Dragonstorm (phenomenon)

For other uses, see Dragonstorm (disambiguation).

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Dragonstorm (phenomenon)
Information
Plane	Tarkir
Card art	art:"Dragonstorm"

The plane of Tarkir has a unique, "dracometeorological" ecosystem. Dragons are born from Ugin's elemental storms, known as dragon tempests or dragonstorms. After the advent of the Omenpath Era, dragonstorms began spawning on other planes.

Description

The expansion symbol of Tarkir: Dragonstorm is a stylized dragonstorm.

Ugin is a part of Tarkir's ecology: a living being that's in the unique position of being built into the natural world. The dragonstorms are an interaction of his living essence and the world of Tarkir. The dragonstorms are confluences of raw magical energy that have shaped the plane's people, history, and landscape.

A dragonstorm's formation does not have a discernible cause. Though various clans have been able to predict their occurrence in different ways, they do not seem to be tied to events or weather patterns. The early stage of a dragonstorm can appear like a thunderstorm, with darkening skies and a crackle of energy in the air. Shortly after, a nucleus to the storm will form: a central nexus of draconic energy from which the rest of the storm emanates. The environment where the dragonstorm forms influences its nature and appearance. A dragonstorm may be composed of giant waterspouts when over a lake, while in the jungles, it could be a massive swirling cyclone.

These fearsome and terrible storms are the birthplaces of the dragons. Born in the crackling and terrifying energy of the storm, they emerge as fully formed adults. Different broods of dragons are spawned corresponding to the terrain.

History

Original timeline

In the original timeline where Ugin was killed by his brother, the dragonstorms ceased entirely. Over the centuries that followed, this led to the eventual extinction of dragons on Tarkir.

Current timeline

Ugin first arrived on Tarkir after his rebirth on the Meditation Plane sometime between c. -25,000 and c. -17,000 AR. Seeing a half-born Tarkir, Ugin sought to form the plane to "fulfill the promise of its nascent soul." In his creative process, he formed the geo-scape, the fauna, and the peoples of Tarkir, and his wing beats birthed the dragonstorms.

After Ugin was gravely injured in a battle with his twin Nicol Bolas in 3279 AR, he entered a long hibernation inside a nest of hedrons. As Ugin healed, his draconic essence mingled with the soul of the plane, further empowering the dragonstorms. As a result, the dragons' numbers rapidly grew to an overwhelming force, ensuring that the clans would no longer be able to survive their onslaught.

When Ugin awoke from his hibernation and departed Tarkir in 4559 AR, the dragonstorms, no longer empowered by his essence, lessened.

Stormnexus Ritual

The former Planeswalker Narset hoped to find a way to end what she saw as a perpetual battle of attrition between the rebellious clans and the oppressive dragonlords. In her research, she uncovered a spell scroll for the Stormnexus Ritual. Though worn and faded, it appeared to describe a spell that would "call forth the soul of Tarkir." Narset, hesitant to use the ritual due to its potential dangers, was convinced by the other rebellion leaders that this was the best way to ensure a unified Tarkir.

The magic of the ritual called up a massive dragonstorm, and in its swirling energies, five spirit dragons emerged, untethered spirits brimming with raw undirected power. The dragon spirits and the five new clan leaders were bound — for better or worse. As the ritual was enacted, the dragonlords and their remaining broods attempted to stop the rebellion's plans. A fearsome battle ensued while the storm raged around them. In the end, the dragonlords were defeated by the clan leaders and their spirit dragons and seemingly swallowed up by the massive storm.

After the battle, it became apparent that the spell had also reactivated the dragonstorms. The new dragonstorms are out of control. When the rebellion leaders enacted the Stormnexus Ritual, they disrupted Ugin's delicate balance of draconic mana that maintained the storms.

The mana mixed in unpredictable patterns, spawning a new, powerful kind of wild dragon that was not part of the five broods' lineages. While a handful of the dragons that emerged would listen to the call of the spirit dragons, most wild dragons refused any form of authority. The dragonstorms have also escalated in intensity and frequency, posing an existential threat to life on the plane. They have rendered places on Tarkir uninhabitable, and their scale has caused environmental shifts across the plane.

On other planes

Thanks to the newly formed Omenpaths, Tarkiri dragons began appearing on other planes. In the years following the opening of the Omenpaths, dragonstorms appeared on Bloomburrow, Amonkhet, and Avishkar. Elspeth Tirel claimed that the outbreaks were becoming routine across the Multiverse.

Ending the outbreaks

Narset was approached by the angelic planeswalker Elspeth Tirel, who questioned her about the dragonstorms that were appearing all over the Multiverse. Together they traveled to the Crucible of the Spirit Dragon. They were met by Sarkhan Vol, who was elated about the increasing dragonstorms. Sarkhan engaged Elspeth in battle but his desparked form was no match for the archangel and he was quickly defeated. After this, Sarkhan was contacted by Taigam, who also desired the return of the dragons. Taigam helped Sarkhan cast a corrupted form of the Stormnexus Ritual, which granted him control of the wild dragons.

After having heard a mysterious voice in the crucible urging them to find "the temple in the heart of storms", Narset and Elspeth traveled the Abzan Stormplains. While at the court of khan Felothar, they were warned by Ajani Goldmane that Sarkhan Vol had taken the form of an enormous dragon and was laying waste to the countryside with a pack of dragons.

Elspeth and Narset traveled to the heart of the storm to find an ancient temple that housed a ragged Omenpath leading to the Meditation Realm. There they encountered two invisible forces. One that wished to encourage the dragonstorms and one that desired to halt them. While investigating, they happened on Jace Beleren and the creature Loot who were somehow involved with what was happening with the dragonstorms. To their shock, they were met by the two elder dragons that had been sealed away in the Realm after the War of the Spark. While Ugin berated Jace for breaking their agreement and warned them to get away, the nameless dragon that had been Nicol Bolas saw a chance to gain information and regain power.

While the others were distracted, Jace put his plan into motion. Using the power of the Spirit-Gem, he started casting a magnificent spell, making use of Proft's technique to manifest an illusion into reality with the multiversal reality-bending properties of the Realm. Briefly, it appeared as if Jace might have done the impossible. Obedient to its new master, the Meditation Realm attempted to recreate itself in the image of Jace's desperate hopes, but for all the power he'd thieved from Ugin's gem, Jace was still only human. He gasped, the last of his endurance failing, and the others stared in horror as the horizon broke into mirrored fragments, revealing a nothingness that ate at the eye, a void that poured toward them, unmaking reality — Jace included. As the emptiness rolled over him, he shattered like glass.

Ugin was able to escape the devastation of the Realm, reappeared on Tarkir, and immediately defeated Sarkhan with his ghostfire. Although the wild dragons were defeated and the dragonstorms were under control again, it was at a terrible cost: Ugin was only able to appear because, in the aftermath of Jace's spell, Bolas had escaped.

Gallery

• 
  A dragonstorm in the Tarkir: Dragonstorm trailer.

In-game references

Represented in:

• Breaching Dragonstorm
• Corroding Dragonstorm
• Dracogenesis
• Dragon Tempest
• Dragon Typhoon
• Encroaching Dragonstorm
• Maelstrom of the Spirit Dragon
• Roiling Dragonstorm
• Teeming Dragonstorm

Associated cards:

• Descendant of Storms
• Dragonhawk, Fate's Tempest
• Dragonstorm Forecaster
• Dragonstorm Globe
• Elspeth, Storm Slayer
• Fearsome Awakening
• Neriv, Heart of the Storm
• Stormscale Scion
• Tempest Hawk
• Ugin, Eye of the Storms

Depicted in:

• Abzan Skycaptain
• Call the Spirit Dragons
• Dragonlord Kolaghan
• Dragonrage
• Marsh Flats (Special Guests)
• Narset, Jeskai Waymaster
• Samut, the Driving Force (Aetherdrift, #222)
• Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant
• Sarkhan Unbroken
• Scalding Tarn (Special Guests)
• Tersa Lightshatter
• Whirlwing Stormbrood (Tarkir: Dragonstorm, #322)
• Zurgo, Thunder's Decree

Referred to:

• Arashin Sunshield
• Armament Dragon
• Boulderborn Dragon
• Command Tower (Dragonstorm Commander)
• Coordinated Maneuver
• Descent of the Dragons
• Dromoka Dunecaster
• Evolving Wilds (Tarkir: Dragonstorm)
• Highspire Bell-Ringer
• Iridescent Tiger
• Overwhelming Surge
• Sol Ring (Dragonstorm Commander)
• Wardscale Dragon