Consulate

Consulate
The Consulate Aether Spire
History
Founded on	Kaladesh (now Avishkar)
Status	Dissolved, replaced by the Avishkar Assembly
Membership
Notable members	Dhiren Baral, Dovin Baan, Padeem, Pia Nalaar, Ranaj, Sram, Tezzeret
Races	Dwarves, Humans, Vedalken
Card art	art:"Consulate"
Associated Colors

The Consulate was the governing body of Ghirapur on Kaladesh (now renamed Avishkar) until the Indigo Revolution. It was replaced by the Avishkar Assembly.^[1]

History

Before the Consulate, Kaladesh was ruled by feuding principalities that competed intensely with each other, with rivalries often escalating into war. Eventually, the conflicts resulted in a terrible war between the eleven most powerful nobles for a stretch of the coastal territory, referred to as the War of Eleven. The war was eventually ended when the court inventors of the nobles came together, opened communication channels, and eventually managed to end the conflict. The eleven artificers made the contested land their nation, with the newly founded city of Ghirapur as its capital. Representatives from the eleven noble families would unite and rule over the territory in harmony, forming the first Consulate. In time, the power of the Consulate would eclipse even that of the surrounding nations, incorporating them into their territory.^[2]

After the ingenious inventor Avaati Vya developed a process to refine volatile raw aether, the Consulate recognized its potential as a fuel and designed distribution methods to ensure that it was accessible. Their efforts led to a plane-wide inventors' renaissance, a time of hope, optimism, and boundless creativity.^[3]

The Consulate banned fire magic and made pyromancy punishable with a death sentence, reportedly since pyromantic magic interacted dangerously with the aether in the air. Some suspected that the Consulate saw independent energy generation as a threat to their power.^[4][5] Several factions believed that the Consulate was corrupt, and infringing on their freedoms. The Renegades directly opposed the Consulate by refusing to adhere to safety regulations and aether quotas while the New Culture Collective fomented revolutionary fervor among student groups, engineer councils, and factory floors.^[6] They both undermined the Consulate's efforts to provide law and order.

In reaction to the intrusion of unknown figures wielding magic openly after the Inventor's Fair, who saved Renegade Prime from her execution, the Consulate issued an ordinance to all citizens of Ghirapur. All inventions and artifacts that had not been Consulate-approved or been modified for personal use were taken into custody, as a safety measure against Renegade factions that would exploit these artifacts.

Aether Revolt

The Renegades believed that the Consulate was corrupt, infringing on their freedoms, and trying to consolidate their hold over Kaladesh's technology for their gain. They resorted to sabotaging government property and appropriating resources for the common good.^[5] The Consulate countered that the Renegades refused to adhere to safety regulations and aether quotas and that they undermined the Consulate's efforts to provide structure and lawfulness.^[3][7]

After altering Gonti's hidden cache of artifacts into weapons, the renegades attacked the Aether Hub and began a revolt. The personnel of the hub yielded when faced with the superior numbers.^[8] The Consulate countered by launching a diversionary attack by Baral and Dovin Baan to distract the Gatewatch. With the planeswalkers attention turned, the Consulate retook control of the Aether Hub.^[9]

After the final defeat of Tezzeret, the Consulate yielded to the Renegades. The corrupt elements were removed and members of the Renegades were integrated into the Consulate in their place.^[10] Pia Nalaar was named as the new consul of Allocation.^[11]

New Phyrexia's Invasion of Kaladesh

Early warnings from Chandra Nalaar and Saheeli Rai allowed the plane time to prepare for the New Phyrexian invasion.^[12] When branches of the Invasion Tree finally broke through, the Phyrexians found themselves facing a strong resistance led by the vicious dinosaur-based designs of Project Golden Scale. At some point during the conflict, Dhiren Baral was released from prison to assist with the defense.

Kaladesh's glowing aether was of utmost interest to Jin-Gitaxias and his Chrome Host. To speed up the plane's compleation, the Machine Host raced to the Aetherflux Reservoir, hoping to twist the flow of aether to their designs.^[12] While most of the city of Ghirapur was evacuated, Pia and its artisans worked to defend the reservoir, which if breached would destroy the city. These actions turned what the Phyrexians assumed would be a quick, simple fight into a protracted struggle to establish a foothold.

Rebuilding and the Indigo Revolution

Following New Phyrexia's fall and in light of his zealous defense of the plane, the new Consulate forgave all of Baral's previous transgressions.

In the aftermath of the invasion, Kaladesh's denizens again questioned the Consulate's leadership.^[13] Shortly after the Invasion, the Consulate was removed from power in the Indigo Revolution, a mostly peaceful insurgence overseen by former Renegades and members of the New Culture Collective, now a countercultural political bloc. In its place, a new, democratic ruling body, called the Avishkar Assembly, was installed. One of their first acts was to change the name of the plane to Avishkar, symbolically washing away the political connotations of the name Kaladesh.^[1]

Hierarchy

Consuls

There used to be eleven consuls in total.^[14][15] Together, they are also referred to as the Enlightened Keepers.^[16]

Among them:

• Kambal, Consul of Allocation. Replaced by Pia Nalaar.^[10] After New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, this position became the Consul of Revival.
• Mohar Varma. Position unknown.
• Padeem, Consul of Innovation. Held her position following the revolt
• the Consul of Law Enforcement
• the Consul of Ports and Commerce
• the Consul of Regulation & Enforcement
• the Consul of Taxation and Treasury

Consuls held their positions for life. Their admission in the case of a vacancy was a matter of nomination by the citizenry of Ghirapur. The candidates had to present their abilities in a public interview, where their qualities were questioned by the Consuls and the citizens.

Departments

Departments were the primary subdivision of the consulate, each with its function.

• The Department of Inquiry, a public relations division.^[14]
• The Department of Safety and Registration, oversees permitting of pilots and drivers.^[17]
• The Department of Security and Enforcement

Superintendency

• Dovin Baan, Senior Inspector for the Inventors' Fair.
• Tezzeret, head judge for the Inventors' Fair, later declared Special Grand Consul.^[18][9]

The Honorable

The Honorable was the official police force of Ghirapur. Members of its armed force were called enforcers but often eschewed lethal weaponry in favor of thopters and other aether-powered devices.

• Ranaj, chief of the Consulate Enforcers.
• Captain Baral, Chief of Compliance.

The House of Knowledge

The House of Knowledge was the think tank of the Consulate. Consisting of the best scientists and artificers in the city, they constantly worked to expand the technological level of the Consulate. Symposia known as Inquiriums were tasked with studying the aether and constructing new devices.

The Fleet

The skyfleet of the Consulate protected Ghirapurs miners and aether harvesters from the local fauna that also fed on the aether.

Edificiers

The Edificiers were tasked with constructing the buildings of Ghirapur and repairing them in case of damage.

• Sram, Senior Edificer

In-game references

Represented in:

Associated cards:

Referred to:

Trivia

• The Consulate's colors were white and blue.^[19]

References