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The Phyrexians

In the tides of Magic, we can't all give the glory to the oh so present
angels, elves and goblins.   We must give credit where credit is due. today
we'll take a peek at the darker side of Magic.   Light some candles in a
Dark Ritual and brace yourself as to not find yourself entwined in Terror.
the Phyrexians have come to town!

The Phyrexians
To understand the Phyrexian culture. you must first understand their
background.

Over four thousands years before the events unfolding upon the face of
Dominaria in the battle of the multiverse, a Thran healer, Yawgmoth, sent
shock waves across the face of Dominaria when he began preaching heresy,
trying to push the idea across the peaceful culture about the concept that
nature was to become a servant to the cold hard steel.

Because of his extreme beliefs, he was exiled from Dominaria into a cold
harsh plane devoid of almost any life.  However, Yawgmoth was able to bring
along with him several followers as well as several technological advances. 
Soon, the foul Thran set work upon his master plan of machine/nature
assimilation, having plenty of test subjects to be submitted to horrific
experimentation.

Finally, the meld was complete- the first artificial biological life was
created, and it was a monstrosity, as would all of Yawgmoth's works that
would follow.  With the fusion of technology and machine,  Yawgmoth was now
free to pursue upgrading  the foul beasts as well as plot out his diabolical
plots as creating Rath.

Yawgmoth's design for the demonic machines was as well laid out as the plans
of Urza Planeswalker, each twist and turn an intricate maze of minute wiring
painstakingly plotted out by another machine, as complex as the entire
system that it is using to build the new construct.  As he had the
capabilities to create artificial life, Yawgmoth soon realized he had to
improvise as the plane he and his followers had the been exiled to had VERY
limited resources. thus the miracle of recycling was born- a trait still
found in the Phyrexian ranks to this day (4005 AR.4005 years after Urza's
birth) as every useable element.be it an ounce of steaming slag or a
mouthful of  crimson blood, every piece is eventually reused by the
technological beasts to create more.

For example, when the Phyrexian construct Belbe was created, they used the
corpse of  Eladamri's daughter Avila in it's full extent.  First, they eye
of Yawgmoth scanned the body. taking vital measurements and calculations,
making sure every crevice, scar and curve was mapped on her body.  Once that
had been done. her face was carefully removed from her skull and set aside.
the rest of her flesh stripped from her skeletal structure.. reduced to it's
biological subatomic particles.  These particles were transported through
the vast network that formed Phyrexia to be stored until a metal skeleton
with several upgrades that would make her as powerful as ten men could be
created.  Once the entire process had been completed, an artificial life
true to every image of Avila was formed.

In contrast, instead of creating a being, Phyrexian technology can also
upgrade a being, as noted with Crovax and Vuel. Before being brought to
Phyrexia for biological enhancement, Crovax was at all appearances  a rather
normal looking man, the only thing that would set him apart from any other
human would be his incredible strength and his odd demented psyche. However,
as he was laid down upon the operating table, the Phyrexians would leave him
in a completely different form.several machines working on him all at once,
all working tirelessly at their craft until it was done. By the end. Crovax
was no more closer than a man than he was to a monster- each of his biceps,
as well as his quadriceps and pectoral muscles, were bloated, grown enormous
with surging strength, Phyrexian oil replacing his blood as it pumped
through his body with the heart pressure of an elephant.  As a final touch,
and also as a trademark insignia, Crovax's teeth were replaced with sharp
metal shivs, as if to say "All the better to eat you my deary."

Because Yawgmoth has the ability to create and enhance, his army is an
unlimited force so long as Yawgmoth still breathes (If he actually has lungs
Oo) .   During the battle upon the surface of Dominaria however, the
machines could not prove their worth and the scutas were bested by Urza's
Metathran soldiers until reinforcements in the form of the dark dragon
Crosis arrived and slaughtered everything in sight.

For all the trouble involved with the intricate design and manufacturing of
the Phyrexian  war machines, the fact that they are efficient and reusable
makes them the driving force in the war over Dominaria.


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