Sun Empire
| Sun Empire | |
|---|---|
|
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Trifold Sun.png}}|150px]] The Threefold Sun | |
| History | |
| Founded on | Ixalan |
| Active | For many human generations |
| Status | In power on Ixalan |
| Organization | |
| Purpose | Rule the continent of Ixalan |
| Type | Empire |
| Values | Tradition, Dinosaur mastery, sun worship, warfare |
| Membership | |
| Founded by | Empress Chacanto Intli |
| Leader | Emperor Apatzec Intli IV (minor, his regent is his uncle, Atlacan Huicintli) |
| Notable members | Atla Palani, Huatli, Saheeli Rai, Caztaca Huicintli |
| Game Information | |
| Colors |
   |
| Mechanics | Enrage, Dinosaurs matter |
| Races | Human |
| Other types | Dinosaur |
| Sources | |
| Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan | |
The Sun Empire is a prosperous empire on the continent of Ixalan, which is located on the plane of the same name.[1]
Description
The Sun Empire spans the breadth of the continent of Ixalan.[2] It consists of several cities, a capital, now Orazca, and a central power structure. While the other large cities are nominally aligned to the capital, that hold is tenuous at best. The human warriors of the empire cooperate with dinosaurs, and they are protected by the magic of their sun priests. Their cities were built to accommodate dinosaur riders, with high arches to allow their knights to pass through unobstructed.
Culture
The people of the Sun Empire take great pride in their traditions and heritage. The title of warrior-poet is bestowed on only one person in a generation. They kept the stories and weaved events into words. To earn that title, one must demonstrate excellence in service to the kingdom.[3]
The Canchatan, the temple soldiers of Pachatupa, are specially chosen and blessed by the priests of two of the Temple of the Birthing Sun and the Temple of the Consuming Sun.[4] Though they are technically two military forces, they have a single commander. meanwhile, the Emperor's Guard is an elite military force housed in the palace of Tocatli, which answers directly to the emperor. Its soldiers are divided into seven squads, each with its commander (called an intical).[4] Sun empire warriors carry māccuahuimeh.[5]
Dinosaurs are important to the Sun Empire's sense of national identity. The empire's people use dinosaur feathers as decorations and as inspiration for design motifs in everything from jewelry to architecture. They believe that the Immortal Sun first gave their priests the ability to call and command the dinosaurs, so maintaining this command is a way of clinging to their ancient heritage. These creatures are not tame. Whenever a dinosaur moves through a Sun Empire city, it is under someone's direct control—and there's always the risk of it breaking free. This is part of the Sun Empire's worldview: nature (embodied in the dinosaurs) is a tool to be wielded, bent to human will, but it is a constant test of will and strength. Nature can't be tamed, but when humans live alongside nature they are made stronger.
The Sun Empire worships the sun, which they believe to display three aspects. Temples to various aspects of the sun exist, but even places where the sunlight touches the ground are considered sacred.
Their native language and script is called Itzocan,[6] which is divided into "High" and "Low" dialects.[7]
History
The people of the Sun Empire are said to have been formed from the clay by the loving hands of Kinjalli, the Wakening Sun.[8] In reality, they descend from the Komon Winaq, who themselves descend from the ancient Oltec civilization in Ixalan's Core.[9]
The Sun Empire was first founded from Orazca by Chacanto Intli, who united the various city-states into a central empire.[4] Following a devastating war with the River Heralds under Apatzec Intli I, who used the power of the Immortal Sun without restraint, their civilization was reduced to a few coastal cities, with Orazca being lost to them. Whereas the River Heralds - who lived there long before the humans - had once controlled the continent, under the leadership of its new emperor Apatzec Intli III, the Sun Empire had cemented its grip on the land.[3] The empire still confronted the Heralds on its borders. Apatzec III was responsible for the new assertion of control and a mood of expansionism that had gripped the empire following his mother's death several years before.
The Sun Empire was besieged by pirate raids by the Brazen Coalition and the advance of the Legion of Dusk. Caught between the invaders from the sea and the wall of the jungle behind them, the Sun Empire rose with the ferocity of a dinosaur and the righteous light of the radiant sun to fight off its enemies.
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.[10] 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. However, when New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse started, the Sun Empire was forced to join forces with the Legion of Dusk to defend the plane.[5] Huatli led a force of roughly one hundred auxiliaries, including her lancers, survivors from various regiments, and newly released prisoners, along with fifty dinosaurs, to call the elder dinosaurs to Orazca and break the siege of Pachatupa.
Emperor Apatzec Intli III was killed during New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse. His young son, Apatzec Intli IV, succeeded him.[7] Orazca was revived and declared the new capital and a home for refugees across the continent, as tens of thousands of people came there after the invasion's end that had left their home states ravaged and inhospitable.[2] The empire's citizens began rebuilding, clearing Phyrexian ruins and inert oil from their cities and waterways.
Having moved to Ixalan after her desparking, Saheeli Rai became a citizen of the Sun Empire and entered the politics of the court after impressing the boy-emperor with her automatons in the image of dinosaurs which the emperor coined "mechanoquetzacama."[7] Atlacan Huicintli, the emperor's steward, planned to resume the war against Torrezon, commisioning a new Dawn Fleet of ten thousand ships and dozens of mechanoquetzacama.[7] In response, Huatli planned to depose Atlacan, defang the emperor's guard, and move Caztaca Huicintli into power at the emperor's side.
Trivia
The Sun Empire is loosely based on the Aztec culture, with slight influences from the Inca.[1]
In-game references
- Associated cards:
- Referred to:
- Carnage Tyrant
- Carnage Tyrant
- Colossal Majesty
- Didact Echo
- Evolving Wilds
- Frenzied Raptor
- Hardy Veteran
- Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun
- Itlimoc, Cradle of the Sun
- Ixalli's Keeper
- Jace's Sentinel
- Kinjalli's Caller
- Looming Altisaur
- Mastercraft Raptor
- Panicked Altisaur
- Plummet
- Raptor Hatchling
- Runic Armasaur
- Scytheclaw Raptor
- Sheltering Light
- Stone Quarry
- Sun-Blessed Guardian
- Sun-Crested Pterodon
- Sunpetal Grove
- Sun Sentinel
- Thrashing Brontodon
- Tilonalli's Knight
- Tocatli Honor Guard
- Triumphant Chomp
References
- ↑ a b Blake Rasmussen and Alison Luhrs (August 30, 2017). "Magic Story Podcast: Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Harless Snyder, Natalie Kreider, Miguel Lopez, and Ovidio Cartagena (October 23, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan #41: The Origins of Ixalan, Part 1". The Magic Story Podcast.
- ↑ a b R&D Narrative Team (September 13, 2017). "A Question of Confidence". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c R&D Narrative Team (November 1, 2017). "Planeswalker's Guide to Ixalan, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Miguel Lopez (Mar 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ixalan: Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Pawns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Explore the Planes: Ixalan
- ↑ The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Las Vegas 2023 (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (September 22, 2023).
- ↑ R&D Narrative Team (February 14, 2018). "Wool over the Eyes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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