The Guilds

-insert summary of what guilds are and such here, i just put the stuff from the info on ravnica channel for now-

Ravnican life revolves around the Guilds. Every denizen of the plane is familiar with their causes and beliefs. Guild affiliation is usually worn very overtly; compare to team uniforms at sporting events, or the Olympics.

While cross-guild friction is common, most citizens are capable of working with others. Friends, families, and coworkers often have different political, religious, or social worldviews, but are generally able to find common ground, shared interests, or at least tolerate each other on a daily basis. Siblings may join opposing guilds and have heated arguments, but, at the end of the day, they are still family.

## Azorius

The Azorious Senate functions as Ravnica’s governing body, including the Senate, Judges, Detectives, and Enforcement agencies. Preserving the Law is their primary concern; criminals their biggest worry. At their best, the Azorius maintain order and keep the city running. At their worst, they are overbearing, controlling, aloof, dispassionate, and impersonal.

## Boros

The Boros Legion is the military arm of the law, ready to impose order at need. Ravnica is home to chaotic forces that need an occasional punch to the face, and the Boros are happy to do the punching. At their best, the Boros pursue justice, defend the law, and are selfless protectors of the innocent. At their worst, Boros are overzealous, intolerant, and tyrannical.

## Dimir

After the signing of the Guildpact, House Dimir maintained public libraries, and acted as couriers between the other guilds. After disbanding in 273 ZC, the Dimir were thought lost to history, but this was an elaborate deception. The Guild recently revealed its existence, but remains shrouded in mystery. At best, agents of Dimir act as a balancing force, preventing any one guild from gaining dominance. At worst, Dimir spreads lies, slander, suspicion, and mistrust, with no clear objective or purpose.

## Golgari

Entrusted with agriculture and food production, the Golgari Swarm has become obsessed with the cycle of life and death, resorting to necromantic rot farms to sustain a worldwide population. Shunned due to their association with death and decay, Golgari are tolerated, but rarely thanked for their service. At best, the Golgari perform a vital task and take pride in their pragmatic asceticism. At worst, Golgari feel disenfranchised and are eager to enact vengeance on surface dwellers.

## Gruul

Having utterly failed in their task of preserving the natural landscape, the Gruul Clans barely count as a Guild. Individual tribes are scattered throughout disaster zones, dark alleys, and abandoned buildings. Given the chance, they would destroy everything and restore the law of the jungle to all of Ravnica. At their best, Gruul appreciate the natural order and the raw untamed beauty of nature. At their worst, Gruul anarchists are violent raiders, too uncoordinated to ever achieve their goals.

## Izzet

Tasked with designing, building, and maintaining public works, the Izzet League quickly grew bored, recklessly experimenting with all manner of phenomena. Every failure is a learning experience! At their best, Izzet magewrights push new boundaries, improving daily life with new inventions. At worst, they are more dangerous than Rakdos parties, with less warning when things go wrong.

## Orzhov

Initially chartered as a bank and tax collection service, the Orzhov Syndicate created a false religion to shackle citizens with debt. The Church of Deals also sells loans, resurrection insurance, legal representation (lawyers), vault storage, warding, privacy services, etc. At their best, the Orzhov offer multiple civic and legal services, for a steep price. At worst, they embody extortion, organized crime, pyramid schemes, and corruption in all its forms.

## Rakdos

Invited into the Guildpact with a collective headshake, the Cult of Rakdos is tasked with mining, smiting, hard labor, and entertainment (including wit and satire). Traveling circuses can include wild beasts, gladiatorial fights, and pyrotechnics, all with a cruel twist. There’s no such thing as bad publicity. At their best, Rakdos provide entertainment, parties, and diversions with a low body count. At their worst, which is typical, the Rakdos start a riot, and Azorius cleanup crews work overtime.

## Selesnya

The Selesnya Conclave believes in harmony, particularly between civilization and nature. Welcoming to outsiders, Selesnya grows its influence with generosity and compassion. At its best, Selesnya is the most benevolent Guild, charitably sharing the bounty of nature. At its worst, Selesnya is insufferably arrogant, haughty, smugly righteous, and utterly convinced you would, in fact, love their tree-hugging hippie cult if you just gave it a try for, say, a month or two.

## Simic

Charged with preserving public health, the Simic Combine, continues its mission while adapting to new challenges. The Guild has re-dedicated itself to studying and accelerating the evolutionary process. At their best, Simic biomancers cure disease, restore the disabled, and improve medical science. At their worst, they create crossbred abominations, releasing them to study outside the lab.