EDITED BY LIZZ BALDWIN

INTRODUCTION BY RICHARD GARFIELD

)
THE

ARTV
MAGIC
A Fantasy of

World Building

and the Art of

The Rath Cycle

INTRODUCTION BY RICHARD GARFIELD

TEXT BY ANTHONY WATERS &

EDITED BY LIZZ BALDWIN

 THE

ART of
MAGIC
The Rath Cycle

FOR RICHARD, PETER, JESPER AND THE Magic ARTISTS

Dread of Night by Richard Thomas
INTRODUCTION: CTG ORIGINS f MAGIC .I

DOMINARIA: LIVING SOUL f MAGIC.2

J72T RATH CYCLE.5

JV WEATHERLIGHT.9

CHARACTERSof THE RATH CYCLE.35

JG VILLAINS.57

J1Z PREDATOR.67

STRONGHOLD.77

RACES f RATH .93

OTHER RACES 118

 INTRODUCTION

THE

ORIGINS,
MAGIC'
hey say that art imitates life, but in the than blurted from a single point of view.
case of Magic: The Gathering,® it This is something I hadn’t experienced
would be more appropriate to say that in gaming before, and that difference, I
art defines life. That is because when I believe, is at the core of MAGIC: The
created Magic, contrary to most fantasy Gathering’s popularity.
game settings I wasn’t trying to tell a The art of telling a story in a trading
pre-determined story. Rather, I wanted card game has reached its zenith with
to provide players with evocative art that The Rath Cycle™. Beginning with the
conveyed story elements from which Weatherlight™ card set, we’ve unveiled a
they could weave their own tale. Players more traditional epic fantasy. Gerrard
wouldn’t know what the Winter Orb and the rest of the Weatherlight crew are
was, for instance, but between the art by at the center of a story that continues
Mark Tedin, the name on the card, and through Tempest,™ Stronghold™ and,
the card’s impact in the game, players Exodus’—2nd beyond in upcoming
could assemble their own view of the novels and card sets.
Dominia setting. Fabulous art, more The evolution of these characters
than a preset story, defined the world. and their story is revealed here from
The Antiquities® card set changed that conceptual sketches to finished art. If
by integrating art and plot. The the players are, indeed, archaeologists,
designers began with characters and a then this book is their atlas to explore
story that they wanted to tell through the exciting world that has been brought
the cards. At first, I confess this seemed to life through the hard work of
crazy to me. Unlike more conventional illustrators and the entire Magic design
modes of storytelling, the nature of a team. Together, they have fashioned
trading card game prevents controlling Rath into a unique environment, not
the order in which players are just for the MAGIC: THE GATHERING
introduced to the characters and events. game, but also for the story behind
But this inability to force a linear Magic as well.
storyline made me realize that this I hope you enjoy exploring it as
approach was not so different from my much as you do the Rath card sets.
original goal. It came to me then that
Magic: The Gathering players are like
archaeologists, piecing together the story
from a handful of illustrations, names,
and flavor text. It’s like the tale is being
whispered in bits and pieces to
players—words on the wind—rather
 THE ARTf MAGIC

DOMINARIA:
LIVING SOUL
A'MAGIC

^ ) imply put, in a universe

where powerful
spellcasters travel, learn,
battle, and die, Dominaria is prime real estate.
The central hub in a wheel of connected planes
called the multiverse, Dominaria contains not
only great storehouses of magical energy called
mana, but the geological and topological features
these spellcasters need to draw on and focus for
their own personal use.
The multiverse (known collectively as
Dominia) is a place of magic, and magic is
powered by mana. Mana is the basic, all-
pervading energy that is the foundation of all the

Above, Island by
Eric Peterson;
right, Swamp by
Romas; Jar right
bottom, Mountains
by Brian Durfee;
middle, Plains by
Douglas Shuler;
top, Forest by John
Avon. Background
design, Dominaria
and the Null
Moon by Brian
Dugan, Anthony
Waters, and
Sonia Telesco.

2
 DOMINARJA

planes of Dominia and everything on

those planes. Every creature, place, or
material object in the multiverse contains
some mana; in addition, some things
that do not have a material existence
(spirits, strong emotions, even dreams)
contain some mana. It is both a sort of
magical “electricity” as well as the “soul”
of things.
Spellcasters draw mana primarily
from land because they provide the
purest forms of colored mana (swamps
for black magic, islands for blue, forests
for green, mountains for red, and plains
for white). A spellcaster “tags,” or makes
a connection with a geographical area,

and then can call forth the mana from

any physical distance as long as he is
on the same plane as the lands that he
or she has tagged. Mana-wielding
planes-walkers are different from mere
wizards or mages in that they have the
innate ability to travel from one plane
of reality to another. Due to its
inherent energy reserves, natural
beauty, and biological diversity,
Dominaria is a favorite destination for
some planeswalkers to study, trade,
and build; others use the worlds vast
resources to raise armies, conquer
nations, and construct political or
martial power bases from which they

3
 THE ARTf MAGIC

can strike out against the other worlds in the cluster

and expand their personal influence.
As with any valuable domain, Dominarias resources
offer equal opportunities for use and misuse by
powerful beings with the knowledge and the will to
use or exploit them. It is also a vibrant, dynamic system
of natural, spiritual, and political vectors, however, and
its inhabitants also have access to its gifts, which they
use to enrich themselves, attack their enemies, and even
fend off the depredations of unwelcome planeswalkers.
Dominaria is literally a world of living opportunities,
where the only limitations on ones actions are ones
knowledge, ones discipline, and ones ability to interact
with others in an ongoing struggle to define what shape
the world should take and what ones own role in that
world will be.

“More and more requirements were introduced

in the story as the design evolved.

The challenging part was to integrate

the reason that the Stronghold was

there in the first place. We had locations',

but there wasnt a logic behind the

structure itself, or even the plane of Rath,

so we did some brainstorming.

The Stronghold became the focal point

as the generator of fowstone,

the center of activity in the plane.”

—Mark Tedin

Plains by Terese Nielson

4
RATH CYCLE
 THE ARTf MAGIC

ithout a doubt, this is the first time that a book piece of the whole tale. Unraveling this story and
has been published to showcase the art from a assembling it into a coherent picture is a slow
card game. But MAGIC: The GATHERING is no process that requires patient concentration by the
ordinary card game. reader, who may not even have all the pieces of
This, the first in a series of The Art of MAGIC: the puzzle. But the rewards are as great as the
The Gathering books, focuses on the story of challenges; the sense of mystery and discovery is
The Rath Cycle. To fully appreciate the scope of the powerful in this new style of storytelling.
melding of art and story in The Rath Cycle, it is The art and the words are equal partners in
necessary to understand the phenomenal impact their task. How many books have a beautiful
Magic: The Gathering has had on fantasy art painting to accompany every paragraph? The art
and gaming in general. sets the tone of the world and establishes the
Magic: The Gathering began its scene for every segment of the story. It is also
remarkable life as a fun, fast-playing game of synonymous with the game. Visually, playing
sorcerous combat and sharp card trading. Its Magic: The Gathering is unlike playing any
rules were unusual enough to warrant a patent. other game. It is a treat for the eyes and the
But beneath its revolutionary rules and immense imagination, as well as a challenge to the mind.

Top, Ertais popularity, it was still just a game. And what art! When MAGIC: The
Meddling by It didn’t stay “just a game’’ for long. Players GATHERING was released in 1993, it set a new
Steve Luke; below, wanted to know more. How was the world of standard for game art. Individual pieces have
the artwork for
Dominaria created? Who were the legendary become cultural icons that are recognized by
Tempest packaging, by
brothers Urza and Mishra? Where did MAGIC millions of fans worldwide. Where most card
Mark Tedin, Anson
Maddocks, Kev come from, and what is mana, really? How do games are utterly abstract, MAGIC: The
Walker, and artifacts work? Each card, with an illustration and GATHERING has personality. Each card is
Matt Wilson accompanying paragraph of text, reveals one tiny different, with its own name and its own effect in

6
 THE RATH CYCLE

the game. From the very beginning, cards were a dynastic war against his
designed to reflect the atmosphere and mystery father, the warclan is destroyed.
of an exotic land where wizards and mythical Gerrard joins the crew of
beasts grapple for supremacy. the flying ship Weatherlight and
It is against this vivid backdrop that the story for years travels across
of The Rath Cycle and the subject of this Dominaria. Eventually he
magnificent art book is unveiled in four MAGIC: leaves the Weatherlight to study
THE GATHERING expansion card sets: Weatherlight, the arts of war and combat
Tempest, Stronghold, and Exodus. in Benalia, convinced that
The story begins in Jamuraa when the boy the Legacy and his heritage
Gerrard Capashen is adopted by the ruler of a bring doom to his
warclan. Gerrard is accompanied by a remarkable companions.
companion, a golem named Karn. Hidden inside Meanwhile, Vuel has
the golem is part of Gerrard s Legacy, a been transformed into
collection of magical artifacts. Gerrard is raised Volrath and become evincar
alongside Vuel, the rulers son. But Vuel is jealous of Rath, a twisted mirror
and vindictive; the young men become bitter plane of Dominaria. But his
rivals and eventually enemies. When Vuel sets off hatred for Gerrard still
burns hot. To lure Gerrard
and the Legacy to Rath,
Volrath kidnaps Sisay, the
Weatherlight’s captain. The
crew of the Weatherlight seeks
out Gerrard to lead them on
a quest to free their
imprisoned captain.
After planeshifting to
Rath, the Weatherlight is soon
attacked by Volrath s flying
ship the Predator and suffers
several losses. A shot from Clockwise from top left,
the Predator throws Gerrard overboard, two crew No Quarter by Doug
members are captured by the evil Greven il-Vec, Chaffee; Sudden

and the Weatherlight is damaged so that the ship Impact by Alan

Pollack; Tahngarth s
cannot return to Dominaria under its own power.
Rage by Hannibal
Gerrard meets with the Oracle and her people
King; and Stun by
after his fall and is later reunited with his Terese Neilson.
companions at the encampment of the native

7
 THE ARTf MAGIC

elves. The elves help with minor repairs to

Weatherlight and reveal to the crew a magical portal
that leads to an unknown destination, perhaps
their only means of escape.
Undaunted, the crew presses onward. Volrath s
fortress is suspended inside an enormous volcano
called the Stronghold. Weatherlight makes its way
cautiously through blistering caverns to the mile-
high Stronghold. Once there, Gerrard and the
crew battle their way through Volrath s minions
until Gerrard confronts Volrath himself. Final
victory seems to be in Gerrard s grasp when his
killing blow unveils Volrath s trickery; an
experimental shapeshifter has taken his place,
and the foe escapes.
But the mission, at least, is a success. Captain
Sisay is rescued, and the surviving crew members
return with the Legacy to the Weatherlight.
The damaged vessel still faces the daunting
task of finding a way back home to Dominaria.
Weatherlight flees to the portal with the Predator in
pursuit, narrowly managing to slip through. But
for a second time, the price is high; the wizard
Ertai, whose magic opened the portal with a
little help from the great planeswalker Urza, is
trapped on the wrong side, where Volrath s
soldiers quickly capture him. Sisay and the
Legacy have been rescued at a high cost indeed.
For all its grand scope, The Rath Cycle makes up
only a small portion of the overall story of
Dominaria and MAGIC: THE GATHERING.
Gerrard, Crovax, Karn, Tahngarth, and the rest of
Clockwise from top Itft,
background, Style the Weatherlight crew fight for a cause that is often
Guide reference for obscure to them.
the Rath Gate by Even though this is an “art” book, it contains
Anson Maddocks;
much more than illustrations from a card game.
Mind Over Matter
Concept sketches, blueprints, technical
by Keith Parkinson;
specifications, and story details blend together
Crovax the Cursed
by Pete Venters, to extend, amplify, and clarify the epic tale of
Scapegoat by Darin The Rath Cycle. Whether you play MAGIC:
Bader; Death Stroke THE GATHERING or just love fantasy stories
by Colin McNiel;
and fantastic art, you’re bound to be pleased
Erratic Portal
by what you find here.
by John Matson.
 as
WEATHERLIGHT
10
II
 THE ARTf MAGIC

:>

L place of birth. Seaborne empires forms. Given such a responsibility, it is no

f are defined by the cities where their fleets are surprise that the secrets she surrenders yield
x - built. The look and carriage of a ship is as much more questions than they answer.
a badge of its birthplace as the shape of some¬ It is fair to say that nothing like the Weatherlight
one’s face defines them as Yotian or Jamuraan. has cut Dominarian waters or its skies since the
Ships and their crews are both living records of Age of the Thran. Few dare to build on the same
where the ship originated. They often declare massive scale, and none have made such a
where the ship is going, whether to a hallowed marriage of wood and metal, the mundane and
place in a historical text or to become a garden the magical, as is contained in her form.
for fishes in some blue corner of the world. Weatherlight is both fish and fowl, a sailing vessel
In this respect Weatherlight differs from all the when circumstances demand, and a flyer when
others that race the winds of Dominaria. Her need be. She is the vessel of the Legacy. She was
true history is unknown. She flies; that alone never intended to ferry a nations goods or fulfill
makes her unique. Her lines match nothing that some imperial design. Weatherlight was created to
has ever come before her. The Weatherlight stands serve a higher calling.
out in this age of wood and canvas sheets, a The Weatherlight is several centuries old, older
magical, half-Thran ironclad towering above her than a vessel of her kind should have lasted.
sisters. Her life has stretched past the births and Rumors of her origins place her in half a dozen
deaths of generations of ships. The Weatherlight locales across the surface of Dominaria. Some
has no nationality, no home port she can declare. have hinted she was not made but grown. There
She has guarded her origins closely, just like her are enough hints to suggest that she has been
ultimate role in the conflict to come. She is the refitted and restructured many times over the
bearer of the Legacy in its living and inanimate years, so much so that she bears little resemblance
to her original design or form. Her shape was

The Weatherlight
navigates her way
between huge shafts
of the flowstone in
the furnaces deep
within Rath. Right,
Furnace of Rath by
John Matson.

Overleaf, Tempest
promotional poster
by Donato Giancola.

12
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

Cutaways

Deck lamps
(closeup)

Chains secure sails

Main deck by lowering and
retracting masts

TOP

Upper deck

Extended flight
position
Landing and”"
support spines
— FRONT

“A Style Guide is created and continually updated specifically to detail the look of the major races, Weatherlight’s sail
configuration and
personalities, and environments inherent within a card set. Its main purpose is to ensure when an artist hull cross-sections.
Schematics by Pete
produces a specific illustration, say, of an elf, that all of those pieces with elves in them will be consistent. Venters; lamp and
mast mechanisms by
This helps generate an intrinsically consistent environment on which to build. — Cha^Elliott Anthony Waters.

13
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Right, this cutaway

sketch demonstrates
the degree of detail
needed to flesh out all
aspects of The Rath
Cycle. Stripped of
concealing timbers, a
cross-section of the
Weatherlight reveals a
battleship. Heavy
beams of Yavimayan
wood have grown
around the ship’s
rigid metal spine, as
shown by the section
of the amidships false
bury (the vertical
structure in the center
of the drawing). Her
exterior surfaces are
carvel-built to this
living endoskeleton,
with planking secured
by what appear to be
nails. The crew’s
quarters are at the far
left, the engine,
officers’ berths, galley,
and observation
Being captain of the Weatherlight is no easy wings or seashells and speaks of arcane tech¬
decks are at the far
right. Sketches by
thing, nor is being one of her crew. Even signing nologies unknown on Dominaria for centuries, if
Anthony Waters. on as a passenger might make one liable for more not millennia. She takes on cargo hull to hull with
grief than a mere shipwreck could cause. She is a common traders. At sea she’s cumbersome, the
ship driven by forces stronger than winds or the target of much derision from her own crew, yet in
passions of her crew. Her course has nearly the air Weatherlight outpaces any of her seabound
broken her time and again. competitors, attaining speeds of over one hundred
Of all the Legacy’s elements, none are on so miles per hour.
grand a scale as the Weatherlight. At more than 330 Sisay has flown Weatherlight over the breadth of
feet in length, 74 feet in beam, 24 feet in draft, Dominaria, yet the vast majority who have seen
and 4,100 tons displaced when loaded she is her know her as a sailing ship. This is intentional.
easily among the largest craft afloat in present-day It is easier for her crew and mission if her aerial
Dominaria. She is so large, in fact, that she capabilities are disguised. Few craft ply the
outsizes most of her competitors twice over. Her skyways of Dominaria anymore; those that do
lines confuse, whether they were initially designed attract a great deal of attention.
to or not; her unusual masts and rigging can’t help The first deck or poop is reached through the
but attract attention. Few modern ships possess a bridge. Short of scaling a mast, this is the highest
power plant, at least one that isn’t made out of part of the ship, and the sternmost. One can
access the exterior housings for the mast
mechanisms from here by way of a pair of
narrow staircases. Aft of the stairs, at the far end
of the deck, are the exterior heads. The space
isn’t generous—two normal humans, sitting side
by side, would find it uncomfortably close. It
does offer a spectacular view, however.

14
THE WEATHERLIGHT

Left and below, a project

on the scale of The
Rath Cycle provides
ample opportunity to
explore new design
directions. These
sketches are a small
sample of the visual
theorizing necessary
to develop the setting
and story. Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

15
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Weatherlight deck plans

by Anthony Waters.

The poop is a terribly exposed portion of the separated by rank, wrap around the weather
deck. Windscreens from the bridge lamps begin room, a sort of Weatherlight foyer just below the
to feather out around this area, making bridge, which leads also to the orlop deck, below.
crosscurrents a constant danger. Fortunately, very Engineers often take breaks from working the
little work takes sailors here. mast mechanisms in this cooler, quieter spot. A
Weatherlight}s main deck sees the greatest amount heavy wooden door with a raised lip provides
of activity. Her officers, passengers, and most of entry onto the deck. Ship s mast mechanisms are
her crew are housed and fed here. Most of the found in the mast room, a windowless cell set
crews section, located in the bow, has ceilings of dead-center in this quarter of the Weatherlight.
six feet, not including braces. Headroom is Orims sickbay has its back to this noisy chamber.
unusually generous in the aft section, averaging Officer s cabins and guest staterooms account for
eight feet. All of Weatherlight^ amenities are to be the remaining space.
found in the stern. Her galley and ship s messes,

16
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

“Exploring Weatherlight s

equipment has helped us

examine the physics of

planeswalking, since

Weatherlight can grant

ordinary Dominarians the

ability to planeswalk. It’s also

given us insight into the history

of the Thran, because the

Weatherlight s design is

based upon the templates of that

ancient civilisation ”

—Chas^Elliott

The orlop deck of the Weatherlight gives access double doors opens into the cargo hold. Spaces

to the topmost floor of the cargo hold. Much of in the superstructure flanking the engine block

the crews supplies are stored here, atop whatever store equipment and allow access to the mana

cargo she may be carrying. Weatherlight s twin superfluid pool that is sandwiched between this

observation rooms are reached from this deck. deck and the bottom of the hull.
Approximately half of the lower deck is open Forward of the engine room is the hold,

from the base of the mast aft, permitting larger skirted on all sides by a narrow catwalk. The
cargo to be moved freely from the main deck to bulkheads housing the landing spines are fitted

the bottom of the ship. A small, adjoining beneath this deck and the orlop, straddling the

platform connects the engine room and either amidships mark. Over the bow are a series of

observation deck. Both outboard wings contain four cells, used to contain additional crew stores.

additional storage that can double as very The lowest deck is the cargo hold floor. A

cramped brigs. stairway leads up from here to the engine room.

The engine deck is composed in large part by Beneath the fourth deck catwalk a small door

the engine room, second only to the hold for opens into Hannas cramped workshop.
sheer size, and with good reason: It contains
Weatherlight}s enormous power plant. A pair of large

17
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Every inch of the

Weatherlight is packed with
equipment, the magical
vessels veins and nerves.
Artist Anthony Waters
used an approach
inspired by animation
layouts to clearly reveal
the bridges true
dimensions. However,
this lends a misleading
spaciousness to the
bridge, which would be
crowded with captain,
crew, and goods. Right,
early examples of
Weatherlight’s bridge
gear. Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

18
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

u
^Qgc*< -m AA<,<r~

z^osrl^ ^ *^K

Nr>< l\t> -r* (s^\*a*&<L

<ji»C *AYT *HC 8^ib^€ j >4 oHo

/vii</. —
Dc^el^P^c,J'/
TO>l<y

<zstia
wtl/of- - ^
/VlC^*'*') *r

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v1
**4K
"CW of the nicest pieces n/*v
VT'
c*<t
of work Yve seen is

the bridge. It was

Xj OO& T<* -fc-

definitely not what
po^/l •yy* j9v/lT' ^'/P^
r»/^cr
I expected\ and that’s

exactly what I wantedl”

—P<?te Peters

If the engine room is the Weatherlight^ heart, Infighting is inevitable among the ranks on
then the bridge is her mind. Like the engine any vessel. Deckhands complain of spending the
room, the bridge of the Weatherlight is never voyage marinated in salt water or chilled by
empty, no matter the hour. It may have been an wind. Engineers bellyache about being as well
Upper right,
oversight, or pure cruelty on the part of her oiled as their machinery. The bridge crew s
interpretations of
ships equipment, designers, but so little space exists elsewhere torture is that they are the last to be fed because
inspired by the aboard the Weatherlight that her entire library of it is crucial they stay on post. Since the galley is
designs of Tony navigational stock resides in chests and drawers directly below them, they spend the whole of
DiTerlizzi; above, top-
near the door to the poop deck. Captaincy on each mess period engulfed in the aroma of their
down schematic of
the Weatherlight means spending the bulk of the crewmates’ food.
WeatherUght’s bridge by
Anthony Waters. day and night poring over charts on the bridge.

19
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Above, early concept

Weatherlight bridge equipment generates a sense
sketches of the
of omnipresence. Two-way voice tubes with
ships main wheel
by Anthony Waters. mouthpieces fashioned in the shape of fanciful
sea creatures allow communication between the
ship s various decks. Skillfully crafted devices
display her course through the layers of aether;
others work in tandem with machinery in the
engine room to keep her steersmen aware of her
Clockwise from top engine s heartbeat. A sighting blister rises from
right, mast room
the middle of the room. It is considered an
cutaway; light
unparalleled luxury among the crew s veteran
fixture; kitchen
and off mess navigators to be able to mark the Weatherlight’s
by Mark Tedin. place without having to brave the elements.

jQQnnn

20
THE WEATHERLIGHT

Far left, early ship s

wheel; middle, early
concept for the ship’s
throttle; below,
navigational
equipment; bottom,
final design for the
ships wheel; more
navigational gear;
rough example of a
mechanism used to
mark Weatherlight’s
path along a ley
chart (diagram of
magical forces).
Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

21
 THE ARTf MAGIC

The genius of Weatherlight’s creator is most It is believed that the gate reactor is a cleverly
evident in the engine room. Tucked—more often engineered copy of an ancient Thran engine.
crammed—into this space are all of the elements Hints culled from the Thran Tome support this
that mark the Weatherlight as unique. One such notion. The reactor works by generating a small
machine is the shift drive, a mechanism that planar gate and tweaking it just out of phase
permits transit from Dominaria to Rath. several times a second. The resulting spatial
The Thran crystal rests at the core of all this imbalance causes explosions that, forced out of
machinery. Without it all Weatherlight’s elaborate the manifold, produce thrust. It is an ingenious, if
machinery is just so much ballast. This small regrettably loud, device. Heat from this
gemstone rests in a jacketed container, tucked combustion is used to quicken the mana fluid
into the bowels of the main block of the engine. without exposing it to the crystal by means of a
A separate device known as a mana converter uses special recirculating jacket that encircles the
mana to create a molasseslike green sludge, a fluid reactors exhaust. Feedback is kept under control
capable of carrying mana in suspension like an in this manner. Without the feedback loop there
electrical charge. Heating this toxic goo causes the would be no engine, no planar shifting, and, most
fluid to readily exchange its charge of magical important of all, no generating of the field that
potential, providing kinetic mana for the engine allows Weatherlight to defy gravity.
and power plant with increasing efficiency as It is the subject of much debate as to which is
its temperature increases. This liquid is forced worse: working in the mast room among all the
through the chamber that holds the crystal, grinding, shifting gears of the ship's masts,
generating a magical feedback loop that provides getting boiled in a room that's more like an oven,
power to the entire ship. A network of pumps or working in the engineers room, where the
feeds uncharged fluid into the crystals reaction work is greasier and much, much louder. Inertial
chamber from the reservoir sandwiched between dampers transmit this unwanted noise down the
the decks beneath the engine itself. Mana- length of the ship’s metal superstructure. Thus
enriched liquid is fed into the shift drive from the ship constantly produces a low hum.
Above, early speculative
this pool and, ultimately, to the gate reactor,
sketch of Weatherlight’s
power plant by the mechanism that provides the impetus
Anthony Waters. for the Weatherlight.

22
THE WEATHERLIGHT

Weatherlight’s engine went through many by Anthony Waters; top right, Hanna leans
designs before one was selected that struck against Weatherlight’s engine apparatus in a
a balance between earlier Thran designs painting by Tony DiTerlizzi, whose work
and the “Jules Vernian” look the team had considerable effect on later designs of
sought; sketches of early engine designs the Weatherlight.

23
 THE ARTf MAGIC

■p !>"
t

Clockwise from top left,

early design for the
Weatherlight’s mana
batteries; DiTerlizzi-
inspired engine room
equipment; another
take on the Weatherlight’s
batteries; alternate
configuration of the
engine; rough sketches
of the focs’le heater
unit; middle, the all
important mana
converter. Sketches
by Anthony Waters.

24
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

pAxr> f<^V To Y^>\J

Xcjz.j~T

^ a^q.4

/wa

^ec^A*
~v

fwT"- T
+ ^* f•**(**

Above, final design for

the ship’s batteries;
left and below, the
engine block and its
gadgetry went
through a peculiar
evolution—most
were sketched on the
back of priority lists
during concept
meetings. Sketches
by Anthony Waters.

25
 THE ARTf MAGIC

The main block is the single most massive Housed in the block is the matrix of piping
piece of machinery on the Weatherlight and the and gears that transfer power up through the
heaviest of the drive systems components, ceiling to the mast room, the bridge, sickbay, the
stretching across most of the engine room floor. galley, and the deck lamps that shield the deck
Its roughly eleven feet at its highest point and from strong winds. Access panels are carefully
eighteen feet at its widest The weight of the block fitted along the gilding of the metal paneling;
is perhaps best described by the look on the not that any of the engineers are enthusiastic
engineers’ faces when it is mentioned that the about opening the beast or entering it. Consoles
Above, Anthony
block can be moved, and worse, that it needs to be. flank the huge machine and provide some idea as
Waters’s sketch of
Caring for this monumental and excessively to the health of its inner workings. In addition,
the Weatherlight’s
complex piece of equipment requires constant these consoles act as tuning mechanisms for the
Thran crystal
chamber. The attention. Eight to ten engineers are on shift from shift drive, the device by which Weatherlight slips
housing for sunrise to sunset, slaving over the batteries and into other planes of existence.
the crystal was fluid pumps, checking gauges, and adjusting feeds.
cracked during
the initial assault
by the Predator’s
moggs, filling the
engine room with
poisonous fumes.

26
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

S j '
h.T C ^c«.n. f> <««■ ^ T«. V< i 7rW
Vi**"*,
rC{<r®Uc y
, e,v,/^tw ^4 V

c(orL # 4
<V< iV> irficf fX2fi r~«-~l
vW«f, < vrtCCfV o
,‘Wtvlj CJVtM ^'L. ©Jl-tf_

Much of the difficulty in working all of this Moving from plane to plane isn’t particularly
elaborate machinery stems directly from the easy. First one must apply a “sample” of the
Thran Tome, the text with a name that implies it plane to which the shift drive can attune, much
should be useful in dealing with the Weatherlight, in the same way a tuning fork is used to bring a
This is not always the case. Seeing Hanna with guitar into pitch. This “contagion,” or alchemical
the tome on her lap, surrounded by a huddle of infection, is then used to bring the drive into
frowning engineers, is not an uncommon sight. alignment with the desired destination, and
Clinics such as these have ended on a sour note power is applied to open the gate. Its a simple
Top of page, the final
so often that a common chant for the engine process fraught with a great deal of danger. In
design of Weatherlight’s
crew is, “Torch the Tome.” this instance the full weight of authority rests on
engine by Anthony
the shoulders of the chief engineer. She has the Waters; above,
power to stop the process at any point. alternate sketch
for the Thran
crystal chamber.

27
 THE ARTf MAGIC

11 ~

-'Xwe ilk;p

Below, the captains

cabin in a sketch by
Anthony Waters. A
person over six feet
tall would find the
bed at the end of the
room cramped. Right,
top-down schematic
of the captains
cabin also by
Anthony Waters.

—V 7

^ /

,i I

28
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

,he J • '

Last of the officers berths is the

<5ttm
own, in part due to his feeling that Sisays
captains cabin, sometimes called, with mess may contain clues to her whereabouts.
certain cheekiness, the “Great Cabin.” This The captain’s cabin on most ships of
suggests a space the actual room cannot live Weatherlight’s size would include enough space
up to. Sisays quarters are the roomiest for a small library and a table, or at least a
berth on the ship, though most of her secure place for alcohol. But Weatherlight’s
sailors sleep in bunks slightly bigger designers had other things in mind, such as
than coffins. the power plant and related machinery. The
Sisays drive to better understand the needs of the crew that would serve
Legacy and gather its scattered elements Weatherlight were clearly given little thought.
together caused her to collect all manner of Still, her captains have not
texts and gewgaws, which further take up let this deter them from finding—adding,
space. When Gerrard assumed the captaincy if need be—niches and cubbyholes for
to find Sisay, it was appropriate that he take their baubles and charts. Word has it that
over her berth, but he hasn’t been able to such personal items periodically appear
bring himself to shift her belongings. in people’s cabins, the calling cards of
Instead he’s come to adopt the clutter as his past residents.

The Thran Tome

fell into Sisays
hands and has been
her bedtime reading
material since well
before Gerrards
arrival aboard the
Weatherlight. Above right,
Thran Tome by
Donato Giancola;
top of page, character
study of Sisay by
MarkTedin; Itft,
Thran Forge
by Mark Poole.

29
 THE ARTf MAGIC

JkstO)C<

4—

Right, top-down
schematic of the
focs’le or crews
quarters; below, view
of the focs’le during
<j- five ><1-2.
watch. Wrought-iron
lamps and heating
g )<^
unit, as well as crash
webbing for the
berths add to the
crews comfort
Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

um«

30
 THE WEATHERLIGHT

Near the ships stem is the forecastle, more The usual cause of friction here is between
comonly pronounced as foc’s’le, or crews berths. those with seniority and those without. Directly
Here’s where many of the Weatherlight’s crew below is a more cramped room that is neither as
members have their quarters, unlike most ships warm nor as comfortable as the foc’s’le. Either
where they would be expected to sleep with the is preferable to the hold, which is where low-
cargo. Recognizing their good fortune here ranking crew sleep. Comfort declines quickly,
tempers the crews grumbling. It is kept warm and along with seniority. Sailors in the main room
dry by the big heater that dominates the forward have a whole drawer for their kit. Those below
section. A standing room permits sailors to shed them get a small chest. Meanwhile, in the hold,
oilskins and boots before entering their quarters. a sailor gets a hammock and lives with the hope
There’s even enough space in the center for tables. that his kit’s hiding place won’t be found by rats
Off-watch deckhands cluster around these tables, or higher-ranking crewmates.
playing cards or other games of chance.

Above, Hannas
workshop perspective
by Mark Tedin.

31
 THE ARTf MAGIC

hfiflfo_—■

. y* 4
&e A?^
ii > pc

4' SAhp
y )*,jj>
r

ykoTN
r

Weatherlight’s
communication
system received
significant design
attention. A small
crystal mounted into
the throat of the tube
amplifies sound and
sends it forth. In the
final design, levers
mounted on the
contraption permit v/-'^ /Yf/Nvrs:.^
signals to be sent to
specific locations on /g/pcTV<?
the ship. Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

32
THE WEATHERLIGHT

Examples of both
early and later designs
of Weatherlight’s lesser
gadgetry. Sketches by
Anthony Waters.

33
 THE ARTf MAGIC

far
V,

p+<**~* - !‘T< ffl

mca^ i^^sc uf * r
- >5 (V^{W^<
OA Uy,^7

Weatherlight’s ability to sail and fly makes

her a unique machine. Few have ever
witnessed her in flight. Those who have
can’t stop talking about how she lands.
Over soil, the brass vanes that follow the
lines of her hull are capable of telescoping
out as individual landing spines. The vanes
can’t penetrate rock, and balancing on
their tips like an overweight ballerina
< fe? tV would hopelessly mangle the machinery.
The desire to conceal or diminish the
Left, sketchbook page; profile of anchors and rudders has caused
top of page right, rough some odd compromises in Weatherlight’s
notions of the
design. The anchor mechanism, for
Weatherlight’s landing
example, drops from the stern of the
gear; above, anchor by
ship just above the engine exhaust
^ v^ri<V i'' Woi' Anthony Waters.
manifold. This places the winch and
chain between the decks just below the
passengers’ staterooms. Casting off in
the early morning hours tends to rattle
the teeth out of passengers’ heads.
Although this configuration doesn’t affect
the ship in any serious way, it is cause for
a few additional stares.
Placement of her rudders also proved
to be a problem for her designers. It has
been suggested, often derisively, that
Weatherlight was never meant to be a sailing
vessel. Her hull has a poor cross-section
for dealing with rough water; her vanes lie
right on the waterline, making her prone
to swamping. This awkward shape requires
two rudders, each folded back like small
wings next to the engine room, to permit
the Weatherlight effective maneuverability.

34
 CHARACTERS
f
THE RATH CYCLE
 THE ARTf MAGIC

36
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Shortly after his birth Gerrard Capashen became the ward of Kondo, Sidar of
the Triangle, brought to the sidar in the giant, scarred hands of Karn, the silver
golem. Of Benalish descent, Gerrard was raised among the Jamuraans of the
Sidar until his early teens, long enough to earn the hatred of his half-brother Vuel
and witness the estrangement between Vuel and his father.
Karn, assigned to be Gerrards guardian by his parents, eased some of the
loneliness of these early years. Theirs was a kinship born of a shared sense of
alienation; Gerrard didn’t know where he had come from, and Karn couldnt—or
wouldn’t—say what his own origins were. Both eventually became victims of
Vuel’s cruelty.
When Vuel successfully stole a portion of the Legacy and managed to lure the
golem away from the sidar, Kondo made a decision to distance Gerrard from the
growing conflict. He sent the seventeen-year-old to Multani, an ancient maro-
sorcerer, who willingly accepted the young man as a pupil. Here Gerrard
befriended Rofellos, an elf from Llanowar, and Mirri, a cat warrior, also an
orphan. Multani provided some hints as to his own origins, and their connection
with a mysterious legend known as the Legacy.
Vuel brought the conflict to Multani’s doorstep in Gerrards eighteenth year as
the three students were entering their second year of tutelage under the maro-
sorcerer. Multani forced his students to flee, then faced Vuel s forces alone. When
Gerrard returned to his home of the past year it was in shambles, his tutor
nowhere to be found.
Further trials awaited the young man. Vuel s war with the Sidar had fractured
and finally destroyed his clan. Karn was gone. The Sidar was dead. A single thread
remained to connect Gerrard with his past: a small hourglass pendant, a remnant
of the fabled Legacy of which Multani had spoken. Gerrard and his companions
left for the cities of Jamuraa.
This was just the beginning of Gerrards contact with the Legacy. Later, he
met Sisay and signed aboard the Weatherlight, yet another link with the Legacy. He
abandoned his post on the Weatherlight and left to carve out his own path in
Benalia.
Eventually the tug of the Legacy turned out to be too strong to overcome.
When he learned that Sisay had been kidnapped by unknown hands, Gerrard
assumed the captaincy of the ship and began pursuit, steering the Weatherlight into
the heart of Rath.
Gerrard possesses many characteristics of the stereotypical hero: Hes a
handsome and charismatic man. When motivated he generates an infectious
intensity, sweeping his crewmates into his cause. He can match his words with
actions; three years in the Benalish military provided him with a broad knowledge
of weapons and warcraft. Maintaining a caustic sense of humor even in the thick

Master of Arms by Dan Frazier.

 THE ARTf MAGIC

The Temper card was about the hardening of a persona

as a result of battle. Gerrard wasnt supposed to be in the

picture based on the original description of the card. I

suggested we use Gerrard in that piece for a visual of him

looking cool, looking tough—Gerrard post-battle

and looking intimidating.”—Matt Wilson

of battle has earned Gerrard a well-deserved reputation as a

commander who is cool under the worst of conditions.
Even so, Gerrards weakness stems from the existence of
the Legacy itself. There have been times when the weight of
his alleged destiny has been more than he seems able or
willing to bear. His efforts to escape his fate have had the
opposite effect and have placed the young warrior in the
unenviable position of fighting three battles at once.
Earning the renewed loyalty of his crew, the respect of his
friends, and Sisay s freedom has put him on a path where
the final victim may well be himself.

38
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Gerrard has little respite from the burden of the Legacy. His
guardian, Karn, himself an artifact of the Legacy, carries other
elements within his metal belly and complicates things more by being
a friend and ally. Gerrards parents were driven to give him up because
of the Legacy. Sisay, the friend whose shoes he wears now as captain, Above left, Maniacal

was determined to use him in any way that would bring the Legacy to Rage by Pete Venters;
above, concept sketch
wreak vengeance on those who destroyed her home. All of those hes
of Gerrard as an adult
met, fought, or worked with have in one way or another been elements
and; below left, at 15
of the forces in overarcing conflict for the future of Dominaria. One years-of-age, by
can understand if the young warrior has, among his prayers for Anson Maddocks;
strength, added the occasional one for anonymity. Null Rod by
Anson Maddocks.

Facing page,
Gerrard,
portrayed during
different
moments in his
hunt for Sisay.
Clockwise from
bottom, Temper by
Matt Wilson;
Shifting
Wall by Michael
Sutfin; Gerrards
Battle Cry by Val
Mayerik; Hero’s
Destiny by
Pete Venters.

39
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Left, more of Mark

“I thought that if Sisay Tedin’s character
studies of Sisay.
was going to he in a These show her
aged by captivity;
prison for months on below, Reins of Power,
Sisay in the grip of
end she would lose Volrath’s mental
control, by
weight. She’s athletic; so Colin MacNeil.

she would probably lose

it in her curves and look

a little more fierce. What

she loses in softness she

makes up for in

intensity, along with

a few bruises

Facing page above, Mark

and scratches ”
Tedins character
study of Sisay; below,
—Mark Tedin
Ancestral Knowledge
by Colin MacNeil.

40
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Sisay was the first captain of the Weatherlight and remains

the crews favorite because of her confidence and
determination. Prior to her kidnapping, she commanded
Weatherlight’s crew in a search for the elements of the Legacy,
a task entrusted to her by her parents. She knows more
about the Legacy than any one mortal has in centuries.
Sisay was reborn the day her village died, when her
search for the Legacy became a means to avenge the
senseless deaths of her family. Since that day the role of
revenant and the need to fight the good fight have become
inextricably mixed.
‘Driven is a word that epitomizes Sisay. Her appetite for
knowledge keeps her awake and reading for days on end and The Legacy is like a sword in her hand, the weapon she will

has taken her places and exposed her to risks that would use to avenge the death of her family. Sisay isn’t above

leave any sane person shaking her head in amazement. Once coercion to gain what she wants, either when recruiting

she could have described the difference between her wants crewmen or pursuing pieces of the Legacy. Strangely, using

and needs, but the line between her desire for revenge and her own regal looks to achieve this end rarely occurs to her.

loyalty to the truth of the Legacy is now so blurred she is Her drive never undermines her dignity, even if it has, at

no longer able to separate them. times, clouded her judgment.

41
 Top of page, Hannas
Custody by Tony
DiTerlizzi; below
left to right, Anson
Maddocks’s portrayals
of Hanna were used
in the Style Guide
as reference; above,
character sketch
by Mark Tedin.
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Hanna inherited a gift for dealing with machinery. She has

successfully battled Weatherlight’s bizarre collection of Thran-derived
gadgetry into a state of grumbling servitude during her tenure aboard
the ship. This is no small achievement for a twenty-five-year-old
woman from Tolaria, an island long considered a myth; this ability
is her calling.
Orim and Hanna both went to university in Argive, where they met
and became fast friends. Orims skills were in the arena of politics and
diplomacy; Hanna had a gift for making machines work. Hanna was a
tomboy as a child, more at home with wrenches and manuals than in
the company of others. Her relationship with Orim and her position
as Weatherlight’s chief engineer have done much to mature her. She is one
of Sisay s greatest allies in the quest for the Legacy. Their shared
obsession to crack the secrets of the Thran Tome was strengthened by
Gerrards departure for Benalia.

Clockwise from top left,

Style Guide sketch by
Anson Maddocks;
Treasure Trove by
Michael Sutfin; and
Pursuit of Knowledge
by Tony DiTerlizzi.

“Many characters were

established before we began

work on them. It was our

job to interpret them

stylistically as a group. We

tightened up their

looks and brought a

cohesive style to them.”

—Anson Maddocks

43
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Mirri’s life hasn’t been easy by any him to Llanowar. She jumped at placing
standards. She was rejected by her own her hands on Weatherlight’s helm again.
kind because her eyes of differing colors Mirri is no fool. She sees things
marked her as an ill omen to her race. plainly and tends to speak as she sees,
Mirri’s life nearly ended before it began. regardless of how her words may be
Her fate turned around, however, when interpreted. A creature of instinct, she
she was placed under Multani’s wing and has the fastest reflexes of anyone on the
she befriended Gerrard and Rofellos, Weatherlight and has no apprehension about
companions who helped see her through demonstrating her speed. Outside of a
years of troubles. She was Gerrards fight, she’s an unflinchingly linear thinker.
confidant until the loss of Rofellos, when This has led to a certain amount of
they went their separate ways. Gerrard left brawling, on and off the ship. Picking
the Weatherlight for Benalia and the sanctuary fights is Mirri’s form of exercise.
of the Capashen name. Mirri headed for Unfortunately, abstract humor tends to
Llanowar to bear the news of the elf’s death leave her confused, frustrated, and irritated,
to his family. There she remained for three in that order. Mirri functions like a cable
years. Mirri and Gerrard were reunited under tension, always eager for the
when Gerrards pursuit of Sisay brought prospect of action.

Facing page, The Duelist™

cover by Dermot
Power; upper inset,
Mirris Guile
by Brom;
lower inset, Mirri
by Richard
Kane-Ferguson.

44
CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

45
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Clockwise from bottom Irft, Torment by

Paolo Parente; three pieces from the
Style Guide show Tahngarth s
malformed wrists, horns, and the
pattern of his injuries, by Anthony
Waters; Tahngarth s Vanguard card
by Pete Venters; Tahngarth in a
quieter moment as painted by Pete
Venters; a foil-body shot of the
remade Tahngarth rendered for the
Style Guide by Anthony Waters;
Seething Anger by Val Mayerik.

46
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Tahngarth loves the sound of his title. It up his vanity. “When in doubt, punch it
comes off his tongue with practiced ease out,” is an example of Tahngath’s thick,
and unconcealed pride: “I’m first mate brutal lyricism, and labels him as linear a
aboard Weatherlight.” One expects certain thinker as Mirri.
things out of first mates, and Tahngarth These two often seem on the verge of
delivers on all fronts with vigor. He lacks collision. The tension was increased
patience, decorum, tact. Hes easily angered considerably when Gerrard gave Mirri the
and free with his words when enraged. A position of lieutenant, a nebulous post that
bellow from Tahngarth can allegedly be has left the minotaur and cat warrior
heard from one end of the ship to the wondering exactly who has authority over
other. He sees his authority over the crew whom. This professional jealousy has
Top, dose-up of Tahngarth s hand;
of Weatherlight as absolute and behaves separated them since Mirri first set foot
middle, a character sketch of him
accordingly. In short, Sisay found him onboard the ship. An unsubtle game of
laughing; below, Tahngarth s weapon.
to be the perfect first mate. physical one-upsmanship is played during Sketches by Anthony Waters.
Sisay impressed the young minotaur off hours. Neither will admit that the
with her brass on one of her early voyages insults and competition have grown out of
toTalruum, when she dared to represent a shared sense of admiration.
herself in a fight with one of his own kind. Common points on the black side of
Tangarth, feeling a mere human would have the ledger relate them to each other. Like
no chance against one of his kind, declared Mirri, Tahngarth is gruff about his
himself her champion and defeated her affections, but his loyalty is equally
opponent. He was invited aboard Weatherlight ferocious. Sisay knew this early on, though
shortly thereafter, where it was Sisay s turn she never formally tested it. Gerrard knows
to be impressed with his abilities. After the that when he left for Benalia he pushed past
death of Sisay s previous first mate, Meida, the minotaur’s threshold. The test of their
Tahngarth immediately rose to the chal¬ friendship has been their trip to Rath and
lenge of commanding Sisay s crew, proving the sacrifices demanded to rescue Sisay.
capable of earning her loyalty and respect. Tahngarth is now a scarred and blistered
Tahngarth has the ego of someone patchwork of flesh, pelt, and metal
who’s been told that he’s handsome a few intermingled. Vanity has been reworked into
too many times. He has two huge fists, an agonized bitterness that is slowly
bearing the marks of regular use, to back consuming him.

47
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Somehow it seems natural that on a ship greasy depths has netted him some
with a silver golem, a minotaur first mate, a grudging respect, although he has been
cat warrior, and humans from nearly every chased there, too. He knows Weatherlight
ethnic flavor in Dominaria’s stew of as well as anybody, Sisay included.
nations, Weatherlight’s cabin boy should be a Squee owes his presence on the ship to
goblin. An intelligent, even occasionally Sisay s good graces. As a youth Squee
brilliant goblin, no less, is Squee. The fact managed to prevent Sisay and her crew
that he hasn’t yet been tossed off the ship from falling into the clutches of his tribe.
by a furious crew member is some small It was an act of extraordinary aplomb and
testament to his brainpower. cleverness on his part, a coup he’s been
Despite his shortcomings, Squee has trying to replicate ever since. If he can
learned to make himself useful, becoming overcome his yellow streak, continue to
well aquainted with the obscure corners and avoid the boots and hooves aimed his way,
veins of Weatherlight’s skeleton. His and is extraordinarily lucky, he just might
willingness to plunge into her cramped, manage to save the day again sometime.

Clockwise from bottom,

Hidden Retreat by
Terese Nielsen; full
body and head studies
of Squee for the Style
Guide by Anson
Maddocks; Squee’s
toy drawn for the
Style Guide, by
Anthony Waters.

48
CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Below, The Duelist cover

painting by Jeff
Miracola; inset, Squees
Toy by Heather Hudson.

49
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Right, Karn head study

by Mark Tedin; Jar
right, the Weatherlight
crew by Mark Tedin
and Anson Maddocks.

Left to right, Karn in

profile, front and
back, as illustrated
by Mark Tedin for
the Style Guide.

50
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Karn ranks as the most physically powerful pacifist

any of Weatherlight’s crew has encountered. Karn is scarred
by the memory of a life he took through clumsiness. It
haunts him still, though decades have passed. This sense
of a blood debt has made him pledge never to raise a herself. Karn maintains he can even communicate with

hand in anger against anyone ever again. Yet he’s also the ship. There have been enough instances where hes

Gerrards protector. Having a warrior as a ward is pointed out problems in places he cant readily reach or

something of a challenge for a pacifist. Its becoming see, that Hannas come to take him seriously, even if she

harder and harder to find nonviolent ways out of trouble isn’t certain what to make of his abilities.

as the chase to rescue Sisay progresses. Karns innate resistance to positive thinking is his

Karn is a tireless worker. His massive ball-peen limbs only flaw. As much as Gerrard loves the huge golem,

can shift cargo well past the point when others would there are times when he wishes Karn had an off toggle.

51
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Orims role aboard the Weatherlight is

more varied than any of her fellow
officers. She’s been called upon to be
the captains translator and a super¬
vising tailor, in addition to her role as
the ship’s doctor and quartermaster.
Orim and Hanna signed aboard the
Weatherlight at the same time. Sisay
found niches for them to fill as they
revealed their talents. Orim’s organiz¬
ational skills placed her in prime
position for the quartermaster’s post,
keeping track of everything from the
ship’s stores to the crew’s payroll. She
has risen to this role, taking an almost
maternal interest in the well-being of
ship and crew. Orim rarely relates her
own opinions on anything, maintain¬
ing the veneer of the diplomat,
prompting the opinion among the
crew that Orim speaks kindly and
listens politely but reveals little of
herself in return.
Above right, Havoc by
Donato Giancola;
middle, Samite Blessing by
Rebecca Guay; below right,
Orims Prayer by Donato
Giancola; below, Orims
Above, Style Guide
Vanguard card by
sketch by MarkTedin.
Rebecca Guay.

52
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Ertai is one of the youngest officers on the on the ship is a constant reminder of Barrins
ship and among the least respected. His big undisguised displeasure in his daughters decision
mouth and lack of temperance often overshadow to join the crew. Ertai s ignorance and arrogance
his talent for magic. He has a tendency to express have furthered this rift.
his opinion in ways that rub others raw, Attitude notwithstanding, his gifts as a mage
especially Hanna. Barrin, Hannas father and come to the fore dramatically when he helps the
Ertai s mentor, saw to it that his protege was Weatherlight escape Rath, a short-lived triumph for
given a post aboard the Weatherlight. His presence the wizard. Weatherlight gets away; Ertai doesn’t.

53
 THE ARTf MAGIC

The shared opinion among

Weatherlight’s crew is that Crovax too Above, Whispers of

often uses big words to describe small the Muse, by Quentin

Hoover; below, The Duelist
problems. There is no doubt that the
magazine cover; bottom left,
nobleman from Urborg is prone to
Crovax s Vanguard
excessively dramatic speech. In his card by Ron Spencer.
defense, Crovax is a man of grand, if
tarnished, passions. The words he uses
fit the size of his obsessions.
His primary obsession is the angel
Selenia. The great irony is, he himself
released her, at the same time causing
the destruction of everything he
had held dear—his family and his
home. Other forces assisted in his first
steps down this dark path, powers that
moved the Rathian pawns Morinfen
and Gallowbraid to attack his ancestral
home. His only concern now is to
regain the angel whom he loves,
regardless of the cost. To his way of
Above, Style Guide
references of Crovax, thinking there simply isn’t anything
drawn by Mark Tedin. left to lose.

54
 CHARACTERS f THE RATH CYCLE

Starke's personality, like his name,

conceals more than it declares. Il-Vec
is his surname, the il marking him an
outcast of his own people. Starke is a
rotten little man from any perspective,
parading around under a shifting
mantle of loyalties. At present he’s
hoping that his latest gambit, a shaky
alliance with the crew of the ship
whose captain he betrayed, wont
unravel before he's had the chance to
get his daughter to safety. Truth to
tell, he barely knows Takara, but she’s
his last connection to anything
legitimate, a fact that keeps him from
discarding or betraying her as he has
so many others.

Starke has the demeanor and ugly

Above, Starke’s Vanguard
humor of a man who has spent his
card by Donato Giancola; below,
life engineering ways to stab people in
Starke of Rath, by Dan Frazier.
the back and escape intact. This
requires a quick
wit and a mouth
to match. Starke
is naturally glib, a Above, Style Guide

practiced liar renderings of Starke

by Mark Tedin.
from necessity.
Rath, his
birthplace, isn’t a
place someone
can leave without
considerable risk.
Starke paid dearly
the first time he
fled. By guiding
the Weatherlight to
Rath, he hopes to
gain a step on
Volrath, rescue
his daughter, and
escape unscathed.

55
 THE ARTf MAGIC

am

Starke permitted himself one brief Evidently some traits lie in the blood;
moment of weakness in his forty-four while Takara doesn’t look much like her
years. For reasons of mutual protection father, she has inherited his ability to
Starke sought to keep his liason with a scheme. Those skills were put to a different
Dal woman secret, but matters grew use than Starke would have wished when
complex when she gave birth to Starke’s Takara became a strategist for the Dal’s
child, Takara. Consequently he fled the resistance movement. This eventually led to
plane of Rath shortly after her birth. His her capture by the Evincar of Rath, making
lover reared the girl in her own community, her the unwilling link in the chain that
where Takara grew to adulthood knowing connects Volrath, Starke, and the Weatherlight.
little of her father.

Top, examples of Dal

weaponry; left, Takara
Style Guide reference
by Matt Wilson.

Rofellos developed a wanderers nature

early on in life. He never revealed what
caused him to leave his home in Llanowar
and become the third member of Gerrard
and Mirri’s trio. Magic was at the core of
r»lc Wv,e Multani’s teachings, and Rofellos was the
8kek, tin,?
best of the maro-sorcerer s
students, showing a depth
I' ip
of skill he would never fully
explore in the short course
6>W«Ci of his life. He died under the
blades of Morinfen and Gallow-
braid’s forces, defending his
friends during the sacking
of Crovax’s family estate.

Jf Y<*.
Left and right, Rofellos Style
Guide material for Dark Horse
Comics by Anthony Waters.

56
 JTS'

VILLAINS
 THE ARTf MAGIC

“I wanted to create an exotic character, not angry in

the traditional villain sense; where he}s hell-bent on cruelty,

but more of a gloating power, very pleased with himself. The only thing
Clockwise from top left, Volrath
that really sets him off is any threat to his arrogance. Volrath Vanguard card, by Anson
Maddocks; Volrath s Curse
is an extremely arrogant character.” —Anson Maddocks
by Daren Bader; Spinal
Graft by Ron Spencer.

Left, Contemplation
by Brom; right,
references of
Volrath, as a child
and an adult, by
Anson Maddocks.

58
 VILLAINS f THE RATH CYCLE

Even as the young human named Vuel, Volrath

was a man of extremes. Nothing satisfied him;
nothing was ever quite big enough. Impediments
were always seen as enormous, requiring actions
of equal scale to remove. He fueled his need for
conflict with a jealous hatred of his step-brother,
Gerrard, but the scope expanded to include his
father, Kondo, then his tribe. Their annihilation
remains a failure in his mind, since it failed to
encompass the young Benalian. Unwittingly, it Above left, Helm of

was the Legacy that opened Vuel to the idea Possession by Janet
Aulisio; top right, Style
of power on a greater scale. Pursuit of global
Guide reference by
conquest briefly distracted him from his
Anson Maddocks;
obsession for Gerrard s death. Time, the rule right, Fevered
of the shadow-plane of Rath, and his ascension Convulsions by Jeff
to envincar has brought his focus back to the Miracola; below,
Necrologia by Brom.
man he loathes the most. Volrath has come
to understand that he and his step¬
brother were always meant to come
into direct conflict.
Volrath remains a creature of
extremes, though he is more mature
and in better control of his public
persona. He is a shapeshifter, a wizard
of the flesh and mind at the peak of
his skill. As evincar he applies his
talents to the minds and bodies of
others; the Stronghold is littered with
the survivors of his brutal experi¬
mentation. Privately his emotions still
swing in arcs that keep his staff in a
state of perpetual terror. A fit of anger
for Volrath is a storm that leaves a train
of broken, misshapen forms in its
wake. Volrath, a schemer of inter¬
locking plots, a tyrant with limitless
appetites, has a disturbing degree of
interest in the unspeakable ways in
which a soul can be tortured.

59
 THE ARTf MAGIC

60
 VILLAINS f THE RATH CYCLE

Few of Volrath s officers could have as many grievances

against an employer as Greven. His master saw fit to
rearrange the exiled Vec s anatomy, brutally transforming
him into an armored, pseudomechanical second-in-
command. Grevens essence is now intertwined and
supported by a spine of black mimetic alloy that answers
Volrath s every whim. One ugly thought from Volrath, and
Greven is reduced to a twitching pile of impotent rage.
This kind of treatment tends to undermine a persons
ego. Greven has responded by pouring his hatred into the
helpless moggs and Dal under his command. He’s every bit
as brutal, if not as methodical, as his master, taking his post
as captain of the Predator and first in line of succession to
the position of evincar as a means to wreak havoc upon the
Weatherlight crew. One day, very carefully, he intends to turn
all his rage back on his master, with heavy interest added.

Clockwise from top left,

Greven Vanguard card,
and concept sketch by
Mark Tedin;
Facing page: center, The Duelist magazine Commander Greven

s
cover by Paolo Parente; inset left, i/-Vec, by Kev Walker;
Hand to Hand by Carl Frank; inset Style Guide reference
right, Hatred by Brom. by Mark Tedin.

61
 THE ARTf MAGIC

Once Selenia was a beautiful thing, an Selenia briefly

heirloom of Crovax s family generated to guard while below
over the family s Urborg estate. Crovax nursed a decks. The
secret obsession for the guardian angel, event paralyzed
summoning the armored nymph in seclusion, him beneath
tentatively establishing a relationship he could the ship while his companions
never quite bring himself to consummate. It were fighting an onslaught of moggs above.
probably wasn’t possible while she was bound to The chain of events that began in the jungles
her duties. It may never have been possible. Urborg ended on Rath. Crovax stepped over
Crovax s craving for her may have woven so thick a threshold when he entered Rath. It is there
a screen of dreams in his head that reality never he lost both his angel and his soul if, in fact,
had a chance to penetrate. he ever had one.
What feelings, if any, that the angel actually
had for her master will never be known. She
came to fulfill her purpose, driving off the forces
of Gallowbraid and Morinfen, though not in
time to save Crovax s father. Desperate
for her affections, Crovax freed her
on the spot, with the blood of his
relatives still warm on the ground.
Tragedies have a tendency to
breed further pain. Crovax freed
Selenia only to see her taken away
and made into a weapon as tainted
as she once was pure. He joined
Weatherlight’s quest to save Sisay in the

Top of page, Style Guide

hopes that this mission and his
renderings by Mark desire to find Selenia would
Tedin; above, Selenias somehow coincide. Shortly after
profile and sword by
arriving on Rath, Crovax glimpsed
Anson Maddocks.

Right, style Facing page, top left,

Guide version of Selenia Dark Angel by
Selenia by Anson
Matt Wilson; top right,
Maddocks; left, loose
Power Sink by Jeff
renderings by Mark Tedin
Miracola; lower right,
explore what Selenia may
have looked like before she Selenia Vanguard card

was ensnared by Volrath. by Quentin Hoover.

62
VILLAINS f THE RATH CYCLE

63
 THE ARTf MAGIC

:antxtu o
The Keldon Warlords were created in a bid to collective sigh of relief upon hearing of
generate the definitive soldier, a creature who Maraxus s death. He was the ultimate example
could command the rage in others. Maraxus of of their craft, thereby placing him outside the
Keld defined this archetype. He was a giant realm of their control.
among his kind, capable of controlling and He turned from his masters while a young
Below, The Duelist cover
focusing more massed fury than any of his adult and struck out on his own, eventually
by Adrian Smith;
lower right, Maraxus predecessors. This perfection made him more commanding the fealty of the sawtooth ogres,
Vanguard card by than powerful; it made him impossible to tame. the most bloodthirsty of their breed. He used
Matt Wilson. The Witch Kings of Keld probably breathed a them to terrorize a whole region, during which
time he came into the service of Volrath.
Maraxus had captured the turncoat Starke during
the sacking of a high mountain estate. Starke
shifted sides and threw in with Volrath,
convincing Maraxus that he could assist in the
capture of Gerrard and the Weatherlight. This in
turn led to a confrontation in which Starke chose
to switch sides yet again, robbing Maraxus of his
life in order to ensure a berth on the Weatherlight
for its trip to Rath.

64
VILLAINS f THE RATH CYCLE

Morinfen and
Gallowbraid were soulmates
of a sort even the most
polluted mind wouldn’t
willingly entertain. They
differed in the ways they
preferred to partake of
their private vices.
Morinfen conducted his
crimes far from prying eyes,
aided by the ability to fly.
Morinfen and his
partner were responsible
for the steady attrition of
Crovax s family, as well as
the final slaughter that
destroyed what was left.
It was slow work and, by
Morinfen’s standards, dull.

Morinfen by Carl Critchlow.

Its said that falling into

the reach of Gallowbraid
is the most vile embrace
imaginable this side of hell.
A creature of simple and
ghastly tastes, he was in the
employ of Volrath for some
time. Gallowbraids chief
duty was the destruction
of everything Crovax ever
held dear. He and his
partner Morinfen did just
that, burning Crovax’s
home to the ground and
butchering his family. He
could still be cavorting in
the ruins with his minions.

Gallowbraid by Carl Critchlow.

65
THE ARTf MAGIC

The Duelist cover of Volrath, Evincar of Rath, by Kev Walker.