The Plane of Eldraine: MTG Lore

Introduction: A Tale of Knights and Fairy Magic

Eldraine is one of the most enchanting settings in Magic: The Gathering. It combines the tales of legend with the danger and beauty of classic fairy tales. The plane is divided between two worlds: the Realm, ruled by five noble courts, and the Wilds, an untamed land of fey creatures and unpredictable magic.

Since its debut in Throne of Eldraine and its return in Wilds of Eldraine, the story has followed the Kenrith royal family, the trickster Oko, and the changing balance between order and chaos. This blog explores both story arcs, every major court, and the legacy of Eldraine’s most famous heroes and villains.

The Realm of Eldraine: The Five Great Courts

Court of Ardenvale: Home of Honour and Light

Ardenvale stands as the heart of the Realm. Led by High King Algenus Kenrith and Queen Linden, it represents loyalty, faith, and justice. The shining Castle Ardenvale is a symbol of peace that many knights swear to defend. Ardenvale prizes chivalry and selflessness above all else, which makes its struggles in later years especially poignant.

Court of Vantress: Keepers of Secrets

Vantress is a court of scholars and mystics who revere knowledge. Its towers rise over a vast lake, and the fortress known as Castle Vantress guards ancient riddles and prophecies. The court’s knights protect the Realm while seeking hidden truths. 

Court of Locthwain: The Shadowed Nobles

Locthwain embraces ambition and power. The court’s queen, Ayara, First of Locthwain, rules with sharp wit and iron resolve. Her followers believe that devotion and sacrifice lead to greatness. Their citadel, Castle Locthwain, looms over a realm of black mana, oaths, and perilous bargains.

Court of Embereth: The Flame of Courage

Embereth celebrates bravery and passion. Its warriors test themselves through trials that value strength of heart. The blazing arena of Castle Embereth hosts tournaments where courage earns respect and legends are born.

Court of Garenbrig: The Strength of the Land

Garenbrig honours resilience and nature’s power. Its people are craftsmen and giants who build with patience and care. The stone fortress of Castle Garenbrig stands as a monument to endurance and generosity.

The Wilds: Home of Fey and Forgotten Magic

Beyond the walls of the Realm lies the Wilds, a place of wonder and danger. Fey beings follow old customs that mortals rarely understand. They make bargains that can bless or ruin. They value cleverness and story more than titles or gold. Each grove and hollow holds a legend that can twist fate for anyone who wanders too far from the road.

Throne of Eldraine Story Summary

Oko the Trickster Arrives

The tale begins with Oko, a shapeshifting planeswalker who arrives on Eldraine and grows disgusted with the hierarchy of the courts. He charms and deceives High King Algenus Kenrith, twisting the king’s mind through enchantment and stirring unrest across the Realm.

The Kenrith Twins

The king’s children, Will and Rowan Kenrith, are twin planeswalkers. Will is calm and thoughtful. Rowan is bold and passionate. When their father disappears, they journey through each court to uncover the truth, rallying knights and common folk as they go.

Garruk’s Redemption

During their quest, the twins encounter Garruk Wildspeaker, still cursed by the Chain Veil. Oko seeks to use Garruk as a weapon, yet the twins refuse to meet rage with death. They help Garruk resist the curse, beginning his long road back to himself.

Rankle, Master of Pranks

Chaos delights the faerie Rankle, Master of Pranks. Known across the Wilds for mischief, Rankle meddles in events, sparks confusion, and occasionally reveals truths that others miss.

The Fall of Oko

Will and Rowan expose Oko’s lies and free their father. Oko escapes justice, leaving scars that do not heal overnight. Peace returns for a time, although tensions are still high in every court.

Wilds of Eldraine Story

The Aftermath of War

Years later, the multiverse reels from the Phyrexian invasion. High King Algenus Kenrith and Queen Linden die in the conflict, and the Realm grieves.

The Wicked Slumber

A creeping enchantment called the Wicked Slumber engulfs villages. The witch Eriette of the Charmed Apple weaves the spell, believing that sweet sleep will spare Eldraine from future pain. Her magic binds through love, memory, and longing, which makes it hard to break.

Rowan’s Fall and Will’s Burden

Rowan Kenrith, broken by grief, seeks strength in dangerous power and aligns with Eriette. Will Kenrith, loyal to the ideals of Ardenvale, leads a coalition of knights, scholars, giants, and even fey who fear the Slumber’s spread.

The Final Battle and Resolution

Will unites allies from Ardenvale, Vantress, Locthwain, Embereth, and Garenbrig to confront Eriette. The curse breaks. Rowan cannot return to her old life and leaves Eldraine to find her own path. The Realm survives, though it must learn to live with loss and change.

The Five Courts Revisited in the Wilds Era

Ardenvale

Still a beacon of honour, yet rebuilding without its king. Queen Linden’s leadership keeps the court steady during uncertain days.

Vantress

Scholars catalogue the Slumber and expand their study of fey enchantments. Roles inside the court are varied.

Locthwain

Ayara, First of Locthwain, deepens her rule through diplomacy and the quiet threat of binding oaths. Ambition remains the court’s lifeblood. 

Embereth

Knights of Embereth defend outlying villages and keep courage alive through tourneys at Castle Embereth.

Garenbrig

Giants and druids rebuild farms, roads, and halls. Strength serves not just in war but in patient work that mends the Realm.

Life in the Wilds After the Curse

The Wilds remain unpredictable yet oddly welcoming in places. Fey and mortals cross paths more often. New bargains bring risk and hope in equal measure, hinting at tales still to come.

Key Characters and Where They First Appeared

Will Kenrith

Prince of Ardenvale and planeswalker. First seen in Throne of Eldraine. Leads the effort to end the Wicked Slumber and becomes a symbol of balance.

Rowan Kenrith

Princess of Ardenvale and planeswalker. First seen in Throne of Eldraine. Her grief drives her to Eriette’s side in Wilds of Eldraine, then onward to an uncertain future.

Ayara, First of Locthwain

Queen of Locthwain. First seen in Throne of Eldraine. Rules through resolve and pact-bound

Rankle, Master of Pranks

Faerie trickster from the Wilds. First seen in Throne of Eldraine. A chaos agent who mirrors the plane’s playful danger. While not a key character in thrones, rankle is a beloved flavour character.

Oko

A shapeshifting planeswalker. First seen in Throne of Eldraine. Topples order through deception, then vanishes before facing the punishment of his crimes.

Eriette of the Charmed Apple

Witch of the Wilds. First seen in Wilds of Eldraine. Creator of the Wicked Slumber and foe of the courts.

The Legacy of Eldraine

Eldraine stands out for its themes of courage, temptation, and self-discovery. The five courts and their castles remain symbols of those ideals. The Realm and the Wilds push against each other as seasons turn, and the Kenrith twins embody that tension through heart and reason.

Conclusion

Throne of Eldraine story summary: Oko’s deception, the Kenrith twins’ quest, Garruk’s first steps toward redemption, and the restoration of the Realm. Wilds of Eldraine story: the Wicked Slumber, the loss of the king, Rowan’s fall, and Will’s resolve. Characters such as Ayara, First of Locthwain and Rankle, Master of Pranks reveal how fragile order can be when magic and ambition collide. Eldraine continues to captivate fans through its rich courts, mysterious Wilds, and the promise of new legends to come.