Cauldron
- Not to be confused with Cauldron of Eternity or Ice Cauldron.
| Cauldron | |
|---|---|
 Izzet Boilerworks | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Ravnica |
| Colors |
  |
| Status | Destroyed, but possibly rebuilt |
| Part of | Utvara |
The Cauldron was the site of an Izzet League compound in Utvara, and functioned as a massive geothermal power facility supporting the Utvara township and the surrounding region.[1]
Description
Built over a simmering volcanic caldera, the Cauldron resembled a massive domed mesa looming over the flats north of the Utvara township, ringed by steam clouds and branching tubes and ducts that gave it a root-like appearance. The structure sat atop a geothermal dome that burned its way through buried layers of ancient Ravnica. This constant geothermal activity powered the facility.[1]
Sky reservoirs surrounding the Cauldron condensed moisture from the atmosphere, funneling water into fire pits beneath the dome. There, teams of pyromancers, hydromancers, and hundreds of goblin technicians converted it into steam energy. The resulting power fueled the township’s infrastructure — glowposts, water purification, temperature regulation — and helped sustain the nearby Vitar Yescu.[1]
While not a prison, most Izzet workers lived on-site, including hydropyric weirds who patrolled the grounds. Despite its vital role, the Cauldron remained a highly restricted and volatile location.[1]
History
In ancient times, the Cauldron was the site of a dragon's nest, with three hale but unmatured eggs left when the site was rediscovered millennia later. The eggs were laid by one of Ravnica's unnamed last dragons, older even than Niv-Mizzet, though the eggs' hatchlings would have hatched around the same time as the Izzet parun had they been incubated properly. When Niv-Mizzet learned of the eggs, he sent Magelord Zomaj Hauc to the site to establish an Izzet steamworks there, to incubate and hatch the eggs.[1]
For many years, Zomaj Hauc operated the site, ostensibly doing the bidding of the Izzet guildleader, but covertly devising a scheme to force the three dragons to submit to his will upon hatching, giving him enough power to overthrow Niv-Mizzet. Hauc almost fulfilled his schemes, but the Cauldron facility was attacked both from without and from rebellion within simultaneously. As the Cauldron steamworks collapsed, one of the eggs was crushed. Hauc managed to spellbind the second, blue, dragon and mount it, flying off before Crix and Teysa Karlov were able to give chase aboard the third, white, dragon. As the two dragons flew off to battle each other to the death, the Cauldron went through a series of large manapump or geothermally charged explosions, leaving only a rubble-filled smoking crater filled with volcanic caldera behind.[1]
About a month later, Niv-Mizzet personally blasted the ruined compound with dragonfire, melting all the metal scrap into slag, and then allowing it to cool, creating a smooth metal lid in the terrain, the only reminder that the Cauldron had once been something of note. However, Crixizix later started a plan to rebuild the Cauldron.[2] It is unknown if she went through with those plans.
