D&D 5E Official D&D Greek-Themed 'Mythic Odysseys of Theros' Setting Coming In May

My inbox just exploded! It looks like Penguin Random House accidentally leaked an upcoming book listing for D&D, before removing the entry. It's dated for May 19th, and it's called Mythic Odysseys of Theros.

What's Theros? It's a Greek(ish) themed Magic: the Gathering world! This will make it the second, after Ravnica, to make it to an official D&D campaign setting. Here's what the MTG wiki says about it:

"Theros is a plane governed by the gods of Nyx, where heroes face monsters, the sea rages, people offer burnt offerings and adventures take place. It is defined by mankind's struggle against the primal forces of the world, and mankind's conflict with the many other sapient races that populate the world."

In ancient times, the archons of Theros held a massive empire, tyrannizing the world in the belief that they were imposing a strict justice. The most notable of these Archon tyrants was Agnomakhos, who used the leonin as an army. Eventually, the Archon empire fell, being instead replaced by the poleis, and the remaining Archons now lash at these, slighting the "honor" they feel was stripped from them.

There's an enormous list of races, too -- though how many of those will translate from MtG to D&D, I don't know. Some of these are clearly 'monsters' in the D&D sense rather than 'races'. It includes cats, centaurs, gorgons, merfolk, minotaurs, satyrs, spirits, zombies, archons, basilisks, chimeras, cyclopses, demons, dragons, giants, hags, harpies, hounds, hydras, krakens, lamias, manticores, pegasi, phoenixes, spines, and sirens.

There's a whole bunch of Greek-themed or inspired D&D settings, including:

• Arkadia by Arcana Games. "Arkadia is a combined setting and players handbook for 5e - inspired by the history and myths of Ancient Greece. The book contains 100 pages of densely packed all new Greek themed content for both Players and GMs."
• Hellenistika from Handiwork Games. "From the Pillars of Herakles in the West to the Silken Cities of the East, from the isle of Hyperborea in the North to the Mountains of the Moon in the South, the world spreads before you, alive with gods and marvels."
• Odyssey of the Dragonlords from Arcanum Worlds. "Odyssey of the Dragonlords is an epic fantasy campaign for the fifth edition of the world’s greatest roleplaying game. The Player’s Guide is a 28-page companion booklet that will provide you with everything you need to begin your career as a prospective hero in the forgotten land of Thylea."
• Land of Myth by Seven Thebes. "A Fantasy Setting in Mythical Ancient Greece.A world of Heroes, right after the end of
  the Trojan War, steeped in myth and conflict."

Of course, this all assumes this isn't come kind of epic troll on WotC's part -- they have recently started putting placeholder names on products on Amazon and then changing them at the most minute, although with limited success. This could be a more elaborate attempt at that!

 

[gyor]

Yeah I've mentioned the planar bridge but didn't want to be like, full frontal Magic nerd in every post. (Also the planar bridge still only lets dead things through, it just also allows undead things that are coated in literal plot armor.)

I'm not sure I succeeded at reigning that nerdery in, but I did try!

Kaya's exception still directly involves a planeswalker spark, so I also didn't really think I needed to mention it. It's attracted its share of rage as well, though.

Its also possible there will be a second mending that brings D&D and MtG into alignment some how.

 

[slobster]

Its also possible there will be a second mending that brings D&D and MtG into alignment some how.

Yeah I didn't even bother getting into MtG premending when we were talking canon. Other than to reference the Weatherlight planehopping a couple times. Much as I've written waaay too much about "solid Magic canon" in this and other threads, it's worth admitting that Magic lore is even more retconny than your average comic lore, so you can always find a way to make exceptions or flat out handwave in changes to the rules.

I do really like the Spelljammer cosmologies you all have come up with to fold Magic planes into D&D lore, though! I'm probably stealing them for my own campaign in Theros, if I can find some players who are interested.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

Yeah I didn't even bother getting into MtG premending when we were talking canon. Other than to reference the Weatherlight planehopping a couple times. Much as I've written waaay too much about "solid Magic canon" in this and other threads, it's worth admitting that Magic lore is even more retconny than your average comic lore, so you can always find a way to make exceptions or flat out handwave in changes to the rules.

I do really like the Spelljammer cosmologies you all have come up with to fold Magic planes into D&D lore, though! I'm probably stealing them for my own campaign in Theros, if I can find some players who are interested.

I kind of love geeking out about Spelljammer, so always glad to spit stuff out about it!

I've seen a couple of ideas for how to integrate Magic the Gathering into D&D, but I personally will just use a simple one;

The Blind Eternities is simply the edge of the Planes of Magic own crystal sphere. There is no phlogiston route that leads to the Blind Eternities, and it itself is extremely dangerous to traverse, so the few Spelljammer explorers from other worlds that found the Blind Eternities have never succeeded in entering, or at least returning to tell the tale. Even gods beyond cannot pierce the veil of the Blind Eternities, and are too preoccupied to wonder what lies within.

It mimics the Crawford explanation for Eberron's place in the Great Wheel (that it's crystal sphere is a literal barrier shielding it from outside influence).

 

[slobster]

I've always loved the idea of Spelljammer, but never had the occasion to actually play it. This thread is making it highly likely I look into running a game that eventually brings in Spelljammer stuff...

Which resources would be the best way for me to learn about the setting? (also sorry those who are here just for the Theros stuff, I promise not to derail completely)

 

[Urriak Uruk]

I've always loved the idea of Spelljammer, but never had the occasion to actually play it. This thread is making it highly likely I look into running a game that eventually brings in Spelljammer stuff...

Which resources would be the best way for me to learn about the setting? (also sorry those who are here just for the Theros stuff, I promise not to derail completely)

Ah... well, there's actually some good stuff on it on the Forgotten Realms wiki. Searches like phlogiston will take you down the wiki tunnel of information, depending on how much research you do.

Also there is 1d4chan, if you want a more humorous wiki. I like that source personally, but that's not to everyone's taste.

The most complete source is buying the Spelljammer materials on the DMsguild, but that's not exactly a cheap option.

 

[Parmandur]

The most complete source is buying the Spelljammer materials on the DMsguild, but that's not exactly a cheap option.

Not exactly expensive, either: cheaper than buying the books new back in the day.

 

[Weiley31]

Ah... well, there's actually some good stuff on it on the Forgotten Realms wiki. Searches like phlogiston will take you down the wiki tunnel of information, depending on how much research you do.

Also there is 1d4chan, if you want a more humorous wiki. I like that source personally, but that's not to everyone's taste.

The most complete source is buying the Spelljammer materials on the DMsguild, but that's not exactly a cheap option.

I second 1d4 Chan on DND edition info and stuff. Surprisingly good when you get good articles that aren't short on there.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Its also possible there will be a second mending that brings D&D and MtG into alignment some how.

There doesn't need to be.

When describing something like the multiverse, the human brain simply isn't capable of comprehending something that has many more than four dimensions (this is true in real life and in fiction). Constructs like "The Great Wheel" are simply models that try to explain something fundamentally incomprehensible to humans. Other models can be used to try and explain the same thing. They can all be functionally true, looked at from a certain perspective, but none represent the whole truth.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

In the past I suggested something linked with a future event about multiverse crisis. Maybe there are true plans, to allow new pocket universes linked with no-D&D franchises, and not only M:tG but others, like someones from the Hasbroverse or even something like intercompany crossovers, from exampled lincenced characters by IDW comics.

But this would need time, and even awaiting after the action pictures or future videogames. Maybe they are going to need some retcons for the return of the chronomancers and the time spheres. Do you remember the famous quote "a wizard did it"? Here it will be "a chronomancers guild did it".

Now WotC doesn't worry too much about the coherence with the continuity, but maybe later with the action pictures.

Maybe Jakandor, a D&D minisetting, could be a "guest artist" in Magic: the Gathering. I knows it is like a crazy idea, but they can dare to recycle old franchises from older times.

I mean WotC is getting ready the lore/background for possible future intercompany crossovers in the D&D+M:tG multiverses. You shouldn't worry too much about a planewalker in Sigil or metalics dragons against Nick Balls, Nico Bolas because you are going to see weirder things.