For Gold & Glory: Card of the Week: Pestilence

Too on the nose for these days?

Under the Yellow Flag

It is no secret that magic can be deadly. Lightning Bolts and Fireballs are obviously so, as are the dangerous entities summoned into battle. But there are less obvious dangers than rains of fire and rampaging beasts, and these are no less deadly. Indeed, due to their subtlety, they can be even more deadly—perhaps not to the mages that call upon them, but certainly to those unfortunate enough to be in their way.

The vast majority of people on Dominaria and elsewhere in Dominia are not mages. They are unlikely to face the wrath of a Shivan Dragon (unless they live in Shiv, and then only if they live near one’s lair). They will almost certainly not be devoured by a Lord of the Pit (unless they are even more foolish than the planeswalking mages that do so and dabble in demonic knowledge themselves). But they are likely to encounter a force even more dangerous and deadly than a demon or a dragon—Pestilence.

Ever since people have gathered together in numbers larger than those of wandering bands of hunters, they have known Pestilence. For it is in the filth and the squalor and the crushing crowds that Pestilence seems to thrive. To be sure, those who dwell in the countrysides or in the wilds are also susceptible, but it seems that the cities are where these sicknesses seem to begin. And once begun, none are safe—Pestilence can spread from city to city, into the countryside, even cross oceans. The only safety to be found is in luck and extreme isolation.

Indeed, in one such city did a plague begin in the years of my youth. Despite their similarities—cultural, geographical, and otherwise—Ghed and my home city of Alsoor were bitter rivals. But though many in Alsoor would celebrate Ghed’s misfortune in any other circumstance, none gloated when Pestilence came to Ghed. Perhaps it was compassion for even their hated neighbors in the face of the horrors of plague. Perhaps it was merely fear that the Pestilence would spread to Alsoor.

I was not in Ghed during the plague, but I did hear the tales of the survivors. As far as plagues go, it was mild: swelling in the joints, fever, an outbreak of pustules, and rampant contagion, but few deaths. But even without a deadly effect, it still sparked fear and panic. The far-off nation of Almaaz was blamed for it, and dozens of visiting Almaazi were killed in “retribution”. The city closed its gates, both to keep outsiders from bringing in more Pestilence and to prevent residents from spreading the Pestilence to the countryside. Neighborhoods afflicted the most severely were blockaded off, and even a few buildings were boarded up and burned with the sick still inside. No, the Pestilence was a mild one, but the true horrors came with the fear.

The Current Pestilence

Pestilence has existed throughout the multiverse for as long as there have been people, though urban living conditions are necessary for it to spread beyond isolated groups of people. Sometimes these outbreaks are small, and sometimes they go on to affect entire planes. History is studded with plagues that spread far and wide and kill millions, even beyond the lesser plagues that are smaller and less lethal.

As I write this, the multiverse is dealing with a new Pestilence. Thought to have originated when a bat-borne disease infected human hosts, it has spread like wildfire in the past few months. It has yet to be seen whether it will go down in history as a great plague or merely a lesser plague, but it is at the very least somewhat lethal and very contagious. As is always the case with Pestilence, isolation from non-essential contact with others is crucial in preventing its spread.

So I have some extra copies of Pestilence. I'm planning on altering them up and giving them out as prizes for an online tournament. Stay tuned for the Covid Cup announcement coming soon!

Germ Warfare

It should come as no surprise, given my previous writings, that mages are willing to harness the most dangerous and depraved magics in their battles for dominance with their peers. Pestilence is no different—it is, after all, an effective means of killing off creatures of all sorts. That it is also capable of killing the mage that employs it is of little concern, as there are always additional magics that can slay an opponent more rapidly once the Pestilence has done its gruesome work. Furthermore, there are a few creatures that seem unaffected by the disease...but yet can carry it to infect others.