Tarkir's Change

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

Today's article is short 'n sweet with load of Magic: the Gathering eye candy.  Specifically, a very lovely bunch of 'merged' images created by Andrew Weisel who runs the Tumblr blog 'Sarpadian Empires Vol. VIII', which, if you have not yet dropped by, we encourage you to.

Anywhoos, the theme here really is the Whovian timey-wimey thingy on the Plane of Tarkir which was initiated by Sarkhan resulting in a number of changes which had cascaded through time.  In game play, there is a truck load of cards bearing this out.  Enough of us yattering, here's the kewl before 'n' after from Andrew -

Former Khans: Four rare legendary creatures and one mythic planeswalker that detail the fates of the Khans from Khans of Tarkir in the new timeline. — Anafenza, Kin-Tree Spirit, Narset Transcendent, Sidisi, Undead Vizier, Zurgo Bellstriker, Surrak, the Hunt Caller 

Dragonlords: five mythic legendary allied-colored elder dragons that are the aged-up versions of their Fate Reforged counterpart. — Dragonlord Ojutai, Dragonlord Silumgar, Dragonlord Kolaghan, Dragonlord Atarka, and Dragonlord Dromoka 

Zurgo really got the cr@ppy end of the stick here we think.  We are rather happy to have all the previous set's Fate Reforged dragons but are unable to collect the five new dragonlords from Dragons of Tarkir until the singles pricing becomes a titch more reasonable (if ever)  :(
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Theros No. 2 Out Today

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

All across North America and many other places worldwide, new releases are hitting comic book store shelves.  Here at MTG Realm, we've been looking forward to each and every release in the Magic: the Gathering series from IDW Publishing.  For those Magic: the Gathering players who want to get in on the Theros flavour / storyline, we definitely will suggest picking up each MTG IDW publication.  Anywhoos, The latest in the Theros series is now out so let's have a look.

Magic: The Gathering – Theros #2 (of 5)
Jason Ciaramella (w) • Martin Coccolo (a) • Dan Scott (c)
Dack Fayden follows the trail of his most recent stolen artifact to THEROS, where he makes his way to a sinister island that holds the secrets of his newest acquisition. But such powerful artifacts are rarely left unguarded…
FC • 32 pages • $4.99
In Shops: 11/13/2013
Regular cover art by Dan Scott
Alternate art cover by Martin Coccolo

The promo card with this comic is an alternate art Dragon's Maze Rare, Gaze of Granite.  With original art from Nils Hamm, the alternate art from Dan Scott features comic's main character in a sticky situation with a Gorgon on Theros.  This Golgari sorcery, costing two black, a green and 'X' allows the player to destroy each nonland permanent with converted mana cost X or less - a solid board wipe option in standard constructed right now.  You may even want to pick this (regular) single up from MTG Mint Card now for your local Friday Night Magic event.  For some gamers, it might not be as good as Pernicious Deed (from Apacalypse) but in today's standard, this is a great way to toast all those Master of Waves and Elspeth generated token creatures on the battlefield.

The Multiverse—a boundless expanse of worlds, each different from the last. These worlds, called planes, differ as widely as the imagination. All planes are connected by the substance of the Multiverse itself: the Æther, called the Blind Eternities by Planeswalkers—the only beings who ever see it. With their ability to cross the Blind Eternities from one plane onto another, laneswalkers are some of the only beings with the ability to explore the vastness of the Multiverse and the wonders that it holds.

Upon stealing one half of a mysterious artifact in the plane of Ravnica, Dack is led to Theros, where the other half resides. While attempting to find a boat so he can travel to the other half's location, Dack bumps into a mean looking captain and finds himself surrounded by his crew . . . 

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The Secretist Part 2

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

This is post number two of two (first one here) of our exploration of Doug Beyer's book series 'The Secretist' which provides Wizard of the Coast's literary back-drop to Magic: the Gathering's Return to Ravnica set.  Previously, WotC had published paperbacks to accompany select sets but have moved this to eBooks in keeping with the times.  The first book, 'Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One' sets the stage for a re-introduction of the plane of Ravnica and provides some components which resulted in printed cards found in the first set of the Return to Ravnica block. In this post we'll loook at 'Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two'.  Buy your eBooks online - these are significantly less expensive than previous paper copies, and you don't even require a eReader as you can read within a browser.  If you are like us here at MTG Realm, you will likely not only want to bathe in the flavour of the story line but have the actual game card as well.  Drop by MTG Mint Card to pick up Magic: the Gathering Singles from this set and others.
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Summary:
 
When we last left our telepathic protagonist Jace, he had discovered a code inscribed in ancient stone in Ravnica's historic Tenth District. It points at something called the Implicit Maze, and as Jace delves deeper, he finds that this mystery connects to the mysterious project of the brilliant dragon Niv-Mizzet and the Izzet guild the dragon commands.

This information is so dangerous, so likely to warp the equilibrium of the ten guilds in this post-Guildpact world, that Jace has taken extreme steps to extricate himself from the whole matter.
~

Here are some notes from 'Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two'.  Read the eBook, and drop us a line in the comment thingy to discuss.

Chapter 1 - A Wanted MindJace and Emmara are confronted of Mirko Vosk who discovers that Jace had purged his mind of his research. Niv-Mizzet has Ral Zareck switch gears on the Maze project.  The demon Rakdos has the blood-wtich Exava initiate a riot. 
Chapter 2 - Unfamiliar Depths
Isperia, the Sphinx guild leader of the Azorius reassigns Officer Lavinia to a desk job.  The vampire Mirko Vosk is punished by the Dimir guild leader Lazav. 
Chapter 3 - Stirring Up the Past
Jace and Emmara meet Trostani, Jace makes no friends, especially with the Selesnya Elf Captain Calomir.  Ral Zarek and Skreeg piece together Jace's investigation at his destroyed study.  

Chapter 4 - Aid from an EnemyThe Rakdos, lead by Exava riot while Jace meets with Lavinia at New Prahv.  Ral's search dead-ends at the Forum of Azor, seeds of suspicion are sewn within Emarra and Jace needs help from the two headed Ogre Ruric Thar.

Chapter 5 - Changes of Heart
Selesnya prepares to march against the Rakdos, while Niv-Mizzet and Ral begin to understand the Implicit Maze. 

Chapter 6 - Armies in the Streets
Rakdos, Gruul, Selesnya and Boros clash in the streets.

Chapter 7 - Rough CrowdsJace is captured by Exava and then in turn by Captain Calomir while Niv-Mizzet makes an important announcement.

Chapter 8 - Unmasking
Lazav reveals himself to Jace and promptly imprisons him.

 - cliffhanger -
~ 

The Secretist Part 1

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

This is post number one of two (second one here) of our exploration of Doug Beyer's book series 'The Secretist' which provides Wizard of the Coast's literary back-drop to Magic: the Gathering's Return to Ravnica set.  Previously, WotC had published paperbacks to accompany select sets but have moved this to eBooks in keeping with the times.  The first book, 'Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One' sets the stage for a re-introduction of the plane of Ravnica and provides some components which resulted in printed cards found in the first set of the Return to Ravnica block.  Buy your eBooks online - these are significantly less expensive than previous paper copies, and you don't even require a eReader as you can read within a browser.  If you are like us here at MTG Realm, you will likely not only want to bathe in the flavour of the story line but have the actual game card as well.  Drop by MTG Mint Card to pick up Magic: the Gathering Singles from this set and others.
~

Summary:Jace Beleren has the power to travel between planes of the Multiverse, but with this gift comes isolation. He is one in a million. He is a planeswalker. And he is on the edge of a mystery that could alter the face of his adopted home—a vast, world-wide city known as Ravnica—forever.

Faced with a magical code that is built into the very foundations of the city-world itself, Jace marches into the numinous depths of Ravnica’s underbelly in search of the promise of powerful magic. What he finds is perhaps more burden than boon.  Once buried in past, the code resurfaces as Ravnica’s power-hungry mage guilds, unbound by the Guildpact that had once maintained order, struggle for control of the plane. But in the drive for primacy, there is no neutral ground.

Jace knows that he can’t crack the code on his own, not while the guilds task teams of mages to unravel the mysteries, but he also knows that the danger of the quest is too great to include his friends. As the mystery begins to unravel, the choice may not be his alone.
~

Here are some notes from 'Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One'.  Read the eBook, and drop us a line in the comment thingy to discuss.

Chapter 1 - Knocking on DoorsOur main character, the Planeswalker Jace Beleren is working within the Tenth District of Ravnica with the Vedalken Kavin.  Toegether they are attempting to understand ancient runes and patterns found on stone work around the district - something that the Izzet Guild appears to be interested as well.  This is confirmed when another young Planeswalker Ral Zarek, aligned with Izzet is introduced, along with his fav Izzet Goblin mage side-kick 'Skreeg'.  There's a dust-up with the Golgari in the ancient tunnels as Ral is attempting to locate powerful leylines of old mana energry.  Emmara, an Elf Healer re-connects with Jace and tries to persuade him to join the Selesnya Conclave but can't convince him.  Mirko Vosk, presumably a Dimir Spy overhears all and reports back to his boss.

Chapter 2 - Inside the FiremindJace and Kavin make significant progress in their investigation.  Niv-Mizzet and Trostani is introduced while the Dimir continue to plot.

Chapter 3 - Mind Sculpting
Jace feels that his new knowledge now places him in danger and wants to destroy his and his assistant's memories of their research.

Chapter 4 - The Reach of the Law
The Rakdos, Azorius and a Gruul Ogre all make plays to secure Jace or rather what he may know.
Chapter 5 - The Rough Crowd
Jace attempts to rescue the kidnapped Emmara from the Rakdos. Exava, a Blood-Witch battles Jace.

Chapter 6 - The Path Below
Possibly our favourite character in the book, a witty / sarcastic Viashino is provided a page or two here.  Jace searches the depths for Emmara, while Ral makes no friends with the Azorious in his search for the leyline / mana-braid.  Cliffhanger end as the vampire Mirko faces off against Jace and Emmara.
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Stay tuned for part two when we dig into the newest MTG novel, 'Gatecrash: The Secretist, Part Two'.
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PW Guide to Gatecrash

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

Over on the mothersite today, Magic: the Gathering fans were treated to another installment of the Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash.  The brilliant minds on the Wizards of the Coast's Creative Team are adept are world-building and weaving intricate story lines.  Today's article 'Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash: Part 2' provides updates to the stories of Orzhov, Simic and Gruul guilds from Ravnica and adds a wonderful layer of flavour to the game.  Look for some new, not seen before art previews which will likely see card print in the upcoming Gatecrash set in this, the Return to Ravnica block. 

Check out previous installements by the Creative crew here:
• Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash: Part 2 
• Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash: Part 1
• Planeswalker's Guide to Return to Ravnica: Part 3
• Planeswalker's Guide to Return to Ravnica: Part 2
• Planeswalker's Guide to Return to Ravnica: Part 1 
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 Arts by Ryan Barger / Jason Chan

The Orzhov guild was founded on the belief that wealth is power, that structure breeds wealth, and that guilt creates structure. The guild is run like a combination religion, credit-lending agency, and crime syndicate, with an ostentatious hierarchy of priests, enforcers, and ghostly councilors ruling over a congregation of guiltbound servants, indebted ghosts, and thrulls. Many Orzhov guild members truly believe that their rule is necessary for making Ravnica the best it can be, and they are unscrupulous in their methods of making sure they seize power. Most Ravnicans see the Orzhov for the corrupt organization they are, but many are lured in by their promises of wealth, prestige, and longevity.
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 Arts by Maciej Kuciara / Willian Murrai

The Simic Combine is Ravnica's steward of nature and the wild; its mission is to preserve the natural world even as Ravnica's cities continue to grow. The guild seeks to protect the elements of the plane that are incompatible or mutually exclusive with its overpopulated, urban conditions. This is not easy, of course, because the forces of civilization are so prevalent on Ravnica that they threaten to subsume anything that runs counter to them. But the Simic practice a strange combination of detachment and holism that provide a kind of separation from the larger urban systems—a separation on which their conservation mission depends.
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 Arts by Kev Walker / Raymond Swanland

The Gruul are a loose affiliation of savage clans that squat in Ravnica's alleyways, abandoned zones, and ruins. Many of the Gruul clans have come to occupy the Rubblebelt, a broken thread of war-ruined land and settlements that begins near the outskirts of Ravnica's Tenth District. Warfare among the Gruul is constant and almost ritualistic; the Gruul believe that only the strong should survive and rule. The Gruul are the most disenfranchised and hold the most anti-civilization views of all of Ravnica's guilds, and as such are the most ill at ease in a world covered by city.
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Planeswalker Guide to Gatecrash

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

We here at MTG Realm are big fans of the flvour.  We're not talking about BBQ ribs, we're talking about Magic: the Gathering.  Whether its card names, flavour text, or those brief stories in the player's guide which comes with each set's Fat Pack, we are insatiable.  These words are the product of the Creative Team at Wizards of the Coast and that's not all they do.  They occasionally write Magic Novel, like the recently released Return to Ravnica novella 'The Secretist', as well as providing descriptions to card artists to assist in their illustrations.

Anywhoos - Check out the mothersite today which now has up the Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash, part 1.  In today's article, the Creative Team deliver's the flavour on two of the guild's in this set - Boros Legion and House Dimir.

Here's a hany reference to previous Planeswalker Guides:
Return to Ravnica : Azorius, Izzet, Rakdos, Golgari, and Selesnya.
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Boros Overview

The Boros Legion is the guild of righteous law and fierce justice. The most formidable military force on Ravnica, the Boros are efficient, self-assured, and passionate in the pursuit of their ideals. Sunhome, the Boros guildhall, serves as both barracks and focal point of worship. The floating citadel known as Parhelion II, restored from the remains of the destroyed Parhelion I, occupies an awe-inspiring place in Ravnica's sky.

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Dimir Overview

In the dark, slick corridors of the undercity lurks the unfathomable network of the Dimir guild. House Dimir is Ravnica's dark but open secret: the people know Dimir exists but they pretend it doesn't. The Dimir's role in Ravnica is to provide covert services that other guilds can't or won't, using secrecy as both weapon and defense. Dimir is hidden even from itself, using pockets of covert agents who are aware of only a few other contacts. Dimir agents leave no trace, destroying memories of witnesses to their crimes, and even going so far as to eliminate their own memories of assignments.

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Another piece of good news today from our friends over at MTG Mint Card - they have been able to score additional Return to Ravnica product and now have restocked.  You can new get your fav Mythic rare and slip that under the tree in time for Christmas.
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RtR Guide 1

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

Some more Return to Ravnica news today, loaded with Magic: The Gathering storyline flavour.  When you have a chance, swing on over to the Mothersite and check out today's feature article 'Planeswalker's Guide to Return to Ravnica: Part 1' by The Magic Creative Team.  The first set in the Return to Ravnica block (due to hit the shelves of your local games store on 5th October) will feature five guilds — the Azorius Senate, Golgari Swarm, Izzet League, Cult of Rakdos, and Selesnya Conclave with the other five guilds are to appear in the following expansion, Gatecrash.  Today's Planeswalker's Guide installment covers Selesnya only and we should expect four additional installments by the Magic Creative Team latter.

Anywhoos -
Let's have a look at some of the new previewed arts from today's article.  Ladies and Gentlemen - start your speculation engines . . . 
Art by Volkan Baga - Possible Selesnya Sanctuary or Temple Garden reprint ?  We imagine this art features the world-tree 'Vitu-Ghazi' from the storyline in what appears to be the Selesnya guildhall.  In terms of MTG gameplay, certainly a non-basic land if it gets printed.
Art by Volkan Baga - Wurm somewhat reminescent of Siege Wurm.  The Selesnya keyword is 'Populate' (To populate, put a token onto the battlefield that's a copy of a creature token you control), but we are uncertain wether this wurm will get one.  The original Ravnica: City of Guilds set had three wurms, for which two had the 'Convoke' tech.

Art by Chase Stone - An Elemental by the look of it. Within the Mothersite article, some elementals may have chunks and pieces of masonry incorporated into its body for use as armor or weapons. 
Art by Ryan Barger - Loxodon with an pirate eye patch.  Not one of those albino loxodon warrior-priests who protect the Ivory Oaks in the storyline.  We think this art closely resembles Loxodon Hierach holding a Behemoth Sledge (?).

Art by Nils Hamm - Centaur Party! - a bit reminescent of Centaur Safeguard.  Perhaps not quite as wild as those Centaurs living in the Forbidden Forest adjecent to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as these are to be more orderly Selesnya members.

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Lastly - Check out the Return to Ravnica Early Bird Discount from MTG Mint Card, price reduced to as low as $34.99 for the Uncommon & Common card set. This offer will end on 31th August and will ship on 5th October.

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MTG Flavour

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

This is a second post for today, check out the previous post on Duels of the Planeswalker 2013 deckllists here.  Speaking of Planeswalkers, its about time for some more Magic the Gathering flavour which makes this awesome game rather appealing to us.  Here are character bios from our fav 'core' PW's from DotP 2013 :

Ajani Goldmane (Pride's Claw, Vengeant One)
Leonin Male, Apparent Age 30
Height/Weight: 6'6", 250lbs
Style of Magic: White-mana based aura magic
Favored creatures: Other leonin, champions of light
Favored spells: Enhancements and rituals that strengthen others, not himself
Distinguishing features: Blind in left eye. Carries double-bladed axe, one blade which belonged to his brother Jazel, murdered by an agent of Nicol Bolas.
Overview: The leonin Ajani Goldmane wields magic that conjures the soul's light in others - but not his own. He is a master auramancer, enhancing the life-force of allies as he defends them with absolute loyalty. Ajani is the only planeswalker to have faced Nicol Bolas in single combat and lived.
Quote: "One's blade is only as sharp as one's conviction"
Allies: None
Enemies: Nicol Bolas. When Ajani's brother Jazel was murdered, Ajani followed a path back to the dragon mastermind Nicol Bolas. The two faced off at the Maelstrom on Alara, where Ajani conjured Nicol Bolas's double, driving the dragon to a stalemate.
Associations: Sarkhan Vol. On discovery of Jazel's lifeless body, Ajani's Planeswalker spark ignited, sending him to nearby Jund. There he met dragon-worshiping Planeswalker Sarkhan Vol, who encouraged him to channel his rage to planeswalk home.
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Jace Beleren (Illusionist, Memory Adept, Mind Sculptor)
Human Male, Age 23
Height/Weight: 5'10", 160lbs
Style of Magic: Blue-mana based mind magic
Favored creatures: Wizards, Illusions and Mimics
Favored spells: Intellect enhancement, memory manipulation and countermagic
Distinguishing features: Favors a hooded cloak. Often seen with white markings on his chin and right cheek.
Overview: Jace is a prodigy of mind magic, far too smart for his own good and able to peer into the minds of others. But when you can change others' minds as well as your own, how do you know what's real?
Quote: "It's good to learn from your failures, but I prefer to learn form the failures of others."
Allies: None
Enemies: Chandra Nalaar, Tezzeret. While working for the artificer Tezzeret's cabal, Jace pursued Chandra to retrieve a stolen scroll and the two became rivals. Later Jace faced and defeated Tezzeret, then assumed control of the cabal's resources on Ravnica.
Associations: Liliana Vess, Garruk Wildspeaker. Jave and Lilian were formerly lovers. When Garruk began to hunt Liliana, intending to force her to remove the curse she put on him, he sought out Jace, knowing of their association. 
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Liliana Vess (Shadow Caller, She of the Veil)
Human Female, Apparent Age 26, Real Age over 200
Height/Weight: 5'9", 140lbs
Style of Magic: Black-mana based necromancy
Favored creatures: Ghouls, Demons, Imps
Favored spells: Reanimation of the dead and spells that steal life-force.
Distinguishing features: Lines etched into her skin glow violet when she channels mana. Often wears a metal headdress.
Overview: Ravishing, capricious and utterly selfish, Lilian Vess is a formidable necromancer. When her power began to wane, she made a deal with four demons to secure her youth and dark might. Unwilling to serve them, she now seeks a way out of her infernal bargain.
Quote: "Death is no excuse for disobedience."
Allies: None
Enemies: Garruk Wildspeaker. While retrieving a relic for one of her demon masters, Liliana crossed and fought Garruk and used the relic - the Chain Veil - to defeat him. Liliana now seeks to use the Veil to destroy the demons to whom she is indebted.
Associations: Jace Beleren and Nicol Bolas. While working for a cabal on Ravnica, Lilana made a deal with the dragon Nicol Bolas and was involved with Jace Beleren, but in the end abandoned both for her own interests. 
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Chandra Nalaar (The Firebrand, Ablaze)
Human Female, Age 20
Height/Weight: 5'6", 130lbs
Style of Magic: Pyromancy
Favored creatures: Creatures born or made of flame
Favored spells: Conjurations of heat and flame
Distinguishing features: Wears goggles that enable her to see through her own flames. Often wears a mana-enhancing gauntlet on her right arm.
Overview: Chandra is a pyromantic prodigy - a natural talent with fire magic - who despises authority. Her flames run so hot that they threaten to consume her. She seeks a way of controlling her own fire in a way that doesn't dampen her fierce individualism.
Quote: "Who'd want to ignite things one at a time?"
Allies: Gideon Jura. When Chandra's adoptive home plane was threatened, hieromancer Gideon became Chandra's reluctant ally, guiding her through trials that led to the liberation of her people.
Enemies: Jace Beleren, Sarkhan Vol. Jace was sent to retrieve a sacred scroll Chandra had stolen. The scroll contained a map that led them both to Zendikar. When they arrived, the dragon-worshiping Planeswalker Sarkhan Vol, an agent of Nicol Bolas was waiting. Only by combining their efforts could they overcome Sarkhan. 
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Garruk Wildspeaker (Primal Hunter, Relentless, Veil-Cursed)
Human Male, Age 36
Height/Weight: 8'2", 480lbs
Style of Magic: Green-mana based animal magic, especially summoning
Favored creatures: Apex forest predators such as baloths
Favored spells: Invocations that magnify might, size and ferocity
Distinguishing features: Wears a helmet that used to belong to this father's killer. Wields a weapon made from the claw of an ursoth, a Shandalar beast.
Overview: Garruk is a hunter and summoner who believes the way to revere nature is to live like a predator. He has a dark side though - one that fears what happens to a predator when it begins to enjoy the kill.
Quote: "They call me a monster. They're wrong. I am a thousand of them."
Allies: None
Enemies: Liliana Vess. While hunting on Shandalar, Garruk fought necromancer Liliana Vess. She used a relic called the Chain Veil to defeat him. Garruk's magic is now corrupted by the Veil's curse. Now he hunts her, determined to make her lift it.
Associations: Jace Belern. Garruk knew Jace was associated with Liliana and demanded that he reveal her location. Because Garruk wouldn't take "I don't know" for an answer, Jace named a random plane, prolonging Garruk's search.
~
Finally,
The folks over at MTG Mint Card has provided this list of the 'Top Ten Selling Singles In June 2012'.  This list was developed from the top ten selling single cards from their website for the first two weeks in June.  Is this where your meta-game is at ?

1. Restoration Angel
2. Wolfir Silverheart
3. Snapcaster Mage
4. Terminus
5. Garruk Relentless / Garruk, the Veil-Cursed
6. Army of the Damned
7. Shardless Agent
8. Lingering Souls
9. Cavern of Souls
10. Zealous Conscripts
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Alara Planeswalker's Guide

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A Planeswalker's Guide to Alara:
A Magic: The Gathering Field Guide
by Doug Beyer and Jenna Helland.

Although this title will be released on September 2, 2008, the most excellent BlueNu was able to obtain an early copy, crash read and provide the following summary for us . . . Thanks BlueNu!

I strongly recommend purchasing this if you have not already pre-ordered it.

~

Bant
Races: Rhoxes, Avens, Humans, Leotau (semi-intellegent feline mounts), Angels.
Avens, Humans, and Rhoxes exist peacefully with each other, but share a common caste system similar to the Lorwyn Elves. Those of the Blessed caste are nobles who are allowed to interact with Angels. The Sighted are clerics and monks that take orders from the Blessed, but do not look to Angels for guidance. Sigiled are basically the Knight class, a lower class member who has performed a great deed may be given a "sigil" to increase their power and caste rank. The Mortar class fills the commoner role, but does give the ability to increase to Sigiled or decrease to Unbeholden. Unbeholden are thiefs and outlaws who for whatever reason exist outside of the rule of the Blessed.

Angels are given the duty to protect the ideals and well being of the other Bant inhabitants but are not permitted to interfere with the politics of other mortals. Angels are born when human heros die. The spirit is joined with what is called "meta-sigils" which is described as physical manifestations of the land and sky.
In each Shard, there is detailed two specific characters, more than likely legends within the set. For Bant, they are:
Lisha of the Azure - Princess turned Robin Hood-esque pirate.
Rafiq of the Many - Highest ranked Sigiled Paladin, so named for his many Sigils.
The book goes into great detail with the different nations of Bant and the political problems and struggles as well as the different knight and monk rankings and the inner orders of the Angels, but that's not really relevant here (although an interesting read.)

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Esper
Races: Humans, Vedalken, Sphinxes, Aether-Liches, Homunculi, Gargoyles, Drakes, Stirges
The environment of Esper consists of Islands, a great sea called the "Sea of the Unknown", various underground waterways, and a great desert where the sand is actually finely broken down glass. It is said that despite the vast pursuit of knowledge, not much is known about the inhabitants of the sea. The glass in the desert occasionally shifts and fuses with itself to form giant glacier-like masses of glass.

Humans and Vedalken exist for the sole purpose of furthering the plane's understanding of magic. The Sphinx are treated as Prophets and Consults, but rarely rule or give judgements regarding disputes. What we know of as Filigree is a metal called Etherium which is an alloy infused with Aether (the essense of the universe). The inhabitants of Bant believe that all life and every physical form is incomplete without some connection to the Aether via Filigree or Etherium fusing. The supply of Etherium is very limited, so the mages who infuse different life forms are beginning to use more subtle fusions with lower class life forms. Filigree is administered to humans as a graft by the Aethersworn, a group of gifted mages who dedicate themselves to instilling every life form with a connection to the Aether under the belief than doing so will cause the plane to transcend its physical and mortal limitations. Vedalken filigree consists of replacing much more of your body with Etherium. The body's functions are kept up through a series of complex enchantments.

While the Vedalken mages specialize in learning more about magic specifically, the human mages tend to specialize in one of many types of sorcery:
Arcanist: Studying lost lore
Stormcaller: Weather Magic
Mechanist: Artificer capable of infusing creations with magic.
Clockworker: Manipulates the forces of time
Mentalist: "Trafficer of thoughts"
Tidemage: Uses magic to affect tides and the sea
Mages of high ranking have entourages to showcase their power, sometimes these consist of mages that are intentionally lower ranked to gain notoriety, these are called Telemins, and are basically servants who have given their masters control of their minds.
The specific characters in Esper are all Sphinxes, one of which we know already (but there are three).
Sharuum, the Hegemon: An ageless, female philosopher-queen of Esper who cannot create new Etherium, but taught mages how to thin the existing Etherium.
Crucius, the Mad: A genius artificer who created the Etherium and taught the inhabitants of Esper of its signifigance, believed to be a planeswalker by many. Humans and Vedalken took his teachings too far and ended up replacing too much of their anatomy with Etherium, eventually becoming Aether-Liches. He was blamed for these abominations and that's how he earned his moniker. After that, he disappeared from Esper, and it is rumored that only Sharuum has any idea where he may be.
Kemuel, the Hidden One: A nomad Sphinx who lives in a maze in the middle of the glass-deserts of Esper. He lost a wing and hind leg in a fight with a great Leviathan centuries ago, and the few travelers that actually meet him find his words and his advice to be prophetic.

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Grixis
Grixis is described as a hellscape where the landscape is made up of the remains of various large corpses, eroded earth, and the stench of death.
Races: Humans, Skeletons, Zombies, Fleshbags, Fleshdolls, Dreg Reavers, Incurables, Banewasps, Kathari, Vampires, Devils, Demons, Lich-Lords and the Damned.

The still living beings on Grixis are called Vitals, and the lifeforce of those beings is called Vis. Vis empowers Demons and fuels all of the magic on Grixis. Necromancers actively hunt down Human and Ogre encampments to take slaves to obtain this Vis through arcane rituals. Demons have the power to drain a vital of its vis at will. A Human or Ogre whose life force has been drained is still considered alive, and actually is alive, and oftentimes not distinguishable for some time is called "the Damned". There are two groups of Humans: Necromancers and a group of humans who adhere to an ancient Kingdom that was destroyed when the shard was removed from the rest of Alara. This group is called the Vithians and they actively hunt the undead.
Incurables are the Ogres on Grixis, inflicted by a terrible form altering curse that happened when the shards split.

Dreg Reavers are huge undead designed to lay waste to other armies or necropolises in times of war. (The art shown looks strikingly like the Ravenous Baloth judge promo)
Banewasps are insects that feed on carrion and are used by necromancers as a weak source of Vis.
Kathari are Vulture-humanoid scavengers that feed on the dead before necromancers are able to harvest their Vis.

The Legends of this shard are three-fold as well:
Eliza of the Keep: A young human necromancer who uses necromancy and vis to keep her own vis safe and retain her vitality.
Thraximundar: His name literally translates to "He-who-paints-the-earth-red" is a seven-foot tall undead abomination who is muscular and clad in spiked black armor. He can be seen wielding his greatsword astride his Dreg Reaver mount as he fulfills his need to simply slay the living.
Malfegor: A beast who is the product of a Dragon and a Demon. His appearance is mostly Draconic, but he has black scales, huge bat-like wings, eight limbs, and is said to possess the soul of a demon.

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Jund
Jund is comprised of active volcanoes, sharp mountain ledges, and lush jungles. The land has huge gashes in it that resemble huge claw marks if seen from above. These deep gashes in the land are where the Jungles and Swamps are found, and the deepest of which (the Pit) is over 2 miles deep.
Races: Dragons, Viashino, Humans, and Goblins.

Dragons are at the top of the food chain and feed on everything and anything below them. Fiercely territorial, they will fight over any scrap of food taken from their territory. When a dragon becomes to ancient to protect his territory, he performs a ritual called the Shriek of Flame where he will plunge himself directly into an active volcano, causing that volcano to erupt- often eradicating much of the prey left in its territory.
Second on the pecking order are the Viashino, stronger than the other humanoid races, Viashino are able to occupy the deep jungles and swamps where the hunting is harder for Dragons. These Viashino closely resemble Crocodiles and are muscular brutes that form tribes called Thrashes.
Humans are next on the Food Chain. These humans form nomadic tribes which are necessary for survival. Humans live in the small jungles at the base of mountains and in the scarred volcanic flats. At the age of ten, humans undergo a dangerous rite of passage where the warriors will climb an active volcano and are forced to bring back a glass shard to become a warrior. Shamans take a dangerous drug called Dreamfire Draught which attracts elemental entities. The young shaman must bargain with the elemental for a cure to this poison to become a Shaman. With either test, failure results in death. These humans have developed reptilian features such as forked tongues and scales covering some of their skin. In battle, a human warrior will mark a victory by weaving part of his hair into a small braid and binding it with a piece of his enemy's flesh.
Goblins are last on the food-chain, and are so used to being devoured by dragons, that their culture has become one glorifies that death and recognizes itself as "divine-food". Goblins inhabit the highest regions of the mountains which are easy prey for young dragons. The goblins resemble rodents (and were seen in that predator dragon art).

There is one character depicted for this shard and that is:
The Warrior Kresh: A human warrior said to be in his forties (where the average lifespan of a human in Jund is 30). Kresh does not desire the politics of leading a tribe, but lives for the hunt. He boasts twenty-two braids: more than anyone has ever recorded.

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Naya
Naya is a lush jungle very intuned with nature and nature magic.
The main tribes of Naya are Nacatl (leonin), Humans, Cylian Elves, and Gargantuans.
The Gargantuans are enormous mammalian behemoths whose movements are said to be able to change the course of rivers, and whose enormity commands its own climate. There is a group of Elves that follow these monsters, said to be manifestations of the will of Progenitus, the Soul of the World. This group is called the Godtrackers.
The elves of Naya are Canopy Dwellers and are named Cylian after their ancestor "Cylia" who was said to be present at the breaking of the world. It is said that while the world shattered, most of the elves hid in terror from the cataclysm, but one elf, Cylia, climbed to the top of the mountain wielding a vial of poison and a dagger made from a thorn. There she saw the face of Progenitus, the five headed soul of the world. Progenitus was tired of the world and sought to end it with 5 storms - Wildfire, Earthquake, Windstorm, Flood, and Void. Cylia plead with him to spare the world, and so Progenitus struck her blind for her insolence. Her tears of blood mingled with the vial of poison as she dipped her dagger in it and thrust the dagger into Progenitus's Ethereal heart and his true form, that of a 5 headed hydra was revealed. The amazing art of the woman with the blank stare in the blossoms accompanies this story. The entire elf culture revolves around worshipping this god of creation and making sure his slumber is not disturbed.

The Nacatl are divided into two groups, one lives lavishly in ancient Nacatl cities carved out of a mountain top. The other is a feral tribe that hunts along the forest floors. The Nacatl in the cities are dwindling in number and only their leader, Timus the Orange keeps them together through sheer strategy and intelligence.

The humans of Naya are divided as well. Those that hunt in nomadic tribes are called drumhunters, and those that have advanced in agriculture and in domesticating animals are called Sunseeders. These two groups are divided further and further as the civilization of the Sunseeders advances under the Charismatic lead of Hadran. Humans of both divisions come together in open areas to play games, most notable of which is Matca. In this game, two humans will attempt to wrestle each other to the ground in an attempt to pin them. The advanced Matca fighters wear spike armor.

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Planeswalkers of Alara:
Elspeth Tirel:
A human female planeswalker (yes, that one) residing in the Bant shard, her origin is unknown, but is reported to be a plane of turmoil and strife. Her specialties are Human Summoning and the Protection of Others. Her spark flared when she was 13, and she Planeswalked to find a plane with peace, love, and community and found it in Bant. She believes she has found her utopia and no longer wishes to planeswalk. Her biggest desire is to protect the utopia she has found and to be among them.

Tezzeret:
A human male planeswalker (Mr. Filigree Arm) born on Esper who specializes in Artifice and Mental Magic (Mental Magic rules!). His current whereabouts are unknown, but he had joined a Sect on Esper called the Seekers of Carmot who were said to possess the Codex Etherium, a sacred tome containing Carmot's teachings. He joined in hopes of seeing the Tome and inheriting its secrets. The night he snuck into the inner sanctum to steal the tome, he was caught and the ensuing battle almost killed him. During this battle, his spark flared and let him escape. With his newfound knowledge of adjacent planes, he seeks the driving force behind the Seekers of Carmot.

Sarkhan Vol:
A human male of unknown origin who currently resides in the Shard of Jund. His specialties are Creature magic and Dragon-Summoning. Sarkhan's home plane is ruled by Warlords who constantly battle for control. There he belonged to a Shamanic cult that worshipped the dragon (who had long been hunted to extinction for sport). During meditation, an ancient dragon spoke to him and the experience caused his spark to ignite. After some time searching for a place to spiritually connect with a worthy dragon, Sarkhan's hunt has led him to Jund where he has spent the last two years in a Plane ruled by Dragons.

Ajani Goldmane:
A native inhabitant of Naya, this Leonin male planeswalker specializes in Protecting others, inspiring the souls of others, and justice magic. Ajani's signature weapon is a double bladed axe which represents his brother who was murdered. After he was unable to reunite the pride, Ajani's spark became active and he sought revenge for his brother's killer. When Ajani became aware of other planes outside of his own and the clues he found led him to other planes, the search for his brother's killer found him in the middle of a much grander scheme that he is just beginning to perceive. As Ajani's quest broadens, so do his powers, as his violent emotions empower more powerful magic.

Stay tuned for more Shards of Alara Spoilers and art !
We expect to soon be sliding into individual card discussion for the new set.