Nephalia

Nephalia
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Nephalia3.png}}]] Nephalia's coat of arms
Information
Plane	Innistrad

Nephalia is the coastal province of Innistrad. Dwellers interested in trade are attracted by a number of small-to-medium port towns, most situated at the mouth of a river that leads further inland.

Description

Nephalia's sloughs, sea mists, and mysteries cloak its commerce and crimes; it is populated mainly by humans, geists and vampires, all of whom seek business, secrets, or solitude. The province's silver sand beaches, punctuated with rocky promontories and sea caves, afford the easiest access to its fog-shrouded ocean.

Merchant caravans fill the trade routes between the cities of Nephalia, and unscrupulous alchemists and necromancers traffic with sinister items in the underground body market of Nephalia. Many coastal cities of Nephalia are subject to Nebelgast, the salty mist that rises and falls with the tide, leading hordes of geists from countless shipwrecks.

In Nephalia, skaab stitchers and deadcallers can be found in remote areas where they practice their dark arts without much interference from the suspicious citizens or avacyn authorities. Both must remain secret because their trade is feared by the human population. However, Stromkirk vampires and merchants of Nephalia only see the potential profit, so its arcane charms and its sinister services are tolerated while they are only a rumor.

A human cult in Nephalia worships the monstrous kraken-like Kralmar.

Skiltfolk

A group of mercenary warriors and shield-bearers known as the Skiltfolk hire out their services to merchants and travelers who wish to cross Nephalia without using the Erdwal or who wish to go to other areas off the beaten path.

Geography

Nephalia is located southeast of Thraben.

Locations

• The Silver Beach, Nephalia's coastline with sands rich in granular silver. It stretches countless miles, interrupted by rocks, sea caves, and occasional large promontories.
  • Jenrik's Tower, home to the astronomer Jenrik.
• Port towns
  • Havengul, the largest of the three.
    • The Elgaud Grounds, a small fort of the Church of Avacyn.
    • The Engelturm.
  • Drunau, main territory of the Stromkirk vampires.
  • Selhoff, a quiet port known for its active Nebelgast.
    • The Morkrut, a swamp filled with banshees and other malevolent geists.
• The Alrun River. Starting in the highlands where the Ulvenwald of Kessig abuts Gavony's Moorlands. It cuts a canyon through rocky grounds until it reaches the sea. Drunau is nestled in the canyon at the river's mouth.
• The Erdwal, a network of defensible walkways between the three cities.
• Lake Zhava, located in the highlands near the border with Gavony.
  • The small town located next to it.
• Cecani Manor, ruined ancestral home of House Cecani.
• Merwald Downs
• Rivstalt, a small coastal village infamous for its Kralmar cult.
• Ulm, a small remote village near the borders of both Kessig and Gavony.

In-game references

Associated cards:

• Eloise, Nephalia Sleuth
• Erdwal Illuminator
• Erdwal Ripper
• Jadar, Ghoulcaller of Nephalia
• Jeleva, Nephalia's Scourge
• Nephalia Academy
• Nephalia Drownyard
• Nephalia Moondrakes
• Nephalia Seakite
• Nephalia Smuggler

Referred to:

• Chant of the Skifsang
• Consuming Tide
• Drag Under
• Equestrian Skill
• Evolving Wilds
• Geistcatcher's Rig
• Invisible Stalker
• No Way Out
• Port Town
• Sanguinary Mage
• Silburlind Snapper
• Snapping Voidcraw
• Stormcarved Coast
• Wash Away

Gallery

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  Nephalia concepts by Daarken (left) and Steve Prescott (right).

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  Erdwal concept by Adam Paquette.

External links

• Magic Creative Team (October 19, 2011). "A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Nephalia and the Undead". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• James Wyatt 2016, "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Innistrad".