Magic Deck Vortex: MDV IDOL 4!!!

*The lights rise, landing on a familiar figure standing on stage. He is looking down at his watch… waiting…*

Do you know what time it is? I think I need a little help, because my watch has stopped working.

I hear the ticking, but the time still reads wrong. It is telling me that it is time for another MDV Idol, but I don’t think that is right. Didn’t we already have one this year?

Welcome to another exciting edition of MDV Idol. Where the fans choose which of their peers will become the next MDV Idol.

If you are new to the program, I have a link for you that will take you to the archive forum where you can get caught up. This is the fourth installment of the program and it might be beneficial for you to read our previous installments.

With that taken care of, we have a little something to discuss my friends. As you know, Magic Deck Vortex (MDV) has a tradition of performing like a fresh wine. Good at first, but getting better with time. The more you drink it, the less you care about the quality right?

Ehh.. maybe a bad joke, but my point here is that we always try to do better the next time. It might be worse, but our intention is always to make things better. With this edition of Idol, that tradition will continue to remain true.

But before I tell you about the improvement, let me take a moment to remind you of an upcoming event on MDV. If you are new to the site, then you are in for a treat, as the busiest season of the site is the time between Halloween then New Year’s Day. Why? Because the MDV Forum members get to decide who among them are better than the others.

Seriously, we call it the MDV Forum Awards. Beginning in November, you will have a chance to nominate one person per category provided by Streetz. At the end of December, the nomination period ends, and each category goes live with voting, where you can vote for one person per category. Once the year ends, so too does the voting, and with that we will find out the Award Winners for the year of 2008.

There are numerous categories for you to participate in. Such categories as Best Avatar, Best Banner, Best Art Shop, Best Article, and Best Writer of the Year (vote for me). These Awards have a good amount of history behind them, and with extended history comes the tradition of MDV (vote Tynion). This tradition is carried on this year by you (Don’t vote Beebles – he hates you). How appropriate that the Award nominations would begin and coincide with the election of the President. (Beebles is short and has a bad haircut) Don’t get me wrong, I am not here to get political, I don’t want to know who you are voting for come election day, (Beebles articles are terrible)I just encourage you all who are of age to get out and vote, and then come home and get to nominating the best person, in your humble opinion, for each category(Tynion! Idol, Fit the Flavor, Memories articles! Remember Tynion!!).

Now, without further ado, I present you a new concept to MDV Idol, a guest speaker! *holds out an extended hand to the side of the stage, the camera pans in that direction and falls upon a man seated neatly on a stool*

Hello, my name is Jason Clark and I welcome you to MDV Idol 4. As the spokesman of Dark Alliance Gaming (DA Gaming) and proud member of the MDV Forums and community, I was very happy when Chris approached me about sponsoring this contest. His vision of this contest series has a similar path of direction as my company in that I want to provide great customer service and a great experience for all involved.

Idol represents the defeat of all of your peers by the sole winner stepping forward into the spotlight rather than by actually battling an opponent. That ideal is one that DA Gaming share with Idol and its staff. With that said, we are proud to be the sponsor for this contest.

Chris has offered to let me be the one to announce the grand prize for the contest, however - learning from the best, I'll make you continue reading in order to find out what exactly we will be offering as the prize.

...COMMERCIAL BREAK...

*A few people continue to play their games. The judge stands over them counting down the turns left before a draw is called. A young kid is overheard talking…*

Small boy: He beat me really bad. Good thing is was only round one and I can try again next round. *his friend nods in agreement with a frown on his face*

*Beyond the two kids talking, there are several people huddled around a man’s trade binder, pointing and talking lowly amongst themselves.*

Disgruntled man: Forget it, I’ll just get it somewhere else, thanks anyways.

*Seeing the size of the seated man’s binder, the young boy decides that the answer to his tournament problems must lie within that binder. He fights his way through the crowd with his small binder and deck*

Small boy: Excuse me? Does anyone have Fungal Behemoth?

Man with huge trade binder: Yeah, I have seven. You need one?

Small Boy: yea, just one. I don’t have much.

*The small boy hands his binder over and watches as the guy who has everything flips through his binder quickly, obviously knowing what he is looking for.*

Man: sorry kid, you don’t have anything I need.

*Camera zooms backwards and finds Jason sitting on his stool, smiling into the camera*

Jason: Has this ever happened to you? Have you ever just needed that one card to finish your deck and either no one has it, or “Mr. I only want Japanese foils for my ‘jank’ rare” has one and doesn’t take your need seriously?

Hi, I’m Jason Clark, founder of DA Gaming. If this has happened to you, do not wait another second to get in touch with me. I have helped dozens of people find that one or two cards that they need for their decks. Unlike other people who trade, I’m always looking to help you, the player, before helping myself. So if it’s a Fungal Behemoth like little Johnny or something a bit bigger like an All Hallow’s Eve, come to us. We can help.

Welcome back to MDV Idol 4: The New Blood. You may have noted that every contest so far has had a name that represented a few things. First, it is designed to capture your attention. It needs to be something that will both draw you in initially, and give you something to sit on while you read, waiting for the entire picture to be processed so the title makes sense to you. The other intention is that it gives you a brief, one liner idea of what the contest itself will entail.

That is exactly what this contest is about. It is about the New Blood. A new regime you may call it. A new way to look at things, because, well… let’s face it, sometimes it’s better to be out with the old and in with the new as they say. So with that in mind, I’d like to tell you a brief story.

This story will be so brief in fact that you won’t believe how fast it really is:

That’s right, we got rid of the bums, and good riddance too! We sold Tynion on some wild story that he should pursue a career as a movie writer, and that fool bought it and left! Stroke the ego… all it took!

Streetz put up a little bit of a fight however. He wouldn’t take a bribe, wouldn’t be threatened, and wouldn’t even be goaded into a dark alley. So we just attacked him and chopped him into bits. Taking care of business…

Death_by_Beebles. All talk and no bite. He walked in while we were working Streetz over. He just stood there all blood spattered and did nothing. Eventually he threw a few one liners at us; calling us filthy gym socks and such all the while he was picking up pieces of Streetz and putting him into a garbage bag. Hey, I’m no fool. The mess had to be cleaned up anyways, so why should I get my hands any more dirty than they were? So we left Beebles to clean and let him feel strong in the jaw. Afterwards, he left the joint dragging the bag of Streetz parts yelling… “We’ll be back you bloody bastards! You haven’t seen the last of us!”

Once that mess was cleaned up, I cleaned up my cell phone and called in the New Judges. They can’t wait to see what you guys have in store for them in the contest. Oh, and don’t worry… these guys ain’t no push overs like that last group of ugly mugs. These guys are all business. They are sharp, educated, and enjoy their work.

Now that the New Blood judging panel has been introduced, I will now give you your instructions for the contest:

‘It is Halloween. All around is dark. In the distance you can see the tribal campfire burning. You can smell the embers leaping into the air and hear is sizzle in the crisp, cooling air.

Change is coming. Only they don't know it yet. Those fools dance around the fire, completely unaware of the change I will be forcing upon them. Warfare might be a need, but I prefer a more subtle approach.

Oh, change is coming. Out with the old, in with me...’

Your job is to create a Revolutionary. Design one character that has seen enough of the old ways. “The old ways don’t work. I have ideas that will lead us into the future. All of you will march with me, either by choice or by might. Change is coming…”

You should keep this in mind while designing your Revolutionary: each subsequent week, you will be building off of this initial design. This character is the basis for your chances to become MDV Idol. Do your best to follow all common card design rules and always remember that this first design is key to you winning… or losing.

That is a lot to digest, but I encourage you to stick with us a little longer, as we have a special treat in store for you. See you in three minutes.

...COMMERCIAL BREAK...

*Back in the card shop, the same little kid is seen walking around looking for someone to trade with. He spots a guy at the back of the room with a big binder. As the kid draws near the guy, he notices that on the cover of his binder is the Jolly Roger.*

Small boy: Hey, you got stuff for trade?”
Shady looking guy: Yarr! What do you have kid?

*The kid shows the shady pirate his binder.*

Shady looking pirate guy: Yarr… I see you don’t have much. I’ll make you a deal. Your ONE Bitterblossom for my FOUR Sisters of Stone Death *He coughed hoarsely as he points at the Bitterblossom*
Small, innocent boy: So, I get all four of those for just the one card?
Shady looking pirate guy with nasty cough: That’s right kiddo. I like ya, so I’ll give you that deal… to help boost yer collection… *He gives a scary looking wink though his normally squinted eyes*

*Suddenly a set of Shuriken cards imbed themselves in the table between the Shady looking pirate guy with a nasty cough and the Small innocent boy. The camera whirls around and reveals a figure dressed in black standing near the door to the gaming room*

Ninja dressed in black: No kid! The Pirate is tricking you! That’s not a good deal! *The Ninja yells across the room as he throws more cards at the Pirate.* Go to Jason with DA Gaming! He’ll give you a REAL deal!

*The kid hurries off to the end of the table to see Jason.*

*The Card Pirate shakes his fist at the Ninja.*

Shady looking pirate guy with a nasty cough who is shaking his fist: CURSE YOU MTG NINJA!!!

The lessons of the story…
1. Go to DA Gaming, where the players come first.
2. Ninjas beat Pirates.

You can discuss this article in the MDV forums here.
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Find other articles from this series here.