Yes, this is Sarkhan's home plane.
As to what to expect, I think with a looser sense of expectations, they'll bring a little more fantasy identity into the set. For one, that huge gray thing that is front and center is really intriguing. I think it might be an orc, which would be really interesting if true.
I'm honestly curious as to where they're going with this. My main bet is that it's like Ravnica, a plane with a cultural identity (in Ravnica's case, pseudo-slavic, here appearently pseudo-mongolian), but with something else as the main theme (in Ravnica's case, Coruscant with guilds)
It is bottom-up, so it's focus is mechanical with the Mongolian-warlords theme being secondary. What is the mechanical theme, we don't know yet. The non-walker Duel Deck is just "Speed vs Cunning", which doesn't explain much.
Sarkhan looks relatively sane. He has a piece of hedron on his staff, so we know this is post-Zendikar for him.
They talked too much about how this is the plane where all dragons were killed centuries ago. But it's Sarkhan and one of the other sets is rumored to be called "Dragons of Tarkir", so the dragons are going to return later.
It is bottom-up, so it's focus is mechanical with the Mongolian-warlords theme being secondary. What is the mechanical theme, we don't know yet. The non-walker Duel Deck is just "Speed vs Cunning", which doesn't explain much.
Sarkhan looks relatively sane. He has a piece of hedron on his staff, so we know this is post-Zendikar for him.
They talked too much about how this is the plane where all dragons were killed centuries ago. But it's Sarkhan and one of the other sets is rumored to be called "Dragons of Tarkir", so the dragons are going to return later.
Dragons were wiped out on Sarkhan's plane by the warlords (which, judging by the trademark for Warlords of Tarkir we'll be be seeing at some point in the block), who had a tradition of hunting them, which sucked for the shamans (like Sarkhan), because they worshiped the dragons. Interestingly, Sarkhan's already demonstrated he knows Form of the Dragon during the conflict at the Eye of Ugin.
I don't know what that means for Tarkir, but one shaman with the ability to become a dragon could easily become several... [/speculation]
I very seriously hope the twist they keep pushing in the block is that Dragons of Tarkir is set in the past and answers the questions of what set off the conflict.
Incidentally, the second set is "Warlords of Khanar" rather than Tarkir.
Incidentally, the second set is "Warlords of Khanar" rather than Tarkir.
Is it:
That's a name Wizards registered, sure. But one possibility is that they couldn't use it because of the new WoW expansion, Warlords of Draenor.
So according to this theory, Warlords of Khanar was going to be the first set's name, but had to be replaced by Khans of Tarkir.
That's a name Wizards registered, sure. But one possibility is that they couldn't use it because of the new WoW expansion, Warlords of Draenor.
So according to this theory, Warlords of Khanar was going to be the first set's name, but had to be replaced by Khans of Tarkir.
Considering Khans of Tarkir was registered BEFORE Warlords of Khanar, I doubt that.
And really, there's no reason they couldn't use Warlords of Khanar just because WoW registered something similar.
That's a name Wizards registered, sure. But one possibility is that they couldn't use it because of the new WoW expansion, Warlords of Draenor.
So according to this theory, Warlords of Khanar was going to be the first set's name, but had to be replaced by Khans of Tarkir.
Considering Khans of Tarkir was registered BEFORE Warlords of Khanar, I doubt that.
Hmmm... that's wrong. Warlords of Khanar was trademarked in September 2013 (about the same time Conspiracy was), and Khans of Tarkir was in February 2014 (just before Dragons of Tarkir). Source: http://mtg-realm.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/khanar-and-tarkir.html
This sounds more like a name replacement for me.
And really, there's no reason they couldn't use Warlords of Khanar just because WoW registered something similar.
But they still can choose not to, to prevent confusion.
Hmmm... that's wrong. Warlords of Khanar was trademarked in September 2013 (about the same time Conspiracy was), and Khans of Tarkir was in February 2014 (just before Dragons of Tarkir). Source: http://mtg-realm.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/khanar-and-tarkir.html
This sounds more like a name replacement for me.
Hrm... odd. I could have sworn we were disguising khans before warlords, but eh, to err is human.
Here is what I expect.
Possible Returning walkers:
Sarkhan- (duh),hears the whisperings of Ugin. will show up first set
Bolas- Evil dragon=Eviiil plans, Sarkhan's master, has/had a grudge with Ugin. Will show up last set!
Tamiyo- Perhaps also investigating Ugin, reintroduction of the soratami, Wizards will never go back to Kamigawa so Tarkir will prob be the closest thing we get to a plane where she and they "fit". Will show up in first set
"New" Walkers
Ugin: will be the second colourless PW in line with his already printed colourless red spell, he'll show up in the middle or last set. New mentor for Sarkhan
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Wizards. listen. The Vorthos community will await the consequences of the Eldrazi Titans' deaths/sealing. We will keep the watch.
“The wind whispers, ‘come home,’ but I cannot.”
— Teferi
I once made a 800 card deck. My opponent would always lose because he could never cut the deck without it tipping over, thereby he lost because he cheated from looking at the overturned cards.
Check out the preview here.
Looks like they're going with a Mongolian War theme for the next set. And Is that Sarkhan Vol being shown front and center?
I'm wondering how this set would be different from their other forays into Asian-inspired sets (Portal II and Kamigawa)?
Thoughts?
Click the pic for more info.
As to what to expect, I think with a looser sense of expectations, they'll bring a little more fantasy identity into the set. For one, that huge gray thing that is front and center is really intriguing. I think it might be an orc, which would be really interesting if true.
Btw, you're thinking of Portal III, not Portal 2.
Sarkhan looks relatively sane. He has a piece of hedron on his staff, so we know this is post-Zendikar for him.
They talked too much about how this is the plane where all dragons were killed centuries ago. But it's Sarkhan and one of the other sets is rumored to be called "Dragons of Tarkir", so the dragons are going to return later.
Dragons were wiped out on Sarkhan's plane by the warlords (which, judging by the trademark for Warlords of Tarkir we'll be be seeing at some point in the block), who had a tradition of hunting them, which sucked for the shamans (like Sarkhan), because they worshiped the dragons. Interestingly, Sarkhan's already demonstrated he knows Form of the Dragon during the conflict at the Eye of Ugin.
I don't know what that means for Tarkir, but one shaman with the ability to become a dragon could easily become several... [/speculation]
@_kaburi_ on Twitter
Special thanks to Serrot_29 for Catbug'mrakul!
Incidentally, the second set is "Warlords of Khanar" rather than Tarkir.
Is it:
That's a name Wizards registered, sure. But one possibility is that they couldn't use it because of the new WoW expansion, Warlords of Draenor.
So according to this theory, Warlords of Khanar was going to be the first set's name, but had to be replaced by Khans of Tarkir.
And really, there's no reason they couldn't use Warlords of Khanar just because WoW registered something similar.
Hmmm... that's wrong. Warlords of Khanar was trademarked in September 2013 (about the same time Conspiracy was), and Khans of Tarkir was in February 2014 (just before Dragons of Tarkir). Source: http://mtg-realm.blogspot.com.br/2014/02/khanar-and-tarkir.html
This sounds more like a name replacement for me.
But they still can choose not to, to prevent confusion.
Possible Returning walkers:
Sarkhan- (duh),hears the whisperings of Ugin. will show up first set
Bolas- Evil dragon=Eviiil plans, Sarkhan's master, has/had a grudge with Ugin. Will show up last set!
Tamiyo- Perhaps also investigating Ugin, reintroduction of the soratami, Wizards will never go back to Kamigawa so Tarkir will prob be the closest thing we get to a plane where she and they "fit". Will show up in first set
"New" Walkers
Ugin: will be the second colourless PW in line with his already printed colourless red spell, he'll show up in the middle or last set. New mentor for Sarkhan
The Vorthos community will await the consequences of the Eldrazi Titans' deaths/sealing. We will keep the watch.
“The wind whispers, ‘come home,’ but I cannot.”
— Teferi
Kozilek, Master Chef