Otaria

Continents Magic: The Gathering Dominaria

Facts

Placement

Plane

Dominaria

Otaria is a long and thin continent, running North-South, on Dominaria. It lies east of Jamuraa, south of Shiv and west of Terisiare. It is the primary location for the Odyssey and Onslaught blocks.

Description

History

The earliest known humans to occupy Terisiare were the subjects of the cruel and powerful Primeval Dragons. These people overthrew their draconic masters and formed a huge empire based in Otaria.

Otaria did not figure into other tales until after the Phyrexian Invasion (save for its northern subcontinent Tamingazin). It had survived that war relatively unscathed and was one of the first areas to recover and grow powerful once more. As a result, many of the survivors from other regions of Dominaria sought refuge on the continent. Despite all of this, many of Otaria's cultures were warlike and barbaric, ruled by terror and arena combat.

A century after the Invasion the Mirari appeared there, initiating a destructive war that devastated much of the continent. This sent its aven population fleeing to Benalia and New Argive.

Inhabitants and wildlife

At least four groups of humans called Otaria home, including the nomads of the Daru Plains, the Pardic barbarians, the Krosan druids, and the people of the Cabal.

Besides humans, Otaria was also home to many races, including dwarves, goblins, centaurs, giants, ogres, and gorgons, as well as several found nowhere else, such as nantuko, cephalids, and the various species of aven. Viashino are native to Otaria's subcontinent Tamingazin, but are a reclusive species and were not referenced in Odyssey or Onslaught blocks. After the Invasion, numerous other races migrated to the continent in search of new homes, among them elves and minotaurs.

Many of Otaria's people were mutated into bizarre forms by the Mirari's influence. It's unknown if all of these mutations bred true, though crookclaws at least survived into the Time Spiral era.

The continent also had an incredibly diverse (and spectacularly dangerous) range of wildlife. Dragons, wurms, firecats, anurids, griffins, lhurgoyfs, orggs, and a vast array of other beasts menaced Otaria's people. Zombies, vampires, specters, and other undead were disturbingly common thanks to the Cabal. Later in Otaria's history a plague of slivers was unleashed on the continent thanks to the Riptide Project. In addition to these monstrous creatures, normal animals (squirrels, bears, elephants, etcetera) were also common.

Locations

Cabal Holdings. The Cabal held most of the continent's eastern region. Most of Otaria's large cities were under its influence.
- Aphetto - the second largest city of the Cabal.
  - The Ihraem Quarter
    - The Potters' District
  - The Turam Quarter
- Cabal City - the greatest city of the Cabal. Most famous for its pit fights.
  - Docktown - the harbor district of Cabal City, filled with criminals and low-lifes.
The Daru Plains - the plains sprawling across the southern edge of the continent.
Eroshia
Krosa - a large forest reaching from Balshan Bay on the east to the continent's western coast. Inhabited by centaurs, nantuko, druidic humans, and a wide variety of beasts.
Landshome - a northern port
The Otarian Sea
- Balshan Bay - a wide inlet toward the northeastern reaches. A breed of griffins is native to the area, as well as some aven and human communities noted for their wizards.
- Breaker Bay
- The Mer Empire - a huge undersea power led by the Cephalids, having conquered the previous empire of Berbous.
  - The Southern Cephalid Palace - capital of the Mer Empire off the continent's southeastern coast
    - The Coral Throne - the throne of the Mer Empire
- The Otaria Chasm - also called the Otaria Trench, a submerged part of the continent, hiding place of Laquatus.
- Riptide Island
Pardia - a mountainous country stretching along the continent's western reaches from Krosa in the north to Wirewood in the south. The northern peaks were inhabited by dwarves and human barbarians.
- Auror - a Pardic village, home of Matoc
- Mount Fiers - the tallest and most majestic mountain on Dominaria, inhabited by dwarves.
- Skirk Ridge - a range in southern Pardia, teeming with goblins
Sanctum
The Stonewood
Tamingazin - the northern subcontinent of Otaria.
- En'Jaga Territory - a land west of the valley, shielding it from Suderbod
  - The En'Jaga Highlands - highlands of the En'Jaga
  - The river Nish
  - The En'Jaga Swamps - bogs and marshes
- Norumber - an island east of the Human Holds.
- Skollten - a country north of the Valley of Tamagazin.
- Suderbod - a large country south of the En'Jaga territory. The Suder has ambitions of conquering the Valley of Tamingazin.
- Tamin - a large island south of the Valley.
- The Valley of Tamingazin - the fertile central area of Tamingazin
  - Berimish - the biggest city in the Valley, mostly inhabited by Viashino
  - The Garan Highlands - the most fertile part of the valley
  - The Human Holds - human settlements in the eastern part of the valley
    - Farson Hold - ancestral keep of the Tarngold family
    - Voliton Hold - ancestral keep of the Karelon family
  - The Institute of Arcane Study - an academy of magic
    - The Magewall Hub - an artifact sustaining the Magewall
  - The Magewall - a magical shield protecting the valley from intruders
Topos - Ixidor's kingdom.
- Locus - its capital.
Wirewood Forest - an open, airy birch wood forest to the south of the Pardic range. Many elves immigrated to the forest from elsewhere on Dominaria after the Phyrexian Invasion.