Technically all of Magic is High Fantasy. I think I'll drop that line because I guess people have very different interpretations of what it means.
I heard 'Archeology World' just now, and I kind of like it. Dominaria (especially Terisiare) was defined a lot by Archeology. There are enough buried civilizations and power on the plane that it would be a great way to connect all the history while having a single cohesive theme. The only other plane that was like that was Zendikar, and that's over for Zendikar anyway.
I really like this idea, especially since it's a great link back to the Artifacts War, the Phyrexians, the Legacy Weapon, etc.
Dominaria might end up being the Planeswalkers Block though, although I really hope not.
EDIT: Also personal theory. The other three gods had “natural” heads like Bontu and not metal like the other 4, making 4 “natural” heads and 4 “artifact” heads. I kept wondering why Bontu head was more organic and this might be why.
Good theory! Or maybe the rest originally had "natural" heads too, but Bolas installed "artifact" ones as part of their mind-wipe? Bontu might be the only unaffected one since she's Black (and guess what Bolas' main colour is...)
Remember if Nicol has been using the trials as a way to ignite planeswalker sparks, it likely is a hold over from before when Planeswalkers could yank other through the blind eternities and could sense other sparks (even if they weren't ignited)
The original plan was probably "I sense a spark." -kidnap person he senses, dump them on Amonkhet, they have to participate in the trials, maybe ascend, maybe not.- "Oh I got an ascent from someone, okay time to give them the chance to work for me..or kill them if they say no."
Now that he can't yank people from all over, he just lets things continue as normal because why bother changing it.
... maybe that's why Bolas sent Tezzeret to Kaladesh for a Planar Portal?
We don't know, but we also don't know where Marit Lage can be or not be, sleeping or not, influence stretching from plane to plane. Doug Beyer's post about Marit Lage from two years ago is VERY interesting:
"She’s intriguing, isn’t she? A mysterious villain so powerful that she had to be imprisoned deep under the ice. Reportedly not a planeswalker, yet seemingly able to appear on different planes somehow. Able to motivate her followers to do her bidding, even while she slumbers.
I certainly like her as a character – there’s definitely potential there. It’s just a matter of whether the story goals of any future blocks would make sense of having her appear again."
This fits into a rough estimate end of timeline with the potential design / development cycle of SOI for when this was answered.
Wow! Good find. The timing of that Doug post is really, really interesting. My main reason for dismissing the whole mad idea was because it would have come so far out of left-field; why bring back a character from 10 years ago? But knowing Marit Lage was in Doug's thoughts two years ago - right on cue for SoI creative - puts it in a different light. I'm definitely beginning to swing towards the Marit Lage camp. No wonder Jace would find the truth unsettling.
Also, considering there's a picture of Cryptoliths arranged in a circle that seems to form some sort of a portal, could that possibly be an interplanar portal to Marit Lage?
I know this is stretching it, but just wanted to throw this idea out.
Seriously, when they eliminate the position of Creative Director in a fantasy card game, something's just really, really wrong. Or there are big changes afoot.
Wizards can easily do a name matters or identity matters set and use Legendaries as a subtheme at higher rarities, and Grandeur at lower ones. Stuff like Relentless Rats could easily be a consistent theme, etc.
And the flip mechanism?
No clue yet. However, I find it peculiar that everybody seems to be locked into it being a conditional situation based on the game state. Perhaps there is a mechanism that lets you pay a certain amount of mana to switch cards permanently.
Seeing as it's a flavor-themed set, a conditional trigger seems to be more flavorful than an activated one. If it's a regularly flipping thing, even better.
I am absolutely certain that the Mayor of Avabruck can take the form of any Innistrad block werewolf printed as a 3/3 (thus the little 3/3 on the Mayor's card).
Looking forward to the new site!
Dominaria might end up being the Planeswalkers Block though, although I really hope not.
Also, considering there's a picture of Cryptoliths arranged in a circle that seems to form some sort of a portal, could that possibly be an interplanar portal to Marit Lage?
I know this is stretching it, but just wanted to throw this idea out.
Seriously, when they eliminate the position of Creative Director in a fantasy card game, something's just really, really wrong. Or there are big changes afoot.
There may be a twist, but in the third set? Don't think it'll be a major one.