Cult of Rakdos
On most worlds. a cull dedicated to an ancient demon
lord would be an obvious villain, to be rooted out and ex-
terminated at all costs. On Ravnica, though, the status
of the Cult of Rakdos isn't so clear-cut. lt is a guild like
the others. and its existence is mandated by the Guild-
pact, so exterminating it and its founder would violate
the fundamental social order of the world. Although
the ranks of Rakdos include outright villains who crave
blood and mayhem. most of its members are performers
who just want to put on a good show. Not every per-
formance ends in violence, and even when a riot does
break out, it's not always easy to pin the blame on the
entertainers.
Nonetheless, the Cult ofRakdos has more than its
share of truly villainous members, and the guild pro-
vides ample opportunity for adventurers to fight against
true evil.150 ( lf.\1'111< 1 I\ RI \11/11(, \I>\ J 'I I URI s
NOTORIOUS NIGHTCLUB
Catering to all sorts of demented desires, nightclubs
like the one shown in map 4.8 are permanent venues,
in contrast to the portable tents and stages set up by
Rakdos performers in streets and plazas every night.
Much of what happens here would be illegal if it weren't
consensual- and if the city's rich and powerful weren't
as drawn to its forbidden pleasures as anyone else
in Ravnica.N OTORIOUS NIGHTC LU B ADVENT URES
Characters might be drawn to a Rakdos nightclub
for reasons that have nothing to do with adventuring,
but adventures unfold in these places regardless. The
Notorious Nightclub Adventures table includes a variety
of examples.NOTORIOUS NIGHTCLUB ADVENTURES
dl 2 Adventure Goal
Shut down a performance before the performers
start attacking the crowd.
2 Escape from the club once the violence starts.
3 Protect a thrill seeker who wants to witness a
performance close up.
4 Rescue someone who has been abducted for use
as an extra in a show.
5 Find evidence that someone important was (or was
not) killed in a previous performance here.
6 Capture a performer who ran away from a promi-
nent family to "join the circus."
7 Use the distraction of a performance to hold a
secret meeting with someone from another guild.
8 Spy on someone who is using the distraction of a
performance to hold a secret meeting.
9 Acquire a magic item the Rakdos are using as part
of a performance.
10 Investigate rumors that the Rakdos have a wingless
angel in their show.
11 Find an escaped convict who is rumored to be
hiding behind Rakdos makeup.
12 Stop a Rakdos member who is blackmailing an
important person with embarrassing information.NOTORIOUS NIG HTCL UB MAP
Security, privacy, and terror are the priorities of this
nightclub. Visitors are channeled through a large entry
vestibule into an upper area with tables tucked away in
nooks. From there, they can watch the violent antics of
ferocious beasts or performers in cages suspended from
the ceiling. Stairs lead down to the area of the main
stage, where headlining performances are held. Offices
and storage areas fi II the rest of the main level.
A second stage in the lower level provides a more up-
close experience, which often means audience members
are showered in blood or drawn into the show. Several
private booths surround the backstage area, with doors
that include shuttered windows to enable those inside to
keep an eye on the s how or carry out private business.