Merfolk - Guardians of the Sea | Magic: The Gathering Lore

the ocean a seemingly endless expanse of water stretching to the Horizon that has since time immemorial captured the fascination of those drawn by its siren Call its possibility potential in the future its undulating waves support Coastal civilizations its sea acts as lifeblood for maritime Commerce its temperate climate nourishes the body while salted breezes feed the soul landed Empires covet Coastal bastions to tentatively hold on to a fragment of the waters and explorers venture out to Rome's Uncharted seeking Rich Glory Beyond the Horizon but beneath the surface the second life lies submerged a hidden world unto itself opens up under the rolling surf filled with wonder and tantalizing possibility luminescent reefs support Lively ecosystems of variegated species ranging from fish to Giant Octopus to slumbering leviathans and benthic dwellers life beneath the ocean waves is beautiful but no less dangerous than the surface it's unpredictable a realm is chaotic and fickle as seaborne tempests in biting gaels One race has come to dominate The Waters through understanding of the ebbing tides a species that embodies the stunning Beauty the cold malice the Deep wisdom of the Abyssal realm they inhabit constructing elaborate sunken cities establishing empires of conquest and commerce they are nonetheless inscrutable to surface dwellers wrapped in opaque mysticism cunning Warriors and fiercely loyal they defend their Waters with martial skill worthy of Remembrance in the tomes of History they are the Murphy foreign [Music] lovers my name is Eric with the Librarians YouTube channel and Welcome to our study and Tides as we explore the history and characteristics of merfolk across magic the gathering's vast Multiverse merfolk are a marquee creature type for blue mana and R as a result deeply entrenched in the philosophies and characteristics Hallmark of this color they inhabit the waterways oceans islands and rivers suffused with blue Mana these environs instill in merfolk a sense of wonder of mysticism of opportunity many races of merfolk value knowledge Above All Else and pursue it for its own sake they Plumb depths and scour ruins hidden beneath the waves to uncover Arcane truths about their worlds hard-won discoveries are secretly guarded as the color of Illusion and misdirection merfolk Excel in the ways of subterfuge and Espionage employed as spies couriers brigands free booters and thieves merfolk are Adept in the acquisition of all things their thirst for knowledge breeds large contingents of wizards and many merfolk pursue the practices of magecraft this allows them to flex mental Ingenuity and put information into action but blue Mana also tends towards aloof coolness found in fact several more folk races are considered unfeeling and cold-blooded they seldom interact cordially with surface beings and staunchly defend waterways from Outsiders safeguarding the flow of Tides some races which we'll expand upon later have taken on the unity and structure offered by white Mana the reverence in connection to nature found in green or the Sinister obscurity of black physically merfolk are as variable in appearance as the planes in which they dwell some have powerful muscle tails with fins that propel them like razors through undercurrents others stand on two legs and frequent the shoreline to raid Patrol or explore some slink amongst the depths never to breach the surf While others often emerge from their underwater Realms a few key features however unify most races of merfolk across the Multiverse their bodies are slender in shades of blue to blue green offering slight camouflaging protection in their environments merfolk support gills or Mains of fins around their faces and often possess webbed hands to Surge through waterways most Almer folk despite varying durations spent on soil are amphibious capable of transitioning between firm Earth and fluid Waters it's clear which realm they prefer Sleek mesmerizing and efficient swimmers there are many unique differences between merfolk physicality culture and beliefs across the blind eternities we'll begin our study in tithes where most things do on the large story plain of dominaria but before we begin I want to give a comment courtesy shout out to another one of our amazing community members highlighting the wonderful support for the channel this comment comes from Fleet in time in regard to the plane of caldheim explained video and reads okay so far this is my favorite attempt at MTG storytelling on YouTube thus far and I'm all over this stuff right now your voice is nice stable and level I like how you keep the card display simple transitions Etc thank you for doing this well thanks so much for the kind words and appreciation so glad you enjoy the content I put a great deal of passion into it to help connect the audience to their favorite games I'm glad it turns out all right let's dive in the most prominent of dominarian merfolk rose with the underwater Empire of vodalia within the vodacy that surrounded the island continent of sarpadia in the ancient past the vodelians were just one of five great Nations on the continent whose glorious rise in precipitous fall is cataloged in the Fallen Empire set the origin myth of vodelia holds that the merfolk were created from silts and seawater by the goddess of the Pearl Moon sveilen who shaped them in her image from their loyal devotions felon bestowed upon the merfolk a safe haven in the Voda Sea from which they would build a lasting Empire the flavor text of selenite priest highlights vidalian Theology and reads early vidalians worshiped svelen goddess of the Pearl Moon later she became a more abstract figure far more than pacifist priests the vodelians vaulted to Greatness through Conquest they subjugated their Realm by The Sword and protected domains with martial skill seen in cards like vodelian Knight and vodelian soldiers whose flavor text reads vidalian rank is displayed by the colors and patterns of their skin beware their color red that is the badge of the empress's favor but this great Empire was doomed to crumble when the Silex blast brought forth climatic upheaval and Ice Age encroached plummeting water temperatures allowed the invasive race of homurids to proliferate and expand South this crustacean and aggressive species rated Vidalia and the speed at which they reproduced was no match for the merfolk soldiers the empire was brought to its knees as it buckled under constant pressure with several battles lost Empress Galena abandoned the once great Empire to its fate and along with several thousand refugees fled to safer Waters around the domains and continent of Arona here a new Vidalia Rose From the Ashes of old merfolk in this new realm are cold cunning and lethal organized into a martial Empire with strict hierarchy their power extends beyond the surf as merchant settlements and ports are extorted to pay tribute for vodelia's protection we hear of their proud martial stance in the flavor text of coral colony the sea floor is strewn with the wreckage of odalia's would-be conquerors and the nightly order of the Pearl Trident showcases their acumen vidalian also employed deep sea predators in their defense as seen in the leviathans Lynn Voda Rising deep and use magic to bolster troops next are the merfolk and citizens of the burbus empire in the watery depths surrounding the continent of otaria these merfolk are unique in the ability to transform and morph their lower bodies at will between a powerful tail and two legs they ruled an Empire esteemed for its culture and intellectual advancement but burbus and its merfolk were crippled from within by their betrayal of a schemer known as ambassador loquatis he pulled puppet strings and used deception to bring low the berbus empire in exchange for power and position within the court of the mer Empire ruled by cephalids in a stroke the merfolk were decimated their empire reduced the ruins and absorbed into the mirror Empire surviving otarian merfolk are prisoners slaves underlings and laborers to the ruling cephalit Elite not much else is known but by examining loquatis's own skill one might infer that they were gifted Mages especially in illusion and mental Magic they're technically native to the artificial plane of Wrath the root water merfolk and their home of Sky shroud were transplanted onto keld's frozen tundra during the events of phyrexian invasion they would have succumbed to an icy death were it not for the intervention of Planeswalker frailies who protected Sky shroud and root water with her magic the root water are a feral and hideous race of merfolk their figures evolved after years of living in the dim light and choking root system of Sky shroud above to resemble eels and as the flavor text of air bladder States random mutations among root water merfolk were common and disturbing root water are aggressive and Savage they attack without warning kill without pause and loot without sympathy we see their malice in cards like root water thief and matriarch these merfolk prey on the elves and other inhabitants of skyshard forest above lashing out at anything that wanders Within Reach of their swampy lair the chilling lethality of these merfolk can be heard in the flavor text of root water Commando root water merfolk are seldom seen these days but elf corpses are as numerous as ever dominaria is a massive plane with deep oceans replete with life it's uncharted abyss home to many smaller merfolk tribes than those discussed both known and unknown the idyllic and vibrant plane of lorwin is host to an extensive network of ponds and lakes interconnected by Meandering rivers that lazily cut through rolling Countryside the rivers are a symbol of Commerce and transportation navigated by many cultures to trade travel or explore lorwyn's waterways are populated by The Plains merfolk which are locally called marrows marrows are masters of coin they administer the tray that transpires along the rivers arbitrate disputes collect taxes and ensure safe but lucrative conduct we see this on display in cards like marrow Commerce and wanderwine hub Lauren's merfolk are ponderous and communal by Nature they study Arcane knowledge held within the waters and Charter communities in solidarity giving them a strong foundation in the colors of blue and white Mana marrow Society is divided into schools of like-minded merfolk that share similar thoughts ideals and passions Elder and Sage marrows profess their teachings to gathered pupils eager to learn which we can see in the illustration of some in the school while the flavor text of Stony Brook Schoolmaster grants insight into the formation of schools merrow school is rarely formed by Design they come together naturally as eager Learners surround the wisest teachers there are five marrow schools of significance each is Guided by a strong leader called a regiri the ink fathom Pride themselves in their knowledge of the depths their cunning navigation and skills and surveillance of land dwellers Silverdale School monitors the marrow Lanes ensuring peaceful Commerce goes undisrupted through river systems they use skillful magic to mitigate threats Stony Brook marrows are interested in preservation of knowledge of Plumbing hidden depths to uncover lost truths but they are by no means pacifists armed with magical Spears and gleaming bannerettes their soldiers neutralize enemies on Shore or beneath the waves the remaining schools paper fin and wearwinder are mysterious likely owing to few followers and penchant for maintaining distance from Land walkers some marrow are Adept Wizards and use their magic to bend Tides shape Rivers alter currents irrigate fields and inundate floodplains they are known as aquatex their abilities on display in aquatex will and surge spanner like an architect drafting blueprints to visualize Grand designs so too do these marrows constantly shape the marrow Lane structure as the great Aurora surges across the plain its transformative magic Alters vibrant lorwin into Grim Dark Realm of Shadow more its denizens changed into paranoid depraved versions of their former selves the marrows of lorwin undergo physical changes as they become more ill or piranha-like enlarged teeth sharpen and gills take on Sinister Visage their scales grow rough capable of cutting flesh and they assume harsh Aura is reflective of shadowmore's Gloom which we see in cards like ink fathom infiltrator and drowner initiate so too does the marrow's disposition change Shadow more merfolk or covetous opportunists they steal trick murder and raid the murky wander Brian Waters with impunity they are Terrors of the lanes encapsulated in the flavor text of aphotic wisps marrow's skulk this silty bogs around the wanderbrine their very thoughts stained with evil and the Fallen state of disrepair of once lustrous Wonder one is given to us in deep Channel mentors flavor text the rivers can no longer provide safe passage for travelers and commerce they serve only as highways for Raiders and channels for blood and woe the Cutthroat marrows of shadowmore are self-serving stained by evil reflected in their shift from white to black Mana no longer taken by the community of lorwin the schools have fallen into disuse as each treacherous marrow looks after themselves there is another race of merfolk that inhabits shadowmore the selkies selkies differ from marrow and physical features they have smooth human-like faces with haunting Pearl eyes and long hair their lower bodies are reminiscent of seals or larger Maritime animals than fish silkies are in tune with the natural world which gives them a strong connection to Green Mana they seek out the small Treasures of Hope and light so rare on a plane of shadow selkies are filled with erstwhile longing with a Wanderlust for vast Open Seas confined to the Merrell Lane's river system selke's craft striking laments and derges that highlight desires to return to a home they've never known the shrill chorus rises above the Reeds and we hear in the flavor text of wistful selki selki's call to a sea they never swam in a tongue they never spoke with a song they never learned thank you leaving Behind The Duality of Lauren and we come to the dangerous plane of Adventure zendikar impermanence and lethal transformation are Hallmarks of a plane plagued by unique storms Quakes and upheavals colloquially known as the Royal the Royal shreds through zendikar rending the landscape in a devastating dance of creation through destruction it's a harsh reality for zendikar's denizens who must remain flexible and endure ever-shifting environments the merfolk are no different like on most planes xenicar's merfolk are curious by Nature they seek knowledge and Arcane wisdom beneath the surf among benthic ruins and dark depths but in a world of action they're most interested in the application of such wisdom many are employed as scouts or guides who offer service to Intrepid bands of explorers like those found on other planes zendikari merfolk have two fully formed legs and they spend as much if not more time outside the plane's Sheltering Waters their skin and facial features are also more reflective of their land dwelling counterparts retaining only residual fins and webbings that nonetheless increase swimming agility though merfolk are spread across all of zindakar's vast continents they're most densely gathered around their Enclave Island within halamar Bay on tazim Where the umara River meets the ocean Scrolls and ancient tomes Adorn enormous libraries from which archaeologists and arcanus Define precious information on the plane's dubious past though The Enclave is their Center many merfolk consolidate in the waters beneath sajiri's frozen tundra from its chill depths they seek a lost culture of isomer folk within the underwater ruins of benthidrix we see them Illustrated in the card sajiri merfolk zendikari merfolk put their magical prowess to use against the plane's natural disasters that stem from the royal lull Mages are Adept in counter magic which they use to quell the Royals violent outbursts and calm the shuttering landscape which we see in Lowell Mage Bender while the flavor text of molten ravager states only the foolhardy would venture into the akum mountains without a lull Mage to tame the Raging rocks and living fires skills that are Paramount for survival of a Wilderness Expedition merfolk can also be seen coursing across the plane's open Skies as they ride domesticated birds or flying manta rays to survey the land as with all on zendikar the merfolk suffered greatly with the emergence of the eldrazi their homes were devastated and the population remains in a slow steady decline zendikar's merfolk are fast becoming an endangered race the Exotic alluring plane of ixalan beckons explores and conquerors alike to seek a mortal glory on a largely unexplored continent that shares its name two races inhabit the continent the sun Empire of dinosaur mounted humans Patrol the Eastern Shore and rolling floodplains the dangerous wild interior however is the merfolks domain and they guard it vigilantly exalon's merfolk are vibrant in appearance bright blues and flares of green Grant iridescent Fin and scale Jade topaz and other jeweled ornamentation adorned headdresses armor and weapons altogether this bestows awesome Majesty on the race merfolk are grossly divided into two sub-races based on the color of Mana in which they are most deeply entrenched green aligned merfolk prefer the dense jungles and firm soil of land rather than the interior's Great River system they are shaped by the green manna that suffuses this domain and wield it to devastating effect to strengthen themselves as seen in River Herald's boom whose flavor text reads we are kin to the trees and their strength is our own many Guardians of the enormous ancient deep root tree have attuned to the forest's needs Blue Line merfolk Patrol navigable estuaries and branches of the Great River they busy themselves with Waterway defenses as seen in River sneak and spell Pierce seafloor Oracle and riverwise auger show that blue merfolk aren't interested simply in ixalan's defense but also in uncovering ancient secrets but the land can't be segregated from the water the river nourishes the jungle Roots which in turn grow bows to safeguard the river so too do merfolk Embrace both aspects of Nature and many share green and blue Mana costs by necessity merfolk Society is a warrior Society but several strong Wizards known as Shapers augment defenses and direct Nature's forces to Foster growth their power to bend elements is on display in cards like run aground and slice and Twain whose text reads the magic of the river Heralds is so great that even a single Shaman can fend off a pirate Landing party while the text of Shapers of nature highlights the merfolk's meticulous reverence towards the Primal forces of the forest that surrounds them Shapers adapt nature to fit their needs and then return it to the way it was leaving no trace of their passing the merfolk nation on ixalan are named the river Heralds due to their deep connection to the Great River and its rushing branches in fact their culture is divided into tribal bands based on the branch they defend and their leader so in tune with the vital Life Source discards their own name for that of the tributary under their guidance the nine tributaries are as follows tashana kumena pashona tuvasa kapala buhana Matika falani and otana the river Heralds were long ago tasked with defense of the lost city of arasca a mysterious Metropolis filled with forbidden greatness and the powerful Immortal Sun artifact housed within to ensure no Tyrant or Petty ruler would abuse its awesome strength for devious ends the merfolk take their charge seriously and Patrol exalon's jungle interior with aggressive industry we see this in cards like Headwater sentries and sworn Guardian whose flavor text reads for the river Heralds The Immortal sun is an object of Terror and Devastation the idea that anyone would retrieve it for their own use is utterly abhorrent and again their purpose is passed down in the flavor text of gilded Sentinel the river Heralds fight to keep all others from reaching the golden city the city has its own defenses besides arasca the river Heralds bestow significance to the deep root tree an ancient remnant of a lost merfolk city its surrounding Waters nourish both mind and body the Primal Wellspring source of the Great River is also worshiped as Holy Ground and offers powerful mystical boons with the discovery of orasca and the immortal Sun the river Herald's purpose is no more and they face grave existential questions as they're led into an uncertain future the grandest merfolk empires and civilizations explored it's time to turn our attention toward planes in which this race is present but doesn't command a significant role in the history or culture beginning with the plain wide city of Ravnica the merfolk of Ravnica are an ancient race long forgotten and only recently made their presence known when large sinkholes revealed a network of subterranean oceans this tale is given to us in the flavor text of merfolk of the depths which reads when giant sinkholes opened across Ravnica they revealed buried oceans in the merfolk once thought to be extinct and coral Commando few ravnicans are aware of the vast reefs in their world's hidden ocean far beneath the great sinkholes where the light is blue and dim merfolk tend the coral labyrinths that feed the benthic ecosystem ravnick and merfolk are almost exclusively members of the simic combine with Mastery over blue and green Mana to experiment on nature Evolution and genetic cross-breeding their most famous member is the Ghana once Prime speaker and leader of the entire combine the bipedal merfolk of arcavios spent a great deal of time on land attending classes in renowned strix Haven University they have striking cranial fins which they wear in elaborate hairstyles though centered in blue Mana merfolk are drawn to both the green Manna of nature offered by mathematical quadric school and the fiery passions of red mana on display in the performances of prismari college in either case merfolk are Adept magic users and shapes spells to their whims the merfolk Empire beneath the waves of the capture Sea on the plane of chandelar is shrouded in mystery in its golden age the merfolk numbered countless but have since been hunted to near Extinction as the flavor text of Maritime guard reads chandelari merfolk are bipedal with elaborate framing fins this race scorns Outsiders and interacts little with others talran the leader of captcha's remaining merfolk has unquenchable ambition and turned his eyes Towards the Sky after securing rule of the sea his magical salvos and ability to summon Drake's allowed taloran to slay the dragon kalintri and claim Dominion of the Skies on the fairy tale plane of eldrain merfolk are called undynes physically they have long red hair and facial features similar to humans with muscled scaled legs and tail fins undynes are native to the murky Waters of Lochmere and Patrol the brackish weeds in search of treasures or lost Travelers duplicitous and deadly eldran's merfolk often lure naive Souls with riddles and secrets then mercilessly drown them which we see in illustrations of drown in the lock and merfolk's Secret Keeper whose flavor text reads merfo curiosity usually has dire consequences but rarely for the merfolk undynes pursue knowledge to the point of obsession their every thought in action at the whim of their own overwhelming curiosity the merfolk inhabitants of Theros are called tritons aptly so as many of their Warriors wield Trident Spears as seen in Cure's follower and Triton cavalry although they spend much time in their underwater cities beneath foaming surf tritons are bipedal and often raid human settlements along the ferocian temperate Coastline as seen in the Triton Shore stalker and Shore Thief tritons are devoted to FASA god of the sea ancient knowledge and ponderous divination they seek glory for their God through protection of the waterways and by Plumbing the Seas depths for Arcane wisdom as seen in master of waves and wave crasher Triton the Blue Line merfolk have Master Wizards Adept at shaping tide and surf merfolk a race is mystifying as the crashing waves and dark abyss they inhabit found in Myriad shapes and sizes they are nonetheless United across the Multiverse by a shared thirst for knowledge an Arcane Mastery of her magic and a deep reverence towards and protection of the waters they call home perfect representatives of blue Mana they are forced unto their own as Relentless and inexorable as the ebbing of the tides thanks so much for watching and listening to this study in Tides as we've explored the similarities and differences between merfolk races across the blind eternities now I want to hear from you let me know your thoughts on merfolk which plane holds your favorite as well as suggestions for future videos in the comments below and if you're a fan of Lauren's storytelling be sure to subscribe to the channel check out the podcast or the blog where content is uploaded frequently a huge shout out to all of my supporters over on patreon your patronage means the world to me and helps the channel grow and improve if you're interested in becoming a lord luminary for access to me a great Community written scripts in early video drops check out patreon.com the Librarians to learn more until next time go forth and explore the lore

Channel: The Lorebrarians

Views: 9,235

Keywords: Magic: The Gathering, Lorebrarians

Id: Rsy1HxvCM80

Length: 26min 57sec (1617 seconds)

Published: Mon Feb 06 2023