Mephidross

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Mephidross
The Dross
Information
Plane	New Phyrexia
Colors
Type	Swamp
Status	Siphoned away
Later part of	The Dross Pits
Scryfall Statistics
artworks

The Mephidross (or Dross, for short; Phyrexian: muiEdrL, IPA: [mefidrs]) was a swamp of sludge, hazardous chemicals and waste, broken and cast off machines, and corroding metal on the world of Mirrodin. It bordered on the Oxidda Chain. Above it shone Ingle.

Description

The swamplands of Mephidross were a large expanse of foul water covered over by a scum of black ichor. It was a toxic wasteland of ooze, filth, and corrosion. The humans crazy enough or hardy enough to live here eked out an existence scavenging among the many scrapheaps.

From a distance, the sky above the Dross looked like ink swirling in water. As you approached it, the ground began to soften, leaving spongy footprints in the land. But the most striking feature of the Dross was the sound it made. The whole swamp hummed with a low, dissonant chord. In some places, it sounded like a distant generator. In others, it was deafening. Some reported hearing whispers beneath the constant thrum. The sound came from the chimneys of the Dross, ominous structures that "grew" seemingly at random throughout Mephidross. These "smokestacks" ranged from ten to three hundred feet high. All emitted the sickly green corrosive gas called necrogen that slowly sapped the life from creatures, turning them into nim.

In the center of the swamps used to be Ish Sah, the Vault of Whispers, a large fortress that was used to control the activities of the swamp. Here Geth, the ruler of the Moriok, dwelt. The Black Lacuna was also located in the Mephidross.

During the Leveler War against Memnarch's machines and the Nim, the Mephidross advanced exponentially into the other territories until the mad guardian was put down. During the advance of Phyrexia, the Dross expanded also, swallowing large parts of the Tangle and the Razorgrass Fields. The Seven Steel Thanes ruled fiefdoms within the area, jockeying for control over the swamplands.

As Mirrodin was compleated into New Phyrexia, the surface was extracted of resources, leaving a wasteland known as the Mirrex. The Mephidross, the dominant biome during the Mirran-Phyrexian wars, was ironically siphoned out entirely into a new layer within Phyrexia, the Dross Pits, where the Thanes now dwelled.

Known locations

Before the Phyrexians' conquest, the Mephidross was the center of Moriok culture.

• The Glistening Dunes
• Ish Sah, the Vault of Whispers. Location of the black Lacuna.
• Rey-Goor, the Black Bayou

Occupants

Moriok

The Moriok, the human occupants of the Dross, lived in scattered communities throughout the swamp. The evil magic of the Necrogen Mists affected the Moriok's brains, exacerbating their natural human tendencies toward hate, aggression, and greed.

Nim

Nim, the zombies created by the Necrogen, vent the gas themselves, as well. They were very numerous and, along with the already horrible conditions of the environment, made this region inhospitable to most life. The leonin and the people of the Razor Fields were the bitter enemies of the nim.

Harvesters

Large, horrifying creatures that slither through the Mephidross using their huge scythes to scoop living creatures into the cavity in their back. These were vulnerable to Phyrexianization.

Vampire

Vampires lived deep within the Mephidross, in areas inhospitable even to the Moriok. The warlord Geth once claimed one of these creatures as his champion, proclaiming it the sole member of its species. Of those vampires, only the most skilled assassins are granted a seat in the Bleak Coven. They are led by Vraan, the Thane of Blood.

In-game references

Represented in:

• Blackcleave Cliffs
• Darkslick Shores

Associated cards:

• Chancellor of the Dross
• Dross Crocodile
• Dross Golem
• Dross Harvester
• Dross Hopper
• Dross Prowler
• Dross Ripper
• Dross Scorpion
• Dross Skullbomb
• Mephidross Slime
• Mephidross Vampire
• Necrogen Communion
• Necrogen Mists
• Necrogen Rotpriest
• Necrogen Scudder
• Necrogen Spellbomb
• Pulse of the Dross

Depicted in:

• Swamp (Mirrodin, #295)
• Swamp (Mirrodin, #296)
• Swamp (Mirrodin, #297)
• Swamp (Mirrodin, #298)
• Swamp (Scars of Mirrodin, #238)
• Swamp (Scars of Mirrodin, #239)
• Swamp (Scars of Mirrodin, #240)
• Swamp (Scars of Mirrodin, #241)
• Swamp (New Phyrexia, #170)
• Swamp (New Phyrexia, #171)
• Vault of Whispers

Referred to:

• Aether Snap
• Arek, False Goldwarden
• Bleak Coven Vampires
• Carapace Forger
• Consume Spirit (Mirrodin)
• Darkslick Drake
• Drown in Ichor
• Essence Drain (Darksteel)
• Gitaxian Raptor
• Mephitic Ooze
• Moriok Scavenger
• Myr Retriever
• Neurok Spy
• Nim Abomination
• Nim Shambler
• Pewter Golem
• Psychogenic Probe
• Skeleton Shard
• Vault Skyward

^† Scryfall does not record flavor text for digital cards. See Alchemy: Phyrexia/Flavor text