The Plane of Kamigawa Explained | Magic: The Gathering | MTG Lore

kamagawa a plane of myths and legends where mortals worship comey spirits that suffuse all things it's a realm of samurai and ninja of demons and kirin that offers perspective into both an ancient traditional past and a modern age that continually pushes the technological boundary hey lore lovers my name's eric and welcome to the librarians youtube channel where we share the lore and stories behind many fantasy settings to strengthen the connection between people and their passions today is the first of a two-part series explaining the plane of kamagawa or we'll trek the landscape and learn of the peoples and cultures that populate it the second video will follow up on the history of kamagawa and its unfolding stories but before we begin i want to give a huge thanks to all my supporters over on patreon their patronage means the world to me and helps the channel grow and improve alright time to sharpen our katana and whisper a prayer to the kami let's dive in the plane of kamagawa is one divided in both space and time it's a plane of two realms the mortal and spiritual separated by a once powerful barrier that's boundaries have begun to blur the mortal realm also known as utsushio exists on one side of the barrier and contains all things physical all things tangible the oceans and continents of kamagawa are found within as well as the mortal races that populate the plane from humans to the rap folk nezuma and soratami moon folk these mortals seek to understand the realm that exists on the other side of the barrier tantalizing but just beyond reach the spirit realm also known as kakurio is an ethereal and incomprehensible space where many kami dwell kami are spirits that are believed by mortals to create and inhabit all things of kamagawa they're viewed as gods and worshipped by the mortal realm whose denizens seek protection or curry favor with these fickle spirits kami appear in myriad shapes and sizes they represent the spirits of inanimate objects like mountains and rivers the strong emotions mortals experience like jubilance and hatred and even the plane's mana kami can pass through the barrier that separates realms but with great effort their manifested forms are quite unstable and appear in shapes that puzzle mortal minds we can see their bizarre forms in cards like fiddlehead kami and kami of ancient law the veil that separates kakurio and itsucio is highlighted in the art of cards such as ether shockwave and part the veil we hear of the barrier between realms in the flavor text of cut the earthly bond which reads the more kami that pass through the veil that separated them from our world the weaker that veil became threatening to tear into tatters at the slightest pressure the nature of kami are as disparate as their appearances at times they impart wisdom and work alongside mortals granting boons seen in enchantment creatures of neon dynasty the likes of fang of shigeki and aganjo exemplar others embody fear and loathing striking at mortals who venture into their lands not all kami are viewed as equal and the greatest of all is okagachi the great serpent okagachi is the kami of the veil between realms and the embodiment of both utsuchio and kakurio the kami's manifested form is that of a massive eight-headed dragon spirit with eyes that blaze like setting suns and moths that engulf continents seen in the art of oh kagachi vengefulkami this spirit is often viewed as the soul of kamagawa as old as the plane itself and its powers are unmatched by mortals and spirits alike beneath the kami of the vale are the myogen a cycle of five spirit gods each representing a color of the plane's mana the myogen are progenitors of all other kami that share a mana color with them and they are revered as the most powerful spirits by mortals who erect handins from which they worship the myogin of ancient kamagawa have since changed in appearance but those of the modern age share the spiritual essence of their predecessors the next great kami are the cycle of five dragon spirits that dwell within the lands of kamagawa like the myojin the dragons are manifestations of the plane and each represents a pure color of mana they're tied to their lands and each dragon guards its territory with stalwart vigilance similar to the miojin these dragon spirits have since changed in appearance they've been reborn into new forms but retain their spiritual essence and continue to share strong bond with the realms over which they steward the mortals of utsuchio interact and worship the kami that appear in their realm beyond the hondans several shinto shrines appear along roadways and wooded glades where mortals pray to and seek blessing from the kami physical objects known as goshentai act as repositories for prayers and are imbued with spirits which we can see in the cycle of neon dynasty goshen thai shrines in ancient kamagawa the relationship between realms was strained with the outbreak of the kami war 1200 years later and the realms themselves have begun to overlap with more and more kami materializing from merge gates that have been created to stabilize the transition in the kamagawa of old spirits were seen as the most divine and powerful beings from which everything came in the modern age the traditionalist view has shifted under progressive scrutiny mortals now seek out technology and artifice for boons or blessings they see the kami as a vestige of a lost age and wish to sever the bond to kukuryo completely so that they may wholly embrace the future kamagawa is a plane of two realms but it's also a plane of two times the kamagawa of the ancient past that we witnessed in our first trip to the plain in saviors of kamagawa in the kamagawa of the current day a span of 1200 years separates these two vastly different ages although much has changed in culture beliefs and centers of civilization the topography of the plane has stayed much the same the continent on kamagawa is itself comprised of five geographical regions each enriched by one of the five colors of mana which shapes its topography magic and the creatures that dwell within kamagawa's center is dominated by the massive toabara region rolling plains and sweeping vistas are hallmarks of the wadalined toabara interspersed with many settlements and roads that connect to other regions towabara was once splintered into several regions each ruled by a local warlord until takashikanda united the clans through diplomacy and conquest condo ruled from his seat of power in naganjo castle which lies at the heart of toabara the aruba surrounds aiganjo and was once fertile farmland before the kami war it was reduced to a pockmarked field of desolation under relentless assaults of angered kami which is highlighted in the art of the card charge across the arduba perhaps more so than the domineering aiganjo toabara is known for its swollen ranks of samurai that defend the castle's ramparts and provincial forts patrol the region's causeways and protect the peasants of the land humans are the most prominent species of toabara's defenders but it's also home to the kitsune kitsune are fox folk unique to kamagawa and predominantly aligned with white mana their cunning lends mastery of both sword and pen as kitsune can hold their own on the battlefield and in political court as they gather more wisdom the fox folk grow new tales to highlight their sage status which we can see in the card's eight and a half tails and light paws emperor's voice yose the morning star was the dragon spirit that defended the skies and lands of toabara in kamegawa's past a harrowing journey south of toabara leads to the mountain passes of silkenzaan the red-aligned region of kamagawa rounded fields give way to rocky crags in steep slopes or danger lurks behind every boulder and within deep caverns that danger comes primarily in the form of aki goblin tricksters that lay claim to sokkenzan the aki are fierce and extremely territorial which dissuades many from trekking to the mountains a temperament that can be heard in the flavor text of aki raider which reads aki were very territorial attacking and destroying any settlements that came too close to their mountain homes the more successful their raids the bolder they became but for some the remote sokonzan and its dangers provide a haven to evade the law or past mistakes brigands and bandits disgraced samurai and ronin blades for hire can be found scattered across the southern mountains but most threatening of all who make their home here are kamagawa's ogres seen in cards like ogre recluse and frost ogre the mountains are bitter and cruel much like those that call the jagged peaks home the tendo peaks can be found deep in the heart of sokenzon the tallest spires of the plane a vantage point from which one could see the dragon spirit ryusei soar across a blazing sky the spirit defender of sokenzon and kamagawa's past to the west of toabara lies takanuma swamp a fetid stagnant maya rich with black mana while sokenzon's peaks ward outsiders takanuma welcomes those who stray within its borders so it may feed on their very souls swampland is filled with vile spirits and kami that animate rotting branches or thick muck to consume those that travel too close which we can see in cards like pole under and sink into takanuma the greatest atrocities of the kami war played out in the swampland most notably the field of shizu a fate that can be read in the flavor text of shizuo death's storehouse centuries ago shizuo was a verdant field of wildflowers after 891 samurai died in a single battle on its grasses it became a haunted moor takanuma is home to nezumi the black-aligned rat folk of kamagawa nezume organized themselves within familial clans and warrior gangs that lead raiding parties on outlying human settlements many rat folk are trained in the shinobi arts infiltrating and assassinating for coin driven by greed and ambition a nezuma can rarely be trusted but a more sinister threat lurks beneath takanuma's muck demon spirits known as oni are drawn to the swamp's black mana after they are summoned to the mortal realm by ogres and other beings the oni twists souls possess the living and manipulate others in their pursuit of destruction which we can see unfold in cards like only possession and midnight covenant the dragon spirit kokusho laid claim to the vast swampland if one survives the horrors of takanuma their journey northward takes them along kamagawa's great yumagawa river which opens up to the brilliant cascading kamitaki waterfall at the very edge of the known realm perched atop the rushing waters is a school unrivaled in its intellectual pursuits and commitment to knowledge the manamo academy manamo and its surroundings are heavily influenced by the blue mana that suffuses the land it's a place of learning where mages and scholars seek to understand the truths of the kami their magic and the greater plane though manamo is administered by humans it's advised by the suratami moon folk another race native to kamagawa we see this in the card council of the soratami the blue-aligned moon folk reside high above manamo in the floating city of odawara a mysterious domain where the swordtami tend their schemes in secrets swore tommy are enigmatic and aloof they remain unconcerned with the happenings of the surface world and possess deep wisdom and magic swartami indifference can be heard in the flavor text of oboro breezecaller when eight and a half tails states i feel their unnatural influence in the weary weeping land do they care nothing for the creatures who walk below their clouds they believe themselves to be the descendants of the myogen and have an innate ability to fly both the moon folk and the scholars of vanamo seek further knowledge to increase their mystical prowess the academy and kamataki falls are guarded by the dragon spirit kega the tidestar whose silhouette can be seen above the foaming surf the fifth region is the wild and untamed jukai forest which lies east of toabara the jukai is rich with green mana that fosters abundant growth and the expansive forest is as large as kamagawa's four other regions combined the dense thicket is home to the largest kami population on the plain nature spirits drawn to the beautiful harmony that can only be found in the remote wilderness five exceptionally powerful kami known as kodama stand vigil over jukai each guarding a region in relation to a cardinal direction the extent of their influence can be seen in cards kodama's reach and kodama's might boseju the oldest and largest tree on the plane can be found deep in the eastern region of jukkai aside from the kami four armed snake folk known as orochi inhabit the forest the orochi revere kami of the natural world and staunchly defend their forest home they are divided into three distinct tribes the kashi warriors the matsu scouts and the sakura shamans small communities of human monks have settled alongside the orochi these sages and ascetics eschew the trappings of civilization in pursuit of spiritual freedom we see them appear in cards like zhukai messenger and glimpse of nature the green aligned dragon spirit dugon courses high above the canopy of zhukai warding it from any outside threats fast forward more than a millennia and much has changed on the plane of kamagawa no longer a world of ancient customs and feudal traditions kamagawa has transformed into a plane at the very frontier of technological advancement neon signs and holographics have subsumed parchment scrolls biotech enhancements and mechanized warriors have replaced the warriors of old and steel buildings shoot ever skyward over dazzling metropolises technology is at odds with tradition in the modern age of neon dynasty the barrier between mortal and spirit realms has nearly shattered as the two realms begin to coalesce into one all around merge gates are erected to stabilize regions and ease the passing as more kami flow into the physical realm againjo castle remains the impregnable heart of the toabara region but the empire has replaced the feudal structure of daimyos and ruling warlords though the new city of tawashi is largest aganjo remains the traditional seat of imperial power from which kyodai the scion of okagachi and soul of kamagawa rules in tandem with the emperor a mortal of the kami's own choosing that is bestowed with kyota's blessing and acts as a vessel for the kami imperials defend traditions of old and seek to regulate technology for the masses preventing dangerous breakthroughs from falling into the wrong hands the plains of towabara grant the imperial strength through unity and many of their warriors are white aligned the essence of yose has been made into aeo the don sky who still flies above the cities of toabara to the south the rugged mountains of silkenzaan have crumbled under the weight of steady progress with the founding of silkenzanchi this metropolitan area shares much of the mountain's characteristics it's hearty and self-reliant filled with the most inspired metallurgists and smiths of kamagawa artisans and tinkerers toil in the hot fires of their forges to perfect the latest piece of equipment or fashion dangerous vehicles fiercely independent sokonzanchi resists the yoke of imperial rule and the mountains act as the base of operations for the asari uprisers a movement of samurai warriors and others who become disillusioned with the empire and seek to abolish it all together at sushi the blazing sky soars above tendo a reincarnation of the dragon spirit ryusei the reclusive and secretive swortami of otawara have since opened their doors to all who seek further enlightenment the cloud city has grown substantially and its sleek elegance brilliantly reflects the kamagawan sun many moon folk advise and lead branches of the saiba futurists a technocratic and secretive organization that presses the envelope of technological advancement and believes imperial regulation of artifice only hampers growth they wish to arm all citizens with a blessing of progress the blue aligned futurists use subterfuge and espionage to thwart their foes and protect their own secrets as seen in the cards access denied and futurist operative the enigmatic kyrie the swirling sky can be seen amongst the clouds of odawara kaga reborn unlike the other regions time hasn't changed the fetid swampland of takanuma to the west it remains a dark lawless and hopeless stain on kamagawa where grim spirits haunt the moors the likes of kami of terrible secrets and kami of restless shadows small nesemy settlements dot the marshes but many rat folk and other creatures have left takanuma for the seductive undercity of tawashi where deals and death can be found in abundance even junji the reincarnation of the dragon spirit kokusho has distanced itself from the swampland in favor of tawashi's undercity canals all that remain in takanuma are the most vile of kami and oni demons those most twisted by hatred and grief jukkai forest stands resolute to the east and battled for centuries with the steady encroachment that technology represents the largest attack on the forest came when the city of tewashi was founded and it quickly became the center of commerce culture and advancement the population boomed over the centuries and tawashi is now the largest urban center on kamagawa the maze of streets and canals at the base of tawashi's undercity create the perfect environment for illicit deals and dubious tasks here in the hazy alleyways the reckoners a loosely affiliated organization of various criminal gangs carry out contract killings and trade and information to support its inhabitants the mega city ate away at the jukkai forest and each tree felled only angered the kami spirits residing within they lashed out at tawashi and the mechanized weapons it produced to thwart progress but the city has reached so far as to envelop a seiju now skyscrapers rather than cedars surround the most venerated tree the order of jukai was founded by monks of the forest to protect tradition and honor nature these shamans abhor artifice seeing it as a dangerous affront to the earth though the orochi have remained in jukai their appearance has changed over the centuries many trials befell the snake folk and they were driven from their homeland in order to return they had to sacrifice some of their spare limbs and assume a more bestial appearance the orochi of today are more snake-like in form which we can see in the art of cards like fang of shigeki and weaver of harmony their sacrifice has once more earned them the kami's favor and they are the forest's fiercest guardians kura the essence of jugaad remains in jukai forest to assist the order and protect it from tawashi's relentless consumption the plane of kamagawa is rich with wonder and mysticism it's a world where progress is at odds with tradition where nature is at odds with artifice where physical is at odds with spiritual but for every point of discord there's one of harmony where two worlds seek to set aside their differences and create something more and it takes kamagawa to the very edge of modernization thanks so much for watching and listening to this video on the plane of kamagawa explained stay tuned for the next video in which we'll discuss the complete history and stories that unfold on kamagawa but now i want to hear from you let me know your thoughts on the plan of kami which creature type is your favorite which location captures your imagination as well as suggestions for future videos in the comments and if you're a fan of lauren storytelling consider subscribing to the channel or checking out the podcast where content is uploaded frequently again a huge shout out to all of my patreon supporters who make this all possible i couldn't do it without their spectacular patronage if you're interested in becoming a lore luminary for access to me a great community and early video drops check out the link below or head to patreon.com to learn more special thanks to script editor kenonorhon until next time go forth and explore the lore you

Channel: The Lorebrarians

Views: 16,357

Keywords: Kamigawa, Lorebrarians

Id: 2jN81SzEzbU

Length: 20min 41sec (1241 seconds)

Published: Thu Mar 10 2022