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===Ravnica===
===Ravnica===
Ravnica is the setting for the sets [[Ravnica: City of Guilds]], [[Guildpact]], and [[Dissension (Magic: The Gathering)|Dissension]] (collectively known as the ''Ravnica'' block). It is a large plane covered by a continuous, sprawling [[Ecumenopolis|cityscape]]. Its flavor is based largely on East European cultures, myths, and folk tales. This plane is separated from others in the multiverse, making it impossible for Planeswalkers and ghosts to enter or leave. Ravnica is also the name of the plane's largest city. The Ravnica storyline is centered around a power struggle between ten distinct [[guilds]].<ref>See the [http://www.wizards.com/magic/multiverse/planes.aspx?plane=ravnica Ravnica] at the ''Wizards of the Coast'' website. The setting is also described in several novels: ''Ravnica: City of Guilds '' by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786937920; ''Guildpact'' by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786939893; ''Dissension'' by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786940018; ''Agents of Artifice'' by Ari Marmell.</ref>
See [[Ravnica (plane)|Ravnica]]


===Rabiah===
===Rabiah===

Revision as of 06:35, 25 April 2011

In Magic: The Gathering, planes are parallel universes in the multiverse of Dominia. Planes are often confused with planets by Magic players, because most planes are named after their primary planets. The two main categories of planes are natural planes and artificial planes.

Dominia

Dominia is the general name of the set of infinite planes that make up the multiverse where the stories of the Magic: The Gathering occur.

Each plane is a universe. However, many gameplayers confuse the term 'plane' to a planet when, in fact, it is the entire universe where that certain planet is located. This is because the name of the universe/plane is similar to the name of the main/primary planet. This diagram, however, only applies to natural planes.

However, some planes aren't physically universes (per se) but, merely, single planets. These planes aren't natural but artificial (i.e. Phyrexia, Serra's Realm, Rath, and Mirrodin). More often than not, artificial planes are planes that comprise of the main/primary planet itself and nothing more (unlike natural planes which have stars, moons, and even other planets). Artificial planes have limited lifespans. It may take thousands of years, but each will eventually break down.

Planeswalkers have a near-monopoly on travelling plane-to-plane. However, planeswalkers aren't invulnerable to events of cosmic-scale such as the cosmic anomaly known as the Shard of the Twelve Worlds. Planeswalkers who were, at that time, venturing within the realms of the Twelve Worlds of the Shard (also known as Nexus of Dominaria) were trapped within the Shard for thousands of years.

Half-gods, or demi-gods are also capable of traversing the planes, though only a few are known, among them Marit Lage. Planar portals can also be opened by powerful spirits such as the Myojin of Night's Reach, or by certain artifacts. On most planes, creatures not capable of planar travel are unaware that any world but their own exists.

According to a "Ask Wizards" article recently, the term 'Dominia' is no longer being used to define the multiverse.

The Æther

The void (known as the Blind Eternities by older Planeswalkers such as Teferi). The substance which fills the space between planes. Rath's overlay interfered with the Æther itself.

Natural Planes

Natural planes are not created and may be as old as the multiverse itself. Natural planes are the only planes that can last forever; all other planes eventually collapse.[1]

Natural planes are usually as large as this universe, but most are devoid of life except for one planet that has the highest concentration of mana in the plane. In some cases creatures from other planes may be summoned for planeswalker battles on this planet over sources of mana and left there, but there have also been cases of planeswalkers repopulating a dead plane. This planet is known as the plane's primary planet, and usually has the same name as the plane.

Known natural planes:

Alara

Alara, introduced in the Shards of Alara set, was once a single massive plane but has been broken into five smaller planes called shards. Each shard has only three of the five types of mana available. Esper is a plane of blue, white, and black mana. Grixis is a plane of black, blue, and red mana. Jund is a plane of red, black, and green mana. Naya is a plane of green, red, and white mana. Bant is a plane of white, green, and blue mana. Each plane has developed a very different culture and ecosystem from the others. Citizens of Bant live in a feudal system presided over by angels. All lifeforms on Esper have become artifact creatures through infusion with etherium. Grixis is dominated by demons and necromancers. Jund is ruled by the laws of predation, with dragons at the top of the food chain. Nayan peoples worship the gargantuans who flourish on their plane. During the block's release the storyline depicts the five shards converging in a colossal event known as the Maelstrom.

Azoria

Homeworld of the planeswalker Ravidel, and one of the planes caught in the Shard of Twelve Worlds. It and Dominaria are the only two planes identified as being in the Shard. Despite the name, it has no known connection to the Azorius Senate of Ravnica.

Bolas' Meditation Realm

An astral world accessible from Dominaria by powerful mages. The Elder Dragon Nicol Bolas used this plane to contemplate and to hold private meeting with his advisors while he was emperor of the land of Madara on Dominaria.

Dominaria

The Song of Dominia, and central plane of the multiverse.

Equilor

"The farthest plane" Equilor is an extremely old plane on the "edge of time." Everything on the plane feels like it's finished growing. The mountains are all worn down. Its inhabitants have hoarded knowledge for a hundred millennia, and know practically everything. Eventually they join the elders, who are part of the caves.

Urza and Xantcha come here seeking knowledge about their enemy, Phyrexia. The elders know the things Urza wants to know, but give him only their perspective on Phyrexia - that it has small ambitions and is not a major threat. This leaves Urza very unsatisfied and he leaves. For reference on distance, it takes Urza 100 Dominarian years to get back to Dominaria (arriving in the year 3210 A.R.)

Gastal

An abandoned plane. While traveling the multiverse, Urza and Xantcha stop here and meet six planeswalkers. They are attacked by a predatory planeswalker and Manatarqua, a newly sparked planeswalker who presented herself as a pavilion, dies. The others are believed to have escaped.

Kamigawa

See Kamigawa

Lorwyn/Shadowmoor

Lorwyn is the setting of the Lorwyn and Morningtide card sets, its theme drawn from Celtic myths. It is a lush plane in a state of perpetual day and Summer. Unlike most planes, Lorwyn does not have any native human inhabitants. The dominant races are elves, merrow (merfolk), boggarts (goblins), elementals (and the sentient flamekin), kithkin, faeries, treefolk, and giants. Lorwyn is also home to many changelings; inane jelly-like shapeshifters ignored by most as merely an annoyance.

Every several eons, a natural event called the Great Aurora changes Lorwyn into a plane of perpetual night called Shadowmoor. Shadowmoor is effectively a dark, sinister alternative reality to Lorwyn, where almost all of Lorwyn's creatures resume their lives as though nothing had happened and as if things had always been that way. The previously proud and friendly flamekin become smoldering husks bent on torturing everyone, whilst the elitist and cruel elves become one of Shadowmoor's only sources of compassion and hope. The faeries are the only ones to barely change at all, actually retaining their memories from Lorwyn along with their queen, Oona.

The main story revolves around Oona, who desired to increase her influence and power by triggering the Aurora prematurely and keeping the world as Shadowmoor. A treefolk named Colfenor knew what she was up to and was able to manipulate events leading up to the Aurora, causing the change to have mixed results; a small few managed to retain their memories and eventually thwart her.

Shadowmoor also features a much wider variety of races, some of which remain entirely hidden during the Lorwyn phase like the duergars (dwarves), hags, and noggles. There also appear to be more variations on each race; Lorwyn only features the curious and impulsive boggarts, but in Shadowmoor there appear civilized but murderous hobgoblins in addition to the now hungry and feral boggarts. Selkies appear in addition to the evil, piratical merrows.

Mercadia

See Mercadia

Moag

A plane where Urza and Xantcha led a simple agragrian lifestyle for decades until Phyrexians invaded. Urza destroyed the Phyrexian agents and then he and Xantcha left. Moag is said to have a broad range of environments and cultures.

Ravnica

Ravnica is the setting for the sets Ravnica: City of Guilds, Guildpact, and Dissension (collectively known as the Ravnica block). It is a large plane covered by a continuous, sprawling cityscape. Its flavor is based largely on East European cultures, myths, and folk tales. This plane is separated from others in the multiverse, making it impossible for Planeswalkers and ghosts to enter or leave. Ravnica is also the name of the plane's largest city. The Ravnica storyline is centered around a power struggle between ten distinct guilds.[2]

Rabiah

See Rabiah

Segovia

Segovia is a largely aquatic plane that is famous for its leviathans. It is smaller in size than the other planes, so Segovian Leviathans are much smaller than leviathans from other planes and are the only inhabitants with any significant size.

Shandalar

See Shandalar

Ulgrotha

See Ulgrotha

Wildfire

Wildfire is a realm of djinns and efreets neighboring Rabiah. The Mages of the Emberwilde, also known as Embermages, are dedicated to this realm. Several portals to the plane of Wildfire exist in Bogardan, but the Emberwilde Order has made no move into Bogardan for fear of insulting the powerful entities that reside in its depths. Naar Isle is located on this plane.

There is also a card called Wildfire, which has nothing to do with the plane.

Creatures from Wildfire

Zendikar

Zendikar is the setting of the Zendikar block. It is famed among planeswalkers for the many hidden treasures left by its ancient civilization and for its potent and unusual mana bonds. The plane is very dangerous, due in part to a natural phenomenon called the Roil that reshapes the landscape. Zendikar is inhabited by vampires, Kor, merfolk, goblins, elves, humans, and minotaurs. The land was also the prison of the Eldrazi, mythical planeswalking beings of immense power. There are seven continents: Guul Draz, Tazeem, Akoum, Murasa, Ondu, Bala Ged, and Sejiri.

Artificial Planes

Artificial planes are created by planeswalkers. Any artificial plane will eventually collapse, and all matter in the plane will be converted to energy.[1]

An artificial plane usually contains only one planet or solar system, but some planes, such as Serra's Realm, don't contain planets at all. Artificial planes are usually inhabited by creatures created by the planeswalker who created the plane or by creatures 'borrowed' from other planes.

Known artificial planes:

Mirrodin

See Mirrodin

Phyrexia

Phyrexia is often called the final Hell for artifacts, or simply The Nine Hells. It lends its name to the upcoming Magic: the Gathering product line, New Phyrexia,[3] which is scheduled to be released May 13, 2011.[4]

Rath

See Rath

Serra's Realm

See Serra's Realm.

Planechase

As well as featuring several known planes, 2009 casual multiplayer set Planechase introduced several planes. Their nature is for the time being fully known only to the developers.

  • Arkhos - a plane where day and night intermingle according something to resembling dream logic, represented in Future Sight by the card "River of Tears"[5]
  • Iquatana - home of the "Narcomoeba" from Future Sight, and of the Iquati, who created Narcomoebas as a replacement for their geneaological memory banks; this plane's atmosphere is full of AEther and its creatures tend to mutate into new forms[6]
  • Ir - home of the "Fomori Nomad" from Future Sight. The mana is said to be particularly efficient in summoning creatures.[5]
  • Kaldheim
  • Muraganda - a world with tropical jungles[5]; mentioned on the Future Sight cards "Muraganda Petroglyphs" and "Imperiosaur", but not confirmed as the name of a plane until Planechase
  • Valla - a plane of perpetual war covered by a phenomenon called the Immersturm[5]

The Shard of Twelve Worlds

The Shard is a bubble of universes, centered around Dominaria.[7] Of these twelve worlds only two are known by name: Dominaria and Azoria. The Shard broke off from the main continuum after the Brothers' War. Planeswalkers were unable to leave or enter the Shard, trapping several planeswalkers within twelve planes of the multiverse. Shandalar was a rogue plane that was the center of a plan to shatter the Shard of Twelve Worlds when it would briefly enter the Shard.[8] Freyalise ultimately healed the rift separating the Shard from the rest of the multiverse, allowing planeswalkers to enter and exit once more.[9]

Covenant of the Shard

Peace Treaty between the planeswalkers Faralyn, Freyalise, Taysir, Kristina of the Woods, Tevesh Szat and Leshrac. Also present were the elder chromium dragon Rhuell, and its friend Ravidel. Its purpose was to find a way to end the Ice Age and break the restrictions of the Shard. Faralyn betrayed his companions to create a way out for himself.

Gates and Portals

On some planes there are artificial gates and portals which make artificial planeswalking possible. On Rath there used to be a portal leading to Mercadia. In the Dwarven City beneath Castle Sengir is a gate leading from Ulgrotha to Dominaria.

On Dominaria the Thran knew how to make planar gates. During the Golden Age someone named Nireya once found one. Jarsyll did find one as well, leading to Phyrexia.

On Phyrexia existed warped versions of the Thran Portals. Phyrexian Portals are opened through the sacrifice of creatures, artifacts or a great deal of magical energy. They lead all across the multiverse.

Rabiah has portals to Wildfire, and had, in ancient times, portals to equatorial continents on Dominaria.

Yawgmoth used a portal linking Phyrexia and Dominaria in Koilos during the Invasion. It was closed by the Weatherlight-crew.

Planar overlay

After years of preparation Yawgmoth used a large magical burst to cause the Phyrexian-infested plane of Rath to overlap Dominaria, infusing the plane with its own energies, and causing the Phyrexians to magically appear on Dominaria. Rath ceased to exist as an independent plane. Rathi locations and creatures all transposed themselves on Dominaria, sometimes resulting in bizarre hybrids.

References

  1. ^ a b King, J. Robert. The Thran. Wizards of the Coast: 1999. ISBN 0-7869-1600-1.
  2. ^ See the Ravnica at the Wizards of the Coast website. The setting is also described in several novels: Ravnica: City of Guilds by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786937920; Guildpact by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786939893; Dissension by Cory J. Herndon, ISBN 0786940018; Agents of Artifice by Ari Marmell.
  3. ^ "New Phyrexia product section". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  4. ^ "New Phyrexia Shakes Up Magic: The Gathering". MTV Geek. April 19, 2011. Retrieved April 24, 2011.
  5. ^ a b c d Daily MTG: The Planes of Planechase http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/stf/54
  6. ^ Daily MTG: Just Plane Fun http://wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/sf/54
  7. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Eternal Ice. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1562-5.
  8. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Eternal Ice. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1562-5.
  9. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Shattered Alliance. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1403-3.