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My Most Valuable MTG Possession - also known as my story with Mark.

Awww (expletive). This will probably be the hardest thing I have ever had to write. Forget the TEE (HSC) examinations; this is writing at its most difficult.

I will begin with showing where the title comes in – my most prized Magic possession. Mine is a Friday Night Magic Flametongue Kavu. I asked forum members Kugelblitz and Necroticon what their most valuable possession was and their responses came to “the huggable Serra Angel deck box that Necroticon won himself” to Kugel's “too many to mention” standard non response. No offence to Kugelblitz. I don't know, he might actually have too many to mention. Anyway, my FTK isn't special because its such a great card, or because its an FNM version, or because its “mighty pretty” in foil. My FTK is special because of how I got it, the circumstances in which it arrived in my possession and the person who traded it to me.

Mark was a friend of mine. I didn't know him for very long, so I never learnt his surname. He was known to most of us as stitchface for his frequent scars and black eyes he had. He never told us how he got them and we never asked. Anyway I drafted with him once or twice and played many a game before the drafts started. He was always willing to draft or play any format really, no matter how many or who the competitors were, or the stakes whether it be for DCI ratings or just muck around where you test an all proxy peasant deck. The FTK comes into this tale at our weekly type 2 tournaments on Sundays in Subiaco. This is a Friday Night Magic event and Mark, playing Mono Blue Control (before French regional championships, they copy off someone like Mark) was lucky enough to scoop the final random prize for the day. However, since the store had not yet received the cards, he had to wait to get his. The next Saturday I managed to crack a Keiga in some packs I got and we agreed to trade his FTK when he got it for my Keiga. The next day I gave him the Keiga to use in his deck. I was then out of Perth until a month later.

I was psyched to go to FNM that Sunday, as it would have been my first time seeing the guys in quite a while. When I arrived I inexplicably received a Flametongue Kavu from the owner. I made it quite apparent that I did not know how my name was down for receiving one, as I had never earned it or randomly received it. Nonetheless my name was down as needing to receive one. I happily flaunted my new acquisition, completely oblivious to the circumstances under which I had received it. The next week I go back to the store where I met Mark and played in what was meant to be a type 2 but turned into a draft. Three days later, on Tuesday the 3 rd of May, Mark took his own life. I found out about this fact on Sunday the 8 th , after arriving home from going 2-2 with G/u Aggro/Control. I logged onto http://mtg.perthdci.com to find this thread by the owner of the store I met Mark at (not the store in Subiaco where the type 2 is held):

Mark (also known as Stitchface) had recently started playing MTG and quickly got to love the game. He'd always be up for a draft; if his finances permitted, and loved any format...I must have played Mini-masters with him about half-a-dozen time or so.

I didn't know him well but I knew he was going through a tough time with illness and family issues. MTG was one of the few bright spots in his life.

He was such a reserved and timid guy: he wouldn't have hurt a fly. And he never got too flustered when he traded, nor was he greedy. He was a genuinely good person with not an ounce of pretence in him.

Alas, his personal demons got the better of him, and last Tuesday he took his own life. It is a loss to the MTG community, and an indictment on how modern medicine, and the health sector, looks after the teenagers of this country. I don't mean to preach, nor to patronise anyone, but it was not his fault...he was a kid.

Next time when you pull open your deck box for a game of MTG, spare a thought for good old Stitchface...the quiet guy, who, in such a tragic way, was finally heard.

I was shocked. He had mentioned to me previously he was having personal problems, but he had such a positive outlook on life despite this, I couldn't believe that internally he was struggling so. I kept my opinion to myself, not having the right words to say. I still don't today, if the readability of this article is any indication. I vowed to take the best deck I could to FNM the next week and do the best I could for Mark. Naturally I have a 1-3-1(bye) record with Tooth and Nail, perfectly explaining my mid-1400 rating.

The story now continues to just two days ago, where, whilst in one of my darker moments – I tend to slip to being very down on myself for no reason at all - I'm thinking of Mark and how he died when I come across the Flametongue sorting through some cards. As I'm staring at this card and thinking of Mark; suddenly it clicked. Mark, when at the store before he died, has made sure that the owner gave me that FTK he won the next time I was in. I nearly break down in tears at this, humbled that he would think of something like this before taking the step that he did in taking his life. I'm also ashamed at the way I acted when receiving the card, as I should have realized then what it was and how I got it.

Marks' actions have taught me a lot about what makes not only a well liked and respected player, but what makes a person's character of the highest quality. Even though that lesson was a long time learned it could only better me as a person. It has taught me about character, friendship, and finishing what you started – to fulfil an agreement, even one so small as a magic trade, no matter what your circumstances are. I hope that my experience with Mark has taught you something as well.

If you ever happen to sit across from me in any event, or even just a casual game, if it is legal, expect to see “stitchface.dec”, or at least that very special Friday Night Magic Flametongue Kavu that; even in an event such as having a card (like an invitational card) printed by myself, or even if I were to acquire all the Power 9 in the world would remain my most valuable magic possession.

Before I finish I would ask of you that if you have read my writing to this point and have gotten something out of it, that you would do two things: 1 is to leave some feedback on this piece or my writing on the forums. The second is to do what the store owner requested back in May when we found out about Mark and that is to pause for a moment next time you shuffle and present your deck to think of Mark. I lost a friend and our community lost a player whose character was of the highest quality. I think his actions here in this case are worthy of that.

It would mean a great deal to me if you could do these things not just for my own benefit, but also as a tribute to a great guy like Mark. I am sure that if you know a person like him, you would want the same for them.

Thankyou for reading

Reece “pikemania” Perry

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