At the Prerelease this past weekend, or looking over the Card Image Gallery, perhaps you found yourself staring at a particularly disturbing piece of art and wondering what's going on in it, or reading some bit of flavor text that suggests there's more to the story. Maybe you're wondering how Melira, Sylvok Outcast fits into the story, or why Urabrask is called "the Hidden."

Over the last five weeks, the Planeswalker's Guide to New Phyrexia has run in Savor the Flavor, showcasing the world of New Phyrexia with card art, concept illustrations, and text from the New Phyrexia style guide. It's both a field guide to the set and an inside glimpse at the resources the creative team used as they built the setting of New Phyrexia in all its horrifying, biomechanical, panchromatic glory. We present it here in its entirety, with improved navigation between the various sections.

Even if—especially if—you're not a regular reader of Savor the Flavor, it's well worth a look.




"The last of the Not-Whole shall be discovered, though our eyeholes wince at their hideousness. Their bodies shall be absorbed and their imperfection shall be purged. The Machine Orthodoxy shall engorge the Not-Whole and their deficient isolation shall be obliterated in the Unity. Only then shall the last wounds in the Circle be healed. Only then shall this world compleat itself."
—Izathel, High Chancellor

Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Concept Art


"Our Purpose? Experiment. We are the engine that furthers Phyrexian progress by developing new life, new tools, and new methods that seek to attain sublime compleation. Our Structure? We are an integrated network of facilities each in pursuit of perfection."
—From the Great Synthesis by Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur

Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Concept Art


"Was that me laughing just now? Oh my, what you must think. I was about to find out what you have in that tiny, little brain of yours with my big, shiny hook here and I couldn't contain myself. You must feel that I am not appreciating the full gravity of your situation, but I can assure you that I take my work quite seriously."
—Geth, Lord of the Vault

Sheoldred, Whispering One Concept Art


"Destruction purifies. The furnaces cleanse. Words can always be twisted, but the fire cannot."
—Urabrask the Hidden

Urabrask the Hidden Concept Art


"The other praetors cower in the dark and mince words with their false king. Come, Vorinclex, let us split the ribcage of this pitiable world and unleash its fearsome heart."
—Glissa, the Traitor

Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger Concept Art


"As long as we remain on Mirrodin, there is a shred of hope that our world will one day return to its rightful occupants. Maybe these rotting tyrants will grow weary of one another and eat their own. These hopes may be foolish, but for now, we cling to whatever lies keep us going, and we work to ready the minds of the young ones for the future they face."
—Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer