MOLOKH
2010-08-26, 07:09 PM
Ravnica
The cityscape in Ravnica spreads as far as the eye can see. A prosperous city, but one filled with strife. For unknown millenia ten guilds that ruled the city have fought for total domination. Their warfare has destroyed countless lives and razed countless buildings, but each time the ravnicans pressed on, rebuilding their city on top of the ruins of their old homes and the corpses of their dead loved ones. Finally, the guilds realized that their conflict would eventually destroy the world so they decided to call a truce. They signed the Guildpact - an agreement that disallowed any open military actions from the guilds against eachother. It also forbade them to interfiere with other guilds' business. Almost 10 000 years passed but Ravnica was not peaceful. The guilds continued their war in secret and the world is in turmoil once again.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8899/mc40signet.jpg
The Boros Legion
The Boros are a completely militarized guild and have the most formidable and efficient army in Ravnica. They are the self-proclaimed peace-keepers of the metropolis, patrolling it's streets and arresting those that disturb the status quo. They believe that order must be kept by any means necessary and are brutally efficient when enforcing it, fueled by their absolute faith in their moral judgement and their passion for justice. However, the Boros are short-sighted and their military focus means they can't really stand up when a problem presents itself, that can't be solved with violence. They prefer open conflict and hate any kind of subturfuge or political disputes that tangle the mind and twist words. Without the other guilds to keep them busy and balance out their righteous fury, which often morphs into simple desire for vengance and punishment, the Boros would quickly evolve into a fanatical military dictatorship.
The Boros Legion has a strict hierarchy. On top of it are angels, which serve as inspiration for the common soldiers. The angels have their own hierarchy and most of those that are on top of it are rarely seen. Some of the lowly angles, however, are often sent to help the Legion in dangerous battles. At the very top of the hierarchy is the Archangel Razia - a being of fiery justice, said to be as swift and merciless as she is beautiful, founder of the guild in ancient times and still remembered and respected by all who join it. The Legion itself is split into many subsets with different purposes, the largest one being the League of Wojek, who serve as Ravnica's militia. Their commander is a human veteran named Agrus Kos, who is said to be over 100 years old and yet still continues to fight alongside his soldiers, but the truth about this is unknown.
Agrus and Razia
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6104/ctrlfeaturerwlegends.jpg
The Boros legion exclusivley recruits people with martial training. They care little about race or the source of one's power, but require and enforce strict discipline. Apart from the standart races, in their ranks can be found goblinoids, minotaurs, half-giants, giants, ogres, fire elementals, trained griffins, hyppogriphs and birds of pray and many others. A very large portion of the legion is composed of martial classes - fighters, rangers, paladins, knights, warblades, crusaders, duskblades, monks and others. Barbarians rarely enter their ranks as they struggle with the strict military codes. The magic-weilding classes are not as numerous or diverse, but they are present in the Legion. Bards often accompany large Boros groups, as well as arcane casters that amplify the soldiers' strength and clerics that heal the wounded. The Boros guildmages are near the top of the hierarchy. The Boros occasionaly employ rogue-ish types to deliver information or track down suspects, but this is done in secret.
In the more civilized districts of Ravnica a Wojek legionaire can be seen standing guard at almost every street corner. However, the Boros rarely go deeper into the underground ruins of Ravnica, preferring large open spaces where they can maneuver their armies and be prepared against ambushes.
Those of the Boros Legion wear distinct ornate armor and weapons and long flowing clothes and capes in whites, reds, yellows and gold, all carrying their symbol - a fiery fist, symbolizing their strength and the purification of Ravnica through fire.
Boros members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Boros soldiers
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/7576/985boros1.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/33/mtgcomarcana951pic1en.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3055/20081213065916.jpghttp://img230.imageshack.us/img230/7352/borosguildmageparente.jpg
Numerous Boros barrackses, training grounds, watchtowers and guildhalls are spread across Ravnica, but they are always clumped together, as the Legion prefers not to leave singular units exposed to the other guilds. The largest and oldest guildhouse, which is said to have been build by the angels themselves is called Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/7236/dimir.jpg
House Dimir
House Dimir does not exist. At least not officially - when the Guildpact was signed, one of it's clauses stated that none of the other guilds could ever reveal the existence of House Dimir to the people of Ravnica, thus protecting it's anonymity and at the same time forcing it to remain hidden. The Ravnicans do indeed believe that only nine guilds exist. A few know that there was a tenth guild once, but think it dissolved thousands of years ago. The other guilds know about House Dimir, but are forbidden to speak of it to the common folk and it is a taboo even amongst guildmembers, never being openly discussed.
House Dimir always works in secrecy, dealing with espionage and counter-intelligence, smuggling, theft, assassinations, political manipulations and other illegal activities. The people who employ the Dimir are often not aware who is actually working for them. In fact, most of the guild's agents aren't aware who they are working for either. The high-ranking members of the guild, on the other hand, are very well-informed about the happenings in Ravnica. House Dimir's main trade is information. A vast net of spies constantly updates the guild's higher-ups with information about any important political, social, religious or cultural changes, about other guilds' and normal peoples' activities and even trivial gossips. By spreading such knowledge or keeping it a secret, eliminating key political figures and spreading propaganda and fear, the guild's leaders hope to destabalize Ravnica enough to eventually be able to take it over in one swift strike.
The Dimir are obsessed with discovering and exploiting secrets. They are cold and ruthless when dealing with enemies, emlpoying various scare tactics, mind games and psychic assaults. Their tactics include overly complex and elaborate plots and conspiracies, which slowly wither away at one's consciousness if they want the victim to suffer, or can directly destroy it's psyche. They are the guild that makes greatest use of psionic abilities, while their arcane casters usually specialize in enchantment or necromantic magic.
The leader of the Dimir is the psychic vampire Szadek, who was one of the leaders who signed the original Guildpact almost 10 000 years ago and has managed to survive and keep control of his guild all this time. Very few, even in his own guild know about his existance.
Szadek
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4148/szadek.jpg
Szadek only reveals himself to the powerful mages that run the inner workings of the guild. They in turn sometimes reveal themselves to lower ranking mages or spies and give out orders. Through a complex net of middle-men the orders reach an army of rogues and other thugs who operate on the streets of Ravnica on behalf of some shadowy figure.
Amongst the lower ranks of the guild can be found numerous rogues, who gather and distribute information, fighters and other martial characters who are used as bouncers - protecting the information dealers, and lowly mages, specializing in mind-affecting spells. While the guild employs mercenaries to protect itself from most common threats, it's higher-ranking members use undead soldiers to keep anyone from discovering their lairs and secrets. These undead are the perfect soldiers, as they can't be captured and interrogated and are usually associated with the Golgari guild, which takes the blame for many of the Dimir's activitties. Often shades and wraiths are called upon to sneak into particularly hard to reach places or to sow fear in the hearts of men. Shadowy assassins, both human and undead, lurk in the hidden guildhalls of the Dimir and sometimes venture to the surface districts, carrying out their missions with deadly precision and ruthlessness. The guild also employs clerics, mostly to raise and augment their undead soldiers.
People from House Dimir's spy network carry no distinctive items or clothes, as they are mostly unaware of the Dimir themselves. Those higher in the hierarchy - usually powerful wizards, psions, beguilers, shadowdancers, assassins etc. wear dark clothes in black, dark-blue and gray with hoods and often wrap their faces in shawls, but carry no distinct features. The more powerful members of the guild allow themselves to wear tattoos of the guild's symbol - a spider with an eye on it's back, as they are certain they will never be seen or caught. The assassins in the guild cloak their faces and often wear armor and weapons made from or ornamented with human bones and skulls. The Dimir also use powerful monsters as guards and killers - stone gargoyles or magically enhanced beasts, as well as vampires and demons. At the top of House Dimir are Archmage- and Loremaster-Liches, incredibly powerful Psions, as well as Psychic Vampires and even Beholders and otherworldy spawn.
Usually the Dimir are the ones who seek out their members. If they see potential in a lowly thug or mage they will keep a close eye on him and if they approve of his abilities he will be invited to join. Almost everybody accepts such an offer, as refusal means death - once someone is made aware of the Dimirs' secrets they'll make sure he never reveals them one way or another.
Dimir members tend to Neutral on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Dimir soldiers and mages
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/4515/944skeletons.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6636/dimirguildmageravnica30.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8690/944infiltratorwight.jpg
House Dimir makes the old crumbling ruins upon which Ravnica is constantly being rebuild it's base of operations. The dark and shifting corridors of those long-abandoned structures make ideal places to hide from annoying interlopers, as they are easy to get lost in and perfect for setting traps and ambushes. No one knows how far down the Dimir have expanded their reach. In the bowels of their dark realm lies their main guildhall - Duskmantle, the House of Shadow, where their most precious secrets, their most important tomes and their most powerful artifacts lie guraded by unfathomable horrors. The guild also has numerous hiding places and meeting spots on the surface areas of Ravnica, although few know of them and basically every shadow can hide a member of the House.
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2057/golgaricrest.jpg
The Golgari Swarm
The Golgari show the dark part of nature. They strongly believe that death is a part of life, but the cycle shouldn't stop there. They are obsessed with power and they mean to gain it through the unlimited expansion and growth of their guild. The Golgari literally recycle their dead, combining their corpses with parasitic plants to create twisted abominations that mock both life and death. With it's constantly growing ranks augmented by necromancy, this is easily the largest of the guilds. The Goglari spread slowly and endlessly across Ravnica in hopes that one day they will cover all of it like a giant fungus.
Their goal, however, is hindered by the guild's own internal conflicts. The guild's hierarchy is simple - the strong feed on the weak. It's members feed not only on Ravnica's lush life, but on themselves. They are paranoid and lack the vision of a community most of the other guilds have, instead giving into their predatory instincts and selfish desires for complete domination. Many fractions of the Golgari rebel and fight against each other for control over the guild. Such is the case at the moment, with it's current leaders - a trio of Gorgon sisters known as The Sisters of Stone Death being challenged by the drow Savra who calls herself Queen of the Golgari.
Savra and the Sisters of Stone Death
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3375/savraqueenofthegolgarir.jpghttp://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1562/guildgolgaripic.jpg
The Golgari invade inhabited districts of Ravnica and feast on the life there, after which they raise the dead to join their ranks. They are not all about death though. They are in fact one of the main food suppliers for poorer districts of Ravnica, cultivating and distributing edible fungi and plants. They are grown in the so called "rot farms", literally sprouting from heaps of rotting corpses. They are also in charge of cleaniing up waste and carrion from demolished parts of the city, but are often challenged in this by the Orzhov Syndicate, who frequently claim ownership of peoples' corpses because of unpaid "debts".
The Golgari ranks are formed mainly by undead abominations and semi-sentient plants as well as combinations of the two. All sorts of wurms, imps, nature elementals, trolls etc. are drawn by the death and decay caused by the guild. These beings are controlled mostly by druids who believe nature should be unrestricted in it's growth, clerics who revere gods of death, and powerful necromancers. Living warriors are not as common amongst the Golgari, who instead rely on masses of skeletons and zombies for protection and expansion.
Golgari members tend to Neutral on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Golgari plant-life
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2792/936plantzombie.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4049/reiravzombietroll.jpghttp://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1219/mr194art2.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7351/golgariguildmage640.jpg
When they are not razing parts of Ravnica and sucking the life from it's citizens, the Golgari remain stationary and turn the desolate streets they occupy into lush jungles filled with deadly plants, where one's lungs might rot in minutes from the toxic spores that are spewed in the air. And even then there is always the danger that a corpse or even a tree might suddenly burst forth and attack mindlessly. It is said that the Golgari's main guildhall - Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is in fact a living being that follows the largest part of the Swarm on it's conquests.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4494/mc32signet.jpg
The Orzhov Syndicate
The Orzhov Syndicate is composed of lawyers, politicians and businessman, working in high government positions as a corrupt and well-organised crime group but simultaneously mascarading as a religiuos and humanistic order. They believe that everything has it's price, even a man's soul, and that any kind of trade, no matter how sacreligous, should be allowed. The Orzhov are in essence a traders guild, controlling the flow of income through their monopoly over Ravnica's religous life. They work to make the rich in the city richer and keep the poor as they are. They are not all evil though. They keep the city laws in check and protect the right's of it's citizens. They expect, however, that their services are repaid with generous interest. Those who do not pay their tithes or debts to the Orzhov are persecuted and doomed to a fate worse than death, as even death offers no escape from the Syndicate. They are the best necromancers in Ravnica and accept their payments not only in gold, but in souls and corpses as well.
While they claim that they are pious, few of the Orzhov admit to worshipping a certain god. They allow all religions to spread their teachings and build temples of worship, and in fact sponsor such endeavours and offer protection to the temples. In return they demand a percentage of the temples' income and force them to abide by their rules and laws. Forming cults without the Orzhovs' approval results in merciless persecution.
In the eyes of the public the Syndicate is governed by high-ranking bureaucrats. Few know that the real leaders of the guild are the spirits of some of it's most powerful former patriarchs, who have transcended death and kept their power beyond it's veil so they can continue to rule. Their names are long since forgotten and they are knwon simply as the Ghost Council of Orzhova.
The Ghost Council
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/5962/wallpaperghostcouncilof.jpg
The goals of those who join the Orzhov are to amass wealth and power, to keep and spread their control over Ravnica's citizens, usually by means of intimidation, extortion and fear, and to find a way to enjoy their gains beyond death. It's not rare that the guild offers eternal life to people in return for their services and many join it for that reason alone. While a majority of the guild are simple, if ambitious lawyers, it's more influential members are usually clerics and other divine spellcasters that claim a connection to gods. The Orzhov are protected not only by richly paid and thus very loyal mercenaries, but by many paladins as well - there are those in the guild that believe with a pure heart that they are working for the good of Ravnica and the cunning Orzhov do what is needed to hide their dark side and protect the purity of such powerful allies. Amongst their ranks are also Grey Guards and Black Guards, Assassins and (Shadowbane) Inquisitors and many others that are tempted by the giulds fortunes and promises of power or blinded by their zealous faith. When dealing with menial tasks that disrupt their rich and gluttonous lifestyle the Orzhov use imp-like creatures known as thrulls to do their bidding. While their clerics and necromancers are very powerful, they usually prefer to send undead minions, shadowy conjured beasts and spirits to fight in their stead. There are also rumors that they have even been able to tempt and trick some of the righteous angels into joining their side.
Orzhov members tend to law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Orzhov Thrulls, Clerics and Warriors
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2756/1011thrull2.jpg
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/1647/1043patriarchs.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7168/117936mago20orzhov.jpghttp://img339.imageshack.us/img339/429/1041orzhovsoldier.jpg
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6632/mc32angel.jpg
A lot of Orzhov members have apartments or estates in the rich parts of Ravnica. They also own and control many mercantile districts and have innumerable offices around the city. In the temple of every god can also be found Orzhov clerics, tax collectors and guards. The Orzhov also have small temples dedicated to the guild itself, where they deal with "legal activity", funeral rites, blessings, donations, healing etc. The biggest one, where common people are rarely allowed, is a massive cathedral, nick-named Orzhova, the Church of Deals. No one is sure what really goes on in there but there are rumors that it is gate to the afterlife itself.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7536/izzetcrest.jpg
The Izzet League
The best way to describe most memebers of the Izzet is as mad scientists. This guild is home to masters of theoretical science, invention, and spellcraft. Their nature is a passion for discovery and knowledge, reckless curiosity, and a fascination with anything unknown as well as an unresistable desire to take it apart or set it aflame. The Izzet are brilliant, but their tendence to jump from one idea to another causes them to take shortcuts in their studies, often with catastrophical results. The guild is always recruiting new members with fresh ideas not only to futher it's research, but because most of it's members are short-lived. The Izzet are extreme individualists, every one of them taking great risks and toying with forces he probably can't control in order to be the one to make the next brakethrough. For them practicality is always second to innovation and they rarely revisit old discoveries. They are not only incredibly gifted mages, but marvelous engineers as well. They are the ones who designed and built the massive dams and aqueducts that feed Ravnica's water supply as well as the labyrinths of pipelines that form the city's heating and sewer systems. While it appears as though the Izzet are only interested in their research and not actual domination of Ravnica, if they are not stifled by the other guilds they can very well destroy the whole metropolis on their own. Giant craters, remnants of failed Izzet experiments litter the face of this world, and the Izzet themselves consider a few lives a small price to pay for their scientific advancements.
The guild is run by Niv-Mizzet, called "The Firemind" - an ancient, flippant and extremely narcissistic dragon whose brilliance is matched only by his short-temperedness. He is the most intelligent being on this world and probably one of the most intelligent beings in the whole universe. He believes he can easily overthrow the other guilds and rule Ravnica, but that would simply be too boring. He enjoys the entertainment that the conflict provides him with and entertainment is the reason he formed the Izzet league in the first place - to serve as his guinea pigs and amuse him.
Niv-Mizzet
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4972/wallpapernivmizzetthefi.jpg
Many of the Izzet are Wizards, Sorcerers and other arcane spell-casting classes, but they are obsessed with their magic powers to the point of caring for nothing else. Spellblades and similar classes as well as Psions, Wilders and Artificiers are also present in their ranks. They mostly specialize in destructive(Evocaton) magic, or magic that changes substance(Transmutation). Not many mercenaries agree to work for this guild, because they know that trouble usually comes from the Izzet themselves mostly in the form of uncontrollable jets of flame or fireballs. Many Izzet laboratories are guarded by weirds - freakish elementals created by Niv-Mizzet himself, that defy nature by combining opposing elements like fire and water or water and lightning into one semi-sentient creature.
Izzet mages and soldiers wear flamboyant uniforms in bright reds and blues, mimicking the colors of the scales of their leader. Their clothes are usually decorated with shiny metals and they often carry around gizmos and machines that are supposed to augment their magics.
Izzet members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Izzet soldiers and mages
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6079/1025style1.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1175/izzetstyleimage4.jpghttp://img841.imageshack.us/img841/2558/306illo7.jpg
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8665/1025style2.jpghttp://img39.imageshack.us/img39/1701/izzetstyleimage3.jpg
The Izzet spend most of their time away from their homes, cooped up in laboratories and leaving only when the necessity of an experiment demands it. It is noticable how people in distrcits with such laboratories are quick to leave their homes behind and search for safer living quarters. The epitome of the League's architectural genius is their guildhall, where their leader also resides, Nivix, the Aerie of the Firemind - a cluster of fragile towers, somehow standing perfectly erect and stretching over 5000 feet into the sky.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3658/azoriussignetdissension.jpg
The Azorius Senate
The Senate's purpose in Ravnica is to create laws and ensure that everyone abides by them. It's members are extremely aloof and believe in the omniscience and totality of these laws and that they are the only thing that keeps the metropolis from falling apart. As such they make all their laws overly complex and restrictive so that no one but the Azorius themsleves can understand and fight the machine of state. Thus, they are deeply loathed by Ravnica's common folk. The Senate hates and fears all forms of change and progressive thinking and works hard to stifle it so they can maintain their absolute authority and keep the status quo.
As a guild that strives to create a utopian society, the Azorius see the benefits of working with other guilds when it suits their interests. They employ the Boros Legion and the Selesnya Conclave to enforce their laws and the Orzhov Syndicate often provides them with skillful and experienced advocates.
The Senate is run by bureaucrats and politicians who unanimously choose a representive figurehead called the Grand Arbiter. Their current leader is an elderly human by the name of Augustin lV. He is aided by his most trusted advisor, the sphynx Isperia, who claims she always speaks the truth.
Augustin and Isperia
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/472/ftl95grandart.jpghttp://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8428/isperiatheinscrutable.jpg
Many of the high-ranking Azorius are powerful wizards and psions, who call themselves lawmages. Lower-ranking members include arcane spellcasters and clerics that specialize in mind-controlling magics and spells that hinder and restrict both thoughts and physical movement. Many of them are superb at neutralizing spellcasters either with counterspelling or by disrupting the mages' very connection with his powers (Spellthieves, Occult Slayers). The senate is guarded by an army of knights and paladins in the absolute conviction that upholding the law is the only way a peaceful society can exist. Other martial classes are also found in their ranks, but they mostly share the paladins' views. Many mounted guards, including ones flying on trained griffins patrol the streets and skies around the Azorius' courts and castles together with conjured air elementals and spirits. The races that join the Senate are usually law-abiding ones - humans, dwarves, vedalken and loxodon.
Azorius members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis
Azorius knights and lawmages
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8687/newpicture1p.pnghttp://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4205/newpicture2lw.png
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8575/3264fgh.jpghttp://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8933/azorius.jpg
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8407/vedalken.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/8678/ocularhalobyralphhorsle.jpg
The Azorius build and reside in heavily fortified castles and towers of white marble that serve as both courts and prisons. The seat of their power is a large fortress composed of several smaller buildings and is called Prahv, the Spires of Order.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2241/simiccrest.jpg
The Simic Combine
According to the Guildpact, the Simic were originally one of the guilds tasked with the preservation of nature in Ravnica. They failed in this, however, with the complete urbanization of the whole planet. Dissatisfied with the way things turned out, the Simic adopted a new purpose - to enhance and improve what little was left of nature so that the plants and wildlife have a chance to fight back against the industrialization. They went about this in quite a drastic way, combining their superb knowledge of magic and nature with successfull, but monstrous results. Their experiments with biomancy have bred horrific mutants that twist the laws of life to their braking point. The Simic see themselves and their beasts as far superior to other ravnicans and costantly work to improve and modify their bodies so they can become the rightful rulers of Ravnica. They want to master evolution but their arrogance blinds them to the fact that they are dealing with forces beyond their control. While their creations are frightfully efficient at what they're supposed to do - be the pinnacle of evolution, it is not rare that they turn on their own creators and destroy them.
While most ravnicans distrust the Simic and think they are crazy, none can deny their genius and the fact that they have greatly improved Ravnica's medical sciences - they are the best physicians of Ravnica, treating all kinds of diseases and injuries with their radical methods.
The one who changed the guild's vision and role is Momir Vig - a brilliant elven biomancer, who has managed to sustain his life over 3000 years through the alterations he constantly makes on his body.
Momir Vig
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6389/momirvigsimicvisionary6.jpg
Momir's endless research has recently been rewarded with a scientific brakethrough - he has invented a bio-magical substance called cytoplast, that has unique properties - it can memorize and transfer the genetical information of living beings it comes in contact with. It can be used to heal wounds, regenerate limbs, increase one's physical and mental abilities manyfold and if augmented by a skilled enough biomancer, even be used to kill or control another being. (note: Cytoplast will be in the campaign, although probably very rare at low levels. I'm not entirely sure how it will work, but it will most likely be based on the Mother Cyst feat from Libris Mortis.) The Simic blur the lines between magic, nature and artifice. They are mostly druids, clerics, wizards and artificiers obsessed with their reasearch. They specialize in healing and enhancing magic. Their secret laboratories are usually guarded by the mutated beasts they create.
Simic members tend to Neutral on both the Law-Order axis and the Good-Evil axis.
Simic mages and mutants
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6613/newpictureeo.pnghttp://img408.imageshack.us/img408/572/newpicture1ze.pnghttp://img810.imageshack.us/img810/551/newpicture2a.pnghttp://img693.imageshack.us/img693/3981/newpicture3g.png
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/7663/cytomanipulator.jpg
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7885/simicguildmage640.jpg
The Simic are mostly concerend with themselves and their research and shy away from people and politics, for wich the people themselves are grateful. The guilds laboratories are not open to the public, but they manage many medical clinics with reputable doctors. They do so not because of altruistic urges, but because they need the funding for their experiments. One of their greatest biomantic successes has become their main headquarters - it is a hybrid building of living matter and sculpted stone, held aloft by thick vines that keep it isolated from the rest of Ravnica. It is called Novijen, the Heart of Progress and it is where Momir Vig concocts some of his greatest and probably most dangerous experiments in secret.
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7393/mc7signet.jpg
The Selesnya Conclave
Depending on one's point of view, the Conclave is either a selfless, nurturing, spiritual group or a brainwashing nature cult. Although it is easily the most peaceful, altruistic and generally "good" of the guilds, it's members are also self-righteous, single-minded and naive. The Selesnyans are devoted to peace, life, nature and community and constantly spread their dogma across Ravnica. They are the least warlike of the guilds and instead rely on their guild's constant growth and the assimilation of new members. The Conclave is always bolstering it's ranks by bringing new recruits into it's fold rather carelessly. Somewhat similar to the Golgari, they literally grow new members as well - some of the greatest druids of Ravnica breathe life into saprolings and treants, who gladly serve their masters. Those in the Conclave work in unison, providing shelter for ravnicans, trying to sustain the city's plant life by building parks and gardens, and expanding Selesnya's influence wherever possible.
The guild claims a communal leadership by all members, but it is no secret that a gathering of dryads, known as the Chorus of the Conclave are the ones who usually make the important decisions that most passive and humbled members are unable to make. Selesnya's defensive force is led by an experienced elven ranger, named Tolsmir Wolfblood, who is never seen without his closest ally - a giant wolf called Voja.
The Chorus and Tolsmir
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4800/guildselesnyapic.jpg
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2639/tolsimirwolfblood640.jpg
While they are hard and slow to anger, Selesnya is home to some of the most powerful Rangers and Paladins of Ravnica, as well as many other martial classes and a multitude of tamed beasts, that fight blindly when defending their home and it's peaceful, monotonous existence. Selesnya's wrath is indeed a sight to behold. The spellcasting classes are represented mainly by Druids and Clerics who revere nature and peace. The races that join the Conclave are usually ones that have an attachment to nature - elves, gnomes, loxodon, dryads, centaurs and many others. Much of the wildlife surviving in Ravnica has found shelter under Selesnya's wing - from wild animals, that guard the guild's homes, to mystical beasts like pegassuses, griffins, elementals, even giant wurms.
Selesnya members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Good on the Good-Evil axis.
Selesnya warriors and beasts
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/707/gwstyleoverwhelm.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7917/gwstyle1.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7162/watchwolf.jpghttp://img821.imageshack.us/img821/538/mtgcomdailybs32picmaine.jpg
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8067/newpicture4x.pnghttp://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3319/newpicture5k.png
Selesnya guildhalls are called sanctuaries and every current or prospective member is always welcome there. The most important of Selesnya's buildings and groves is Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree - the largest tree in Ravnica. It's trunk houses millions of Selesnya members and is where the Chorus consults.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2555/rakdoscrest.jpg
The Cult of Rakdos
It is debatable whether or not one can actually call the Rakdos a "guild". They are composed of outlaws, lowlives, thieves, killers, beggers and virtually anyone can declare he is of the Rakdos and join in thier quest to spread mayhem and death across Ravnica. Every being in this guild is single-mindedly obsessed with inflicting as much pain and suffering and being as sadistic as possible. They are thrill-killers, without any moral restraints and believe that life is meaningless, so they should be free to do what they like, whenever they like, without any regrets. These tendencies take the form of mass killing sprees and literal orgies of death and fire as the Cult's members rampage through the streets of Ravnica. The Rakdos have as little remorce for other members as they do for ravnicans, they have no concept of loyalty or honor, companionship or compassion and they are happy to sacrifice anyone or anything to achieve their aims. They believe that when enough blood is shed, their leader and founder of the cult, the demon Rakdos, the Defiler, will rise again as he did in ages past and smother Ravnica in an ocean of blood and brimstone. Unbeknwonst to most of them, Rakdos is actually in Ravnica, having decided for reasons of his own to make this world his permanent home. While the Cult is chaotic and disorganized, it does have it's spiritual leaders, the highest-ranking of them currently being Lyzolda, the Blood Which - a wicked human Sorceress, who is not an actual ruler, but instead incites her followers' bloody frenzies.
Rakdos and Lyzolda
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1073/934rakdosimage.jpg
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1189/1066lyzolda.jpg
The other guilds have their reasons for tolerating the Rakdos. They are mostly used for manual labor, even selling themselves or being sold by others into slavery, working as servants or miners. One of the guild's members' assets is thier combat prowess and desire for violence. Many martial classes that revel in combat are part of the Cult - Warriors, Rogues, Assassins, Barbarians, Frenzied Berserkers and others. Other guilds often secretly hire Rakdos merceneries when they need to take care of something without getting their hands dirty and the Rakdos are happy to oblige. Rakdos spellcasters are usually Sorcerers, Clerics, Warlocks, Necromancers and other classes that rely on charisma and tend to use distructive magic. They often summon imps and minor demons or devils to prove their power and for the amusement of the masses. Many undead horrors and vile creatures are drawn by the death and destruction the guild sows. A secret purpose of the Rakdos is to constantly destablize Ravnica so the other guilds can clean up after them and prove to the public that the guilds are, in fact, needed.
Rakdos members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Rakdos warriors and mages
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/1696/1141ogre.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8070/nihilisticglee.jpghttp://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4560/295drakdos.jpg
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6558/3266vbn.jpghttp://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4889/goblinspikeknuckles.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1254/ragamuffyn.jpghttp://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6023/squealingdevil.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6865/wallpaperdemonfire800x6.jpg
The Rakdos don't have homes or territories to call their own, but hey are happy to sleep and reside in those districts of Ravnica they ravage. They do have temples of worship, which resemble slaughterhouses and boneyards. A few of their most high-ranking members know that deep underground lies a dark fortress, known as Rix Maadi, the Dungeon Palace, filled with fiendish monsters and hellish flames, where Rakdos himself resides under a pool of molten lava in a state cimilar to hibernation
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1189/gruulcrest.jpg
The Gruul Clans
Before and for a short time after the signing of the Guildpact, the Gruul Clans were a wild and noble guild charged with maintaining the wild places on Ravnica. They were supposed to keep civilization in check. Civilization and the other nine guilds, however, overran every wild place on the planet. This changed the Gruul. As the wilds were torn down, so too were the Gruul's responsibilities taken from them. The Simic claimed jurisdiction over nature's future. The Selesnya preached about nature in order to bring it into the Conclave. With their responsibilities taken over by others, they were seen as outside of the Guildpact and the Azorius began to write them out of the law. Outside the law, the Boros were not required to protect them and the Orzhov were free to enslave them. The Gruul decentralized, losing any sort of real leadership. The guild became nothing but a loose affiliation of clans. However, they remained proud warriors and when they are not fighting amongst themselves or scavenging for food, they battle against the other guilds, trying to prove their strength to them and defend their honor.
While the clans themselves are disorganized, they do have their charismatic leaders, the leader of the largest clan being the cyclops Borborygmos. While he is not their official ruler, when he speaks, the clans listen and obey.
Borborygmos
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/8388/ravnicacyclops.jpg
The Gruul are a diverse bunch - from beggers to gladiators, from scavengers to raiders, from slaves to shamans. Many martial classes are found amongst the Gruul, but they are usually ones that rely on brute strength like the Barbarian, rather than ones that rely on discipline like the Warblade. There is a notable lack of Wizards in their ranks, but Sorcerers, Shamans, Clerics, Druids and Warlocks are not uncommon. They rely on offensive spells and it is said that the most powerful can raise the very earth to fight for them. The races that are part of or join the Clans are wild ones, who usually have an attachement to nature - goblinoids, centaurs, orcs, trolls, half-giants, giants, ogres, viashino etc. The Gruul often befriend and battle alongside wild beasts. who share their destructive urges.
Gruul members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Gruuls Warriors and Shamans
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/263/gruulstyleimage3.jpg
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/2338/mtgcomarcana1005pic2en.jpg
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8033/wildcantor.jpghttp://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1992/gruulguildmageparente.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/7205/skarrganskybreaker.jpghttp://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1447/burningtreeshaman.jpg
The Gruul consider any part of Ravnica they invade and manage to capture their territory. The lesser members of the Clans manage to survive in some of the more civilized districts as beggers, thieves, servants and mercenaries. One place of note that the Gruul consider sacred is Skarrg, the Rage Pits - a large desolate vale filled with geysers and volcanic activity, where powerful Gruul shamans seek enlightenment and strength.
Aaaand because it appears the post becomes too long, double-post.
The cityscape in Ravnica spreads as far as the eye can see. A prosperous city, but one filled with strife. For unknown millenia ten guilds that ruled the city have fought for total domination. Their warfare has destroyed countless lives and razed countless buildings, but each time the ravnicans pressed on, rebuilding their city on top of the ruins of their old homes and the corpses of their dead loved ones. Finally, the guilds realized that their conflict would eventually destroy the world so they decided to call a truce. They signed the Guildpact - an agreement that disallowed any open military actions from the guilds against eachother. It also forbade them to interfiere with other guilds' business. Almost 10 000 years passed but Ravnica was not peaceful. The guilds continued their war in secret and the world is in turmoil once again.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8899/mc40signet.jpg
The Boros Legion
The Boros are a completely militarized guild and have the most formidable and efficient army in Ravnica. They are the self-proclaimed peace-keepers of the metropolis, patrolling it's streets and arresting those that disturb the status quo. They believe that order must be kept by any means necessary and are brutally efficient when enforcing it, fueled by their absolute faith in their moral judgement and their passion for justice. However, the Boros are short-sighted and their military focus means they can't really stand up when a problem presents itself, that can't be solved with violence. They prefer open conflict and hate any kind of subturfuge or political disputes that tangle the mind and twist words. Without the other guilds to keep them busy and balance out their righteous fury, which often morphs into simple desire for vengance and punishment, the Boros would quickly evolve into a fanatical military dictatorship.
The Boros Legion has a strict hierarchy. On top of it are angels, which serve as inspiration for the common soldiers. The angels have their own hierarchy and most of those that are on top of it are rarely seen. Some of the lowly angles, however, are often sent to help the Legion in dangerous battles. At the very top of the hierarchy is the Archangel Razia - a being of fiery justice, said to be as swift and merciless as she is beautiful, founder of the guild in ancient times and still remembered and respected by all who join it. The Legion itself is split into many subsets with different purposes, the largest one being the League of Wojek, who serve as Ravnica's militia. Their commander is a human veteran named Agrus Kos, who is said to be over 100 years old and yet still continues to fight alongside his soldiers, but the truth about this is unknown.
Agrus and Razia
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/6104/ctrlfeaturerwlegends.jpg
The Boros legion exclusivley recruits people with martial training. They care little about race or the source of one's power, but require and enforce strict discipline. Apart from the standart races, in their ranks can be found goblinoids, minotaurs, half-giants, giants, ogres, fire elementals, trained griffins, hyppogriphs and birds of pray and many others. A very large portion of the legion is composed of martial classes - fighters, rangers, paladins, knights, warblades, crusaders, duskblades, monks and others. Barbarians rarely enter their ranks as they struggle with the strict military codes. The magic-weilding classes are not as numerous or diverse, but they are present in the Legion. Bards often accompany large Boros groups, as well as arcane casters that amplify the soldiers' strength and clerics that heal the wounded. The Boros guildmages are near the top of the hierarchy. The Boros occasionaly employ rogue-ish types to deliver information or track down suspects, but this is done in secret.
In the more civilized districts of Ravnica a Wojek legionaire can be seen standing guard at almost every street corner. However, the Boros rarely go deeper into the underground ruins of Ravnica, preferring large open spaces where they can maneuver their armies and be prepared against ambushes.
Those of the Boros Legion wear distinct ornate armor and weapons and long flowing clothes and capes in whites, reds, yellows and gold, all carrying their symbol - a fiery fist, symbolizing their strength and the purification of Ravnica through fire.
Boros members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Boros soldiers
http://img827.imageshack.us/img827/7576/985boros1.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/33/mtgcomarcana951pic1en.jpg
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/3055/20081213065916.jpghttp://img230.imageshack.us/img230/7352/borosguildmageparente.jpg
Numerous Boros barrackses, training grounds, watchtowers and guildhalls are spread across Ravnica, but they are always clumped together, as the Legion prefers not to leave singular units exposed to the other guilds. The largest and oldest guildhouse, which is said to have been build by the angels themselves is called Sunhome, Fortress of the Legion.
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/7236/dimir.jpg
House Dimir
House Dimir does not exist. At least not officially - when the Guildpact was signed, one of it's clauses stated that none of the other guilds could ever reveal the existence of House Dimir to the people of Ravnica, thus protecting it's anonymity and at the same time forcing it to remain hidden. The Ravnicans do indeed believe that only nine guilds exist. A few know that there was a tenth guild once, but think it dissolved thousands of years ago. The other guilds know about House Dimir, but are forbidden to speak of it to the common folk and it is a taboo even amongst guildmembers, never being openly discussed.
House Dimir always works in secrecy, dealing with espionage and counter-intelligence, smuggling, theft, assassinations, political manipulations and other illegal activities. The people who employ the Dimir are often not aware who is actually working for them. In fact, most of the guild's agents aren't aware who they are working for either. The high-ranking members of the guild, on the other hand, are very well-informed about the happenings in Ravnica. House Dimir's main trade is information. A vast net of spies constantly updates the guild's higher-ups with information about any important political, social, religious or cultural changes, about other guilds' and normal peoples' activities and even trivial gossips. By spreading such knowledge or keeping it a secret, eliminating key political figures and spreading propaganda and fear, the guild's leaders hope to destabalize Ravnica enough to eventually be able to take it over in one swift strike.
The Dimir are obsessed with discovering and exploiting secrets. They are cold and ruthless when dealing with enemies, emlpoying various scare tactics, mind games and psychic assaults. Their tactics include overly complex and elaborate plots and conspiracies, which slowly wither away at one's consciousness if they want the victim to suffer, or can directly destroy it's psyche. They are the guild that makes greatest use of psionic abilities, while their arcane casters usually specialize in enchantment or necromantic magic.
The leader of the Dimir is the psychic vampire Szadek, who was one of the leaders who signed the original Guildpact almost 10 000 years ago and has managed to survive and keep control of his guild all this time. Very few, even in his own guild know about his existance.
Szadek
http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4148/szadek.jpg
Szadek only reveals himself to the powerful mages that run the inner workings of the guild. They in turn sometimes reveal themselves to lower ranking mages or spies and give out orders. Through a complex net of middle-men the orders reach an army of rogues and other thugs who operate on the streets of Ravnica on behalf of some shadowy figure.
Amongst the lower ranks of the guild can be found numerous rogues, who gather and distribute information, fighters and other martial characters who are used as bouncers - protecting the information dealers, and lowly mages, specializing in mind-affecting spells. While the guild employs mercenaries to protect itself from most common threats, it's higher-ranking members use undead soldiers to keep anyone from discovering their lairs and secrets. These undead are the perfect soldiers, as they can't be captured and interrogated and are usually associated with the Golgari guild, which takes the blame for many of the Dimir's activitties. Often shades and wraiths are called upon to sneak into particularly hard to reach places or to sow fear in the hearts of men. Shadowy assassins, both human and undead, lurk in the hidden guildhalls of the Dimir and sometimes venture to the surface districts, carrying out their missions with deadly precision and ruthlessness. The guild also employs clerics, mostly to raise and augment their undead soldiers.
People from House Dimir's spy network carry no distinctive items or clothes, as they are mostly unaware of the Dimir themselves. Those higher in the hierarchy - usually powerful wizards, psions, beguilers, shadowdancers, assassins etc. wear dark clothes in black, dark-blue and gray with hoods and often wrap their faces in shawls, but carry no distinct features. The more powerful members of the guild allow themselves to wear tattoos of the guild's symbol - a spider with an eye on it's back, as they are certain they will never be seen or caught. The assassins in the guild cloak their faces and often wear armor and weapons made from or ornamented with human bones and skulls. The Dimir also use powerful monsters as guards and killers - stone gargoyles or magically enhanced beasts, as well as vampires and demons. At the top of House Dimir are Archmage- and Loremaster-Liches, incredibly powerful Psions, as well as Psychic Vampires and even Beholders and otherworldy spawn.
Usually the Dimir are the ones who seek out their members. If they see potential in a lowly thug or mage they will keep a close eye on him and if they approve of his abilities he will be invited to join. Almost everybody accepts such an offer, as refusal means death - once someone is made aware of the Dimirs' secrets they'll make sure he never reveals them one way or another.
Dimir members tend to Neutral on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Dimir soldiers and mages
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/4515/944skeletons.jpg
http://img8.imageshack.us/img8/6636/dimirguildmageravnica30.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/8690/944infiltratorwight.jpg
House Dimir makes the old crumbling ruins upon which Ravnica is constantly being rebuild it's base of operations. The dark and shifting corridors of those long-abandoned structures make ideal places to hide from annoying interlopers, as they are easy to get lost in and perfect for setting traps and ambushes. No one knows how far down the Dimir have expanded their reach. In the bowels of their dark realm lies their main guildhall - Duskmantle, the House of Shadow, where their most precious secrets, their most important tomes and their most powerful artifacts lie guraded by unfathomable horrors. The guild also has numerous hiding places and meeting spots on the surface areas of Ravnica, although few know of them and basically every shadow can hide a member of the House.
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/2057/golgaricrest.jpg
The Golgari Swarm
The Golgari show the dark part of nature. They strongly believe that death is a part of life, but the cycle shouldn't stop there. They are obsessed with power and they mean to gain it through the unlimited expansion and growth of their guild. The Golgari literally recycle their dead, combining their corpses with parasitic plants to create twisted abominations that mock both life and death. With it's constantly growing ranks augmented by necromancy, this is easily the largest of the guilds. The Goglari spread slowly and endlessly across Ravnica in hopes that one day they will cover all of it like a giant fungus.
Their goal, however, is hindered by the guild's own internal conflicts. The guild's hierarchy is simple - the strong feed on the weak. It's members feed not only on Ravnica's lush life, but on themselves. They are paranoid and lack the vision of a community most of the other guilds have, instead giving into their predatory instincts and selfish desires for complete domination. Many fractions of the Golgari rebel and fight against each other for control over the guild. Such is the case at the moment, with it's current leaders - a trio of Gorgon sisters known as The Sisters of Stone Death being challenged by the drow Savra who calls herself Queen of the Golgari.
Savra and the Sisters of Stone Death
http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/3375/savraqueenofthegolgarir.jpghttp://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1562/guildgolgaripic.jpg
The Golgari invade inhabited districts of Ravnica and feast on the life there, after which they raise the dead to join their ranks. They are not all about death though. They are in fact one of the main food suppliers for poorer districts of Ravnica, cultivating and distributing edible fungi and plants. They are grown in the so called "rot farms", literally sprouting from heaps of rotting corpses. They are also in charge of cleaniing up waste and carrion from demolished parts of the city, but are often challenged in this by the Orzhov Syndicate, who frequently claim ownership of peoples' corpses because of unpaid "debts".
The Golgari ranks are formed mainly by undead abominations and semi-sentient plants as well as combinations of the two. All sorts of wurms, imps, nature elementals, trolls etc. are drawn by the death and decay caused by the guild. These beings are controlled mostly by druids who believe nature should be unrestricted in it's growth, clerics who revere gods of death, and powerful necromancers. Living warriors are not as common amongst the Golgari, who instead rely on masses of skeletons and zombies for protection and expansion.
Golgari members tend to Neutral on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Golgari plant-life
http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2792/936plantzombie.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4049/reiravzombietroll.jpghttp://img706.imageshack.us/img706/1219/mr194art2.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7351/golgariguildmage640.jpg
When they are not razing parts of Ravnica and sucking the life from it's citizens, the Golgari remain stationary and turn the desolate streets they occupy into lush jungles filled with deadly plants, where one's lungs might rot in minutes from the toxic spores that are spewed in the air. And even then there is always the danger that a corpse or even a tree might suddenly burst forth and attack mindlessly. It is said that the Golgari's main guildhall - Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, is in fact a living being that follows the largest part of the Swarm on it's conquests.
http://img192.imageshack.us/img192/4494/mc32signet.jpg
The Orzhov Syndicate
The Orzhov Syndicate is composed of lawyers, politicians and businessman, working in high government positions as a corrupt and well-organised crime group but simultaneously mascarading as a religiuos and humanistic order. They believe that everything has it's price, even a man's soul, and that any kind of trade, no matter how sacreligous, should be allowed. The Orzhov are in essence a traders guild, controlling the flow of income through their monopoly over Ravnica's religous life. They work to make the rich in the city richer and keep the poor as they are. They are not all evil though. They keep the city laws in check and protect the right's of it's citizens. They expect, however, that their services are repaid with generous interest. Those who do not pay their tithes or debts to the Orzhov are persecuted and doomed to a fate worse than death, as even death offers no escape from the Syndicate. They are the best necromancers in Ravnica and accept their payments not only in gold, but in souls and corpses as well.
While they claim that they are pious, few of the Orzhov admit to worshipping a certain god. They allow all religions to spread their teachings and build temples of worship, and in fact sponsor such endeavours and offer protection to the temples. In return they demand a percentage of the temples' income and force them to abide by their rules and laws. Forming cults without the Orzhovs' approval results in merciless persecution.
In the eyes of the public the Syndicate is governed by high-ranking bureaucrats. Few know that the real leaders of the guild are the spirits of some of it's most powerful former patriarchs, who have transcended death and kept their power beyond it's veil so they can continue to rule. Their names are long since forgotten and they are knwon simply as the Ghost Council of Orzhova.
The Ghost Council
http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/5962/wallpaperghostcouncilof.jpg
The goals of those who join the Orzhov are to amass wealth and power, to keep and spread their control over Ravnica's citizens, usually by means of intimidation, extortion and fear, and to find a way to enjoy their gains beyond death. It's not rare that the guild offers eternal life to people in return for their services and many join it for that reason alone. While a majority of the guild are simple, if ambitious lawyers, it's more influential members are usually clerics and other divine spellcasters that claim a connection to gods. The Orzhov are protected not only by richly paid and thus very loyal mercenaries, but by many paladins as well - there are those in the guild that believe with a pure heart that they are working for the good of Ravnica and the cunning Orzhov do what is needed to hide their dark side and protect the purity of such powerful allies. Amongst their ranks are also Grey Guards and Black Guards, Assassins and (Shadowbane) Inquisitors and many others that are tempted by the giulds fortunes and promises of power or blinded by their zealous faith. When dealing with menial tasks that disrupt their rich and gluttonous lifestyle the Orzhov use imp-like creatures known as thrulls to do their bidding. While their clerics and necromancers are very powerful, they usually prefer to send undead minions, shadowy conjured beasts and spirits to fight in their stead. There are also rumors that they have even been able to tempt and trick some of the righteous angels into joining their side.
Orzhov members tend to law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Orzhov Thrulls, Clerics and Warriors
http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/2756/1011thrull2.jpg
http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/1647/1043patriarchs.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/7168/117936mago20orzhov.jpghttp://img339.imageshack.us/img339/429/1041orzhovsoldier.jpg
http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/6632/mc32angel.jpg
A lot of Orzhov members have apartments or estates in the rich parts of Ravnica. They also own and control many mercantile districts and have innumerable offices around the city. In the temple of every god can also be found Orzhov clerics, tax collectors and guards. The Orzhov also have small temples dedicated to the guild itself, where they deal with "legal activity", funeral rites, blessings, donations, healing etc. The biggest one, where common people are rarely allowed, is a massive cathedral, nick-named Orzhova, the Church of Deals. No one is sure what really goes on in there but there are rumors that it is gate to the afterlife itself.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7536/izzetcrest.jpg
The Izzet League
The best way to describe most memebers of the Izzet is as mad scientists. This guild is home to masters of theoretical science, invention, and spellcraft. Their nature is a passion for discovery and knowledge, reckless curiosity, and a fascination with anything unknown as well as an unresistable desire to take it apart or set it aflame. The Izzet are brilliant, but their tendence to jump from one idea to another causes them to take shortcuts in their studies, often with catastrophical results. The guild is always recruiting new members with fresh ideas not only to futher it's research, but because most of it's members are short-lived. The Izzet are extreme individualists, every one of them taking great risks and toying with forces he probably can't control in order to be the one to make the next brakethrough. For them practicality is always second to innovation and they rarely revisit old discoveries. They are not only incredibly gifted mages, but marvelous engineers as well. They are the ones who designed and built the massive dams and aqueducts that feed Ravnica's water supply as well as the labyrinths of pipelines that form the city's heating and sewer systems. While it appears as though the Izzet are only interested in their research and not actual domination of Ravnica, if they are not stifled by the other guilds they can very well destroy the whole metropolis on their own. Giant craters, remnants of failed Izzet experiments litter the face of this world, and the Izzet themselves consider a few lives a small price to pay for their scientific advancements.
The guild is run by Niv-Mizzet, called "The Firemind" - an ancient, flippant and extremely narcissistic dragon whose brilliance is matched only by his short-temperedness. He is the most intelligent being on this world and probably one of the most intelligent beings in the whole universe. He believes he can easily overthrow the other guilds and rule Ravnica, but that would simply be too boring. He enjoys the entertainment that the conflict provides him with and entertainment is the reason he formed the Izzet league in the first place - to serve as his guinea pigs and amuse him.
Niv-Mizzet
http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/4972/wallpapernivmizzetthefi.jpg
Many of the Izzet are Wizards, Sorcerers and other arcane spell-casting classes, but they are obsessed with their magic powers to the point of caring for nothing else. Spellblades and similar classes as well as Psions, Wilders and Artificiers are also present in their ranks. They mostly specialize in destructive(Evocaton) magic, or magic that changes substance(Transmutation). Not many mercenaries agree to work for this guild, because they know that trouble usually comes from the Izzet themselves mostly in the form of uncontrollable jets of flame or fireballs. Many Izzet laboratories are guarded by weirds - freakish elementals created by Niv-Mizzet himself, that defy nature by combining opposing elements like fire and water or water and lightning into one semi-sentient creature.
Izzet mages and soldiers wear flamboyant uniforms in bright reds and blues, mimicking the colors of the scales of their leader. Their clothes are usually decorated with shiny metals and they often carry around gizmos and machines that are supposed to augment their magics.
Izzet members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Izzet soldiers and mages
http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/6079/1025style1.jpg
http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1175/izzetstyleimage4.jpghttp://img841.imageshack.us/img841/2558/306illo7.jpg
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8665/1025style2.jpghttp://img39.imageshack.us/img39/1701/izzetstyleimage3.jpg
The Izzet spend most of their time away from their homes, cooped up in laboratories and leaving only when the necessity of an experiment demands it. It is noticable how people in distrcits with such laboratories are quick to leave their homes behind and search for safer living quarters. The epitome of the League's architectural genius is their guildhall, where their leader also resides, Nivix, the Aerie of the Firemind - a cluster of fragile towers, somehow standing perfectly erect and stretching over 5000 feet into the sky.
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3658/azoriussignetdissension.jpg
The Azorius Senate
The Senate's purpose in Ravnica is to create laws and ensure that everyone abides by them. It's members are extremely aloof and believe in the omniscience and totality of these laws and that they are the only thing that keeps the metropolis from falling apart. As such they make all their laws overly complex and restrictive so that no one but the Azorius themsleves can understand and fight the machine of state. Thus, they are deeply loathed by Ravnica's common folk. The Senate hates and fears all forms of change and progressive thinking and works hard to stifle it so they can maintain their absolute authority and keep the status quo.
As a guild that strives to create a utopian society, the Azorius see the benefits of working with other guilds when it suits their interests. They employ the Boros Legion and the Selesnya Conclave to enforce their laws and the Orzhov Syndicate often provides them with skillful and experienced advocates.
The Senate is run by bureaucrats and politicians who unanimously choose a representive figurehead called the Grand Arbiter. Their current leader is an elderly human by the name of Augustin lV. He is aided by his most trusted advisor, the sphynx Isperia, who claims she always speaks the truth.
Augustin and Isperia
http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/472/ftl95grandart.jpghttp://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8428/isperiatheinscrutable.jpg
Many of the high-ranking Azorius are powerful wizards and psions, who call themselves lawmages. Lower-ranking members include arcane spellcasters and clerics that specialize in mind-controlling magics and spells that hinder and restrict both thoughts and physical movement. Many of them are superb at neutralizing spellcasters either with counterspelling or by disrupting the mages' very connection with his powers (Spellthieves, Occult Slayers). The senate is guarded by an army of knights and paladins in the absolute conviction that upholding the law is the only way a peaceful society can exist. Other martial classes are also found in their ranks, but they mostly share the paladins' views. Many mounted guards, including ones flying on trained griffins patrol the streets and skies around the Azorius' courts and castles together with conjured air elementals and spirits. The races that join the Senate are usually law-abiding ones - humans, dwarves, vedalken and loxodon.
Azorius members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis
Azorius knights and lawmages
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/8687/newpicture1p.pnghttp://img190.imageshack.us/img190/4205/newpicture2lw.png
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/8575/3264fgh.jpghttp://img707.imageshack.us/img707/8933/azorius.jpg
http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/8407/vedalken.jpg
http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/8678/ocularhalobyralphhorsle.jpg
The Azorius build and reside in heavily fortified castles and towers of white marble that serve as both courts and prisons. The seat of their power is a large fortress composed of several smaller buildings and is called Prahv, the Spires of Order.
http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2241/simiccrest.jpg
The Simic Combine
According to the Guildpact, the Simic were originally one of the guilds tasked with the preservation of nature in Ravnica. They failed in this, however, with the complete urbanization of the whole planet. Dissatisfied with the way things turned out, the Simic adopted a new purpose - to enhance and improve what little was left of nature so that the plants and wildlife have a chance to fight back against the industrialization. They went about this in quite a drastic way, combining their superb knowledge of magic and nature with successfull, but monstrous results. Their experiments with biomancy have bred horrific mutants that twist the laws of life to their braking point. The Simic see themselves and their beasts as far superior to other ravnicans and costantly work to improve and modify their bodies so they can become the rightful rulers of Ravnica. They want to master evolution but their arrogance blinds them to the fact that they are dealing with forces beyond their control. While their creations are frightfully efficient at what they're supposed to do - be the pinnacle of evolution, it is not rare that they turn on their own creators and destroy them.
While most ravnicans distrust the Simic and think they are crazy, none can deny their genius and the fact that they have greatly improved Ravnica's medical sciences - they are the best physicians of Ravnica, treating all kinds of diseases and injuries with their radical methods.
The one who changed the guild's vision and role is Momir Vig - a brilliant elven biomancer, who has managed to sustain his life over 3000 years through the alterations he constantly makes on his body.
Momir Vig
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/6389/momirvigsimicvisionary6.jpg
Momir's endless research has recently been rewarded with a scientific brakethrough - he has invented a bio-magical substance called cytoplast, that has unique properties - it can memorize and transfer the genetical information of living beings it comes in contact with. It can be used to heal wounds, regenerate limbs, increase one's physical and mental abilities manyfold and if augmented by a skilled enough biomancer, even be used to kill or control another being. (note: Cytoplast will be in the campaign, although probably very rare at low levels. I'm not entirely sure how it will work, but it will most likely be based on the Mother Cyst feat from Libris Mortis.) The Simic blur the lines between magic, nature and artifice. They are mostly druids, clerics, wizards and artificiers obsessed with their reasearch. They specialize in healing and enhancing magic. Their secret laboratories are usually guarded by the mutated beasts they create.
Simic members tend to Neutral on both the Law-Order axis and the Good-Evil axis.
Simic mages and mutants
http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/6613/newpictureeo.pnghttp://img408.imageshack.us/img408/572/newpicture1ze.pnghttp://img810.imageshack.us/img810/551/newpicture2a.pnghttp://img693.imageshack.us/img693/3981/newpicture3g.png
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/7663/cytomanipulator.jpg
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/7885/simicguildmage640.jpg
The Simic are mostly concerend with themselves and their research and shy away from people and politics, for wich the people themselves are grateful. The guilds laboratories are not open to the public, but they manage many medical clinics with reputable doctors. They do so not because of altruistic urges, but because they need the funding for their experiments. One of their greatest biomantic successes has become their main headquarters - it is a hybrid building of living matter and sculpted stone, held aloft by thick vines that keep it isolated from the rest of Ravnica. It is called Novijen, the Heart of Progress and it is where Momir Vig concocts some of his greatest and probably most dangerous experiments in secret.
http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/7393/mc7signet.jpg
The Selesnya Conclave
Depending on one's point of view, the Conclave is either a selfless, nurturing, spiritual group or a brainwashing nature cult. Although it is easily the most peaceful, altruistic and generally "good" of the guilds, it's members are also self-righteous, single-minded and naive. The Selesnyans are devoted to peace, life, nature and community and constantly spread their dogma across Ravnica. They are the least warlike of the guilds and instead rely on their guild's constant growth and the assimilation of new members. The Conclave is always bolstering it's ranks by bringing new recruits into it's fold rather carelessly. Somewhat similar to the Golgari, they literally grow new members as well - some of the greatest druids of Ravnica breathe life into saprolings and treants, who gladly serve their masters. Those in the Conclave work in unison, providing shelter for ravnicans, trying to sustain the city's plant life by building parks and gardens, and expanding Selesnya's influence wherever possible.
The guild claims a communal leadership by all members, but it is no secret that a gathering of dryads, known as the Chorus of the Conclave are the ones who usually make the important decisions that most passive and humbled members are unable to make. Selesnya's defensive force is led by an experienced elven ranger, named Tolsmir Wolfblood, who is never seen without his closest ally - a giant wolf called Voja.
The Chorus and Tolsmir
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/4800/guildselesnyapic.jpg
http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/2639/tolsimirwolfblood640.jpg
While they are hard and slow to anger, Selesnya is home to some of the most powerful Rangers and Paladins of Ravnica, as well as many other martial classes and a multitude of tamed beasts, that fight blindly when defending their home and it's peaceful, monotonous existence. Selesnya's wrath is indeed a sight to behold. The spellcasting classes are represented mainly by Druids and Clerics who revere nature and peace. The races that join the Conclave are usually ones that have an attachment to nature - elves, gnomes, loxodon, dryads, centaurs and many others. Much of the wildlife surviving in Ravnica has found shelter under Selesnya's wing - from wild animals, that guard the guild's homes, to mystical beasts like pegassuses, griffins, elementals, even giant wurms.
Selesnya members tend to Law on the Law-Chaos axis and to Good on the Good-Evil axis.
Selesnya warriors and beasts
http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/707/gwstyleoverwhelm.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7917/gwstyle1.jpg
http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/7162/watchwolf.jpghttp://img821.imageshack.us/img821/538/mtgcomdailybs32picmaine.jpg
http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/8067/newpicture4x.pnghttp://img24.imageshack.us/img24/3319/newpicture5k.png
Selesnya guildhalls are called sanctuaries and every current or prospective member is always welcome there. The most important of Selesnya's buildings and groves is Vitu-Ghazi, the City Tree - the largest tree in Ravnica. It's trunk houses millions of Selesnya members and is where the Chorus consults.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2555/rakdoscrest.jpg
The Cult of Rakdos
It is debatable whether or not one can actually call the Rakdos a "guild". They are composed of outlaws, lowlives, thieves, killers, beggers and virtually anyone can declare he is of the Rakdos and join in thier quest to spread mayhem and death across Ravnica. Every being in this guild is single-mindedly obsessed with inflicting as much pain and suffering and being as sadistic as possible. They are thrill-killers, without any moral restraints and believe that life is meaningless, so they should be free to do what they like, whenever they like, without any regrets. These tendencies take the form of mass killing sprees and literal orgies of death and fire as the Cult's members rampage through the streets of Ravnica. The Rakdos have as little remorce for other members as they do for ravnicans, they have no concept of loyalty or honor, companionship or compassion and they are happy to sacrifice anyone or anything to achieve their aims. They believe that when enough blood is shed, their leader and founder of the cult, the demon Rakdos, the Defiler, will rise again as he did in ages past and smother Ravnica in an ocean of blood and brimstone. Unbeknwonst to most of them, Rakdos is actually in Ravnica, having decided for reasons of his own to make this world his permanent home. While the Cult is chaotic and disorganized, it does have it's spiritual leaders, the highest-ranking of them currently being Lyzolda, the Blood Which - a wicked human Sorceress, who is not an actual ruler, but instead incites her followers' bloody frenzies.
Rakdos and Lyzolda
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/1073/934rakdosimage.jpg
http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/1189/1066lyzolda.jpg
The other guilds have their reasons for tolerating the Rakdos. They are mostly used for manual labor, even selling themselves or being sold by others into slavery, working as servants or miners. One of the guild's members' assets is thier combat prowess and desire for violence. Many martial classes that revel in combat are part of the Cult - Warriors, Rogues, Assassins, Barbarians, Frenzied Berserkers and others. Other guilds often secretly hire Rakdos merceneries when they need to take care of something without getting their hands dirty and the Rakdos are happy to oblige. Rakdos spellcasters are usually Sorcerers, Clerics, Warlocks, Necromancers and other classes that rely on charisma and tend to use distructive magic. They often summon imps and minor demons or devils to prove their power and for the amusement of the masses. Many undead horrors and vile creatures are drawn by the death and destruction the guild sows. A secret purpose of the Rakdos is to constantly destablize Ravnica so the other guilds can clean up after them and prove to the public that the guilds are, in fact, needed.
Rakdos members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Evil on the Good-Evil axis.
Rakdos warriors and mages
http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/1696/1141ogre.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/8070/nihilisticglee.jpghttp://img834.imageshack.us/img834/4560/295drakdos.jpg
http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6558/3266vbn.jpghttp://img340.imageshack.us/img340/4889/goblinspikeknuckles.jpg
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/1254/ragamuffyn.jpghttp://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6023/squealingdevil.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6865/wallpaperdemonfire800x6.jpg
The Rakdos don't have homes or territories to call their own, but hey are happy to sleep and reside in those districts of Ravnica they ravage. They do have temples of worship, which resemble slaughterhouses and boneyards. A few of their most high-ranking members know that deep underground lies a dark fortress, known as Rix Maadi, the Dungeon Palace, filled with fiendish monsters and hellish flames, where Rakdos himself resides under a pool of molten lava in a state cimilar to hibernation
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/1189/gruulcrest.jpg
The Gruul Clans
Before and for a short time after the signing of the Guildpact, the Gruul Clans were a wild and noble guild charged with maintaining the wild places on Ravnica. They were supposed to keep civilization in check. Civilization and the other nine guilds, however, overran every wild place on the planet. This changed the Gruul. As the wilds were torn down, so too were the Gruul's responsibilities taken from them. The Simic claimed jurisdiction over nature's future. The Selesnya preached about nature in order to bring it into the Conclave. With their responsibilities taken over by others, they were seen as outside of the Guildpact and the Azorius began to write them out of the law. Outside the law, the Boros were not required to protect them and the Orzhov were free to enslave them. The Gruul decentralized, losing any sort of real leadership. The guild became nothing but a loose affiliation of clans. However, they remained proud warriors and when they are not fighting amongst themselves or scavenging for food, they battle against the other guilds, trying to prove their strength to them and defend their honor.
While the clans themselves are disorganized, they do have their charismatic leaders, the leader of the largest clan being the cyclops Borborygmos. While he is not their official ruler, when he speaks, the clans listen and obey.
Borborygmos
http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/8388/ravnicacyclops.jpg
The Gruul are a diverse bunch - from beggers to gladiators, from scavengers to raiders, from slaves to shamans. Many martial classes are found amongst the Gruul, but they are usually ones that rely on brute strength like the Barbarian, rather than ones that rely on discipline like the Warblade. There is a notable lack of Wizards in their ranks, but Sorcerers, Shamans, Clerics, Druids and Warlocks are not uncommon. They rely on offensive spells and it is said that the most powerful can raise the very earth to fight for them. The races that are part of or join the Clans are wild ones, who usually have an attachement to nature - goblinoids, centaurs, orcs, trolls, half-giants, giants, ogres, viashino etc. The Gruul often befriend and battle alongside wild beasts. who share their destructive urges.
Gruul members tend to Chaos on the Law-Chaos axis and to Neutral on the Good-Evil axis.
Gruuls Warriors and Shamans
http://img713.imageshack.us/img713/263/gruulstyleimage3.jpg
http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/2338/mtgcomarcana1005pic2en.jpg
http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/8033/wildcantor.jpghttp://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1992/gruulguildmageparente.jpg
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/7205/skarrganskybreaker.jpghttp://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1447/burningtreeshaman.jpg
The Gruul consider any part of Ravnica they invade and manage to capture their territory. The lesser members of the Clans manage to survive in some of the more civilized districts as beggers, thieves, servants and mercenaries. One place of note that the Gruul consider sacred is Skarrg, the Rage Pits - a large desolate vale filled with geysers and volcanic activity, where powerful Gruul shamans seek enlightenment and strength.
Aaaand because it appears the post becomes too long, double-post.