Azorius Senate

Azorius Senate
[[File:{{#setmainimage:AzoriusCrest.jpg}}|150px]]
Alternative Names
The High Judges
Lore Information
Parun	Supreme Judge Azor I
Guild Leader	Grand Arbiter Augustin IV (Ravnica block; now deceased) Leonos II (Return to Ravnica block)
Guild Champion	Isperia the Inscrutable
Guild Hall	Prahv, Spires of Order (Ravnica block) [Placeholder] (Return to Ravnica)
Game Information
Colors
Mechanics	{{{mechanics}}}
Featured Sets
Dissension Return to Ravnica
Signet Flavor Text
The maze-like design embodies the core of Azorius law; strict structure designed to test wills and stall change.
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The Azorius Senate is a white/blue guild from the plane and city of Ravnica. Originally featured in Dissension, the guild is also featured in Return to Ravnica.

The Azorius Senate functions as the government of Ravnica and creates Ravnican laws.

Description

Members of the guild are extremely aloof, believing their legislation to be the single force that prevents Ravnica from slipping into chaos. Also, they are known for being excessively formalistic, and literally spend hours on end reciting legal documents and making sure they adhere perfectly to protocol in all of their actions. For these reasons, they are deeply loathed by their Ravnican subjects. The parun was the Supreme Judge Azor I, a human lawmage who wrote most of the original Guildpact.

The Azorius works with the Boros Legion and the Selesnya Conclave to enforce the law, and the Orzhov Syndicate provides advocates and law mages as defendants or accusers. Convinced that change would lead to dissolution in city life, the Azorius promote the status quo, maintaining absolute authority over all transactions in Ravnica, deciding whether or not to permit them for the sake of keeping the peace. At their service are legions of knights and paladins, as well as a gamut of well-trained mages skilled in the use of spells that counter enemy magic and disable enemies.

Allegorically, the Azorius Senate is an hyperbolic satire of bureaucratic governments and legal systems.

History

Ravnica block

During the majority of the Ravnica block storyline, the Azorius Senate was presided over by human lawmage Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, who is later killed by an explosion while being attacked by then Dimir guildmaster Szadek's spirit.

The seat of Azorius power in the Ravnica block was Prahv, the Spires of Order, a large castle-like structure of white marble; in Dissension, Prahv was destroyed by the explosion following the collision between it and the crashed Parhelion, the fortress ship of the Boros angels.

Return to Ravnica

Following the death of Grand Arbiter Augustin IV, Leonos II has become the Grand Arbiter of the Azorius Senate and the sphinx Isperia, whom Grand Arbiter Augustin IV often consulted, has reluctantly become the Azorius guildmaster.

Isperia is advised by three arbiters, each representing one of the "columns" of the Azorius: the Jelenn Column, which makes the laws; the Lyev Column, which enforces the laws; and the Sova Column, which judges the law-breakers.<ref name="RtR Minisite"> These columns approximately correspond to the arms, or branches, of government in numerous real-world nations; the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary, respectively.

Creatures and races

Creatures and races associated with the Azorius include the following:

• Elementals
• Griffins
• Humans
• Loxodons
• Sphinxes
• Spirits
• Vedalken

Notable members

• Agrus Kos (ghost form, temporary)
• Grand Arbiter Augustin IV [[1]]
• Grand Arbiter Azor I
• Borbin
• Frej Ralinu
• Grand Arbiter Leonos II
• Isperia the Inscrutable
• Modar Bejiri
• Nhillosh
• Obez Murzeddi
• Senators Illindivossk, Pollotorus, Yindervac and Natt Vinloskarga

Gallery

• File:Guild azorius styleguide2.jpg

Sources

• Azorius Senate Minisite
• Slow and Steady by Mark Rosewater
• Makin’ the Law, Makin’ the Law by Matt Cavotta
• Clouds in the Forecast by Aaron Forsythe