Mardu Horde

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Mardu Horde
Wings of the Dragon
Lore Information
Dragon Aspect	Speed
Khan	Ilagra (founder) Alesha (bef. 3279 AR-c. 3282) Zurgo (c. 4562-Present)
Game Information
Colors
Mechanics	Raid (Khans of Tarkir) Dash (Fate Reforged) Mobilize (Tarkir: Dragonstorm)
Creature Types	Humans Orcs Goblins Warriors
Scryfall Search
watermark:"Mardu" art:"Mardu"

The Mardu Revealed

One of the five Clans of Tarkir, the nomadic Mardu Horde (/mɑːrdu/ MAR-doo) clan admires the ancient dragons' aspect of speed. Their color wedge is red (focus color), white and black. Their swiftness is symbolized by the wing of the dragon.

Description

The Mardu Horde are fearsome, technically advanced warriors that live for the heat of battle and thrive on the Sandsteppe. In the original timeline, the clan's main encampment was at the cliffs where Kolaghan had died. They routinely conduct vicious raids against the other clans and regularly combine lightning magic and archery to strike at their enemies. Shu Yun saw them as necessary as they spread far and wide and killed dragons that would otherwise grow to become a threat.

Original timeline

Since the lands they inhabited offered little sustenance, the Mardu lived by raiding the territories of other clans for much-needed resources. The clan was divided into the warriors and the laborers. While the warriors were the most respected social class, the laborers were generally left on their own and tended to have more representation in domestic matters than the lower classes of other clans. Although not every member of Mardu society rode to war, every Mardu abided by the warrior's code called the Edicts of Ilagra.. The Edicts, inscribed on a collection of dragon-hide scrolls, governed the rules of honor and combat for Mardu warriors.

• To conquer is to eat.
• To rule is to bleed.
• Victory or death.

The most common coming-of-age tradition was choosing a warname in an act of brutal honor. This usually involved the killing of an enemy in battle. The clan member then earned a war name, a new surname that usually took the form of a compound word (e.g. Qorin Skullcracker, Jaidar Sharptusk). A Mardu who has not yet earned a war name is a "soft heel," while one who has is worthy of the term "warrior."

History

Current timeline

In the current timeline, diverging from the original one in 3279 AR by Sarkhan Vol saving Ugin from death, Alesha attempted to save her clan by attending a meeting with the other khans, only for it to end disastrously as the dragons attacked. Thankfully, as she returned to her clan, she learned that Kolaghan, the Brood leader of her lands, was not interested in leading or enslaving the Mardu, unlike the other tyrannical Brood leaders, so Alesha and her warriors simply tossed her banners aside and followed the dragon as equals.

In time, however, Kolaghan became increasingly brutal and domineering, forbidding words like "khan" similar to the other dragonlords. She and her brood claimed leadership over the Mardu by force, using their unpredictability to keep the non-dragons in line, creating a new Clan. Under the leadership of the dragons, the Mardu became increasingly barbaric, forsaking what honor they had possessed before.

Revival of the Mardu

With the constant traveling and war during Kolaghan's rule, the people struggled to keep their traditions and unity. Dissent and whispers of rebellion spread amongst the humanoids of the brood, but they remained isolated pockets for many years. During the Phyrexian invasion, Kolaghan's brood made up much of the frontline fighters, resulting in some of the heaviest losses of people and dragons of all the broods. Though they ultimately drove the Phyrexian invaders out, the war became the final push into chaos. Several rebel leaders raised the Mardu banner and started the open war against Kolaghan, not giving themselves or Kolaghan time to recover from the invasion.

Fractured and with small numbers, the Mardu knew they needed to rebuild and unify as a clan if they were to survive. The rebellion gathered members from across the plane, both those of Kolaghan's brood and members from other broods, growing over time into a formidable army — ultimately allowing the Mardu to defeat Kolaghan alongside the other dragonlords.

Government

The Mardu are led by the khan, who is supported by a council of appointed generals called the Dalkovan Assembly. Each general leads their subgroup of the Mardu, called a dalkovan. Most of the appointed generals are former leaders in the rebellion against Kolaghan, venerated warriors from the Phyrexian invasion, and civilian elders pivotal to reestablishing order and teaching Mardu arts lost to Kolaghan's reign.

As the original Edicts of Ilagra were lost to time, a new code was created after Kolaghan fell, and the council swore allegiance to the new khan. The Decree of Thunder is composed of three primary tenets, which form the basis for all of their other laws:

• Loyalty is earned
• Community is strength
• Victory is survival

Khans

• Ilagra, the founder of the Clan and the first khan.
• Alesha, a transgender human woman. In the current timeline, she abolished the Mardu, following Kolaghan's invitation for the clan's warriors to keep up with the dragon in her travels.
• Zurgo was the khan of the Mardu in the original timeline. In the current timeline, he led the Mardu rebellion against Kolaghan and became Khan once more after the Stormnexus Ritual.

Culture

The Mardu follow a highly organized military structure. As such, the lines between military and civilian life lack distinction within the clan. The Mardu see themselves as part of a whole, recognizing the importance of their contributions to the success of the clan. The Mardu have no permanent settlements, instead moving constantly across the plane in their dalkovans, able to erect massive, organized camp cities in less than a day. Lightning towers surround their otherwise fragile cities, protecting them from dragonstorms. The Mardu have one main traveling party that is led by the khan, alongside smaller groups under their various generals. The small groups meet up with the main party periodically to trade supplies and information. Their travels are directed by the dragonstorms, the weather, movements of other clans, and the whims of leadership.

The Mardu can train almost any kind of animal and have a diverse array of creatures within their ranks. Much like with the people of the clans, mounts will often perform military and civilian functions. Regardless, mounts in the Mardu are treated with care and respect and are viewed as integral to the clan.

Naming

The Mardu can have three names: a family name, a chosen name, and a given name. It is traditional to go by a family name until a Mardu comes of age, at which time they choose their name after finishing the Lightning Proving. A given name is a special, third name given only by the khan to a warrior who has accomplished a feat in service of the clan and is named after it.

In the ceremony known as the Lightning Proving, all the aspiring Mardu warriors who have come of age take a journey to a mountain peak to capture lightning during a storm. They bring it back as proof of their wit and ability to complete tasks for the clan. The exact nature of the Lightning Proving varies across dalkovans; some emphasize the young Mardu working as a team, while others are more competitive with a single winner earning a higher status. The lightning is then used to spark a bonfire, and the Mardu eat and celebrate throughout the night. The participants are, from then on, called by their new chosen name.

Industry

Though the lines between military and civilian life are often blurred in the Mardu, artisans, hunters, and healers don't participate in battle and instead specialize in a skill beneficial to the clan. The eldest within the Mardu are highly respected, and a number act as generals in the assembly, viewed as the collected wisdom of the clan that preserves their culture and traditions. Blacksmiths are particularly revered not only for creating weapons but also for their ability to duplicate and improve found technology. In addition, blacksmiths play an essential role in Mardu cultural practices, such as in the making of tools for stormsingers, ceremonies, and celebrations. Mardu blacksmiths are renowned for their crafting of armor and weapons able to channel the latent energy of the dragonstorms that lingers in the plane.

As a primarily nomadic group, the Mardu typically trade the spoils of their hunts, including meats, furs, and hides, in exchange for staple crops. Mardu technologies are also particularly valued among other clans, and though they closely guard their blacksmiths' finest works, they are willing to trade their technical knowledge and skills for materials that they do not have access to.

Arts

People of the Mardu can be found sharing and creating new songs together. The Mardu have a collection of traditional songs for sending off the dead, marriage ceremonies, and luck for departing warriors or the sick. Mardu also practice their war shrieks, powerful songs to intimidate their foes and energize the troops. The Mardu also create large-scale murals and metal sculptures for both practical and aesthetic purposes. Structures decorate and enhance the beauty of their camps, and they can act as waystones in the vast steppe to guide the clan or mark spiritually significant areas.

Sports

For the Mardu, sports are considered an essential combat training tool because of their competitive, adaptive, and fast-thinking requirements. The three primary sports of the Mardu are:

• Beastriding – A contest of skill where riders perform a scripted series of tricks on beastback, normally judged by the leader of the camp.
• Archery – A series of escalating archery challenges, normally done with flaming or electrified arrows racing against other archers.
• Wrestling – A test of strength, agility, and coordination often done in teams to entertain cheering crowds.

A celebration and competition known as the Great Assemblage is held annually at the behest of the khan. All the Mardu come together to create a large feast, give gifts to one another, perform songs, and participate in or watch a tri-tier competition of all three Mardu sports. This is a time where those who have recently joined the Mardu are especially welcomed and taught Mardu traditions and where Mardu issues friendly challenges to their rivals.

Military

There are three major roles within the Mardu army:

• Infantry – A smaller portion of the Mardu forces, composed of groups trained for specific situations, terrains, or combat objectives.
• Cavalry – A respected role in the Mardu ranks, and the bulk of their forces, composed of both light and heavy cavalry depending on the situation. Each warrior is an expert beastrider and trainer. The light cavalry typically attacks first and is then followed up by heavy cavalry to deliver the finishing blow.
• Siege engineers – The smallest subset of the Mardu force, requiring a unique combination of abilities. Siege engineers must be adept at using the technology but also able to control and manipulate the large structures. They are generally composed of humanoid species larger than humans.

Religion

The primary Mardu religion, known as the Clash of Sky and Ember, is based on a belief in the Emberheart and the Skybreath, two forces of nature representing the land and sky, that exist in perpetual conflict. This clash of forces is manifested in sparks of lightning, raging storms, mighty winds, and geological upheavals. For the Mardu, these are forces that cannot be controlled but rather must be respected, and the pace of their nomadic lifestyle is designed to allow them to survive amidst these inexorable clashes of nature. The most powerful mages and stormsingers among the Mardu can draw upon the power of these colliding forces and, for short periods, manipulate them.

Mardu stormsingers are the clan's spiritual leaders and are often consulted for all sorts of matters, both trivial and substantial. Stormsingers use sacred amulets to call the energies of the earth and sky into themselves and others. In battle, they support through empowering soldiers, weapons, and each other. Stormsingers also imbue their war shrieks with magical strength. Outside of battle, they must help protect Mardu camps, guide civilians, and lead ceremonies.

Overall, the Mardu have an open religious structure, mixing traditions and beliefs from other clans. Belief in the Clash of Sky and Ember exists alongside, and is often complementary to, practices brought in from other cultures.

Members

Creature types

• Humans
• Goblins
• Ogres
• Orcs
• Horses
• Falcons

Classes

• Archers
• Warriors
• Battle shamans
• Chasm shamans

Notable members

• Neriv
• Tersa Lightshatter

Magic

Mardu magic primarily centers around the manipulation of lightning and enhancing their physical abilities and weaponry, reflecting their commitment to strength and speed. Mages often use the specialized gear crafted by blacksmiths, though the most powerful mages can manipulate this energy directly. They can also spark flames and control other forms of raw elemental energy, often putting their skill to use in battle with other clans.

Relationship with the dragons

The Mardu were largely irreverent to the dragons, regarding them as vermin. In the old timeline, the Mardu held the memory of dragons with scoffing disdain, taking the extinction of the dragons as evidence of their merit. Often, they clashed with the lightning-breathing breed of Kolaghan, who were respected for their speed. To combat these dragons, the Mardu adopted reckless tactics, like plunging into the back of a dragon from a chasm. Many would affix upward-pointing sword blades or spears to their shoulders, making them dangerous targets for diving dragons. The most daring would distract the dragons by riding in small groups, allowing the bulk of the horde to ambush the beasts.

Dragon hunts

The Mardu's unpredictable, fast nature and their history of keeping up with Kolaghan's brood make them reliable dragon hunters. As a central territory, they maintain constant vigilance across the steppe and will not hesitate to attack any dragons they discover. With their communications system, they can rapidly alert each other of potential threats.

Clan dragons

Mardu dragons are treated as another part of the clan, and they are expected to contribute on and off the battlefield, just like any other warrior. Dedicated trainers and sometimes a Stormsinger care for the clan dragons. Mardu dragons tend to be fast and agile; the smaller dragons are often mounted for expert skyriders, while the larger dragon may aid in transport for Mardu troops and dalkovans. The Mardu will be relentless in their pursuit of capturing a dragon if it seems particularly strong or quick, sometimes dedicating months of their lives to it. Mardu dragons wield a lightning-breath weapon, shocking their enemies with their destructive capabilities.

Inspiration

The Mardu Horde is loosely based on the Mongol Empire. Sarkhan Vol's card in Tarkir: Dragonstorm depicts him wearing a zodog, an outfit worn in Mongolian wrestling.

Mechanics

The Mardu ability word Raid and related cards are all based around a very fast, aggressive strategy for winning. Raid gives an advantageous effect if you have attacked with a creature on the same turn. In Fate Reforged the Mardu Horde featured Dash, instead. When you pay a card's dash cost instead of paying its mana cost, the creature will have haste, so it can attack that turn. At the beginning of the next end step, you'll return the creature from the battlefield to its owner's hand.

Trivia

• The Mardu Horde was featured in Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning

Gallery

• 
  Mardu mount concepts by Amanda Lee.