Return to Ravnica as Told by Flavor Text
If you're looking for it, it's available. The question is how much you're willing to pay.
What some see as "distracted" is really "fathoming the unfathomable."
Leonos had no second thoughts about the abolishment edict. He'd left skyrunes warning of the eviction, even though it was cloudy.
He lurks in the undercity, eager for the corpse haulers to unload their rotting cargo.
"The higher the mind soars, the greater its understanding of the law." —Isperia
"You think no one is watching, you think you're smart enough to escape, and most foolish of all, you think no one cares." —Arrester Lavinia, Tenth Precinct
For the Azorius, the opportunity to serve the law is too great an honor for death to interrupt.
"The entire murder scene was covered in dripping, oozing slime. No need for a soothsayer to solve that one." —Pel Javya, Wojek investigator
Weakness is not in the nature of the Swarm.
"Let the knowledge of absolute law inspire you to live a life of absolute order."
"The Selesnya are gathering armies. Do you still believe they aren't preparing for war?" —Teysa, to Isperia
"Let him be an example to others who would default on their debts to us." —"The Cozen," Orzhov assassin
As whispers and rumors increased, so did the demand for fail-safe barriers.
"I never thought I'd be so glad to see two tons of beak and claws bearing down on me at the speed of an arrow." —Mirela, Azorius hussar
When asked how much power is required, Izzet mages always answer "more."
"Straight from the blood-drenched imagination of our illustrious parun!" —Nyoser, Gore-House ringleader
"If this is thinking, I don't know what I was doing before."
"What root and branch cannot reach, our winged friends will attend to." —Zunak, Selesnya strategist
"For each griffin wounded by an arrow, there's a corpse with a bow nearby." —Pel Javya, Wojek investigator
"Try not to look guilty. Or delicious." —Thorpe, street urchin
Only a worthy few are permitted within the sentient forest known as Axebane.
"A kick from its hooves is like a bolt of lightning. I'd know. I've been hit by both." —Rencz, Izzet chemister's aide
Beauty is in the eye of the exploder.
The Izzet quickly suspended their policy of lifetime guarantees.
Wolf riders hone their skills traversing the perilous rooftops, each dizzying step bringing elf and wolf closer together.
"Civilization will subsume us unless we overwhelm it instead." —Speaker Zegana
Refusing guild allegiances, she fights for those who can't protect themselves.
"The Izzet are an equation that turns lunacy into explosions." —Leonos, Azorius arbiter
"Jarad fancies himself king of the undercity, but he's merely king of rot."
The Dimir agents watched from the shadows. "Eight hours, and I've yet to see him blink," Nefara hissed. "I suggest we find another way in."
Everyone knew the Dimir had done the damage. Everyone suspected the Izzet had hired them.
"We will prove your guilt. We don't arrest the innocent, you know." —Arrester Lavinia, Tenth Precinct
When Lord Rakdos stirred from his slumber, everyone else's nightmare began.
"Finally, a weapon the Boros can't confiscate!" —Juri, proprietor of the Juri Revue
The fearful want the procedure before a blood festival. The guilty seek it afterward.
Weather is more predictable than the Izzet.
"It makes better use of Uncle Dragi's head than he ever did." —Pesha, retired blacksmith
No one in the Conclave acts alone.
His prowess gives the guildless hope that they can hold out against tyranny.
The Hauler's Collective wields great influence over the Ravnican merchant class. Without it, little moves in the city.
"Let all feel joy in pain." —Rakdos
"If there were such a thing as a soul, I think it would be behind the gallbladder but above the kidneys."
"I've dreamt of the future, Isperia. Danger is on the horizon. You must heed my warning."
Devil-blades and dripping blood make music Rakdos never tires of hearing.
"The good of society matters much more than the inconvenience of a few." —Agmand Sarv, Azorius hussar
Close finishes are settled by who can dismount and get to weapons first.
The silk of the archweavers adds structural integrity to otherwise unstable Izzet building sites.
A bargain in Keyhole Downs is always too good to be true.
It chases its airborne prey relentlessly, heedless to what it pulverizes beneath its hooves.
"And would you care to explain why your satchel is radiating an aura of unstable energy?"
Some Ravnicans consider carrying a sword to be beneath them, preferring instead a tooth-and-claw escort.
The Rakdos use it for everything you can think of and plenty more than that.
Those without a guild signet often display a different form of protection.
"We could never accept anyone with a face that pretty or a mind that sane." —Nyoser, Gore-House ringleader
"Smarter than death? Let's see you outsmart my mace, necromancer!"
He has no patience for minds that do not inspire him or explode by trying.
A mark of unity when you want one; a fierce guardian when you need one.
"The Izzet are searching for something. Discern what or die trying."
Bleak rumors reached Trostani's ears. She decreed that no one should travel alone.
He's the unlife of the party.
The furious citizens blamed the Simic for releasing it in their district. The Simic pointed out that rats were no longer a problem.
Like a single ant, it only hints at the colony below.
"We can't control enemies who have no regard for their own survival." —Arrester Lavinia, Tenth Precinct
Nothing was going to stop it—not the narrow alleys, not the Boros garrison, and certainly not the four-story Orzhov cathedral.
Instructors at the Kasarna training grounds are capable healers in case their students fail to grasp the subtleties of combat.
"Even this primitive specimen of my kind is impressive." —Niv-Mizzet
"Lady Wren is the one merchant in Keyhole Downs who isn't running a scam." —Mirela, Azorius hussar
The best funeral shroud is the fabric of new life.
In the gardens of the Conclave, order and beauty are the roots of power.
Crafted with genius, energized with madness.
Where the dead serve as diversion, decor, and dessert.
A place to relax, if you have the proper permit.
Centaurs are sent to evangelize in Gruul territories where words of war speak louder than prayers of peace.
The most ancient streets take on a life of their own. A few have decided to move to nicer neighborhoods.
As the bounty on Massacre Girl rose, so did the number of imitators.
"In each of us is the strength of all of us." —Trostani
"To prevent action is to prevent transgression." —Azorius Arrester motto
Magistrate Ludy agreed to designate land for the brushstriders only after several broken windows and dozens of missing blini-cakes.
"You may call me a fool, selling this stuff on Orzhov turf. Well, you need to be a little reckless to survive."
"Day 31: I finally succeeded in my time reversal experiment! "Day 30: I might have a problem here." —Journal of the Prime Izmagnus
The mask isn't meant to hide his identity. It's meant to keep the viscera out of his eyes.
Ravnicans still tell tales about the Battle of Sumala where four Selesnya sentries held off an entire clan of Gruul warriors.
"When the spires have burned and the cobblestones are dust, he will take his rightful place as king of the wilds." —Kirce, Axebane guardian
"Let the rest of Ravnica sneer. One way or another, they all end up in the undercity." —Jarad
He'll point you to your death row seats.
The farther they go from Vitu-Ghazi, the less willing the crowd is to part for them.
Gruul warriors never need to be stirred to battle. They need only to be shown where the battle is.
"You just need the right incentive to fulfill my dreams."
"Watch the voltage. We don't need another charred, crashing viashino." —Bori Andon, Izzet blastseeker
He wants to watch Ravnica burn, one soul at a time.
"Such boorish noise is what passes for subtlety among the Boros." —Vraska
In the hands of the open-minded, a runewing quill writes wisdom of its own.
The trouble started when a street urchin bet a goblin he could ride one until the clock on Shilbo's Tower struck thirteen.
Nothing evens the odds like a little lightning.
The Izzet's plans to exploit the undercity ran into a few stubborn obstacles.
Novice shopkeeps spend hours deciding how best to display their wares. Veterans focus on portability.
The first motion put forth in the pristine Jelenn Column was for severe restrictions on the airspace around New Prahv.
When times are tough, the poor eat the rats. When times are tougher, the rats eat the poor.
"It is forbidden. Asking why is irrelevant." —Sergiu, Opal Lake magistrate
There are some shadows that even the Dimir fear.
The Street Swarm is the labor class that drives the Golgari's endless cycle of life and death.
With no memories left to compare to his present situation, Andalum was finally content.
A gargoyle's voice reaches pitches that will shatter glass and warp bone.
"Forgive the theft. Punish the deception." —Alcarus, Selesnya archer
Although Cryptwitch Merree vanished after a spat with Rakdos, her playthings lingered.
"He makes up his own laws, and that's dangerous to all who love peace and prosperity. Kill him on sight." —Mirela, Azorius hussar
The Dimir would hire her, if only they knew where she lived. The Azorius would condemn her, if only they knew her name.
Metal is scarce, smiths are pricey, and plate mail is heavy.
"One day every pillar will be a tree and every hall a glade." —Trostani
"Having conviction is more important than being righteous." —Aurelia
One piercing stare usually convinces thieves to go elsewhere.
"Preachers of freedom forget that conformity can be beautiful."
One of the many reasons why open-air markets close at dusk.
Insatiable, irresistible, and insane.
Rakdos cultists are her best customers. They never flinch at pain and are seldom good at math.
In Rakdos-controlled neighborhoods, everyone is part of the show.
It is rumored the Azorius paid an exorbitant sum to ensure its symbol would appear at the top.
In water, it's as graceful as a dolphin. On land, it darts and jerks so unpredictably that few can ride it for long.
The city is vast and perilous, but there are places where a weary traveler can feel very much at home.
"The only action worth taking is one with an unknown outcome."
The murderer faced justice in the Azorius courts, but his soul was set free on a technicality.
"Patience, mage. Killing you now would be too easy."
The ruins of Old Prahv became a wildspace, although all birdsong was silenced by lingering Azorius magic.
It took three years for it to occur to him to use the chain as a weapon, but once it did, he made up for lost time.
The fear of dragons is as old and as powerful as the fear of death itself.
It's sent into unguilded districts by the Orzhov to collect the souls of those no one will miss.
After his death, the general was reunited with fallen soldiers from over thirty of his campaigns.
Gorgons crave beautiful things: gems, exquisite amulets, the alabaster corpses of the petrified dead . . .
Life's too short to not do the things you love.
"When they covered the world in city, all they did was give themselves nowhere to run."
The star performer of the Juri Revue, his shows have fans and blood spilling into the street.
With the Izzet occupied elsewhere, many of their public works fell into disrepair.
You don't so much hire goblins as put ideas in their heads.
"In troubled times, we all need someone to watch our back."
"We traffic in flesh, not souls. Still, it's a shame to let anything go to waste." —Cevraya, Golgari shaman
An elocutor forces criminals to confess to the laws they merely intended to break.
"Your potential to commit a crime warrants further investigation."
If the pig's blood drips on you, you're next on the chain.
The Izzet specialize in unnatural disaster.
The smelting district is home to many who see the guilds as not for them.
"The most impressive performances can be done only once." —Mote, Rakdos madcap
Goblins and architects seldom get along.
Enter and indulge your darkest fantasies, for you may never pass this way again.
"Obviously, the Firemind's mission is worth more than a few goblins." —Pelener, chamberlain of Niv-Mizzet
"We will grow an army large enough to withstand the Izzet's madness." —Trostani
Enter those with the vision to create and the daring to release their creations.
"The rules of logic and order have already made the choice for you." —Isperia
Its favorite treats are candied hands and sweet hearts.
Enter those who are starving and sick. You are welcome among the Swarm when the rest of Ravnica rejects you.
Enter the Senate, the seat of justice and the foundation of Ravnican society.
The sweepers roam endlessly, scrubbing away the refuse—and anything else too slow or too clumsy to get out of their way.
The Rakdos believe that all are eager to join their revels, even when told otherwise.
Some Golgari insects live for centuries—and they never stop growing.
"You have the right to remain silent. Mostly because I tire of your excuses."
Enter and rejoice! The Conclave stands united, open to one and all.
Some souls are too damaged to be of use to the Orzhov.
"Without a body, the soul is helpless to fight the terms of our contracts." —Somhaur, Orzhov pontiff
Information travels quickly through Ravnica's network of messengers and thought agents.
Rumors quickly spread among thieves about a labyrinth without walls and a prize beyond all measures of worth.
Some corpses the Golgari cannot claim. Some souls the Orzhov cannot shackle.
To the Golgari, anything buried is treasure.
"It will dodge your first arrow and flatten you before there's a second." —Alcarus, Selesnya archer
"The prohibition of unnecessary tossing of the citizenry by giants shall also extend to spontaneous giants." —Isperia's Edict, provision VII.789.2
As the price of wood and coal rose, smiths found creative ways to keep their forges burning.
"So many oppose us, but we are the reed that bends without breaking."
When Selesnya missionaries moved into the Shanav Quarter, they faced scorn, ridicule, and ultimately martyrdom.
Every inch of Ravnica is home to something.
It's easier to just aim at everything.
Don't cross a Devkarin elf unless you long for an early grave.
Unwelcome in Golgari colonies, he found his own dark place from which to represent the Swarm.
"It misses nothing and it has no sense of humor." —Barvisa, courtroom scribe
Azorius lawmages would like to outlaw the creation of weirds, but first they'd have to settle their long-standing debate on how to classify them.
"We follow it through its tunnels, and where it dies, we farm." —Mihas, spore druid
Raked by vertical spikes of glass and stone, Ravnica's vistas offer only a rare glimpse of the horizon.
"Some cannot be saved as they are, but all can serve the Worldsoul." —Trostani
"We will defend the Worldsoul from Izzet 'progress' at any cost."
In the towering trees of the Samok Stand and the predators that guard them, the might of the Ravnican wild has returned.
Joining the Worldsoul took years of study and meditation. Severing that connection took the snap of Rakdos's fingers.
Many chemisters are oblivious to the innumerable machinations of their guild, instead focusing obsessively on creating the perfect weird.
Ragemutts pull the chariots of the Butcher Clowns, a trio of wingless, zombified faeries formerly of the Izzet.
When it escaped, the experimenters hesitated. It would cause untold havoc, yet they wished to see it in action.
"The other guilds will learn the hard way not to interfere with our investigations." —Bori Andon, Izzet blastseeker
Senators of Azorius often hired agents to spy on the Selesnya. They were told to record every spore and root they saw, as each could become a deadly foe.
When one of the great guardians arises, it sweeps enemies aside like chaff yet takes care not to crush a single insect underfoot.
"I serve only justice. But through that duty, I serve all of Ravnica."
"Give me enough refuse and mana and I will summon an ooze that can engulf all of Ravnica." —Cevraya, Golgari shaman
Despite its enormous stature, it can fold itself into a tunnel with startling quickness, vanishing back into the undercity.
"My ruling is final. Order is upheld. Justice is done."
They share no bloodline, but a bond greater than family unites them. Such are the gifts of the Worldsoul.
Dimir mages put the lanterns to good use, creating shapeshifters and sleeper agents from mana foreign to them.
Many Tin Street shops display a sign on the door: "No cloaks allowed."