The Secrets of Magic

The Secrets of Magic
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Publishing Information
Author(s)	J. Robert King (ed.)
First printing	May, 2002
ISBN-13	978-0786927104
Preceded By The Dragons of Magic Followed By The Monsters 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.

Blurb

The world is a mystery.

Ancient troves of artifacts await discover. 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
  • During the long Ice Age, a powerful Kjeldoran wizard is dying. Scribes and rival wizards alike scramble to record his secrets before he expires. On his deathbed, he reveals Urza's obliteration spell, to the scribe Barrinalo. He also names the scribe his successor.
• Song for the Plague Rats, by Philip Athans
  • 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.

Part II: Pre-Invasion

• A Nut By Any Other Name, by Nate Levin
  • The elven scout The elf scout Kylor investigates a new human settlement and discovers that the loggers are wrecking part of her forest. Aided by a Deranged Hermit and his squirrels she manages to defeat them.
• Goblin King, by Jim Bishop
  • Though they're not too bright, a tribe of goblins has more than enough numbers and firepower to take care of a hapless human army trying to get through their territory. When the army scribe Wolsey is captured, he'll have to do everything he can to survive.
• Burning Vengeance, by Chris Pramas
  • 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. . . .
• Like Spider's Silk, by Cory J. Herndon
  • Tenya, the daughter of a powerful elf chieftain, is due to be married to the son of a powerful human, which should cement an alliance between the two races. But Giant Spiders disrupt the wedding, and she and her would-be groom must learn to trust each other if they want to rescue their families from this terrible threat.

Part III: Invasion Era

• Behold, The Fish, by J. Robert King
  • A motley group of outcasts from the Vodalian Empire are lucky enough to be among the few survivors of Yawgmoth's destruction. Left in the ruins of the once-mighty empire, this band must find a way to survive and rebuild, or die trying.
• Journey Home, by Will McDermott
  • When the Phyrexian invasion ends, most survivors return home to pick up the pieces. One dwarf, however, finds he cannot. Can he find a new home among a strange people?

Part IV: Post Invasion

• Stolen Harvest, by Vance Moore
  • Another crime is added to Laquatus's long list, as Aboshan and his cephalid empire come to rule the waters around the continent of Otaria.
• Family Man, by Scott McGough
  • A minor member of a powerful crime family dreams of becoming something more are granted, and his actions will start a dynasty of evil that will last for centuries.