power of Antausia, bringing some stability (albeit temporary) back to the realm. Before beginning a duel, players should select one of these realms to duel in. One method is to use a d10 to determine the realm. On a roll of 10, roll the die again twice (disregarding any roll of 9 or 10) to select two realms of Antausia which are in effect for the turn.

If there is one piece of advice that I could give you Magus, it would be this: Do not be sure of yourself and your power when in one of these realms, for the realm may know you better than you know it.

Valdusian Tomer

1. The Caverns of Martuk

“Here the, great mage Martuk. was destroyed by the malignant Mandrake Nightshade. It is said that when Martuk died, he fell deep within the caverns. When his spirit was released from its mortal shell, his powerful magic was released into the realm, saturating it with powerful magic. In turn, this attracted many creatures to the area, seeking this rich source of magical power. A mage who ventures into the Caverns of Martuk will find these creatures as well as many items left discarded from the battle. Wizards also find it easier to access their own libraries of knowledge, thanks to Martuk’s very essence which permeates the caverns.”

This realm acts as a permanent Howling Mine; all players draw one additional card during their draw phase.

2. The Fertile Lands of Saulvinia

“It is said that the magic that gives Antausia its very existence is a cognizant magic. If so, Saulvinia is perfect proof of that. Saulvinia escaped the majority of the horrid conflicts in the Great Magus War. Over time, Saulvinia flourished and prospered when many other realms withered and died. Magic is strong here, stronger than in any other realm in Antausia; it is as if the magic itself sensed that it could flourish here. Unfortunately for Saulvinia, dueling mages have seen this as well, and more and more battles threaten to make Saulvinia a wasteland.”

This realm acts as a permanent Mana Flare; all land tapped for mana produces one more of the appropriate color mana per land.

3. Mandrake’s Mountain

“When the mighty Mandrake Nightshade finally fell, it was upon what was known then as Mt. Margalus. Mandrake had assembled a mighty force, with Dragons and Pit Lords at his beck and call, but these fell to the smaller stalwart hordes that Selena Mistencharmer and Slides Stardust set upon him. Fearful of his possible return, Selena and Slides planned to imprison him here by joining their powerful magics to bind him and any powerful creature which might ever set foot in this realm. This drained them severely, and may have led to their eventual demise. Mandrake’s Mountain still drains all powerful creatures of their strength and will to fight.”

This realm acts as a permanent Meekstone; creatures with a power greater than two may not untap normally during their controller’s untap phase.

4. The Fortified Open Lands

“The inhabitants of the Open Lands of Antausia have always been wary of the magi. Home to many fine warriors, the Open Lands built up defenses against the random battles of the Great Magus War. The inhabitants erected mighty fortresses and great walls to shield themselves, thinking these would keep the magi out. To the people of the Open Land’s dismay, however, their fortifications only enticed the magi to battle.”

This realm is similar to a permanent Castle; all untapped creatures gain +0/+1.

5. The Great City of Bosconius

“Bosconius is the largest city in Antausia. The city seems as large as a small country with everything imaginable within the immense city walls. Here Rostov Maelstrom destroyed Selena Mistencharmer after the battle of My. Margalus. Ambushing the exhausted Selena in her own laboratory, Rostov dispatched her with very little difficulty. Selena, however, had been working on a very special artifact, a Celestial Prism that continually tapped into the magic of Antausia. Focusing all her energies, Selena shattered the prism before she was slain, releasing the powerful magic throughout Bosconius. Now, a rainbow of every color of the spectrum continually shines upon Bosconius, and it is said that the magic of Bosconius can be changed by Selena’s eternal rainbow.”

This realm acts as a Celestial Prism does; the mage may use this realm’s ability to change two mana of any color into one mana of any color. Only two mana can be changed in this fashion by a wizard during that wizard’s turn.

6. The Wastes of Farreach

“Even the farthest realms of Antausia were scarred by the Great Magus War. To keep from harming innocent people (or to keep those innocent people out of the way), many magi decided that uninhabited realms such as Farreach would be better to resolve magical duels. The distant lands of Farreach were a frequent site of many of the battles in the Great Magus War. The magic of Antausia reacted by warping the land into a realm where the very libraries the wizards used would almost work against them.”

This realm acts as a permanent Kismet which affects all players; all creatures, lands, and artifacts which are brought into play are initially tapped. Any land, creature, or artifact which normally begins play tapped must spend an additional turn tapped as well.

7. The Power Pools of Beldingard

“The realm of Beldingard had always been home to the more potent magics of Antausia. Many pools filled with pure magical energy could be found here. These pools drew the likes of Dinitra La Croix, a sorceress who subjugated the realm for nearly 80 years of the Great Magus War. In an effort to free the realm, Ignatius Firestorm challenged her in her own domain. Dinitra tried to force the land to do her bidding, using the pools to fill her army with further power. Still Ignatius came, bringing his army with him to challenge the witch. I was part of that army, a young, apprentice to the noble Ignatius, eager to set the world straight. I cannot tell you the pleasure I had in seeing the look on the sorceress’s face when Ignatius’ army was enchanted by the same pools Dinitra had tried to harness.”

This realm acts as a permanent Mightstone; all attacking creatures are at +1/+0 until the end of the turn.

8. Icedale

“The coldest, most bitter place in all of Antausia, Icedale’s temperature is rarely above freezing on the best of days, and the swift, icy wind has sent more then one fool to a quick death before he had time to notice. With the environment and the magic of Antausia working against them, it is a mystery piEy the magi still choose to battle in this realm.”

This realm acts as a permanent Winter Orb; players may only untap one land during their untap phase.

9. The Antausian Vortex

“In the very center of Antausia lies the dreaded magical vortex. Some sages, scholars, and magi speculate that this swirling mass of energy is an actual physical representation of the magic that binds Antausia together, the magic of Antausia gone awry. Many fools have tried to toy with the vortex, tampering with the very power that binds them to this world. The results of this are completely unpredictable; only the most skilled mage is even remotely able to control it. It is said that the vortex can actually lead you to many of the different realms of Antausia, but those who have tried to test of truth of this have not returned to testify.”

This effects of this realm are constantly changing. If the Antausian Vortex is chosen as the initial realm, no special effect happens initially. After a complete cycle of players, reroll to see what the new realm in effect is. This’ realm effect lasts until another cycle is completed, at which time another roll is made. If at any time the roll for the Antausian Vortex itself comes up, count it as a stable realm for that round, with no special effects.

Design by Shawn F. Carnes, Brian Van Skyock, and Carlos Fernandez
Written by Shawn F. Carnes