The Secrets of Magic

The Secrets of Magic is a Magic: The Gathering anthology of stories published in May 2002. It was edited by J. Robert King.
==Overview==
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
The Secrets of Magic	J. Robert King and various	May 2002 	Dominaria 	Pharon, Barrinalo, Golien, Worlight, Cackluster, Eversson, Ramanash, Regitus, Kyram, King Kjeld, Sirimiti, Sparkfell, Ezni Orimander, Gund, Arnjlot Olasson, Dalath, Sussurion, Penkiron Olubo, Myacanolor, Tishanduras, Alalal Zati, Kufu, Hancoray, Omzatta, Gahadron, Sikrid Veger, Harvald, Kazontas, Arkum Arenson, Ravi, Sengir, Kylor, Graddock, Delva, Jaxle Brey, Wolsey, Multon, Tardis, Bronne, Highsmith, Chaster, Jugrut, Baglag, Liklik, Picknose, Dagdug, Wibbles, Wack Eye, Mukel, Eduarde, Phorodotus, Wells, Mukel, Murad, Aziz, Nesir, Yousef, Sisay, Tenya Vesh, Beric Rycaelin, Farom Vesh, Derc Rycaelin, Kolo Vesh, Ezzik, Dewer Runnda, Lewela, Cowan, Urutor, Gorta, Haynya, Destry, Bo Levar, Blatik, Omen, Yawgmoth, Balthor Rockfist, Matoc, Galdan, Balthor Stoneface (mentioned), Tajaras, Laquatus, Aboshan, Virot Maglan, Valdim Maglan, Vinyata Maglan, Vozama Maglan, Kuberr, Ockeed Ilyssa, Cato Ilyssa, Danske Ilyssa
==Featured characters==
Barrin.jpg|Barrinalo
Ravi.jpg|Ravi
Baronsengir.png|Sengir
Deranged Hermit.jpg|Graddock
Sisay.jpg|Sisay
Bo Levar.jpg|Bo Levar
Yawgmoth, Thran Physician.png|Yawgmoth
Balthor.jpg|Balthor Rockfist
Grim Lavamancer.jpg|Matoc
Laquatus2.jpg|Laquatus
Aboshan, Cephalid Emperor.png|Aboshan
virot.jpg|Virot Maglan
Kuberr.jpg|Kuberr
==Blurb==
The world is a mystery.
Ancient troves of artifacts await discovery. The origins of potent spells rest lost between the pages of archaic tomes. The evolution of monstrous beasts lies outside of a researcher's grasp—until now. At last, long-forgotten and expertly hidden secrets will be revealed.
==List of stories==
===Part I: Ancient History===
*For Want of Ink, by Paul B. Thompson
** 2834 AR, Kjeld - During the long Ice Age, a powerful Kjeldoran wizard is dying. Kjeld's scribes and rival wizards scramble to record Pharon's secrets before he expires. On his deathbed, he reveals the obliteration spell named the "Blare of Doom" to the scribe Barrinalo. He also names the scribe his successor. Dame Sikrid Veger's attempt at bribing the spell's instructions from Barrinalo goes wrong for her, and the young scribe renames himself "Barrin" as a symbol of his new beginnings as Dominaria's most powerful wizard.
*Song for the Plague Rats, by Philip Athans
** 3170 AR, an unnamed village - Vermin start overwhelming entire villages of a distant, shadow-filled, land with a crippling disease. A little girl, just one of the many orphans created by the dreaded rats, finds a kind patron in the most unexpected place. Together, the two take on the dark baron known to perform horrific experiments in the local castle.
===Part II: Pre-Invasion===
*A Nut By Any Other Name, by Nate Levin
** 4100 AR, Yavimaya - The elven scout Kylor investigates a new human settlement on the border of Yavimaya and discovers that the loggers are wrecking the local trees and are under attack by the forest's sapient gorillas. She encounters the <c>Deranged Hermit</c> Graddock who wishes to warn the humans away before the incredibly dangerous protector of Yavimaya discovers their vandalism, but the humans ignore the warning and take the elves as prisoners. Graddock then uses his bond with the forest's squirrels to free them, leaving the humans and their camp to their ill fate.
*Goblin King, by Jim Bishop
** 4100 AR, Gaslight Swamp - Though they're not too bright, a tribe of goblins has more than enough numbers and firepower to care for a hapless human army trying to get through their territory. When the army scribe Wolsey is captured, his knowledge of Goblinese and his skills with metal forging, poisons, and army miniatures allow him to stage a coup and turn on his former commander, Jaxle Brey.
*Burning Vengeance, by Chris Pramas
** 4185 AR, Jamuraa - When the pirate captain of the Burning Vengeance and his band of cutthroats encounter a Suq'Ata ship that might be trading in slaves, he keeps its captain captive until he can discover the truth. What he didn't count on was the presence of one very special stowaway - a cabin boy who turns out to be none other than Sisay, future captain of the Skyship Weatherlight.
*Like Spider's Silk, by Cory J. Herndon
** 4100 AR, Veshay Wood - Tenya Vesh, the daughter of the influential elf chieftain Farom Vesh, is married to Beric Rycaelin, the son of the powerful king Derc Rycaelin, cementing an alliance between the two races. But disrupt the wedding, killing many of the guests and guards, and she and her would-be groom must learn to trust each other if they want to rescue their families from this terrible threat. Together, Fenya and Beric travel to the spiders' nests, facing down hostile gorillas, hundred-foot drops, and teeming spiderlings on the way. In the end, Fenya manages to kill the giant spider and save most of its captives.
===Part III: Invasion Era===
*Behold, The Fish, by J. Robert King
** 4205 AR, Vodalia - A motley group of outcasts, the artistic Eliterates that left the Vodalian Empire, are lucky enough to be among the few survivors of Yawgmoth's destruction, saved by the planeswalker Bo Levar. Left in the ruins of the once-mighty empire, this band must find a way to survive and rebuild, or die trying. They seek out Vodalia, and find that though ruined, some of its citizens have survived. The actor Destry impersonates a commanding officer and takes charge of rebuilding their civilization, reigning briefly as Emperor before staging his death to return to the Eliterate Colony and his true passion - art.
*Journey Home, by Will McDermott
** 4205 AR, Otaria - When the Phyrexian invasion ends, most survivors return home to pick up the pieces, but Balthor Rockfist finds he cannot. He has seen too much war to go back to mining rock. He encounters the barbarian Matoc, from the Pardic Mountains of Otaria, and together, they sail to their home continent. On the way, Matoc saves Balthor's life from pirates at the cost of his sword. When they arrive in Matoc's village of Auror, Balthor passes a trial set up by the village chieftain, Galdan, and successfully joins Matoc's tribe. As thanks, Balthor forges a new sword for Matoc - from the metal of a staff he found on the battlefield, which had belonged to none other than the planeswalker Urza.
===Part IV: Post Invasion===
*Stolen Harvest, by Vance Moore
** 4280 AR, Berbous - Another crime is added to Laquatus's long list, as his treachery allows Aboshan and his cephalid empire come to take over the rule the waters around the continent of Otaria.
*Family Man, by Scott McGoughFamily Man by Scott McGough
** 4000 AR, future Cabal City - Virot Maglan, a minor member of a powerful crime family, dreams of becoming something more. His dreams are granted by the god Kuberr, and his actions will start the Cabal and the dynasty of evil that will last for centuries.
==References==
Category:Anthologies