The Legends (and Characters) of Murders at Karlov Manor
Murder rocks Ravnica as seemingly random citizens are inexplicably targeting key figures in a city still struggling to rebuild after the devastation of the Phyrexian invasion. The renown Planeswalker and ghost hunter Kaya has returned to a chilly reception after her absence during the invasion, only to be confronted with the murder of a friend. Who will be the next to die? Can the brilliant sleuth, Alquist Proft, along with the help of Kaya, the accused killer Etrata, and planar migrant Kellan unravel the mystery before the city is plunged back into chaos?
Get to know the key players in the unfolding plot with this helpful casebook of legendary characters. Then, follow the trail of murders and mysteries in the Murders at Karlov Manor stories by award-winning writer Seanan McGuire. And finally, stop by the Murders at Karlov Manor Card Image Gallery to see all the cards in the set.
Murders at Karlov Manor launches worldwide on February 9, but you can get a jump on your investigation by preordering booster displays, Commander decks, and other products from your local game store, online retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic: The Gathering is sold.
Murders at Karlov Manor
Kaya, Spirits' Justice
A Planeswalker originally from the plane of Tolvada, Kaya is a ghost hunter and former guildmaster of the Orzhov Syndicate. While initially uninterested in getting involved in further Ravnican affairs, she finds herself becoming involved when an ongoing murder investigation takes a turn for the personal.
Alquist Proft, Master Sleuth
A brilliant detective with unparalleled deductive skills, Alquist Proft has a driving hunger to find the truth—a trait that often puts him at odds with the law. Originally an Azorius lawmage, he left the guild to join the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations (also known as R.A.M.I.) where his methods often found him running afoul of the very laws the guild was meant to uphold. He's not-so-fondly remembered for having once broken a fellow lawmage's bindings to allow a high-profile criminal to escape simply to point out the inconsistencies in the other lawmage's arrest warrants—a move that's still known among the Azorius to this day as "pulling a Proft."
Etrata, Deadly Fugitive
Since House Dimir's seeming destruction and loss of leadership during the Phyrexian invasion, the master assassin Etrata has been at loose ends. For a while she acted as a free agent, driven by her hunger to be the best spy in existence to sell her services to anyone who could afford them, but soon grew irritated and dissatisfied with the lack of challenge these presented her.
Kellan, Inquisitive Prodigy
A half-fae, half-human native of Eldraine, Kellan has been on a quest to find his father, a journey that's seen him wandering the Multiverse via Omenpaths. Most recently, he found his way to Ravnica, where he joined the R.A.M.I. in the hopes of discovering more information on his father. He's assigned to partner with Kaya in her investigations.
Agrus Kos, Spirit of Justice
An officer of the League of Wojek in the Boros Legion, Agrus Kos was considered one of the Boros's top investigators when alive, a distinction that has continued in death.
Rakdos, Patron of Chaos
Rakdos is the demonic head of the Rakdos Cult. Since the glorious carnage and destruction of the invasion, none of the usual amusements staged by his followers have managed to rouse his interest. Plagued with boredom, he allowed himself to fall into a deep slumber, where he relives the chaos of the invasion while he waits for something new to pique his interest.
Tolsimir, Midnight's Light
Tolsimir is the head of the Ledev Guardians and a devout evangelist of the Selesnya Conclave. Ever since Trostani sequestered herself in the heart of Vitu-Ghazi, Tolsimir has been one of the few who've been allowed in her presence. Fiercely protective and loyal, he personally screens all who wish to see her.
Massacre Girl, Known Killer
An infamous Rakdos contract killer who leaves a trail of terror and murder wherever she goes, Massacre Girl became a minor celebrity amongst the Rakdos during the War of the Spark. During the Phyrexian invasion, she gained a small but dedicated fanbase that seeks to mimic her gleeful killing sprees—something that annoys her to no end, as she hates people imitating her style. Attempts to dissuade her followers by murdering a few of them have only backfired and instead led to increased popularity.
Yarus, Roar of the Old Gods
A member of the Zhur-Taa Clan and a druid of the Old Ways, Yarus witnessed the awakening of Ilharg, the Raze-Boar, a moment that filled him with awe and has stayed with him. Since then, he's been attempting to summon the rest of the ancient Gruul gods into existence. So far most of his attempts have failed, but after months of trial and error, he finally succeeded in summoning one other member of the Utmungr: Anzrag, the Quake-Mole.
Vannifar, Evolved Enigma
Vannifar is the current prime speaker of the Simic Combine. With the support of the other guilds, she's managed to maintain her position, though she's aware of how precariously her continued leadership depends on the favor of outsiders. To maintain favorable relationships with the rest of Ravnica's guilds, she now finds herself forced to hand off her usual duties to trusted underlings and spend her time socializing instead. Her detractors within the guild have been quick to claim that she's neglecting her true duties to her guild, but so far no one has openly challenged her leadership.
Teysa, Opulent Oligarch
The guildmaster of the Orzhov Syndicate and the wealthiest individual on Ravnica by far, Teysa usurped the position of guildmaster from Kaya, using an archaic law that charged Kaya with dereliction of duty in the guild's time of need. In recent months, she's retreated from the day-to-day functions of the Orzhov to enjoy her massive accumulation of wealth.
Ezrim, Agency Chief
Stern, humorless, and uncompromising, Ezrim is the archon who leads the Ravnican Agency for Magicological Investigations. He was previously aligned with the Azorius but found the paperwork far too tedious and the other Azorius-aligned archons insufferable. Initially, he founded a minor truth-cult dedicated to his twin ideals of truth and clarity, which slowly grew until it became the R.A.M.I. as it exists today. He keeps an eye on the Azorius, however, and isn't shy about luring promising candidates away from the guild to join his own agency.
Izoni, Center of the Web
A prominent member of the Golgari Swarm, Izoni was the first to denounce Vraska as guildmaster, leading the rest of the of the guild's factions to follow her. Despite how the Golgari are shunned by the rest of Ravnica, she refuses to renounce her own guild, confident that they will one day reclaim their spot among the rest of Ravnica's guilds—with her as guildmaster, naturally. For the time being though, she's biding her time, sending her spiders to gather information for her as she waits for the opportune moment to make her move.
Trostani, Three Whispers
The head of the Selesnya Conclave and keeper of the Museum of Ravnica, Trostani is actually a fusion of three dryads who can connect directly with Mat'Selesnya, the Worldsoul of Ravnica. In the aftermath of the Phyrexian invasion, she withdrew from the rest of Ravnica, including her own guild, as she tried to adjust to a new sense of equilibrium and heal from the damages of the war. Only a select few are permitted into her presence, though visitors to the Museum of Ravnica can sometimes hear her murmurs through the walls of Vitu-Ghazi, voices blending into a steady susurrus that sometimes soothes and sometimes unnerves.
Krenko, Baron of Tin Street
An independent goblin mercenary who's living large off the riches amassed during the chaos of the invasion. Now that he's sitting comfortably on a foundation of wealth with his criminal enterprise fully rebuilt, he has set his sights on his next goal: joining the ranks of Ravnica's monied elites. He's become a notorious fixture of upper-crust parties, where he determinedly networks with Ravnica's aristocracy. His eventual goal is to one day elevate the rest of his gang of goblins, creating a new strata of goblin aristocracy that no one will ever be able to push around again.
Aurelia, the Law Above
Aurelia feels extreme guilt for much of the loss of life during the Phyrexian invasion and blames herself for not being able to save more people. As the Boros Legion guildmaster, however, she believes she doesn't have the luxury to indulge in self-recrimination—at least not when so many people are looking to her for guidance. So, for the time being, she buries her guilt, presenting a stern, unyielding face to the rest of the world as she does her best to rebuild her guild.
Judith, Carnage Connoisseur
The current top performer of the Cult of Rakdos and the owner of the nightclub Hellbender, Judith is openly ambitious about wanting to take Rakdos's seat as the head of the Rakdos, hoping to convert it instead into a cult revolving around her own performance and personality. Thanks to her ruthless ambitions, she's made enemies of more than a few of her own guild members, to the point that she has to avoid certain parts of Rakdos territory or risk her own life.
Lazav, Wearer of Faces
The head of the Dimir hasn't been seen in months. Rumors abound that he died during the invasion, and there are numerous reliable eyewitnesses who swear they saw the Dimir guildmaster get torn in half by a compleated Golgari troll. They even found scraps of shapeshifter corpse dressed in the Dimir guildmaster's clothing amongst the ruins afterwards, so surely, he must have been killed …?
Kylox, Visionary Inventor
Kylox is one of the Izzet's most brilliant inventors—a fact widely acknowledged by his fellow scientists, given how frequently they stole his ideas. To protect his inventions, he set up his own private lab, complete with secret doors and traps for extra security. He frequently collaborates with the R.A.M.I. and is best known for inventing the projektors that the agency's detectives use to help visualize their investigations.
Delney, Streetwise Lookout
At a glance, Delney seems like just another street urchin, but in reality, they're the head of a ragtag gang of fellow urchins who know everything that goes on in the streets of the Tenth District. Streetwise and canny, Delney is happy to lend their eyes and ears to whomever needs them—for a price. Their undeniable skills at information-gathering and espionage have earned them lots of attention from the Dimir, but Delney has turned down all offers of recruitment, preferring a life on the streets over abandoning those whom they see as family.
The Pride of Hull Clade
Much of the Simic Combine succumbed to compleation during the Phyrexian invasion—not just those who researched the mutagen, but their experiments as well. After New Phyrexia's defeat, the remaining Simic discovered that, out of all the creatures they experimented on, only a few had survived untainted by compleation. One of those creatures was a hybrid entity of crocodile, elk, and turtle, who had managed to avoid being tainted by glistening oil by using its antlers to hurl debris at the invaders and crushing them before they ever touched it. It has since been claimed by the Hull Clade as their unofficial mascot and now goes by the name of "Bitsy," which its caretakers affectionately granted it for the way it prefers to tears its food to bits before eating.
Niv-Mizzet, Guildpact
Niv-Mizzet is the current embodiment of the Living Guildpact and the most intelligent being on Ravnica. Vain and officious, he's not shy about making sure everyone knows he's in charge—a fact pointedly illustrated by the fact that he insisted that his official chair be the first thing repaired in the Chamber of the Guildpact. Currently, it's also the only part of the chamber that's been fully restored, as further repairs have languished due to a lack of funds and support.
Anzrag, the Quake-Mole
A primal harvest god of planting and growth, Anzrag is one of the Utmungr, the gods of the deep earth. According to the Gruul, Anzrag is the one who will tear the roots out of civilization from below and sow the world with life anew. Recently, giant and newly dug mole tunnels have been discovered below even the lowest layer of the undercity. Some Gruul are convinced that the tunnels are being dug in a deliberate pattern, but no one has been able to do a proper investigation into what exactly that pattern is.
Murders at Karlov Manor Commander
Kaust, Eyes of the Glade
Kaust is one of the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations' fast-rising stars. He has an exceptional talent for investigative work and a charismatic personality that convinces even the most reluctant witnesses to trust him. In addition to the Agency's comprehensive resources, he cultivates his own personal network of friends and informants. This network allows him to keep a finger on the pulse of the local community and hear news—often before anyone else.
For those who don't know him well, his gentle demeanor deceives them into thinking he's just a grunt concerned with solving cases and little more. In truth, his mildness hides a deep resentment against the guilds, which he believes are restricting the Agency's ability to solve cases by clinging tightly to their own jurisdictional rights. To Kaust, criminal convictions aren't nearly as important as the health of a community. His solution: take matters into his own hands. If turning in a culprit is for the greater good, then he hands the case over to the appropriate authorities, just as he should. But if giving up a culprit would do more harm than good, he's not above simply "misplacing" a case file or using his personal network to leak information that gives the culprit a chance to disappear.
Mirko, Obsessive Theorist
Once a high-ranking member of House Dimir, Mirko Vosk has been adrift ever since House Dimir's destruction during the Phyrexian invasion. His talents with mind-influencing magic should have been enough to secure him a position anywhere in Ravnica's criminal underworld. There's just one fatal flaw: he finds it all immensely boring. Neither freelance mercenary work nor leisure time captures his interest the way Dimir manipulations and subterfuge did.
Recently he's found a new occupation: conspiracy theorist. He's become convinced that House Dimir was not truly destroyed during the invasion, and instead took advantage of the chaos to stage its own demise and retreat back into the shadows. Mirko believes that since then Dimir agents have been quietly rebuilding and continuing to manipulate events under the leadership of Lazav, their supposedly dead mastermind. Mirko now spends his days hunting down rumors and clues of Lazav's whereabouts, He thinks it's a test: if he can track down his former guildmaster, then he will prove himself worthy of rejoining the Dimir and regain his rightful place within the guild.
Morska, Undersea Sleuth
A disillusioned former Simic researcher, Morska is now the pre-eminent deepwater detective of the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations. She has extensive knowledge of zonots—sinkholes that lead to Ravnica's oceans—that is invaluable in recovering submerged evidence. Thanks to her time with the Simic Combine, she's gifted with fish fins for extra maneuverability in water and an acute, shark-like sense of smell—traits that she fully uses during any undersea investigation.
Morska has always been driven by an insatiable curiosity, which drove her to become a Simic biomancer at an early age. She'd thought that nothing could dampen her curiosity—until the Phyrexian invasion. She saw firsthand how many fellow biomancers experimented with glistening oil and succumbed to compleation. Horrified by what she viewed as reckless and gross carelessness, she abandoned the Simic and joined the newly flourishing Agency. She quickly embraced the rules and structures of investigative protocol. Channeling her natural curiosity into solving cases, she finds satisfaction in neatly tying up the loose ends of an investigation.
Nelly Borca, Impulsive Accuser
Nelly Borca is a Wojek sergeant in the Boros Legion who's on a secondment to the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations. She is bright and eager to make a name for herself. While she takes pride in her instincts, she also tends to jump to conclusions based on her gut feelings. This leads to astonishingly rapid case resolutions, but sometimes ends with wild accusations that are completely off the mark.
Nelly is also the niece of Bell Borca, a Boros sergeant best known for having solved his own murder after he died. She grew up listening to tales of his death and subsequent investigations, which inspired her to join the Boros Legion as well. In the aftermath of the Phyrexian invasion, she was the first (and only) volunteer to coordinate between the Legion and the rapidly growing Agency. Her fellow Boros viewed the posting as a thankless slog, but Nelly saw it as an unparalleled opportunity to learn about investigative procedures and methods. With enough determination, she plans to achieve her dream of becoming the best Boros investigator Ravnica has ever seen.
Tesak, Judith's Hellhound
No performer in the Cult of Rakdos is as admired as Judith. No performer is as targeted for vengeance, sabotage, and petty jealousy, either. After the third straight night of ruined performances, Judith went out and got the most ferocious, flesh-hungry hellhound she could find to discourage any further would-be saboteurs. Never one to waste an opportunity for drama, she decided to incorporate Tesak into her regular appearances. The hellhound's on-stage capers proved so thrilling that her one hellhound soon became a small pack of hellhounds. Tesak remains her favorite, however. When not on stage, it can frequently be found roaming Hellbender's dance floors and being fed treats by club goers anxious for it to go away.
Feather, Radiant Arbiter
Despite how bravely she fought during the War of the Spark and the Phyrexian invasion, she continues to be treated with mistrust and prejudice from the other Boros angels, especially Aurelia. Most recently, she's been put on permanent assignment as an ongoing liaison between the Boros and the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations—a position that is more administrative drudge work than anything that should rightly belong to an angel, and a clear sign of her continued disgrace. However, Feather chooses to see it not as the punishment it's meant to be, but as a task as worthy of diligence and attention as any other angelic endeavor. In this manner she remains untouched by others' scorn and ridicule.
Sophia, Dogged Detective
Sophia is one of the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations' newest recruits. She is disciplined and insightful but plagued with lack of confidence, which leads her to overthink and second-guess herself constantly. After a string of unsuccessful investigations, the R.A.M.I. paired her with Tiny, who had been in training to be a sniffer hound but kept failing because he was too trusting of anyone with food. This partnership turned out to be just what each of them needed. Sophia learned to rely on Tiny's instincts and his unerring sense of smell, while Tiny, with Sophia as a single consistent food source for him, finally stopped being so distracted by wayward treats. Together, they've been able to make up for each other's weaknesses.
Marvo, Deep Operative
Marvo used to be a normal octopus before the Simic experiment that left him with massively augmented intelligence. Before the experiment could proceed to the next step though, he escaped into the undercity's waterways, where he happened to encounter Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations detectives trawling the waterways for evidence in a Simic-related case of biotheft. The detectives found nothing that day … but when they returned the next morning to continue their search, the evidence they needed was on the banks, neatly wrapped in strips of kelp like a present. In the final case notes, the discovery was credited to "an unknown aquatic assistant."
Duskana, the Rage Mother
First spotted roaming the Rubblebelt after a failed summoning rite by Yarus, Duskana is clearly not a normal bear. Rumors abound of her ability to appear out of seemingly nowhere, and those who see her often find themselves filled with a bestial rage that prompts them to go on destructive rampages. Some have speculated that she might be the "pale bear" of Gruul prophecy that will herald the rise of old gods. She is invariably seen with her three cubs, whom she guards fiercely.
Ravnica: Clue Edition (Ravnica: Cluedo Edition)
Lavinia, Foil to Conspiracy
Lavinia is the acting guildmaster of the Azorius Senate, a post she's held since the War of the Spark. Though initially reluctant to be guildmaster, she's grown to accept her responsibility and is unfailingly diligent in executing her duties. She's been taking advantage of the chaos of the invasion to reform the Azorius, ridding it of the last traces of Dovin Baan's influence.
Lonis, Genetics Expert
Lonis is a Simic cryptozoologist with a lifelong obsession with the cryptids of Ravnica. Recently, his research has taken an exciting turn with the discovery of fragments of never-before-seen genetic material found on an exploration into the Risen Undercity. Convinced it belongs to the fabled winnoram, Lonis has been devoting all his time to unraveling the fragments' secrets and finding clues as to the history of Ravnica's lost creatures.
Amzu, Swarm's Hunger
Amzu was a Golgari death priest and one of Vraska's most devoted followers. She refused to denounce Vraska, choosing instead to break from the Golgari altogether and taking many of the guild's kraul with her. However, she also refuses to leave Golgari territory, claiming that it rightfully belongs to the kraul instead—regardless of guild allegiance. The subsequent skirmishes have so far been relatively bloodless, but as Amzu relentlessly encourages the kraul to harass the Golgari, it's only a matter of time before the body count rises.
Voja, Jaws of the Conclave
Voja is the white wolf companion of Tolsimir and has the sharpest sense of living beings within the Selesnya Conclave. His sense of smell is so keen that he once foiled Lazav's attempts to infiltrate Selesnya territory, tracking the shapeshifter through multiple form changes and relentlessly hunting him until Lazav was forced to retreat, his mission incomplete. Disciplined and fiercely loyal, Voja rarely gives in to rage, but when he does, few are able to stand against his ferocity.
Tomik, Wielder of Law
Tomik is the chief advokist and highest-ranking member of the Orzhov guild behind guildmaster Teysa Karlov. He oversees the day-to-day running of the guild and is responsible for funneling the collected wealth into the guild's various programs and schemes. He unashamedly uses his position to fund Ral Zarek's reconstruction projects in the hopes of helping the Izzet recover from the disgrace of their guild during the Phyrexian invasion.
Melek, Reforged Researcher
A weird of the Izzet League, Melek was resurrected to act as an ongoing liaison for the Izzet with the Ravnican Agency of Magicological Investigations—a necessity, as all other Izzet who tried to hold the position before were politely requested sooner or later to go back to their own guild and stop "helping" with investigations. It's unclear what, if any, memories of his previous life he retains, though for some reason, he can't help but feel a sense of unease whenever he's around Ral Zarek.
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