The Plane of Arcavios (Strixhaven) Explained | Plane Explained | MTG Lore

[Music] foreign hey lore lovers my name is eric with the librarians youtube channel and welcome back to the latest installment in our plain explain series today we'll be hitting the books and learning about strix haven university in the plain of arcabios setting for the upcoming stricthaven school of mages set as with other videos in the plain explain series our journey through arcavios will be split into two separate videos the first which will begin momentarily is concerned with the characteristics of the plane its nature topography denizens and important locations the second which will be released later will cover the complete history and major storylines that transpire on the plane but before we go any further if notions of lore storytelling and world building leave you spellbound or if magic the gathering is dear to your heart consider subscribing to the channel where lore videos are uploaded regularly all right time to grab our bags and school supplies as we get prepped for class we'll begin our journey of strict haven where all promising mages do in the vast lands of arcabios let's dive in the plane of arcabios is vast replete with breathtaking vistas dangerous wildlands rugged mountain passes and tranquil forests where mysterious floating stones known as star arches dot the landscape and were centuries of blood and dust have covered ruins of the ancient past archavios is a beautifully unpredictable marriage of opposing colors of mana where contrasts are blended into compliments due in large part to the nature of the plane's birth ancient tales tell of the convergence of two separate and distinct planes overlapping in a violent maelstrom that birthed archavios these stories are propagated by the enigmatic and ancient race of wandering avatars known as archaics who date back to the convergence itself called the dawning age remnants of the overlap can still be found across the landscape of arcavios these snarls are knotted tangles of two sources of raw conflicting colors of mana this phenomena is quite rare but the power of the snarls can be used to fuel magic and spells the plane of archavios itself is split into two large land masses the northern continent of arithia also known as the vast lands is connected to the southern continent of galathul by foreboding land bridge called the isthmus of omens not much is known of the southern continent but arithia has rightfully earned its moniker of vast lands dozens of ecosystems and hundreds of communities exist from the harsh and hostile torquethora desert where excavation teams uncover the past to the detention bog where demons tempt the foolhardy cards like environmental sciences and explore the vast lands give us a hint into the world surrounding stricthaven many different races exist on archaeos and their communities rely on the use of enemy colors of magic to fuel their progress each year towns and villages send promising young mages that have received letters of acceptance to train and learn in the northeastern part of the continent where the fabled university of strickshaven stands illustrious amid the backdrop all visitors to stricthaven begin their journey a hundred miles from the university proper where massive towers rise up from the landscape and burn with eternally lit flames these are the torches of enlightenment and five different lines trail from the countryside and direct individuals towards stricthaven symbolizing the journey from ignorance to illumination more specifically each procession of torches leads directly to perhaps the largest center of knowledge and spells in the entire multiverse the biblioplex the biblioplex stands at the heart of the university around which great promenades large lecture halls students quarters and practice grounds are built despite the awe and wonder that permeate across the university nothing quite captures a newcomer's attention like the biblioplex whose vaulted ceilings and magnificent arches stand large enough to have their own weather patterns and whose causeways and walking paths are split by pools and moats the size of rivers that require ferry crossing by boat this great library holds countless tomes scrolls and texts where answers are readily available for some of the most poignant questions stacks of books run all the way to the ceiling requiring constant organization by artificial golems and constructs the hall of oracles stands in the center of the biblioplex as does the strixhaven snarl a confluence of pure mana that radiates enough magical energy to power the surrounding university the mystical archive a large wing of the biblioplex contains every spell ever used in the entire multiverse and indeed the profound spellcrafting knowledge of stricthaven is illustrated in the mystical archive printing of some of the most powerful cards throughout mtg's history also hinting at the fact that many scholars of arcavios are aware of other planes across the blind eternities a raucous roar of hundreds contrasts from the silence of the biblioplex and emanates from a structure across the lawn here countless students faculty and staff huddle and packed stadium bleachers to cheer on their teams and watch the sport of mage tower unfold on the field in front of them mage tower is strix haven's premier sport where members of the different colleges express themselves and partaking competition against one another for university bragging rights two teams compete for the most points and each team is comprised of five mages that carry with them a mascot creature of their college the mascots are placed on their team's mage tower at each end of the field and the objective of the game is to steal the opposing team's mascot then bring it to their own tower whichever team scores the most points this way wins simple enough to say but difficult to accomplish especially when magical salvos and attacks are up across the pitch magic is legal in mage tower to snare or stop opponents but damaging spells are nullified by referees and wards around the field the sport of mage tower quickens the pulse and rouses excitement as the crowds roar in response to deft feats of skill despite the thrilling games of mage tower and the massive biblioplex strix haven university is first and foremost a center of learning and offers a robust program of academic learning but with such a large campus and with so many choices ahead where does a new student begin the journey of enlightenment begins when bright and promising youths apply to and receive a letter of acceptance from stricthaven these eager learners arrive at the university and begin their studies by learning the basics of magic and the fundamentals of spell crafting new students are called first-years and receive much of their general didactic learning within that year from various lecturers professors and even esteemed mage emeritus as they gain experience and understanding they naturally drift towards the color of mana and types of spells that are most in line with who they are it isn't until after completion of the first year of classes that young pupils decide on a college to attend and are elevated to the level of mage student mage students take learning one step further and delve head first into understanding the two colors of mana that their college represents along their journey each mage student receives mentorship from two advisors one for each color of mana and this mentorship is often conflicting in nature it's up to the student to decide which color or type of magic they prefer and seek specialization although many mages ultimately balance and represent both colors of their college after their studies are complete many mage students graduate to return to their villages and help their communities while others stay at the university to teach or conduct research and others yet seek the road less traveled to uncover the secrets of archavios as first years hurry across the campus of strixhaven they must ponder contemplate and ultimately answer the most difficult question presented to them which college to attend there are five colleges of stricthaven each a representation of two pairs of enemy color combinations each founded by a legendary elder dragon and each with their own strengths or weaknesses choosing a college is a daunting task one that requires thorough research into all available options we'll begin our own campus tour at the college of prismari the college of elemental arts express yourself with the elements this idea is central to the philosophy of prismari the red and blue align college of the arts named after founder dragon galazeth prismari prismari mages see magic as just one more avenue of self-expression one more media to bring forth dazzling displays and evocative works of art the prismari used the beautifully volatile colors of blue and red mana but their elemental mastery goes well beyond that of just fire and water like an artist's palette they have at their disposal the elements of earth air ice lightning and many more with which to vibrantly color their canvas the blue aspect of prismari is focused on precision and art theory here cloud conjurers mist mages sky brushers and ice sculptors express both thought and art through air water and other elements blue aligned mage students study abstract principles of beauty and contemplate the nature of art they include splendor diviners and vistamancers as well as avant guardians their talents are on display in cards like waterfall aerialist and resculpt the red aspect of prismari is focused on expression of emotional truth through over-the-top displays of fire earth and other elements geosculptors flame shouters and storm painters seek to create daring and explosively inspirational works the mage students are often hit with burning moments of inspiration that they channel into dazzling and sometimes dangerous displays as seen in a freight flame painter and ingenious inspiration dean of perfection and asari dean of expression lead prismari mages in their creative endeavors and embody the conflicting principles of the college while blue mages seek to practice and constantly hone their skills until they create the perfect work red mages prefer to burn brightly in a moment of pure creativity the mascot of prismari is the elemental creatures that are seen as a form of living art mages sculpt them from a fusion of raw elements then conjure living elemental energy to inhabit them resulting in a powerful expression of sublime emotions leave no stone unturned this motto is central to lorehold the red and white aligned college of archaeomancy founded by villemachus lorehold lorehold mages are diligent researchers and daring adventurers historical exploration fills them with burning passion as they explore the past through archaeological dig sites and the summoning of long dead spirits for some students the past is a rich tapestry worthy of disciplined study and for others it is used as fuel to quench a burning desire to plumb the ruins of the past loreholds are the most adventurous students traveling the vast lands in search of hidden knowledge from ages past and indeed even their campus is nothing more than a glorified dig site they use the written word as both sword and shield calling forth powerful bursts of magic from scrolls or whispering incantations to bring the pages to spiritual life seen in cards like lorehold apprentice and lorehold pledgemage the red aspect of lorehold embraces reckless discovery and the spirit of adventure and these mages value the essence and emotion of history over precision or procedure cliff busters and ruin shamans wield magic that helps them delve into the remains of ancient sites where dust speakers then begin conversing with the spirits of the past warlords explore the magic and military tactics that were used in the wars of the blood age the white aspect of lorehold prefers a methodical and preservative way of uncovering and recording the past they use their knowledge to help enlighten those around them truthfinders and archaeoscribes are surrounded by lengthy scrolls and tomes in which they chronicle historical truths relic readers aeon mancers and monument priests uncover ruins and divine wisdom from the past from the context of such sites while iconologists past razors and ghost advocates converse with and raise spirits to learn about their great and inspiring deeds in fact lorehold mages are responsible for the vast amount of historical knowledge that stricthaven possesses knowledge that would be lost to time without these bright and cunning students plague dean of chaos and augusted dean of order educate advise and lead their students in uncovering and recording the history of archavios the mascot of lorehold is the spirit and they are invaluable in many aspects past razors and dust speakers conjure spirits of the dead to learn from them while battle mediums use martial knowledge of spirits of the blood age to hone their military skills and fight threats to the university sharp style sharper wit the white and black aligned college of silverquill founded by shadrick silverquill is the college of eloquence at strix haven presentation is at the heart of silverquill and its mages work tirelessly to appear the most stylish intimidating and driven amongst students silver quills are masters of the written and spoken word and their magical power comes from the poetry and prose they recite or commit to paper their ability to communicate and control emotion makes them strong leaders that can't stand to be anything less than first place they use their words to create spells to enhance their allies or create scathing remarks to destroy their foes the white aspect of silverquill believes that words are meant to rouse strengthen and unite allies inkrites and glyph weavers conjure energizing verses that manifest as living ink while war singers and battle poets use vocal performances to stir the hearts around them vainglories and honor mancers wield the power of a perfectly crafted compliment to enhance attributes where scorn mages and lumum answers bring light to shameful situations and hold corrupt institutions accountable their power is on display in cards such as guiding voice in leonin lightscribe the black aspect of silverquill believes that words are the most powerful weapon against foes and should be sharpened to a razor's edge then hurled at an opponent to knock them down a peg banter mages wit singers and daunters use their incisive observations to pierce the confidence of their rivals while ink casters dusk mages and shade wings conjure inky voids of shadow magic to attack their enemies words have power and the black aspect of silver coil doesn't hold anything back in using that power to meet their ends shale dean of radiance and ambrose dean of shadow mentor their young mages closely shaping them into eloquent and insightful leaders the mascot of silver quill is the inkling the black inky void of emotion and word made sentient inklings have a fluid changeable form that alters to reflect their creator's thoughts and intentions their physical attacks can be devastating tearing at an opponent's life force and corroding their resolve get your hands dirty is the motto of witherbloom the black and green aligned college of essence studies founded by belladros witherbloom the brackish marshland and vetted swamps of the college are the perfect backdrop for its mage students to study the life cycle and create life from death witherbloom brew their powerful spells from distilling the essence of living creatures using that power to heal or harm and even to raise the dead they understand the cycle of life and death better than anyone and their mages wield spells that foster growth or accelerate decay they tend to keep to themselves for the most part and prefer the company of nature over that of civilization witherbloom students often hunt for poisonous plants dangerous herbs and toxic creatures to add to their brews the black aspect of weather bloom focuses on exploiting the living for their powerful witchcraft ritualists bleed doctors and pest catchers squeeze the essence from living creatures to fuel dark spells bane locks and cauldron weirds use concoctions of noxious and deadly ingredients to weave withering curses blood stirrers skull mancers or dread bones infuse dead tissue with magic creating powerful necromancy these mage students don't care much for the life they use they see it as a means to an end we see this in cards like necrotic fumes and unwilling ingredients the green aspect of leather bloom however focuses on nurturing life energy to blossom and grow herbalists boon witches and leaf binders revere the natural world and use medicinal concoctions to soothe wounds or foster growth earth crouchers and bayou druids connect directly with the land to power their nature magic while trudge gardeners and pest wardens summon creatures of the fins and collect the microorganisms that gather on them these mages are more concerned about preserving nature and fueling life than causing decay valentin dean of the vein and leset dean of the root teach their students the power and importance of life as well as ways to manipulate death the mascot of witherbloom is the pest a term used to describe small annoying creatures that mages require to channel their magic using their life essence they readily dissolve into magical power for wither bloom spells and most mage students have a healthy supply of them on hand to create concoctions or potions math is magic is at the center of quandricks the green and blue aligned college of numeromancy founded by tanazir quandricks quandrix mages are quite literally math magicians they study the fundamental forces of nature and realize its potential woven into patterns fractals and symmetries quadrix mages are masters at bending numbers and use their deep knowledge of mathematics to shape or reshape nature to their will they are just as comfortable in a study overflowing with theoretical briefs as they are sitting outside contemplating the patterns of nature that unfold before their eyes they dwell in the overlap between the theoretical and the natural often their spells come across in repeated elements clever symmetries and surprising geometry inspired by nature the green aspect of quandricks focuses on bringing theoretics to life creating tangible reality out of mathematical possibilities vivifiers and figurists create artificial fractals as mirror images of creatures found in reality augmenters and scale druids use powers of multiplication to enhance and enlarge while mana scholars investigate ley lines snarls and other phenomena across arcabios the blue aspect of quandricks focuses on theory and hypotheticals abstractors and proof spinners conjure magic that pushes the boundaries of both space and time spiral masters and fractologists meanwhile weave elaborate patterns and optical illusions that make the head spin metamancers and void theorists study the nature of reality itself often creating paradoxes and alternate futures quandrick's mage students are led by kian dean of substance and imbraham dean of theory the mascot of the college is the fractal artificial life forms birthed from the creation of abstract ideas and the study of infinite patterns found in nature they are highly variable in shape and size and these variables are easily manipulated to devastating effect they can be found as pets companions and allies in battle and thus we have completed our tour of strix haven university and its five colleges what lies beyond is a world of possibility and adventure waiting to be discovered but something lurks within the shadowed recesses of arcabios a threat that is festering building momentum within the university that could lead to disaster for the plane and its inhabitants whispers carried on a breeze bring the word of an organization that wants to see the end of strict haven theory thanks for watching this video on the plan of stricthaven explained leave a thumbs up if you liked the video and be sure to subscribe for more lore content keep an eye out next week for our follow-up video where we'll discuss the history of the plane the mysterious oriq and the story that unfolds on arcabios but now i want to hear from you let me know your thoughts on stricthaven and tell me which college you'd pick and why as well as suggestions for future videos in the comments below big thanks to alex walken for the intro and outro music references used can be found in the description until next time go forth and explore the [Music] lore you

Channel: The Lorebrarians

Views: 64,867

Keywords: Strixhaven, Arcavios, Lorebrarians

Id: 29C0M4RHgQE

Length: 23min 42sec (1422 seconds)

Published: Fri Apr 16 2021

Reddit Comments

[u/Iconking]

Read that as Plane of Avocados, and was overwhelmingly intrigued.

[u/IdiotsLantern]

Good old Lorebrarians 😌 they always deliver