May 299 min read

Exploring Hypothetical Factions in the Shattered Planes of Magic: the Gathering

World building is more than an act of creativity, its an exercise in escapism, for to truly understand the worlds you create you must transport yourself into them. Three months ago we did just that as you joined me in a world of my own creation, a task I undertook to understand what 5 Planes, each made up of only 4 colors, would take shape as, and the response was amazing, generating lots of discussion, and views. So I thought we should return and expand on what I had built, but this time focusing on some of the factions that populate those Planes. If you are new here and haven't seen that article I mentioned then don't worry, this article can indeed stand on its own to give you some inspiration when it comes to making your own factions for dnd or creative writing, and if you like what you see then feel free to watch the first article after this one for a greater overview of each Plane itself. So with that follow me as I open a portal into the fractured worlds made up of only four colors of mana.

Dracorium

On a Plane where there is no White mana present the formulation of true factions is far less rigid than any of the other 4, leaving the Plane littered with uncounted minor ones. As such it can be hard to pinpoint two in particular to focus on in today's study, so instead its best to understand the factions of Dracorium as a spectrum. With two extremes at either end and variations in the middle. On one side you have the factions that lean more heavily into the colors Blue and Black, while on the other you have those composed of Red and Green.

The Blue-Black leaning factions are ones who believe in Victory through augmentation and technology. While those at the Red-Green extreme believe in Victory through strength and tradition. You see, long before the Dragonkin were locked in perpetual war there was a time of relative peace, a sort of balance held by the four Dragons, but as they faded into history their children became split on how to move forward without them.

Those dragonkin of Blue-Black were eager to move past the ancient ways of the four dragons, believing that the dragons fates were sealed because they were rigid in their ways, and because they failed to adapt their demise was inevitable. These Dragonkin fear falling into the same traps laid by the old ways and so push forward full force into the future. As such they rely heavily on technology, resulting in their bodies adapting to suit such a way of life, with longer fingers, more agile hands, and smaller frames overall. While those of the Red-Green clans believe that the dragons faded because their children turned away from them, and their ways.

As such they aim to go back to those times, to build their bodies and spirits up so that one day a true dragon may be born from them. Because of this, these dragonkin are much for physically imposing, with dense scales, razor sharp claws, the ability breath fire; something that has been forgotten by those of Blue-Black and in rare cases wield wild Magic. These opposing ideologies place both side ever at odds with one another, a fight of the past versus the present, carving out perpetual resentment.

But do not be fooled, it is not just one side against the other, as even those clans who hold onto similar colors and ideologies do not find any common ground either. As the methods to reach these goals are always driven y an eccentric force among them, placing their own version of what it best for their people ahead of any other. Perhaps one day the dragons of old will return and a new era can begin, but just maybe war will continue to ravage this Plane until nothing is left.

Aracelis

On Aracelis, a Plane where everything moves slow and remains relatively unchanged for ages the factions of this world have refined themselves down to the core aspects of the colors they represent, of which I will speak of two, those of White and those of Red. Under the color White you have the Ironwood Republic, who build many homes among the wilds of this Plane. To the Ironwood, family is everything, and the depth and width of ones family tree is a matter of pride, and considering the gnomes of Aracelis live for over 200 years, these trees are often vast.

Each of these great families have songs which act as crests and are passed along to each member, one such song I have had the pleasure of hearing goes as such “Through ages past and dreams untold, our family's fire forever bold, united we rise, our spirits untamed, together in kinship, our legacy proclaimed.” When it comes to governance between the many families there is a system of counsel where a representative is sent from each family and each representative votes on the motions brought up in those meetings. This ensures that each family is heard, and none, no matter the size holds greater sway than the other.

This is how it has been for ages forgotten and how it will remain long after. Next I would speak of the Red faction the Feywild alliance. This Red aligned faction is ones who lives comparatively shorter human lives, but it suits them just fine as they often say “A short life lived well is better than a long life lived cautiously.” These lives are then marked by an abundance of festivals which mark every major and minor event, yet they are not held without thought or care, as each festival comes with it its own spirit which is a manifestation of the abundance of the emotion gathered from such events.

These festivals focus all the energy of the attendees into a single totem held at its center. These totems are then a source of Magic that radiates with the energy put into it. By harnessing these spirits and the resulting magic it has provided these people with abundance from harvests, healing and transportation, thus the Feywild alliance has been able to spread across the Plane and remain interconnected through their systems of way gates. So while there are many festivals each serve a purpose, one that enhances the society with a source of Magic that each has its own uses.

Luminesca

On the radiant Plane of Luminesca the only factions are those that serve under the four keepers. Of which I will speak of two, the keeper of knowledge and the keeper of tradition. Deep in the Quillspire is where the Blue Keeper, or Keeper of Knowledge, and his followers reside. It is here where every word that the old father has passed on to the present 4 Keepers and of those keepers who have come before, are documented in many great tomes. Each tome is held in high regard, and is used to teach the people the lessons of the Old Father. Though this is not the entire collection, as deeper still into the heart of the spire is the library of secret truths, a section that is sealed away by powerful magics.

It is here where the first Keepers laid out the truths that must remain hidden and is only accessible by other Keepers. On rare occasions this collection is added too with the deepest truths that must remain secret, those words passed on by the old father which must remain hidden. Now such discussions may mislead you into thinking the quillspire is merely a place of documentation, but this is not all that takes place here. It is also a place of science and Magic, where the minds within work to make Luminesca a better place through discovery. Truthfully the findings here have eased the burdens on the citizenry of Luminesca, things like mana lines to power cities, or simple automatons have provided respite for the people to ease the burdens of every day life.

Far from the Quillspire resides the Heritage Haven, a lush cropping of ancient buildings surrounded by the first forest. It is here where the Keeper of tradition and his followers reside. It is a place where the ceremonies of the keepers are held. Chief among them being the ceremonies that pick the next Keeper once one has died, or has been returned to the father. As such they facilitate the training of those that would wish to achieve the coveted role of keeper, and where they facilitate the voting and ascension of keepers.

When the time comes to appoint a new Keeper they are taken down the golden path to look up into the eye of the old father, a place where it is said the keepers may speak to the ancient one. As such the keeper of tradition and their followers are keen to maintain the traditions that have held this society together since time lost. For if the ceremonies or the path were to degrade in any way so to would their ties to the old father, and all of Luminesca.

Mythoria

On the perpetually grey Plane of Mythoria everyone has a job and their job consumes their entire life, for idle hands are the cradle of chaos. As such each faction are more like companies or guilds which are defined by the roles they play within Mythorian society. Of which I will discuss those of White-Blue, that of the the Auditors of Truth, and of the Black-Green faction, the Ebon-mouth. You see in a society where order must be maintained all costs, and ones own thoughts should not be trusted, if it does not align with the will of all Mythoria, it becomes increasingly important to utilize propaganda to ensure that each citizen only knows what is required of it, that there is laws that codify the purpose of a good citizen and of the hand that ensures all laws are followed to the letter.

While Mythoria is split into many smaller guilds and companies, the Auditors' only allegiance is to order, and taxes. On the other hand there is another Plane-wide faction that serves no allegiance except to those that pay their wages, and that is the Ebon-mouth who are hired out to guilds to debate on their behalf during the many guild wars or meditations. Since outright combat is banned and no true wars are ever fought, the Ebon-mouth play the part of warriors, though warriors of tongue and pen.

As such they are one of the most respected and old orders on Mythoria. Now since these debates often last generations it's important for this faction to maintain vast records, so that every case can be passed on to the next generation. As such this faction has two core parts to it, speakers and scribes. Where speakers are like lawyers who debate on belalf od a guild or company and typically skew more to Black.

While the Scribes document everything and maintain a vast stockpile of every case or detail about every guild, these scribes then tend to gravitate to Green Mana. While the Ebon-Mouth has been crucial in maintaining order through their great debates, no one can even recall what the first case was, but the scribes are confident they could find it somewhere in this pile of papers, surely.

Aethex Prime

The wastelands of Aethex Prime where only the Stone-kin remain, the color pie has solidified like the ore that dots this world. As such each faction has become entrenched in one of the four colours that make up this worlds composition. The topic of today's article will be of those in Blue mana and of those in Black. To call them factions wouldn't really make sense here, and any name I could use isn't one I could even hope to pronounce with my human tongue. Instead the Stone-kin just are what they are, and instead are more defined by where they reside and the effect it has had upon them.

As such specific cultures have formed but they did so merely out of their connection to their location. The Blue Stone-kin call the silver expanse home, the great acidic oceans. It is here where, through alchemy, they have learned to refine this vast body of water into a form of food that they can use to sustain themselves. Because of this alchemy is a large part of who they are and they have become quite adept at it. Even going as far as transmuting the ores of this Plane, including their own body.

In fact the Stone-kin of these lands are born jagged and unrefined but as they age and their skills grow their bodies become a smooth and bright blue, with the most adept among them adorned by intricate filigree. In contrast to these shining and bright Stone-kin are those that come from the great swamp they call Mother. These Stone-kin do not reproduce but instead are born from the swamp, thus the name mother. But to be born from the swamp a soul must be placed within. Cryptic I know, but the truth is that it's a matter of transfer, of placing a dead Stone-kin, who was not born of the swamp, into mothers grasp.

Because of this the Stone-kin must find new bodies to place into the swamp lest they die out. To do so there is but two options, raid graves and take back recently deceased Stone-kin, or to raid settlements and create some recently dead themselves. As such the Obsidian Stone-kin will undertake what they call soul raids every few years, all in an effort to kill and bring back several new souls for the swamp. This pleases mother, who seems to be connected to all born from her, at the center of their society.

Below are the cards designed for this article, take a look and get inspired, and with that friend, I will catch you in the multiverse, bye!