Return to Ravnica story speculation, from a Dramatic Writer's view. 1.0

Some of my work peers within Savannah College of Art and Design, and I were talking about the upcoming set of Ravnica, and it's plot. Being Dramatic Writing Majors and magic our chosen past time, the talks of plot comes up often. Ravnica was never far behind, as with maybe the exception of Innistrad, it is the most golden in terms of flavor.

Often I would say that I was pretty sure if they would ever go back to Ravnica, the guilds would be back to full swing, as they provide much needed character archetype outlets, and are the thing that world is built on. I would also bring up one card over and over.

Primordial Sage

Lets take a look at that art and flavor text shall we?


For each creature that arrives in its audience, the sage imparts another piece of ancient wisdom for all to hear.

I would point out that this is the most interesting, heavily hinted at, and most unexplored part of Ravnica. If they would ever go back to it, this is the part I'd explore. I'd have Ravnica, a world where nature is caged by culture, fight back.

Before going into this bit... I'd like to first try to reconstruct a bit of the past, with 3 things. Flavor text, what is said in the book, and the Nephilim. (Note: I do use some daily mtg sources, but as I dont have the exact links on me I have to paraphrase, thus can not conciser them direct sources)

Here are the cards I attempt to draw from.

Look over these cards, it should only take a minute. They all reference, in art or text, a lost nature in the past of Ravnica.
I think this bit is the most straight forward. Ravnica used to be a world of nature and free magic, and every now and then it creeps back. Older thought to be extinct creatures pop up, ect. Even in the Book Ravnica, there is an old thought to be extinct creature Jarrad has to kill.

Speaking of books, I only wanted to briefly go over them... Mostly because their in Savannah GA, over 750 miles away from me right now. However it was mentioned several times about the same thing stated above. It also colors the details that the Gruul "have fallen from their former glory as the keepers of Ravnica’s wilds" (wiki) The Selesnya Conclave and Simic had similar preserve nature functions, but as nature regressed, and culture advanced, they're functions also changed.

Also, when talking about the Nephilim, in the book, online articles or flavor text, are referenced as old, eternal, and forces of Ravnica (some cases "old gods").

To quote from the wiki: "They were there only to humble; living, walking examples of the world's vastness, diversity, unpredictability, danger, wonder, horror, and complexity beyond comprehension.
The Nephilim were subdued thousands of years before the events of the Ravnica block, and imprisoned deep below the plane's surface. Their precise origins are unknown. Once awakened by construction works in the Utvara district, five of the creatures fed on a dragon corpse and grew in size and power, showing a shared ability to absorb power from other beings. Almost forgotten for 10,000 years, the return of the Nephilim was seen as a sign for change and indeed it coincided with the fall of the Guildpact at the Decamillennial. "

These last part, the Nephilim, were a big part of the book guildpact, but never really explained who they were, or what their purpose was.

So here's were I fumble around and grasp at loose straws of details we've been given so far. I doubt this will be all encompassing, but I think it might get the ball rolling for ideas of what is the basic plot of Ravnica returns.

I'm still all for, "Ravnica it's self is trying to break out from cultures cage" idea. That past things are trying to come back and retake the world. My support here are the Nephilim, of the past, as well as Leviathans.

If you click the link above, you'll see Ravnica has 3 Leviathans. One of the flavor texts on one says "we bred out the shortcomings of the species' natural form", which clearly states that those creatures lived there, naturally (least before simic tweaking). This is important since I can think of one girl who reportedly loves Leviathans...Kiora Atua

Now the article linked above doesn't state she will be part of the story, but it does go out of it's way to say it is not ruling out she could be.

Why do I bring her up? Well, Merfolk are in Ravnica now, simic guild. Who share colors with Kiora. And also have the same rib fins. I'm not saying anything here... But come on.

Now, Mark let slip that merfolk's showing up has something to do with the story. Could it be they have been underground, hiding? Or maybe they just didn't care to deal with the city life. I've never heard of an ocean there, but it also could be a case they came from some body of water at the edge of the continent.

At any rate, I do think the merfolk mean change. And as green blue creatures that sounds right up their ally.

Gatecrash is the name of the next set. We can only assume that some force is clashing due to a gate. Ravnica has seen Gateways before, but in a metaphorical sense, the Schism. I wonder if this will be similar, but Ravnica's past nature trying to balance out cultures take over of it.

Anyways, I know that's not a tonnnnn of information, but I think its enough to get some ideas out there and some detail hunting, as well as just an exiting premise. Thoughts? Details I missed, support? Shoot it over here and lets get exited for Ravnica!
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Lantern

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