Red Green - Gruul | MTG Color Pie Philosophy

Gather round the fire vicious clan, for I have something I wish to discuss with you. As those who call yourselves Gruul, ones comprised of Red-Green mana, you have not once stopped to ponder, or put into words what your philosophy is, for such musings are best left to those who lack a connection to the pure state of self that you have achieved. While it's something I understand, I ask that you not deny your knowledge to those who are curious.

This is why, in this article, I have taken it upon myself to explain the philosophy of Gruul through four concepts, starting with the core of its beliefs and finally ending on the abstract. Before we dive into the philosophy of Red-Green though, I must first thank those that support my work directly, my Patrons and a special thank you to my newest Patron Jonathan. With that let us begin with the heart and soul of the Gruul.

Impulse and Instinct

To truly understand the philosophy of Red-Green or Gruul, we must first expand upon the core traits in which the two colors present can find common ground. For Gruul the driving force behind both its actions and beliefs is the coming together of impulse and instinct. These two concepts serve as the impetus behind this pair, and indeed an underlying factor influencing every living thing. You see in the mind of someone aligned with Gruul, we are already given all the knowledge we need upon our birth, a heart that guides, and a gut that knows.

The answers to life's riddles aught not be so complex, as every answer to its questions are provided by following our inner guides and if we break down each side of the pair you begin to understand where this comes from. You see Red is a colour guided by its heart; by its impulses. It is that sudden urge to act upon those fleeting desires, like a bolt of energy telling us where to move and how to act. In the case of Green it provides that instinct to the pair. It's that gut feeling, crafted especially for us which is built by a combination of our environment, culture and species.

Its innate knowledge passed down by our parents and ancestors. When these two come together, we are guided through both action and reaction, in a way that is true to who we are. For Gruul this is the coming together of humanity and nature, it is our human-nature. We must contain both sides of what makes us special, our connection to our root state of being. Where these concepts are lost, are upon modern humanity, that is, as we are now, we do nothing but aim to place layers of complexity over top of those voices within us.

To doubt those voices deep within. As we see ourselves above our base human-nature. All in an effort to fit into civilization's mold for a perfect and tamed world. To that end a Red-Green aligned person would tell you to strip away every layer you have placed upon those voices, to dig deep and find who you truly are.

Simplicity

In the case of Red-Green's application of its core philosophy we have but one word which can describe it, and that is simplicity. Though this word on its own, without the context I will provide, sounds rather... well, simple, the truth is that this single word means a lot more to Gruul than you think. It is a word which pushes back against the shared enemy of this pair, Blue, a color who creates complexity with its world view. A color who can't stop for one second to realize that its efforts do nothing but distract it from the truth in front of them. As I have said, life aught not be so complicated. Everything we are and everything we need has been presented to us, and it is instead our modern view of the world around us, and that of ourselves, which makes life complex for its own sake.

Simplicity to Gruul is simplicity in who we are, what we want from this life, and our effect on the environment around us. The first point, is in truth, explained in its core philosophy, that of instinct and impulse. In that, as someone Gruul aligned, you should not be thinking outside of this context. Do you feel something? Yes? Then act on it. Do you know something? Then trust it. There is no need to dig any deeper, the person we need to be is already deep within us, and the only introspection required, is that of digging deeper into who that person is so that we may remove any barriers to that power of human-nature.

This aligns with the second point, in that we need not expect more from this life, than that which is provided. Things like striving for perfection are only relevant to those who think that life is not perfect the way it is. To those who have not danced in the rain, laid under a tree on a warm summer day, or dove head first into the ocean. What more could we want from this life than the delicacies presented to us. To the final point, that of simplicity in our environment, it is meant to say that our environment is perfect the way it is, and to reject this notion is to reject what makes us who we are. As we are the created result of our environment, culture and shared history.

I say once again that this is a rejection of Gruul's enemy Blue, a color who will manipulate, transform and otherwise break the beauty of what lies around us. This is why Gruul on some Planes can be a force of destruction when it comes to the cities that stifle the land, because such cities are nothing but a devastation of the very environment that gave birth to us. You see ones heart cannot be heard among the bustle of civilized expectations and our instincts are dulled upon the falsehoods of comfort. So yes, Gruul believes in simplicity through and through, a notion that is grander than one might think, as it takes strength and passion to live in such a way.

Free and Wild

One of my favorite quotes by a philosopher name Jean-Jaque Rousseau is “Man was born free but he is everywhere in chains” a quote that is simple in design but reflects how Gruul sees the world around it. Once upon a time we were wild and free and yet now we face the chains of our own design. To Gruul we must reject these chains and bring ourselves closer to that original state. This is built upon both colors present. As you see Red desires true freedom, unrestricted. As each restriction that is placed upon us is a shackle which pins down ones true self, the self that desires to act upon ones own emotions, passions, and impulses.

In the case of Green, it believes we were meant to be wild, to express the version of ourselves which nature has defined, and you see nature does not create such barriers as those we see in so called civilized life. It is limitless and wild. This idea is then further contrasted against their shared enemy blue, who is refined, and methodical. These factors all come together to shape Gruul, who is then a color pair who values a life that has no barriers to its actions, and one that heads the call of the wild and not that of civilization. Of course, if you yourself are Gruul, then you must be acutely aware of the aching in ones own soul, for a life outside of that which humanity has defined.

You wish to escape, to find your place among the woods, the sea, or the dessert. To strip away the shackles placed upon you and dance in the moonlight. It is deep within anyone aligned with these colors, not because you are bored with your life but because it's part of who you are, and yet, to fit into this society we have lost the parts of ourselves that are wild and free. Just as the forest continues to recede by human hands, so too has our connection to it. Now this does not mean that Gruul cannot form its own society, no, in fact such things as tribes and clans are in fact conducive to a Gruul society.

Small groups, tightly knit with a connection to the lands and traditions which hold expression in high regard are best suited for a Red-Green society. Such communities allow each member to be who they were meant to be, all while holding onto the importance of camaraderie and a shared history. For we are still animals who desire a pack, its just that if this pack were to large then greater restrictions would be put in place to hold it together, and no group is worth the toll of losing ones own freedom.

Energetic and Primal

There are primal forces which predate the very fabric of reality itself and instinct and impulse are like faint echoes of this power that once surged freely throughout our own Plane, and all the planes of the vast multiverse. These forces mirror the bubbling magma beneath our feet, ceaselessly seeking an outlet to burst forth in a symphony of violent majesty, akin to the soul of the Earth or the heartbeat of a Plane. They manifest as expressions of great storms, or swirling eddies of mana, shaping the very essence of our cosmos. Those aligned with Gruul are attuned to these primordial energies.

They feel the pulsating current coursing through their veins, and they sense it building in the core of their hearts. Their souls seem to resonate with the dance of these forces, attuned to the ancient rhythms whispered by the cosmos. The restless nature of those aligned with Red-Green arises from the recognition that they are mere conduits, channels through which this primal energy flows. They become vessels of a grander cosmic symphony, resonating with the universe's deepest secrets. To those who follow Red-Green, the communion with these forces is visceral, almost tangible.

It echoes in their joyous dances, reverberates in the melodies of their songs, and erupts in the fervor of their battles. In moments of extreme expression, when they embrace the full extent of their passions and emotions, they transcend the boundaries of the mundane and tap into that underlying power that weaves through all things. This primal link imbues them with a profound sense of purpose, as they comprehend that they are an integral part of a larger cosmic dance. They are not merely spectators but active participants, intricately woven into the fabric of reality. To embrace the essence of Red-Green alignment is to embark on a profound journey – one that uncovers the pulsating heart of the cosmos and offers a glimpse into the primordial source of all creation.

Conclusion

In the impulses and instinct which act as guides, those aligned with Red-Green have a distinct confidence in who they are. Because of this they may live simple lives, ones unfettered by doubt, as they can sense the connection they hold to the very essence of everything. Through this expression they are able to live wild and free. To reject arbitrary complexity brought on by a system that is afraid of its human nature. Now that you have learned all that Gruul has to teach, do you hear those primal voices calling to you and if so will head their call?

Thank you for taking the time to read this article to the end. I hope, as always, this gave you something to think about. If you enjoyed this article then consider becoming a site member that way you can be notified when the next one goes live, and with that friends, I will catch you in the multiverse, bye!