As you walk down the stone corridor you can't help but notice the elongated shadows of your legs, stretched so far by the setting sun that they become tall pines laid on the floor in front of you. A distant wolf's howl marks the rising of the moon. The howl sounds forlorn giving off an impression of anticipation bereft of happiness. You continue on, your mind on your destination. As your shadow reaches the end of the passage, you arrive at Issar Roon's door.

Good evening. Take a seat over there and I will be with you shortly.

The old man waves a wrinkled hand in the direction of the rug and then ignores you. He seems to be deep in thought over something in the book now open before him. You try to remain quiet and unobtrusive while the old man grunts over hidden thoughts. Finally, he turns toward you.

I will tell you a story in a moment.

The old man closes the book and walks to the bookshelves on the far wall. A few minutes of searching reveal a weathered scroll in his hand. You find it hard to distinguish between where the hand ends and where the scroll begins. The old man walks slowly back to his desk and sets the rolled parchment on top of the clutter.

Shall I tell you about the Sages of Minorad? Never mind. You know not of what I ask. I will tell you their story, and you can decide afterwards if you enjoyed it. You seem to have enjoyed my previous stories enough to keep coming back to bother this old bag of bones.

The Sages of Minorad were a gathering of Dominaria's wisest men, led by five planeswalkers native to the plane. The goal of the Sages of Minorad was one of shared knowledge and the documentation of time. They did not lust for power, but did not shrink from opposing those who did. The reason for their creation was the hope to improve lives through a vast accumulation of knowledge.

Indeed, their greatest achievement was the creation of the Reckoning of the Sages of Minorad. Of course, many are clueless as to the Reckoning's true purpose. At one time, it was said that it measured the years on Dominaria exactly 3,000 years after the Argive Reckoning. Now, those who claim to understand say that it is a planar calendar, giving planeswalkers a universal date no matter where they travel in the Multiverse.

The old man unrolls the old parchment before him. The paper is dry and yellowed with age, but you are able to make out a black chart with numbers and symbols that hold little meaning to you.

Very little is known about the actual Sages of Minorad. Some came to Minorad after the Ice Age, seeking refuge in a city aiding those fleeing. Others were brought by the leaders of the council, the five planeswalkers. They preferred to remain anonymous, avoiding recognition when possible. The five Dominarian planeswalkers did not remain anonymous, but instead, were touted as the leaders of the Sages. They are the ones chronicled in the annals of history.

The first I shall mention is Kristina of the Woods. Born in Corondor, near Minorad itself, Kristina traveled the Multiverse before returning to help form the Sages of Minorad. Through her travels Kristina came into contact with many other planeswalkers, and accumulated more knowledge than most. The Sages of Minorad relied on her heavily when it came time for important decisions, and thus, she became their leader.

The red planeswalker of the council was Ash Warlord Embereck. Perhaps one of the more experienced members of the council in actual combat and dueling, he provided the physical experience in mirror to Kristina's knowledge. No one knows quite what Embereck's motivation was in helping to form the Sages of Minorad. I have heard all sorts of reasons throughout my research. “He truly believed the mission of the council.” “He planned on usurping the council for his own goals.” His red alignment and beliefs make it very hard to know what he truly desired. It is known that he left the council almost immediately, when Kristina surrendered to Ravidel's threat during the first Summit.

Grenfell Mor of Golthonor was the third founder of the council. The advisor of queens and leaders, Grenfell was the politician of the group. Unfortunately, he was unable to prevent Ravidel’s threat to use the Golgothian Sylex, and submitted to him along with the rest of the council. Eventually, he found the Long Daggers, capable of destroying the Sylex. He hid them from Ravidel, and did everything in his power to one day destroy the Sylex. His greatest contribution of Ravidel’s downfall, however, would be his daughter, Gwendolyn.

The white planeswalker of the group was Altair of Coloni. As part of his threat Ravidel cut Altair off from his planeswalker abilities, leaving him to live the life of a normal wizard. Altair left the council and befriended Caliphear the Nightmare. Together, they traveled Dominaria and fought the wizard Coldraith. During the battle with Coldraith, Ravidel’s spell was removed, and Altair’s planeswalking talents returned. His happiness was short-lived, however, as he was reportedly killed soon after.

Liana of Minorad, the last of the planeswalkers to form the Sages of Minorad, was from Minorad itself. Liana was a rare changeling planeswalker, able to take the form of any living creature. She was forced by Ravidel to suffer the worst of the five planeswalkers. His apprentice cast a seduction charm upon her, forcing her to fall in love with Ravidel. She spent many years scheming, inventing ways to destroy the man she was bound to. In the end, her efforts did not fall useless into the cracks of time.

The old man rolls up the ancient scroll once again.

As for the actual Sages of Minorad, they lived as a council of wise men for almost 1,300 years. Those in Corondor sought the wisdom of these men, and many traveled a great distance to reach them. Of course, their prominence did not last forever. Ravidel returned centuries later in search of the Moxen. Unable to find what he wanted, he destroyed the city of Minorad, and all whom dwelt within.

Did you enjoy it? I hope that my story has not fallen upon deaf ears. Now leave me be, I am tired and would like to sleep.

The old man rises once again to return the scroll to its rightful place among the papers and books of the room. Hoping to avoid his glare after he has finished, you make a hasty exit. As you close the study door, you again hear the wolf’s howl. During your time in the old man’s study it has become dark, and the moon is now well above the horizon.

This is a work of fiction based on the stories and entries provided by Wizards about some of the early characters. The author takes some liberty with the story for dramatic purposes. So the story portrayed here may not be the exact story according to Magic Canon. The author has found references and art to use in the following locations: Encyclopedia Phyrexianna and the MTG Salvation Wiki. Written by Brendan Weiskotten.