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| image = Arcavios.jpg
| image = Arcavios.jpg
| first = [[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]
| first = [[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]
| last = [[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]
| last = [[March of the Machine]]
| status = Invaded by New Phyrexia's Machine Legion
| planeswalkers = [[Quintorius Kand]]
|rabiah=4}}
| status = Recovering from New Phyrexia's invasion
| rabiah = 3
| rabiah_ref = <ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/the-rabiah-scale-part-3|The Rabiah Scale, Part 3|[[Mark Rosewater]]|2024-05-13}}</ref>
| demonym = Arcavian
}}
'''Arcavios''' is a [[plane]] introduced in ''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]''.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|ObbMbC1v0H4|Strixhaven Sneak Peek|channel=Weekly MTG|date=February 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/first-lesson-introduction-strixhaven-2021-02-18|The First Lesson: Introduction to Strixhaven|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|February 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/643659492177936384/is-strixhaven-in-regatha|title=Is Strixhaven in Regatha?|February 20, 2021}}</ref> The plane has two suns, called '''Karu''' and '''Ezza'''.<ref name=":Class">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-1-class-session-2021-03-25|Episode 1: Class is in Session|[[Adana Washington]]|March 25, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Ribbons">{{DailyRef|archive/magic-story/blue-green-ribbons-2021-04-23|Blue-Green Ribbons| [[Innocent Chizaram Ilo]] |April 23, 2021}}</ref>
'''Arcavios''' is a [[plane]] introduced in ''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages]]''.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|ObbMbC1v0H4|Strixhaven Sneak Peek|channel=Weekly MTG|date=February 19, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{DailyRef|feature/first-lesson-introduction-strixhaven-2021-02-18|The First Lesson: Introduction to Strixhaven|[[Blake Rasmussen]]|February 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/643659492177936384/is-strixhaven-in-regatha|title=Is Strixhaven in Regatha?|February 20, 2021}}</ref> The plane has two suns, called '''Karu''' and '''Ezza'''.<ref name=":Class">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-1-class-session-2021-03-25|Episode 1: Class is in Session|[[Adana Washington]]|March 25, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Ribbons">{{DailyRef|archive/magic-story/blue-green-ribbons-2021-04-23|Blue-Green Ribbons| [[Innocent Chizaram Ilo]] |April 23, 2021}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
===Birth of the plane===
===Birth of the plane===
Thousands of years ago, what was once two [[plane|planes of existence]], two completely different worlds, merged bizarrely and uniquely. When the worlds merged, their essences overlapped, but they did not overlap perfectly. The [[leyline]]s of each world, the conduits of [[mana]], overlaid with opposing elements of mana, rather than with their match. This resulted in a particularly unique twist on the magic of the plane. Each of these magical incongruities formed a small region called a ''snarl'', where the effects are most apparent. The five [[elder]] [[dragon]]s of Arcavios were born from these snarls, and millennia later they founded [[Strixhaven|Strixhaven University]] at the epicenter of the snarls.<ref name="Planes of Multiverse">{{WikiRef|author=[[Jay Annelli]]|date=2021|title=Magic: The Gathering - Planes of the Multiverse|publisher=Abrams ComicArts}}</ref>
Thousands of years ago, what were once two [[plane|planes of existence]] merged bizarrely and uniquely. When the worlds merged, their essences overlapped, but they did not overlap perfectly. The [[leyline]]s of each world, the conduits of [[mana]], overlaid with opposing elements of mana, rather than with their match. This resulted in a particularly unique twist on the magic of the plane. Each of these magical incongruities formed a small region called a ''snarl'', where the effects are most apparent. The five [[elder]] [[dragon]]s of Arcavios were born from these snarls, and millennia later they founded [[Strixhaven|Strixhaven University]] at the epicenter of the snarls.<ref name="Planes of Multiverse">{{WikiRef|author=[[Jay Annelli]]|date=2021|title=Magic: The Gathering - Planes of the Multiverse|publisher=Abrams ComicArts}}</ref>


===The Dawning Age===
===The Dawning Age===
The period when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth.<ref name="Guide" />
[[File:Field Trip.jpg|thumb|253x253px|Star Arch.]]
[[File:Field Trip.jpg|thumb|253x253px|Star Arch.]]
The period when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth is known as the Dawning Age.<ref name="Guide" />


At the birth of the [[plane]], as the [[mana]] of two planes overlapped in conflicting ways, many forms of life adapted to the new structure, and many new forms of life were spawned. Five particularly powerful vortices of overlapping mana became luminous spheres, from which were hatched five [[dragon]]s. These dragons have become emblems of the magic of the plane, living symbols of the clashing forces of the five dichotomies.
At the birth of the [[plane]], as the [[mana]] of two planes overlapped in conflicting ways, many forms of life adapted to the new structure, and many new forms of life were spawned. Five particularly powerful vortices of overlapping mana became luminous spheres, from which were hatched five [[dragon]]s. These dragons have become emblems of the magic of the plane, living symbols of the clashing forces of the five dichotomies.


The five dragons were the first to master the magic of the five enemy color combinations. When the humanoid races arose, at first the dragons were angered that mortals would try to harness the wild forces of magic, but they came to realize that only through disciplined study would magic be in safe hands. So, centuries later, the dragons would found an institution devoted to the study of the five mana dichotomies, and that institution is what we now know as [[Strixhaven]].
The five dragons were the first to master the magic of the five enemy color combinations. When the humanoid races arose around seven millennia before [[New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse]], at first the dragons were angered that mortals would try to harness the wild forces of magic, but they came to realize that only through disciplined study would magic be in safe hands. The humanoids' emergence marked the end of the Dawning Age, replacing it with an age of conflict between them.
 
===The Star Arches===
Gravity-defying arch shapes crop up all over this [[plane]], looking like mystical shrines or monuments. They're made from spokes of natural materials that float in an arch shape, with a precise inner curve and a rough and irregular outer arch. They can stand straight or lie at an angle; they can be small or enormous, whole or broken, grown over or mysteriously clean. Their irregular spokes evoke the radiating lines of a shining celestial star.
 
The star arches are a mystery leftover from the Dawning Age when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth. In most cases, the arches simply sit there, floating inexplicably, silent, immovable, and inert. But many have said that they've seen an arch appear to them at a critical juncture in their lives, helping them understand a lesson or answer a burning question in their mind. Some believe that each arch marks a place of great magic, such as the site of the birth of a great mage or the location of a time-lost spell. Others believe that they're connected with the Archaics in some way, some claim they've seen an arch come to life with powerful magic in their presence.<ref name="Guide" />
 
Cervins feed on the mana-rich plants around the star arches, imbuing their bodies with extraordinary grace and vitality.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Springmane Cervin</c></ref>
 
===The Snarls===
Mana flows through all of Arcavios. But in certain sites, the mana becomes knotted and tangled. At and around these places, magic and spells can be at their most powerful and their most dangerous. These places are known as Snarls. According to the [[Avatar|Archaics]], the Snarls are places where two conflicting sources of antagonistic mana overlapped together at the birth of the plane.<ref name="Guide" />
 
===The Archaics===
The [[Avatar|Archaics]] are a race of wise, giant, long-lived beings with an innate talent for magic. They can be seen striding through the Vastlands, exploring sources of magic with their many arms, or contemplating existence through their "eye," which is a magical focus of some kind. Archaics can live for thousands of years; many are thought to have been alive since the Dawning Age. Despite their solitude, archaics carry a vast understanding of magic and the world’s history, as well as the ability to warp the fabric of the world around them. Mages seek out Archaics for their vast knowledge of history and magic, but Archaics tend to communicate in obscure allusions and cryptic metaphors.<ref name="Guide" />
 
In truth, archaics are the reincarnated souls of the oracles of Strixhaven.<ref>Wizards RPG Team (2021), "''[[D&D Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos]]''", [[Wizards of the Coast]]</ref> When an oracle dies, their soul travels back through time to the explosion of magic that brought the Founder Dragons into being. In that outrush of creative force, the oracle’s soul can be caught in the tide and clad in the very substance of the world, becoming an archaic. Because their knowledge cuts across the flow of time, archaics are careful about how much they reveal to mortals and thus tend to speak in riddles.


===The Blood Age===
===The Blood Age===
Before Strixhaven was founded, Arcavios experienced a period of tremendous violence known as the Blood Age. The wars were so terrible that they shock even [[Lorehold]] students of today. One such war happened three thousand years before any current Strixhaven students were born, when the forces of Golwanda the Bloodspiller and Xandril the Executioner clashed on blood-soaked battlefields. Golwanda lead her Thunder Riders, fearless [[orc]]ish cavalry and united the steppe peoples under the seal of the Crimson Glaive, while the [[kor]] Xandril rallied the hardscrabble Hordeland fiefdoms.<ref name="Mentor">{{DailyRef|magic-story/mentor-2021-04-16|The Mentor|[[Reinhardt Suarez]]|April 16, 2021}}</ref>
Before Strixhaven was founded, Arcavios experienced a period of tremendous violence known as the Blood Age. The wars were so terrible that they shock even [[Lorehold]] students of today. One such war happened three thousand years before any current Strixhaven students were born when the forces of Golwanda the Bloodspiller and Xandril the Executioner clashed on blood-soaked battlefields. Golwanda lead her Thunder Riders, fearless [[orc]]ish cavalry, and united the steppe peoples under the seal of the Crimson Glaive, while the [[kor]] Xandril rallied the hardscrabble Hordeland fiefdoms.<ref name="Mentor">{{DailyRef|magic-story/mentor-2021-04-16|The Mentor|[[Reinhardt Suarez]]|April 16, 2021}}</ref>


The Founder Dragons brought the Blood Age to an end.
The Founder Dragons brought the Blood Age to an end, creating an institution to train mages for peace.<ref name="Visual Guide"/>


===The Mystic Age===
===The Mystic Age===
Founded some 700 years ago by the five spellcasting Founder Dragons, [[Strixhaven]] University is Arcavios's premier institution of magical learning, drawing promising young [[Wizard|mages]] from all around the [[plane]] to study in its halls. Strixhaven is divided into five colleges, each with its distinct campus, faculty, and magical specialties. The five colleges were based on the magic mastered by each of the dragons. The mission of Strixhaven University is to discover and preserve magical knowledge, disseminate that knowledge from one generation to the next, promote the free and open study of magic in all its forms, and enhance the lives of people throughout the [[plane]] through the use of magic.<ref name="Guide">{{DailyRef|feature/planeswalkers-guide-strixhaven-2021-04-01|Planeswalker's Guide to Strixhaven| [[Doug Beyer]] and [[Ari Zirulnik]] |April 01, 2021}}</ref><ref>[[Jay Annelli]] (2022), "''[[Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide]]''", DK</ref>
Founded seven centuries before 4561 [[AR]] by the five spellcasting Founder Dragons, [[Strixhaven]] University is Arcavios's premier institution of magical learning, drawing promising young [[Wizard|mages]] from all around the [[plane]] to study in its halls. Strixhaven is divided into five colleges, each with its distinct campus, faculty, and magical specialties. The five colleges were based on the magic mastered by each of the dragons. The mission of Strixhaven University is to discover and preserve magical knowledge, disseminate that knowledge from one generation to the next, promotes the free and open study of magic in all its forms, and enhance the lives of people throughout the [[plane]] through the use of magic.<ref name="Guide">{{DailyRef|feature/planeswalkers-guide-strixhaven-2021-04-01|Planeswalker's Guide to Strixhaven| [[Doug Beyer]] and [[Ari Zirulnik]] |April 01, 2021}}</ref><ref name="Visual Guide">[[Jay Annelli]] (2022). ''[[Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide]]'', [[Wikipedia:DK (publisher)|DK]]. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.</ref>


To this day, the Founder Dragons roam the plane, the five deadly sages of the skies. They no longer associate directly with Strixhaven, preferring to let the deans of the college speak in their stead. The dragons' wisdom is vast, but their tempers can be short. Mages seek them out only to learn the most elusive of secrets.
To this day, the Founder Dragons roam the plane, the five deadly sages of the skies. They no longer associate directly with Strixhaven, preferring to let the deans of the college speak in their stead. The dragons' wisdom is vast, but their tempers can be short. Mages seek them out only to learn the most elusive of secrets.
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===Phyrexian Invasion===
===Phyrexian Invasion===
Arcavios was one of the many planes affected by [[New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse]]. The prestigious school of [[Strixhaven]] nearly fell with most of the deans compleated and red sinew growth spreading throught the college, but it was temporarily thwarted by an invocation spell that repelled the phyrexian forces.
Arcavios was one of the many planes affected by [[New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse]]. The prestigious school of [[Strixhaven]] nearly fell with most of the deans compleated and red sinew growth spreading throughout the college, but it was temporarily thwarted by the [[Invocation of the Founders]] that repelled the Phyrexian forces.<ref name="Radiant">{{DailyRef|magic-story/a-radiant-heart|''March of the Machine'' - A Radiant Heart|[[Evelyn Teng]]|March 20, 2023}}</ref>
 
In the aftermath of the invasion, the Lorehold college led the rebuilding of the Strixhaven campus.<ref>{{card|Campus Renovation|March of the Machine: The Aftermath|MAT}}</ref>
 
===Omenpaths===
After the discovery of the [[Omenpath|Omenpaths]] that opened the whole [[Multiverse]] to Arcavios, the colleges of Strixhaven began establishing contact with other planes, sending couriers through Omenpaths that regularly opened to specific destinations such as [[Ixalan (plane)|Ixalan]].<ref name="Pawns">{{DailyRef|magic-story/the-lost-caverns-of-ixalan-pawns|''The Lost Caverns of Ixalan'' - Pawns|[[Valerie Valdes]]|October 20, 2023}}</ref>


==Geography==
==Geography==
Most of the known plane is broken across two huge continents—the northern continent of Orrithia, commonly known as the Vastlands, and a mysterious southern continent, called Galathul. The two are linked by a land bridge called the Isthmus of Omens. Strixhaven University is situated in the northeast of Orrithia.
Most of the known plane is broken across two huge continents—the northern continent of Orrithia, commonly known as the Vastlands, and a mysterious southern continent, called Galathul. The two are linked by a land bridge called the Isthmus of Omens. Strixhaven University is situated in the northeast of Orrithia.
===The Star Arches===
Gravity-defying arch shapes crop up all over this [[plane]], looking like mystical shrines or monuments. They're made from spokes of natural materials that float in an arch shape, with a precise inner curve and a rough and irregular outer arch. They can stand straight or lie at an angle; they can be small or enormous, whole or broken, grown over or mysteriously clean. Their irregular spokes evoke the radiating lines of a shining celestial star.
The star arches are a mystery leftover from the Dawning Age when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth. In most cases, the arches simply sit there, floating inexplicably, silent, immovable, and inert. But many have said that they've seen an arch appear to them at a critical juncture in their lives, helping them understand a lesson or answer a burning question in their mind. Some believe that each arch marks a place of great magic, such as the site of the birth of a great mage or the location of a time-lost spell. Others believe that they're connected with the Archaics in some way, some claim they've seen an arch come to life with powerful magic in their presence.<ref name="Guide" />
Cervins feed on the mana-rich plants around the star arches, imbuing their bodies with extraordinary grace and vitality.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Springmane Cervin</c></ref>
===The Snarls===
[[File:SnarlConcept.jpg|right|thumb|Snarl concept]]
Mana flows through all of Arcavios. But in certain sites, the mana becomes knotted and tangled. At and around these places, magic and spells can be at their most powerful and most dangerous. These places are known as Snarls. According to the [[Avatar|Archaics]], the Snarls are places where two conflicting sources of antagonistic mana overlapped together at the birth of the plane.<ref name="Guide" />


===Known locations===
===Known locations===
[[File:Map Arcavios.jpg|thumb|421x421px|Arcavios map.]]
[[File:Map Arcavios.jpg|thumb|421x421px|Arcavios map.]]
* '''Orrithia''' or '''The Vastlands''', the main continent of Arcavios (where [[Strixhaven]] is located).  
*'''Orrithia''' or '''The Vastlands''', the main continent of Arcavios (where [[Strixhaven]] is located).  
**'''[[Strixhaven]]''', the most elite school of mages in the multiverse, whose Colleges were founded by five [[elder]] [[dragon]]s.  
**'''[[Strixhaven]]''', the most elite school of mages in the multiverse, whose Colleges were founded by five [[elder]] [[dragon]]s.  
*** The magical Colleges '''[[Lorehold]]''', '''[[Prismari]]''', '''[[Quandrix]]''', '''[[Silverquill]]''', and '''[[Witherbloom]]'''.
***The magical Colleges '''[[Lorehold]]''', '''[[Prismari]]''', '''[[Quandrix]]''', '''[[Silverquill]]''', and '''[[Witherbloom]]'''.
***The '''[[Biblioplex]]''', exists in the center of Strixhaven with the 5 Colleges surrounding it. It is the largest library in the multiverse. It contains the '''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive|Mystical Archive]]''', a collection of spells from throughout the multiverse and all across time.  
***The '''[[Biblioplex]]''', exists in the center of Strixhaven with the 5 Colleges surrounding it. It is the largest library in the multiverse. It contains the '''[[Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive|Mystical Archive]]''', a collection of spells from throughout the multiverse and all across time.  
** '''Paradox Gardens'''
**'''Paradox Gardens'''
** '''Vaults of Turrau'''
**'''Vaults of Turrau'''
** '''Detention Bog'''
**'''Detention Bog'''
** '''Chimneycomb''', the mountains of central Orrithia
**'''Chimneycomb''', the mountains of central Orrithia
*** '''Feradorn'''
***'''Feradorn'''
*** '''Grumlet'''
***'''Grumlet'''
*** '''Heavenfell'''
***'''Heavenfell'''
*** '''Pranticle Peak'''
***'''Pranticle Peak'''
** '''Doradur''', a location of the western coast. Home of the [[Burrog]]s.
**'''Doradur''', a location on the western coast. Home of the [[Burrog]]s.
** '''Grove of Eljor''', a forest to the west of the mountains
**'''Grove of Eljor''', a forest to the west of the mountains
** '''Tor-Kathorra Desert''', home of the Kathorran [[orc]]s, known for their tool use and double edged swords.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Illuminate History</c> and <c>Blade Historian</c></ref>
**'''Tor-Kathorra Desert''', home of the Kathorran [[orc]]s, known for their tool use and double-edged swords.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Illuminate History</c> and <c>Blade Historian</c></ref>
*** The '''Kathorran Empire'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
***The '''Kathorran Empire'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
** '''Silkmeadow'''
**'''Silkmeadow'''
** '''Tarangrad'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
**'''Tarangrad'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
** '''Rundlestrom Military Academy'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
**'''Rundlestrom Military Academy''', a prestigious military academy.<ref name="Mentor"/><ref name="Visual Guide"/>
* The '''Snarls''', places where two opposing forces of mana come together and swirl in a mashing pattern.<ref name="Tour">{{YouTubeRef|b23oHHziMto|Strixhaven: School of Mages Campus Tour|channel=[[Magic: The Gathering]]|date=March 25, 2021}}</ref>
*The '''Snarls''', places where two opposing forces of mana come together and swirl in a mashing pattern.<ref name="Tour">{{YouTubeRef|b23oHHziMto|Strixhaven: School of Mages Campus Tour|channel=[[Magic: The Gathering]]|date=March 25, 2021}}</ref>
*'''Fernbosk''', home of the trolls. It is a wild place.
*'''Fernbosk''', home of the trolls. It is a wild place.
* Ancient ruins dot the plane, most older than Strixhaven itself and many still guarded by soldiers from the Blood Age, centuries after their deaths.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Ageless Guardian</c></ref>
*Ancient ruins dot the plane, most older than Strixhaven itself and many still guarded by soldiers from the Blood Age, centuries after their deaths.<ref>Flavor text for <c>Ageless Guardian</c></ref>
**'''Zantafar''', the city in which the loxodons of the plane lived before becoming nomads. Rediscovered by [[Quintorius Kand]].
**'''Zantafar''', the city in which the loxodons of the plane lived before becoming nomads. Rediscovered by [[Quintorius Kand]].
** The fortress of '''Caerdoon'''<ref name="Lessons">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-2-lessons-2021-03-31|Episode 2: Lessons|[[Adana Washington]]|March 31, 2021}}</ref> (or '''Kaerdoon''')
**The fortress of '''Caerdoon'''<ref name="Lessons">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-2-lessons-2021-03-31|Episode 2: Lessons|[[Adana Washington]]|March 31, 2021}}</ref> (or '''Kaerdoon''')
** '''Moragitzu-Kesh''', rumored to lay beneath Strixhaven.<ref name="Mentor"/>
**'''Moragitzu-Kesh''', rumored to lay beneath Strixhaven.<ref name="Mentor"/>
** The '''Kingdoms Below'''<ref name="Extra">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-3-extracurriculars-2021-04-07|Episode 3: Extracurriculars|[[Adana Washington]]|April 7, 2021}}</ref>
**The '''Kingdoms Below'''<ref name="Extra">{{DailyRef|magic-story/episode-3-extracurriculars-2021-04-07|Episode 3: Extracurriculars|[[Adana Washington]]|April 7, 2021}}</ref>
** The '''Hordeland Fiefdoms'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
**The '''Hordeland Fiefdoms'''<ref name="Mentor"/>
* The '''Pinzari Isles''', islands before the west coast of Orrithia
*The '''Pinzari Isles''', islands before the west coast of Orrithia
* The '''Sanctuary of the Lost''', a sanatorium for people affected by magic.<ref name="Ribbons"/>
*The '''Sanctuary of the Lost''', a sanatorium for people affected by magic.<ref name="Ribbons"/>
* '''Galathul''', the mysterious second continent of Arcavios.
*'''Galathul''', the mysterious second continent of Arcavios.
* '''Isthmus of Omens''', the land bridge connecting Orrithia and Galathul.
*'''Isthmus of Omens''', the land bridge connecting Orrithia and Galathul.


==Inhabitants==
==Inhabitants==
The inhabitants of Arcavios are vastly varied. Below are those directly seen or mentioned on the plane.  
The inhabitants of Arcavios are vastly varied. Below are those directly seen or mentioned on the plane.  
===The Archaics===
[[File:ArchaicConcept.jpg|right|thumb|Archaic concept]]
The [[Avatar|Archaics]] are a race of wise, giant, long-lived beings with an innate talent for magic. They can be seen striding through the Vastlands, exploring sources of magic with their many arms, or contemplating existence through their "eye," which is a magical focus of some kind. Archaics can live for thousands of years; many are thought to have been alive since the Dawning Age. Despite their solitude, archaics carry a vast understanding of magic and the world’s history, as well as the ability to warp the fabric of the world around them. Mages seek out Archaics for their vast knowledge of history and magic, but Archaics tend to communicate in obscure allusions and cryptic metaphors.<ref name="Guide" />
In truth, archaics are the reincarnated souls of the oracles of Strixhaven.<ref>Wizards RPG Team (2021), "''[[D&D Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos]]''", [[Wizards of the Coast]]</ref> Oracles are appointed for life by the founder dragons from the plane's wisest and most powerful archmages to be the ultimate authority in ensuring that magic is used to help others.<ref name="Visual Guide"/> When an oracle dies, their soul travels back through time to the explosion of magic that brought the Founder Dragons into being. In that outrush of creative force, the oracle’s soul can be caught in the tide and clad in the very substance of the world, becoming an archaic. Because their knowledge cuts across the flow of time, archaics are careful about how much they reveal to mortals and thus tend to speak in riddles.


===Sapient races===
===Sapient races===
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===Artificial===
===Artificial===
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|*[[Angel]]s
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|*[[Angel]]s
* [[Construct]]s
*[[Construct]]s
* [[Gargoyle]]s
*[[Gargoyle]]s
* [[Golem]]s
*[[Golem]]s
* [[Wall]]s
*[[Wall]]s
}}
}}


===Mascots===
===Mascots===
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* [[Elemental#Arcavios|Elemental]]s
*[[Elemental#Arcavios|Elemental]]s
* [[Fractal]]s
*[[Fractal]]s
* [[Inkling]]s
*[[Inkling]]s
* [[Pest#Arcavios|Pests]]
*[[Pest#Arcavios|Pests]]
* [[Spirit#Arcavios|Spirit]]s
*[[Spirit#Arcavios|Spirit]]s
}}
}}


===Other===
===Other===
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* [[Archon]]s
*[[Archon]]s
* [[Beast]]s
*[[Beast]]s
** Trudges
**Trudges
* [[Bird]]s
*[[Bird]]s
* [[Cervin]] ([[Elk]])
*[[Cervin]] ([[Elk]])
* [[Dog]]s
*[[Dog]]s
* [[Drake]]s
*[[Drake]]s
* [[Elk]]
*[[Elk]]
* [[Eye]] [[Bat]]s
*[[Eye]] [[Bat]]s
* [[Fox]]es
*[[Fox]]es
* [[Frog]]s
*[[Frog]]s
* [[Fungus]]
*[[Fungus]]
* Groffs ([[Plant]] [[Dog]]s)
*Groffs ([[Plant]] [[Dog]]s)
* [[Horror]]s
*[[Horror]]s
* [[Illusion]]s
*[[Illusion]]s
* [[Imp]]s <ref name="Ribbons"/>
*[[Imp]]s <ref name="Ribbons"/>
* Karoks ([[Crocodile]]s)
*Karoks ([[Crocodile]]s)
* [[Octopus|Octopi]]
*[[Octopus|Octopi]]
* [[Plant]]s
*[[Plant]]s
* [[Phoenix]]
*[[Phoenix]]
* Scurrids ([[Squirrel]]s)
*Scurrids ([[Squirrel]]s)
* [[Serpent]]s
*[[Serpent]]s
* [[Shade]]s
*[[Shade]]s
* [[Specter]]s
*[[Specter]]s
* [[Wolf|Wolves]]
*[[Wolf|Wolves]]
* [[Wurm]]s
*[[Wurm]]s
}}
}}


==Languages spoken==
==Languages spoken==
===Old languages===
===Old languages===
* The language taught by <c>Professor of Symbology</c>
*The language taught by <c>Professor of Symbology</c>
 
==Planeswalkers==
===Native===
*[[Quintorius Kand]]
 
===Visitors===
*[[Ajani Goldmane]]<ref name="ajani">[[Seanan McGuire]] (2022). ''[[Magic: Ajani Goldmane]]''. Wizards of the Coast.</ref> (non-canon)
*[[Chandra Nalaar]]<ref name="ajani" /> (non-canon)
*[[Isona Maive]]<ref name="hp4">Mairghread, Scott. (2022). ''[[Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker]]''. Vol 1, iss 4.</ref> (non-canon)
*[[Kasmina]]
*[[Liliana Vess]]
*[[Lukka]]
*[[Nissa Revane]]<ref name="Animist">{{WebRef|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/12kyvxc/full_art_of_path_of_the_animist/|title=Full Art of Path of the Animist|date=April 13, 2023|author=Liiga Smilshkalne|publisher=Reddit}}</ref>
*[[Rowan Kenrith]]
*[[Tezzeret]]<ref name="Master of Metal">Scott, Mairghread. (2021). "A Lover of Things". ''[[Magic: Master of Metal]]''.</ref> (non-[[List of storyline sources|canon]])
*[[Will Kenrith]]


==Planeswalker visitors==
==Gallery==
* [[Ajani Goldmane]]<ref name="ajani">[[Seanan McGuire]] (2022). ''[[Magic: Ajani Goldmane]]''. Wizards of the Coast.</ref> (non-canon)
<gallery>
* [[Chandra Nalaar]]<ref name="ajani" /> (non-canon)
File:StarArchConcept.jpg|Star Arch concept.
* [[Isona Maive]]<ref name="hp4">Mairghread, Scott. (2022). ''[[Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker]]''. Vol 1, iss 4.</ref> (non-canon)
</gallery>
* [[Kasmina]]
* [[Liliana Vess]]
* [[Lukka]]
* [[Rowan Kenrith]]
* [[Tezzeret]]<ref name="Master of Metal">Scott, Mairghread. (2021). "A Lover of Things". ''[[Magic: Master of Metal]]''.</ref> (non-[[List of storyline sources|canon]])
* [[Will Kenrith]]


==In-game references==
==In-game references==
{{in-game
{{in-game
|cards=
*<c>Strixhaven</c>
|associated=
|associated=
* <c>Jadzi, Oracle of Arcavios</c>
*<c>Invasion of Arcavios</c>
*<c>Jadzi, Oracle of Arcavios</c>
|referred=
|referred=
* <c>Access Tunnel</c>
*<c>Access Tunnel</c>
* <c>Ageless Guardian</c>
*<c>Ageless Guardian</c>
* <c>Archmage Emeritus</c>
*<c>Archmage Emeritus</c>
* {{card|Duress|Mystical Archive|STA}}
*{{card|Duress|Mystical Archive|STA}}
* <c>Environmental Sciences</c>
*<c>Environmental Sciences</c>
* {{card|Regrowth|Mystical Archive|STA}}
*{{card|Regrowth|Mystical Archive|STA}}
* {{card|Strategic Planning|Mystical Archive|STA}}
*{{card|Spectator Seating|Commander Masters|CMM|#=664}}
*{{card|Strategic Planning|Mystical Archive|STA}}
}}
}}


Line 206: Line 231:


==External links==
==External links==
* {{DailyRef|feature/planeswalkers-guide-strixhaven-2021-04-01|Planeswalker's Guide to Strixhaven| [[Doug Beyer]] and [[Ari Zirulnik]] |April 01, 2021}}
*{{DailyRef|feature/planeswalkers-guide-strixhaven-2021-04-01|Planeswalker's Guide to Strixhaven| [[Doug Beyer]] and [[Ari Zirulnik]] |April 01, 2021}}


{{Arcavios|state=collapsed}}
{{Arcavios|state=collapsed}}
{{Planes of the Multiverse}}
{{Planes of the Multiverse}}
[[Category:Planes]]
[[Category:Planar types]]

Latest revision as of 00:21, 14 May 2024

Arcavios
Information
First seen Strixhaven: School of Mages
Last seen March of the Machine
Planeswalkers Quintorius Kand
Rabiah Scale 3[1]
Status Recovering from New Phyrexia's invasion
Demonym Arcavian

Arcavios is a plane introduced in Strixhaven: School of Mages.[2][3][4] The plane has two suns, called Karu and Ezza.[5][6]

History

Birth of the plane

Thousands of years ago, what were once two planes of existence merged bizarrely and uniquely. When the worlds merged, their essences overlapped, but they did not overlap perfectly. The leylines of each world, the conduits of mana, overlaid with opposing elements of mana, rather than with their match. This resulted in a particularly unique twist on the magic of the plane. Each of these magical incongruities formed a small region called a snarl, where the effects are most apparent. The five elder dragons of Arcavios were born from these snarls, and millennia later they founded Strixhaven University at the epicenter of the snarls.[7]

The Dawning Age

Star Arch.

The period when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth is known as the Dawning Age.[8]

At the birth of the plane, as the mana of two planes overlapped in conflicting ways, many forms of life adapted to the new structure, and many new forms of life were spawned. Five particularly powerful vortices of overlapping mana became luminous spheres, from which were hatched five dragons. These dragons have become emblems of the magic of the plane, living symbols of the clashing forces of the five dichotomies.

The five dragons were the first to master the magic of the five enemy color combinations. When the humanoid races arose around seven millennia before New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, at first the dragons were angered that mortals would try to harness the wild forces of magic, but they came to realize that only through disciplined study would magic be in safe hands. The humanoids' emergence marked the end of the Dawning Age, replacing it with an age of conflict between them.

The Blood Age

Before Strixhaven was founded, Arcavios experienced a period of tremendous violence known as the Blood Age. The wars were so terrible that they shock even Lorehold students of today. One such war happened three thousand years before any current Strixhaven students were born when the forces of Golwanda the Bloodspiller and Xandril the Executioner clashed on blood-soaked battlefields. Golwanda lead her Thunder Riders, fearless orcish cavalry, and united the steppe peoples under the seal of the Crimson Glaive, while the kor Xandril rallied the hardscrabble Hordeland fiefdoms.[9]

The Founder Dragons brought the Blood Age to an end, creating an institution to train mages for peace.[10]

The Mystic Age

Founded seven centuries before 4561 AR by the five spellcasting Founder Dragons, Strixhaven University is Arcavios's premier institution of magical learning, drawing promising young mages from all around the plane to study in its halls. Strixhaven is divided into five colleges, each with its distinct campus, faculty, and magical specialties. The five colleges were based on the magic mastered by each of the dragons. The mission of Strixhaven University is to discover and preserve magical knowledge, disseminate that knowledge from one generation to the next, promotes the free and open study of magic in all its forms, and enhance the lives of people throughout the plane through the use of magic.[8][10]

To this day, the Founder Dragons roam the plane, the five deadly sages of the skies. They no longer associate directly with Strixhaven, preferring to let the deans of the college speak in their stead. The dragons' wisdom is vast, but their tempers can be short. Mages seek them out only to learn the most elusive of secrets.

The Dragonsguard

A select few graduates of Strixhaven join the Dragonsguard, an elite force of mages who work with the honored Founder Dragons.[8]

The Oriq

The Oriq are a group of mages who seek to access Strixhaven's magical archives for their purposes. Because they need so many recruits, they often send agents across Arcavios to find susceptible people to recruit. This causes many of the citizens of the plane to be distrustful of outsiders for fear they may be affiliated with this group.[11]

Phyrexian Invasion

Arcavios was one of the many planes affected by New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse. The prestigious school of Strixhaven nearly fell with most of the deans compleated and red sinew growth spreading throughout the college, but it was temporarily thwarted by the Invocation of the Founders that repelled the Phyrexian forces.[12]

In the aftermath of the invasion, the Lorehold college led the rebuilding of the Strixhaven campus.[13]

Omenpaths

After the discovery of the Omenpaths that opened the whole Multiverse to Arcavios, the colleges of Strixhaven began establishing contact with other planes, sending couriers through Omenpaths that regularly opened to specific destinations such as Ixalan.[14]

Geography

Most of the known plane is broken across two huge continents—the northern continent of Orrithia, commonly known as the Vastlands, and a mysterious southern continent, called Galathul. The two are linked by a land bridge called the Isthmus of Omens. Strixhaven University is situated in the northeast of Orrithia.

The Star Arches

Gravity-defying arch shapes crop up all over this plane, looking like mystical shrines or monuments. They're made from spokes of natural materials that float in an arch shape, with a precise inner curve and a rough and irregular outer arch. They can stand straight or lie at an angle; they can be small or enormous, whole or broken, grown over or mysteriously clean. Their irregular spokes evoke the radiating lines of a shining celestial star.

The star arches are a mystery leftover from the Dawning Age when the plane was young and none of the humanoid races yet walked the earth. In most cases, the arches simply sit there, floating inexplicably, silent, immovable, and inert. But many have said that they've seen an arch appear to them at a critical juncture in their lives, helping them understand a lesson or answer a burning question in their mind. Some believe that each arch marks a place of great magic, such as the site of the birth of a great mage or the location of a time-lost spell. Others believe that they're connected with the Archaics in some way, some claim they've seen an arch come to life with powerful magic in their presence.[8]

Cervins feed on the mana-rich plants around the star arches, imbuing their bodies with extraordinary grace and vitality.[15]

The Snarls

Snarl concept

Mana flows through all of Arcavios. But in certain sites, the mana becomes knotted and tangled. At and around these places, magic and spells can be at their most powerful and most dangerous. These places are known as Snarls. According to the Archaics, the Snarls are places where two conflicting sources of antagonistic mana overlapped together at the birth of the plane.[8]

Known locations

Arcavios map.
  • Orrithia or The Vastlands, the main continent of Arcavios (where Strixhaven is located).
    • Strixhaven, the most elite school of mages in the multiverse, whose Colleges were founded by five elder dragons.
    • Paradox Gardens
    • Vaults of Turrau
    • Detention Bog
    • Chimneycomb, the mountains of central Orrithia
      • Feradorn
      • Grumlet
      • Heavenfell
      • Pranticle Peak
    • Doradur, a location on the western coast. Home of the Burrogs.
    • Grove of Eljor, a forest to the west of the mountains
    • Tor-Kathorra Desert, home of the Kathorran orcs, known for their tool use and double-edged swords.[16]
      • The Kathorran Empire[9]
    • Silkmeadow
    • Tarangrad[9]
    • Rundlestrom Military Academy, a prestigious military academy.[9][10]
  • The Snarls, places where two opposing forces of mana come together and swirl in a mashing pattern.[17]
  • Fernbosk, home of the trolls. It is a wild place.
  • Ancient ruins dot the plane, most older than Strixhaven itself and many still guarded by soldiers from the Blood Age, centuries after their deaths.[18]
    • Zantafar, the city in which the loxodons of the plane lived before becoming nomads. Rediscovered by Quintorius Kand.
    • The fortress of Caerdoon[11] (or Kaerdoon)
    • Moragitzu-Kesh, rumored to lay beneath Strixhaven.[9]
    • The Kingdoms Below[19]
    • The Hordeland Fiefdoms[9]
  • The Pinzari Isles, islands before the west coast of Orrithia
  • The Sanctuary of the Lost, a sanatorium for people affected by magic.[6]
  • Galathul, the mysterious second continent of Arcavios.
  • Isthmus of Omens, the land bridge connecting Orrithia and Galathul.

Inhabitants

The inhabitants of Arcavios are vastly varied. Below are those directly seen or mentioned on the plane.

The Archaics

Archaic concept

The Archaics are a race of wise, giant, long-lived beings with an innate talent for magic. They can be seen striding through the Vastlands, exploring sources of magic with their many arms, or contemplating existence through their "eye," which is a magical focus of some kind. Archaics can live for thousands of years; many are thought to have been alive since the Dawning Age. Despite their solitude, archaics carry a vast understanding of magic and the world’s history, as well as the ability to warp the fabric of the world around them. Mages seek out Archaics for their vast knowledge of history and magic, but Archaics tend to communicate in obscure allusions and cryptic metaphors.[8]

In truth, archaics are the reincarnated souls of the oracles of Strixhaven.[20] Oracles are appointed for life by the founder dragons from the plane's wisest and most powerful archmages to be the ultimate authority in ensuring that magic is used to help others.[10] When an oracle dies, their soul travels back through time to the explosion of magic that brought the Founder Dragons into being. In that outrush of creative force, the oracle’s soul can be caught in the tide and clad in the very substance of the world, becoming an archaic. Because their knowledge cuts across the flow of time, archaics are careful about how much they reveal to mortals and thus tend to speak in riddles.

Sapient races

Artificial

Mascots

Other

Languages spoken

Old languages

Planeswalkers

Native

Visitors

Gallery

  • Star Arch concept.

    Star Arch concept.

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (2024-05-13). "The Rabiah Scale, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Strixhaven Sneak Peek (Video). Weekly MTG. YouTube (February 19, 2021).
  3. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 18, 2021). "The First Lesson: Introduction to Strixhaven". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 20, 2021). "Is Strixhaven in Regatha?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. ↑ Adana Washington (March 25, 2021). "Episode 1: Class is in Session". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ a b c Innocent Chizaram Ilo (April 23, 2021). "Blue-Green Ribbons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Jay Annelli (2021). "Magic: The Gathering - Planes of the Multiverse". Abrams ComicArts.
  8. ↑ a b c d e f Doug Beyer and Ari Zirulnik (April 01, 2021). "Planeswalker's Guide to Strixhaven". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ a b c d e f Reinhardt Suarez (April 16, 2021). "The Mentor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ a b c d Jay Annelli (2022). Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
  11. ↑ a b Adana Washington (March 31, 2021). "Episode 2: Lessons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ Evelyn Teng (March 20, 2023). "March of the Machine - A Radiant Heart". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ Campus Renovation (March of the Machine: The Aftermath)
  14. ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Pawns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Flavor text for Springmane Cervin
  16. ↑ Flavor text for Illuminate History and Blade Historian
  17. ↑ Strixhaven: School of Mages Campus Tour (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (March 25, 2021).
  18. ↑ Flavor text for Ageless Guardian
  19. ↑ Adana Washington (April 7, 2021). "Episode 3: Extracurriculars". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Wizards RPG Team (2021), "D&D Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos", Wizards of the Coast
  21. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (2022). Magic: Ajani Goldmane. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. ↑ Mairghread, Scott. (2022). Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker. Vol 1, iss 4.
  23. ↑ Liiga Smilshkalne (April 13, 2023). "Full Art of Path of the Animist". Reddit.
  24. ↑ Scott, Mairghread. (2021). "A Lover of Things". Magic: Master of Metal.

External links

Arcavios sets
Publications
Arcavios storyline
Characters
Locations
Affiliations
Other
Magic Story
set settings
Seen on
plane cards
Other planes
Non-canon
Related
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