Dromoka
| Dromoka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Colors |
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| Species | Elder Dragon |
| Birth, Life & Death | |
| Birthplace | Tarkir |
| Lifetime | From before the Khanfall (the Thaw) until present |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Dromoka (/droʊmoʊkə/ DROH-moh-kuh)[1][2] is one of the five elder dragons of Tarkir. She is a robust, ankylosaur-like beast, well protected by scaly armor, and can breathe searing beams of light. She is a patient, merciful leader, but in battle, she does not hesitate to unleash her breath weapon to obliterate those who dare stand against her.[3]
Dromoka's Brood
Dromoka and her brood emerged from Ugin's dragon tempests covered with tough scales that protect them from most clan weapons and magic. They were drawn to Tarkir's hot and sunlit deserts. Like their progenitor, Dromoka's brood breathe blasts of searing light.[4]
History
After Ugin was saved by Sarkhan Vol, the brood thrived. The brood attacked the Abzan over their "necromantic" ways, seeing their summoning of the spirits of the ancestors as an affront to nature and life, and thus massacred them until their khan, Daghatar, was brought before Dromoka's presence. Learning why she acted as she did, he ordered the end of the Abzan kin-tree traditions, installing instead a pact with the dragons. The Khanfall of Tarkir followed soon thereafter.[5]
Original timeline
Dromoka and her brood were revered by the Abzan Houses for their endurance. However, after Ugin's death, they lost the battle against the clans of Tarkir. No new brood was created, and all died. Dromoka never reached elder status.
Current Timeline
Dromoka usurped the Abzan clan from Daghatar, who surrendered the clan and ended their practice of necromancy in exchange for survival.
Clan Dromoka
Under the Elder Dragonlord Dromoka, the Abzan name was forgotten, and the group became known as clan Dromoka. The Dromoka were a true community, dragons and desert survivors bound together by their common allegiance to their devoted dragonlord. The dragon scalelords fostered trust among their subjects, while the other clans spent their time quelling rebellions. This was achieved by separating the children from their parents and raising them communally, instilling obedience to the dragons into them from an early age. Dragons sat on the top of extended adopted families that were organized meritocratically, offering everyone a place. The dragons even offered distinguished humanoids their scales as protection. The only exceptions were those who wanted to reinstate the kin-tree traditions, who were regarded as heretics and hunted.
Dromoka herself traveled between the various aeries, inspecting them for weakness. If possible, she would attempt to rectify the situation; if not, she would summarily devour the weak link.
Defeat
Resistance to Dromoka grew from defectors like Anafenza who challenged the dragonlord and were ultimately killed for their disobedience.[6] The New Phyrexian Invasion resulted in substantial casualties for the dragons, which, combined with reduced dragonstorms, sufficiently weakened the dragonlords' grip on power. In their desperate time of need, many among Dromoka's brood turned to their ancestors, summoning their spirits in defiance of Dromoka's will. Decreed heretics after the invasion, these rebels took refuge in the rocky caverns of the desert regions where the dragonlord struggled to reach them. The humanoid rebellions were able to gain traction, evolving from scattered militias and guerilla operations to overt and open rebellions under the banners of the old clan names.
The former Planeswalker Narset hoped to find a way to end what she saw as a perpetual battle of attrition that would leave Tarkir as little more than ruins.[6] In her research, she uncovered a spell scroll for the Stormnexus Ritual. Though hesitant to use the ritual due to its potential dangers, she was convinced by the other rebellion leaders that this was the best way to ensure a unified Tarkir.
The magic called up a massive dragonstorm, and in its swirling energies, five mighty spirit dragons emerged.[6] In a flash of power, the dragon spirits and what would become the new clan leaders were bound. As the ritual was enacted, the Dragonlords and their remaining broods attempted to stop the rebellion's plans. A fearsome battle ensued between the dragonlords and the newly formed spirit dragons, the storm raging around them. In the end, the Dragonlords were defeated and seemingly swallowed up by the massive storm.
Trivia
- Dromoka shares her epithet of "the Eternal" with Neheb and the Wanderer.
Story appearances
| Title | Author | Publishing date | Set | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No End and No Beginning | Nik Davidson | 2015-02-11 | Fate Reforged | Tarkir | Daghatar, Dromoka, Korolar, Reyhan, Merel, Sohemus |
| Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Episode 1: Stories and Their Bones | Cassandra Khaw | 2025-03-03 | Tarkir: Dragonstorm | Tarkir | Narset, Kotis (mentioned), Ojutai (mentioned), Silumgar (mentioned), Atarka (mentioned), Dromoka (mentioned), Kolaghan (mentioned), Eshki (mentioned), Alniul (mentioned), Zurgo (mentioned), Betor (mentioned), Teval (mentioned), Neriv (mentioned), Ureni (mentioned), Shiko (mentioned), Elspeth Tirel |
| Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Abzan: Siege Blossoms | Rhiannon Rasmussen | 2025-03-03 | Tarkir: Dragonstorm | Tarkir | Mehtma, Enti, Gohl, Cemil, Felothar (mentioned), Jurjis, Vauti, Dromoka (mentioned), Dvujin |
| Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Episode 4: Heart of Fire | Cassandra Khaw | 2025-03-10 | Tarkir: Dragonstorm | Tarkir | Sarkhan Vol, Taigam, Narset, Elspeth Tirel, Dromoka (mentioned), Ajani Goldmane, Felothar, Nur, Melira (mentioned) |
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
- Abzan Devotee
- Ainok Artillerist
- Arashin Sovereign
- Avatar of the Resolute
- Champion of Arashin
- Dragon Hunter
- Dragon Sniper
- Enduring Victory
- Lightwalker
- Radiant Purge
- Resupply
- Revealing Wind
- Sandstorm Charger
- Scale Blessing
- Secure the Wastes
- Self-Inflicted Wound
- Shape the Sands
- Sheltered Aerie
- Sight of the Scalelords
- Sunscorch Regent
- Tarkir Duneshaper
- Tree of Redemption (Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander)
- Verdant Catacombs
- Wardscale Dragon
References
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 20, 2015). "It’s pronounced DROH-moh-kuh.". The Official Magic: The Gathering Tumblr. Tumblr.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 31, 2015). "Here's a pronunciation guide for some of the names that were requested earlier today.". The Official Magic: The Gathering Tumblr. Tumblr.
- ↑ The Magic Creative Team (March 18, 2015). "Planeswalker's Guide to Dragons of Tarkir, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2015-03-21.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (February 25, 2015). "Breath weapon rundown". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
- ↑ Kelly Digges (February 18, 2015). "Khanfall". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2015-02-21.
- ↑ a b c Lauren Bond & DK Billins (February 21, 2025). "Planeswalker's Guide to Tarkir: Dragonstorm, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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