Ravnica

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For other uses, see Ravnica (disambiguation).
Ravnica
Information
First seen Ravnica: City of Guilds
Last seen Murders at Karlov Manor
Planeswalkers Domri Rade
Ral Zarek
Vraska (former)
Rabiah Scale 1[1]
Status Rebuilding
Demonym Ravnican[2]
Scryfall Statistics

Ravnica (pronounced /RAV-nih-kuh/ IPA: /ˈɹæv.nɪ.kə/)[3] is a plane whose main planet is covered in a large city, eponymously known as Ravnica.[4][5] It takes its flavor from that of Eastern Europe and Slavic folklore, most notably 15th-century Prague.[6] Ravnica is the setting of the Ravnica block, Return to Ravnica block, Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark and Murders at Karlov Manor expansions.

Description

Ravnica is a worldwide cityscape; an ecumenopolis consisting of a patchwork of grand halls, decrepit slums, and ancient ruins, with layer upon layer of stonework.[7] It is one of the most densely populated planes in the Multiverse.[8] Law magic and the metaphysics of hierarchy are deeply woven into the very fabric of the plane, enabling cooperating leaders to achieve feats of greatness.[9]

One looms large above all others of the world's countless civic centers: the City of Ravnica, a metropolis so vast that its name has long since become synonymous with the entire plane. Centuries of Ravnican business—powered in many cases by Izzet boilerworks and other guilds’ foundries—have saturated Ravnica's atmosphere with all manner of industrial pollution.[10] From the Signing of the Guildpact, the city and plane of Ravnica, ruled by the Ravnican guilds, was governed by the Guildpact. This lasted for more than ten millennia, until the events of Dissension.

While much of its surface is urbanized, subterranean oceans exist.

Ravnica's Worldsoul is the Selesnya parun Mat'Selesnya.

Ravnica and the Multiverse

As a plane, Ravnica was affected by the Rift Crisis on Nexus of the Multiverse, Dominaria. As a consequence, it became isolated from the rest of the Multiverse, in a seal similar to the Shard of the Twelve Worlds, but with Ravnica as the only plane.[11][12][13][14] On the surface of this 'micro-shard' appeared a blister, a piece of folded aether that trapped all Ravnican souls upon death, forcing them to become spirits and ghosts that manifested themselves on Ravnica's physical plane as the Ghost Quarter of Agyrem.[15] The separation might also have improved the lifespan of its inhabitants; for example, Agrus Kos was a normal human, who was over 120 years old, an age likely roughly equivalent to 65–70 years on Earth.

After the Mending, the Ravnican ghost-world anomaly was dissolved, and the trapped spirits were able to pass on to the aether.[16][17] Ravnica's dead can still materialize as ghosts on the plane. Most people who are going to return as ghosts don't do so immediately upon their deaths.[18] Loss of the physical body causes disorientation, and adapting to an insubstantial, spectral existence causes even more. The more powerful the magic and will of the deceased, the more quickly they are likely to adapt. It's standard practice for high-ranking Orzhov to ward their souls to keep their rivals from calling them back and binding them after they die.

History

For millennia, cities covered the plane's surface, until eventually, they ran together into one vast megalopolis.[19]

The Erstwhile

A delicate and sophisticated race of elves known as the Erstwhile once was an important faction in Ravnica. They were laid to rest in coffins in Umerilek, Mausoleum of the Erstwhile.[20] They returned as Zombie Attendants of Vraska. Their leader is Storrev.

Government and law: Guildpact

Izzet Steam Maze
Undercity Reaches

Almost ten thousand years before the events of Ravnica, the plane of Ravnica boasted untold violence and brutality, with various factions constantly waging centuries-long wars against each other.[19] Realizing that this never-ending war would ultimately destroy everything, a council between ten factions was held, where the leader Azor I suggested establishing a living, breathing enchantment that would end the violence and ensure the survival of the factions. While some of the order-phobic factions had initial disagreements, the other nine leaders eventually concurred that such a pact was the best chance of survival. Each of the ten factions signed the Guildpact, and over time, these factions became the ten guilds of Ravnica.

The power of the Guildpact was subtle; it prevented any guild from dabbling into the business of any other guild or disturbing the stable power balance among the ten by twisting circumstance and coincidence to nullify the disruptive guild's actions. While the Guildpact was credited with bringing relative peace and prosperity to the plane, sporadic clashes between guilds still occurred. Despite any conflicts between the guilds at a particular time, though, the anniversary of the Guildpact's signing was celebrated every year with a day-long festival, where all the people laid down their weapons and made merry. This celebration was called The Festival of the Guildpact.

Not all of Ravnica's citizens are members of a guild; about half of the population is guildless.[21] However, the guilds are a required part of daily life, and their presence is felt everywhere on Ravnica.

The Decamillennial

Main article: Decamillennial

In 9965 ZC, the creation of the Schism over Utvara was responsible for snagging the spirit realm of Agyrem to the remote Ravnica valley of Utvara, draining the spirits of the area into the spatial rift and trapping them inside. During the Decamillennial celebration of 10,000 ZC, the Guildpact was unwittingly broken when Agrus Kos arrested Szadek, head of the Dimir, a guild that, according to the Guildpact's statutes, should never be exposed by members of other guilds. The ancient balance was shattered, and Ravnica was thrown into chaos. After ten millennia of relative peace, the members of the various guilds were now free to attack each other with impunity, although this fact was unknown to the general public for 12 years, until the Dissension of 10,012 ZC.

The Interregnum

In the novel Agents of Artifice, it came to pass that the guilds were officially disbanded.[22] Many of the guilds were forcefully torn down due to the long-simmering unrest the guildless held towards their masters. There were, however, remnants of the guilds present.

Return of the guilds

The former guilds, however, did not have long to rest, and they reestablished, many under new leadership. Some adopted a new purpose, as the original Guildpact had bound them to a specific task for over ten thousand years, and the Guildless had grown weary of some of their morally questionable activities. Most guilds, however, follow the same basic structure they always had, as habit and traditions are forces at least as strong as the Guildpact.[23]

The Guildpact reinstated

Main article: Supreme Verdict

In 10,075 ZC, the Izzet guildmaster discovered that Azor I had created a contingency plan that would take effect if the magic of the Guildpact was ever broken. An intricate network of leylines sprawled across the districts Ravnica called the Implicit Maze, offering a test to the guilds. If they would cooperate to solve the maze, they would secure the power of a new Guildpact. That power was eventually bestowed upon Jace Beleren, who became the Living Guildpact. Any law that he verbally confirms becomes legally binding.

Outside influence

As Jace is a planeswalker, his attention never remains focused on Ravnica for long. During his absences, the guilds return to their old habits of fighting with each other over the smallest scraps of influence or territory. Meanwhile, an outside influence has taken control over several guilds, for reasons yet unknown. After Niv-Mizzet reveals his knowledge of the existence of other planes, planeswalkers, and the threat of Nicol Bolas, he has Ral Zarek turn Project Lightning Bug into a beacon to call other planeswalkers to help fight Bolas.[16][24]

Guild summit

Ral's efforts to convince the Ravnican guilds to cooperate with Niv-Mizzet's plan were met with resistance from every quarter.[25] Even bringing them together for a single meeting seemed next to impossible. Every guild had some members who supported cooperation and others who opposed it. At last, a guild summit was convened at New Prahv to discuss the growing tensions between the guilds. Isperia proposed a radical idea: cooperation.[26] After a contentious discussion, Niv-Mizzet arrived to reveal the real threat they were facing.[16] The Firemind then proposed to implement the "fail-safe" and grant him the power of the Living Guildpact. Although Niv offered to leave the Izzet League and become a guardian of Ravnica, many distrusted his motives. With that, the summit was adjourned until the following morning.

That night, Vraska met Isperia alone in the conference chamber. Simultaneously fulfilling Bolas's demands and achieving personal revenge, Vraska petrified the sphinx.[27] In the morning, the guildleaders reconvened, only to find Isperia turned to stone. All hopes for cooperation now seemed shattered.

Not long after, Ral Zarek activated the Interplanar Beacon and at the same time Nicol Bolas arrived on the plane.[16]

War of the Spark

Main article: War of the Spark (event)

As the precarious accord among the guilds teetered on the brink of collapse, Domri Rade led the Gruul in a concerted effort to tip the world into chaos.[16] He amassed an enormous mob to rampage through the city streets, making sure that every guild suffered painful losses to keep them at each other's throats. Some members of the Gruul, especially among the Zhur-Taa clan, thought this to be the End-Raze.

The fight between Nicol Bolas and the Gatewatch turns into an all-out planeswalker war. Dozens of powerful planeswalkers, from many disparate realities, unite against the elder dragon, who has claimed dominion over Ravnica and is perilously close to completing the spell that will grant him godhood. As they fight alongside the Gatewatch—led by Chandra Nalaar, Jace Beleren, and Gideon Jura—against Bolas and his relentless army of Eternals, nothing less than the fate of the multiverse is at stake.[28] Little do the Gatewatch suspect that Bolas has not only accounted for their interference, but he is practically relying on it.[16] Bolas arrives and attacks the cityplane, leading to the death of Niv-Mizzet, as well as creating a citadel and a statue of himself. As a reaction, Ral Zarek activates the Interplanar Beacon to call other planeswalkers to Ravnica. Dovin Baan later activates the Immortal Sun to trap the planeswalkers as Bolas unleashes his army of Eternals to conquer the plane and harvest the planeswalkers' sparks. Heavy damage is done to the city, including the destruction of the Vitu-Ghazi and the Chamber of the Guildpact, with much loss of life, both from citizens and planeswalkers. In the end, Bolas was defeated, and a resurrected Niv-Mizzet became the new Living Guildpact.

Phyrexian Invasion and its aftermath

During the New Phyrexian Invasion, Vraska led the Phyrexian invasion force against her home plane, first directing Realmbreaker toward the Azorius Senate's guild hall, New Prahv, and the jail in which she once was imprisoned. As vengeance for her fellow gorgons whose eyes were removed, she ordered Ravnicans to be blinded, letting them scrabble upon the glistening oil-slicked streets. The Golgari were the primary converted force, with the Simic and Izzet foolishly examining the oil. Parts of the Undercity were raised into its streets, exposed to sunlight for the first time in centuries.[29][30][8]

Various planeswalkers, notably Teyo Verada and Ral Zarek, helped to repel the invasion, with Zarek able to defeat Vraska and her forces with a sonic weapon attuned against the oil.[31][32] In the invasion’s destructive wake, Ravnica's balance of power saw a massive shift, prompting Niv-Mizzet to consider using some degree of emergency power to help stabilize the plane.[29] The Golgari were almost totally compleated, the Dimir were rumored to be gone, and distrust of the Simic and Izzet was at an all-time high.[8]

A year after the invasion, the guilds were still struggling to find a new equilibrium. Some found themselves stretched thin as their depopulated ranks attempted to address the demands of the populace. Others choose instead to turn inward, electing to focus on sorting out their internal issues and all but abandoning their original purposes. Still, others took advantage of the ongoing confusion to advance their agendas. Further complicating an already precarious situation, relationships between the guilds became fractured, leading to disagreements and struggles that tested the fragile state of the plane.[33][34] After the devastating effects the War of the Spark and the Phyrexian Invasion had on Ravnica, many of the plane's denizens were wary of planeswalkers, considering them responsible for the destruction despite their sacrifices and their dedication towards the world.[35] Rather than wait for the guilds to sort themselves out, many of the guildless began to deliver on services by themselves, even for areas that had traditionally belonged to guilds, such as crime patrols or infrastructure repair. The Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations, led by the archon Ezrim, was pivotal in maintaining the peace on the plane.

Murders at Karlov Manor

Amid a rising crime wave, a year and some months after the Invasion, Teysa Karlov threw a celebration at Karlov Manor, which was attended by representatives from each guild except for the Golgari; Etrata of the Dimir attended in secret.[35][36] During the celebration, Zegana was assassinated, and Etrata was arrested as a suspect, though she maintained her innocence. Three days later, Teysa was killed as well.[37] Ezrim enlisted Kaya Cassir to lead the investigation, and detective Alquist Proft helped Etrata to escape to assist in the investigation. In the following days, Teysa's killer was revealed to be a guildless man and Massacre Girl attempted to assassinate Aurelia, though both attackers claimed to have no memory of the events, and the Izzet viashino Kylox was murdered when a brainwashed man attempted to assassinate Krenko.[38] Threatening a war between the Boros and Rakdos, Aurelia gave Kaya and her assistant Kellan 24 hours to find the mastermind behind the killings.

During the following day, the Gruul god Anzrag was released and rampaged through the Agency headquarters, killing multiple agents, and Agrus Kos was captured by Judith to cast blame on Rakdos and assisted her in usurping the guild.[39] Before open war could be declared, Proft was able to solve the case. Gathering the guild leaders at Vitu-Ghazi, he revealed that Trostani — specifically Oba — was responsible for organizing the murders in retribution for those she considered traitors to the plane during the Invasion.[40] Zegana, for experimenting with Phyrexian oil; Teysa Karlov, for appearing to collaborate in her role as a double agent; and Krenko, for profiting from the conflict.[41]

The Omenpath Project

When Omenpaths began opening across Ravnica, Niv-Mizzet recognized their patterns as a significant threat to the plane.[42] He devised a plan to regulate their access in a way to position Ravnica as a locus of the Multiverse. The Firemind enlisted representatives from each of the guilds to research the portals and their passage. During a meeting with Proft and Etrata, Niv-Mizzet acknowledged his intentions and contracted the two to assist with the "Omenpath Project."

Niv-Mizzet worked with Ral Zarek to establish interplanar communication through the Omenpaths.[43] Ral traveled to Thunder Junction and oversaw the construction of a relay tower in the town of Omenport that allowed individuals to relay messages between the two planes for a fee.[44]

Seeking to advance his knowledge of the Omenpaths and related phenomena, Niv-Mizzet assisted the Wanderer in her search for Nashi who had disappeared through a mysterious doorway while on Kamigawa.[45] Another door soon materialized in Ravnica's Ninth District and was being studied by the Firemind and his researchers.[46] Following the completion of his mapping project and having secured the Omenpaths on Ravnica, Niv-Mizzet released Proft and Etrata from his service.[47]

Demographics

Guilds

Main article: Ravnican guild
  • The Azorius Senate (W/U) is the police force, legislative, and judicial body of the Ravnican bureaucracy.
  • The Boros Legion (R/W) is a standing army that protects the Guildpact and contains the League of Wojek, the official peacekeepers of the City of Ravnica.
  • House Dimir (U/B) was recently thought extinct, and provides illegal but necessary services, while openly serving as couriers, investigators, reporters, and archivists.
  • The Cult of Rakdos (B/R), considered a necessary evil by some, is composed of thrill-killers who provide the heavy labor force, catering, and entertainment of the plane.
  • The Golgari Swarm (B/G) manages food production and organic waste disposal.
  • The Gruul Clans (R/G) have fallen from their former glory as the keepers of Ravnica's wilds and now are nothing but a loose affiliation of berserker clans who seek to wipe civilization from the plane.
  • The Izzet League (U/R) is responsible for the world city's civil engineering works and new magical developments.
  • The Orzhov Syndicate (W/B) was originally the most widespread religion of Ravnica. Now it regulates trade and banking, among other activities, such as law.
  • The Selesnya Conclave (G/W) promotes what is now the strongest, nature-based religion of Ravnica, and its ledev guards patrol the rural areas along with being conservationists and charity workers.
  • The Simic Combine (G/U) provides medical assistance and performs biological research.

Inhabitants

Ravnica is rumored to contain a handful of cryptids:

Flora

Language

  • Ravi (Common Ravnican) [60][20][21]
    • The name "Izzet" sounds similar to the Ravi phrase for "is it?" [61]
    • The Cult of Rakdos speak an archaic, barking, guttural street slang with patois and accents cribbed from various Ravnican cultures that changes quickly and is hardly mutually intelligible with standard Ravi[62]
      • In this dialect, "Izolda" translates to "blood witch" [63]
    • Old Ravi
      • In this dialect, "Lupul" translates to "lurker"[51]
  • The Abyssal language of demons and devils. Uses the Infernal script.[21]
  • The Celestial language of angels[21]
  • True Draconic, the language spoken by the first Dragons before the urbanization of Ravnica[64][21]
  • Druidic - a secret communication among druids in different guilds, like Selesnya and Golgari.[21]
  • Elvish[21]
    • The Devkarin and Silhana each have their dialect
  • Giant - uses the Minotaur script.[21]
  • Goblin languages, uses the Ravi script.[50][21]
    • These are fairly primitive, with loose grammar and a small vocabulary [21]
  • Kraul[20][21]
  • Loxodon - uses the Elvish script.[21]
  • Merfolk[21]
  • Minotaur[21]
  • Ogrish
    • This may also be the same as the language spoken by Giants [21]
  • Sphinx - has no written form.[21]
  • Sylvan - spoken by Centaurs, Dryads, and much of the Selesnya Conclave[21]
  • Thieves' cant - widely used among street gangs and occasionally among guilded rogues, like Dimir and Golgari.[21]
  • Troll
  • Vedalken [21]
  • Utvar Grull, a creole with influences of Ogrish, Centaur, and Goblin[65]
    • The Centaur language named here may or may not be the same as the Sylvan language

Writing Systems

  • Azorius Legal Script
    • Early versions of this script have been in use for up to thousands of years.[66]

Geography

A map of the Tenth District

The original City of Ravnica was made up of 10 districts (also called sections), named in simple numerical order. No correlation exists between the ten guilds and the ten districts; all guilds are active in every district. The Tenth District, in particular, is a hotbed of activity where all the guilds maintain their primary headquarters. Beyond the core are countless other districts that originated as outlying cities that eventually melded into the expanding metropolis.[21] Examples are Irbitov and Jezeru. Qeeto, the Cat-Thief, is one among other constellations in Ravnica's sky.[52]

The City of Ravnica - the Ten Districts

The ten districts are arranged radially around the center of Ravnica. Underneath them, the Ravnica Undercity runs, several layers deep.[51]

The Center

  • The Center of Ravnica - The hub of the city and the plane, a rare expanse of exposed ground atop the city’s central mountain, now crowned with halls and monuments.[51]
    • Centerfort R/W - main headquarters of the Wojek League.[51][52][11]
      • The Brass Chamber - where the leaders, known for hiring, promoting, firing, and retiring constables of the Wojek hold office.[51]
    • The Hall of Judgment W/U - a building next to the Centerfort.[51]
    • The Hellhole B/R - the Undercity mines of the Rakdos, carved out of the base of the central mountain.[51]
    • Midtown - a mixed residential and business area.[11]
      • Funnel Street - a street going through Midtown, former site of Capobar and Associates.[11]
    • Rokiric Pavilion R/W - an open building from where many sights can be seen.[51]
  • Golgari Orchards B/G - one of the very few Golgari holdings on the surface, where food is grown.[51]
    • Golgari Acres Insectivorium - a restaurant serving insect patties made from meat beetles.[11]
  • Grigor’s Canyon - a jagged, foggy canyon running below Centerfort and to the Golgari Orchards. The most direct route to Old Rav and the Undercity, accessible via lifts.[51]

The Second District

  • Consists of fashionable and elegant streets.[67][68]

The Sixth District

The Eight District

  • The Eighth District contained the Parshan block, where master thief Evern Capobar lived. The block was utterly destroyed by the Nephilim.[11]

The Ninth District

  • Former Azorius territory, but lost after the Guildpact broke. Later reclaimed by the Boros from the Gruul and Rakdos with the aid of Gideon Jura.
    • The One Hundred Steps - a gateway that connects the Ninth District with the Azorius District.
  • Merrytown - a neighborhood burned down by the Rakdos.[70]
    • Titan's Keg Tavern - rebuilt, often frequented by giants.[56]
  • Old Ravnica, or "Old Rav" B/G - the older and deeper parts of Ravnica bordering the Undercity. Realm of the Golgari.[51][11]

The Tenth District

Main article: Tenth District

The Tenth is the hub of the most important activity on Ravnica, and this is reflected in grander architecture, busier markets, and wilder traffic in the streets.[72] The Tenth's guardian Titan was Zobor, whose statue stood watch over the Center of Ravnica until its destruction during the Decamillennial. To be governed effectively, the Tenth District is broken into six precincts, each the size of a small city.[21] For more precise locations, see Tenth District.

Locations outside the City of Ravnica

  • The Avaric District - a small backwater district built on swamps and sewers with plague-like swarms that occur during rainy periods. It is mainly surrounded by other backwater districts, except in areas where the underground swamps pool to the surface. Before the fall of the Guild of Deals under the original Guildpact, many of the families within Avaric labored in all but serfdom to the Orzhov patriarchs. The district is filled with run-down homes and filthy streets, and a stagnant rot permeates its air.[22]
    • The Bitter End Tavern and Restaurant - where irrimberry wine is served.[22]
  • Bargond - a shanty town placed directly on the Utvara Highway, more than two hundred miles east of Ravnica City.[11]
  • Chaurn - an area far from the city where Rakdos cultists are known to kidnap children under the cover of fog.[11]
  • Dravhoc - a wealthy district built into a shallow mountainside that stretches down to the banks of one of Ravnica’s great rivers. It extends outward to include smaller surrounding islands and outcroppings among its breakwaters. Dravhoc is filled with grand buildings with sharply sloped roofs, ornate eaves, and a network of bridges spanning the district without touching the earth. A few of its highest towers are elevated by vast spans of stone that connect to buildings with traditional foundations. Gigantic statues of forgotten gods and heroes can be seen across the district, with some positioned in the middle of expansive plazas or supporting immense walkways. [22]
    • Heavenly Ambrosias - an open-air café serving mint tea, frequented by Jace Beleren.[22]
  • Favarial - a district built above the surface of a deep fresh-water lake the size of a small sea. Its avenues and plazas are supported by pylons anchored deep within the lake floor, and its buildings, often constructed from an aquatic-blue stone, lie on large spans supported by its avenues and plazas. Travelers and commerce move freely over the great bridges that connect Favarial to the mainland. Though not one of Ravnica’s wealthiest districts, Favarial wields substantial economic power by selling its fresh water to neighboring municipalities. Favarial’s River Guild maintains and controls the area’s rivers and dams.[22]
  • Glahia district - one of the larger districts.[22]
  • Irbitov, the Mausoleum District - an Orzhov-controlled quarter populated with mausoleums, memorial statues, and underground vaults.
  • Jezeru, the Lake District - an entire district covered in shallow water. It is an attempt to bring the Simic above ground.
  • Lurias - a small district built on the delta of one of Ravnica’s great rivers. Its buildings are not nearly as tall or grand as those of Dravhoc, and its modest arches and rare spires are made of simple stone or brass rather than crystal. The delta area on which the district was built is mostly soggy, with shallow marshlands that contribute to its poor foundations and irritating insect population. At the far end of the district and along its riverbanks, the neighborhoods are built on tiny islets where the waters rush into a buried sea.[22]
  • The Nalatras - alchemical slums.[22]
  • Ovitzia - a wealthy district located in the heart of one of Ravnica’s largest plains and home to some of its largest manors. Emmara Tandris lived here for a time.[22]
  • The Polar Regions - where the True Djinn are kept imprisoned at "polar water stations".[52]
    • The Monastery Territories - the almost perpetually snowy terrain situated toward the northwestern pole.[11]
    • The poles - Ravnica's two poles are located in the northwest and the southeast. The southeast pole has brachiosaurs with large nostrils that can breathe the pole's cold, thin air.[11]
  • The Red Wastes - located directly north of Precinct Four.
    • The Rubblebelt R/G - a non-contiguous archipelago of wasteland zones outside of the Tenth District. Claimed by the Gruul Clans.[73]
      • Axebane Forest - a sentient forest under the protection of an order of Druids.
      • The Cairn of Years' March - the ruin of a huge colosseum.
      • Mahovana, The Haven of Moss - a ruined part of the city, covered by large trees.[74][21]
      • Oakchar - a fifty-foot-tall, partially petrified oak used to display the skulls of fallen Gruul chieftains.
      • Skarrg R/G - the gutted, cratered remains of a massive palace. A place of tradition for the Gruul.
  • The Rubblefield - was laid waste to by a summoned Siege Wurm. Under reconstruction, it housed the headquarters of the Infinite Consortium on the eastern edge.[22]
  • The Smelting District - not to be confused with the Smelting Quarter of the Tenth District.[21]
  • Tisya
  • Tovrna - a backwater district on the outskirts of Ravnica that exports numerous products to the plane's wealthier districts. Having declined over centuries from its once influential state, Tovrna is ruled by a handful of minor oligarchs who own its vast rows of factories. Its downtown area includes elegant apartments and townhouses surrounded by a narrow band of neglected buildings that house servants, scribes, and lesser associates. Beyond that are the deteriorating lodgings of the poor and the factory sheds powered by superheated gas rising from underground caverns.[25][72]
  • The Undersea - rivers, lakes, and oceans run deep below the surface of Ravnica. Several of them connect to the Simic zonots. They are used as thoroughfares by aquatic races and monsters. This area has traditionally been home to Ravnica's merfolk and to a variety of marine life, but has recently become home to escaped krasis that have hurt the native ecosystem.[75]
  • Utvara Valley - a harsh, ruined landscape far to the east of Ravnica City. Former site of the Schism that led to Agyrem, now healed.[52][11][16][17][23]
    • The Husk R/G - a large ring of ancient ruins several layers thick, encircling the southern part of Utvara. Headquarters of the Slizt Clan of the Gruul.[52][11]
      • The Huskvold - the jagged northernmost section of the Husk on the edge of the Utvara Flats.[52]
    • The Utvara Flats - the flatlands in the northern part of the valley, with several layers of old city structures below the ground. Former site of the pollen-tree Vitar Yescu and the Cauldron.[52][11]
    • The Utvara highway - a road leading from Ravnica City to the valley. Constructed after the Decamillennial.[11]
    • The Utvara settlement W/B - an Orzhov-owned frontier township ringed by the Husk. Destroyed by the Nephilim, but rebuilt afterwards.[52][11]
      • Imp Wing Hotel and Bar - an establishment owned by Pivlic, established after the Decamillennial, when Pivlic's first eatery-arena, Pivlichino's, was destroyed. The Imp Wing was destroyed by the Nephilim, but rebuilt afterwards.[52][11]
  • The Zonots G/U - sinkholes controlled by the Simic Combine leading down to the Ravnican oceans. They pass through a dozen layers of the crumbled city.
    • Zonot One G/U - Speaker Zegana's home zonot. Zonot One is one of the smallest zonots and has a somewhat somber feeling compared to the others.
    • Zonot Two G/U
    • Zonot Three G/U - Vannifar's home zonot.
      • Navika - a laboratory of the Guardian Project, was built/grown in the form of an enormous nautilus shell.
    • Zonot Four G/U - The largest of the zonots. It has the marine troll Trifon as its speaker. Threatened by Golgari incursions.
    • Zonot Five G/U - a tourist destination, where the guildless can come to see the ocean as well as to observe Simic life.
      • The Helical Stair - an enormous column of marine plant matter.
    • Zonot Six G/U
  • The Steambath Quarter[21]
  • The Wrights' Quarter[21]

Economy

An Orzhov coin

Ravnica's primary currency is coinage. The base unit is a zino, and one-hundredth of a zino, the most common subunit, is called a zib.[21] At least one smaller coin, a half-zib, also exists.[50] Coinage is minted by the Azorius, Boros, and Orzhov. The Azorius mint coins up to a 1-zino piece, the Boros mint 1- and 5-zino coins, and the Orzhov mint both 1-zib "alms-coins" and much larger 10- and 100-zino coins.[21] The card Conjured Currency depicts illusory gold coins bearing the Dimir symbol.

Two other denominations have been referenced. A zido is described as exactly 100 zibs; in other words, equivalent to a zino.[49] The zig is also described, with a few zigs sufficient to pay a merchant for a piece of fruit, and hundreds of zigs as compensation for participation as a test subject for Izzet or Simic experimenters.[58][76]

The Izzet invented a machine that could turn copper into gold hundreds of years ago, but the machine was stolen and damaged.[77]

Because the coins are worth their weight, a fraudster with a good knife can shave trace bits of gold off a 1- or 5-zino coin and recirculate it to an unsuspecting person.[48]

The known denominations include:

Denomination Common name Description Mint
½ zib Half-zib coin[50]
1 zib 1-zib coin[78][21] Copper.[21] Azorius[21]
1 zib[21] Alms-coin[21] Copper.[21] Distributed by the Orzhov to the poor.[21] Orzhov[21]
1 zib 1-zib coin[51] Silver.[51] A small coin.[51] Possibly Boros
25 zibs 25-zib coin[48][21] Silver.[21] Common coin carried by nearly everyone in Ravnica.[21] Azorius[21]
50 zibs 50-zib coin[48][21] Electrum.[21] Azorius[21]
1 zino 1-zino coin[21] Gold.[21] Standard coin of the Azorius mint.[21] Embossed with the Azorius symbol, redesigned with an elevated symbol just before 10,075 Z.C.[48] Azorius[21][48]
1 zino 1-zino coin[21] Gold.[21] Boros[21]
1 zino 1-zino coin[51] (mistakenly named "zido" throughout Herndon's Ravnica, but corrected in his later books) Silver, square.[51] Likely Boros.
5 zinos 5-zino coin[21][48] Gold.[21][48] Boros[21][48]
10 zinos 10-zino coin[21][48] Platinum.[21] Orzhov[21][48]
100 zinos 100-zino coin[21] Platinum.[21] Orzhov[21]

Boros legionnaires are paid one Boros-minted gold zino per week, while officers are paid a gold 5-zino coin.[48] A warehouse worker loading heavy cargo might make one zino in a single day, while a professional thief could make 100.[79][11] Based on tithing records, the average salary of the richest 95% of citizens in the Orzhov neighborhoods of Clover Heights, Prosperity Estates, and Oligarch's Row was well over 520 zinos per week in 10,075 Z.C.[78] Orzhov fines can be paid at a rate of two zibs per labor hour.[77] The Izzet goblin Observer Kaluzax had a life savings of 5,732 zinos.[52]

Assorted commodities Value
Melon 2 zibs[58]
Loaf of bread 5 zibs[58]
Cup of coffee 10 zibs[21]
Newspaper 15 zibs[48]
Apple 15 zibs[48]
Stick of grilled chicken 25 zibs[48]
Airship flight from Augustin Station to the Millennial Platform 50 zibs/passenger[48]
Cheap Jewelry 80 zibs[79]
Bird's nest fungus 1 zino[57]
Airship flight from Augustin Station to any location in the Tenth District 1 zino[48]
Airship flight from Augustin Station to any station on the plane 1 zino/mile[48]
Guild insignia 5 zinos[48]
Human blood, pasteurized 9 zinos/qt[78]
Airship flight from Augustin Station to a major station in another district 10 zinos[48]
Spiked brass knuckles 12 zinos[78]
Ornate dagger 12 zinos[79]
Small silver censer with gold trim 13 zinos[78]
Gold-plated Thrull face mask 16 zinos[78]
Enchanted Cluestone 17 zinos[78]
Flagon of bat guano 17 zinos[78]
Enchanted Rune 22 zinos[78]
Orzhov silver coin chain 23 zinos[78]
Spectacles 25 zinos[48]
Tainted sigil 28-75 zinos[78]
Mizzium apparatus 50 zinos[48]
Pyroconverger 50 zinos[48]
Spyglass 50-100 zinos[48]
Silk Selesnyan initiate robes 68 zinos[78]
Pendulum clock 100-250 zinos[48]
Enchanted Dimir communications eyepiece 109 zinos[78]
Orzhov charm 155 zinos[78]

Culture

The board game Clans & Legions is popular across the plane. It appears to be similar to Chess, although played on a six-by-six board. Pieces include the soldier, skyknight, cleric, and angel, likely analogous to the pawn, knight, bishop, and queen. Black goes first, and taken pieces are claimed in the attacker's boneyard. One of the most famous plays is Razia's Folly, the only three-move win, equivalent to the Fool's Mate. Once a player clears a board, they declare victory by stating, "You're nullified."[58] Another board game, simply called "Guilds," is also popular.[22]

Dromad-drawn carriages are a common means of transportation across the city.[18]

Cuisine

Coffee is a popular drink in cafés across the plane. It can be spiked with bumbat, a crude alcoholic drink equivalent to raw moonshine,[80] or laced with cream or honey.[35][37] Cafés are also known to sell sweet rolls.[46] Kasarda is another popular drink. Strudel, bacon-wrapped asparagus, and canapés are all popular party foods. Taffy is sold by street vendors.[81]

Trivia

  • Ravnica means "plain" in Serbo-Croatian, coming from the word ravan, meaning flat, level, plane. It's pronounced "rahv-NEE-cah" even though "rahv-NEE-tsah" would be the more precise pronunciation since Wizards uses the same phonetics each time to avoid spelling issues.[82]
  • According to legend, the City of Ravnica (the central metropolis) had been meticulously designed with Izzet precision after the signing of the Guildpact as a gift to the other guilds. The city had also been a secret offering to Niv-Mizzet that would have created a city-sized power sigil giving the Magewrights ultimate control over the plane. Izzet goblins supposedly fumbled the design just enough to prevent the sigil from working as intended.[52]
  • "Zonots" are based on cenotes, natural water-filled pits found in Mexico.[83] The spelling of the word was changed to use Eastern European phonemes.

Planeswalkers and other visitors

Native Planeswalkers

Planeswalker visitors

Non-planeswalker visitors

From Arcavios
From Eldraine
From Ixalan
From Kaldheim
From Kamigawa
From Theros
From Unknown

Gallery

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 15, 2025). "which planes are a 1 on the rabiah scale?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Flavor text of Quickchange
  3. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (September 15, 2005). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2019-08-23.
  4. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (September 05, 2005). "Life in the Big City". Magicthegathering.com.
  5. ↑ Matt Cavotta (January 25, 2006). "Life in the Big City (2)". Magicthegathering.com.
  6. ↑ Doug Beyer (October 25, 2013). "There’s lots of ways a cultural inspiration can show up in a setting". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
  7. ↑ Planes of Existence: Ravnica
  8. ↑ a b c No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies (Video). YouTube.
  9. ↑ R&D Narrative Team (January 31, 2018). "Sabotage". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ The Magic Creative Team (January 26, 2006). "Ravnica’s Wild Weather". Magicthegathering.com.
  11. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Cory Herndon (2006), Dissension. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ Future Sight Player's Guide
  13. ↑ Casually upending a popular lore belief that the Guildpact was the source.
  14. ↑ Squirle (August 14, 2021). "Dissension". Multiverse in Review. Tumblr.
  15. ↑ Dissension, Chapter 8
  16. ↑ a b c d e f g James Wyatt (January 2019). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica'". Wizards of the Coast
  17. ↑ a b In Agents of Artifice onward, there is no mention of the Agyrem still overlaying Ravnica.
  18. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 10, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 4: Justice Before Mercy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. ↑ a b (2005). Ravnica: City of Guilds Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ a b c Alison Luhrs (May 31, 2017). "Pride of the Kraul". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg James Wyatt and Jeremy Crawford (November 2018). "D&D Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica". Wizards of the Coast.
  22. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Ari Marmell (2009) - Agents of Artifice, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951345
  23. ↑ a b Adam Lee (August 29, 2012). "Ravnica, then and now". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Django Wexler (June 19, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter One". Del Rey.
  25. ↑ a b Django Wexler (June 19, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter Three". Del Rey.
  26. ↑ Guild Summit
  27. ↑ Django Wexler (August 14, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter Ten". Del Rey.
  28. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Greg Weisman (April 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica". Del Rey.
  29. ↑ a b WeeklyMTG - March of the Machine: The Aftermath (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 2, 2023).
  30. ↑ Undercity Upheaval
  31. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 17, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 3: Mother, Son, and Story". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ Alison Lührs (March 24, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ravnica: One and the Same". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ Emily Teng (February 1, 2024). "Planeswalker's Guide to Murders at Karlov Manor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  34. ↑ Art of Relive the Past
  35. ↑ a b c d e Seanan McGuire (December 5, 2023). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 1: Ghosts of Our Past". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  36. ↑ a b c d Seanan McGuire (January 8, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 2: Monsters We Became". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  37. ↑ a b c Seanan McGuire (January 9, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 3: Shadows of Regret". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  38. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 12, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 6: Explosions of Genius". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  39. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 15, 2024). "Episode 7: Rot Before Recovery". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  40. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 16, 2024). "Episode 8: Gods of Chaos". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  41. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (January 16, 2024). "Track the Clues. Crack the Case. (Video)". Magic: The Gathering. YouTube.
  42. ↑ Seanan McGuire (February 14, 2024). "Episode 11: Portents and Omens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  43. ↑ Akemi Dawn Bowman (March 11, 2024). "Episode 1: An Offer of Revenge". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  44. ↑ Akemi Dawn Bowman (March 25, 2024). "Episode 6: The Ballad of Thieves and Thunderslingers". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  45. ↑ a b c d e f Mira Grant (August 19, 2024). "Duskmourn: House of Horror - Episode 1: Don't Go Past the Old Dark House". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  46. ↑ a b c Mira Grant (August 31, 2024). "Duskmourn: House of Horror - It's a Beautiful Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  47. ↑ Seanan McGuire (August 30, 2024). "Don’t Die, the DVD extras". Seanan McGuire.
  48. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Tom LaPille (November 21, 2012). "Rogue's Passage". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19.
  49. ↑ a b c Cory J. Herndon (2005) - Ravnica (novel), Wizards of the Coast, Chapter 2.
  50. ↑ a b c d e Ravnica (novel), Chapter 1
  51. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Cory J. Herndon (2005) - Ravnica Cycle, Book I: Ravnica, Wizards of the Coast
  52. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cory J. Herndon (2006) - Ravnica Cycle, Book II: Guildpact, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786939893.
  53. ↑ Ravnica (novel), Chapter 9
  54. ↑ a b c Emily Teng (June 11, 2021). "The New Legends of Modern Horizons 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  55. ↑ a b Emily Teng (February 6, 2024). "The Legends (and characters) of Murders at Karlov Manor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  56. ↑ a b c d e Greg Weisman (Novemmber 2019) - War of the Spark: Forsaken, Del Rey.
  57. ↑ a b Nicky Drayden (November 7, 2018). "Death's Precious Moments". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  58. ↑ a b c d e Nicky Drayden (October 24, 2018). "Clans & Legions". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  59. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 15, 2024). "Rot Before Recovery, the DVD extras". Seanan McGuire.
  60. ↑ Ravnica (novel), Chapter 17
  61. ↑ Guildpact (novel), Chapter 7
  62. ↑ Django Wexler (June, 2019), The Gathering Storm Chapter Four. Del Rey.
  63. ↑ Dissension (novel), Chapter 11
  64. ↑ Guildpact (novel), Chapter 15
  65. ↑ Guildpact (novel), Chapter 6
  66. ↑ Doug Beyer (2012) - Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One, WotC.
  67. ↑ Kelly Digges (July 22, 2015). "Catching Up". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  68. ↑ James Wyatt (July 29, 2015). "Unkindness of Ravens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  69. ↑ Adam Lee (February 13, 2013). "The Guild of Deals". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2020-08-05.
  70. ↑ Jay Moldenhauer-Salazar (2006), "The Merrytown Massacre", Wizards of the Coast
  71. ↑ Doug Beyer (2014) - The Gorgon and the Guildpact. magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast..
  72. ↑ a b Django Wexler (July 11, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter Six". Del Rey.
  73. ↑ Jenna Helland (2012) - In Praise of the Worldsoul, Part 1, WotC.
  74. ↑ Nicky Drayden (October 10, 2018). "Under the Cover of Fog". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  75. ↑ Nicky Drayden (February 6, 2019). "The Principles of Unnatural Selection". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  76. ↑ Nicky Drayden (October 17, 2018). "Testing the Dark Waters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  77. ↑ a b Nicky Drayden (November 14, 2018). "Bound and Bonded". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  78. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Nicky Drayden (February 20, 2019). "The Ledger of Hidden Fortunes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  79. ↑ a b c Kelly Digges (March 20, 2013). "The Hard Sell". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-12-05.
  80. ↑ Matt Cavotta (March 1, 2006). "An In-Depth Look at the Izze- Hey, Look at That!". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021.
  81. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 17, 2024). "Episode 9: Beauty in Destruction". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  82. ↑ Mark Rosewater. "How do you pronounce ixalan since the plane is...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  83. ↑ Doug Beyer (April 24, 2013). "Is it just a coincidence zonot sounds a lot like cenote?". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
  84. ↑ James Wyatt (October 13, 2020). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - War of the Spark". Wizards of the Coast
  85. ↑ a b c d Jed MacKay (2022). Magic. Issue 19. Boom!
  86. ↑ Jed MacKay (2022). Magic. Issue 17. Boom!
  87. ↑ See background for Tamiyo, the Moon Sage (Mythic Edition)
  88. ↑ Kate Elliott (August 15, 2018). "Chronicle of Bolas: The Unwritten Now". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  89. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (December 2023-January 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor". Wizards of the Coast.

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