Plane (Magic: The Gathering)

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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.

Contents 1 Dominia 2 The Æther 3 Natural Planes 3.1 Dominaria 3.2 Kamigawa 3.3 Lorwyn/Shadowmoor 3.4 Mercadia 3.5 Ravnica 3.6 Rabiah 3.7 Shandalar 3.8 Ulgrotha 3.9 Wildfire 3.10 Azoria 3.11 Gastal 3.12 Equilor 3.13 Segovia 4 Artificial Planes 4.1 Phyrexia 4.2 Rath 4.3 Mirrodin 4.4 Serra's Realm 5 The Shard of Twelve Worlds 5.1 Covenant of the Shard 6 Gates and Portals 7 Planar overlay 8 Some other remarks 9 References

[edit] 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 (perse) 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).

Only planeswalkers are capable of travelling plane-to-plane. However, planeswalkers aren't invulnerable to events of cosmic-scale such as the cosmic anomally 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

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

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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:

[edit] Dominaria

See Dominaria

[edit] Kamigawa

See Kamigawa

[edit] Lorwyn/Shadowmoor

Lorwyn is the setting of the Lorwyn and Morningtide card sets. 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, kithkin, faeries, treefolk, and giants. The theme of the plane is drawn from Celtic myths. Every several eons, an event called the Great Aurora changes Lorwyn into a plane of perpetual night called Shadowmoor. Shadowmoor is effectively a "dark mirror image" of Lorwyn, with all the races (except for the faeries) forgetting Lorwyn and revealing their "other sides". Lorwyn and Shadowmoor normally alternate in a regular cycle, but this time the Great Aurora has come early.

[edit] Mercadia

See Mercadia

[edit] Ravnica

See Ravnica

[edit] Rabiah

See Rabiah

[edit] Shandalar

See Shandalar

[edit] Ulgrotha

See Ulgrotha

[edit] 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.

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

Creatures from Wildfire

• Emberwilde Caliph
• Emberwilde Djinn
• Wildfire Emissary

[edit] Azoria

Homeworld of the planeswalker Ravidel.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.)

[edit] Segovia

Segovia is a 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 those from other planes.

[edit] 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:

[edit] Phyrexia

See Phyrexia

[edit] Rath

See Rath

[edit] Mirrodin

See Mirrodin

[edit] Serra's Realm

See Serra's Realm.

[edit] The Shard of Twelve Worlds

The Shard is a bubble of universes, centered around Dominaria.^[2] 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.^[3] Freyalise ultimately healed the rift separating the Shard from the rest of the multiverse, allowing planeswalkers to enter and exit once more.^[4]

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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 the Phyrexians to magically appear.

[edit] Some other remarks

• During The Dark the Pretender Mairsil ordered a great Calendar drawn up to show when the paths to the Dark Lands of Phyrexia were strongest.
• on Ulgrotha the planeswalker Feroz created Feroz's Ban, a magical force field, to restore the plane and protecting it from other planeswalkers.
• a similar barrier was created on Shandalar

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b} King, J. Robert. The Thran. Wizards of the Coast: 1999. ISBN 0-7869-1600-1.
2. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Eternal Ice. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1562-5.
3. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Eternal Ice. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1562-5.
4. ^ Grubb, Jeff. The Shattered Alliance. Wizards of the Coast: 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1403-3.