| Kayla bin-Kroog | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Details | |
| Race | Human |
| Birthplace | Kroog, Yotia, Terisiare, Dominaria |
| Lifetime | The Time of Legends-The Dark Age |
| Born | c. 3 AR |
| Died | After 80 AR |
| Spouse | Urza |
| Children | Harbin |
| Parents | Warlord of Kroog |
| Relatives |
Jarsyl (grandson) Jodah (descendant) |
| Colors | |
  | |
| Sources | |
| The Brothers' War, The Gathering Dark | |
Kayla bin-Kroog was a princess of Yotia and the wife of Urza during the Brothers' War on Dominaria.[1] Afterward, she became the Lady of Penregon and the last Queen of Argive.[2][3] She was the daughter of the Warlord of Kroog, and the mother of Harbin.
Description[ | ]
In her youth, she was allegedly the most beautiful woman east of the Mardun river, with clear eyes of the deepest brown and lustrous, raven-black hair, and soft lips that just verged on pouting. As the princess, her people fell over themselves to offer her samples of goods or compliment her or offer her things just so they could say she had stopped at their store. [1]
History[ | ]
Life with Urza[ | ]
Kayla's first betrothed drowned when his ship went down in the Shielded Sea outside Korlis. Kayla's father, the Warlord of Kroog, then offered her marriage to a man strong enough to move a great statue. Her giant dowry included the Jalum Tome, which inspired Urza to participate in the contest. All other contestants failed, but Urza's automaton succeeded, and the king was convinced to allow him to marry her, convinced that an artificer so talented could be a valuable ally.[1]
At the time Urza was not interested in Kayla, but in the Thran Tome that was stored in the royal vaults.
In time, Urza had access to a personal workshop and assistants. In this workshop, he created the ornithopters and Yotian Soldiers that characterized the kingdom's army.
At first, Urza mostly ignored her. However, after her father's death, the couple grew closer when Kayla realized that Urza felt guilt over his father-in-law's death, and Urza, in turn, came to realize how he had come to love his wife when Tawnos, his favored student, helped him understand that he was fearful of Kayla's reaction. During the next few days, Urza and his wife were neither seen nor heard from save for an explanatory letter left for Tawnos, their mutual friend.
When Mishra later visited Kroog to negotiate a peace settlement, he convinced Kayla to steal Urza's Mightstone and sleep with him. This was likely out of jealousy and Mishra's need to possess what his brother had. This event left her son Harbin's parentage in doubt, although all constantly proclaimed that Harbin was indeed Urza's, not Mishra's son. Urza discovered his wife and his brother together, and reclaimed his powerstone, declaring war on his brother and destroying his dragon engine. Mishra fled but returned to Kroog only months later with his whole Fallaji army and several more dragon engines while Urza was away scouting the desert for him. In one morning, Kroog was destroyed, and Kayla was forced to flee, pregnant with Harbin at the time.[2]
Penregon[ | ]
After the War, Kayla took reign of the damaged city of Penregon.[2] Here she was visited by Tawnos, who told her of Urza's ascension. With the help of Tawnos and his civil automatons, Kayla tried to rebuild the city. The use of the very machines that had been used in the War angered the nascent Church of Tal, which initiated the Siege of Penregon in 69 AR. The city was saved only by its use of their machines, now armed, armored, and powered up.[3]
Though the Talites were defeated within and without the city, the repentant Tawnos destroyed Urza's archives and left the city. This ended the age of artifice in Penregon.[3] Only ten years later, Kayla ordered the city's inhabitants to move west beyond the Great Desert to avoid the encroaching cold. The Second Talite Crusade involved a return to Penregon, but when they arrived, the city was clear of machinery already. Kayla told the Talites' new leader that the civils had all suddenly started walking away from the city across the ice. Satisfied with this, the Talites left Penregon unharmed.[3]
In her grief, Kayla discovered that she could use magic, and studied Hurkyl's teachings to develop her abilities. She was one of the last to leave the city, in early 79 AR, with the Fall of Penregon happening that autumn.[3] Marching west with the city's remaining refugees, Kayla stopped in New Yotia until the summer, eventually parting ways with her grandson and continuing further west.
As Kayla traveled west, she heard stories of the last flying man who soared the western skies. He was a hero, the people said. He'd died in the cataclysm, they said, and was reborn as the wind's herald. Believing the man may be her lost son, Harbin, Kayla resolved to cross the continent to learn the truth.[3]
Writings[ | ]
Kayla was the author of the epic poem The Antiquities War, one of the few primary sources about the period that survived its aftermath.[4] She completed the original version around 80 AR.[3]
Gallery[ | ]
Kayla bin-kroog as depicted in the Antiquities War comic.
Along with Tawnos, Kayla begins to rebuild her war-torn kingdom.
Story appearances[ | ]
In-game references[ | ]
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
- ^† Scryfall does not record flavor text for digital cards. See Alchemy: The Brothers' War/Flavor text
References[ | ]
- ↑ a b c Jeff Grubb (1998). The Brothers' War. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Miguel Lopez (October 20, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Episode 1: The End". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d e f g Miguel Lopez (October 20, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Episode 2: The Beginning". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ April King (March 29, 2018). "The Antiquities War". Pokeinthe.io.
- ↑ The Secrets of Urza's Saga! (Video). YouTube (May 10, 2021).