Plane Shift: Kaladesh and Al-Qadim

[Tim Baker]

Is anyone familiar with the Kaladesh setting for Magic: The Gathering? If so, do you think the Plane Shift: Kaladesh sourcebook for 5th Edition D&D will offer any useful tidbits for a 5e Al-Qadim campaign?

[ripvanwormer]

Al-Qadim is Arabic fantasy, while it's my understanding that Kaladesh is (very) loosely based on India. The name is probably meant to evoke Bangladesh.

James Wyatt wrote the Mahasarpa campaign for Oriental Adventures, so perhaps some of that product's southeast Asian influences will shine through.

[thorr-kan]

Not familiar with it. I'll be interested in seeing this discussion.

[Tim Baker]

Al-Qadim is Arabic fantasy, while it's my understanding that Kaladesh is (very) loosely based on India. The name is probably meant to evoke Bangladesh.

James Wyatt wrote the Mahasarpa campaign for Oriental Adventures, so perhaps some of that product's southeast Asian influences will shine through.

Thanks for clarifying that. I admit, my guess was based purely on the background in the post's image. The dome shaped tops to the buildings reminded me of the styling in Al-Qadim.

[Big Mac]

Al-Qadim is Arabic fantasy, while it's my understanding that Kaladesh is (very) loosely based on India. The name is probably meant to evoke Bangladesh.

There is a Kaladesh article on MTG Salvation Wiki that gives some information about the setting. And WotC have a Story page at the Kaladesh website that seems to have in-character information on it.

James Wyatt wrote the Mahasarpa campaign for Oriental Adventures, so perhaps some of that product's southeast Asian influences will shine through.

I didn't notice anything at first glance. But I'm not a Mahasarpa expert. It is possible that someone else will spot something I missed.

(I wonder if James Wyatt will ever do a 5e Mahasarpa update. )

[Big Mac]

Al-Qadim is Arabic fantasy, while it's my understanding that Kaladesh is (very) loosely based on India. The name is probably meant to evoke Bangladesh.

James Wyatt wrote the Mahasarpa campaign for Oriental Adventures, so perhaps some of that product's southeast Asian influences will shine through.

Thanks for clarifying that. I admit, my guess was based purely on the background in the post's image. The dome shaped tops to the buildings reminded me of the styling in Al-Qadim.

Maybe it could work for a "beyond the Yak Men" culture.

[Havard]

Huh,
I had no idea this was coming. So WotC is suddenly open to the idea of combining D&D and MtG?

I don't know anything about Kaladesh, but now I am intrigued!

-Havard

[Tim Baker]

I had no idea this was coming. So WotC is suddenly open to the idea of combining D&D and MtG?

They've released two such crossover supplements, already. Plane shift: Zendikar and Innistrad.

[Angelika Tatsu]

I had no idea this was coming. So WotC is suddenly open to the idea of combining D&D and MtG?

They've released two such crossover supplements, already. Plane shift: Zendikar and Innistrad.

I knew of the Innistrad one, but not Zendikar. The fact that a third one is on the way gets me curious...what if WotC compiles all the MtG worlds and produces a hardback? This could be the beginning of a new Planescape setting.

[Angelika Tatsu]

Plane Shift: Kaladesh is now available for download!

http://media.wizards.com/2017/downloads ... ladesh.pdf

[Tim Baker]

Plane Shift: Kaladesh is now available for download!

http://media.wizards.com/2017/downloads ... ladesh.pdf

Thanks for sharing the link!

[Isuru]

Soooo much art.

Hate to think it, but if D&D ever becomes a truly vestigial aspect of WotC's portfolio (as in solely an afterthought moniker used to support other brands), there are worst things that riding on the coat-tails of Magic: The Gathering.

[willpell]

Augh, I'm torn. I finally kicked my MTG habit, and I don't want to risk a relapse. But Kaladesh was practically designed to make me drool, and the idea of getting to see it *solely* from a non-card-game perspective does tempt me.

[ripvanwormer]

Maybe it could work for a "beyond the Yak Men" culture.

The Kuong Kingdom in Kara-Tur is supposed to worship the Indian pantheon, for what it's worth. Their gods, who they call the Lords of Creation, are said to be "adopted from a southwestern culture beyond the bounds of Kara-Tur" according to the Kara Tur: The Eastern Realms boxed set.

Durpar in the Shining South has a somewhat Hindu-inspired religion, though probably not the same faith as that practiced by the Kuong Kingdom. If it was the same faith as Durpar, though, that might help make the Kuong Kingdom feel like a more integrated part of Toril than dropping the real-world Indian pantheon into it would.

I don't think the "southwestern culture" mentioned in Kara Tur: the Eastern Realms ever got a canon name, though here's a previous thread on the "India" of the Forgotten Realms, focusing on Markus Taylor's fanon details. He called the area Jambu Dweepam.