Ravnica

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Ravnica is a plane in the universe of Magic: The Gathering. It's essentially a giant city (in fact, its tagline is "City of Guilds"), continuously expanding outward and upward (rather like the hives of Warhammer 40,000). It is vaguely Eastern-European in flavor, with Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Serbian and Croatian influences on its design, names, and phonetics of its made-up words. When someone says a deck is a [part of guild name] deck, that might only mean the deck's colors is the same colors as that guild, for example any black-green deck can be called a golgari deck.

Guilds

Ravnica is run by ten guilds, each of which embodies two of Magic's colors:

The Azorius Senate

White and Blue. Boros may be THE LAW, but the Azorius Senate is the legislature and court system. They are known for being extraordinarily stuffy, unproductive, and beaurocratic.

The Orzhov Syndicate

White and Black. They act like a church, but they're really all about the money and function as a debt-collecting, guilt-inducing mafia. Their power is both in holiness, and shadow, and extends beyond death. Beware a contract with them. In short, think Supernatural version of the Mafia, who revel in making offers you can't refuse.

House Dimir

Blue and Black. The spies and subversive, troubleshooting guild (one of their stated functions is to undermine the Guildpact to tease out errors, which some military people might liken to aggressor squadrons), so secretive that its very existence was considered a myth until a big storyline reveal. Their purpose in shadows is sometimes served too well, as after the fall of the Guildpact, and during the rise of its replacement, they have schemed against the greater good and nearly destroyed much of Ravnica in Dragon Maze. All for the possibility of being the last guild standing unopposed. What dicks.

The Izzet League

Blue and Red. Mad scientists, wizards, and inventors, ruled by the dragon Niv-Mizzet. They're a little fuzzy on the idea of "safety", while also being tasked with maintaining and improving the city's infrastructure. When asked how much power is required, Izzet mages always answer "More". This leads to Dwarf Fortress style FUN.

The Cult of Rakdos

Black and Red. They're a Chaotic Evil pleasure cult/carnival/assassins guild that other guilds keep around for cleaning up loose ends, and because they would be just that painful to remove, not that some aren't trying. The Rakdos value showmanship, acknowledge that life is short, and specialize in shortening it more for a bloody show.

The Golgari Swarm

Black and Green. Bugs, critters, moss, and zombies, zombies everywhere. Functions as the waste management guild. Was given one of the most broken keyword mechanics in any cardgame, then a dud one. They are mostly sewer-dwelling, and frequently pessimistic.

The Gruul Clans

Red and Green. Formerly in charge of keeping Ravnica connected to nature, the Gruul are not so much a unified faction as a bunch of clans of Chaotic Neutral anarchists. They were formally in charge of Parks and Recreation. Really. The Gruul are mostly in favor of tearing down the structures and the city in general, returning to the wild nature that they revere.

The Boros Legion

Red and White. THEY ARE THE LAW! Law itself is more of Azorius domain however, the Boros are more concerned with what they believe to be justice. They are the military of Ravnica, and are unparalleled in tactics, if lacking in vision.

The Selesnya Conclave

Green and White. A nature cult that brainwashes people who join it. Note: not a cult like that of Rakdos, more in the hippie sense. Selesnyans value unity in all things, though not much diversity. They, not the church Orzhova, are the most spiritual on Ravnica.

The Simic Combine

Green and Blue. Genetic engineers who now dabble in holistic methods. Like Selesnya and (formerly) the Gruul, the Combine maintains what remains of nature on Ravnica, but instead of letting nature take its course, they adapt it to fit with industry and civilization.

Guildmasters

Each guild of Ravnica has a leader, some of whom are the original founders, or Paruns, of the guild.

The Azorius Senate

Founded by Azor, about whom little is known to the fan community, but has been confirmed to not be from Ravnica originally. Currently led by the sphinx Isperia.

The Orzhov Syndicate

The Orzhov are led by a council of ghosts known as the Obzedat. Who this comprises is mostly unknown, and current members may include some of the original signers of the guildpact.

House Dimir

Founded by Szadek, a vampire. Currently led by Lazav, a shapeshifter.

The Izzet League

Founded and continuously led by the great dragon Niv-Mizzet, for whom it is named.

The Cult of Rakdos

Founded and continuously led by the cruel and chaotic demon Rakdos, who gave it its title.

The Golgari Swarm

Founded by Svogthir, a human lich, and currently led by Jarad, an elf lich. This guild has an abnormally high turnover rate for its leadership positions, for which being technically dead does not disqualify you. Notably, Jarad became a lich because when he died in the first Ravnica's story, his spirit quickly returned to the scene and possessed his own corpse.

The Gruul Clans

Founded, per se, by the cyclops Cisarzim. Currently unofficially led by the cyclops Borborygmos.

The Boros Legion

Founded by the angel Razia, Currently let to war by the more direct angel Aurelia.

The Selesnya Conclave

Founded by Mat'Selesnya, currently led by Trostani, each multiple dryads made one.

The Simic Combine

Founded by an unknown person with the name "Simic", currently led by the merfolk Zegana.

Guilds of Ravnica
Azorius Senate	Orzhov Syndicate	House Dimir	Izzet League	Cult of Rakdos
Golgari Swarm	Gruul Clans	Boros Legion	Selesnya Conclave	Simic Combine

Tabletop

Ravnica was first featured in the card game with the Ravnica block in 2005 and 2006, which was in turn composed of the "City of Guilds", "Guildpact", and "Dissension" sets. The block was accompanied by the "Ravnica Cycle" trilogy of books, one for each set.

More recently, Wizards of the Coast has released the "Return to Ravnica" block, with the "Return to Ravnica" set released in October 2012, "Gatecrash" in February 2013, and "Dragon's Maze" in May 2013.

Settings of Magic: The Gathering
Pre-revisionist:	First Magic Sets - First Urza Block - Arabian Nights Legends - Homelands - Ice Age - Mirage
Weatherlight Saga:	Portal Starter Sets - Second Urza Block Tempest Block - Masques Block - Invasion Block
Post-Weatherlight:	Otaria Block - Mirrodin - Kamigawa - Ravnica - Time Spiral
After the Mending:	Lorwyn - Alara - Zendikar - New Phyrexia Innistrad - Return to Ravnica - Theros - Tarkir - Eldraine - Ikoria
Two-Block Paradigm:	Kaladesh - Amonkhet - Ixalan
Post Two-Block Paradigm:	Eldraine - Ikoria - Kaldheim - Strixhaven
Never in a standard set:	Fiora (Where the Conspiracy sets take place) - Kylem (Battlebond)