Emeria
| Emeria | |
|---|---|
| The Sky Ruin | |
 | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Zendikar |
| Colors |
 |
| Part of | Tazeem |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Emeria, also known as the Sky Ruin, is a vast hedron field and ruined Skyclave floating above the continent of Tazeem on Zendikar. It is named after a merfolk sky goddess and was once believed to be a divine castle shattered in a cataclysm.[1]
Description
The sky above Tazeem is covered by colossal hedrons that drift high overhead, casting shifting shadows and disrupting weather patterns. These floating stones remain suspended by residual magic, forming the region known as Emeria.[1] The Sky Ruin is from the Eldrazi-era, meaning it is from around -1400 AR.[2] Once sacred to the merfolk, the hedrons are now understood to be tied to the Eldrazi titan Emrakul, and Emeria is believed to be a fractured memory of this ancient threat.[3]
Many of Tazeem’s expeditions travel upward, not downward, into ancient ruins. Explorers might scale tall cliffs or spike mountains and use harpoon lines to climb into the hedron field. The bravest use skyhooks to reach higher levels, and some even set up camps on the larger hedron faces.[4]
The lowest level of the hedron field consists mostly of intact, enormous hedrons, some fifty to one hundred feet long. Smaller hedrons and broken shards litter the field as well and are prized by explorers as pathway stones—rune-covered fragments that always align toward the center of the field and can guide travelers across Tazeem. Above this layer is a field of rubble: shattered hedrons, broken worked stone, and chunks of earth. Some structure did once float here, even if it was not truly the palace of a sky god.[4]
No one has navigated above the rubble-filled second layer to reach the realm where merfolk once believed parts of Emeria’s castle remained intact. This is partly because the passage is so treacherous and partly because the angel Iona, called the Shield of Emeria, long prevented explorers from climbing too high. Iona knew the truth—that the goddess Emeria was a fiction—but believed that faith in Emeria sustained her followers through the perils of Zendikar. Now that the truth is revealed, Iona has joined the fight to defend Zendikar from the Eldrazi, including Emrakul—the true face of the goddess she was once believed to have served.[4]
History
In merfolk tradition, Emeria was once the floating home of the sky goddess herself. Pilgrims brought offerings of hedron shards and land fruits, believing the shattered ruins still held her divine essence. In truth, the myth of Emeria reflects ancient, distorted memories of Emrakul’s presence on Zendikar.[3]
The Goddess Emeria
Emeria, also called Em by the merfolk and Kamsa by the kor, is a sky goddess associated with wind, clouds, and the open sky. She is revered as a serene, angelic guardian, embodying wisdom and protection. Modern visions experienced by planeswalkers such as Jace Beleren and Nissa Revane have revealed her connection to Emrakul, blurring the line between myth and cosmic horror.[5][6]
Trivia
- The artwork of Shrine of the Forsaken Gods depicts an angelic figure whose wings and flowing form echo the tentacles and mantle of Emrakul, hinting at Emeria’s true origin.
Gallery
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Emeria, the Sky Ruin
In-game references
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Referred to:
References
- ↑ a b Magic Creative Team (December 2, 2009). "A Planeswalker's Guide to Zendikar: Tazeem and Merfolk". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11.
- ↑ James Wyatt (April 2016) - Plane Shift: Zendikar, WotC.
- ↑ a b Doug Beyer (March 17, 2010). "Gods and Monsters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
- ↑ a b c James Wyatt (January 5, 2016) - The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Zendikar, WotC.
- ↑ Ken Troop (July 27, 2016). "The Promised End". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ken Troop (April 26, 2017). "The Hand That Moves". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
Sources
- Doug Beyer (April 14, 2010). "The Defiance of Angels". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2020-11-11.
- Kelly Digges (September 30, 2015). "Home Waters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2015-09-30.