Crown’d at Scone: Stone of Destiny

MALCOLM:
“So, thanks to all at once, and to each one,
Whom we invite to see us crown’d at Scone.”
—Macbeth (Act V, Scene 8)

I love the Scottish Play.

There’s something about great action, brilliant dialogue, rampant historical inaccuracy, and sucking up to King James I (or VI, depending on geography) that really sets my brain ablaze. That and the “sound and fury” speech. Gets me every time.

But let’s face it. Macbeth might be known as the Scottish Play, and it might be about Scottish thanes, but it’s obviously an English piece of work. Kind of like our Anachronism card here; it was in England for seven centuries, English monarchs sat on it during their coronations, but it’s so bloody Scottish.

the History
I think the primary reason I love this card is the same that I love Anachronism: it carries a lot of history in it, more than the few ounces of cardboard and ink you feel just before you reveal it. Yes, it’s a game, but there is something exciting about using the Stone of Destiny in a game.

So, where did this big ol’ rock come from? Your guess is as good as mine, really. Learned men and women have debated that question, and have yet to reach a satisfying answer. Legend, as the card’s flavor text relates, tells us that the Biblical personage of Jacob used it as a pillow during his post-blessing journey. This accounts for the Stone’s nickname, the Pillow Stone.

While we’re on the subject, this is another way the Stone is akin to Macbeth. It refuses to be known by only one name It’s the Pillow Stone, Stone of Destiny, Stone of Scone… It depends who you ask and where they come from.

Wherever the Stone came from, it was definitely in use by the time the events in that Scottish Play occurred. It rested in the village of Scone (hence the name), where Scottish monarchs went to be crowned. For centuries, this hunk of geology was a sacred part of the coronation ritual in Scotland.

Then along came the man they call “Longshanks.”

The injuries that Edward I of England did to the Scots are another article entirely. But the insult he added to these was even greater. A few years before the turn of the fifteenth century, Edward took the Stone as a victory prize. Suddenly, the symbol of Scottish rulers was in the hands of the English monarch. Actually, “in the hands of” might be a little off. Perhaps “under his can” would be a more apt description, as Edward placed it into a throne, right under the seat. For the next 700 years, English coronation ceremonies included the king or queen taking a seat in old Edward’s chair.

Conspiracy theories aside, the Stone remained in England for centuries. Even when a Scottish king became the English ruler (the aforementioned James), the Stone stayed in England. It wouldn’t leave until 1950, when a handful of Scottish students spirited it away. Stole it, really. The Stone was home for less than a year before the authorities were informed about it, and returned it to England. It wasn’t until 1996 that the Stone of Destiny—Scone—whichever, made its way back to Scotland. It rests in Edinburgh Castle… a headquarters for the British Army.

the Card
Though I love the history of the object, what also draws me to this card is its design. To begin with, this was the first dual-culture card (or the only one, depending on how you view the “Pirate” designation). The mere inclusion of a dual-culture card begs a lot of design questions: what background should be used? What language/dialect (for the ability names)? Which name should be displayed at the top?

By looks, the Stone is a Briton card. Even though it is considered a Scottish icon, this decision makes sense. Scottish promo cards weren’t released until Set 4. The decision to make it Briton in design also suggests the name: “Destiny” instead of “Scone.”

In addition, the Stone of Destiny is the perfect example of what a promo card should be. There are a lot of warrior possibilities that could have had the Stone as part of their pack (Malcolm/Calum III, for example). But placing it with a specific warrior would not only make it overly British/Scottish, it would lessen its importance. The Stone is not central to one warrior’s story – it is a relic that has touched upon many stories throughout the millennia. It needs to be its own card.

And for us dreamers, Stone of Destiny gives us hope of a Destiny deck, if TriKing ever makes the Spear of Destiny. Until then, here’s what I’ve used it in.

in Play
Stone of Destiny is not a subtle card. You sack experience, you gain a roll bonus. Turning experience into a resource wasn’t really seen until Set 4, with cards like Ivan and Dmitry. But, even using cards like Waitangi, experience was still a very limited resource. Experience only became a renewable resource in Set 5. That’s when we got a Itzcóatl. This Aztec warrior gives you 2 experience every time you hit with a basic attack (the tradeoff being his base damage is zero). My Itzcóatl/Stone of Destiny build looks something like this:

Itzcóatl
San Jie Gun
Stone of Destiny
Hadis Kaiim
Griwban

Is it a guaranteed winner? Nah. Three initiative in the second round isn’t great, and it’s heavily reliant on attack modifiers and multiple San Jie Gun attacks. And let’s not forget the vulnerability versus Horemheb. But it is a fun build to play, if you like to gamble. Which I do.

With 9 Life and 4 Speed, Itzcóatl gives you a good chance of making it to the third round. Stone of Destiny pairs well with San Jie Gun, giving you weapon attacks with an average +6 to attack. In the third round, Hadis Kaiim gives you either the edge in initiative, or give you more experience. And Griwban… well, what other armor are you going to stuff in the possibly-unused fourth slot?

When it comes down to it, Stone of Destiny is not a power card. There just aren’t enough ways to turn experience into a renewable resource. But you knew that already. Stone of Destiny is just plain cool in and of itself. It’s a relic supposedly from the time of the Old Testament, important to Scottish nationalists, important in UK history, stolen by an English king, stolen back by Scottish students.

There’s the final way Stone of Destiny is like Macbeth. It’s got a darned good story.