Avishkar

Avishkar
Kaladesh
Information
First seen	Magic Origins
Last seen	Aetherdrift
Planeswalkers	Chandra Nalaar Dovin Baan Saheeli Rai (former)
Rabiah Scale	5
Status	Hub of Multiversal culture
Demonym	Avishkari Kaladeshi (former)
Card art	art:"Avishkar"

Avishkar (AH-vish-kar; formerly known as Kaladesh: kah-LAH-desh) is a plane where aether manifests more than on other planes, being present in the atmosphere. The plane, named Kaladesh at the time, was introduced in Magic Origins as the home plane of Chandra Nalaar. Slightly over a year later, it was the setting for Kaladesh block. Following the fall of its previous government and the beginning of the Omenpath Era, the people of Kaladesh chose to rename their plane "Avishkar."

Description

The atmosphere of Avishkar is saturated with aether due to greater proximity to the boundaries of the Blind Eternities. The influence and cyclical passage of aether through the world below is the driving force of the plane. The aethersphere may be observed as twisting swirls in the sky. Occasionally, this aether comes down to the land via rain or similar weather events. The entire ecosystem is influenced by it and grows with it in similar swirling and twisting patterns. The refined aether is the primary power source for most of the plane. In Ghirapur, the raw aether is harvested from the sky via large aetherspires placed on mountaintops or thopters, refined, and then pumped through large pipelines all over the city.

Avishkar is an ethnically diverse plane where natural mages are rare. Work that would be done with magic on other planes is instead accomplished through technology. The automatons, thopters and other artifact creatures of the plane are all fueled by the refined aether. These artifacts are built as much for beauty as for function. Inventors are the most valued members of Avishkar's society.

Natural mages are a rarity on Avishkar and are regarded with suspicion and dread. Fire magic was strictly banned under the former governing body, the Consulate, and pyromancy was punishable with a death sentence. Pyromantic magic interacts dangerously with the aether in the air, making pyromancers an economic and physical risk. Major organized religion plays next to no role in the lives of the plane's people, and magic derived from the power of gods is unknown.

History

United kingdoms

Centuries ago, Kaladesh was made up of eleven kingdoms, and inventors sought the patronage of these courts. Over the years, social and political entanglements between these court inventors bound them together in an informal network. When the kingdoms warred in a massive bloody conflict, the inventors used their influence to negotiate peace, and Ghirapur was founded on neutral ground. Eleven inventors - one of each kingdom - became the first Consulate. The Consulate gave the plane a new name — "Kaladesh."

Great Aether Boom

Since the discovery of harnessing aether by Avaati Vya sixty years ago, the Consulate reportedly has worked to ensure that this refined aether is accessible to all, leading to an era referred to as the Great Aether Boom. This happened around the same time as the Mending.

Inventors' Renaissance and Aether Revolt

Recently, the plane went through an era known as the Inventors' Renaissance, with the Consuls promoting and patronizing discoveries and scientific studies, awarding the most impressive during the Inventors' Fair. The Consulate also heavily regulated the use of the aether, assigning its use among the citizens. They were opposed by Renegades, who believed that the Consulate was corrupt and constricted their freedoms. At least two members — Tezzeret and Kambal — were working against the good of Kaladesh, giving the renegades good reason to be suspicious.

The tensions boiled over during the Inventors' Fair, coinciding with the return of Chandra Nalaar to her homeplane when the Consulate confiscated the entire swath of inventions. Much of this was a cover for Tezzeret to obtain the Planar Bridge and without his initiative, the Consulate buckled to the revolution, later dubbed the "Aether Revolt." Renegade leader Pia Nalaar, thought deceased, was instated in Kambal's position, giving a stronger voice for freer use of aether.

Phyrexian invasion

Hamstrung by legislative, judicial, and municipal backlogs, the reformed Consulate was not adequately prepared when Kaladesh invaded by New Phyrexia. Local groups, criminal organizations, and revolutionaries including the countercultural New Culture Collective led the plane's defense. While most of the city of Ghirapur was evacuated, Pia worked with the city's artisans to defend the aetherflux reservoir, which if breached would destroy the city. Several days into the defense, Pia rendezvoused with Saheeli Rai, who confirmed that the reservoir was drawing the interest of the Phyrexian forces.

In the aftermath of the Invasion, Kaladesh's denizens again began to question the Consulate's leadership.

The Indigo Revolution and Avishkar

Shortly after the Invasion, the Indigo Revolution — named after the indigo color associated with its revolutionaries — took place. Citing two major grievances — the Consulate's handling of the Phyrexian Invasion, and the inequitable distribution of aether — the Consulate was removed from power in a nearly bloodless revolution overseen by former Renegades and members of the New Culture Collective, a countercultural political bloc. In its place, a new, democratic ruling body of representatives elected from the plane's eleven administrative districts, called the Avishkar Assembly or the People's Assembly, was installed. Although some Consuls retained positions as elected members of the new government, the large majority of representatives are newly-elected. Their first act was to change the name of the plane to Avishkar, symbolically washing away the political connotations of the plane's former name. Changes to Avishkar's class system soon swept the plane, including fair pay now being instituted for the rich's many servants.

When the Omenpaths opened across the Multiverse, Ghirapur was blessed with a wealth of stable Omenpaths to various planes. The city was poised to become a center of Multiversal trade, travel, and industry. To that end, the Assembly began opening embassies on various planes to promote Avishkar's culture and commerce and to spread its influence. In this effort, Avishkar has come to recognize Ravnica as its chief rival.

To showcase Avishkar's culture, affluence, and political power, a widely advertised event called the Ghirapur Grand Prix was held the year that the Omenpaths opened, which was a chaotic race across nearly two dozen planes. Its success led to it becoming an annual event, and the second Grand Prix became more regulated, with the racetrack stretching across Amonkhet and Muraganda as well.

Known locations

Aetherflux Reservoir.

The plane is separated into eleven administrative districts, likely based on the plane's original eleven kingdoms.

• Ghirapur, the city of wonders, capital of Avishkar, and the seat of government.
  • The Inventors' Fair
  • The Gonti's Night Market.
  • The Aetherflux Reservoir
• Devra Cliffs - a location in the northern mountains
  • Lathnu, a mining city on the cliffs
• Peema, a forest whose fauna is infused with aether.
• Vahd, an expansive region that was once solely devoted to farming, but now has become the center of the aerowright industry.
  • Maranjapur, a village in Vahd
  • Panka, a village in Vahd
  • Cambi, a village in Vahd
  • Vinday River
  • Mapani River
• Bunarat, a village burned down by Captain Baral.

Inhabitants

Most lifeforms of Avishkar have been transformed by the aether in some way.

• Elves: Avishkari Elves are more in tune with how aether influences the natural world.
• Humans: One of the few species whose physiology is unaffected by the aether.
• Vedalken: Vedalken on Avishkar are tall, six-fingered beings that subscribe to the view that nothing is perfect.
• Dwarves: Dwarves on Avishkar are primarily aligned with white mana, for their strong focus on the quality of their work.
• Chordatans: A species of anthropomorphic sharks that arrived on Avishkar via the Omenpaths.
• Gremlins: Gremlins are red-aligned creatures that are attracted to Aether and often jam artifice in their search for it.
• Aetherborn: A mysterious black-aligned race that spawns from the use of the Aether and lives short, hedonistic lives.
• Giants: Massive humanoids that follow aether streams in extended migrations.
• Whales: Flying cetaceans that live in the aethersphere.
• Cat Dragons that prey on the sky whales.
• Angels: Living inventions created through white mana.
• Demons: Living inventions created through the Dark Schematic, a blueprint devised by unknown artificers of the ancient past.

Flora

• Cauliflower
• Fenugreek
• Lentils
• Palm trees
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Wheat

Culture

Avishkar's culture takes inspiration from real-world Indian culture. Its citizens are known to wear saris. Cricket is a popular sport.

Cuisine

• Chutney
• Curries
• Fenugreek theplas
• Idlis
• Palm wine
• Pani puri
• Parathas
• Sambhar
• Samosas
• Shrikhand
• Soan papdi is a popular dessert.
• Tea, also called chai, is a popular drink.
• Upma porridge

Trivia

• Avishkar was inspired by steampunk and India.
• "Kaladesh" may be translated from Sanskrit into kalā ("tomorrow" or "art") and desh ("home" or "country"). The intended translation is "world of tomorrow".
  • Unfortunately, the term "kālā" could also be associated with the meaning "black," and often carries derogatory colorist and racist connotations when applied to a person. When combined it became "Black country". With the release of Aetherdrift, Wizards of the Coast took the opportunity to rename the plane "Avishkar", after the Hindi word "aavishkar" meaning "invention." The word has the same meaning in the Avishkari language.

Planeswalkers

Native

• Chandra Nalaar
• Dovin Baan
• Saheeli Rai

Visitors

• Ajani Goldmane
• Daretti
• Elspeth Tirel
• Gideon Jura
• Huatli
• Jace Beleren
• Jaya Ballard
• Karn
• Liliana Vess
• Nahiri (non-canon)
• Nissa Revane
• Ral Zarek (non-canon)
• Teferi
• Tezzeret
• Vivien Reid
• Vraska

Non-planeswalker visitors

From Bloomburrow

• Bello

In-game references

Represented in:

• Ghirapur

Associated cards:

• Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh
• Invasion of Kaladesh

Referred to:

• Aetherblade Agent
• Artificer's Epiphany
• Baral, Chief of Compliance
• Brightglass Gearhulk
• Chandra Nalaar (Secret Lair, #1456)
• Chief of the Foundry
• Commencement of Festivities
• Gearsmith Prodigy
• Inspiring Vantage (Kaladesh)
• Lawless Broker
• Long-Finned Skywhale
• Paradox Engine
• Prophetic Prism (Kaladesh)
• Rishkar, Peema Renegade
• Swiftwater Cliffs (March of the Machine)
• Thriving Ibex
• Thriving Turtle
• Wind Drake (Kaladesh)

External links

• "Planes of Existence: Kaladesh" — Wizards of the Coast
• Magic Creative Team (November 2, 2016). "Planeswalker's Guide to Kaladesh". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Magic Creative Team (November 9, 2016). "The Making of Kaladesh". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Miguel Lopez (December 10, 2024). "Planeswalker's Guide to Aetherdrift, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Plane Shift - Kaladesh