Amonkhet (plane)

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Amonkhet
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Amonket.jpg}}|250px]]
Information
First seen Amonkhet
Last seen March of the Machine
Planeswalkers Basri Ket, Samut
Rabiah Scale 5
Status Invaded by New Phyrexia's Machine Legion
Demonym Amonkheti

Amonkhet is an Ancient Egypt-inspired plane overtaken and once ruled by Nicol Bolas.[1]

Description

Liliana believed the plane was created by Nicol Bolas before the Mending, when a planeswalker would still have had the power to do so,[2] though Nissa later discovered that Bolas had instead corrupted a pre-existing plane and warped its culture to worship him instead.[3] Bolas had engineered a world where the inhabitants reach maximum physical perfection before killing one another in the Trials. While the denizens saw this as a righteous path to a glorious afterlife, Bolas's goal was the creation of an army of Zombie warriors known as Eternals, who would be stronger than regular zombies, retaining all the skills they had in life but with unthinking loyalty to Bolas.

The plane is orbited by two suns that shroud the plane in perpetual daylight without actual nights.[4] The second one has slowly been making its path to Bolas's Horn Monument. The people believed that when it appeared between the horn, the God-Pharaoh would reveal himself to them.

Amonkhet's leylines are weaker than other planes, pulsing like the veins of a dying animal. When given the chance to examine the leylines within Naktamun, Nissa describes them as "stunted"; not only are they artificially concentrated behind the Hekma, but the leylines of Naktamun are corrupted by a dark, virulent strain that subtly weaves itself through the leylines.

The most unusual aspect of Amonkhet is that things that die on the plane transform into undead, which is referred to as the Curse of Wandering.[5][6][7] If they are embalmed, they become servile mummies.[8] When no flesh remains on their bones, the Curse of Wandering ends. It is unclear precisely where the Curse comes from; when Nissa makes contact with what remains of Amonkhet's soul in "The Writing on the Wall", it describes the Curse as "its gift". In "The Hour of Revelation", the eight gods are described as seeking to protect Naktamun, as it is "all that remains", and failures of the past are referenced. With Nissa's examination of the leylines, it's possible the Curse of Wandering may be the result of some ancient corruption that predates Bolas, a sickness in the plane itself which seems to be slowly killing it.

Much of Amonkhet is covered in desert and ruins, which are known to the inhabitants as the Broken Lands. The only known settlement was the city of Naktamun, where the gods dwelled among the population and acted as stewards for the God-Pharaoh until his return. The people within the city were divided into several districts that prepared for the trials of the five gods, an elaborate series of tests overseen by viziers. Groups of warriors were referred to as "crops" that prepared to take the trials together.[9] Dissenters against the God-Pharaoh's teachings were either locked into sarcophagi or banished into the Broken Lands.

History

After the Hour of Revelation revealed that the God-Pharaoh was, in fact, a malevolent dragon and the majority of their way of life a lie, the survivors fled into the desert, leaving the destroyed city behind in order to forge a new destiny. Protected and guided by Hazoret, the only surviving god, these people face an uncertain future.

During the War of the Spark Nicol Bolas sent Tezzeret on Amonkhet to activate the Planar Bridge. After his defeat at the hands of Karn, Samut, Ob Nixilis and Dack Fayden, Hazoret gave them her spear, reassuring Samut about the condition of Amonkhet's population: the goddess and the mortals brought the last two corrupted gods away from Naktamun; they have repopulated the city and created a new Hekma.[10][11]

Amonkhet was a target in New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse.[12]

Known locations

The Great Necropolis.
  • The Luxa River. Turned to blood by Razaketh after the Hour of Revelation.
  • Naktamun, the central city-state. Destroyed after the Hour of Devastation.
  • The Desert Lands, the desert littered with remnants of lost civilizations and roamed by marauding mummies, ravenous sandwurms, malicious demons, and a host of unimaginable terrors.
    • The Great Necropolis, where the Eternals are stored. During New Phyrexia's invasion of the multiverse, it was opened by the Phyrexians.[13]
    • The Horn Monument, erected by Bolas in his own visage, enchanted to appear stationary from every angle. Built to frame the Second Sun on the horizon at the moment of his choosing.[14]
    • Shefet, or the Scouring Sands, a chaotic dune sea scoured by sand wurms.
    • Ramunap, or the Broken Lands, the cradle of lost civilizations
    • Ifnir, also known as the Demon's Nest
    • Hashep
    • Ipnu
    • The empty underground catacombs
    • The Lazotep mines; source of the valued blue mineral.

Culture

Inhabitants of Naktamun enjoy the ancient Egyptian board games mancala and senet, as well as another game named after the god Rhonas.[15]

Religion

The gods of Amonkhet predate the God-Pharaoh. During his initial assault, Bolas killed every single being old enough to walk, weakening the gods enough for him to overtake them.[14] When Bolas departed Amonkhet, he left behind five gods to steward the plane until his fateful return. Physically exemplary and magically unparalleled, these gods are whom the citizens of Naktamun beseech in their time of need. Unlike the distant gods of Theros, the gods of Amonkhet walk openly among their people. The citizens gladly build monuments to these Gods, as well as to the God-Pharaoh Bolas whose return is prophesied.

Originally, there were eight gods. After Bolas took over the plane, only five remain.[3] The other three were stowed away.[14] Currently, after Bolas's return to the plane, only Hazoret, the god of zeal, as well as the Scarab and Locust God, remain alive.

God-Pharaoh
The Five Gods
  • Oketra, the cat god of solidarity ({W})
  • Kefnet, the ibis god of knowledge ({U})
  • Bontu, the crocodile god of ambition ({B})
  • Hazoret, the jackal god of zeal ({R})
  • Rhonas, the cobra god of strength ({G})
The Three Forgotten Gods

Inhabitants

Sentient races:

Domesticated races:

Wild races:

Planeswalkers

Native

Visitors

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 05, 2016). "Is Amonkhet an Egypt-inspired plane?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Mel Li, Kelly Digges, Alison Luhrs, Doug Beyer, and Chris L'Etoile (February 1, 2017). "Renewal". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ a b Alison Luhrs (April 12, 2017). "The Writing on the Wall". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Flavor text of Blighted Bat
  5. ↑ Michael Yichao (March 30, 2017). "Impact". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Flavor text of Lord of the Accursed
  7. ↑ Wizards of the Coast. Explore the planes: Amonkhet
  8. ↑ Kelly Digges (April 19, 2017). "Servants". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ James Wyatt (April 5, 2017). "Trust". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ a b c d e Greg Weisman (April 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica". Del Rey.
  11. ↑ Jay Annelli. (2022.) Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
  12. ↑ First Look at March of the Machine (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 19, 2023).
  13. ↑ Unseal the Necropolis
  14. ↑ a b c Alison Luhrs (June 7, 2017). "The Hour of Revelation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Michael Yichao (May 3, 2017). "Brazen". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. ↑ Chris Gleeson (June 2, 2017). "More Amonkhet Art Descriptions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  17. ↑ a b c d e f g h MacKay, Jed. (2021). Magic. Vol 1, iss 9.
  18. ↑ a b Jed MacKay (2023). Magic. Iss 22. Boom!
  19. ↑ Mairghread, Scott. (2022). Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker. Vol 1, iss 3.

External links

Amonkhet block
Annex set
Amonkhet storyline
Magic Story
set settings
Seen on
plane cards
Other planes
Non-canon
Related
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