Is Mirari a reference to Roadside Picnic?

Lore forum

Posted on July 1, 2020, 6:10 p.m. by Liszt

Mirari is an artifact with the appearance of a shiny metal sphere, able to grant wishes and find out desires of its wielders (according to the mtg wiki). When I read this in the wiki the novel "Roadside Picnic" by the Strugatzki brothers popped up immediately. The novel also happens to be centered around a wish-granting golden sphere, an object exactly like the Mirari. Since this is a very famous book that later lead to a very famous movie adaption and a perhaps even more famous video game I was wondering whether it's officially said somewhere that the Mirari itself is a reference to this.

Idoneity says... #2

I would doubt that such a major story element of whilom blocks would be purposefully based on something unoriginal, but there are definite correlations. Odd similarities betwixt companies and gests are inexorable in any game or novel.

July 2, 2020 3:34 a.m.