The Guildpact

Ten factions serve as the backbone of Ravnica's infrastructure.

Most, but not all, work within the guild system for various reasons; protection, structure, dental benefits and bioenhancements are just some of the many incentives for Ravnican inhabitants to partake in the guild system.

The single ever-present monolith in Ravnica's societal structure is the magical, living tome of the Guildpact.

10,000 years ago the factions of Ravnica came together in agreement. They signed and sealed the Guildpact with blood and magic; this established the 10 guilds and the roles they were to serve in society.

Breaching any fundamental edict written in the Guildpact could alert heiromancers or enforcers to the violation, subdue those who seek to shatter the delicate balance of Ravnica.

So what are the 10 guilds? Glad you asked.

Enjoy this oversimplified preview.

Azorius Senate

"I am the law."

Parun: Azor I

Guildhall: Prahv

The Azorius Senate is the backbone of Ravnica's legal infrastructure. The guild is divided into three "Columns":

• The Sova - the judges and arbiters of the Azorius; led by the judiciary Leonos II, they employ aides, pages, librarians, legal experts, advocates and prosecutors.
  

• The Jelenn - led by vedalken lawmage arbiter Uzana, they are scribes, elocuters, researchers, clerks and lobbyists - the comm lines of the Senate
  

• The Lyev - lawmages, heiromancers, nullmages and investigators, the Lyev Column are the enforcers of the Azorius Senate. The Senate's army is composed of hussars and infantry while Arresters function as a police force. You've heard mutterings that the Lyev are currently venturing into surveillance and precognition as a means of preventative justice.

While not exclusively part of any one Column, the Azorious Senate also employs builders and architects called konstructors who use their magic to enhance and accelerate building projects.

Guildmasters:

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV

The Grand Arbiter of the Azorius Senate, he holds perhaps the most influential seat in the Senate, save the Parun.

Supreme Judge Isperia

Agmand Sarv

Boros Legion

Peace through active pacification.

Parun: Razia

Guildhall: Sunhome

The Boros Legion is a hierarchical military organization, charged with maintaining order and peace throughout Ravnica. As such they are often employed or collaborate with institutions like the Azorius or the Orzhov to enforce laws or initiatives.

There are three main levels of the Boros hierarchy. Despite the diverse composition of the guild, Angels (often referred to as Firemanes) unequivocally preside over the upper crust of the legion serving as leaders and inspiration to all.

Boros guildmages - often referred to as Firefists or Embermages - hold the highest rank among Boros mortals and serve as the leyline between the Angels and the rest of the guild.

Below the guildmages are The League of Wojek - the legion's official law enforcement in Ravnica - and the standing army .

The Boros army consist of Commanders, Skyknight Legionnaires (or Skyjeks), Wojek Apothecaries (healers), massive flame elementals called flame-kin, constables, commandos, Swiftblades (first responders) and the grunts often led by a Thundersong Trumpeteer.

Guildmasters:

Aurelia

Often prone to acting first and asking later, the Firemane Angel Aurelia is beloved by all in the Boros Legion and draws fans even outside the guild. She's striking with bright crimson hair and her speech carries an almost musical quality. She is a visible icon of the guild and often the subject of many recruitment posters; appropriately she keeps close relationships with her guildmembers.

Feather

Tajic, Blade of the Legion

House Dimir

Humble couriers and mailmen.

Parun: ???

Guildhall: ???

Wispy whispering puppeteer,

Invisible cutthroat, unspeakable fear.

The shadow of House Dimir.

Hush! Be they near?

Bah! Tip ye flagon,

They don't exist!

- A favorite toast of Ravnican drunkards

Golgari Swarm

One man's trash is another's way of life.

Parun: ???

Guildhall: Somewhere in the undercity

You know very little about the Golgari. They primarily reside in a massive subterranean megacity you know only as "the undercity. "

As primarily surface dwellers, the home of Golgari folk are generally a mystery to you. You've seen some of the Golgari's working class on the surface; they're uncommon but not rare.

Golgari laborers are often employed as street shamans, rot farmers tunnel guides and Spore Druids.

Gruul Clans

Return to monke.

Parun: Cisarzim

Guildhall: Skaarg

Despite their distinction as one of the ten "guilds," the Gruul are a loosely affiliated, decentralized group of clans who reside in the wastelands of Ravnica often referred to as "the rubblebelt."

As rare as Golgari are on the surface, you'll rarely see a Gruul in town except from the bloodied end of their hammer or axe.

Though once considered gamemasters and wildlife preservers long ago, Ravnica's unfettered urban sprawl has driven the Gruul Clans further and further out of their ancestral dwellings.

They abhor urban civilization and when they're not scouring the Red Wastes or celebrating with their clanfolk in a way that would make vikings blush, they are quite literally painting the town red or raising hell during one of their raids.

Known Clan Leaders:

Borborygmos

The leader of the Burning Tree Clan, he is an enormous short-tempered cyclops said to be a descendant of Cisarzim himself. The Burning Tree is so infamous and feared that their symbol is seen by the Ravnican populace as synonymous with the entirety of the Gruul.

Ruric Thar

Izzet League

"We find out what we invent, after we invent it."

Parun: Niv-Mizzet

Guildhall: Nivix

The engineers and civic architects of Ravnica, the presence of Izzet League is ubiquitous in much of the city's centers.

They are responsible for designing much of Ravnica's water supply systems, sewers, heating systems, boilers, roadways and machinery.

The most intellectually gifted of Ravnica's citizenry flock to the illustrious Prism University on the west end of Precinct Five. As students, Izzet initiates study general magic and science theory before specializing on of their many distinguished research programs.

Laboratory of Pyrology

Izzet Blastseekers occupy this premiere school of study for heat, fire and explosions.

Laboratory of Storms and Electricity

Laboratory of Metallurgy

Laboratory of Alchemy

The Laboratory of Orientations

The Laboratory of Mimeography

The Laboratory of Continuism

Laboratory of Arcane Geometry

The Laboratory of Gravitational Inversion

The Laboratory of Plasma-Dermatology

Notable Members:

Tibor

One of the Izzet League's champions, Tibor is well-known as a master of wind magic. He is wise and noble but his head remains in the clouds. He will speak to anyone willing to listen about his latest theories with child-like enthusiasm.

Lumia

Orzhov Syndicate

"Heirarchy creates stability. Stability generates wealth. Wealth is true power."

Parun: The Obzedat Council

Guildhall: Orzhova

Part church, part bank, part business, the Orzhov is Ravnica's most prominent religious and financial instituion.

Both in prayer and practice, members of the Orzhov believe that in wealth lies salvation.

Nearly every business in Ravnica ties back to the Orzhov in one way or another; be it protection, supply, real estate, "permits," the Syndicate has their proverbial hand in almost every pot.

Reporting to the guild Parun are the heads of the numerous cartels called Cardinals; each kingpin in competition with each other and operating self-sufficiently.

Each cartel claims its own slice of Ravnican territory and operating within another cartel's jurisdiction would be met with swift restitution in the form of advokists (Orzhov lawmages) or enforcers.

Open conflict between cartels is rare and frowned upon. Any affront to territorial business practices would leave the offending member the sole bearer of any punishment meted out by the opposing cartel.

Ruled as a hierarchy, the guild is presided over by olicharchs, the most elite families with extensive generational history and renown. The pontiffs of Orzhov can be seen as executive managers while ministrants are priests and practitioners of their religion.

It is also the highest ranking one can hope for if one was not born into an elite family.

Alongside them are Orzhov Knights, who provide the muscle and often do the legwork collecting debts, delivering messages and reminding the citizens of Ravnica the importance of paying dues.

The Gray Sisters are women of the cloth. They are an order of robed nuns sworn to silence and work within the Church of Deals preforming menial chores and sometimes recruiting followers exclusively from the dead.

Syndicants make up the lowest position in the guild and are attorneys, advisors, accountants, consultants, couriers and the like.

To Orzhov, not even death can free one from debt. If you see a ghost following someone, head bowed and dejected, it is a clear indicator of a borrower now forced to continue service in death until the debt is considered paid.

Notable Members:

Teysa Karlov

The scion of one of Orzhov's most respected families, she is a notable advokist within the guild. She is a cunning leader and a shrewd diplomat. For a guild known for back-alley dealings, she's among their most visible members as she can oft be found in the most exclusive of events among some of Ravnica's most powerful people.

Cult of Rakdos

Why so serious?

Parun: Rakdos

Guildhall: Rix Maadi

Embedded in the service and entertainment industry, members of the Cult of Rakdos spend their free time participating in some of the most debaucherous activities Ravnica has to offer.

Consequently, the best clubs, shows and gentlemen's clubs are often Rakdos-owned.

Followers of the Cult of Rakdos believe in one thing: have a great time.

More often than not, they take this philosophy to the absolute extreme. While not inherently evil, it is better to be an audience to a Rakdos show than to be a part of the show itself; unless of course, you're into that stuff.

Nine Rings, organize Rakdos cultsts into subsections within the cult and each Ring is held responsible for servicing various Rakdos clubs.

Diversion Clubs

Aside from the unmistakable gaudy Rakdos "gothic" decor, from the outside these do seem like usual clubs. Their services however often exceed convention. Yes, they serve all manner of food and ale, but on stage is the iconic twisted circus entertainment. There are also bathhouse amenities and rave burlesque revues.

Debauchery Clubs

"The Ninth Ring"

Notable Members:

Izolda

A human bloodwitch, Izolda has held the mantle of acting guildmaster for a few hundred years. It is said she is as tantalizing as she is cruel. Her shows are hypnotic and mesmerizing, often single-handedly responsible for attracting more followers. Felix Humdridge of the Ravnica Revue exclaims it's "a performance to die for!"

Selesnya Conclave

Coexistence and harmony, even through force.

Parun: Mat'Selesnya

Guildhall: Vitu-Ghazi

The only guild whose recruitment effort can rival that of the Boros, the Selesnya Conclave is far more than tree-huggers and mushroom eaters.

They have a standing army and countless devout followers. At the heart of Selesnyan philosophy is coexistence. They believe that industry, nature and the guilds themselves are meant to grow into one another, into a peaceful union.

Being accepting and open-mind as well as generous, often puts the guild in a vulnerable position on Ravnica; hence the army. They will not and cannot easily be pushed around by the more aggressive and opportunistic guilds.

Life in the Conclave is quite harmonious. Each community is referred to as a Vernadi which is structured around their own central tree. Each Vernadi is led by a Voda, a dryad who serves as the community leader as well as the Vernadi's representative to the guildmaster.

Dryads occupy a special place in Selesnyan society as they are seen as the beings closest to nature. They hold the most prominent seats of power and are treated with reverence by all members.

The Conclave has little tolerance for selfishness and urges members to put the needs of the many first and foremost. Often they are the first to offer aid to neighborhoods hit by Gruul raids, and are known to shelter and help even the most destitute of people - for the small, small price of membership, of course.

Though philanthropic in nature, any threat to Selesnyan lives or disruption of Selesnyan practices are met with swift and deliberate force.

Their military divisions are as diverse as their membership. It's not uncommon to see Ledev wolf riders, equinauts atop winged horses, highly skilled centaur saggitar archers rushing to aid.

Whether through peaceful means or through force, the Selesnya Conclave will see the will of the World Soul be done.

Notable Members:

Selesnya Evangels

While you do not know much about the inner workings or noteworthy figures within the Conclave, everyone in Ravnica knows of the Evangels who stand on pillars and makeshift pulpits to preach the good teachings of Selesnya, hoping to catch even one ear and maybe a new initiate.

Simic Combine

Make your turkducken dreams a reality.

Parun: ???

Guildhall: ???

While not as flamboyant or visible as the Izzet, the Simic Combine are still scientists.

They focus on biology and life. As such they are a common sight in pharmacies, clinics, and the health sector in general.

Two schools of thought dominate the Combine and within them are their own moderates and fundamentalists.

The Utopians focus on the natural union between civilization and nature. To them evolution is a slow, deliberate and guided process.

In contrast, the Adaptionists believe that the guilds and Ravnica itself exist within an increasingly fragile ecosystem. They are wary of a big cascading effect on the horizon that would threaten the existence of those who have not chosen to take proactive measures to "adapt" both physically and philosophically.

What you do know of the Simic are the five basic divisions of the guild referred to as Clades. Each clade is responsible for the research and execution of their own project focuses.

Hull Clade

Focused on researching and progressing protection, defense and durability.

Fin Clade

Crypsis Clade

Gyre Clade

Simic biomancers are not a common sight by any means, but close inspection of one would leave nary a doubt. An excess of limbs, gills, wings, claws are just some of the biomodifications available to those willing within the guild.

There are whispers of more abominable creatures being developed within the guild. Most citizens are wary and distrusting of Simic guildmembers outside of their own halls.

Notable Members:

Lonis

Lonis is a noted cryptozoologist and is the author of several research papers rarely taken seriously by Simic scientists. He has dedicated years of his life searching for mysterious and strange creatures yet undiscovered in Ravnica. The noxbur shroom, the owlipedosaur and the lamplight crab are just some of the myths Lonis has committed to prove true. While his own peers mock an ridicule his work, the stories have captured the public's imagination and is published as pulp comics every Sunday on the Ravnica Revue.

Note: This is what a layman Ravnican knows. This is what you know, for now. I will update this page maybe a couple more times as we flesh out the setting!