Finally got my copy of the visual guide (congrats to Jay Annelli) and I figured I'd post my thoughts and the small bits of new/clarified lore from it;
Overall I like that it takes a lot of info that was implied or talked about behind the scenes, is presented clearly and bridges a lot of the info together in a smooth cohesion. Magic lore has a lot of sources of canon and this was a nice way to gather it all neatly.
The book and Jay on socials has also said a lot of this info in this book is approximate as wizards tends to not put down hard info.
We get an timeline of events based on ME (mending era) dates with the current story happening in ~62ME and the elder dragon war being ~15,000 years before the mending. Of note the current phyrexia storyline is roughly happening at real world time, the events of Eldraine was 2 years ago in 60ME, with the events of Theros Beyond Death happening after, then Ikoria ect.
The book goes by plane, typically 4 pages giving info on the plane with some planes getting more and a section in the end for "minor" planes. Planeswalkers bio are found in their birth plane with a few exceptions and a section for the planeswalkers with unknown birth planes. Most planeswalkers get 4-2 pages of info with some only getting one page and a section at the end for four planeswalkers with the least info. Many planeswalkers also don’t get full bio but just shout out in the plane section. The eldrazi also get a section.
The planes sections gives demonym to the planes (ie Alaran for Alara, Capennan for Capenna )planeswalker bios give ~ ages (at time of Brother’s War) and ~heights which is stuff I like.
Small lore stuff (imo) of note:
-Clarifies, again, Bolas killing the demon-leviathan and him killing Ugin are separate events (since people here where claiming otherwise)
-We do get a bit of info on the (first) planeswalker war: it ended with victory for Jared Carthalion who led a small group of heroes. Dihada also returned to Dominaria at this time and in the modern day she has taken control of Corondor to force a conflict with Jared that will possible draw out Dakkon who Dahada wants back as her thrull.
-The Weatherlight is now called the Weatherblight
-Saheeli has been changed from the events of Brother’s War, where she once didnt see herself as a hero, and still dosent, she now has commit to be a protector of Kaladesh and the people there from Phyrexia.
-(repteated from ONE thread): Tamiyo first mission was to capture other planeswalkers for compleation and Ajani was among the first, captured in an ambush led by Tamiyo.
-The arch-demons of new Capenna merged with the family heads, not just gave them demonic powers.
-Ashiok plots on the living of Theros were thwarted by Dack Fayden and what causes Ashiok to look at experimenting on the nightmares of those in the underworld.
-Ashiok originally was trying to drown Elspeth into despair with phyrexia nightmares and they instead inspired her to escape the underworld and take revenge on Heliod. Confirms shadowspear faded away once she left Theros. Elspeh and Daxos' romantic connection to each other has been broken despite both now returning to life.
-Clarifies more that Ashioks nightmare is the reason Elesh Norn became obsessed with Elsepth and planeswalkers
-Jin Gitaxias is fine with Elesh Norn as leader as long as she lets him do his experiments.
-Some of the steel thanes have joined Urabrasks revolt.
-Sheoldred is the main rival for the ruler of phyrexia so Elesh Norn sent her to dominaria to get rid of the sylex, bring back karn and get rid of any artifacts that had hurt phyrexia in the past as a means to distract her.
-Vornclex is intelligent just prefers to follow bestial instincts and has Glissa take most of the responsibility.
-Melira seems to still be around but her immunity and cleansing abilities have weakened as Jin has refined the oil more and more
-The mirrian resistance has been leading guerilla strikes against phyrexia.
-Likely that Lavinia will die before they pick a permanent Azouris guild master, so she the de-facto guild leader unless something happening during/before ravnica 4.
-Kaya is from a noble family and events from her past have caused her to bear a grudge against nobility who abuse their power and why she rarely uses her surname.
From her bio on the new magic site her last name is Cassir
-Vraska can make her hands grow long claws when needed and have a poisonous touch.
-Narset magic is channeling elemental forces through her martial arts and has been studying the Jeskai magic of old after being told by Sarkhan of the Tarkir of Khans. (Hence her R in Ikoria)
-Calix is hinted to also be after Niko as well as hunting after Elspeth.
-Angraths daughters (Rumi and Jamira) took over the family forge in his absence and after Ixalan and Wots Angrath has vowed to settle back home to make up the time with his family and won’t let anyone or anything separate them all a third time.
-Kasmina can scry across planes and has access to a wide access of magics like transformation and hypnosis. She has interest in Rowan and has made herself an ally to Liliana (unknown if Liliana knows about Kasminas secret order).
-Oko’s real form is unknown and the form we see him is just a preferred form.
-Estrid shapes masks imbued with powers and skills of the creature they represent and she travels the multiverse for unique beings who she can make new masks based on. She is calm and collected in the face of danger and strives for self perfection and pride in her adaptability that her masks bring her.
-Grist is an insect swarm that shares a hive mind that is led by a queen. The queen is the one who has the spark so when she planeswalkers to a new plane she must restart the hive. The hive is made of insects of many body types and sub-species that are evolved for specific tasks. Grist can use magical chemicals to decay flesh and reanimate corpses using the hive.
In the boom comics Grist is neutral, just doing what she does to survive and after being told of how her spawns overeating was causing issues by Ajani and Tamiyo, Grist agreed to feed from the wilds of Eldraine and not to over eat so the plants could grow back.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Overall I like that it takes a lot of info that was implied or talked about behind the scenes, is presented clearly and bridges a lot of the info together in a smooth cohesion. Magic lore has a lot of sources of canon and this was a nice way to gather it all neatly.
The book and Jay on socials has also said a lot of this info in this book is approximate as wizards tends to not put down hard info.
We get an timeline of events based on ME (mending era) dates with the current story happening in ~62ME and the elder dragon war being ~15,000 years before the mending. Of note the current phyrexia storyline is roughly happening at real world time, the events of Eldraine was 2 years ago in 60ME, with the events of Theros Beyond Death happening after, then Ikoria ect.
The book goes by plane, typically 4 pages giving info on the plane with some planes getting more and a section in the end for "minor" planes. Planeswalkers bio are found in their birth plane with a few exceptions and a section for the planeswalkers with unknown birth planes. Most planeswalkers get 4-2 pages of info with some only getting one page and a section at the end for four planeswalkers with the least info. Many planeswalkers also don’t get full bio but just shout out in the plane section. The eldrazi also get a section.
The planes sections gives demonym to the planes (ie Alaran for Alara, Capennan for Capenna )planeswalker bios give ~ ages (at time of Brother’s War) and ~heights which is stuff I like.
Small lore stuff (imo) of note:
-Clarifies, again, Bolas killing the demon-leviathan and him killing Ugin are separate events (since people here where claiming otherwise)
-We do get a bit of info on the (first) planeswalker war: it ended with victory for Jared Carthalion who led a small group of heroes. Dihada also returned to Dominaria at this time and in the modern day she has taken control of Corondor to force a conflict with Jared that will possible draw out Dakkon who Dahada wants back as her thrull.
-The Weatherlight is now called the Weatherblight
-Saheeli has been changed from the events of Brother’s War, where she once didnt see herself as a hero, and still dosent, she now has commit to be a protector of Kaladesh and the people there from Phyrexia.
-(repteated from ONE thread): Tamiyo first mission was to capture other planeswalkers for compleation and Ajani was among the first, captured in an ambush led by Tamiyo.
-The arch-demons of new Capenna merged with the family heads, not just gave them demonic powers.
-Ashiok plots on the living of Theros were thwarted by Dack Fayden and what causes Ashiok to look at experimenting on the nightmares of those in the underworld.
-Ashiok originally was trying to drown Elspeth into despair with phyrexia nightmares and they instead inspired her to escape the underworld and take revenge on Heliod. Confirms shadowspear faded away once she left Theros. Elspeh and Daxos' romantic connection to each other has been broken despite both now returning to life.
-Clarifies more that Ashioks nightmare is the reason Elesh Norn became obsessed with Elsepth and planeswalkers
-Jin Gitaxias is fine with Elesh Norn as leader as long as she lets him do his experiments.
-Some of the steel thanes have joined Urabrasks revolt.
-Sheoldred is the main rival for the ruler of phyrexia so Elesh Norn sent her to dominaria to get rid of the sylex, bring back karn and get rid of any artifacts that had hurt phyrexia in the past as a means to distract her.
-Vornclex is intelligent just prefers to follow bestial instincts and has Glissa take most of the responsibility.
-Melira seems to still be around but her immunity and cleansing abilities have weakened as Jin has refined the oil more and more
-The mirrian resistance has been leading guerilla strikes against phyrexia.
-Likely that Lavinia will die before they pick a permanent Azouris guild master, so she the de-facto guild leader unless something happening during/before ravnica 4.
-Kaya is from a noble family and events from her past have caused her to bear a grudge against nobility who abuse their power and why she rarely uses her surname.
-Vraska can make her hands grow long claws when needed and have a poisonous touch.
-Narset magic is channeling elemental forces through her martial arts and has been studying the Jeskai magic of old after being told by Sarkhan of the Tarkir of Khans. (Hence her R in Ikoria)
-Calix is hinted to also be after Niko as well as hunting after Elspeth.
-Angraths daughters (Rumi and Jamira) took over the family forge in his absence and after Ixalan and Wots Angrath has vowed to settle back home to make up the time with his family and won’t let anyone or anything separate them all a third time.
-Kasmina can scry across planes and has access to a wide access of magics like transformation and hypnosis. She has interest in Rowan and has made herself an ally to Liliana (unknown if Liliana knows about Kasminas secret order).
-Oko’s real form is unknown and the form we see him is just a preferred form.
-Estrid shapes masks imbued with powers and skills of the creature they represent and she travels the multiverse for unique beings who she can make new masks based on. She is calm and collected in the face of danger and strives for self perfection and pride in her adaptability that her masks bring her.
-Grist is an insect swarm that shares a hive mind that is led by a queen. The queen is the one who has the spark so when she planeswalkers to a new plane she must restart the hive. The hive is made of insects of many body types and sub-species that are evolved for specific tasks. Grist can use magical chemicals to decay flesh and reanimate corpses using the hive.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
That’s the biggest one in my eyes
it Gives a clue that some of the GWUB phyrexians could join Urabrask visions (but could be a temporary though)