Welcome back, Loreseekers! Today I'm going to talk about the Legends of the original Lorwyn and Shadowmoor blocks! Several of them had multiple versions (both the Lorwyn and Shadowmoor sides), but others have had only one or the other over the years. If you want to know more about the world, and not just the characters, make sure to check out Preparing for Lorwyn Eclipsed while you're here.

Major Characters

Ashling

Ashling the Pilgrim by Wayne Reynolds

Lorwyn: Ashling the Pilgrim, Ashling, Flame Dancer

Shadowmoor: Ashling, the Extinguisher

Status: Alive (Confirmed)

Ashling was a travelling pilgrim, a flamekin on the Path of Flame, seeking wisdom from a greater fire elemental. When she was used by Colfenor, the Last Yew's plot against Oona, she went on a quest to find it again. She absorbed its power as the plane turned to Shadowmoor, she retained her memories but was transformed into a destroyer, consumed with anger and an unquenchable thirst for destruction. Ashling only came to her senses when Maralen of the Mornsong took the elemental power from her, returning her mental faculties.

Brigid Baeli

Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile by Steve Prescott

Lorwyn: Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Alive (Confirmed)

The Hero of Kinsbaile was willing to do anything to protect her village, even betray her new friends. After nearly drowning Ashling to save Kinsbaile from Nath of the Gilt-Leaf, Brigid spent the rest of the story trying to make up for it, helping Sygg, River Guide recover his royal heirloom, the Crescent of Morningtide. But when Shadowmoor arrived, Brigid still held the crescent, and became the only person not to make the change. Finding Maralen similarly unchanged, they joined forces to bring Ashling to her senses and defeat Oona, Queen of the Fae.

Brion Stoutarm

Lorwyn: Brion Stoutarm

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Killed by Gilt-Leaf Elves)

The brother of Rosheen Meanderer, Brion was a stalwart ally of Rhys the Exiled, serving as Rhys' back-up big guns on several occasions. Brion was ultimately poisoned with moonglove by the elves hunting Rhys.

Colfenor the Red

Colfenor, the Last Yew by Filip Burburan

Lorwyn: Colfenor, the Last Yew

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Killed by Ashling)

The only character in the story who knows what Oona is doing with the Great Aurora, Colfenor set the pieces in motion to defeat her. He trained Rhys in the ways of Yew poison magic, he manipulated Ashling into bringing him the greater fire elemental's power, and likely ensured that the right people would be together to have a chance at stopping Oona. He died immolated in the blaze he summoned through Ashling, with the hope that his Sapling would carry on his work.

Doran

Doran, the Siege Tower by Mark Zug

Lorwyn: Doran, the Siege Tower

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Alive (Presumed)

Doran is a character famous for his card, not his story. As a treefolk, he's exceedingly long-lived and could still be alive. Doran doesn't actually appear in any stories, and only has this blurb from Folk of the Non-Pines:

One of the most famous black poplar treefolk is the wanderer Doran, a hulk of a tree renowned for his unusual fighting skill. Doran uses obscure shamanic magic to turn the natural durability of treefolk into their greatest advantage. Doran seems to feel at home in many different settings; it's thought that his wayfaring ways have led to the collection of diverse magics that he has combined into his own unique magical style.

Dwynen

Dwynen, Gilft-Leaf Daen by Johannes Voss

Lorwyn: Dwynen, Gilft-Leaf Daen

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Age)

Dwynen is a daen, a leader of a Gilt-Lead Huntpack who encounters Nissa during her very brief trip to Lorwyn. Nissa witnesses her slaughter some eyeblights before leaving prior to the Great Aurora. Because that was forty years ago, and Lorwyn elves don't live beyond forty, we can presume that Dwynen is dead by now.

Gaddock Teeg

Gaddock Teeg by Matt Stewart

Lorwyn: Gaddock Teeg

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Killed by Ashling/Colfenfor)

Gaddock Teeg was the Cenn, or mayor, of Kinsbaile, the most prominent kithkin settlement on Lorwyn. He was killed during the events at the end of the first Lorwyn novel, presumably in the conflagration caused by Colfenor and Ashling.

Horde of Notions

Lorwyn: Horde of Notions

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Alive (Presumed)

There's no lore on this Legend.

Maralen

Maralen of Mornsong by Mark Zug

Lorwyn: Maralen of the Mornsong

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Alive (Confirmed)

The original Maralen was a Mornsong elf killed by Oona for the purposes of creating a duplicate. Oona was worried that the early Aurora would affect her, and created Maralen as a back-up avatar just-in-case. Maralen ends up falling in with Rhys and the cast (see the link to the story) and realizes what she really is after not changing with the Great Aurora. After a brief stint of megalomania, she helped defeat Oona and has taken her place as Queen of the Fae.

Miara

Miara, Thorn of the Glade by Johannes Voss

Lorwyn: Miara, Thorn of the Glade

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Unknown

Miara is a character created for Commander Legends, and only has this blurb from The Legendary Characters of Commander Legends, Part 2:

Miara is a daen, a packmaster of the Exquisite caste on the plane of Lorwyn. She leads a hunting pack and has the esteemed privilege of being allowed to speak to elves of the Perfect caste. While her skills as a deadly hunter and talented tactician earned her the notice of elven leadership, it was her ruthless and thorough extermination of eyeblights that made her Exquisite. The most silent hunter on the plane, Miara's prey never sees nor hears her coming.

Nath

Nath of the Gilt-Leaf by Kev Walker

Lorwyn: Nath of the Gilt-Leaf

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Killed by Rhys)

Nath was a Gilt-Leaf taercenn, or commander over all the daens (including Rhys). He was ruthless and cruel, and ordered the ill-fated assault on the eyeblights of Porringer Valley. He was also secretly an eyeblight himself, using a glamer to hide his old age from the other elves. He was almost a member of a secret group of Gilt-Leaf who did the same. After the events of Porringer Valley, he ordered Rhys hunted down and took the village of Kinsbaile hostage. He was killed in a duel with Rhys, who snapped his neck.

Neerdiv

Lorwyn: Neerdiv, Devious Diver

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Unknown

There is no lore on Neerdiv other than this card.

Nymris

Nymris, Oona's Trickster by Johannes Voss

Lorwyn: Nymris, Oona's Trickster

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Age)

Nymris is an original character created for Commander Legends. As he was a servant of Oona, and Lorwyn fae only live a few years, he would be dead by now. His only lore appears in The Legendary Characters of Commander Legends, Part 1:

Oona

Oona, Queen of the Fae by Mila Pesic

Lorwyn: None

Shadowmoor: Oona, Queen of the Fae

Status: Alive (Disembodied)

Oona is the 'great faerie' of Lorwyn, the Great Mother of all the lesser, insectile faeries on the plane. At some point in the distant past, she harnessed the power of the Great Aurora for her own ends, using it and her faerie agents to maintain her silent control of the plane. She can manifest from plantlife seemingly anywhere on the plane, but her true form was a giant blooming flower in Glen Elendra. When the Mending caused the Great Aurora to come early, she hurriedly created Maralen as a back-up. But when her worry turned out to be for nothing, Maralen had grown too strong to simply eliminate. Her physical body was destroyed by Maralen, Ashling, Rhys, and the Sapling, but her disembodied voice was still heard after her supposed death.

Rhys

Rhys the Exiled by Steve Prescott

Lorwyn: Rhys the Exiled

Shadowmoor: Rhys the Redeemed

Status: Alive (Confirmed)

The former student of the Red Yew Colfenor, Rhys was a daen until the day Nath ordered him to eliminate the eyeblights of Porringer Valley. When the attack went wrong, Rhys accidentally unleashed his Yew magic, killing everything, friend and foe alike. He was scarred and exiled afterward, and gets roped into helping Maralen. Secretly, he was a key part of Colfenor's plan to defeat Oona. After the Great Aurora, Rhys is transformed and ends up helping Maralen destroy Oona anyway.

Rosheen Meanderer

Rosheen, Roaring Prophet by fang.xinyu

Lorwyn: Rosheen, Roaring Prophet

Shadowmoor: Rosheen Meanderer

Status: Alive (Presumed)

Rosheen is the sister of Brion Stoutarm. She was known for her prophetic visions, and was one of the few beings aware of the Great Aurora and its effect. She also kept a pet goat named Mr. Choppers. We never see her much as a character, as she's sleeping during the Lorwyn story and on a rampage during Shadowmoor.

Sapling of Colfenor

Lorwyn: None

Shadowmoor: Sapling of Colfenor

Status: Dead (Killed by Oona)

During Lorwyn, Colfenor tasks Rhys with planting his seedcone at the Murmuring Bosk. He then absorbs (and is immolated by) a greater fire elemental he channels through Ashling. This power is sent to his Sapling, who quickly sprouts to adulthood with only a vague notion of her predecessor's plans. Attempting to do what she was born for, she succeeds in defeating Oona, but is cut in half and killed by the faerie queen. Notably, she is genderless but accepts the feminine label people put on her.

Sygg Gauhren Gyllalla Syllvar

Lorwyn: Sygg, River Guide

Shadowmoor: Sygg, River Cutthroat

Status: Alive (Confirmed)

Sygg was a simple trader and ferryman who harbored a secret: he was actually the Heir to Morningtide and the king of the Paperfin School. He was fast friends with the main cast and was their main source of transportation up and down the Wanderwine River. The Crescent of Morningtide, a relic imbued with the power of the great water elemental of the Wanderwing (known as the Source of the Wanderwine), belonged to Sygg. But when the Aurora came, Brigid had it and Sygg became a notorious pirate cutthroat instead.

Vendilion Clique

Vendilion Clique by Willian Murai

Lorwyn: Vendilion Clique

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Killed each other and themselves)

Endry, Illiona, Veesa are the triplets that make up the Vendilion Clique. They were tasked with a special mission by Oona, originally to watch and protect Maralen (but mostly harass her and her friends), and later to stop Maralen and her allies. The bonds these obnoxious tricksters form cause a schism amongst themselves, with the sisters Veesa and Illiona killing each other over being on opposite sides, and Endry killing himself upon finding his sisters dead.

Wort

Wort, the Raidmother by Dave Allsop

Lorwyn: Wort, Boggart Auntie

Shadowmoor: Wort, the Raidmother

Status: Dead (Presumed)

Wort, like Doran, is better known for her popular cards than any story presence. Wort is an Auntie, which for boggarts means a cross between a witch and a preschool teacher. They're the magic-wielding leaders of boggart clans. We don't have any lore for Wort beyond that. Given she already seemed old in Lorwyn, it's unlikely she's still around forty years later.

Wydwen

Lorwyn: Wydwen, the Biting Gale

Shadowmoor: None

Status: Dead (Age)

Wydwen doesn't have any stories, only a small blurb that appeared in "Lorwyn Legend Art," a mothership article lost to time, but the blurb was transcribed to the wiki:

Wydwen is much too cool for you. Faeries travel in small groups called cliques - and for Wydwen, it's literally a popularity contest. She comes and goes as she desires, leaving snorted insults in her wake, and doesn't give the time of day to anybody - creature or planeswalker - who she sees as beneath her.

Reaper King

Lorwyn: N/A

Shadowmoor: Reaper King

Status: Alive (Presumed)

And finally we have the Reaper King! Scarecrows on Shadowmoor are constructs animated by the Kithkin to defend their fields. Unfortunately, sometimes they get minds of their own and go rogue, or the person who created them dies and they do their best to keep following their orders. The Reaper King is one such example. There's no story lore or anything beyond the article You Can't Handle The Reaper King.

Happy New Year!

This is likely my last article before Lorwyn Eclipsed, which means it's my last article of the year! I'll be back next year to talk about my favorite flavor gems of Lorwyn, and don't worry, I'm a big fan of Ninja Turtles and Star Trek and will have a lot to say about those sets, too. Not to mention Secrets of Strixhaven or Reality Fracture. See you then!