, : Counter target spell unless its controller pays .
Vodalian Mages were invaluable in magical combat. Unfortunately, the Homarids raided with strength, numbers, and very little magic.
"Vodalian Soldiers had some unique advantages. Often they would ride into battle on war machines rumored to have come from the far northern oceans."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. V
"You think you know everything there is to know about battle? You know Orc droppings! Underwater combat is three dimensional. Those thrice-damned Vodalians don't attack in ranks; they attack in schools."
—Ivra Jursdotter
"Stalwart Soldiers, you stand against the Homarids for Vodalia and for honor. Your homeland cries out for protection, and the moment has come. Now let your valor shine, and sound the cry to battle. Victory to Vodalia!"
—Marshall Volnikov
"The cooling climate introduced a new threat to Vodalia: the Homarids. Once a minor nuisance, they thrived in the changing environment. Their ceaseless attacks strained Vodalia's defenses to their limit, eventually overwhelming the empire."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. V
Defender (This creature can't attack.)
Tap an untapped Merfolk you control: This creature can attack this turn as though it didn't have defender.
Tap an untapped Merfolk you control: This creature gets +2/+1 until end of turn.
When this creature dies, destroy all Merfolk tapped this turn to pay for its abilities.
, Sacrifice this creature: Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature.
"The worst thing about being a mercenary for the Ebon Hand is having to wear a dead Thrull."
—Ivra Jursdotter
, Sacrifice this creature: Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature.
"They gave their lives to strengthen the Order's armies, until they declined this honor in favor of joining the Thrull Rebellion."
—Jherana Rure, Counter-Insurgency Commander
, Sacrifice this creature: Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature.
"Except for a bare spot at the base of their skulls, Armor Thrulls bear interlocking plates and spikes with the strength of steel. Their design is almost artistic."
—Endrek Sahr, "Thrulls"
, Sacrifice this creature: Put a +1/+2 counter on target creature.
Occasionally, an ally balked at wearing a dead Thrull as armor. The priests' whips, however, were usually enough to encourage a more practical outlook.
, Sacrifice this creature: Add .
Initially bred for sacrifice, the Thrulls eventually turned on their masters, the Order of the Ebon Hand, with gruesome results.
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
, Sacrifice this creature: Add .
Although my later designs were much more sophisticated, Basal Thrulls were no less a success."
—Endrek Sahr, "Thrulls"
, Sacrifice this creature: Add .
"To create the first Thrulls, I only introduced alchemic elements into the Order's necromancy; Tourach's principles remained unchanged."
—Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
, Sacrifice this creature: Add .
"Above all, a well crafted Thrull should be hideous—blasted of countenance and twisted of limb—to inspire fear and revulsion."
—Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this enchantment unless you pay .
At the beginning of your end step, create a 0/1 black Thrull creature token.
The Thrulls bred at a terrifying pace. In the end, they overwhelmed the Order of the Ebon Hand.
Black spells you cast cost more to cast.
"Strength it has, but at the cost of a continuous supply of energy. Such failure can bear only one result."
—From the execution order for Endrek Sahr, Master Breeder
First strike, trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a -2/-2 counter on this creature.
Sacrifice a creature: Remove a -2/-2 counter from this creature. If the sacrificed creature was a Thrull, put a +1/+0 counter on this creature. Activate only during your upkeep and only once each turn.
Target player discards two cards at random.
"The eerie, wailing Hymn caused insanity even in hardened warriors."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
Target player discards two cards at random.
"Tourach's power was such that his followers deified him after his death."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
Target player discards two cards at random.
Knowing the Hymn's power, the followers of Leitbur carefully guarded their pillaged transcriptions.
Target player discards two cards at random.
Members of the Order often played the Hymn on instruments made from their victims' bones.
: Add . If this ability has been activated four or more times this turn, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of the next end step.
"We are no longer Nature's children, but her masters . . . ."
—Oath of the Ebon Hand
: Add . If this ability has been activated four or more times this turn, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of the next end step.
Ebon leaders soon realized that non-human races often had special talents that could be exploited.
: Add . If this ability has been activated four or more times this turn, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of the next end step.
"Many Initiates sacrificed a hand to become full members of the Order."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, defending player discards three cards.
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, defending player discards three cards.
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, defending player discards three cards.
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, destroy target creature defending player controls. It can't be regenerated.
Necrites killed Jherana Rure, ending the counter-insurgency.
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, destroy target creature defending player controls. It can't be regenerated.
"Ever see a wall drop dead of fright, kid? It ain't pretty."
—Cpl. Dobbs
Whenever this creature attacks and isn't blocked, you may sacrifice it. If you do, destroy target creature defending player controls. It can't be regenerated.
Was it the sight, smell, or aura of the Necrite that killed so effectively?
Protection from white
: This creature gains first strike until end of turn.
: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
A true follower of Tourach took pride in achievement to the exclusion of other concerns.
Protection from white
: This creature gains first strike until end of turn.
: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
"There are intriguing similarities between the Order and Icatia's Leitbur religion, suggesting the two had a common origin."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. VI
Protection from white
: This creature gains first strike until end of turn.
: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
Dedicated to the principles of Tourach, members of the Order of the Ebon Hand demonstrated their devotion with grisly rituals.
As an additional cost to cast this spell, exile a creature you control.
Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Put a +2/+2 counter on that creature if the exiled creature was a Thrull.
Thrull creatures get +1/+1.
: Gain control of target Thrull for as long as you control this creature.
"Those idiots should never have bred Thrulls for combat!"
—Jherana Rure
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +1/+1.
Sacrifice this Aura: Regenerate enchanted creature.
"Until the Rebellion, Thrulls served their masters faithfully—even at the cost of their own lives."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
: Counter target black spell unless that spell's controller pays or .
"In crafting intelligent Thrulls to assist in sacrifices, Sahr inadvertantly set the stage for the Thrull Rebellion."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. II
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this enchantment unless you pay .
Whenever a player puts a Forest onto the battlefield, this enchantment deals 3 damage to that player unless they put a -1/-1 counter on a creature they control.
Enchant land you control
Sacrifice a Thrull: Put three time counters on this Aura.
At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter from this Aura. If there are no time counters on this Aura, sacrifice it.
Tap enchanted land: Attacking creatures you control get +2/-1 until end of turn. Activate only if enchanted land is untapped.
This creature can't block creatures with power 2 or greater.
"The Brassclaws delighted in lightning raids on Icatian and Dwarven towns; an unprepared enemy is easier to defeat."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
This creature can't block creatures with power 2 or greater.
"Brassclaws were typical Orcs—quick to laud their own prowess in battle, quick to jeer at their opponents, and quicker still to run away when things started to look slightly dangerous."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
This creature can't block creatures with power 2 or greater.
"A whole skin is worth a thousand victories."
—Orcish Veteran of the Battle of Montford
This creature can't block creatures with power 2 or greater.
"The large brass claws worn by some Sarpadian Orc tribes were among the least feared weapons ever known."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
, , Discard a card: Put a +0/+1 counter or a +1/+0 counter on target creature.
"The few remaining pieces from this period suggest the Dwarves eventually made weapons and armor out of everything, even children's toys."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
Dwarven Catapult deals X damage divided evenly, rounded down, among all creatures target opponent controls.
"Often greatly outnumbered in battle, Dwarves relied on catapults as one means of damaging a large army."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
: Target Dwarf creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
"Dwarven officers were tireless in battle, moving up and down the lines to rally their troops and boost morale."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by one or more Orcs, this creature gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
"Let no one say we did not fight until the last . . . ."
—Headstone fragment from a mass grave found in the Crimson Peaks
Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by one or more Orcs, this creature gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
There is a legend among present-day Dwarves that the Dwarves of Sarpadia will one day return to defend Dwarvenkind against a deadly peril.
Whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by one or more Orcs, this creature gets +0/+2 until end of turn.
"Although the Dwarves staunchly defended their walled city-states against the Orcs, their civilization was the first to fall, and its name was sadly lost."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. I
Sacrifice a Goblin: Regenerate target creature.
The Chirurgeons patched up their fallen comrades with a gruesome mix of twisted limbs and mangled flesh.
Sacrifice a Goblin: Regenerate target creature.
"I asked one of my aides how they do it, but all he'd say was, 'Trust me, Mayor, you don't want to know.'"
—Lydia Wynforth, Mayor of Trokair
Sacrifice a Goblin: Regenerate target creature.
"Perhaps Goblins are good for something after all."
—Attributed to General Khurzog
Islandwalk (This creature can't be blocked as long as defending player controls an Island.)
At the beginning of each combat, unless you pay , whenever this creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature this combat, that creature gains first strike until end of turn.
Exceptionally poor sailors, Goblins usually arrived at their destination retching and in no condition to fight.
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a Goblin.
Goblin Grenade deals 5 damage to any target.
"According to accepted theory, the Grenade held some kind of flammable mixture and was carried to its target by a hapless Goblin."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a Goblin.
Goblin Grenade deals 5 damage to any target.
"I don't suppose we could teach them to throw the cursed things?"
—Ivra Jursdotter
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a Goblin.
Goblin Grenade deals 5 damage to any target.
"Without their massive numbers, the Goblins could never have launched such a successful offensive."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. VI
: Target creature you control with toughness 2 or less gains flying until end of turn. Flip a coin at the beginning of the next end step. If you lose the flip, sacrifice that creature.
Creatures you control have menace. (They can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
"The Goblins' dreaded War Drums struck terror into the hearts of even their bravest foes."
—Sarpadian Empires, vol. IV
Creatures you control have menace. (They can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
"Defending the outer trenches, we strained our eyes in the darkness. All we could hear was the Drums' terrible pounding. Dobbs, on my right, broke first. Soon we were all heading for the walls."
—Corporal Peter Douglas, courtmartial testimony
Creatures you control have menace. (They can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.)
The War Drums enabled Goblin and Orcish armies to crush the sparsely defended Dwarven cities.