Orzhov Syndicate
My Consecration. My Commerce. My Guild.
The Orzhov guild is founded on the beliefs that wealth is power, that structure breeds wealth, and that guilt creates structure. The guild is run like a combination religion, credit-lending agency, and crime syndicate. An ostentatious hierarchy of priests, enforcers, and ghostly councilors rules over a congregation of guilt-bound loyalists, indebted undead, and thrull servants. Many Orzhov guild members truly believe that their rule is necessary for making Ravnica the best it can be, and they are unscrupulous in their methods of seizing power. Most Ravnicans see the Orzhov for the corrupt organization they are, but many are lured in by their promises of wealth, prestige, and longevity.
Obzedat, the Ghost Council. The Orzhov guild is ruled by the Obzedat, a council of ghostly autocrats who have maintained their wealth and power even as they’ve shed their mortal forms. Members of the Obzedat have managed to cheat mortality, maintaining their consciousness (and their greed) beyond the threshold of death. They are paranoid and spiteful dictators, often going out of their way to thwart ambitious underlings, crush rumormongers, and spy on potential enemies. The Obzedat rarely speak directly with those outside the guild; instead they communicate through their official envoy, Teysa Karlov.
Orzhova, the Cathedral Opulent. The guildhall of the Syndicate is Orzhova, sometimes called the Church of Deals. It’s a lavish cathedral with soaring ceilings, designed to make anyone who enters it feel insignificant and out-of-scale by comparison. Overblown stained glass windows and oversized marble statues depict an array of wealthy bishops, enforcer angels, and guild-affiliated ghosts. Orzhova is the site of the most impressive Orzhov ceremonies and rituals, including the Orzhov’s weekly address to its ranks.