Editing Ecumene Council

{{Status|Canon}}
{{Disambig header|the ruling body of the Forerunner Ecumene|other councils|Council (disambiguation)}}
{{Organization infobox
|name=Ecumene Council
|image=[[File:HTMCC-H4 Terminals EcumeneCouncil.png|300px]]The [[Librarian]], [[Ur-Didact|Didact]], and [[Faber]] discuss the [[human-Forerunner wars|human attacks on Forerunner worlds]] before the Council.
|type=Executive branch
|founder=
|leaders-title=Headed by
|leaders=*[[First Councilor]]
*[[Rate]] leaders
**[[Master Builder]]
**[[Protector of the ecumene]]
**[[Lifeshaper]]
**[[Master Juridical]]
|affiliation=[[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]]
|branches=[[Rate]]s
|headquarters=[[Capital]]
|formed=[[10,000,000 BCE]]: Old Council
|reorganized=[[97,445 BCE]]: New Council
|dissolved=[[Great Purification]]
|notable-title=Notable Members
|notable=*[[Splendid-Dust-of-Ancient-Suns]]
*[[Ur-Didact]]
*[[IsoDidact]]
*[[Faber-of-Will-and-Might]]
*[[Librarian]]
*Other [[Councilor (Forerunner)|councilors]]
}}

The '''Ecumene Council'''<ref>'''Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary''', ''Terminals 1, 2''</ref> was the main government and lawmaking body of the [[Forerunner]] [[ecumene]]. It was located at [[Maethrillian|the Capital]]. When referencing the Council, a distinction is often made between the '''Old Council''' and the '''New Council''', the former's transition to the latter being defined by a major shift in governance and [[Master Builder]] [[Faber]]'s exile around a decade before the end of the [[Forerunner-Flood war]].<ref name="s18">'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 18''</ref>

==History==
During the [[human-Forerunner wars]], the Council was affected by the growing influence of the [[Builder]]s, whose power and wealth continued to accumulate as they supplied increasingly more weapons to fuel the war effort. The Council began to lose many of the Forerunners' old ways and ideals, becoming more ruthless and economically-driven. This general corruption led to [[Prehistoric human civilization|humanity]]'s exceedingly severe punishment after the Forerunners' victory.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''pages 33-34''</ref> The Builders' power continued to consolidate gradually over the following millennia due to the political maneuvering of the [[Master Builder]], [[Faber]], culminating around [[98,445 BCE]] with the exile of the opposing [[Promethean]]s, leaving Faber and his like-minded Builders virtually in complete control of what would later be known as the "Old Council".<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 47''</ref>

However, around a thousand years later, the Old Council underwent a radical change. After the Master Builder used [[Halo Array|a Halo]] to [[Battle of Janjur Qom|commit a genocide]] of the [[San'Shyuum]], not even Faber's allies in the Council could justify what was considered a crime against the [[Mantle]], and a revolutionary party of younger councilors opposed to the Master Builder took command.<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 264''</ref> With word out that the [[Ur-Didact|Didact]] had returned, he was called upon to be restored in command while Faber was put on trial before the [[Supreme Mantle Court]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 250''</ref> During the proceedings, however, the rogue AI [[Mendicant Bias]] staged a [[Fate of Maethrillian|massive attack on the Capital]] and eventually fired a [[Halo Array|Halo]] in the system, killing most of the Old Council; however, a number of councilors managed to survive deep within the Capital.{{Ref/Reuse|s18}}

After the Forerunners' reconquest of the Capital system, the survivors of the Council were reconstituted into what was now referred to as the "New Council", which continued to function for several years.{{Ref/Reuse|s18}} After the Flood took over the Capital system, the remaining Council members escaped to the [[greater Ark]] with the [[Master Juridical]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''String 28''</ref> There, they agreed to restore the Master Builder in command of Forerunner defense, as his Halos provided the only remaining defense against the [[Flood]].<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 242''</ref> The final dictum issued by the Council, before its destruction at the [[Battle of the greater Ark]],<ref>'''Halo: Silentium''', ''page 312''</ref> ordained the deployment of the final Halo installations in their designated locations across the galaxy and the protocols involved with the assignment of the installations' respective [[monitor]]s.<ref>'''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]''', ''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminal 2]]''</ref>

==Organization==
Led by the [[First Councilor]], the Council was composed of five hundred [[Councilor (Forerunner)|Councilors]] from various [[rate]]s.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 292''</ref> The Councilors typically served for a thousand years and took vows of abstinence and austerity. This was apparent in the general aesthetic associated with the Council; their [[Council ship|ships]] and [[Domicile|residential facilities]] lacked luxury or adornment, yet reflected the Council's status and power.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 255''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 287''</ref> The Council was supported by a network of [[ancilla]]s known as the [[Metarchy|Council metarchy]].<ref name="c256">'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 256''</ref>

Despite its regalia, the power of the Council was never absolute, nor did it attempt to be fully centralized authority. Entire regions of Forerunner civilization could function autonomously if they so wished, but tensions between factions occasionally ted to violence and social disruption. Forerunner schisms were extraordinarily destructive, but rarely did they involve other species. These were often localized to only a few hundred planets and lasting only a few centuries.{{Ref/Book|Id=Enc22P317|Enc22|Page=317}} 

The Council had its own dedicated security force known as [[Council security]];{{Ref/Reuse|c256}} additionally, special forces known as [[myrmidon]]s served to protect high-ranking members of the Council.<ref>'''Halo: Cryptum''', ''page 246''</ref> The Council metarchy also maintained significant contingents of embodied military-grade ancillas of various types aboard [[Council ship]]s and other facilities. While normally dormant, the machines would assist in the defense of the Council during an attack, and were capable of substituting for biological Forerunner commanders in an emergency.{{Ref/Reuse|c256}}

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary]]'' 
**''[[Terminal (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary)|Terminals]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Primordium]]''
*''[[Halo 4]]''
**''[[Terminal (Halo 4)|Terminals]]''
*''[[Halo: Silentium]]''
*''[[Halo: Last Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Fractures]]''
**''[[Promises to Keep]]''
*''[[Halo: Point of Light]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Epitaph]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Forerunner organizations]]