Dark Discoveries
| Dark Discoveries | ||||
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:Dark Discoveries.jpg}}|250px]] | ||||
| Publication information | ||||
| Publisher | Wizards of the Coast | |||
| Publication period | May 5 - May 19, 2011 | |||
| URL | Dark Discoveries | |||
| Creative team | ||||
| Writer(s) | Jenna Helland | |||
| Art director | Jeremy Jarvis | |||
| Illustrator(s) | Paul Lee | |||
| Letterer(s) | Bob Jordan | |||
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Dark Discoveries is a webcomic about Tezzeret, Nicol Bolas, Venser, Koth, and Elspeth. It was originally published by Wizards of the Coast in three parts in May 2011. Part 3 features a pair of examples of the Phyrexian language.
Part 1
Working for the Infinite Consortium on an unidentified plane, Tezzeret the Seeker is torturing a man who knows someone named Krovet, but is disturbed by the unexpected arrival of an imp. The imp delivers orders by Nicol Bolas to travel to Mirrodin and to infiltrate the Vedalken city. Tezzeret hangs the imp and walks away, ignoring the orders.
Tezzeret is stalking two men in a crowded city when another imp arrives to tell him that Bolas has arranged for a guide on Mirrodin. Not amused that his prey has been scared away, Tezzeret again kills the messenger.
Sailing on an unknown sea, Tezzeret is visited by yet another imp. The imp orders him to prevent the dark force from gathering behind one leader but is drowned by way of response.
Tezzeret is climbing an unnamed mountain towards a stronghold. He thinks about the orders to gather information about New Phyrexia while making himself immune to infections by its plagues. He hears another disturbance, but now it is Bolas who arrives in person. Calling him "Master Tidehollow", Bolas asks about the workings of his new arm which he had gifted to Tezzeret. Tezzeret tries to defy Bolas but is sent to Mirrodin anyway with a promise that he might become the plane's ruler. Knowing that he has to go undercover for a long time, Tezzeret meets his vedalken guide.
Part 2
The planeswalker Venser teleports into the Vault of Whispers for recon, but is quickly surrounded by Phyrexians and is horrified by the sheer number of their forces. Panicking, he teleports further down until he encounters a gigantic shrine erected to his former mentor Karn. He knows that Karn has vanished from Dominaria after surrendering his spark years earlier, and wonders how the silver golem has become part of the Phyrexian evil. At the shrine, he is assaulted by the Steel Thane Geth, who candidly tells him that Karn has lost his mind and can't be found.
Forced to flee, Venser teleports 20 miles up back to the surface, where Elspeth Tirel and Koth of the Hammer are waiting for him. He tries to convince them that there are too many Phyrexians to attack and that their only chance is to save Karn. Koth argues that Karn should be killed instead, while Elspeth doesn't want to sidetrack their efforts. Venser warns them that if they don't rescue Karn, Phyrexia will not just conquer Mirrodin but will spread throughout the Multiverse. All of them will become part of what they came to destroy.
Part 3
Bolas's vedalken minion instructs Tezzeret to travel down through the lacuna beneath the Knowledge Pool to surveil the planar core. He warns Tezzeret that his organic flesh - what there is of it - may become affected during his voyage, and administers an antidote to slow the Phyrexian influence. Tezzeret is humiliated to be bossed about by a minion and wonders what he got himself into. He dives into the Knowledge Pool, anyway. He passes several layers before his fall slows. When he sees creatures advancing on him immediately, he realizes he is the bait rather than a spy.
While hearing the Phyrexian language for the first time, Tezzeret is quickly overwhelmed. He hears a leader of the creatures in his mind, ordering him to be killed and to be transported to the laboratory. Losing his temper, Tezzeret frees himself and kills several of the Phyrexians. He promises to refrain from further killing if the praetor will bring him to its leader.
Tezzeret is brought before the Father of Machines and is forced to genuflect. He realizes that this is the one that Bolas wanted to uncover and that the dragon is afraid of this force finding a leader. When he looks up, he sees the menacing figure of Karn.