List of Species in Magic: The Gathering - Viashino

Viashino

Native to Dominaria, Ravnica, and the Alara shards of Jund and Grixis (through reanimation of corpses left from old Alara). The Viashino are intelligent humanoids with lean, muscular builds. These Lizard-Folk are descended from dragons. Quick, agile, and vicious when required, they are the main civilization on the sands of Dominaria's Shiv and can be found throughout the Burning Isles and even as far west as Jamuraa. They are constantly skirmishing with the Goblins, also native to Shiv, the Ghitu tribe of humans, and even the great Shivan Dragons themselves. Despite their warrior codes, the Viashino are renowned metalsmiths and craftsfolk, and become staunch allies of both the goblins and the Ghitu in the face of any outside threat. They live in clan communities, each led by a bey. On Ravnica, Viashino are not quite as civilized as their Dominarian brethren, with most belonging to either the wild Gruul Clans or the savage Cult of Rakdos, if they belong to any guild at all. On the Jund shard of Alara, the Viashino live in tribes and are generally reminiscent of their Ravnican brethren in terms of savagery. However, as stated on the card Viashino Skeleton, the Viashino are extinct on the Grixis shard of Alara, and the only ones that exist there are undead. The extinction of the Viashino on the Grixis shard may date back to when the plane was split into the five shards, as the Grixis and Jund shards border to each other.

Viashino were first seen not on cards, but in the Magic: the Gathering novel, The Prodigal Sorcerer. The creative directors at Wizards of the Coast liked the concept enough to introduce them into the game, making them servants of the invader Kaervek as he tried to conquer Jamuraa. An interesting fact about the Viashino presented in the book is that it is impossible for a Viashino's sex to be identified until he or she reaches adulthood. Young Viashino choose to be called "he" or "she" according to personal preference, as even they cannot determine their own genders.