Story video
The Black Tide
A cinematic retelling of Maren's saga, narrated in full. · 3 min
The Story
This was Saltmere, the city of a hundred bells, built on an island in the Bay of Lune. When the tide came in, every bell in the city rang to welcome it.
I was nine when my father, King Edric, let me ring the great tide bell for the first time. Listen, he said. The sea is singing back.
Old Oruvane, keeper of the royal library, taught me every tide by heart. The sea gives, she warned me... and the sea takes back.
Across the bay stood the Storm Towers of the mainland, and their master, Stormwarden Orsk, who could call the lightning down... and send it away again.
When my father's ship never came home from the winter storms, they crowned me at nineteen, with pearls from the bay still wet in my hair.
Orsk came to my court and knelt. He swore his storms would never touch Saltmere. And I gave him the keys to our great sea gates.
Seven years of calm water. Ships came to our harbour from every shore, and on festival nights the whole bay floated with lanterns.
Each dawn I walked the sea wall with Admiral Varro and his fleet. I was a good queen, I think. I loved my city more than I feared the sea.
But the mainland lords wanted our harbour, without our bells. And Orsk wanted a crown of his own. On the night of the spring tide... he called the storm.
He opened the sea gates with the keys I had given him. The Black Tide poured into Saltmere, street by street, tower by tower.
My people begged me to flee. I stayed in the great bell tower, ringing the alarm... until the water closed over the bells, and over me.
Saltmere drowned in a single night. And far below, in the black trench, something ancient opened its eye. Thal'Uura... the Kraken Below.
It did not let me die. It gave me a crown of black coral, and a pearl for every soul I lost. And it taught me to command the tide.
Now my court gathers again in the sunken cathedral. Admiral Varro still commands his fleet. Oruvane still keeps her books. Only the guest list has changed.
Orsk believes the sea forgets. The sea forgets nothing. Every tide I send against his towers carries one more drowned ship back from the deep.
I drowned with my kingdom. Now the tide answers to me. Listen, Orsk... the sea is singing back. And the bells are still ringing.
Maren
Signature cards
- 10
77Gorvathul, the Trench Colossus
Monster · Beast
Colossal +3. When this enters play, summon three 1/3 Trench Claws that deal 1 damage to a random enemy at the end of your turn.
- 9
77Hrimvast, the Icebound
Monster · Beast
Frostbite. Colossal +2. When this enters play, summon two 0/3 Rime Fins that freeze a random enemy monster at the end of your turn.
- 9
Maren, Empress of Leviathans
Hero
Gain 5 armor. Warcry: Summon two 2/2 Kraken Tentacles with Guardian. Give your Beasts +2/+2.
- 9
88Vhoruun, the Swallowing Tide
Monster · Beast
Warcry: Return all other monsters to their owners' hands.
- 8
Maren, Queen Beneath the Waves
Hero
Gain 5 armor. Warcry: Freeze all enemy monsters. Summon two 2/2 Kraken Tentacles with Guardian.
- 8
66Thal'Uura, the Kraken Below
Monster · Beast
Colossal +2. When this enters play, summon two 2/2 Kraken Tentacles with Guardian.
- 8
77The Kraken Below
Monster · Beast
Warcry: Summon two 2/2 Kraken Tentacles with Guardian.
- 8
88Wrackmaw, the Hoard Leviathan
Monster · Beast
When you draw this, it costs (1) less for each card in your hand.