Gravemind (level)

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Summary

A Halo 2 campaign level. The Gravemind teleports the Master Chief to High Charity. The Prophet of Truth has the Index, you must get to him before he leaves. As you you travel through High Charity, the Covenant begin their civil war. You will move through battles between the Elites, Grunts, and Hunters versus the Brutes, Jackals and Drones.

Strangely enough, apart from the opening cutscene, there is no contact with the titular character or his Flood minions. Also of note, is that the word "Gravemind" is not mentioned until two levels later in High Charity.

This is the first level in which Elite Councillors enter a combat capacity.

Transcript

First Cinematic

{Master Chief begins to wake up, we see a red circle of lights on the ceiling of some underground area, we see that he's being held by a tentacle and brought towards a massive creature}

Cortana: "What... is that?"

{the Chief is held in front of the creature's head, the head being one giant mouth made from seperate parts, similar to an Elite's}

Gravemind: "I? I am a monument to all your sins."

{as the creature (Gravemind) talks, he breathes out vapors found in Flood infestations, two tentacles bring a struggling Arbiter}

Master Chief: "Relax. I'd rather not piss this thing off."

Arbiter: "Demon!"

{the Gravemind makes loud huffing sounds, indicates the Chief}

Gravemind: "This one is machine and nerve, and has its mind concluded." {inticates the Arbiter} "This one is but flesh and faith, and is the more deluded."

Arbiter: "Kill me or release me, parasite. But do not waste my time with talk!"

Gravemind: "There is much talk. And I have listened. Through rock, and metal, and time. Now I shall talk, and you shall listen."

{he raises two tentacles, one wrapped around a red Monitor, the other merged with a half-Flood Prophet of Regret}

Monitor: "Greetings. I am 2401 Penitent Tangent. I am the Monitor of Installation 05."

Prophet of Regret: "And I am the Prophet of Regret, Counciler most high, Hierarch of the Covenant!"

2401 Penitent Tangent: "A Reclaimer? Here? At last. We have much to do. This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak."

Prophet of Regret: "Stay where you are! Nothing can be done until my sermon is complete!"

2401 Penitent Tangent: "Not true. This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and one actual. It is ready to fire on demand."

Prophet of Regret: "Of all the objects our Lords left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles! They know nothing of the Great Journey!"

2401 Penitent Tangent: "And you know nothing about containment! You have demonstrated a complete disregard to even the most basic protocals!"

Gravemind: "This one's containment..." {gives a disgusted huff} "And this one's 'Great Journey' are the same." {he lowers the tentacles, Regret shrieks in fear} "Your Prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existance, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those who built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent, or all will perish. As they did before..."

Master Chief: "This thing is right. Halo is a weapon. Your Prophets are making a big mistake."

Arbiter: "Your ignorance already destroyed one of the sacred rings, demon. It shall not harm another."

Gravemind: "If you will not hear the truth, then I will show it to you. There is still time to stop the key from turning, but first it must be found." {indicates each in turn} "You will search one likely spot, and you will search another. Fate had us meet as foes, but this ring will make us brothers!"

{MC and the Arbiter disappear in teleportation rings, fade to black, fade in on High Charity}

{a swarm of Covenant ships attack each other, fade in on the walkway outside the Council Chamber, Honor Guard Brutes guard the gates from rioters}

Prophet of Truth (voice over): "We are all of us, gravely concerned."

{cut to Council Chamber, a line of Honor Guard Brutes stand at attention, a cameraman Grunt focuses a holographic camera on Truth as he delivers his propaganda, the Prophet of Mercy watches from aside}

Prophet of Truth: "The release of the parasite was unexpected, unfortanate. But, there is no need to panic. In truth, this is a time to rejoice. A moment that all the Covenant should savor." {raises the Index} "For the Sacred Icon has been found. With it, our path is clear, our entry into the Divine Beyond guaranteed! The Great Journey is nigh..." {the Grunt notices the Chief teleporting in behind him} "...and nothing, not even the Flood, can stop it."

Master Chief: "Boo."

{the Grunt yelps, drops his needler and runs, the Chief picks up the needler, aims it at the Prophets}

Prophet of Truth: "Kill the demon!"

{the Prophets and some Brutes escape through a gravlift, leaving two Brutes}

Gameplay

Cortana: "Brutes! The faster you can kill these Brutes, the better." {MC kills one Brute} "They don't have shield generators, but take them out before... it's berserking!"

{MC kills all Covenant in the room}

Tartarus (loudspeaker): "The demon has entered the Council chamber?! Protect the Hierarchs! Seal the exits."

Cortana: "Oh, I don't think so. Put me down on one of the pedestals near the door."

{MC does so, Cortana's hologram appears}

Cortana: "That Prophet... Truth, he has the Index. You've got to take it from him. Let me get these doors. Go! It will be easier to track Truth if I stay in the network. Don't worry. You can pick me up later."

{MC fights his way to the ledge where the Arbiter was tortured}

Cortana: "Truth is moving through the lower levels of the tower. I'll reverse this gravlift. Drop down, try to cut him off." {if MC pauses} "It's safe, really. Just step in."

{later}

Tartarus (loudspeaker): "Reinforce all approaches to the holding pens. Slay the demon on sight!"

Cortana: "They're beefing up their patrols. Stay sharp."

{later}

Cortana: "Wait a minute! I'm reading marine IFF transponders. The signals are originating somewhere below your position."

{MC takes a gravlift down}

Cortana: "There are two groups of marines in this detention block. I'll zero their locations. You neutralize the guards. ...Quietly."

{MC frees the marines}

Cortana: "Listen up, marines! The Chief's hunting a Prophet, and you're gonna help him kill it."

Marine: "Affirmative!"

Cortana: "That's all the marines, Chief. Good work. We'll get out of here the same way we came in--the central gravlift. ...Hostile reinforcements coming down the lift!"

{MC kills the reinforcements}

Cortana: "The lift is clear. Step on in."

{later}

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "Fear not, my brothers! The Sacred Icon is secure. It was Tartarus and his Brutes who took the Icon from the Flood, and for that they have our thanks."

Cortana: "Excellent! Truth is broadcasting on the move. It'll make him much easier to track."

{later}

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "The Elites have failed to protect the Prophets, and in doing so, have put all our lives at risk. Let no warrior forget his oath, 'Thou, in faith, shall keep us safe, whilst we find the Path.'"

Cortana: "I've got a fix on Truth, just outside this tower, Chief. There's an exit nearby. Hurry."

{later}

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "With my blessing, the Brutes now lead our fleets! They ask for your allegiance, and you shall give it."

Cortana: "You wouldn't believe the number of kill-systems the Covenant are throwing down around me. Not to worry, it's pretty sloppy stuff. I guess they never expected a hostile intelligence to penetrate their networks from the inside."

{later}

Cortana: "The Covenant just destroyed two of their own ships. And I'm hearing reports of small arms fire throughout their fleet."

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "Creatures of the Covenant! The path is broad, and we shall walk it side by side."

{later}

Cortana: "Slipspace rupture. It's In Amber Clad!" {In Amber Clad flies by overhead} "Hailing... No response. She's crashed into another tower ahead of our position. I'll keep trying to make contact, but I'm not registering any human vital signs."

{later}

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "At this moment, the Council is gathered on Halo, to see the Icon safely placed."

Tartarus (loudspeaker): "Rise, my brothers! Cast down the Elites!"

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "There are those who said this day would never come. What have they to say now?"

Tartarus (loudspeaker): "Once the towers are clear, we'll drive them from the lower district."

{later}

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "I have listened to the Oracle, and confirmed our duties to it. The Great Journey begins here."

Tartarus (loudspeaker): "The Elites are falling back to the Mausoleum. Fools! Their Arbiter can do nothing for them now."

Prophet of Truth (loudspeaker): "Who would doubt the Prophets? What have they foretold that has not come to pass?"

{later}

Cortana: "If we're going to catch Truth, we'll need to take a shortcut, straight through the Mausoleum. Look on the bright side, for now, they seem much more interested in killing each other."

{MC approaches the large fight in the Mausoleum}

Cortana: "You might consider sitting this one out."

{after the room is cleared}

Cortana: "Hang on! I'm picking up two more transponders. It's the Commander and Johnson! They're closing on Truth's position, Chief. They'll need your help. This way, Chief. ...This isn't good. I’m getting confirmed reports of Flood leaving In Amber Clad's wreckage. Let's get the Index and find a way out of here. Before things get really ugly."

Second Cinematic

{Tartartus and his Brutes take Keyes, Johnson and 343GS toward a platform where the Prophets of Truth and Mercy wait with three Phantoms}

Tartarus: "Split them up. One in each Phantom."

{Three Brutes do so, two Phantoms take off. Tartarus kneels before the Prophets.}

Prophet of Truth: "The hopes of all the Covenant rest on your shoulders, Chieftain."

{Truth hands Tartarus the Index}

Tartarus: "My faith is strong. I will not fail."

{Infection Forms spring up and rush them. The Brutes get ready. They manage to crush most of them, but one gets through and knocks Mercy off his throne}

Prophet of Mercy: "Ahhh! Ahhh!"

{Tartarus moves to kill the Flood}

Prophet of Truth: "Let him be. The Great Journey waits for no one, brother. Not even you."

{Truth boards the Phantom, the Honor Guard Brutes follow immediately, but Tartarus pauses at dying Mercy. He looks at the Index and turns away from Mercy.}

Walkthrough

Fire your needler at one of the Brutes until your shields are in danger, and then duck behind one of the ridges. As Brutes do not have shields, any damage made to them is permanent. After your shields recharge, continue fighting. When one Brute is dead, the other will "bezerk", meaning that it will drop its weapon and charge you. A bezerking Brute can cause major damage, so take it out quickly. When it's dead, collect the dropped weapons and ammo quickly, and then duck inside one of the six small doors on the sides of the chamber. These can be opened by standing against the wall next to the door. From inside the little room, you can make your stand against the onslaught of enemies. Open the door and fire at your enemies, then duck back inside when your shield gets too low. Kill off every Covie in each party except for one Grunt (if there are no Grunts, you can use a bezerking Brute), and then run out to collect weapons/ammo. Kill off the last member, and duck back inside to fight the next party. Repeat this process until Cortana says, "Put me down on one of the pedistals near the door."

(the rest needs to be written)