Shaila's Claim
| Shaila's Claim | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Avishkar |
| Colors |
 |
| Part of | Ghirapur |
Shaila's Claim is a historic greenway on the edge of Ghirapur, known for its unique origin as a patch of rugged pastoral land that resisted the city's relentless expansion. What began as one shepherd's determined stand against the Consulate has become both a symbol of enlightened governance and a reminder of the Consulate's reach.
Description
Most greenways in Ghirapur owe their existence to careful urban planning by the city's predominantly elven designers, who shaped the city's expansion according to the teachings of the Great Conduit. Shaila's Claim, however, stands apart. Its preservation is not due to harmony or foresight, but to the tenacity of a single human shepherd named Shaila who refused to abandon her grazing land when the Consulate sought to build over it.[1]
In Ghirapur's early years, the city grew swiftly, pressing outward into the surrounding countryside. When builders reached Shaila's small hillock — a rocky rise covered in tall grass and old trees — they saw an ideal site for an influential Consulate advisor's mansion. But Shaila refused to yield. She demanded an audience with the Enlightened Keepers themselves. Appearing in worn shepherd's robes and leaning on her staff, she argued that she and her family had nowhere else to go. Her honesty and conviction impressed the Consulate, which ultimately granted her the right to remain on the land in perpetuity.[1]
To this day, Shaila's descendants, or those claiming descent, still live on the fringes of the greenway, tending sheep that graze beneath the towers and skybridges of modern Ghirapur. The greenway serves as an enduring patch of nature within the city's bustle, its rugged landscape unchanged amid the gleaming spires.[1]
The story of Shaila's Claim has become a touchstone for both sides of Kaladesh's politics. To some, it demonstrates the Consulate's commitment to rule through reason and fairness. To others, it highlights the Consulate's arrogance — that it could so easily have seized the land had Shaila not stood her ground. This duality has kept Shaila's story alive as both an inspiration and a cautionary tale.[1]
Narnam House
Hidden at the fringe of Shaila's Claim lies the notorious Narnam House. Though cloaked in urban legend, Narnam House is all too real: an underground greenhouse linked to an unassuming nursery at the edge of the greenway. The air inside is thick with the scent of orchids and the dampness of black soil. Ingeniously arranged mirrors and lenses channel sunlight deep underground to nourish some of Avishkar's deadliest plants.[1]
Owned by a human woman named Djarin, Narnam House is more than a greenhouse — it is the heart of a hidden trade in poisons and murderous automatons. Djarin was raised among these lethal plants and now raises her own large family there. Clients who wish to purchase her deadly wares are blindfolded and guided inside by her many children, where the oppressive air and lush flora hurry their transactions.[1]
Thus, Shaila's Claim remains a place of contrasts: an accidental greenway born of defiance, a quiet refuge of pastoral tradition, and a secret haven for shadows that thrive even in Ghirapur's gleaming light.[1]
In-game references
- Associated cards:
References
- ↑ a b c d e f g James Wyatt (January 3, 2017) - The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Kaladesh, WotC.