Conclave: the elders who exiled the Nerazim

The Conclave was a small group of elders that ruled over the Judicator Assembly and, through it, the Protoss Empire on Aiur. Chosen for their wisdom and orthodoxy in relation to the Khala, its members governed conservatively and secretively, shaping the course of protoss history through decisions that included the banishment of the Dark Templar, the creation and enslavement of the Purifiers, and the prosecution of Executor Tassadar during the zerg invasion. (StarCraft; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Shadow Hunters; StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)

Organization#

The Conclave was a group of elders chosen for their wisdom and their orthodoxy in relation to the Khala. The Ara Tribe controlled who presided within the Conclave, maintaining the power within the Judicator caste, and the Ara also commanded the khalen'ri Praetor Guard, the personal guard and enforcement arm of the Conclave. Female members were a rarity later in the Protoss Empire, to the point that some among the other castes were unaware they existed, though female Judicators did sit on the Conclave. (StarCraft; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Shadow Hunters; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Twilight; It Will End in Fire)

At least one preserver was always on hand at the Conclave during its existence. Though preservers were utterly forbidden from serving on the Conclave, respected preservers had its ear and could often shape policy through their advice. The Conclave convened at the Khor-shakal, the Great Forum, also known as the Heart of the Conclave. (StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Shadow Hunters; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Twilight)

Early history#

The Conclave was formed during the Second Age of the Protoss Empire. Early on it forbade entry into the xel'naga caverns where Khas rediscovered the protoss psionic link, and it hid the discovery of a xel'naga ship from protoss society while allowing limited, controlled access to reverse-engineer its technologies. The Conclave directed that all texts and artifacts from the Aeon of Strife be sealed away on the xel'naga archive world of Zhakul, entrusted to a trio of preservers. (StarCraft; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Shadow Hunters; StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty; It Will End in Fire)

At the advice of the Grand Preservers Rohana, Orlana, and Shantira, the Conclave ordered the construction of three great arkships, the Spear of Adun, the Memory of Nezin, and the Pride of Altaris, in case a great calamity befell the Empire. The preservers, foreseeing that the protoss would throw the arkships against any threat while they remained in use, swayed the Conclave to seal them in stasis beneath Aiur, to be awoken only when the Empire stood on the brink of collapse. (StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)

The Purifiers and the Dark Templar#

The Purifiers were built under the direct order of the Conclave to be an ultimate fighting force, replicated from the greatest warriors in protoss history through the belief that consciousness could be turned into data. The Conclave did not treat the Purifiers with the respect afforded regular Templar, regarding them as little more than slaves. The Purifiers eventually rebelled and killed their masters, and the Conclave, deeming them too dangerous, banned them and launched them away aboard the vessel Cybros. (StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)

The Conclave also kept secret the existence of a group of rogue protoss who refused to submit to the Khala, fearing their aberrant influence might spread through society. It ordered Executor Adun to eradicate them, but when Adun instead protected the rogues and violent psionic storms revealed his disobedience, the Conclave chose to banish the rogues from Aiur rather than publicly admit their existence. This act earned the Conclave the lasting hatred of the Dark Templar. (StarCraft; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Shadow Hunters)

The zerg invasion and destruction#

When Executor Tassadar encountered the zerg, the Conclave ordered him to burn the infested world of Chau Sara and to destroy any planet in terran space tainted by the Swarm. After the fall of Tarsonis, the Conclave bade Tassadar return to Aiur, hoping to humiliate and likely execute him for disobeying their orders. Following the zerg invasion of Aiur, the Conclave stripped Tassadar of his rank and appointed the young Artanis as the new executor. (StarCraft; StarCraft: Queen of Blades; StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga: Twilight)

Convinced its strategies were winning the war, the Conclave ordered Aldaris and Artanis to arrest Tassadar, but Artanis instead helped Tassadar retrieve the Dark Prelate Zeratul, and the Conclave condemned them both. When the Conclave branded Tassadar a traitor and demanded the execution of Zeratul, a coalition of Zeratul, Artanis, Tassadar, the dragoon-implanted Fenix, and the terran Jim Raynor attacked the Conclave's forces. Tassadar ordered the Heart of the Conclave destroyed, killing many of its members. The Conclave was eventually wiped out and succeeded by the Hierarchy, though its military leaders survived to remain loyal to the Daelaam. (StarCraft; StarCraft: Brood War; StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)