When the Great Aurora comes . . .
The daylit world of Lorwyn is no more, its beauty forgotten by all but a precious few. The other souls have descended into a darkness that mirrors the sky above their heads, and unthinkable horrors lurk in the ever-present shadows of a world gone bad.. . . an epoch of darkness descends.
Magic: The Gathering, the utterly dominant trading card game since 1993, demonstrates how it keeps fans excited: with regular and robust development of new storylines, as well as associated products like novels. The new set evokes an atmosphere of dark faerie. Set in the same plane as last year’s Lorwyn, which had a classic fantasy feel, Shadowmoore introduces a more sinister feel, thanks to an event called the Aurora:
The world of Shadowmoor bears an eerie resemblance to sunlit Lorwyn—but through the magic of the Aurora, most of its denizens think Shadowmoor is the only world there’s ever been. Brigid and Maralen, as two of the precious few who survived the Aurora with their memories intact, are in the unique position of being able to reflect on the change. Brigid recognizes the town of Kinscaer, but she knew it by another name. Maralen recognizes some of the geography of the Wilt-Leaf Forest, but it’s not the place she remembers. The mad giant Rosheen Meanderer was one of the few who prophesied the Great Aurora, but no one could even understand her ravings well enough to put stock in them.
If you’ve played Lorwyn or Morningtide you’ll recognize the basic creature types, goblins and kithkin and elves, only they’ve changed — teaser cards released show the denizens of Lorwyn are now twisted and dark. What is the Aurora?
Well, you’ll have to find out for yourself, the Shadowmoor mini-site on magicthegathering.com contains only tantalizing storylets and a few spoiler cards. The new set debuts on May 2nd.
