Crucius
- For the pirate captain planeswalker once known as Crucias, see Bo Levar.
| Crucius | |
|---|---|
| Crucius the Mad Sphinx | |
| Information | |
| Species | Sphinx |
| Job | Artificer |
| Spark | Planeswalker |
| Birth, Life & Death | |
| Birthplace | Esper, Alara |
| Lifetime | Unknown |
| Family | |
| Spouse | Sharuum |
| Children | Kemuel |
Crucius the Mad was a sphinx planeswalker[1] best known for being the inventor of etherium, the magical metal central to the Alaran shard of Esper.[2]
History
Decades before the Conflux, Crucius devised the magical alloy etherium and began a grand project to infuse living things on Esper with it.[3] Crucius proposed this Noble Work as a means to overcome the frailties and limitations of the mortal flesh, but he may also have perceived Esper's disconnection from two crucial elements, red and green mana. Indeed, the aether inside etherium may have been intended to enable a spell that would reunify Esper with the other shards.[2]
The Noble Work became a kind of dogma, and spun out of Crucius's control.[3] Despite the sphinx's attempts to warn them, Esperites began to replace more and more of their flesh with etherium, eventually leading to the creation of undead abominations called aether-liches. Crucius, as the source of etherium, was blamed for the creatures, earning him the moniker Crucius the Mad. Crucius disappeared, considered to be an enemy of the plane. Crucius continues to be hated and feared on Esper even though the people who hate him carry on his Noble Work.[4] Esperites believe him to be in hiding, or dead, although in truth he may have left Alara altogether.[5]
Test of Metal
|
Ambiguous
Official statements to resolve the conflicts either do not exist, or contradict each other.
Uncertainty has its own allure.
|
In a fevered vision while being healed by Nicol Bolas, Tezzeret dreamt that Sharuum, the hegemon of Esper, was Crucius's lover, and that they had a son named Kemuel, who was set up as a guardian of a Crystal Labyrinth in the Great Desert, also supposedly created by Crucius. Inside the labyrinth was a Riddle Gate leading to a Metal Island, made wholly of etherium. Kemuel was set up as a test to find the Seeker who would be permitted to pass through the gate to the island, which turned out to be Tezzeret himself.[6][6] The actual veracity of all of this is unknown.
Story appearances
| Title | Author | Publishing date | Set | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| An Etherium Tale | Doug Beyer | March 4, 2009 | Alara Reborn | Esper and Bant, Alara | Sharuum, Xorin, Crucius, Agatha, Callio, Travius, Jaria |
| Test of Metal | Matthew Stover | October 2010 | Magic 2010 | Metal Island, Alara (Jund, Esper) | Crucius, Tezzeret, Nicol Bolas, Silas Renn, Amalex Pannet (mentioned), Jest, Chammie, Baltrice, Jace Beleren, Posner, Nozzle, Sharuum, Faltus Mack, Liliana Vess, Mr. Shinypants, Kemuel, Tiln |
Planes visited
References
- ↑ Jay Annelli (2021). "Magic: The Gathering - Planes of the Multiverse". Abrams ComicArts.
- ↑ a b Doug Beyer (June 10, 2009). "Graduation Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ a b Doug Beyer & Jenna Helland (2008). A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951246
- ↑ Doug Beyer (March 4, 2009). "An Etherium Tale". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-18.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (November 18, 2008). "Perfection through Etherium". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2018-01-23.
- ↑ a b Test of Metal
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
