Having no duties or schedule today you decide to pay Issar Roon a midday visit. The passageways to the old man's study are cool and shadowed, but remain lighted without the use of any flames. Instead of harsh light penetrating into the stone sanctum, you find that the light slowly increases as your vision widens to accept the views outside. Someone long ago must have been very skilled to have designed such a trick.

You arrive at the old man's study with a knock to announce your presence. A muffled sound comes from within before you hear the old man's harsh voice giving permission to enter.

Avoiding your responsibilities, eh? I will not be drawn into any trouble you may acquire from disregarded duties.

Knowing it to be useless, you decide it best not to tell the man that you have no responsibilities today. After all, you want a story from him.

Very well, I will aid you in your inanity. Sit down and I will tell you a short story. What shall it be? Today I have begun anew my research on the history of Phrexia and Urza, but I have no desire to talk about that. Something paltry should do…

Ah yes! I have just the subject. Sit down and I will tell you about Sangrazuls.

You have already sat down, upon his first command, but refrain from telling the old man the obvious.

Sangrazuls are one of those legends. Some say they exist. Others say they are a tall tale, told to frighten children with the fantastical. I leave it up to you to decide for yourself today.

No one knows just quite where Sangrazuls first appeared, but of course many theories exist. I've heard it said that Sangrazuls were found on a distant plane by a mad planeswalker. Others say vengeful mages created Sangrazuls with magic to retaliate against some great wizard who defeated them. Perhaps the craziest idea is that nature itself created the Sangrazuls to stop planeswalkers from becoming too powerful.

You see, Sangrazuls would hold a very unique place in the Multiverse, if they truly exist. They can sense mana lines and mana bonds better than any creature of the Multiverse, even planeswalkers. As such, they often serve planeswalkers, willingly or unwillingly, helping them to find hidden sources of mana that others have not tapped. But that is not why they are unique.

They are unique because they must feed on mana to survive. Like a bear that needs fish and berries to stay alive or a bird who requires worms and bugs, Sangrazuls depend upon mana as their life source. A Sangrazul's life is long, matching that of even the most elderly of elves, but requires only occasional digestion of mana. Thanks to their long lives they can live for hundreds of years before they truly suffer from mana starvation. Of course, because they live a long life their starvation is prolonged and causes much suffering and torment.

You wonder if such pain is common in those who live for eons. Perhaps immortality is not as desirable as most humans believe.

One method the Sangrazul have found to stave off the effects of mana-hunger is to eat sweets. Do not laugh! You would search for any relief available if you were faced with years of agony. Though it does not act as a replacement for mana it can help a Sangrazul to prevent the inevitable effects for well over 500 years.

It is said in some circles that it is easy to find those who have not fed on mana for a long time. Simply look for one who is obese.

With his last sentence, the old man bursts into a fit of laughter. Unable to understand the man's humor, you cannot force yourself to laugh along with him. After a short while, the old man continues as if nothing had happened.

There is a story for you. Have you come to any conclusions of the Sangrazuls' existence? Well, digest what I’ve told you, and inform me when you come to visit again. I have taught you what I can about them. Now be gone. I must get back to my important research.

Contemplating the Sangrazuls' place in the Multiverse you rise. Maybe the old man will tell you his opinion when you visit again. You doubt the thought as soon as it's made.

This is a work of fiction based on the stories and entries provided by Wizards about some of the early characters. The author takes some liberty with the story for dramatic purposes. So the story portrayed here may not be the exact story according to Magic Canon. The author has found references and art to use in the following locations: Encyclopedia Phyrexianna and the MTG Salvation Wiki. Written by Brendan Weiskotten.