Ixalan (plane)

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Ixalan
Information
First seen Ixalan
Last seen The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Planeswalkers Huatli (former)
Rabiah Scale 5[1]
Status Recovering from New Phyrexia's invasion

Ixalan (/ɪksəlɑːn/ IKS-uh-lahn)[2][3] is a Mesoamerican-inspired[4] plane full of uncharted jungles where dangerous beasts, magnificent ruins, and lost treasures lie waiting to be discovered.

History

In ancient times, multiple civilizations inhabited Ixalan's Core.[5] Many were destroyed by outside forces, and others were unable to master the power of Cosmium. Only the Oltec civilization, the ancestors of the Sun Empire, survived.[6]

On this plane, the planeswalker Azor created a powerful artifact, known as the Immortal Sun, to trap the evil Nicol Bolas. For this reason, Planeswalkers could enter Ixalan, but until 4560 AR could not leave.

The Immortal Sun was once guarded by holy custodians in a mountaintop monastery on the continent of Torrezon. Its presence gave the local monarch disproportionate influence in regional matters. The monastery fell under attack by the forces of the rival king Pedron the Wicked who stole the Immortal Sun but lost it to an unidentified winged being.[7] Eight hundred years ago, the mountainous nation called Torrezon (it later gave its name to the whole continent) split into three parts when its monarch died, with each portion ruled by one of the monarch's children.[7] A long religious war ensued. It raged on for three centuries, before the first vampire, Elenda of Garrano, ended it. After the unification, many of Torrezon's nobles undertook Elenda's transformative ritual, and it became known as the Rite of Redemption by the church. The United Legion of Dusk began a series of wars and eventually took over the whole continent. When the last city-states were conquered, its inhabitants took to the sea and formed the Brazen Coalition.

On the continent of Ixalan, the River Heralds was once the dominant inhabitants of Ixalan with a large power of their own, and their strength was once enough to keep the Sun Empire out of the interior. The Sun Empire was first founded from Orazca by Chacanto Intli, who united the various city-states into a central empire.[8] Following a devastating war with the River Heralds under Apatzec Intli I, who had gained possession of the Immortal Sun and used it without restraint, their civilization was reduced to a few coastal cities, with Orazca being lost to them. The empire still confronted the Heralds on its borders. The latest emperor, Apatzec Intli III asserted control and is expanding again.

The Sun Empire recently was besieged by pirate raids by the Brazen Coalition and the advance of the Legion of Dusk which is seeking the Immortal Sun. All factions close in on the Lost City of Orazca, which is said to hide the ancient artifact. The Immortal Sun was found by several of the factions, but then was stolen and removed from the plane by a henchman of Bolas. The barrier was now broken and several planeswalkers left the plane. With Orazca retaken, the Sun Empire pushed the Legion of Dusk back to the sea, capturing and reverse-engineering their fleet in preparation for an invasion of Torrezon.[9] Forests were felled to raise a new fleet, known as the Dawn Fleet. Hundreds of ships were built, and nearly ten thousand soldiers and sailors crewed them. The ships were launched to Torrezon, and their last known location was the midway point between the two empires.[10]

Phyrexian invasion

In 4562 AR, the plane mobilized against the growing New Phyrexian threat.[11] Ixalan was a target in New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse,[12] seemingly invaded by the Alabaster, Copper and Furnace hosts.

In the early days of the invasion, the sun was blocked out by smoke and falling ash from constant fires burning across the plane.[10] After the elder dinosaur Etali was compleated, severe hurricanes began forming just off the coast of the continent of Ixalan. The skies flashed with red lightning, and the wind sparkled with razors, preventing aerosaurs from flying.

A dozen towns along the northern barrier of the continent of Ixalan were wiped out, with a thousand reported dead. In the south of the Sun Empire, Atzocan, Otepec, and Little Pocatli suffered similar fates. The Sun Empire, pirates, and the Legion of Dusk banded together to fight the invaders, and Etali was finally felled by Zacama after injuring Zetalpa.[10]

The Lost Caverns

In the aftermath of the Invasion, the plane's core was discovered underneath the cities of the Sun Empire.[13] Ixalan's surface factions quickly moved to harness the newly-discovered resource cosmium.[14]

Geography

Map of the continent of Ixalan

Ixalan is a hollow sphere.[14] It has at least two large continents on its surface that are separated by the sea. Further north, travelers meet only unmelting ice.[15]

Stormwreck Sea

The Stormwreck Sea is the home to various archipelagos and numerous pirates.[10]

  • The floating city of High and Dry, the base of the Brazen Coalition
    • The Burning Port, an ale house
    • The Boatswain's Rear, another ale house
  • The Spitfire Bastion, the base of Captain Vance on an island east of the Sun Coast
  • "Useless Island", where Jace Beleren was cast away following his defeat against Nicol Bolas.
  • The Corsair Coast[10]
  • Sunray Bay[16]
    • Downtown, a mining complex[16]

Ixalan (continent)

Treasure Map

Ixalan, the western continent, bears the same name as the plane (or the other way around[9]). Covered in vast jungles and rivers. It is home to large dinosaurs, that some of the natives managed to domesticate, and numerous secrets are hidden within the forests.

  • The Sun Empire
    • Sun Coast, the eastern coast.
    • Pachatupa, its capital. Standing where the coastal plains rise into the high mountains. The river bordering Pachatupa feeds the city freshwater from vast inland mountain ranges, plunging down from Itlimoc through heavily irrigated floodplains.[10]
      • Tocatli, the emperor's palace at the heart of Pachatupa. During the Phyrexian Invasion, ash blanketed the citadel.[10] The imperial throne room sits high atop the palace, but was converted to an imperial war room in preparation for the invasion of Torrezon. It is dominated by a scale map of Ixalan, Torrezon, and the Stormwreck Sea.
      • The Temple of the Burning Sun
      • Riverside districts[10]
    • Itlimoc state. A state with no cities, only holding small towns and maize, squash, and bean farms.
    • Quetzatl state. A state with no cities, only holding small towns and maize, squash, and bean farms.
    • Other cities
      • Atzocan, located on the low coastal plain. Destroyed by the Phyrexians.[10]
      • Otepec, a vast city of temples built in reverence to the Threefold Sun, located in a high alpine forest at the western edge of the Sun Empire's lands. Destroyed by the Phyrexians.[10][17]
      • Little Pocatli. Destroyed by the Phyrexians.[10]
  • Queen's Bay.
    • Miraldanor, an island stronghold of the Legion of Dusk. An imposing fortress on a barrier island at the mouth of the Bay, it is named after Queen Miralda.[10]
      • Adanto, the First Fort. Strongest fort of the vampires.
      • Conqueror's Foothold
      • Fortress Leor, the Edge of Exile. The middle of the three fortresses of Queen's Bay.[10] After the Sun Empire took Orazca and pushed the Legion of Dusk to the sea, Leor held for months, but fell before the end of the year. The Sun Empire reverse-engineered its fleet of blue-water frigates to begin their invasion of Torrezon.
      • Dúrran, the Fort of Faith
  • Jungle Region
    • Lost cities Ancient ruins from the Sun Empire's heyday can now be found, overgrown and half-buried, in the depths of the jungle.
      • Quetzatl, once the home of a self-proclaimed king who challenged the authority of the emperor.[18]
      • Pecatli, known for its grand temple of the Threefold Sun.[18]
      • Techepec, a former retreat for the emperor and the imperial family.[18]
      • Tanaztac, a fortress city marking the former western edge of the empire.[18]
    • Icalaquiampa, the temple of sunset. The focus of a religious sect that tried to replace the emperor with a high priest and establish a theocratic rule.[18]
    • The Great River
      • The Nine Tributaries, Tishana, Kumena, Pashona, Vuhana, Mitica, Notana, Falani, Tuvasa, and Kopala.
    • The Deeproot Tree, a remnant of an ancient Merfolk city
  • Mountain region
    • Lost Valley
    • Temple of Aclazotz
    • Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun, a sacred forest for both merfolk and humans.
    • The Primal Wellspring, the sacred source of the Great River. Infused with magical power.
  • Inner Sea
    • Hidden coves hold pirate treasures stowed by captains long forgotten.
      • Treasure Cove
    • Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin. A thriving population center until a prolonged conflict with the River Heralds caused it to sink into the waters.[18]
    • Tonalixco, Temple of the eastern sun
  • Orazca, the lost city of gold.
    • The Threefold Temple
    • Atzal, Cave of Eternity
    • Metzali, Tower of Triumph
    • The Tomb of the Dusk Rose
    • The Sanctum of the Sun
    • The ritual district[10]
      • The Winged Temple[10]
        • The priests' chambers[10]
        • The Three Hundred Steps[10]
        • The recitation chamber[10]

The Core of Paradise

Underneath Ixalan's surface is an inverted sphere known as the Core of Paradise with a sun at its center.[6] The sun is the plane's source of cosmium. The only surviving civilization inhabiting The Core, the Oltec, are the ancestors of the Sun Empire.[14]

  • Chimil, the Inner Sun. Worshiped by the Oltecs for millennia.[6] Once a star, it was torn apart by a previous invasion of the Core.
  • Ban Koj, a vast city.[19]

Torrezon

Torrezon is the eastern continent. Ruled by an alliance between a powerful church and an iron-fisted monarch. Vampires dominate the continent after a series of wars with other realms. Refugees and exiles from the defeated nations fled to the sea and established the Brazen Coalition. Its citizens are called Torrezonés.[10]

  • Alta Torrezon, the land of vampires deep into Torrezon's interior.[17]
    • Garrano, birthplace of Elenda.
    • Iedo, birthplace of Vona.
    • Lujio, birthplace of Adrian Adanto.
    • The Deoro, a vast mountain range looming behind a continent-bisecting river.[17]
  • The Free Cities, on the west coast and the plains. Occupied by humans.[17]
    • Magan, a walled village massacred during the Apostasine War.
  • The Sens, a small scattering of islands off the western coast of Torrezon.[17] Home to the Orcs.
    • Sen Gael, the main island.[17]

Luneau

Luneau is an island kingdom under the influence of the Legion of Dusk.[20] In its capital of the same name, a dance known as the "Tourdion with the Truculent Thunder" is a popular observance. In smaller settlements, an annual festival involves the running of juvenile raptors in the streets while adolescents steal their feathers.[21]

  • The opulent city of Luneau, full of Byzantine alleys and baroque balconies.
    • The Hall of Treasures, a taxidermist museum.
    • The Royal Menagerie, a collection of animals.
    • The Perfumed Court, the royal palace.

Inhabitants

The Brazen Coalition {U}{B}{R}

Sun Empire {R}{G}{W}

  • Dominated animals:
    • Dinosaurs, see below

River Heralds {G}{U}

Legion of Dusk {W}{B}

Other sapient races

Dinosaurs

Ixalan is home to a vast array of dinosaurs or quetzacama[10] (parenthesized names have not been used in lore, but are here to help classify):

  • Aegisaurs (Ankylosaurs) {W}
  • (Ceratopsians) {R}{G}{W}
    • Cacophodons {G}
    • Ceratops {G}{W}
      • Siegehorns {G}{W}
    • Frillhorns
    • Horncrests {R}
    • Snubhorns (Pachyrhinosaurs) {W}
    • Tuskodon {R}
  • Frillbacks (Dimetrodons) {G}
  • (Hadrosaurs) {G}
    • Herdcallers {G}
    • Spinebacks {G}
  • Hammerskulls (Pachycephalosaurs) {W}
  • (Pterosaurs) {R}{W}
    • Aerosaurs {W}
    • Heliopterus {W}
    • Pterodons {W}
    • Sunwings {W}
  • (Sauropods) {G}{W}
    • Altisaurs {G}{W}
    • Brontodons {G}{W}
    • Whiptails {G}
  • (Stegosaurs) {G}{W}
    • Armasaurs {G}{W}
    • Platetails
    • Spinetails
  • (Theropods) {R}{G}{W}
    • Deathgorge Scavengers[21] {G}
    • Deathspitters (Dilophosaurs) {R}
    • Egg-eaters (Oviraptors) {R}
    • Raptors {R}{G}{W}
      • Clawfoots
      • Ferocidons {R}
      • Needletooths {R}
    • Sailbacks (Spinosaurs) {G}
    • (Tyrannosaurs) {R}{G}{W}
      • Bladetooths {R}{G}
        • Daggertooths {G}
        • Swordtooths {R}{G}
      • Dreadmaws {G}
      • Monstrosaurs {R}
      • Regisaurs {R}{G}
      • Tyrants[21] {G}{W}

Other wildlife

Food

Languages

  • Itzocan, the language of the Sun Empire,[10][16]
  • Mavren Fein's native language, likely the language of Torrezon[10]
  • The language of Yolotzin's village[10]
    • This may or may not be the same as Mavren Fein's native language

Trivia

  • Besides the mesoamerican civilizations, Ixalan is inspired by the Age of Discovery and Piracy when legends such as El Dorado were created.
  • A lot of what inspires both the Sun Empire and the River Heralds comes directly from the Maya and Aztec and the succession of control from one to the other.[24]
  • Another source is the Lost world trope.[25] Torrezon and Luneau themselves draw inspiration from colonial Spain and France, respectively.

Planeswalkers

Native

Visitors

Non-planeswalker visitors

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2022). "Where is Ixalan on the Rabiah scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Exploring Explorers of Ixalan (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (October 10, 2017).
  3. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 14, 2017). "The official pronunciation was what the video used". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 19, 2017). "The fact Ixalan has mesoamerican influences". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. ↑ Mana Crypt (Special Guest)
  6. ↑ a b c The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Las Vegas 2023 (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (September 22, 2023).
  7. ↑ a b R&D Narrative Team (November 8, 2017). "Planeswalker's Guide to Ixalan, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ R&D Narrative Team (November 1, 2017). "Planeswalker's Guide to Ixalan, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ a b R&D Narrative Team (February 14, 2018). "Wool over the Eyes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Miguel Lopez (March 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ixalan: Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ Reinhardt Suarez (October 21, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Chapter 1: Stronghold". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ First Look at March of the Machine (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 19, 2023).
  13. ↑ WeeklyMTG - March of the Machine: The Aftermath (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 2, 2023).
  14. ↑ a b c The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Barcelona (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (July 28, 2023).
  15. ↑ Flavor text for Glacial Fortress (Ixalan)
  16. ↑ a b c Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. ↑ a b c d e f Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Pawns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. ↑ a b c d e f James Wyatt (January 9, 2018). "Plane Shift: Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Cassandra Khaw (August 29, 2018). "Unbowed, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Cassandra Khaw (September 7, 2018). "Unbowed, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  22. ↑ Alison Lührs (March 24, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ravnica: One and the Same". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  23. ↑ a b Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Blake Rasmussen and Alison Luhrs (August 30, 2017). "Magic Story Podcast: Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  25. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 4, 2017). "Just for Ix(alan), Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. ↑ a b Mairghread, Scott. (2022). Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker. Vol 1, iss 4.
  27. ↑ a b Jed MacKay (2023). Magic. Iss 22. Boom!
  28. ↑ a b c Greg Weisman (November 2019). "War of the Spark: Forsaken." Del Rey.

External links

Ixalan block
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Ixalan 2024
Ixalan storyline
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