We focus on the other nine realms featured this time around;
-RW Axgard is home of the dwarves. Dwarves don't hold gold as valuable (as they have access to a lot) instead liking iron better but do like gold for how it looks.
-Dwarves are warrior artisan and are divided by the color into how they make their art. R dwarfs are more impulsive and passionate creators and more known for weapons while W dwarves are more meticulous (similar to the W dwarfs on Kaladesh) and more known more for the magic items.
-Dwarfs reach adulthood in their 100's.
-Its foretold that a cosmic giant named Goldeater will one day soon bring destruction of the dwarf city.
-RG Gnottvold is the realm of the trolls. Lots of untamed wilds with a second mtg nod to Stone Henge. Giants also have been known to live here it seems.
-Trolls come in two colors. Hagi are the R trolls that are basically goblins on this world minus all much of the comedic elements. Torga are the G trolls who are huge and unlike the Hagi are more in touch with nature and can have shamans. They often just sleep (often together in familiar units) for long period of time often having moss and plants and such grow over them until they seem to be part of the land. If woken up early they will rampage from days to weeks until they get sleepy again. I can relate.
-RB Immersturm is the realm of demons and is hell basically. The sky and water is on fire and volcanos are all over. Only life is demons and fire elemental elementals. When a non-demons is killed their blood is magically poured into a volcano which births new demons. The elf gods originally had magic items to trap the ways in and out of Immersturm to keep demons out but those items are now lost with the new gods. Instead they use rune magic to ward the demons but those wards aren't 100% perfect.
-Demons are the worst aspects and tropes of Viking, blood lust tyrants who love knowing more than killing and causing pain. B demons want to conqueror and spread fear while R demons want to burn everything down. Looks like they got the horned helmet trope used for their horns as well.
- WU Istfell is the realm of the spirts of the dead who didn't die in an honorable battle, as well as monster and animals living a pale refection of life. Its found at the bottom of the world tree and look up you can see the roots. The light from Starheim and the cosmos barley streams in and is even more filtered by fog. Sprits are pretty much the same as they are in life but passionless (all WU and no R) and even Egon needs to use is magic to get them to take action.
-The Hall of the gods is also in Istfell after Valki tricked Toralf into sending it there in a story thats very similar to Útgarða-Loki and his tricks on Loki and Thor. They haven't bothered to organized enough to move it back to the realm it was in before (noted not one of the 10 in this set).
- UB Karfell the cold realm of the draugr (zombies). Once a wealthy kingdom its turned into a land of snow and undeath. A few human tribes still live in the Skybreen mountains.
-The draugr where born when Narfi betrayed his people and had Egon turn them into undead. They retain a range of memories from thier live often the nobel are more intelligent while the warriors and servants are less so (I'm guessing the U and B split).
-UG Littjara home of the shapeshifters. Made of many forests and lakes it can shift and change similar to the shapeshifters. Only a lake made by the elven gods is the only constant and its where shape shifts go to die.
-Shapeshifters wear elaborate wooden masks and cloak to cover their true forms. They can appear as most anything, most notable into a cosmic aura that lets them travel the cosmos but they often prefer to be in animal forms. The G shapeshifters like land animals (often bears) and the U shapeshifters like water animals. While seen as tricksters and villains in stories many shapeshifters live in peaceful curiosity with the other races, with them unaware who the shapeshifters really is. Nothing else is much know about what drives them apart from curiosity. They tend to only live in Littjara for a short time during thier childhood and near the end to dye. Said to be born from an unknown race who the elven gods help flee a tyrannical ruler.
-BG Skemfar is the elven realm. Its a shadowy seemly untouched natural land. The surviving seven elven gods are imprisoned in/as Jaspera trees which the elves worship. Each tree has a different magical properity which is based on the god who was imprisoned but only two are listed. There are also tunnels that where made from Koma traveling through the realm.
-G elves are wood elves, B are shadow elves. Said to be born when Halvar used an axe (odd Godsend like) that could split anything and cut the elves into the the two groups that only have recently stopped warning and united under Harold. Harold got a vision after eating a fruit from a Jaspera tree and sleeping under one and the guide said if he is killed it likely the two elf factions will go back to warring with each other.
- WB Starnheim home of the honorable dead and the Valkyries. Like a yule tree Starnheim lights up the rest of Kaldheim as a dog sun on the very top of the world tree. The honored dead get to feast and tell sagas of their lives. What seems to be a black lake is actually the blood of the first Valkyrie and the honored dead will float to the docks on longships. At the docks is twelve long ships for the Skoti who will one day be judge and may or may not be allowed to Starnheim themselves.
- Valkyries are being who judge the dead and who are worthy to enter Starnheim. They don't not obey the gods, born before them and will judge the gods when the day comes for the gods to die. W Valkyries are shepherds who value the heroic and brave and the B are reapers who punish cowards. Shepherds and reapers travel in pairs and both must agree on a mortal to let them into Starnheim. They tend to just watch and judge but have been known to join to help out a in a noble battle or rarely slaughter a whole town of who they judge as cowards.
-The Prismatic Path is the rainbow path the Valkyries use to lead the worthy to Starnheim.
- UR Surtland is the land of the giants. Land of frost and snow and volcanic mountains and even the wild life grows to giant sizes.
-U giants are frost giants who are intelligent and study magics and mystery. The R giants are fire giants who are strong brutish nomadic who love conflict. They often fights as frost giants hold all the best lands, magic and resources. Frost giants can be friendly towards humans like the omen speakers they trade knowelge with. Fire giants often will raid frost giants and other realms when they can. Kaldar is the king of fire giants and have a rivalry with Alrund who might have been a frost giant???
Dang this world building is dense, I wish we got art book for this world :/
Tyver is fun, I do like him being a heroic version of a cocky jerk and love the idea he's been planes walking with out knowing it. Odd he isn't as eager to kill the gods as his bro.
Guess Wizards is cool with male characters looking like they just walked out of Magic Mike but the women need to be covered like nuns
Yup klothys running around topless is a real nun look.
True, but they were probably sweating bullets for any twitter backlash releasing that Klothys art. Likely had a pre-written explanation/apology ready about ancient Greek attire and all that jazz
In greek attire women where heavy clothed and covered. They tradition wore head veils, Chitons (and with only the arms allowed to show) and even underwear. It was forbid for woman to be dressed any less unless in public baths or at home.
So has anyone noticed Green and Black get the most gods? Given the Heinir before the Skoti, is it possible Kaldheim gods just are oriented towards Golgari colors?
I think its just kinda how the designs shook out (along with flavor to make it work out), Maro said they had a bunch of design ideas with the MDFC. Jorn and Esika are both cool with almost being hybrid colored (with what they are gods of making sense to be in base green) and story/theme wise makes a lot of sense to have the Loki analog and Tibalt on one card.
Did you miss Warden of the First Tree? Pretty sure any color can get this ability.
And what green cards are breaking the color pie? And like real breaks not just pushed cards.
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/planeswalkers-guide-kaldheim-part-2-2021-01-14
We focus on the other nine realms featured this time around;
-RW Axgard is home of the dwarves. Dwarves don't hold gold as valuable (as they have access to a lot) instead liking iron better but do like gold for how it looks.
-Dwarves are warrior artisan and are divided by the color into how they make their art. R dwarfs are more impulsive and passionate creators and more known for weapons while W dwarves are more meticulous (similar to the W dwarfs on Kaladesh) and more known more for the magic items.
-Dwarfs reach adulthood in their 100's.
-Its foretold that a cosmic giant named Goldeater will one day soon bring destruction of the dwarf city.
-RG Gnottvold is the realm of the trolls. Lots of untamed wilds with a second mtg nod to Stone Henge. Giants also have been known to live here it seems.
-Trolls come in two colors. Hagi are the R trolls that are basically goblins on this world minus all much of the comedic elements. Torga are the G trolls who are huge and unlike the Hagi are more in touch with nature and can have shamans. They often just sleep (often together in familiar units) for long period of time often having moss and plants and such grow over them until they seem to be part of the land. If woken up early they will rampage from days to weeks until they get sleepy again. I can relate.
-RB Immersturm is the realm of demons and is hell basically. The sky and water is on fire and volcanos are all over. Only life is demons and fire elemental elementals. When a non-demons is killed their blood is magically poured into a volcano which births new demons. The elf gods originally had magic items to trap the ways in and out of Immersturm to keep demons out but those items are now lost with the new gods. Instead they use rune magic to ward the demons but those wards aren't 100% perfect.
-Demons are the worst aspects and tropes of Viking, blood lust tyrants who love knowing more than killing and causing pain. B demons want to conqueror and spread fear while R demons want to burn everything down. Looks like they got the horned helmet trope used for their horns as well.
- WU Istfell is the realm of the spirts of the dead who didn't die in an honorable battle, as well as monster and animals living a pale refection of life. Its found at the bottom of the world tree and look up you can see the roots. The light from Starheim and the cosmos barley streams in and is even more filtered by fog. Sprits are pretty much the same as they are in life but passionless (all WU and no R) and even Egon needs to use is magic to get them to take action.
-The Hall of the gods is also in Istfell after Valki tricked Toralf into sending it there in a story thats very similar to Útgarða-Loki and his tricks on Loki and Thor. They haven't bothered to organized enough to move it back to the realm it was in before (noted not one of the 10 in this set).
- UB Karfell the cold realm of the draugr (zombies). Once a wealthy kingdom its turned into a land of snow and undeath. A few human tribes still live in the Skybreen mountains.
-The draugr where born when Narfi betrayed his people and had Egon turn them into undead. They retain a range of memories from thier live often the nobel are more intelligent while the warriors and servants are less so (I'm guessing the U and B split).
-UG Littjara home of the shapeshifters. Made of many forests and lakes it can shift and change similar to the shapeshifters. Only a lake made by the elven gods is the only constant and its where shape shifts go to die.
-Shapeshifters wear elaborate wooden masks and cloak to cover their true forms. They can appear as most anything, most notable into a cosmic aura that lets them travel the cosmos but they often prefer to be in animal forms. The G shapeshifters like land animals (often bears) and the U shapeshifters like water animals. While seen as tricksters and villains in stories many shapeshifters live in peaceful curiosity with the other races, with them unaware who the shapeshifters really is. Nothing else is much know about what drives them apart from curiosity. They tend to only live in Littjara for a short time during thier childhood and near the end to dye. Said to be born from an unknown race who the elven gods help flee a tyrannical ruler.
-BG Skemfar is the elven realm. Its a shadowy seemly untouched natural land. The surviving seven elven gods are imprisoned in/as Jaspera trees which the elves worship. Each tree has a different magical properity which is based on the god who was imprisoned but only two are listed. There are also tunnels that where made from Koma traveling through the realm.
-G elves are wood elves, B are shadow elves. Said to be born when Halvar used an axe (odd Godsend like) that could split anything and cut the elves into the the two groups that only have recently stopped warning and united under Harold. Harold got a vision after eating a fruit from a Jaspera tree and sleeping under one and the guide said if he is killed it likely the two elf factions will go back to warring with each other.
- WB Starnheim home of the honorable dead and the Valkyries. Like a yule tree Starnheim lights up the rest of Kaldheim as a dog sun on the very top of the world tree. The honored dead get to feast and tell sagas of their lives. What seems to be a black lake is actually the blood of the first Valkyrie and the honored dead will float to the docks on longships. At the docks is twelve long ships for the Skoti who will one day be judge and may or may not be allowed to Starnheim themselves.
- Valkyries are being who judge the dead and who are worthy to enter Starnheim. They don't not obey the gods, born before them and will judge the gods when the day comes for the gods to die. W Valkyries are shepherds who value the heroic and brave and the B are reapers who punish cowards. Shepherds and reapers travel in pairs and both must agree on a mortal to let them into Starnheim. They tend to just watch and judge but have been known to join to help out a in a noble battle or rarely slaughter a whole town of who they judge as cowards.
-The Prismatic Path is the rainbow path the Valkyries use to lead the worthy to Starnheim.
- UR Surtland is the land of the giants. Land of frost and snow and volcanic mountains and even the wild life grows to giant sizes.
-U giants are frost giants who are intelligent and study magics and mystery. The R giants are fire giants who are strong brutish nomadic who love conflict. They often fights as frost giants hold all the best lands, magic and resources. Frost giants can be friendly towards humans like the omen speakers they trade knowelge with. Fire giants often will raid frost giants and other realms when they can. Kaldar is the king of fire giants and have a rivalry with Alrund who might have been a frost giant???
Dang this world building is dense, I wish we got art book for this world :/
https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/episode-2-awaken-trolls-2021-01-13
Tyver is fun, I do like him being a heroic version of a cocky jerk and love the idea he's been planes walking with out knowing it. Odd he isn't as eager to kill the gods as his bro.
As well as R, W and U each not yet having a rare god in what seems to be a cycle....
They have said that Noble will mostly be given to creature that don't have another "job". So far the only one that breaks this is Queen of Ice.
In greek attire women where heavy clothed and covered. They tradition wore head veils, Chitons (and with only the arms allowed to show) and even underwear. It was forbid for woman to be dressed any less unless in public baths or at home.
Men where often nude in public.
Yup klothys running around topless is a real nun look.
Cause it wasn't one.
I think its just kinda how the designs shook out (along with flavor to make it work out), Maro said they had a bunch of design ideas with the MDFC. Jorn and Esika are both cool with almost being hybrid colored (with what they are gods of making sense to be in base green) and story/theme wise makes a lot of sense to have the Loki analog and Tibalt on one card.
I'm kinda sad that both sides are one card for commander and such but love how the two sides work well with each other with most of the gods.