Atarka

Atarka
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Atarka.jpg}}|250px]]
Details
Race	Elder Dragon
Birthplace	Tarkir
Lifetime	unknown
Colors
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Atarka (/ətɑːrkə/ uh-TARK-uh) is one of the five elder dragons of Tarkir. She is a robust beast with antlers, horns, and fur. She breathes green flames. The ultimate predator, Atarka spends her days, and most of her nights, hunting and feasting.

Atarka's Brood

Atarka and her brood emerged full-fledged from Ugin's dragon tempests and were drawn to Tarkir's mountain slopes. They were driven by hunger alone. Like their progenitor, Atarka's brood breathe fire.

Original timeline

Atarka and her brood were revered by the Temur Frontier for their savagery. After Ugin's death, they lost the battle against the clans of Tarkir. No new brood was created and all died. Atarka never reached elder status.

Alternate timeline

In the new timeline created by Sarkhan Vol, Atarka's barely sapient mentality proved to be the salvation to the Temur, as Yasova satiated her hunger by feeding her mammoth carcasses, distracting the dragons from attacking her clan. Fearful of the elementalism wielded by the shamans of the Temur, the Atarka dragons eventually initiated a purge that only a few could evade and outlawed the title "Dragonclaw".

Eighteen years after the Khanfall, Atarka confronted Yasova's hunting band after the death of two Atarka and Ojutai broodlings. The band were only saved because Tae Jin had a vision of Nicol Bolas, and impressed Atarka with his tale.

Clan Atarka

Led by Surrak, the Hunt Caller, the former Temur of the present remain fairly independent - as long as the dragons are fed. Savagery and strength are their greatest assets. The clan was joined by the Efreet of Qadat (formerly Jeskai Way). They were won over by Atarka's promise to spread the glory of fire to all the world. Atarka is worshipped and fed by her subjects at Ayagor, the Dragon's Bowl. The dragons spend most of their time hunting or fighting among themselves. Atarka serving-goblins coat themselves with grease imbued with noxious herbs, hoping to discourage their ravenous masters from adding them to the meal. The frontier ainok sometimes hunts alongside the humans of the clan. They quickly grab a share of the meat and scatter to their dens before the dragon can notice and catch them.

Warriors of the Atarka are much like warriors of the bygone Temur, in that they understand how to survive in their frontier wilderness. In the alternate timeline, the most important force in the frontier are the huge, hungry Atarka-brood dragons, so for the humans, ainok, and other hunters to eat, they have to make sure the dragons are fed first.

Within the Atarka, dissent brews as a young shaman, Arel, has visions of a Tarkir without the tyranny of the dragonlords.

Story appearances

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
A New Tarkir of Old	Kimberly J. Kreines	2014-12-31	Fate Reforged	Tarkir	Sarkhan Vol, Ugin, Zurgo, Narset, Yasova Dragonclaw, Atarka
Khanfall	Kelly Digges	2015-02-18	Fate Reforged	Tarkir	Shu Yun, Quan, Alesha, Reyhan, Atarka, Daghatar, Yasova Dragonclaw, Tasigur, Ugin, Sarkhan Vol, Silumgar, Ojutai, Ikra Shidiqi, Beril, Jagun Wingmate, Doshiyn Eye-Piercer, Kolaghan, Anchin, Atarka, Yeran
The Call	Nik Davidson	2015-04-15	Dragons of Tarkir	Tarkir	Surrak, Atarka
Chronicle of Bolas: Blood and Fire	Kate Elliott	2018-07-18	Core Set 2019	Tarkir, Dominaria	Naiva, Darka, Yasova Dragonclaw, Baishya, Fec, Atarka, Tae Jin, Nicol Bolas, Lividus, Ravus, Rubra, Vaevictis Asmadi

In-game references

Represented in:

• Atarka, World Render
• Dragonlord Atarka

Associated cards:

• Atarka Beastbreaker
• Atarka Efreet
• Atarka Monument
• Atarka Pummeler
• Atarka's Command

Depicted in:

• Stomping Ground
• Surrak, the Hunt Caller

Quoted or referred to:

• Commune with Lava
• Conifer Strider
• Destructor Dragon
• Dragon Fodder (Dragons of Tarkir)
• Dragonlord's Servant
• Dragon-Scarred Bear
• Harbinger of the Hunt
• Hardened Berserker
• Magmatic Chasm
• Qal Sisma Behemoth
• Roast
• Seismic Rupture
• Stampeding Elk-Herd
• Stoke the Flames (March of the Machine)
• Summit Prowler (Dragons of Tarkir)
• Surrak, the Hunt Caller
• Tread Upon
• Volcanic Rush

Atarka's brood:

• Artful Maneuver
• Tail Slash