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Kamigawa

Revision as of 06:12, 9 June 2021 by RudleyDudley (talk | contribs) (Adding Moonfolk calligraphy)
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Kamigawa
Kamigawa
Information
First seen Champions of Kamigawa
Last seen Saviors of Kamigawa
Planeswalkers Tamiyo
Rabiah Scale 7[1]
Status Unknown
For other uses, see Kamigawa (disambiguation).

Kamigawa (Japanese: 神 (かみ) 河 (がわ) ; literally: "river of the gods" or "divine river") is a plane strongly based on Japanese culture, and was the setting for the Champions,[2] Betrayers, and Saviors of Kamigawa expansions and their corresponding books.[3][4][5][6][7]

Description

The world of Kamigawa, positioned far from any other world we know, is governed by the interplay between the mortals and the kami, minor gods or spirits of the world. The Kakuriyo or Reikai is the spirit world where the kami dwell; its other half is that of the Utsushiyo where mortals live. Together they form a sphere that makes the whole of the world.

The damage caused by the Time Rifts, weakened the veil between the material realm and the spirit realm. This enabled the daimyo Konda and his moonfolk accomplices to use powerful magic to pull an aspect of O-Kagachi, the supreme kami of all kami, through the veil, thus beginning the Kami War.[8]

Locations of Kamigawa

Primary locations

There are five primary geographical locations on Kamigawa, each parallel to the five basic lands of Magic. Each area is guarded by a dragon spirit loyal to the material inhabitants of its location.

  • Towabara — A massive plain, which name means "eternal field", at the center of Kamigawa. Within the Towabara is the Araba, the "ruined land", a blasted place filled with craters from kami attacks. Eiganjo Castle is in the center of the Araba. It is the fortification of daimyo Takeshi Konda and his samurai. The humans ride gigantic trained moths into combat.[9] The castle is assaulted by O-Kagachi in the Kami War and badly damaged. Towabara is guarded by Yosei, the Morning Star.
  • Minamo Academy — The Minamo Academy is a school that teaches powerful spirit and human magics. It is built upon the largest waterfall in Kamigawa, north of Eiganjo. Minamo is led by the Soratami, who guide the headmaster and his faculty. They are often prayed to by the staff of the school. Soratami are magic practicing moonfolk that live in the clouds above the academy. The school is besieged and ravaged by Hidetsugu, an ogre whose pupil was killed by a Minamo student. Minamo Academy was guarded by Keiga, the Tide Star.
    • The academy is also located north of the Jukai Forest.[10]
    • A less-traveled path between Eiganjo and Minamo skirts the northwest edge of the Jukai Forest. It is about a day's ride long by horseback.[11]
  • Takenuma — Takenuma is a large area of swampland, west of Eiganjo. Here bandits and Nezumi (rat-folk) live. There are also a multitude of Oni (demon spirits) who live in the darkest regions, leaving the place corrupted and void of sunlight. Here the most brutal battles are fought against the kami. Kokusho, the Evening Star, watches over the vile swamps.
  • Sokenzan Mountains — The Sokenzan mountain range is the largest in Kamigawa and it lies south of Eiganjo. Akki, cunning goblin creatures, live here, among bandits and renegade samurai called ronin. Godo, a famous warlord of the bandits, lives here. Hidetsugu, an O-Bakemono (powerful shaman ogre) summons Oni spirits here. Deep in the Sokenzan mountain range lay the Tendo Peaks, the steepest mountains in Kamigawa. The Heart of Frost, one of the Tendo Peaks, was haunted for some time by a Yuki-onna. The Sokenzan is guarded by Ryusei, the Falling Star.
    • The foothills of the Sokenzan border Takenuma to the northwest, and Towabara and Jukai to the north.[12]
  • Jukai Forest — A thick forest that harbors many varying kinds of kami. It lies east of Eiganjo. Here, an order of monks train to tune themselves in with nature and the spirit world. Kitsune (fox-folk), live in the Jukai along with the Orochi (snake-folk), who tend to stay in the Western fringes. No one has ever discovered what lies to the east of the Jukai Forest, and all exploration attempts have failed. Jukai Forest is watched over by Jugan, the Rising Star.

Secondary locations

  • Oboro Palace — Oboro is a secret floating palace of the Soratami. It is kept secret from those who dwell on the grounds of Kamigawa. The only non-Soratami ever to set foot in Oboro were the human disguise-genius Sakashima, the ronin kanji mage Toshiro Umezawa, and the famed Akki wizard Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker.
  • Shizo, Death's Storehouse — Shizo is a battlefield cursed by the death of 891 samurai in a single confrontation. It is a loathed sight to all who view it. Now, only a single spirit, Shirei, Shizo's Caretaker, stays there. He walks through the dead and prevents lower souls from leaving Kamigawa.
  • Mikokoro — A sacred island of crystal that sits amid one of Kamigawa's seas. Also known as the Eye of the World and the Shrine of Enlightenment.[13]

Languages Spoken

  • Common Kamigawan
    • It occasionally uses Japanese numerals.[14]
    • Moonfolk write using a unique calligraphy[15]
  • Hidetsugu's ritual language[16]
  • Kitsune[17]
  • Orochi
    • It includes hissing sounds.[18]
  • Nezumi-tongue [19]

Currency

Circular copper, silver, and gold coins are used by most races on the plane, including humans, kitsune, and nezumi.[20][21][22] Copper coins with a hole cut in the center were used as offerings to kami before the Kami War, representing the circle of life.[15]

Planeswalkers

Native

Visitors

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater. "Mark with the last vote you had on the plans and...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (August 30, 2004). "We Are the Champions, My Friend". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Jeremy Cranford (September 06, 2004). "Behind the Scenes: Creating the World of Kamigawa". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 18, 2004). "A Series of Fortunate Events: Kamigawa World Design". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Alex Smith (March 07, 2005). "Truth in Fantasy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (April 11, 2005). "Worlds of Flavor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Aaron Forsythe (February 18, 2005). "The Creative Side of Kamigawa". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Brady Dommermuth. "You Are a Planeswalker". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2008-09-26.
  9. ↑ Magic Arcana (April 14, 2005). "Kamigawa Style Guide: Moth Mounts". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa
  11. ↑ Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa, Chapter 10
  12. ↑ Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa, Chapter 3
  13. ↑ Magic Arcana (June 13, 2005). "Culture Corner: Shimenawa". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. ↑ Chris L'Etoile (October 5, 2016). "Release". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ a b Alexander O. Smith, The Sound of Crickets (archived).
  16. ↑ Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa, Chapter 4
  17. ↑ Rei Nakazawa, Eight and a Half Tales (archived).
  18. ↑ Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa
  19. ↑ Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa, Chapter 4
  20. ↑ Gwendolyn Kestrel, Security (archived).
  21. ↑ Gwendolyn Kestrel, Iizuka the Ruthless (archived).
  22. ↑ Alex Smith, The Meeting (archived).
  23. ↑ Chris L'Etoile (October 5, 2016). "Release". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ a b Greg Weisman (November 2019). "War of the Spark: Forsaken." Del Rey.

External links

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