I like discard effects, but Mind Rot just isn't good enough. This might be.

Also I spent ages thinking of a name - this is going to be the name of the empress/queen of the Cephalids - and I'm still not sold on it. Suggestions welcome!

Hmm since your entire set is basically built around counters, this might even be a bit too good in that environment. I mean with blinking effects on permanents you mostly don't have to spend additional mana to get Synthesis online.

I'd like this a lot more if the Synthesis bonus was upside for you not downside for them.

Also it's great fun to give funny playtest names to cards you don't have actual card names for yet. Odds are cards are going to change a lot over time so naming a card with a certain flavor doesn't seem like an idea that will last. I know MaRo calls cards like this Mind Fuck for lack of a better name ;)

Have I missed something? Don't think it's possible to turn on Synthesis without mana short of Symbiosis at the moment, but it's easy to lose track of things.

Have changed the card a little to balance it a bit more. Hymn to Tourach at 3 is still excellent, so hopefully this is worse enough to not break anything.

Yeah you're right about the names and for some cards I do that but I just got in the headspace of needing a name for the Queen and when that happens you gotta solve the puzzle sometimes. Even if your solution is pretty average.