Simic Combine

The Simic Combine were originally in charge of public health among the streets of Ravnica. At some point in the past, however, the goals of the ancient Simic turned to improving the average Ravnican, rather than merely treating illness. Over the centuries the Simic have amassed an immense body of knowledge on the secrets of biology and the natural world, which they then use in their experiments, both on themselves and others.
Critics of the Simic would say that their modifications to the natural world are perverse, but the Simic themselves say that no one appreciates the intricacies of nature as they do, and any of their developments that are not clear improvements should be discarded.
The secrets of life are revealed in the laboratories of the Simic, and their research notes plumb and catalog nature’s wonders. Their original mission was to oversee issues of public health, but the Simic came to believe that complete health — of individuals and of society as a whole — depends on the mutual adaptation of nature and civilization to one another. Thus, biological experimentation has always been among its primary concerns.

THE SIMIC VIEW ON OTHER GUILDS
The most insular members of the Simic Combine avoid interacting with other guilds entirely. No one but another Simic scientist could ever fully grasp or appreciate the work of the guild, and too many of the other guilds react with fear to what they don’t understand.
Azorius. “An absurd and inelegant construct, forever trapped in a maze of their own making. They would outlaw evolution if they could. And if any of them truly seek utopia, the rest are far too busy shuffling papers to notice. Avoid their attention at all costs.”
Boros. “They style themselves the agents of ‘justice.’ But the law is no better excuse for aggression than any other.”
Dimir. “We need not compete. Let them be, and they will let us be—but observe them closely.”
Golgari. “Less an organization than an infestation. They are nearly as adaptable as we are, and they seem intent on competition. More than any other guild, they pressure us to improve.”
Gruul. “The Gruul conceive of nature only in terms of savagery and privation. But their ways are no less a response to civilization than our own. They will survive, barely, and perhaps one day they will understand.”
Izzet. “The Izzet have spent ten thousand years mimicking the appearance of research, producing more pyrotechnics than progress. Surely that is a performance to rival the Rakdos.”
Orzhov. “They hoard their treasure throughout their pointless lives and lengthy afterlives. With such riches, we could swiftly bring about a future in which gold is as irrelevant as death.”
Rakdos. “Camouflage, mimicry, resilience, and versatility. If the guilds were species, we would count the Rakdos among the most impressive. But they aren’t, and that makes the Rakdos far more erratic—and dangerous.”
Selesnya. “Like us, they seek a synthesis between ‘natural’ and ‘artificial’ systems. Unlike us, they wish to achieve it by unconditional surrender. They are adequate partners in stable times, but in the present climate they have little to offer.”

Culture

Two philosophical principles, in tension with each other, combine to give the Simic Combine its unique approach to science and nature. In traditional Simic thought, these principles are called the Holdfast and the Upwelling. The Holdfast principle, named for the biological mechanism that keeps kelp and sponges anchored to the sea floor, advises members of the Simic Combine never to stray so far from nature that they become “adrift.” It espouses the idea that nature left undisturbed will evolve toward adaptive traits and increased strength. Nature will flourish and grow, and every creature will find its proper niche in the ecosystem where it can thrive.
The Upwelling principle, named for the phenomenon of nutrient-rich water rising to the ocean surface, advocates that the new and enlivened should replace the old and depleted in an unending cycle, bringing constant refreshment and renewal. This principle accounts for the combine’s analytical bent and its emphasis on knowledge as a means of transformation. Learning the secrets of the universe lets you shape the world as you desire. The Upwelling encourages every creature to discover its full potential.

Public Agenda

Historically, the guild’s approach to its mission has been one of incremental progress toward a utopian ideal of thriving biology, and it remains more aloof from politics than other guilds. Its fundamental mission remains unchanged by the current political instability, and the isolation of its laboratories protects most Simic guild members from immediate harm.

Type

Research, Medical

Leader

Prime Speaker Zegana

Location

Zameck

Controlled Territories

• Zameck

Notable Members

• Prime Speaker Zegana