Gatha
| Gatha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Race | Human |
| Birthplace | New Argive, Terisiare, Dominaria |
| Lifetime | War with Phyrexia |
| Born | 3365 AR |
| Died | 3863 AR |
| Sources | |
| 'Bloodlines' | |
Gatha was a researcher on Urza's Bloodline Project on Dominaria, who went rogue and continued his research in Keld.[1][2]
Description
Gatha had triangular tattoos decorating his forehead. He felt it was a debatable honor to be given an artificial set of the Keldon triple widow's peaks, although it was meant as a gesture of esteem from the Keldons. The marks were placed on his entire family after his father served as military liaison to a Keldon warhost hired to fight for New Argive. By the time he was nearing 30 biological years, he had grown a goatee. Even later, he received a tattoo on the back of his right hand, an emblem of the house of Trohg, showing his honor and allegiance to that house in particular, as well as his acceptance in Keld with all rights and privileges.[1]
History
Gatha's birth can be calculated to 3365 AR, as he was 20 in 3385 AR when he started employing time bubbles to speed up his research. However, due to the time bubbles aging him relatively, he was only 28 years old biologically in 3427 AR, even though 42 years had passed outside the time bubbles.[1]
Gatha was part of the first generation of Urza's Bloodline Project. He himself was very interested in producting the most dramatic results possible, while ethics were easily shrugged aside. During the time of Urza's bloodline experiments on Tolaria, Gatha saw steadily increasing restrictions by Barrin, who thought Gatha was reckless and needed to be reigned in. Eventually, this caused Gatha to abandon the project in Tolaria entirely, and stealing away enough resources to began his own experiments in Keld after 12 years of being rejected elsewhere. While originally seen as weak and unwanted, Gatha gained the support of the mighty Doyen Kreyohl and was thus able to carry out his work. Gatha's genetic tampering enhanced the Keldons into nightmarish warriors and culminated in the rise of the great Witch-kings, the mightiest of which was Kreig. Under the direction of Gatha, Kreig had Gatha made a Keldon Doyen thus giving him a direct say in Keldon's government. Many Keldons had long been insulted by the presence of Gatha and now saw this as a final straw. Led by the Doyen Varden, these Keldons rebelled against Kreig but were easily defeated. Soon, another threat would arise of Gatha and Kreig's rule of Keld. The Phyrexians had taken notice of Gatha's experiments and invaded Keld, led by the inner circle member Croag. The Keldons began to lose the battle. Gatha, sensing the grave danger he had put Urza's bloodlines project in, blew up his lab and cast himself off a cliff to keep his knowledge from the Phyrexians.[1]
Legacy
Kreig, inspired by his friend's sacrifice, charged Croag and gravely injured the Phyrexian demon before finally casting himself off the same cliff in defiance of his enemy. With Croag near death, the Keldons won the battle but at a great price. The loss of Gatha and Kreig left a great power vacuum in Keld. The true-blooded Keldons regained control of the Doyen Council and made war on the Gathans, which ultimately led to their destruction.
Many years later, Gatha's experiments resurfaced during the Time Spiral crisis. These Keldons were called Gathans.
Story appearances
In-game references
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
References
- ↑ a b c d Loren L. Coleman (1999). Bloodlines. Wizards of the Coast
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (July, 2005). "Ask Wizards - July 2005". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2020-09-20.