Merlin Ahrenadel
Neon City
Neon City is a Magic: the Gathering custom set based around a unique post apocalyptic setting inspired by recent trends in magical girl anime.
A mysterious event occurs in which the adult population has suddenly vanished, and the remaining populace has gained magical abilities.
In the aftermath, powerful magic using gangs roam the streets, using their powers to define territory.
The core mechanics are Banish, Mercenaries, and Empower (a deciduous mechanic). Escort, a self-created evergreen mechanic is also included.
This card design is an attempt to find a usable yet appealing design for a 2 CMC Planeswalker while showcasing the potential of the set’s Banish mechanic. The design is relatively simple and elegant, borrowing from standard black/white combo card mechanics.
This card attempts to both pay homage to the source character, representing her abilities in a functional manner, and support the primary themes of the set.
Empowerment functions as a basic state change represents the transformation magical powers grant.
The choice of Red, White, and Blue both represent the primary character traits (impulse, order, and intelligence) and the French flag (the show is set in Paris).
The lands in this set are designed to represent a modern take on the traditional land types used in Magic.
The special land card listed, Abandoned Alley,
harkens back to the design of Mercadian Masques where the Mercenary card theme got its start while borrowing from more modern cards such as Vivian’s Arcbow.