Rootwater
| Rootwater | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Dominaria |
| Colors |
  |
| Type | Forest |
| Status | Unknown |
| Part of | Keld, Icehaven, the Domains |
| Formerly part of | Rath |
| Scryfall Statistics | |
Rootwater is a saltwater lake in Keld on the island of Icehaven, part of the Domains on the plane of Dominaria, transferred there from the plane of Rath during the Rathi Overlay.
Origin
The merfolk inhabiting this lake were once very peaceable beings, intent on living only the simplest and most placid of lives under a floating construct in one of Dominaria's expansive oceans.[1] The merfolk coexisted with a group of Elves of Skyshroud, and the two races existed as one nation for many years, sharing their skills and resources to improve their mutual lot. The portal that dragged them to Rath snatched a massive body of water along with it.
Rath
The transition between worlds was almost immediate, and it took the merfolk a few days before they began to suspect that the weird storm above them was far more than a localized magical battle. Though large, the body of water was not sufficient for the needs of both the merfolk and the elves. Their alliance drifted apart as the food dwindled, and their partnership ended abruptly in a bloody battle. The elves realized they were at a disadvantage to the merfolk and so decided to build a new home via magical means. In a matter of months, a new forest had grown, which was called Skyshroud.
At its base, the roots of the trees tangled into an almost solid floor of plant life, and this strange edifice floated upon the water. Over the centuries, the merfolk became savage carnivores (with the help of some judicious genetic alteration by the evincars), and the forest grew to enormous proportions. The roots created a labyrinth beneath the water, choking the home of the merfolk. The merfolk cursed the elves and their new home, now named Rootwater. Above, the forest canopy had thickened so that barely any light reached the depths of the forest. This suited the elves, who didn't want to be reminded of the horrors beneath.
Dominaria
Rootwater appeared on the frozen wastes of Keld following the Rathi Overlay. When the overlay took place, the jungle began to freeze due to the heat difference between the climates, but it was saved by the planeswalker Freyalise, who cast a spell to keep the forest warm. Following the Invasion, she had relocated permanently to this place. The merfolk may have died off after the overlay.
After Freyalise sacrificed herself to close the Time Rift over Skyshroad, the mana sustaining the forest weakened, and its inhabitants had to move to another location. The current status of the Rootwater is unknown.
Maps
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Icehaven
In-game references
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References
- ↑ Pete Venters (December 1997). "Dominian Chronicles: A Dark Corner of the Multiverse" The Duelist #20, 38-39