The plane of Taramir has reached the end of its time. The struggles of the Waning Age have been forgotten, for the sun has set for the final time, leaving the world in darkness. Humanity survives in the vastness of the Grand Fortress, a stronghold that holds the last millions of the human race, and in the townships scattered throughout the darkness, perched upon a razor's edge. While humans are associated with all colors of mana, they are most strongly tied to white mana, and the works of their civilization unfold only as far as the light they can produce.

☼Taramir Block☼
Taramir Block consists of three sets: Taramir, Waning Light, and finally Age of Darkness. All three sets feature the new mechanics Salvage and Decay as well as the returning mechanic Cumulative Upkeep. In addition, Waning Light brought Fateseal into the picture. To this, Age of Darkness adds the return of Vanishing.

Salvage: Salvage is an activated ability that can be activated only when the card with salvage is in its owner's graveyard, when he or she could cast a sorcery. Salvaging a card exiles it and has the listed effects. Taramir introduced Salvage while Waning Light added off-color salvage costs and Salvage spells with effects dissimilar to their initial effect from being cast. Age of Darkness introduces Colorless and Nonmana salvage costs.

Decay: Decay is an ability word that causes one or more depletion counters to be added to the permanent with Decay, and causes it to be sacrificed when too many depletion counters have been accumulated.

Night Watch

Creature - Human Soldier Wall [U]
Flash, Defender
"It's quiet... too quiet."
2/5

Explorer of the Everdark

Creature – Human Nomad [U]
Decay – If damage would be dealt to Explorer of the Everdark and Explorer of the Everdark is tapped, prevent that damage and put a depletion counter on Explorer of the Everdark. Then, if there are three or more depletion counters on Explorer of the Everdark, sacrifice it.
3/1

Fortress Sentinel

Creature – Giant Spirit [U]
Vanishing 4
Whenever Fortress Sentinel blocks, put a time counter on it.
4/4

Prayermended Bulawark

Creature – Wall [U]
Defender, Cumulative Upkeep
Prayermended Bullwark may block an additional creature for each age counter on it
Whenever Prayermended Bulwark blocks, gain life equal to the number of age counters on it for each creature it blocks.
0/5

Glyphs of Destiny

Enchantment – Aura [U]
Enchant Wall
Whenever enchanted wall blocks a creature, Fateseal 2.

A Hero’s Choice

Instant [U]
Target creature can block any number of creatures this turn.
Salvage – Sacrifice a creature: Until your next turn, prevent all damage that would be dealt to you or to creatures you control.

Of Our Bones, Salvation

Enchantment [U]
Creatures you control get +0/+1 for each creature card in your graveyard.
“We honor our dead, as they honor us” – Matricia, Township Mayor

Night Watch was designed early, and I really rather liked it. On the other hand, once I had put wall tribal into the set, it seemed odd to have a nonwall Defender... but it was also not in me to flavor those stats as a pure, traditional wall.

Night Watch is one of those cards I wish I had designed.