Lore Compilation for Dominaria United

We return once again, to the hub of the multiverse: Dominaria!  The world connected and the center of all.  Please see our main compilations page for more articles of the history of Dominaria, and past lore from the 2018 expansion.  

 

Planeswalker's Guide To Dominaria United. 

The Legends for Dominaria United.

 

Main Story: 

1. Echoes in the Dark  Karn discovers his worst fears. 

2. Sand in the Hourglass Karn attempts to warn his friends and planeswalkers, with peril

3. The Locked Tower Karn assists in determining who the sleeper agent is.

4. A Brutal Blow The planeswalkers gather forces to draw the Phyrexians on Dominaria out

5. Whispers in the Wind The final battle on Dominaria, and a terrible revelation!

Side Stories: 

 Homecoming - for Liliana, or fans?

The Education of Ulf - in the Tolarian Academy West

Death and Salvation - Squee's future and past reunite

Shades and Nightmares - Darker and Darker

Faith in Birds - Femeref has troubled decisions to make

Synopsis: 

Karn is seeking answers on how to properly use the Golgothian Sylex, in the Caves of Koilos, when he stumbles upon a Phyrexian staging ground.  He attacks and attempts to kill Sheoldred alone, but is defeated by Rona and burned under rock, until Ajani manages to find and uncover him.  He returns to Argive to learn that Jodah and Jaya are helping negotiate an alliance between Keld and Benalia, but when Teferi interrupts with news of Phyrexians, the sleeper agents from New Argive attack. Ajani gives chase to save Aron Capashen, but Karn, Jodah, Teferi, Jaya, and Stenn (the negotiator) are stuck trying to capture the spy among them in the tower.  It's Stenn, and Karn uses deception to draw him out, despite much of New Argive being corrupted already by Phyrexians.  

The walkers call the Weatherlight and they split up to request help to draw out the Phyrexians (with the Sylex as bait, as well as the Mana Rig in Shiv).  There are multiple larger skirmishes, and many races and peoples battle or seek protection (see the side stories), including Squee and his band of goblins being corrupted by Phyrexians and the return of Ertai.  

Even the Weatherlight with its Thran based engine is corrupted into a Phyrexian machine.  The final battle begins, with the Dominarians hard pressed - but they seem to have won until Ajani is revealed to be a sleeper agent Phyrexian (without his awareness), and he destroys the Sylex, kills Jaya, and he and Sheoldred kidnap Karn to Phyrexia.  Otherwise, the Dominarians are victorious in their battle for their plane, for now... 

Videos: 

Building worlds: Dominaria

  

Official Teaser

 

Other Lore:

 Wizards took out an obituary for Jaya Ballard in the Seattle Times Newspaper:

You can also see her respects page at Jayaballard.com

Who the Raven Man is, by Jay Annelli

The r/mtgVorthos subreddit had the preview for Lagamos, and released a fan soundtrack for him, by u/TheDaviday 

Did you see the scroll made for the Korean Magic community?  It's got quite that style!

A header image from Instagram, showcasing the face off in a different way! 

In Australia, Wizards partnered with a Boba company for special drinks!

In Kuala Lampur - KakiTabletop was sent a special media package!  With a map of Dominiaria with notes both of Phyrexia and the Coalition! https://www.instagram.com/p/CiiCd2dJrl5/  Read the whole map on their blog: https://kakitabletop.com/lets-talk-about-dominaria-united/ 

They deciphered the texts: 

Traveller, it is destined that you delve into my humble writings and observations that I have collected over the years. Not all which is written are as it seems, and I am certain you will find the truth.

Coalition	Phyrexian
Dominaria contains the evidence of ___ ancient artefacts scattered in ruins across the landscape. Their function is often a mystery to the people living amongst them. Dominarians live in the shadows of the past.
Dotted with islands and populated by merfolk, the Voda Sea is the crossroads of Dominaria. On its western edge, bordered by the continent of Aerona, which is home to Benalia, the foremost military and economic power on the plane. The forest of Llanowar, populated by ___ elves ___, live just south of Benalia, ___ by the goblins and orcs of the Ironclaw Mountains.	THE UNWORTHY WILL BE PURGED. GAZE UPON THE PERFECTION OF FILIGREE THAT MARKS THE GRATEFUL FLESH WITH INTRICATE SCARS.
The northern extent of the Voda Sea is Stahaan, which is home to a ___ ___ minotaur society.
North and east of Jamuraa stretches Dominaria’s largest ocean, ___ called the Great Ocean. The fiery land of Shiv is northeast of Jamuraa – a rocky and mountainous place inhabited by dragons, the reptilian Viashino, and goblins.	YOUR TRUEST SELF WILL BE REVEALED. IT IS NOT ONE YOU KNEW, BUT INSTEAD ONE THAT YOU MUST FOLLOW.
The humans of Shiv, the Ghitu are largely nomadic. Shiv is also notable for the ruins of an ancient factory, the Thran Mana Rig, which remains capable of producing powerful magic.	BRASS AND BONE, STEEL AND SINEW, WITH THE CLARITY OF VISION AND PURPOSE, COMES CLARITY OF FUNCTION. THAT IS PERFECTION.
Gulmany is separated from New Argive by the Sea of Laments, and from Almaaz by the Sea of Almaaz. Far ___ to the south of Terisiare, the continent of Sarpadia is rumoured to be lost to civilized habitation.	THE GOD OF WASTE IS CALLING. FATHER OF MACHINES. HIS BRETHREN LIE IN WAIT. THEY ARE MANY.
Millenia ago, the artificer brothers Urza and Mishra discovered the secrets of the Thran ___ in a network of caves called Koilos. This marked the beginning of Phyrexian influence on Dominaria. Farthest east lies New Argive, a kingdom of scholars and artificers who ___ learning above all else.
Terisiare lies east of Otaria and west of the Spice Isles. Once a continent, Terisiare has been shattered into five great islands and many smaller ones by the destruction wrought during the Brother’s War and the Ice Age.	YAWGMOTH WILL RETURN. THE WEAK MUST BE PURGED. AWAKEN AGENT. WE EXIST TO CEASE. ASH IS OUR AIR. DARKNESS OUR FLESH. WE RISE ONCE MORE, IT HAS BEGUN.
The Kukemssa Sea stretches to the northwest of Zhalfir, east of the Burning Isles. The island-continent of Corondor is situated just to the north of Jamuraa, and it is ___ entangled in Zhalfir’s history. Southwest of Jamuraa is the island of Madara, home to the Umezawa family and the Talon Gates where Nicol Bolas long ago defeated a primordial, godlike leviathan and ___ ___ he was resurrected after his defeat.

(All translated deciphered text is credit to kakitabletop!)  Please visit their site for more cool images or the photos of the box!)

Did we miss anything?  We'd love to continue to compile all art and lore from the new Dominaria set!

The Slow March toward Phyrexia (Part 2)

 We covered the new pathway of multi-plane stories last time for the Magic: the Gathering Lore to head towards New Phyrexia.  Now new tales not connected to blocks have appeared, and they give rise to more context from past stories, both shown and perhaps forgotten.  This article will showcase what the connections and pathways are, and the next steps the story is taking towards New Phyrexia. 

in the Streets of New Capenna story, we learned that Urabrask is seeking revolution against Elesh Norn, and for something on New Capenna, with aid from Tezzeret.  Tezzeret recruits Vivian Reid to assist this idea of revolution, and Urabrask has heard of another walker, one that Elesh Norn fears.  

"Norn fears her. That is all I know." [stated Urabrask]

And an enemy of Elesh Norn was someone Vivien wanted to know.

-From: The Side of Freedom, SNC side story 3. 

At the end of the New Capenna story, Vivian has joined with Elspeth and gained information on how Halo was instrumental to defeating the old Phyrexians on New Capenna - and they both go to return to Ajani on Dominaria, with information on Urabrask.  

Now a new story has appeared, "A Garden of Flesh", where Elesh Norn discovers she can have nightmares, induced by the planeswalker Ashiok.  And who is Norn's nightmare; Elspeth Tirel!  Where previously in life Norn knew no fear or uncertainty!  Her dedication to the Machine Orthodoxy leads her to determine, that Elspeth must be destroyed. In this tale, we also learn that Elspeth did encounter Norn briefly, in the time of Scars of Mirrodin.  

"And Elesh Norn knew then, with the same amount of conviction with which she worshiped the Machine Orthodoxy, that in order to purge this new emotion she was feeling, this fear and uncertainty, she would need to find the human, Elspeth Tirel, and rid the Multiverse of her."

-From A Garden of Flesh, Magic side story 

It is unknown what the goals are for Ashiok, but they did not give aid to Norn in this case, nor were compleated. They had learned of New Phyrexia in the Theros Beyond Death (non)story, when Ashiok sought out and aided Elspeth in her quest to escape the underworld, and found there must be delicious nightmares from monsters who themselves are considered nightmares for others across the multiverse.    

Images from the Scars of Mirrodin lore comics

Elspeth, in Scars of Mirrodin, was recruited by Koth, a native of Mirrodin, in the war for New Phyrexia, with Venser.  The war went unsuccessfully, and Venser gave his life to free and purify Karn.  

Now we see Karn has joined with the Gatewatch, to find a way to defeat Phyrexia.  And while Jin Gitaxias has compleated Tamiyo, the Gatewatch has both Sylex and Elspeth to fight with them, and a traitorous Phyrexian Preator to fight Elesh Norn.  

The second step has moved forwards, and now we return to Dominaria... United! 

(Missed the first step?  Read it here!)

The Slow March Towards Phyrexia

With the recent storylines tying up loose ends, and old villains Eldrazi and Nicol Bolas being defeated or 'handled', there have been whispers and hints at the more pernicious villain, the Phyrexians, is rising once more.  

We knew that New Phyrexia rose and took over Mirrodin from Karn's folly, spreading from Xantcha's heartstone, and corrupting the entire plane through Memnarch's actions (formerly the Mirari). In that battle of New Phyrexia, Venser gave his life to save Karn through Melira's ability to cure Phyrexian corruption, and Elspeth was forced to flee by Koth.  

The last we heard, Elspeth (who was born on a Phyrexian corrupted plane) was killed, but has escaped the Theros Underworld, while Karn is seeking tools and allies to stop the potential spread. The Gatewatch is scattered after the loss of Gideon, and Liliana and Nissa's departures, and the War of the Spark.  The current Gatewatch may only comprise of Jace, Chandra, Ajani, Teferi, and Kaya, with support from planeswalkers who they worked with, such as Arlinn, Kiora, Saheeli, Huatli, Niko, Sorin, Ugin, Karn, or Tyvar.  Tamiyo, as we will cover below, is lost...

During Dominaria (~2 years ago in story): 

The Gatewatch was still gathering planeswalkers to fight Bolas, and Karn was met on Dominaria, seeking the Golgothian Sylex.  He retrieved it, and took it with him, hoping to use it against Phyrexia's growing threat.   

 

War of the Spark (~1.5 years ago in story): 

The beacon and the war brought many planeswalkers together.  Many met the Gatewatch, and saw Gideon's sacrifice. The list above includes some that may be interested in working with the Gatewatch again in the future.  They have met, and several are actively speaking about the potential threat to the multiverse of Phyrexia.

Kaldheim (0.5 years ago to Present): 

A mysterious, interplanar contact hired Kaya to stop and kill Vorinclex, green praetor, on Kaldheim.  While she was met with help on the plane, she was in the end unsuccessful in stopping his efforts or killing him.  We do not know who was the hiring agent, but it must be someone with knowledge of what the Phyrexians are up to, and with access to multiple planes.  The Phyrexians are working with Tezzeret currently, who has within him the Planar Bridge, an artifact made on Kaladesh that can transport non-living material between worlds.  His discomfort at seeing planeswalkers turned to aid Phyrexia unquestioningly has led us to suspect he may be the one hiring Kaya.  

Vorinclex's plan on Kaldheim, beyond spreading the Phyrexian gift to the realms of Kaldheim and potentially corrupting Tibalt, was to steal a sample of Tyrite.  Tyrite on Kaldheim is made from the sap of the world tree, and grants the Gods of Kaldheim their godhood, powers, and immortality.  Vorinclex not only retrieved a sample and left the plane, but he also managed to start corrupting Esika, God of the Tree.  

Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Crimson Vow (Present): 

While no Phyrexians were found or discovered during the recent events on Innistrad, Teferi questioned Arlinn Kord after their success in restoring daylight.  He specifically asked if she heard of the Phyrexians on Innistrad, or oil, or metallic flesh, to let the Gatewatch know.  He let her know to be ready, too - for what may come.  

Kamigawa: The Neon Dynasty (Present): 

Kaito Shizuka, a native planeswalker of Kamigawa, discovered the reality chip and met Tamiyo, in efforts to aid the Wandering Emperor, and stabilize her planeswalking.  However, in this effort, they encountered Jin-Gitaxias, blue praetor of Phyrexia.  Tezzeret assisted Jin-Gitaxias, and in the end, managed to manipulate the Reality Chip and kidnap Tamiyo to New Phyrexia, where Jin-Gitaxias compleated (phyrexian-ized) her, creating the first Phyrexian Planeswalker.  At this point in the background, we see Tezzeret scowling at Tamiyo, and she wonders if he is a threat to Phyrexia.  He does not seem fully thrilled at seeing a planeswalker becoming compleated.  

 

Soon...

Next we head to the streets of New Capenna, where we may encounter more compleating, or not.  Summer 2022 brings another Dominaria expansion, and 2023 is still shrouded in mystery! 

Update: The Slow March - Part 2 - to Phyrexia!