It’s that time people: Kaladesh is about to start, and some of you might not be as well versed in the lore as you’d like to be. Never fear, I’m here to get you up to speed on everything you might need to know in anticipation of Kaladesh! And if you’re interested in my speculation, check out the links at the bottom. I’ll be reworking a lot of that speculation in the light of what’s revealed this week, so keep an eye out!

Please note, these summaries are going to focus on Chandra, since Kaladesh is her home and she’s likely to be the protagonist.

Art by Lius Lasahido



Magic Origins

We need to start with Chandra’s childhood. Chandra Nalaar is the daughter of two inventors: Pia and Kiran Nalaar (noted Terrible People). Pia and Kiran are also smugglers/bootleggers, trading illegally in the artifact fuel know as Aether. Aether is strictly regulated on Kaladesh by the consuls, the ruling body of at least Ghirapur, her hometown. Chandra is caught while on a smuggling run for her parents, and her latent pyromancer powers help her escape… but also ensure that the consul soldier Captain Baral wants to hunt her down.

Chandra and her parents escape to the countryside, and Baral is ordered to stand down. Baral ignores that order, and pursues the Nalaars to the village where they’re hiding. He kills Chandra’s father and burns down the village, pinning the blame on Chandra, and bringing her in for execution. At her execution he reveals why he was so dead-set on Chandra: he’s a mage himself, a rarity on Kaladesh and he couldn’t afford to let Chandra roam free.

Before Baral can execute her, however, Chandra’s latent spark ignites, transporting her to the plane of Regatha. There, she appears outside of Keral Keep - a monastery filled with pyromancers like Chandra, all of whom follow the teachings of another master pyromancer: the planeswalker Jaya Ballard (more on her Thursday).

It’s important to note that Chandra’s mother, Pia, is not confirmed as dead. Mrs. Pashiri, a friend of the family, attends Chandra’s execution and makes a curious signal to Chandra, imitating her father’s goggles. Is this the start of a revolution?

Ugin’s Scroll and Zendikar

There’s a LOT that happens next, but in the interest of time I’m going to link you to my Archive Trap articles on the subject, which you can read for the more detailed summaries or just follow the links to the various sources.

Chandra steals a mysterious scroll and returns with it to Keral Keep. Jace Beleren, who at the time works for Tezzeret as part of the Infinite Consortium, is dispatched to recover it. He successfully defeats Chandra, but doesn’t realize that the monks of the keep have already copied the scroll. She attempts to steal the scroll a second time, which brings her to the attention of Gideon Jura, working for the Order of Heliud. Gideon tracks Chandra down, but the two bond during their time together… even though Gideon still turns Chandra in to the Order. They sentence Chandra to death by the Purifying Fire, but the fire reads Chandra as pure and she emerges stronger, tearing down the Order’s citadel on Regatha.

Events conspire to bring Chandra, Jace, and the dragon shaman Sarkhan Vol (minion of Nicol Bolas) to the Eye of Ugin on Zendikar. There, the ensuing battle weakens the Eldrazi’s prison, and Chandra saves Jace’s life before leaving for Regatha again. The events at the Eye were clearly orchestrated by the Elder Dragon Nicol Bolas - Chandra through the influence of Ramaz, Jace by Tezzeret, Sarkhan by direct order of Bolas himself - but for what purpose isn’t clear. I should note, the Infinite Consortium that Jace had worked for once belonged to Bolas before being usurped by Tezzeret. When Jace defeated Tezzeret, the artificer was found and healed by Bolas, and forced back into his servitude.

Gideon, wanting to mend where things were left with Chandra, attempts to follow her to Zendikar - only to find the Eldrazi free.

Devour in Flames by Svetlin Velinov



The Gatewatch and Fall of the Titans

I’m including both the official story site and summaries as well as my Archive Trap articles on Battle for Zendikar Block. The Archive Trap articles are more detailed than the official summary, but they’re a faster read if you’re in a rush.

Chandra remains on Regatha for some time, believing her responsibility is to the monastery and desperately trying to be more than the reckless pyromancer that has caused so much trouble. When Jace and Gideon arrive at her doorstep to ask for aid fighting the Eldrazi on Zendikar, she turns them down. But even after being made Abbot, it’s readily apparent monastery life isn’t for Chandra. She takes a quick planeswalk to Zendikar to see how things are going, but a glimpse of Ulamog on the horizon sticks with her.

Mother Luti of Keral Keep insists Chandra stay and fulfill her duties, but after enough pressure Chandra breaks her indecision and insists she has to help her friends. Mother Luti, who wanted this all along, is proud that Chandra has found her purpose in the multiverse. Chandra arrives back on Zendikar in time to find that Jace, Gideon, and the elf planeswalker Nissa Revane’s plan to trap Ulamog has failed, thanks to the demon planeswalker Ob Nixilis.

The three other planeswalkers and incapacitated and imprisoned by Ob Nixilis, until Chandra tracks them down. She keeps Ob distracted until she can free the others, and Ob flees, knowing he can’t defeat all four of them at once. When they emerge, Gideon proposes an alliance, realizing that each of them have been trying to accomplish alone what could be better done with all four of them. Chandra makes her Oath last, with a focus on keeping people free. Together, they form the Gatewatch.

They come up with a plan to use Zendikar’s leylines to defeat Ulamog and Kozilek (Emrakul having long since scampered off). Nissa funnels the power of the plane into Chandra, who casts an immense, world-shattering spell that destroys the Titans. In the aftermath, Chandra is severely weakened and remains on Zendikar to heal, while Jace goes to find Sorin Markov at the behest of Ugin.

Imprisoned in the Moon by Ryan Alexander Lee

Emrakul and Innistrad

As far as I can tell, there aren’t any official summaries of Shadows Over Innistrad. So it looks like you’re stuck with Archive Trap ;)

Jace returns to Zendikar with dire news: not only has he found Sorin, but he found Emrakul, too. It turns out Sorin’s millennia old feud with former ally Nahiri resulted in Nahiri summoning Emrakul to Innistrad. With no time to spare, the Gatewatch travel to Innistrad. There, they attempt to repeat the spell that killed the other titans, but Innistrad’s leylines reject Nissa. The Gatewatch, along with allies Tamiyo and Liliana Vess, come under mental assault by the last titan.

Jace successfully frees them all from her influence, and new plan to trap her in the moon is hatched. It’s successful, but afterwards Jace learns a horrifying secret: Emrakul was still controlling Tamiyo when she was sealed in the moon. The titan wanted to be imprisoned there. Why? We can only speculate.

And that brings us to now. With the Eldrazi problem shelved for now, what brings the Gatewatch to Kaladesh? We got the answer on Monday!

Art by Tyler Jacobson



Kaladesh

Three months after the Gatewatch’s actions on Innistrad, they’ve taken up residence in Jace’ Sanctum on Ravnica. Personality conflicts abound, but their restlessness comes to an end with the arrival of Dovin Baan, a planeswalker from Kaladesh. You see, after Innistrad, Tamiyo helped put the word out that the Gatewatch are around to help planeswalkers with threats. Dovin is having issues with rebels in advance of the Consulate’s Inventor’s Fair on Kaladesh. He wishes to hire the Gatewatch, but there isn’t a clear extraplanar threat.

His presence, however, reminds Chandra of her childhood run-in with the Consulate. She’s stressed out and looks to Nissa - and the cool stillness she experienced while their minds were linked taking out the Eldrazi - for help, but she gets flustered and leaves. Liliana swoops in, and the two planeswalk away. Dovin hears her last name and is surprised, he knew of her parents (and could have written the Terrible People of Magic article himself!) and was surprised to hear it again. The remaining members of the Gatewatch realizes Chandra may have left of Kaladesh, but Jace is tied up with Guildpact work and Gideon needs to track down Vraska, leaving only Nissa to go after them.

And so it begins.

Extra Reading: Jay’s Kaladesh Speculation

Thanks for reading!