*** Welcome to piglix ***

Stronghold (Magic: The Gathering)

Tempest
common expansion symbol
Tempest expansion symbol (Storm cloud)
Released October 1997
8 December 2008 (MTGO)
Size 350 cards (110 commons, 110 uncommons, 110 rares, 20 basic lands)
Keywords Buyback, Shadow
Mechanics Slivers, Licids
Designers Mark Rosewater (lead), Richard Garfield, Charlie Catino, Mike Elliott
Development code Bogavhati
Expansion code TMP
First set in the Rath Cycle block
Tempest Stronghold Exodus
Weatherlight Stronghold
Mirage Block Urza Block
Stronghold
Stronghold symbol
Released February 1998
13 April 2009 (MTGO)
Size 143 cards (55 commons, 44 uncommons, 44 rares)
Keywords None new
Mechanics Spikes
Development code Rachimulot
Expansion code STH
Second set in the Rath Cycle block
Tempest Stronghold Exodus
Tempest Exodus
Mirage Block Urza Block
Exodus
Exodus
Released 15 June 1998
7 December 2009 (MTGO)
Size 143 cards (55 commons, 44 uncommons, 44 rares)
Keywords None New
Mechanics None new
Development code Gorgonzola
Expansion code EXO
Third set in the Rath Cycle block
Tempest Stronghold Exodus
Stronghold Portal Second Age
Mirage Block Urza Block
Tempest Remastered
Released 6 May 2015 (MTGO only)
Size 269 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares)
Expansion code TPR
Dragons or Tarkir Modern Masters 2015 Edition

The Rath Block (also known as the Tempest block) is a block of three Magic: The Gathering expansions that continues the events of the Weatherlight Saga. It consists of Tempest (October 1997), Stronghold (March 1998) and Exodus (June 1998). These are the 20th, 21st and 22nd expansion sets, respectively.

The crew of Weatherlight approaches Volrath's Stronghold in search for Sisay and the missing pieces of the Legacy. Deep in the Dream Halls, Gerrard learns that Volrath was his former blood brother Vuel and the one who stole the Legacy. What appears to be a final conflict between Gerrard and Volrath ends instead with the death of an imposter shapeshifter.

The crew of Weatherlight has rescued the pieces of the Legacy and Captain Sisay, and now must retreat through Volrath's Stronghold and escape to the portal that would lead them off of Rath. Volrath and his main lieutenant Greven il-Vec will stop at nothing to destroy them and reclaim the ancient artifacts that will allow Volrath to oppose his hidden master. However, they must also stave off the combined assault of Volrath's Stronghold by the elves of the Skyshroud forest and the human tribes of the Kor, Vec, and Dal, recently reunited by Gerrard of Weatherlight. Also, a disturbing change has happened to Crovax, the noble who accompanied Weatherlight to Rath. His newly formed bloodlust and thirst for power threatens to destroy the entire ship.

Tempest was the second set and the first standalone in the Weatherlight Saga, a continuous storyline for over four years' worth of Magic expansions. The release of Tempest represented a large jump in the power level of the card set, compared to the previous Mirage block. Many cards from Tempest instantly became (and still are) tournament staples. Its expansion symbol is a cloud, with a lightning bolt erupting out. On 8 December 2008 Tempest was released for Magic: The Gathering Online.

Originally Tempest was intended to have a major "poison" theme, but in the end all poison cards were pulled from the set.

Stronghold was the last set in which multi-colored cards appeared until the 2000 expansion Invasion.


...
Wikipedia

...