Ertai
| Ertai | |
|---|---|
|
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Ertai, Wizard Adept.jpg}}|250px]] | |
| Details | |
| Race | Human, Phyrexian (later) |
| Birthplace | Tolaria, Dominaria |
| Lifetime | 4186[1]-4205 AR |
| Sources | |
| Rath and Storm, Nemesis, Planeshift, Apocalypse | |
Ertai was a talented, arrogant young wizard from Tolaria who signed on to be the Skyship Weatherlight's mage.[2]
History
Journey to Rath
Following the kidnapping of Captain Sisay, the Weatherlight crew required a mage to fix the coordinates of Rath into the planeshifting powerstone. Hanna suggested that Barrin could fill the role, but when approached, he refused and instead provided Ertai, one of his top apprentices, who had just been granted full journeyman status. Dubious of his qualifications, Ertai challenged Hanna to a competition which he won easily.
After arriving in Rath, Weatherlight's planeshifting engine was damaged in battle with the Predator. Ertai, therefore, volunteered to keep the planar portal they found open as an escape route. While trying to open the portal, Ertai was contacted by Lyna, who offered to aid his rituals in exchange for letting the Soltari use the portal as well. Ertai agreed and they successfully opened the portal. However, the Weatherlight was being hotly pursued by Predator as it fled and so was forced to leave Ertai behind.
Nemesis
After Weatherlight abandoned him, Ertai was captured by Greven il-Vec and taken back to the Stronghold. He became an unexpected dark horse candidate in the contest to replace Volrath as Evincar, largely because of his romantic relationship with Belbe. However, he knew he was no real match for Crovax and thus spent much of his time trying to find a way to escape Rath. When Crovax and Volrath dueled for the throne, Ertai saw that Crovax would win regardless, but by aiding him, he could prevent the deaths of bystanders from Crovax's ability to regenerate himself by killing them, so he used his magic to off-balance Volrath at a critical moment and thus give Crovax the victory. Soon after, Belbe was killed by Eladamri, who also used the last energy of Belbe's portal to flee to Dominaria. This gave Ertai no hope of escape, so he chose to submit to the new evincar and was thus transformed into Crovax's loyal lapdog.
Invasion
Embittered by his abandonment by the Weatherlight crew and by Belbe's death, he regarded Gerrard and company as personal enemies. After the Rathi Overlay, Ertai accompanied Predator into battle with Weatherlight, where he captured Gerrard (and, accidentally, Squee) and teleported them into the Stronghold. After Squee was given the ability to resurrect, Ertai delighted in killing him over and over again, until finally Squee, quite by accident, overloaded the Phyrexian healing device he was using, killing Ertai in the explosion.
Dominaria United
Several centuries later, Ertai was resurrected by Sheoldred as part of the second Phyrexian Invasion during the events of Dominaria United.[3] He compleated Aron Capashen and Squee's clan of goblins.[4] After escaping a battle with Jaya Ballard, Ajani Goldmane, Danitha Capashen, and Radha, he travelled to Squee's clan to compleat the immortal goblin and retrieve the Salvation Sphere. He managed to protect himself when Squee accidentally blew up his clan's mountain and resurrected himself uncompleated.[3]
Story appearances
| Title | Author | Publishing date | Set | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Episode 4: A Brutal Blow | Langley Hyde | 2022-08-15 | Dominaria United | Dominaria | Karn, Jaya Ballard, Jodah, Teferi, Shanna Sisay, Arvad, Rafwyn Capashen, Slimefoot, Tiana, Ajani Goldmane, Danitha Capashen, Meria, Aron Capashen, Ertai, Darigaaz, Jhoira, Radha |
| Death and Salvation | Dan Sheehan | 2022-08-16 | Dominaria United | Dominaria | Squee, Bulp, Rarp, Spurna, Ertai, Salvation |
Trivia
The original storyline of the Weatherlight Saga, as envisioned by Michael G. Ryan and Mark Rosewater, featured a time travel story. Fifty years in the future, Dominaria is beset by the Phyrexians, with a resistance led by an older and wiser Ertai, who had found a way back from Rath. He would help stop the Phyrexians with the help of a powerful artifact that Gerard left behind, the Hourglass pendant.[5]
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
- Abeyance
- Abjure
- Aether Flash
- Bloodrock Cyclops
- Canyon Drake
- Canyon Wildcat
- Chill
- Cone of Flame
- Counterspell
- Dismiss
- Erratic Portal
- Fledgling Djinn
- Flux
- Fool's Tome
- Gaseous Form
- Morgue Toad
- Oraxid
- Paradigm Shift
- Phyrexian Tyranny
- Psychic Vortex
- Relearn
- Steal Enchantment
- Teferi's Veil
- Thalakos Seer
- Thunderbolt (Weatherlight)
- Time Ebb
- Tolarian Entrancer
References
- ↑ Tempest Characters (archived)
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 03, 2007). "Weather(light) Report". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Dan Sheehan (August 16, 2022). "Death and Salvation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Langley Hyde (August 15, 2022). "A Brutal Blow". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 16, 2020). "Could I have the original plan for his story?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (April 24, 2002). "Stronghold BioMachine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.