Lorwyn–Shadowmoor

Lorwyn–Shadowmoor
Information
First seen	Lorwyn
Last seen	March of the Machine
Rabiah Scale	6
Status	Fused, recovering from New Phyrexia's invasion
Scryfall Statistics
	5 plane cards
	246 artworks 4.1% 7.7% 21.5% 17.9% 15.9% 6.1% 26.8%
	246 originated from 4.1% 7.7% 21.5% 17.9% 15.9% 6.1% 26.8%
	186 references 14% 13.4% 14% 14% 12.9% 14% 17.7%

Lorwyn–Shadowmoor is a remote plane with two aspects. While Lorwyn represents day, Shadowmoor is night. Lorwyn switched to Shadowmoor cyclically every 300 years,^[2] an unnatural event triggered by the Great Aurora.

Lorwyn–Shadowmoor does not stand out in the Blind Eternities; it resides in a region of dream and aether that obscures it from most planeswalkers. It is also one of the few known planes in the Multiverse where humanity has not flourished. The plane is considered to be "spark-blind" (unaware of planeswalkers or other planes).^[3]

Lorwyn

Lorwyn is one of two aspects of the plane Lorwyn–Shadowmoor, and the setting of the Lorwyn block. The plane is small, temperate, and believed to be flat.^[4] The known portion of the plane, referred to as the Blessed Nation by the elves, is heavily forested and ringed by high mountains, outside of which lays the mysterious Primal Beyond. The world has no oceans or large lakes; all of its water comes from a system of rivers and streams connected by the subterranean Dark Meanders.^[5] Lorwyn exists in perpetual midsummer and eternal daytime, though its denizens still operate on a daily cycle.^[6] The plane observes dawn, noon, and dusk, with no night, with its day beginning when the sun grazes the eastern horizon and ending as it grazes the western.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

Currency on Lorwyn is composed of "threads" of precious metal, in denominations of copper, silver, and gold, grouped in size into threads, ropes, and coils.^[11]

Creatures of Lorwyn

The indigenous wildlife of the Lorwyn is dominated by eight sapient races: elves, kithkin, merrows, flamekin, boggarts, treefolk, giants and faeries. Lorwyn is one of the few known places in the multiverse where humans do not occur naturally.^[3]^[12]^[13] In addition, Lorwyn supports a menagerie of animal and supernatural life, including wisents, springjacks, cervins, a semisapient race of mimics known as changelings and the majestic greater elementals. All of them thrive in Lorwyn's temperate environment and unending growing season, preserving the plane's character as an unspoiled natural wilderness.^[3]

Each of the nine races (including the Changelings), known as the Tribes, lives in an uneasy state of peace; skirmishes and small battles occur from time to time, but full-scale war is unknown. The Tribes are highly provincial and distrustful of those outside their race; all are wary of the cruel and powerful elves, who function as the plane's de facto rulers.

Lorwyn is a backwater world rarely visited by planeswalkers. Those who know of its existence regard it as an idyllic paradise. Late in Lorwyn's history, the barriers between the Tribes began to break down as individuals from different races came together into new tribes based on common goals (soldiers, wizards, and so on).

Sapient races of Lorwyn

Elementals ^[14]
- Flamekin ^[14]
- Greater Elementals ^[14]
Elves ^[14]
- Gilt-Leaf tribe ^[14]
  - Deathcap Pack^[14]
  - Hemlock Pack^[14]
  - Nightshade Pack^[14]
- Mornsong tribe^[14]
Fae ^[14]
- Faeries^[14]
- Groundlings^[15]
Giants ^[14]
Goblins ^[14]
- Boggarts ^[14]
Kithkin ^[14]
Merrow ^[14]
- Inkfathom - specializing in exploring the Dark Meanders.^[3]
- Paperfin (also known as Paupurfylln) - the tribe of Sygg.^[15]^[3]
- Silvergill ^[3]
- Stonybrook ^[3]
- Weirwinder ^[3]
Shapeshifters ^[15]
- Changelings ^[15]
Treefolk ^[14]
- Ash Treefolk ^[16]
- Black Poplar Treefolk ^[14]
- Oak Treefolk ^[17]
- Rowan Treefolk
- Yew Treefolk ^[14]

Wildlife of Lorwyn

Birds ^[15]
- Plovers ^[18]
Boars
- Hill pigs^[15]
Crawfish^[19]
Dogs
- Cuffhounds^[14]
Elk
- Cervins^[14]
Fish
- Silverfin^[15]
- Trout^[19]^[15]
Frogs^[20]
Goats
- Cloudgoats - giant, flying, winged goats.^[15]^[3]
- Springjacks ^[14]
Insects
- Ants^[21]
- Butterflies^[15]
- Crickets^[22]
- Dragonflies^[15]
- Earwigs^[23]
- Hornets^[24]
- Mayflies^[15]
- Moths^[25]
- Nettle-bees^[15]
- Wasps^[15]
Oxen
- Wisents^[3]
Salamanders
- Arbomanders^[14]
Snakes
- Adders^[26]
Squirrels^[15]
Turtles^[15]
- Snapping turtles^[15]
Wolves ^[27]

Flora of Lorwyn

Arrowgrass - a plentiful, sturdy wild grass used by elves for arrow shafts.^[14]
Alder - a water-loving tree.^[14]
Ash - a tall tree.^[14]
Birch - a pale tree.^[14]
Black Poplar - prevalent in the Murmuring Bosk.^[14]
Cattails - a puffy river reed.^[15]
Deathcap - a poisonous mushroom.^[14]
Hemlock - a poisonous plant.^[14]
Moonglove - a white, foxglove-like flower with pale-blue pistils cultivated by Lorwyn's elves to derive a potent poison. This poison is deadly even in small amounts, taking down even towering giants. The elves use the moonglove aggressively in battle, where it is the source of their fame and feared "deathtouch". In precisely controlled, highly diluted trace amounts, its necrotizing properties can be used to etch or carve living tissue, such as skin or bark. Moonglove is also essential in many other important elf rituals and magic.^[14]^[28]^[6]
Nettlevine - a parasitic plant that the elves can animate to bind around their victims, creating the vinebred - twisted, but powerful and eminently controllable minions.^[14]^[29]
Nightshade - a poisonous berry^[14]
Oak - a large, sturdy tree^[14]
Rowan - a flowering tree^[15]
Silverwood pine - a needle-bearing tree from which the Gilt Leaf fashion sharp arrows.^[14]
Yew - a poisonous tree.^[14] A needle coated in yew poison is enough to send an elf into a short coma, but the vinebred are completely immune to yew toxin.^[15]

Locations of Lorwyn

Ballyrush - a kithkin clachan known for its stock of springjacks^[30]
The Bubbling Bog - a swampy area often used as a curse by kithkin.^[14]
Burrenton - a kithkin clachan known for its smiths and forges^[31]
Cloverdell - a kithkin clachan protected by treefolk^[32]
Duinshyle - a kithkin clachan far from Kinsbaile.^[14]
Dundoolin - the second largest kithkin clachan, known for its sages who record elemental history.^[14]
Eastern Lorwyn - dominated by the Gilt-Leaf Wood.
- Gilt-Leaf Wood - the beautiful, gold-shimmering forest of the Gilt-Leaf elves, bordered by the Wanderwine River and covering more than half the lands of Lorwyn.^[14]^[15]^[3]
  - Lys Alana - the Gilt-Leaf capital city.^[14]
    - The Dawn's Light, Gilt-Leaf Palace - the glorious royal palace, pinnacle of elvish perfection.^[33]
- Glen Elendra - haven of the elusive Oona, queen of Lorwyn's faeries. It lies far south of Lys Alana.^[14]^[3]
- Oak Fall - where Taercenn Grieve ruled during his lifetime.^[14]
Fen Grieve - a river port where the statue of Taercenn Grieve stands.^[14]
Funnelwood Forest - a distant wood full of widow spiders and their silk webs.^[14]
Goldmeadow - a small kithkin clachan known for its wheat fields and militia training.^[34]
Howltooth Hollow - a cave that secretly imprisoned a barghest.^[35]
The Merrow Lanes or simply the Lanes - Lorwyn's network of riverways system of rivers and streams, subterranean channels and even village wells.^[15]^[3]
- The Dark Meanders, or the Dark Tributaries - the waterways that run purely underground.^[14]^[3]
- The Honeystone River - drunk dry by the treefolk monk Adair River Span.^[36]
- Shelldock Isles - ancient shells used by Lorwyn's denizens as picnic spots before they awoke into kraken during Aurora.^[35]
- The Swiftbend River - a river whose course was changed by Colfenor to save a stand of birch saplings from a flood.^[14]
- The Wanderwine River - the greatest Lane, a low-country river lined with merrow crannogs, flowing from Mount Tanufel in the north and to the tip of the lowlands on the southeastern shore.^[14]^[3]
  - Crannog Aughn - Sygg's home crannog^[15]
Mornsong - The forest of the eponymous tribe of elves.^[14]
- Arbor Morning - capital of the Mornsong elves.^[14]
Mosswort Bridge - a bridge under which a troll was imprisoned.^[35]
The Mountain ranges - realm of giants, some wanderlust-stricken flamekin, and hostile greater elementals. There is one northern range and one western coastal range.^[15]^[3]
- Amphitheater of Galanda Feudkiller - giant dolmen stones arranged in a bowl shape where conflicts are resolved swiftly and violently.^[3]
- Mount Tanufel - the tallest peak on Lorwyn, sacred birthplace of the flamekin.^[14]^[15]
  - Ember Fell - a flamekin monastery.^[15]
  - The Source of Lanes - the source of the Wanderwine is a small lake a few hundred feet from the summit of Tanufel.^[15]
  - Tanufel Crater - the flat top of the peak, the highest point on the plane.^[15]
- Spinerock Knoll - an overgrown mountain that housed a dragon.^[35] The forge-tenders of Burrenton traditionally use pebbles from the Knoll, whose magic gives the fuel consistent heat.^[37] Its crater would later serve as inspiration for dragonfire-obsessed witches.^[35]
The Stand of Tulimeer - an outpost of treefolk and other trees attempting to establish a new forest on a rocky outcropping near flamekin lands.^[36]
Taenskarper - a hilly, forsaken area where the elves and boggarts sometimes wage battles.^[14]
Tanfell Plateau - an overhang bordering the Wanderwine River, from which cold winds sweep down, creating whitecaps in the water.^[14]
Velis Vel - a subterranean crystal cavern associated with Lorwyn's changelings, accessible through the Dark Meanders.^[38]^[3]
Western Lorwyn - often contrasted with the Gilt-Leaf Wood, the western Lorwyn is the half of the land on the north and west side of the Wanderwine.^[15]
- Dauba Ravine - a ravine separating the west edge of the Porringer Valley and the foothills of the mountains. Spanned by a bridge.^[15]
- The Great Forest - a seemingly endless expanse of stout-trunked oaks and other mighty trees.^[38]
  - Murmuring Bosk - a sacred grove of treefolk, far from Kinsbaile, along the Wanderwine River.^[14]^[3]
  - Wren's Run - a mazelike stretch of forest considered the plane's finest hunting grounds.^[3]
- Groundling Town - a rotting log, fortified by the Sapling of Colfenor's magic, home of the plane's groundlings.^[15]
- Kinsbaile - the largest kithkin clachan, host of the Festival of Tales. Lies on the north bank of the Wanderwine, not far from the base of Mount Tanufel.^[14]^[3]
  - The Kinsbaile Dock - the river ferry dock closest to the clachan.^[14]
  - The Kinswood - a copse of trees just outside the Kinsbaile gates.^[14]
- Porringer Valley - a heavily wooded broad lowland trough cut at its base by the Wanderwine River. Home of the ash treefolk.^[14]
Windbrisk Heights - a raptor whose wings were frozen for generations in the shape of a blustery cliff.^[35]

Shadowmoor

Shadowmoor, the setting of the Shadowmoor block, is the other facet of the plane Lorwyn–Shadowmoor.^[39] Whereas Lorwyn was defined by its greenness, especially its forests, its dark reflection is practically devoid of green.^[40]^[41] In contrast to its daytime aspect, the plane of Shadowmoor exists in perpetual dusk, where the sun is never directly visible, and the only light seems to come from unseen sources.^[4] Though the sun is always hidden behind a blanket of cloud, Shadowmoor still observes dawn, dusk, and night, albeit with no noon.^[10]

The former inhabitants of Lorwyn don't recall their previous lives and remember having always lived in Shadowmoor. There are, however, a handful of beings who retain their memories; for example, in the storyline's latest Great Aurora: Ashling, Brigid Baeli, Maralen, Oona, the Vendilion Clique, Rosheen Meanderer, and The Sapling.

Another difference between the two planes is that some creatures who are dormant in Lorwyn are active in Shadowmoor, while others now hide from sight on the new plane.^[5] Ouphes, korrigans, pucas, kelpies, scarecrows, and nightmarish, mythical beings that had slumbered beneath Lorwyn's surface have reemerged in the ambient night. What races have survived the change have been thoroughly altered by the tainted darkness covering Shadowmoor. In particular, the demeanor of each race has taken a turn for the worse.^[42] The kithkin have become withdrawn and distrusting of the other inhabitants of the plane and the boggarts are now violent brutes. The flamekin, now called cinders, have lost their passion and become hateful shadows of themselves; giants have lost their intelligence, and rely in their basic instincts;^[43] the merrows are spiteful pirates and raiders who lurk in their murky rivers; the treefolk are warped skeletons of bark and branches; and the playful changelings have become the malicious mimics.

The elves, in contrast, were one tribe to experience a more positive difference. They became the last remnant of Lorwyn's older, idyllic environment. Pressed by hostile conditions, the elves were forced to battle for their very existence. Rather than lording over the plane and oppressing the other species to conform to their values of beauty and grace, the ironic reversal in their situation shifted the elves from arrogance to humbled self-preservation.

The only race that remained mostly the same is the fae because they are protected by Oona's magic, and thus have remained mischievous and unpredictable.

Creatures of Shadowmoor

Sapient races

Demigods
Dragons
Duergars ^[44]
Elementals
- Cinders ^[45]
- Greater Elementals
Elves ^[45]
Fae
- Faeries ^[45]
- Groundlings ^[46]
Giants ^[45]
Goblins
- Boggarts ^[45]
  - Mudbrawler
  - Scuzzback
  - Tattermunge ^[45]
- Hobgoblins ^[44]^[45]
- Redcaps
- Spriggans
Hags
- Gwyllion ^[45]^[44]
- Swamp Hags ^[44]
Imps
- Dieflyns
- Soot Imps
Kithkin ^[45]
Merfolk
- Merrows ^[45]
  - Gravelgill
  - Inkfathom
  - Razorfin ^[46]
- Selkies ^[45]^[44]
Noggles ^[45]^[44]
Ouphes
Scaths^[45]
Spirits
- Banshees^[45]
- Ghosts ^[44]
- Korrigans
- Sluagh^[45]
Treefolk ^[45]
- Apple Treefolk ^[47]
- Ash Treefolk^[45]
- Black Poplar Treefolk^[45]
- Oak Treefolk ^[45]
- Rowan Treefolk^[45]
- Yew Treefolk^[46]
Trows ^[44]

Wildlife of Shadowmoor

Bats^[45]
Beasts
- Bogles ^[45]
- Kelpies ^[45]^[44]
- Nucklavees
- Quillspikes
Birds
- Crows^[45]
- Gyrfalcons
- Night birds^[45]
- Owls
- Quails^[45]
- Raptors ^[45]
- Ravens^[45]
- Swans
Boars
Demons
- Barghests
Dogs^[48]
Elk
- Cervin
Fish
- Razormouths^[45]
Foxes^[45]
Frogs^[45]
- Toads^[45]
Goats
- Cloudgoats^[45]
- Springjacks^[45]
Insects
- Beetles^[45]
- Blowflies
- Cicadas^[49]
- Crickets^[45]
- Gadflies^[45]
- Gnats^[45]
- Mosquitoes^[45]
- Moths ^[45]
- Wasps
Krakens
Leeches
Lizards^[45]
Rabbits^[46]
Rats ^[45]
Scarecrows
Shapeshifters
- Mimics ^[45]
- Pucas ^[44]
Slugs^[45]
Snakes^[45]
- Adders^[45]
- Silverback spiders^[46]
Spiders ^[45]
- Gloomwidows
Turtles^[45]
Wolves
Worms ^[45]
Wurms

Flora of Shadowmoor

Black needlerush^[45]
Blackthorn^[45]
Briarberries^[45]
Canker fungus - deadly rot-spreading across treefolk.^[45]
Crawroot - bad-tasting food source.^[45]
Ferns^[46]
Flowers
- Cramoisy - "the killing flower", a deadly poisonous bloom.^[45]
- Dawnglove - used to create dawnglow potions^[45]
- Flax^[45]
- Water lilies^[45]
Gourds^[45]
- Blackseed gourd^[45]
- Spined gourd^[45]
- Winter squash^[45]
Grains
- Barley^[45]
- Nettlewheat - an abrasive grain widely cultivated by the kithkin^[45]^[50]
- Winter wheat^[45]
Grass
- Spike grass - sharp-edged grass which can cause minor cuts when walking through it.^[45]
Moss^[46]
- Mitemoss^[45]
Saltwort^[45]
Sickle beans - a food source grown in elvish safeholds^[45]
Trees
- Apple trees
- Ash trees^[45]
- Black poplars^[45]
- Maple trees^[46]
- Oak trees^[45]
- Rowan trees^[45]
- Yew trees^[46]

Locations of Shadowmoor

Ashenmoor - the black home of cinders.^[45]^[44]
Ballynock - a kithkin doun, whose inhabitants like to wear hoods.^[45]
Barrenton - a kithkin doun.^[45]
Creakwood^[51]
Eastern Shadowmoor
- Glen Elendra - haven of the elusive Oona, queen of Shadowmoor's faeries. It lies far south of Cayr Ulios.^[46]
- Wilt-Leaf Wood - just east of Mistmeadow, across the Wanderbrine.^[10]^[45]
  - Barrenclay Crossings - a meeting point for the Wilt-Leaf elves.^[46]
  - Cayr Ulios - the largest safehold in Wilt-Leaf Wood.^[46]
Farhaven^[52]
Greymeadow - a kithkin doun, whose inhabitants like to wear helmets.^[45]
- First Gate - the inner gate in Greymeadow.^[45]
- Second Gate - the middle gate in Greymeadow.^[45]
- Outer Gate - the outermost gate in Greymeadow.^[45]
The Lanes^[45]
- The Dark Meanders - underground rivers connecting to the Wanderbrine.^[46]
- The Wanderbrine - the big river cutting Shadowmoor in two.^[45]
- The Withervine - a river flowing far from the Wilt-Leaf Wood.^[45]
Lochran Safehold - a safehold by the Withervine River, far from the Wilt-Leaf Wood.^[45]
Mount Kulrath - the highest peak on Shadowmoor.^[46]
The Serpent's Maw - a maze of caves containing a river of burning stone.^[45]
Thistledown - a kithkin doun
Velis Vel
Western Shadowmoor
- Kinscaer - a kithkin doun south of Mistmeadow.^[10]^[45]
- Mistmeadow - a kithkin doun north of Kinscaer^[45]
  - The Welk Lodge^[45]
- Raven's Run - a dark and terrifying forest^[38]
- The Weeping Bosk - the place where Colfenor trained Rhys in the use of yew magic.^[46]