Tenth District

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The Tenth District
Information
Plane Ravnica
Part of Ravnica City

The Tenth District is the busiest and most influential district of Ravnica. It serves as the main hub for commerce, politics, and the constant dealings of the ten guilds that rule Ravnica’s life. Countless streets, plazas, and precincts link together here in an ever-growing maze of stone and magic. Anyone who wants to understand how Ravnica works must start by understanding the Tenth District.

Description

The Tenth District is the civic and symbolic heart of Ravnica, the plane-spanning ecumenopolis whose endless cityscape has become synonymous with urban life itself.[1][2] Centrally located within the vast expanse of the City of Ravnica, the Tenth District is a metropolis within a metropolis — a crowded nexus where guild interests, trade, law, and intrigue converge more densely than anywhere else on the plane.[3] Its avenues teem with people of all walks of life, from high-ranking guildmages to humble street vendors, all going about their business under the looming spires and sweeping arches of Ravnica's grandest architecture.

The Tenth is renowned for its imposing public buildings, bustling marketplaces, and vibrant street life that never truly sleeps. It was long watched over — at least in theory — by the Titan Zobor, whose colossal statue once stood guard over the Center of Ravnica before its destruction before it was even activated during the Decamillennial. The district's importance to the city's governance and its sheer population density have made it a hub for countless pivotal events that shape Ravnica's history again and again.[4]

To manage its dense web of inhabitants, trade, and guild interests, the Tenth District is subdivided into six sprawling precincts, each so large and distinct that it could stand alone as a small city elsewhere. Within these precincts rise landmarks like the Azorius Senate's towering guildhall of New Prahv, the solemn Chamber of the Guildpact, and other sites that stand as symbols of guild power and law.[4]

As the beating heart of Ravnica, the Tenth District is the seat of power for the plane's ten guilds — it is where alliances are forged, schemes are plotted, and conflicts often ignite into open clashes in the streets. It has borne witness to legendary moments such as the grand Decamillennial festival, the chaos of the War of the Spark, and the devastation of the New Phyrexian Invasion. Despite these upheavals, the Tenth District remains the stage on which Ravnica's tangled politics and fragile guild peace play out daily.[4]

History

During the War of the Spark, Domri Rade led the Gruul in a massive mob rampage through the city streets of the Tenth District, causing destruction and chaos to keep the guilds at each other's throats.[5] Heavy damage was done, including the near-destruction of Vitu-Ghazi and the Chamber of the Guildpact, with significant loss of life.[6]

During the New Phyrexian Invasion, Vraska led the Phyrexian force into the Tenth District, attacking New Prahv and parts of the Undercity, raising them into sunlight for the first time in centuries.[7] The Izzet, Simic, and Golgari fought on its streets, while the Undercity upheaval reshaped the district’s lower reaches.[8]

The balance of power in the Tenth District remains fragile in the wake of these conflicts, with guilds struggling to maintain order, address their depleted ranks, and repair their fractured alliances.[9]

Locations

Precincts

The Tenth District is a sprawling place. To be governed effectively, it is broken into six precincts, each the size of a small city. For more specific locations, see each precinct.

  • Precinct One, the Guildpact Precinct W/B - the hub of the wealthy and powerful, where espionage and courtly games play out among visitors who walk about gawking at the impressive architecture.[4] The main location of the Orzhov.
  • Precinct Two W/UW/BU/B - many professionals live here in orderly and clean neighborhoods in the shadow of New Prahv. Nearby, mob bosses coerce residents to enrich themselves and influence the local politics.[4] The main location of the Azorius.
  • Precinct Three, the Greenbelt G/W - nature has encroached into the urban environment here, and the precinct provides bountiful sustenance and domesticated beasts for most of the Tenth.[4] The main location of the Selesnya.
  • Precinct Four R/WR/GU/R - constantly in a state of turmoil, these scarred streets are a proving ground for soldiers and marauders alike. Visitors here had best be wishing for a fight, because they will get one.[4] The main location of the Boros, Gruul, and Izzet.
  • Precinct Five U/BG/UU/R - where the Tenth's scholars gather to discuss theory or to put their knowledge to practical use in the many schools, libraries, and laboratories that line the streets.[4] The main location of the Simic.
  • Precinct Six B/GB/R - hardscrabble neighborhoods where struggling worker make a living by sweating at warehouses, docks, and factories controlled by their callous employers. When the sun sets, residents tend to stay inside to avoid becoming prey to creatures that stalk the night.[4]
  • The Undercity U/BB/GB/RG/U - far beneath the Tenth District lies an extensive, bustling community of people who either cannot or will not dwell under the open sky. In these shadowy caverns, hidden tunnels, and underground waterways, the Dimir, Golgari, Rakdos, and Simic all maintain their strongholds and influence.[4]

The City Works

As a layer of the city between the streets above and the The Undercity below, the City Works are an extensive maze of crypts, pipes, sewers, and tunnels. The Izzet League oversees the building and upkeep of public infrastructure, such as sewer lines and various piping networks. Numerous Golgari Swarm members dwell and toil here, cultivating fungi and digging through the sludge for useful scraps. Hidden among these city works are Orzhov tombs and treasure vaults, secret Dimir enclaves, and experimental Simic research sites.[4]

  • Crypts - Hidden burial vaults lie scattered beneath Ravnica’s streets. Many are protected by magical wards that deter intruders. Some serve as lairs for lingering undead, while others provide secret meeting spots for thieves, smugglers, or criminals who prefer to stay out of sight.[4]
  • Pipe Tunnels - Interlaced with the sewers, smaller passageways deliver steam, refined magical power, and fresh water to different parts of the city. Though wide enough for a person to squeeze through, these tunnels are stiflingly hot, filled with stale air, and far from pleasant to navigate.[4]
  • Sewers - Beneath the Tenth District sprawls a vast maze of sewers, lit by continual flame spells. Some channels act as storm drains, funneling rainwater and street debris into massive cisterns, where the water is cleaned and pumped back into the plumbing of Ravnica’s more affluent areas. Other passages carry waste away from these districts, dumping it into separate cisterns or releasing it into the hidden subterranean seas of the undercity.[4]
  • Transit Tunnels - Enchanted tracks run along the floors of long, tubular tunnels, propelling mechanical vehicles to key destinations in the Tenth District and farther. These passages open into compact stations, each with stairways that lead back up to street level.[4]

Thoroughfares

Two major avenues and one alley run across the whole Tenth District, crossing precinct lines:

  • The Transguild Promenade Multicolored [10] - an open-air arched walkway lined with markets and parks, considered guild-neutral ground.
  • Tin Street - a vital center of trade and a popular spot for restaurants and theaters. At some points, it is possible to look down Tin Street and see Vitu-Ghazi. [11][12][4]
  • Gnat Alley - Ravnica's longest continuous street. A tunnel-like alley that serves as one of Gruul's most trusted methods of navigating through Ravnica's posh neighborhoods. Various lowlifes use its winding passages to infiltrate restricted districts and bypass security checkpoints.[14] The alley is so long that its two ends do not see dusk nor dawn at the same time as each other.[15]

Plazas

The Tenth has an abundance of city squares, forums, and plazas:

  • Anasis Plaza.[16]
  • Gateway Plaza Multicolored - located in Precinct One, connects directly to the Tenth District Plaza via Plaza Avenue.[4]
    • Chamber of the Guildpact Multicolored - the office of the Living Guildpact and meeting place for the guilds.[4] Destroyed by the Planar Bridge, and again during the New Phyrexian Invasion.[17] It is currently being rebuilt again, although support for the project is low.[18]
    • The Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations headquarters - a hovering building that looks like a giant, floating eye and is inaccessible from the ground.[19][18]
    • Hellbender B/R - Judith's popular Rakdos nightclub.[20][18] It is a grandiose structure that appears run-down enough to come across as seedy but is dazzling at night. Its high ceiling is strewn with clear, red, and dark purple hanging glass spheres that refract and split light once the candles are set aflame. The dance floor is wide and level, and there is a small, curved stage at the far end of the room. The dress code is strictly enforced, and raucousness is enthusiastically encouraged.
  • The Forum of Azor Colorless mana - the end point for of the Implicit Maze, where the Supreme Verdict happened.[13]
  • Guildmages' Forum Multicolored - a large slab of carved and polished rock stands with two curved monoliths facing it. The central slab is engraved with all ten guild symbols - in contrast to the Pillar of the Paruns, which only has nine, missing Dimir.
  • Guildpact Square - where the Signing of the Guildpact took place.[13]
  • The Millennial Platform - Suspended by massive chains where Precincts One, Three, and Four meet, the Millennial Platform is a floating observation deck offering the finest aerial view of the Tenth District. It hosts the district's most elite restaurant. Each citizen receives a token good for one airship trip to the platform within the year, but securing a table at the Millennial Restaurant often requires booking months beforehand.[21][4]
  • Plaza of Harmony Multicolored
  • Priznik Plaza - site of an Izzet build site
    • Construction Site Zurzik U/R - site of an enormous skyline-changing structure, protected by canvas and surrounded by electric pylons.[22]
  • Tenth District Plaza - located in Precinct One. A popular place for meetings, recreation, shopping, and to be seen. Neutral ground.[4] During the War of the Spark, Bolas's Citadel Black mana and the God-Pharaoh's Statue Colorless mana were erected here.[6]

Unknown district locations

There are many places in Ravnica, and some of them may be mentioned or described without specification of where exactly they belong beyond being part of the Tenth District.

Azorius territory

  • The Detention Compound W/U - a place of correction for criminals.[23]
  • The Magisters' Garden W/U - where Fblthp was stationed.[24]
  • Wargate W/U - another prison.[25]

Boros territory

Dimir territory

  • Bane Alley U/B - a street where "Dimir agents offer illegal" services like assassination, extortion, or graft.
  • Dinrova Heights U/B - a massive building used as a meeting place for the high-ranking guild mages of the Dimir.
  • Etrata's safehouse U/B - hidden behind a brick wall.[27] Originally built by Izzet engineers, the wall opens when tapped in a specific pattern, and shuts when the entrant steps off a pressure plate. Within the house is an impeccably clean combination of workshop and bedroom.
  • Keyhole Village U/B - a run-down quarter where the harbor workers live.[28]

Golgari territory

  • The Devlin Crevasse B/G - a vast fissure in the earth that interrupted the Ravnican street plan.[3]
    • Madman's Bridge B/G - a long, thin structure over the Crevasse. On the verge of collapse.
  • Zanikev B/G - the largest reclamation zone of the Golgari, encompassing several former neighborhoods. Also known as the "Great Rot Farm".

Gruul territory

The Gruul do not have a significant presence inside the Tenth, but teem in the Rubblebelt abutting the outer edge of the city border.

Izzet territory

  • Construction Site Zurzic U/R - a mysterious sky-line changing building under construction near Privnik Plaza.
  • Dragonfire Base U/R - a floating launchpad for observation expeditions, such as those done by Kaluzax.[26]
  • Empty Cup Row - U/R an abandoned building block used by the Izzet for experiments.[29]
  • Ivy Street U/R
  • Mauzam Asylum U/R
  • The Smoking Wreckage U/R - an infamous bar.[30]

Orzhov territory

  • The Basilica of the Opportune W/B (destroyed)[31]
  • Clover Heights W/B - contained 360 Orzhov citizens in 10,075 Z.C.[32]
  • Coiner's Row W/B - a business district
  • The Harmony Basilica W/B[33]
  • Kalnika Quarter or Kalnika District W/B - named after the great paladin, Kalnika.[33]
    • The Dome of Black Dove W/B[33]
    • The Seven Great Bell Towers W/B[33]
  • Karlov Cathedral W/B[26] - the heart of Orzhov territory.[34]
    • The Bone Walk W/B - a path made from the polished femur of an ancient stone giant that crosses a mysterious dark water full of horrible fin-snakes, towards the entrance of Karlov Cathedral.[26]
  • The Moon Market W/B - an Orzhov black market held every fifth full moon and dedicated to forbidden wares.[35][36]
  • Oligarch's Row W/B - contained 1016 Orzhov citizens in 10,075 Z.C.[32]
  • Parha W/B - a run-down industrial quarter given to the Orzhov for demolition and reclamation.[13]
    • Broz Shipping W/B - a large, abandoned warehouse.[13]
  • Penance PlaceW/B[32]
  • The Plague QuarterW/B
  • Plaza Karlov', the District of KarlovW/B[37] - a newly established neighborhood of flagrant wealth and glamorous ostentation.[18] The most popular and most expensive place to live. Elegant, modern manors with warded iron gates flank paved avenues and sprawling grounds. Many businesses and other households located in Plaza Karlov exist solely to support Teysa Karlov's decadent lifestyle.
    • Karlov Manor, 1 Karlov PlaceW/B[38] - the ostentatious estate of Teysa Karlov, built following the Phyrexian Invasion in 10,079 ZC.[39] A long driveway leads to the manor, designed to impress and intimidate visitors.[19] From its main courtyard, a narrow side door leads to a hall, through which are wide, gently curving stairs. At the top of the stairs is a well-appointed library lined with rare books and gilded manuscripts, with a door leading to its highest balcony. Another shallow set of stairs hidden behind a marble column leads to the grand balcony. Much of the manor is warded against ghosts as a precaution.[40] A hedge maze sits outside the main building.
  • Prosperity Estates W/B - contained 292 Orzhov citizens in 10,075 Z.C.[32]
  • Sage's Row W/B - a place critical of the guilds.
  • Shanav Quarter W/B - a place that's known for its hostility to the Selesnya.

Rakdos territory

  • The Broken Toybox B/R - a tavern and discreet brothel, with some very unusual goings-on in the basement suites.[41]
  • The Carnarium Rings B/R [42]
  • Derision's Peak B/R [43]
  • The Slaughterhouse B/R - a large Rakdos venue.[42]

Selesnya territory

All known Tenth District locations affiliated with the Selesnya are located in the Greenbelt (Precinct Three).

Simic territory

All known Tenth District locations affiliated with the Simic are located in Zonot Seven (Precinct Five).

Neutral territory

  • Cobblestand Inn - a neighboring inn to where Jace and Kavin had their base while working on the Implicit Maze.[44]
  • Gozerul Boulevard - an street leading to a stone quarry inhabited by ogres.[13]
    • Garsh block - one of the ogres' blocks of dwellings.[13]
  • Hearth Fountain Academic - one of the most prestiguous schools on Ravnica.[45]

Areas of unknown allegiance

  • Dogsrun neighborhood - a genteel rectangle of quiet streets tucked away from the major thoroughfares. This is where Ral Zarek and Tomik Vrona share an apartment.[46][6][47]
  • Farv Street - a street where Agrus Kos used to own a house, until his second wife claimed it in their divorce.[13]
  • Lobar Alley[48]
  • Oxblood Alley[49]
  • The Reaches - a place of towers and cobblestones where Myczil Zunich investiated a crime.[13]
    • Chourn factory - a condemned factory beset by squatters and set to be demolished by the Izzet.[13]
  • The Samok Stand Green mana - a grove of towering trees slowly reclaiming the city. Defended by predators.
  • Seven Swords - a small block of streets lined with large stone townhouses that have seen better days.[50]
    • Frost Lane
    • Green Street
      • The Silver Curtain - an abandoned theater, now destroyed.
  • Tailor's Row - an upscale tailor's street.[51]
  • Thausstorin Arena - an arena about the size of the blast crater from when Agrus Kos blew up Old Prahv.[12]
  • Upside - an area abutting the Reaches, where an Orzhov-Magewright construction project experienced a series of robberies.[13]
  • Venzenzerra - the origin of Jandallare, who worked as the cook at Pivlichino's until it was destroyed.[13]

References

  1. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (September 05, 2005). "Life in the Big City". Magicthegathering.com.
  2. ↑ Matt Cavotta (January 25, 2006). "Life in the Big City (2)". Magicthegathering.com.
  3. ↑ a b Django Wexler (July 11, 2019). The Gathering Storm, Chapter Six. Del Rey.
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u James Wyatt and Jeremy Crawford (November 2018). "D&D Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica". Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ James Wyatt (January 2019). The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ a b c Greg Weisman (April 2019)- War of the Spark: Ravnica, Del Rey.
  7. ↑ WeeklyMTG - March of the Machine: The Aftermath (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 2, 2023).
  8. ↑ Undercity Upheaval
  9. ↑ No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies (Video). YouTube.
  10. ↑ Monty Ashley (November 29, 2012). "Walking the Promenade". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
  11. ↑ Ravnica (novel), Chapter 20
  12. ↑ a b c d Cory Herndon (2006), Dissension. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Cory J. Herndon (2005). Ravnica. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. ↑ Mike McArtor (May 1, 2013). "Card of the Day - May, 2013". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021.
  15. ↑ Ari Marmell (2009) - Agents of Artifice, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786951345
  16. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (2006), "Life is Beautiful", Wizards of the Coast
  17. ↑ Alison Lührs (March 24, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ravnica: One and the Same". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  18. ↑ a b c d Emily Teng (February 1, 2024). "Planeswalker's Guide to Murders at Karlov Manor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  19. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 9, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 3: Shadows of Regret". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 10, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 4: Justice Before Mercy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ Jenna Helland (2012) - Krenko, Mob Boss, WotC.
  22. ↑ James Wyatt (January 2019). "The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica". Wizards of the Coast
  23. ↑ Ari Levitch (March 13, 2013). "Bilagru Will Come for You". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  24. ↑ Matt Tabak (2013) - Fblthp
  25. ↑ Nicky Drayden (January 30, 2019). "Rage of the Unsung". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. ↑ a b c d Cory J. Herndon (2006) - Ravnica Cycle, Book II: Guildpact, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 978-0786939893.
  27. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 11, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 5: Chains of Expectation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. ↑ Nicky Drayden (October 10, 2018). "Under the Cover of Fog". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. ↑ Jenna Helland (2012), Epic Experiment, Magicthegathering.com
  30. ↑ Django Wexler (October 2, 2019), The Gathering Storm, Chapter Seventeen.
  31. ↑ Nicky Drayden (November 14, 2018). "Bound and Bonded". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ a b c d Nicky Drayden (February 20, 2019). "The Ledger of Hidden Fortunes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ a b c d Jenna Helland (October 29, 2012). "The Azorius Ten Most Wanted". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  34. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 15, 2024). "Episode 7: Rot Before Recovery". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  35. ↑ Rei Nakazawa (January 9, 2006). "Signing Onto the Guildpact". Magicthegathering.com.
  36. ↑ (2006). Guildpact Player's Guide. Wizards of the Coast.
  37. ↑ Harless Snyder and Natalie Kreider (January 9, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor #52: Ghosts of Our Past Recap". The Magic Story Podcast.
  38. ↑ Seanan McGuire (December 5, 2023). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 1: Ghosts of Our Past". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  39. ↑ Natalie Kreider and Harless Snyder (January 24, 2024). "Story Spotlight Cards for Murders at Karlov Manor". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  40. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 8, 2024). "Murders at Karlov Manor - Episode 2: Monsters We Became". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  41. ↑ Django Wexler (June 26, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter Four". Del Rey.
  42. ↑ a b Matt Cavotta (August 17, 2006). "Sympathy for the Demon". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2021-04-29.
  43. ↑ Nicky Drayden (January 23, 2019). "The Illusions of Child's Play". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  44. ↑ Doug Beyer (2012) - Return to Ravnica: The Secretist, Part One, WotC.
  45. ↑ Colin Kawakami (2013) - Last Day, WotC.
  46. ↑ Django Wexler (June 19, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter Three". Del Rey.
  47. ↑ Greg Weisman (November 2019) - War of the Spark: Forsaken, Del Rey.
  48. ↑ Flavor text of Doppelgang
  49. ↑ Flavor text of Meddling Youths (Murders at Karlov Manor)
  50. ↑ Django Wexler (June 19, 2019). "The Gathering Storm, Chapter One". Del Rey.
  51. ↑ Jenna Helland (2012) - The Shadows of Prahv, Part 2. magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
 
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