Our committee received the following e-mail from Alvaro Mordakai:
For reference, here is the text of Messenger of Mordor:Hi there, guys, sorry to bother you, but this issue arose some interesting conversation on Spaniard whatsapp: Messenger of Mordor's mechanics.
My first question is this: if my spirit-magic user character that plays this card is controlling any item, is it stored before or after the cc-4 that must be done by playing this card?
To walk it through, the declaration and resolution of Messenger of Mordor would proceed as follows:Short-event
Magic. Spirit-magic. Playable on a spirit-magic-using character at a Darkhaven, Shadow-hold, or Dark-hold. Any items and resource events with his company that can be stored at a Darkhaven may now be so stored. Unless he is a Ringwraith, character makes a corruption check modified by -4.
1. You declare that you are playing Messenger of Mordor, either initiating a new chain of effects or else in response to a declared chain of effects.
2. Since MoM’s resolution would involve a corruption check, you may tap characters in response to support that check as part of the same chain of effects.
3. Once both players finish declaring new actions, the chain of effects resolves. The tapping of any characters in support resolves first (since chains of effects resolve in reverse order of declaration), aiding the shadow-magic user’s upcoming corruption check.
4. Then we get to MoM in the chain of effects. We resolve the first line: items and resources may “now” be stored - but since new actions can’t be declared in the middle of a chain of effects resolving (see ICE 33, ICE 117, COE 15, etc.), and moreover, if the characters literally attempt to store “now” in the middle of the original chain and if storing requires a corruption check (more on that below) such that an item being stored would require its own chain of effects in order for the new corruption check to be supported - when can we actually store the items and events?
The answer is that Messenger of Mordor actually creates an allowance for characters in the spirit-magic-using character’s company to store items and resource events at the next available opportunity that new actions can legally be taken. For reference, consider a card like Morgul-horse that allows you to play a Nazgul immediately after the current chain of effects finished resolving (per CRF 4), but again, not to take that new allowed action in the middle of a resolving chain. Similarly with Messenger of Mordor, the items must be stored as your next allowed actions once the current chain finishes resolving, with the “now” merely indicating that the new allowed action may be taken outside of the organization phase and at the current time that MoM is played (but still once new actions can legally be taken).
1. Finally, we get to MoM’s corruption check, which is rolled and modified by +1 for each character that was originally tapped to support it.
2. Once the chain of effects finishes resolving, as your next allowed action(s), you may then store items and resource hazards in the spirit-magic user’s company.
Yes, characters storing items with Messenger of Mordor do have to make corruption checks. These are the rules concerning storing items in METW:But another interesting issue arose, hence my second question: are those characters storing items forced to make any cc's? … Thanks for your effort, guys!!
Alvaro
Notably, the second sentence is written as its own rule, with “an item” written differently and without reference to “your items” from the first sentence that you may store at a Haven during the organization phase. Thus, if a card effect allows an item to be stored outside of the organization phase or at a non-Haven site, the second sentence would still apply unless that effect also explicitly stated that a corruption check would not be required.During your organization phase, you may store any of your items that are at a Haven site. The controlling character must make a corruption check before an item can be stored.