Midweek Magic LOTR Constructed Midweek Magic is an event in the popular trading card game, Magic: The Gathering, where players compete using constructed decks. In this particular event, players are restricted to using decks built around the Lord of the Rings (LOTR) theme. This adds a unique twist to the usual gameplay and allows fans of both Magic: The Gathering and LOTR to come together and enjoy a thrilling gaming experience. Constructed decks in Magic: The Gathering are decks that players build themselves using cards from their personal collections. This format allows for a wide array of strategies and deck archetypes, enabling players to devise their own personalized strategies and unique combinations. With the inclusion of the LOTR theme, players can bring iconic characters, creatures, and places from the well-known fantasy series into the game.
Because these materials emerge from religious, social, political, and cultural worlds generally unfamiliar to western readers, the editors have curated the collection, providing introductions to orient readers to the worlds of magic, witchcraft, and the eastern Slavs.
Nods to actual historical witchcraft belief and its persecution lend period color if not profound elements to works as disparate as Harry Potter and American Horror Story. In the Russian lands where men predominated among persecuted sorcerers and Ukrainian areas where women predominated among the accused , magical specialists and ordinary people used herbs, potions, spells, and charms to heal individuals, to tell the future, and to make members of the opposite sex lust after them.
With the inclusion of the LOTR theme, players can bring iconic characters, creatures, and places from the well-known fantasy series into the game. The LOTR theme adds an exciting dynamic to the Midweek Magic event. Players may include characters like Frodo Baggins, Gandalf, or even Sauron as powerful creatures in their decks.
Witchcraft and Magic in Russian and Ukrainian Lands before 1900
When you think of a witch, what do you imagine? Probably what comes to mind is not a Russian trapper in far eastern Siberia with a set of written spells tucked into his belt, meant to win him success in hunting and trapping and seducing women. And not an Orthodox priest who equipped himself with a spell meant to win the love of his superiors. Equally far from stock images of witchcraft is a military recruit who, in the mid-eighteenth century, at the acme of the Enlightenment, offered to assist the Russian imperial authorities with a bit of herbal magic that would “cover the Prussian king and his entire army with fog and release water and capture the king alive.” Yet all of these cases emerge from the historical record of Russian witchcraft trials.
Magical practice was widespread in the Russian and Ukrainian lands, and we can document the actual spells and rituals practitioners used. In the Russian lands (where men predominated among persecuted sorcerers) and Ukrainian areas (where women predominated among the accused), magical specialists and ordinary people used herbs, potions, spells, and charms to heal individuals, to tell the future, and to make members of the opposite sex lust after them. Women sometimes resorted to magic to abort unwanted pregnancies or to fend off abusive husbands or masters. And still, others sought magical advice for malevolent ends or believed themselves to be the victims of a bewitchment.
When you think of a witch, what do you imagine?
Authorities condemned such witchcraft as evil, criminal, and demonic. However, their ideas about witchcraft were very different from those that circulated in Catholic and Protestant Europe. Orthodox regions didn’t develop mythologies about the Black Sabbaths and satanic orgies that spiced up European witch lore.
Witchcraft and magical belief are alive and well in popular culture today, both as a growing religious denomination and as an endlessly fascinating topic of scholarly works, novels, movies, and television shows. Nods to actual historical witchcraft belief and its persecution lend period color if not profound elements to works as disparate as Harry Potter and American Horror Story. But those historical referents are most commonly drawn from the Anglo-American past. Occasional works take up material from the rest of Europe. But who knows anything about witchcraft belief or persecution further to the east, in the Orthodox realm of Russia and Ukraine?
In this first of its kind collection, the editors have assembled a set of primary source documents on witchcraft belief and practice in the regions that today make up Russia and Ukraine. Many of the materials have never been published in any language before. The texts range from the earliest mentions of witchcraft in the medieval Kyivan chronicles to reports from the early modern Muscovite court about magical attacks on members of the royal family to physicians’ assessments of outbreaks of demonic possession in the nineteenth-century countryside.
Orthodox regions didn’t develop mythologies about the Black Sabbaths and satanic orgies that spiced up European witch lore.
With a particularly rich selection of sources documenting legal conceptions and formal prosecution of accused witches, the collection engages with issues that have contemporary as well as historical relevance. The documents force the reader to consider the deadly power of imaginary ideas when given real world authority. They push us to examine the kinds of “truth” elicited by harsh interrogation and torture. And they encourage us to expand our expectations about how societies are ordered through exposing the imaginary “other,” the witch, that they most feared. The comparison of Ukrainian and Russian traditions reminds us that mental constructs assume radically different shapes in different cultures. It also underscores the extent to which ideas are malleable, not set in stone, and can alter, for good or for ill, over time and place.
Because these materials emerge from religious, social, political, and cultural worlds generally unfamiliar to western readers, the editors have curated the collection, providing introductions to orient readers to the worlds of magic, witchcraft, and the eastern Slavs.
*Featured image: M. V. Nesterov, For a Love Spell, 1888.
This book was published under Cornell University Press’s NIU Press imprint. Find out more.
Valerie A. Kivelson is Thomas N. Tentler Collegiate Professor of History and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of History at the University of Michigan. She is the author of Cartographies of Tsardom, Desperate Magic, and Autocracy in the Provinces. See all books by this author.
Christine D. Worobec is Distinguished Research Professor Emerita at Northern Illinois University. She is the author of Possessed and Peasant Russia. See all books by this author.
They can also utilize iconic locations like the Shire or Mount Doom as part of their strategy. The addition of these elements from the LOTR universe allows players to immerse themselves further into the fantasy world while still being able to utilize the mechanics and rules of Magic: The Gathering. In Midweek Magic LOTR Constructed, players have the opportunity to showcase their creativity and deck-building skills. They can try out different combinations of LOTR-themed cards, experimenting with various strategies and synergies. This creates a refreshing and engaging gameplay experience for both casual and competitive players alike. Additionally, the event provides a platform for fans of both Magic: The Gathering and LOTR to come together and enjoy a shared passion. It allows them to connect with fellow enthusiasts and engage in friendly competition, discussing their favorite characters and moments from the LOTR series. Midweek Magic LOTR Constructed is a unique event that combines the excitement of Magic: The Gathering with the beloved world of Lord of the Rings. It offers players a chance to embrace their inner hobbit or wizard and explore the intricate strategies and thrilling battles that arise from the fusion of these two iconic fantasy franchises. Whether you're a seasoned Magic: The Gathering player or a die-hard LOTR fan, this event is sure to provide an unforgettable gaming experience..
Reviews for "Boost Your Midweek Magic Decks with LotR Constructed"
1. Jane - 2/5 - I was really excited to try the "Midweek Magic LOTR Constructec" set, but I was disappointed with my purchase. The instructions were confusing and poorly illustrated, making it difficult to construct the model. Additionally, some of the pieces didn't fit together properly, so the final product ended up looking messy and unstable. The quality of the materials used also seemed cheap, as the pieces felt flimsy and easily breakable. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this set to others who are looking for a fun and hassle-free building experience.
2. Mark - 1/5 - This "Midweek Magic LOTR Constructec" set was a total waste of money for me. The pieces were poorly molded and didn't fit together well, causing frustration throughout the construction process. The final product was disappointing and didn't resemble the advertised image at all. It felt like a cheap knock-off version of a more popular building set. I regret purchasing this and would advise others to invest their money in a higher-quality alternative.
3. Amanda - 2/5 - I found the "Midweek Magic LOTR Constructec" set to be a disappointment. The instructions were unclear and lacked step-by-step guidance, making it difficult to follow along. The pieces themselves were also quite flimsy and easily broke during the construction process. The final model didn't stand up well and kept falling apart. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this set to anyone who is looking for an enjoyable building experience.