Kor

Kor
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/kindred cards)
Statistics	81 cards 85.2% 2.5% 1.2% 1.2% 3.7% 6.2% 10 Kor creation cards 70% 20% 10% as of Commander Masters
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type:"Kor"

Kor is a creature type describing a human-like race with blue, grey or white skin. They originate from Zendikar, though this contradicts earlier canon, which claim a Metathran origin (see below). Although the Kor for the first time appeared in the Tempest block, the Kor subtype wasn't introduced until Time Spiral. Tempest block Kor were later given the Kor creature type during the Grand Creature Type Update.

Description

Kor are similar to Humans in appearance, but with skin tones and hair color in hues of white, gray, or blue. Male Kor have small barbels hanging from their chins that function as sensory organs. Kor mature at the same rate as humans and live about as long. It is unknown whether kor, like elves, can interbreed with humans.

Storyline

Arcavios

It is unknown how the Kor of Arcavios came to be on that plane. Those who are affiliated with Strixhaven join Lorehold and Silverquill and some are even professors.

Dominaria

With the Rathi Overlay the Kor were brought to Dominaria. While the en-Kor suffered no ill effects and adapted to life on Dominaria, the il-Kor were trapped in the shadow world between the planes. 300 years later, the il-Kor shifted from thieves to spies, using their intangible state to their advantage to steal secrets.

In an alternate timeline, Rath's Evincar, Mirri the Cursed, subjugated the en-Kor as her personal slave race.

In the modern day, the en-Kor appear to have integrated with the population of New Argive. Most kor live a nomadic lifestyle, hunting from horseback on the Balduvian Steppe. They tend to avoid cities and human and orc settlements. The king forbids people from harassing or interfering with the kor. The kor in return provide excellent light cavalry for the army.

Rath

The Kor were drawn into Rath by Volrath like other peoples, such as the Vec, the Dal, and the Skyshroud elves. Like their predecessors, the en-Kor are a nomadic and deeply spiritual people. They dwell on open plains and their religion is centered on the sky. In combat, the en-Kor emphasize damage prevention (their trademark ability to redirect damage they take to other creatures was designed as a "fixed" version of banding.) En-Kor twins were almost always trained as lancers. The center of their culture was the Kor Haven, a city built into living rock.

The il-Kor were servants of Volrath along with other inhabitants of the Stronghold. They gave up their nomadic lifestyle to settle in the City of Traitors, but remained hunters, often becoming thieves.

Zendikar

The Kor of Zendikar live a sparse and nomadic existence. They travel mercilessly light, carrying with them only the essentials, valuing the portability of individual skill and strength of character over more "static" virtues. Despite their constant motion, the Kor revere locations in a deep sense. They travel in small bands along one of several pilgrimage routes, visiting dozens of sacred sites across Zendikar. Each pilgrimage circuit takes decades, and many are lost to Zendikar's dangers along the way.

The Kor are masters of ropes and hooks, using them to travel and to hunt, and incorporating them into their spirituality. They rarely use unreliable devices such as crossbows to propel their grappling hooks onto cliff faces or into flying game, relying instead on simple, sturdy rope and the skill of the arm. A hooked line is also a social and sacred symbol for the Kor, representing their connection to each other and to the world around them. Some Kor use tamed Windrider Eels to travel.

Today on Zendikar still exists a tradition of Kor stoneforgers—powerful mages who forge weapons from stone—who are represented by Stoneforge Mystic.

In ancient times the kor of Zendikar formed an evil tyrannical empire, ruled by flying citadels known as Skyclaves. One by one they fell to rebellions, civil wars, and eventually the Eldrazi. In recent times they have been reactivated.

World-gifts

Every kor family elects a child, typically the second-born, to abandon to the wilderness as a sacrifice to pacify the natural forces of Zendikar. Some of the abandoned children, called world-gifts, die quickly, but many of them manage to survive long enough to start new lives outside the kor nomadic families. A world-gift kor typically adopts the language and customs of the culture with whom they mature. Tragically, most never feel at home among the "static" races; driven by wanderlust, many world-gift kor end up venturing back out into the wilds at some point in their lives, but are never welcomed back into kor society.

Notable Kor

Dominaria

• Elas il-Kor

Zendikar

• Abeena
• Akiri
• Ardenn
• Ayli
• Ebi
• Enkindi
• Ertha Jo
• Khali
• Mira
• Moliq
• Munda
• Nahiri
• Orah
• Radrik
• Smara - a "witch vessel" for a spirit trapped in a crystal she was carrying. A travel companion of Nissa Revane.
• Tau
• Tenri

Gallery

• 

  Zendikari Kor concept by Aleksi Briclot.

Trivia

• Originally, the Rathi Tribes, the Kor included, are stated to have an ultimately Dominarian origin, having evolved from Metathran. This contradicts more recent claims for a Zendikari origin for Rath's Kor.
• The Rathi Kor were depicted with slightly elongated skulls.
• According to Ethan Fleischer, the kor derive their powers from eating various magical creatures.

Tokens

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Kor Ally	White	Creature — Kor Ally	1/1		Captain's Claws Oath of Gideon Retreat to Emeria Unified Front
Kor Soldier	White	Creature — Kor Soldier	1/1		Conqueror's Pledge Nahiri, the Lithomancer Nomads' Assembly
Kor Warrior	White	Creature — Kor Warrior	1/1		Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients A-Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients Squad Commander

Note

The river Kor and the ancient Terisiaran city-state of Korlis have no relation to the people named Kor.